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LAST UPDATE: Thursday October 23, 2003

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The Beach in a Beautiful Bay

And more soft coral sands, and warm, crystal water

Kata is certainly one of the most beautiful of Phuket’s beaches, a half-moon crescent of white sand lining a bay cut deep between two green headlands. Just outside the bay lies a small rounded island that seems to wave its coconut haircut to those on the beach.

Kata's exceptional beauty comes from several sources: its crescent moon-shaped bay and beach, the especially soft white sand, the line of trees that backs the beach and the high hills that give it a green backdrop.

In the high season the water here is crystal clear, calm and warm. From November to March the winds blow from the east, putting all west-coast beaches in the lee, often leaving the water glassy smooth and a delight for swimming. There is no coral reef off this beach, and the water is deep enough for swimming at all tides. At this time of year the beach is ideally safe for young children.

During the monsoon season, when conditions create a good, after-storm swell, Kata becomes the favourite beach for the few dozen surfers on the island. At this time of year all of Phuket's west coast beaches can become sporadically dangerous due to big waves, and swimmers should take care.

Club Med dominates Kata beach, occupying two thirds of its entire length. To the credit of the designer, it is built low amongst the trees, and from the water is almost invisible, making this two thirds of the beach appear natural and green. The southern end of the beach is busier with one large hotel (Kata Beach Resort) a boutique hotel (The Boathouse) and several restaurants lining the sands. But the atmosphere here is simply delightful.

Kata is about 12 kilometres from Phuket town. Phulic transport is available to town, though not to the other beaches up and down the coast. Getting to these requires the services of the small tuk-tuks, four wheeled mini-trucks in which the passengers sit at back. The road to town must cross the high hills at the back of the beach, and it is a steep, winding route on which many a tourist riding his own motorcycle has come to grief.

While Kata has quite a few small to medium size hotels here, it is far from ‘spoiled’. There is a real village atmosphere to the community of private homes, shops, guesthouses, restaurants and bars at the back of this beach.

There are small business, shopping and entertainment centres at the back of both ends of the beach, just 1.5 kilometres apart. The northern one is the larger of the two, and has many resraurants and bars. Near the southern shopping-eating centre there are many small guesthouses, some with rooms creeping up the hill, giving excellent ocean views.

Yachts big and small often anchor in this bay during the high season, and the annual King’s Cup Regatta has been based here at Kata Beach Resort for the past several years. The photo here of yachts anchored in front of the small island, Koh Pu, was taken during the annual regatta.

For details of accommodation on Kata Beach, click and go to our page Hotels/Kata Beach.