Karon Beach ⛱️ in Phuket ✅
The second longest beach in Phuket
Karon Beach is the 2nd longest beach in Phuket with a golden sand and crystal water in high season, making it one of the most beautiful beaches in Phuket. It stretches for almost 4 km, fringed with coconut trees overlooking the Andaman Sea. The sand is known to make an unusual whistling sound when walked on, which I find quite amusing. Try it out yourself and you will absolutely understand what I mean!
The beach offers lovely quiet free areas with breathtaking views towards the ocean. In addition, it also offers areas with umbrellas and sunbeds for rent. This makes it really interesting. The popular Karon beach enjoys a good choice of restaurants, bars and pubs. There are also several shops, markets and massage parlors. It is also known for its large hotels lining the beach road and some beachfront. The immense beach on Phuket Island is a laid-back oasis, which also boasts access to lively nightlife.
Where Karon Beach is located?
Karon Beach is located on the west coast of Phuket Island. It is exactly 9 kilometers south of the famous Patong Beach and 1 kilometer north of the popular Kata Beach. The stunning Kata Noi Beach is 3.5 kilometers to the south and the popular Nai Harn Beach is 10 kilometers to the southernmost.
Karon Beach is crowded?
Karon beach is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Phuket. Despite this, it never seems to be crowded even during the high season. The beach itself has excellent points for practicing sports, for relaxing, for doing beach activities and for staying in wonderful hotels. This beach is really wide to allow tourists to never feel crowded.
Thing to do on Karon Beach
Karon beach has many beach activities. It is also the ideal place for those who love to play sports. The beach is perfect for taking long walks especially on the shoreline. The sand in the shoreline remains very soft so it is really pleasant. I advise to walk during the morning or late afternoon hours to avoid severe skin burns caused by the sun’s rays. In Phuket, during the hottest hours, the sun’s rays are extremely strong, so avoid them!
Swimming is of course another thing to do. From November to April the water is very crystal, calm and perfect for swimming. Therefore, swimming during the peak season is really enjoyable. However, if you’re planning a holiday from May to October, Karon beach can be very dangerous and unsuitable for swimming due the strong currents.
Snorkeling is another thing to do and also for this activity, the best time is obviously from November to April. The southernmost part of Karon beach is the best area for snorkeling. The seabed is full of rocks and hiding places, while the central part remains sandy and uninteresting.
You can go parasailing and Jetsky all year round because the operators of these activities are always active. Parasailing is a great way to see Karon from above and can be very thrilling. Obviously, care must be taken with regarding safety issues.
Volleyball is a popular sport, with nets and courts available in the central part of the beach. Every day around sunset, this place is crowded and seems to be a lot of fun!
Watching sunsets from Karon beach is a must-do. These sunsets are often incredibly colorful. Around 6:00 pm the beach fills up with people to watch this moment and to take photos.
During the low season there is constant surfing on the southern end of the beach. It’s a great time for practicing it because there are waves of a couple of meters. Good luck!
Where to eat on Karon Beach
Karon Beach has a good choice of restaurants serving reasonably priced Thai and international cuisine. Street food can also be found between the roundabout and Karon lake. Here are listed some of the most popular Karon restaurants open for everyone.
MINT Bar & Restaurant
MINT Bar & Restaurant of Paradox Resort Karon is an open-air restaurant facing the sea located few steps from the Karon roundabout. It serves International and Thai cuisine, Thai beers and cocktails of all kinds at affordable price.
This is the right place to eat, drink, and chill with friends in its casual and fun atmosphere. It is open for everyone to enjoy a drink or a meal after a day spent on Karon beach.
Price: Medium
Location: Paradox Resort Karon
Address: 509 Patak Rd, Karon, Phuket 83100
Phone: +66 (0) 76 683 350
Hours: 4:00 pm – Midnight
CHAR’D Grill
CHAR’D Grill is an excellent Steackouse, American, Pizza and Seafood restaurant of Avista Grande Phuket Karon-MGallery. It is a romantic restaurant that you enjoy ‘dine-on-water’ with your head under the stars. It serves a great selection of excellent steaks, fresh Andaman seafood, roasts and pizza from the wood-fired oven. The wine list is perfectly selected to match the succulent courses. On Friday night there is a fire show to add an extra touch to your dining experience at CHAR’D. Reservation is recommended.
