Karon
Karon Beach: Phuket’s Family-Oriented Haven
Located just a few minutes south of Phuket’s wildest, most entertaining beach of Patong, Karon Beach brings a surprising contrast to the busy days, heavy nights and sparking night-time entertainment of the former, however without ending up in sheer boredom. Therefore, the main target market of this exquisite Thai refuge is in the couple and family area, although Scandinavian tourists also particularly enjoy coming to the all-year-round warm temperatures and quality all-age entertainment. What follows is a small guide to this relatively quiet, yet very lively Phuket beach where everyone can find something interesting to do.
The Beach
At a length of five kilometres, the beach in Karon comes in as one of the longest on Phuket island, with fine, soft, squeaky sand all along. The northern end, near the lake, is usually deserted and represents an excellent choice for those wishing to go to the beach alone. The waves are usually very small and rare during the Northeast monsoon season between November and April, making the crystal clear waters a very attractive option for any tourists wishing to admire the wonderful sunsets the area has to offer. However, while they do become significantly bigger during the Southwest monsoon season that dominates the rest of the year, reaching heights of up to two metres, the waves here remain unfavourable for surfing due to the permanently shifting sands making their direction unpredictable. Turtles can also be occasionally seen arriving to lay their eggs on the beach, in which case the Phuket Marine Biological Centre should be contacted to remove them and ensure a safe incubation.
The facilities on the beach are usually good, although there are no sun beds at the northernmost part of it. The rest of Karon Beach benefits from a single row of beds, with more in the highly popular south, with a set of two sun beds, a table and an umbrella being available at a cost of 200 baht per day. Unfortunately, there are no public toilets anywhere on the beach, although most nearby restaurants will allow tourists to use their facilities for a small fee.
In regard to watersports, the selection available on Karon Beach should be sufficient for most outdoor adventure lovers, as jet-ski and parasailing operators are on constant patrol along the beach looking for customers. Banana boats, waterskiing and wakeboarding are also highly popular, but it is windsurfing that makes Karon truly famous, as the winds and conditions here are some of the best on Phuket. Surfing is largely out of the question, however, even during the Southwest monsoon season, as the unpredictable waves at that time and the almost non-existent ones in the rest of the year make this beach one of Phuket’s least favourable ones. However, ideally, one should have medical insurance and wear a life jacket before embarking on any of the more risky sports here, as the “no insurance” stickers often placed on the equipment offered by vendors does not offer a particularly ensuring feeling.
Some other worthwhile activities that can be found directly on the beach are snorkelling in the south, where the equipment and sights are better, as well as volleyball virtually anywhere on the five-kilometre stretch, especially as the sun begins to set. Thai massages are also readily available straight on the beach at very reasonable prices for the quality they offer, with the masseuses also offering other types of massage and reflexology therapy in their improvised stalls located in most shaded areas.
Where to Stay in Karon
Of course, before embarking on an unforgettable windsurf or jet-ski experience or even a walk on the superb white sands of Karon Beach described above, one needs to find a place to stay. There are plenty of options in Karon catering for all or most pockets and needs, with the North being most popular with Scandinavians and famous hotel branches due to the existence of Patak Road and the many sois leading off it and containing restaurants, shops and bars. The Centara Grand Beach Resort, with its 262 rooms, suites and villas all facing the sea with their private balconies or terraces, is probably the most renowned and best-viewed place to stay around. The Best Western Phuket Ocean Resort, the Secret Cliff Resort and Restaurant and the Sugar Palm Karon Resort, however, are all worthwhile places to live while visiting Karon, offering rooms ranging from Superior to Family quality, all with appropriate facilities and high-standard maintenance.
The central area of Karon Beach also offers some internationally famous brand names in what accommodation is concerned, alongside smaller boutique resorts. The most notable places to stay here are the Movenpick Resort and Spa Karon Beach, the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa, and the South Sea Karon Resort. The advantages of staying in this area count the reasonably close proximity to both Patak Road and its sois in the north and the main beach and nightlife attractions in the south, as well as the very long beach that is never overcrowded. A downside, however, would be the more dangerous waves and currents that tend to form in this area, with swimmers having to keep a constant eye out not to be swept away.
Finally, Karon Beach South also comes with a rich offer of hotels and resorts, one of which is located right on the beach and most of which are just a short stroll away. Guests will find that living in the southern part of the town will be quite different from living in the north, as they will have better access to local amenities, as well as to the neighbouring Kata Beach, with its richer palette of options in both nightlife and shopping. Notable resorts here are the Access Resort and Spa, the Andaman Seaview, the Centara Karon Resort, the Diamond Cottage Resort and Spa and the seafront Woraburi Phuket, as well as many other deluxe or family resorts worth giving a chance.
You can find more hotels in our selection of the best Karon hotels and Phuket hotels.
Eating in Karon
Alongside the numerous accommodation options available on Karon Beach, there are also several dining options one could find interesting around.
For anyone wishing to dine right on or next to the beach, there are very good food stalls offering curry and other Thai dishes at reasonable prices north of Karon circle. Furthermore, sun bed vendors also have small selections of drinks, snacks and ice creams available for their clients.
The northern part of Karon Beach also offers several other great dining venues, of which Karon Café is well-known as one of the top European and American food places anywhere on Phuket. Then, there are the beach front restaurants at Nong Han Lake, where fresh seafood and traditional local dishes can be enjoyed in a fantastic setting at venues such as Family Seafood, Pranee Seafood or Ren and Auddy Restaurant. The Pacific Club Dining Room, the Golden Sand Inn and the Heritage Cuisine are some of the other restaurants worth a visit north of Karon circle.
