Laem Sigh Beach
: Hidden by steep hills from the road and from
nearby kamala, this small
beach is accessible through a narrow and fairly steep
footpath. There is about two hundred metres of fine,
white, powdery sand giving onto waters that offer
some of the best snorkelling and scuba diving on the
island. This beach is the superb paradise for those
who want to escape from the multitudes of hawkers,
masseuses and water sports.
Kamala Beach : Just
south of Laem Singh lies gorgeous Kamala Bay, a pretty
relaxed beach suitable for swimming or soaking up
a perfect tan. The water at the northern end of the
beach is revowned for its clarity, an excellent spot
for snorkelling and scuba diving to explore the abundant
coral reefs. The centre of the beach is dominated
by a peaceful Muslim fishing village with its two
small mosques near the southern end of this settlement.
It's a good place to try delicious Muslim dishes.
Patong Beach : Patong
is the most developed beach on Phuket. Yet only a
brief twenty or so years ago, it was all but undeiscoverd.
With small fishing communities on a long crescent
beach. A wide range of water sport equipment such
as jetskiing, and parasailing.
Patong is also the centre
of Phuket's increasingly swinging nightlife. This
revolves around the main east-west road called Soi
Bangla and its attendant lanes. Various styles of
restaurants including Thai, French, Italian, German,
Japanese and Mexican are also well supplied.
Freedom Beach and
Kalim Beach : For those who want to get away from
the hustle and bustle for a while, you can hire a
long-tailed boat to isolated Freedom Beach, just around
the headland of Laem Ko Sai Rot to the south. Alternatively,
Kalim Beach, relly just an extension of Patong to
the north, is also rather quiet.
Karon
Beach : South from Patong Beach lies the extensive
sweep of Karon Beach with a crescent bay. small sand
dunes, and white sandy beach lined with casuarina
and palm trees. During the Southwest Monsoon, which
blows from May to October, Karon Beach can suffer
from serious undertows, and worning flags are sometimes
raised. The open nature of the bay also means that
the waves are sometimes large enough for surfing,
especially at the southern end of the beach where
surfboards are available.
Karon Noi or Relax
Bay : In a small bay nestling between the headlands
of Laem Khak and Laem Mai Ngang is a tiny but delightful
beach dubbed Karon Noi, also known as Relax Bay. Monopolized
by the exclusive Le Meridien Hotel, one can reach
this beach by road from either Karon or Patong.
Kata
Beach : Kata Beach is subdivided into Kata Noi
(Little Kata) to the south and Kata Yai (Big Kata)
to the north. Kata Beach is also famous for snorkelling,
as the waters remain comparatively shallow for about
30 metres offshore, making access to coral and tropical
fish easier than almost anywhere else on the island.
Tourists can also take a boat to Ko Pu, a tiny uninhabited
island with a thriving coral reef just off Laem Sai.
Both beaches are well
provided with cafes, restaurants, and accommodation.
Just around the small headland and overlooking Kata
Noi, there is the cliff-sided home of the noted Thai
architect M.L. Tri Devakul, who designed the Boathouse.
Here there is an art gallery exhibitiing and selling
the works of local and international artists. The
Ban Kata Arts Festival is held here every February.
At the southern end
of Kata Yai stands the magnificent Boathouse, a Thai-styled
hotel and restaurant complex which offers two-day
Thai cooking classes on every Saturday and Sunday
between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