Price: Medium-high
Location: Avista Grande Phuket Karon-MGallery
Address: 38 Soi Luang Phor Chuan Soi 1, Karon, Phuket 83100
Phone: +66 (0) 62 669 9090
Hours: 6:30 – 10:00 pm
Coast Beach Club & Bistro Phuket
Coast Beach Club & Bistro Phuket is located exactly at Centara Grand Beach Resort. It’s a cozy open-air Beach Club technically close to the beach with lots of sunbeds and sofas. The view towards the sea is somewhat covered by the tropical trees but it remains inviting. The menu is quite extensive. In fact, it serves Thai, Italian and international dishes at medium-high prices. The Coast Beach Club is an excellent place to enjoy a beautiful sunset while sipping a cocktail. In addition, you can stay until the evening trying the delicious tapas with champagne under a starry sky. Booking is recommended!
Price: Medium-high
Location: Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket
Address: 683 Patak Rd, Karon, Phuket 83100
Phone: +66 (0) 76 201 234
Hours: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Tann Terrace Phuket
Tann Terrace Phuket is a new restaurant, now also Beach Club, located in the southern part of Karon beach. It has a large terrace facing the sea, with lots of tables, sunbeds and sofas. The restaurant serves mainly Italian and Thai cuisine. It also has an excellent bakery, perfect for enjoying breakfast on the beach. The Beach Club is very attractive. It organizes special events, such as the Full Moon Party with DJs and fire performances. This entertainment is very nice to watch and remember to join early to get the best table ever. Have fun!
Price: Medium
Location: Karon
Address: 53 Patak Rd, Karon, Phuket 83100
Phone: +66 (0) 94 156 4546
Hours: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
On The Rock
On The Rock is a beautiful open-air seafood restaurant built on the rocks in the southern end of Karon Beach. Part of the well-known Marina Phuket Resort, it boasts a strategic seaside location with fantastic views over Karon Beach. The restaurant is large and very attractive. Therefore, it is good to book a table by the sea in advance because getting a table in the second row defeats the purpose. The restaurant has a detailed menu and serves mainly Thai dishes and seafood dishes. You will love this place!
Price: Medium-high
Location: Marina Phuket Resort, Karon
Address: 47 Karon Rd, Karon, Phuket 83100
Phone: +66 (0) 83 641 1665
Hours: 7:30 am – 10:00 pm
Seafood restaurants by the lake
Between Karon beach and the lake, just near the circle, there is a good choice of Thai seafood restaurants. They mainly serve local Thai and international food at reasonable prices. The food is good and it seems to be a popular destination for tourists who prefer this area.
Price: Reasonable
Location: Karon
Address: 15 Patak Rd, Karon, Phuket 83100
Hours: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Rosmarino Italian Restaurant
Rosmarino is an authentic Italian restaurant located just at the side of the Karon Roundabout near the beach. It serves excellent Italian cuisine helmed by Italian Chef Marco. The restaurant is cozy with a great atmosphere, having outdoor and indoor seating options. The rich menu is skilfully detailed and written in Italian and English languages. The wine list has a simple design, streamlined in well-illustrated content, even if rich in numbers. Try the authentic Italian cuisine at Rosmarino, you will love it.
Price: Medium range
Location: Karon Roundabout
Address: 240 Patak Rd, Karon, Phuket 83100
Phone: +66 (0) 76 396 133
Hours: 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm
What to visit on Karon Beach
Karon is known mostly for its immense beautiful beach with clear waters. This attraction is of course the first spot that everyone will visit. But around Karon there are some interesting places to visit. Some of them are located approximately near to the Karon Roundabout, not far from the beach and easy to get. They are beautiful places to visit and to photograph. Moreover, it’s something different and interesting thing to visit instead of always going to the beach.
The Naga Statue
Karon Beach has a unique attraction, a mystical golden dragon statue. Located in the central part of the beachfront, just south of the Karon circle, is the Naga statue. A beautiful curled up golden dragon. The dragon is a very important mythical deity in Thai traditions and mythology. This is a must-see attraction that symbolizes the characteristics of the beliefs and culture of locals.
Thai people come here to make offerings and pay respect. In fact, if you look closely at the base of the statue, you will see votive offerings dedicated to the mythical snake. The Golden Dragon is one of the best spots on Karon beach to watch beautiful sunsets. Its golden color combined or match perfectly with the warm colors coming from the sun is the best sunset you will ever experience.
Karon Temple
Karon Temple, locally called Wat Suwan Khirikhet, is located at the end of Soi Patak in Karon. Open daily to visitors, it’s a perfect place to walk around freely and taking photos. The staircase is supervised by two huge colorful dragons and inside there are paintings everywhere. Always remove your shoes and hats before entering the temple. Usually a small sign will inform you!
Karon Temple Market
Karon Temple hosts the popular market twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays. Don’t miss the chance to visit it as there is so much local food, souvenirs, summer clothes, tropical fruit, cosmetics and so on. You may also have a chance to find giant water bugs and fried insects. This fair is always a pleasant moment of fun.