Around Karon Circle, following the road inland are several bars, pubs and diners where tourists can enjoy a quality international meal at any time of day. The venues here typically cater to specific national or regional cuisines and count Angus O’Tools, where Irish and international dishes can be enjoyed along with a drink in front of the two big screens displaying major football events from around the world and especially Britain, or Las Margaritas, where visitors can indulge themselves on Mexican and international foods served alongside an excellent wine selection. Then follows The Little Mermaid, where Scandinavian and Danish food is served, and the Royal Tandoor House, where guests can enjoy a large variety of Indian dishes, as well as many other restaurants with local or international menus.
Middle Karon also contains various restaurants offering a palette of choices ranging from Thai to Italian to Scandinavian, with the Buffalo Steakhouse, the Aldente, the Hilton Phuket Arcadia, the Karlsson Steakhouse and Pizzeria and the Münchhausen counting themselves among the top-tier food palces around.
Finally, there is Karon South, where travellers can enjoy an immense choice of restaurants, diners or food stalls along Lung Pho Chuan or Patak Roads. The 2gether Steakhouse and Pizzeria and the Long Beach Terrace are but two of the numerous examples of fine dining places
You can find more information about our suggested restaurants in Karon in our page: Karon restaurants
Where to Go in Karon
Karon is not only about watersports or staying all day at the beach. There are numerous other activities or sights one can enjoy, making it a perfect choice for family outings.
One of the best entertainment options suitable for any and all ages is elephant trekking, where tourists can enjoy a ride on the back of Thai elephants through the forests of Kata Noi, with free transport available to and from Karon Beach.
Another popular attraction in Karon are the cooking classes organised by The Old Siam Thai Restaurant, the Movenpick Resort and Spa Karon Beach, the Centara Karon Resort Phuket and the Front Village on Patak Road. Students here will learn the ways and ingredients specific to Thai cuisine and will be able to prepare dishes such as tom yum soup, green curry, phad Thai and Thai-style barbecued chicken by the end of their classes. Some teachers will even take their classes to the local markets to experience a hands-on lesson on how to always pick the best ingredients for their meals, whether traditional Thai or international.
Yoga classes represent yet another of Karon’s main attractions for foreign tourists of any age and can be obtained from most four- or five-star resorts on the beach, as well as from one of the two private centres in the town. The Shiv Yoga Studio at the Boat Lagoon Marina offers classes for any level of expertise in styles such as Power Ashtanga/Vinyasa, Hatha and Flowing Hatha. Furthermore, the Ganesha Yoga Shala in Rawai offers Ashtanga Yoga taught by Julie Hirunchai, one of the top instructors in this type of yoga on Phuket.
Further on, there is the Dino Park Mini Golf course located between Karon and Kata beaches next to the Marina Phuket Resort. A variety of pyrotechnics, dinosaur-like noises, dinosaur models and even a volcano that erupts on cue every hour all offer some high quality entertainment for any age every day between 10:00 and 24:00. Best enjoyed in the evening in order to get a full feeling of the prehistoric atmosphere, the course also offers some very good foods and drinks at its cave/jungle setting diner overlooking the street between Karon and Kata.
Yet another top attraction in Karon is the village temple, which seems to be close to everything around town despite the latter’s quite long shape. The surprising serenity oasis located just off Patak Road will captivate any tourist, as will some of its most interesting landmarks such as the two snake-shaped statues guarding the entrance to the temple’s ubosot, or main hall. The many Buddha statues, images and paintings, as well as sculptures of monsters from local and national folklore are more of the noteworthy sights one will enjoy alongside the buildings themselves when visiting the area.
Last but not least on the list of attractions is the Karon Market itself, where tourists can enjoy a great time by exploring the stalls and finding products they may not be able to find anywhere else in the world or at least back home. And, as anywhere else, the local community market is the best place to go shopping for small items such as T-shirts, DVDs, jeans, hair accessories, handicrafts or fresh and cooked food.
Karon’s Nightlife
Although not nearly as opulent or noisy as the slightly more northerly neighbour of Patong, Karon’s nightlife is always worth a try and there are two main hotspots to visit for anyone interested in some nocturnal entertainment.
The first of these hotspots is, of course, the central region of Karon Beach. Although significantly more modest than Patong in terms of raunchiness, the area does offer a few good bars and pubs, including the Irish Angus and Arfur O’Tools pub, the only one of its kind in Karon, Anybody’s Bar, the Football, Magic and Clapton bars located right off the beach on one of the leftwards arteries from the circle, and the Gun Bar, where local girls are always ready to make a new ‘friend’. The Sutin Bar and the Soi One Man, with its numerous similar venues, represent more quality options for those tourists seeking late night fun and drinks.
The second nightlife hotspot in Karon and the town’s answer to Patong’s Soi Bangla takes the shape of Luang Poh Chuan Road three kilometres south of the centre. Apart from Bangla Plaza and the U-shaped Bar Soi leading off the road and offering numerous shop-sized bars and pubs, one can also find the Farang, Asia and Phuket bars here, all of which offer female hostesses to keep their clients entertained. The first of these is also the original and best-known girlie bar in Karon, although the latter two also offer a good time to anyone wishing to have it. Finally, the Karma Lounge is a more high-class two-storey venue offering a straightforward bar at the bottom floor and a lounge-like setting at the top one, where most of the evening’s action will take place. From tasteful music and interesting videos to live Friday-night music and English-speaking hostesses, this truly is an entertainment lover’s paradise in what Karon is concerned.
All in all, Karon Beach represents one of Phuket’s quieter destinations, perfectly suited for those who wish a tranquil holiday with family or friends while keeping open their options for some top-quality night time entertainment.
You can find more informations about bars and the nightlife: Phuket nightlife