Karon Avenue
Karon Avenue is located right on the side of Karon lake and just before the Karon Roundabout. This area offers useful services such as shops, massage center, pharmacy, baths and ATMs. There are also bars and restaurants with lake view. Don’t miss it!
Where to stay in Karon Beach
Karon has a good choice of hotels to choose from. There are some beachfront hotels with direct access to Karon Beach. While most of the other hotels are on the edge of Karon Road. Probably, these hotels has convenient prices than the beachfront hotels. The hotels are listed from north to south and I have also created a map below.
Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket
Centara Grand Beach Resort is a superb hotel with a strategic location, right on Karon Beach. The immense hotel is located almost in the northern end of the beach, in an extremely quiet area. With 262 rooms, suites and villas, large pools, restaurants and included a Beach Club, Centara Grand Beach Resort is a top-rated mid-high range hotel.
Range: 4-star Hotel
Location: Karon
Address: 683 Patak Rd, Karon, Phuket 83100, Thailand
Phone: +66 (0)76 201 234
Paradox Resort Karon
Paradox Resort Phuket, used to be Mövenpick Resort, is set amongst 22 acres with beautifully tropical garden, from Patak Road until the beach side. This impressive 5-star hotel has 363 rooms and villas to choose from. It has 2 restaurants, 2 swimming pools, Kid’s Club, a Gym and a superb Spa with 8 private villas. This romantic hotel has a wide variety of services ideal for families and couples. The accommodation offers the best comforts and services with a great value for money.
Range: 5-star Hotel
Location: Karon
Address: 509 Patak Rd, Karon, Phuket 83100, Thailand
Phone: +66 (0)76 683 350
Pullman Phuket Arcadia Karon Beach Resort
Pullman Phuket Arcadia Karon Beach Resort is probably one of the best hotels in Karon. The hotel spans 75 acres surrounded by a vast tropical garden, lagoons and tropical trees. The luxurious hotel has 665 sea view rooms and suites, 8 restaurants and bars, 5 breathtaking swimming pools, 2 squash courts and 3 tennis courts. It also has a fully equipped fitness center, a kid’s club and a professional spa with 15 private villas. The hotel is suitable for all travelers who want to spend a dreamy vacation near Karon beach.
Range: 5-star Hotel
Location: Karon
Address: 333 Patak Rd, Karon, Phuket 83100, Thailand
Phone: +66 (0)76 396 433
Thavorn Palm Beach Resort
Thavorn Palm Beach Resort is one of the best 5-star hotels in Karon located in the central part of Karon Beach. Nestled in a tropical garden, the hotel has over 200 comfortable rooms, 4 dreamy pools, restaurants and bars. The proximity to the beach is certainly what is most striking. Read more HERE
Range: 5-star Hotel
Location: Karon
Address: 311 Patak Rd, Karon, Phuket 83100, Thailand
Phone: +66 (0)76 201 234
Avista Grande Phuket Karon – MGallery
Avista Grande Phuket Karon is a 5-star hotel with modern Sino-Portuguese design offering memorable stays. The superb hotel is located in the southern part of Karon within walking distance of the beautiful Karon beach. With a romantic setting and a variety of amenities ideal for travelers like you, this accommodation offers the best comforts and great value for money.
Range: 5-star Hotel
Location: Karon
Address: 38 Luang Phor Chuan Rd, Karon, Phuket 83100, Thailand
Phone: +66 (0)76 302 660
Beyond Resort Karon
Beyond Resort Karon is a 4-star beachfront hotel located in the southern end of Karon. With its golden location right on Karon Beach, the 81-room hotel enjoys stunning views towards the Andaman Sea. It is the right hotel for all of those who like to stay right by the sea.
Range: 4-star Hotel
Location: Karon
Address: 51 Karon Road, Karon Beach, Phuket 83100 Thailand.
Phone: +66 (0)76 330 006
How was Karon Beach during the COVID-19 on 2021?
On 2021 Karon Beach changed drastically, for the better way, of course. The beach was totally deserted and silent. There was no one on the beach! The beach was an immense strip of very white sand sand and incredibly crystal waters as you never saw it before.
Nature had totally back to its origins, taking back all the lost spaces. Some places were so beautiful feeling like heaven. Karon Beach was surprisingly beautiful to take anyone’s breath away. In 2021 I had the opportunity to live this unique experience by taking many photos without anyone into my frame. Honestly, I’ve never saw Karon beach like that in more than a decade of staying in Phuket. Below I created a short photo gallery of 2021.
Photos of Karon Beach during the COVID-19 on 2021
Karon Beach Photos
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