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Kata Beach
Lots of room, water sports, local beachside restaurants and
a cosy village atmosphere characterise Kata. Definitely more
laid back than action packed, this broad and curving beach is
actually divided into 2 bays, Kata Yai and Kata Noi. Bordered
by rocky headlands Kata Yai offers two kilometres of white sand
beach fringed with trees and a few beach restaurants, while Kata
Noi, the smaller beach, offers seclusion and tranquility.
Unlike Patong, development in Kata has been slow and steady
with small guesthouses, a few resorts, local restaurants and shops
plus the odd quirky attraction like the Dinopark Minigolf.
Club Med, established over 15 years ago, sits in the centre of
the main beach, and has effectively prevented ugly development.
The town area is set away from the beach with shopping and entertainment
around Kata Corner at the north end. The southern end is occupied
by beach restaurants, resorts and a boutique hotel.
 Kata
Noi, a smaller version of Kata Yai lies just south around
the headland. Quiet and secluded, Kata Noi has a few restaurants,
tailor shops, bars, a quiet nightlife and lots of elbow room.
Apart from the Kata Thani - the main resort hotel which dominates
the beach, there are a few small guest houses close to the beach.
It's a place with not too much action, but close enough to pop
over the hill into Kata's main village area if you fancy shopping
or a night out.
Regular bus service to and from Phuket Town during daytime.
A good family beach, with safe swimming for most of the year.
Where to Stay 
In Kata you'll find a good selection of guest houses and smaller
understated hotels offering simple but comfortable rooms. The
exceptions are the Kata Beach Resort, catering mainly to
families and the huge Kata Thani Resort on the smaller
beach of Kata Noi, which stretches from one end of the beach to
the other and offers a range of sports, activities and in-house
restaurants.
For relaxed and stylish upmarket accommodation, The Boathouse,
a boutique hotel "for people who don't like staying in hotels"
has developed a following among travellers from around the world
who prefer its discreet sophistication to the larger Phuket resorts.
One of its other attractions is an excellent gourmet restaurant
and one of the best wine cellars on the island.
Where to Eat
 Kata
Corner you'll find clusters of restaurants, bars, and
small cafes on the roads leading from Kata Corner. Nightlife is
low key compared to Patong, but there are a few music bars and
some excellent places to eat. Try the Blue Fin Tavern -
a local favourite with excellent (and inexpensive) Tex-Mex (excellent
burritos, special nachos) where you can watch the world go by....
or The Buffalo steakhouse serving Scandinavian favourites
like Swedish meatballs in rich gravy and loganberry sauce.
Along the main street, you'll find a great selection of local
restaurants. Some with stylish decor and others selling simple
seafood - Thai or international style.
La Luna Piena has an excellent range of home-style Italian
cuisine, this open-air restaurant is a local favourite. Good food;
good wine; good prices. Open lunch and dinner.
Kata North End (near Karon
Beach)
Don't ignore the hotel restaurants which offer good value and a
choice of dining alfresco or in air-conditioned comfort. Still on
the Italian flavour, San Marino at Phuket Arcadia Hotel,
Beach Road, Karon Beach has some of the freshest, tastiest and most
unusual combinations of seafood on the island. Portions are generous
and beautifully presented in a Coliseum-like setting....... On
the Rock - (Marina Cottage) as the name suggests, serves
excellent Thai and seafood specialities on the rocky headland accessed
by wooden walkways. Superb view of Karon Beach in the distance.
Tel 330 625.
Heart of the Culture, also in Marina Cottage offers
dinner inside a traditional Thai style house, accompanied by traditional
Thai music and dance. Simple and elegant setting, friendly service
and a creative Thai menu. Open daily 8am-11pm.
Kata - South end.
Catch the sunset at Nero's (Kata Beach Resort) which
offers Italian food in a great setting overlooking the pool
and the beach.
For relaxed gourmet dining, the Boathouse Wine and Grill offers
a tantalizing combination of Thai and Western tastes served in
an elegant atmosphere overlooking the beach. A boutique hotel,
it has also acquired a reputation for its extensive wine cellar
and superb food. Live jazz at 9pm every Saturday. Tel 330
015. Bookings strongly suggested for dinner.
Gung Seafood, its sister restaurant next door, offers
a more informal alternative to the Boathouse while maintaining
the same high standards. The Thai cuisine features traditional
recipes with a contemporary twist. Seafood specialties are prominent
as the name Gung (meaning prawn in Thai) suggests. Both are located
at the southern end of Kata Beach. Flamingo, opposite the
Boathouse, offers great pizza, thin-crust and straight from a
wood-fired oven, plus an extensive selection of other Italian
dishes. Open all day.
Mom Tri's Kitchen - just up on the hill towards Kata Noi,
has great pasta and salads set in a Thai style house, designed
and built by M.L. Tri Devakul, architect and owner - who also
designed Gungs and the Boathouse.
What to do
 On
the Beach.
Kata's activities are mainly centred around the beach with parascending,
hobie cat sailing, windsurfing and jetskis all on offer. The south
end of Kata is becoming a popular spot for Phuket's growing community
of low season surfers with the annual Quicksilver Surfing Contest
held every September. A chance to see both local and international
amateur surfers riding the waves. As with most of Phuket's beaches,
you can lie back and have a Thai massage under the trees lining
the beach, or a manicure/ pedicure, and have your hair braided
for a reasonable price.
Feeling more active? On Kata Noi you can try kayaking for
around 200 baht an hour. Head south towards Nui beach where the
coastline is untouched. Hire a local boat and go snorkelling.
There are excellent reefs at the southern end of Kata Yai and
also off Poo Island just offshore. Longtail boats can also be
rented for 600 baht an hour, depending on numbers and your negotiating
skills.
Off the Beach
Take a local tuk tuk or drive up to Kata Viewpoint. Superb
views over the Andaman Sea with the three main beaches of Patong,
Karon and Kata stretching out in the distance. (Head along the
mountain road by Pop Cottage.)
 Dinopark
Experience Phuket's only active volcano! Mini-golf set in
a pre-historic fantasy landscape with waterfalls, caves and dinosaurs.
Best at night when clever lighting, sounds and pyrotechnics really
bring out the atmosphere. Flintstone style bar and restaurant
attached. Great family entertainment.
Elephant trekking. Along the coast road to the viewpoint
you'll find a small elephant trekking company offering rides into
the valley and hills which fringe the coastline. Stop at the elephants
road sign!
Shopping & Nightlife
 Need
a good book for the beach? The Good Earth Bookshop (otherwise
known as Julie's Bookshop) located on the main high street, sells
lots of second hand books and small souvenirs from around Asia.
Julie the owner and resident for 15 years, provides the tea and
chat, and a wealth of information about the area.
In addition to the usual dive shops and souvenir vendors, Kata
also has some surprising local specialist shops. Get that ideal
beach outfit in the Bikini Shop, opposite Club Med. Local
and imported bikinis, sarongs, swimwear and beach accessories.
For super hand made shoes, check out the shoemakers next
to the main ATM machine at Kata Corner. Make a copy of your favourite
old sandals or have a new made-to-measure pair of shoes from around
$80. Also around Kata Corner you'll find Indian imported goods
from carpets to small trinkets and Thai antique reproductions
and home items. For something a bit different try Lobster Square,
next to the Boathouse at the south end of Kata, this small courtyard
area has a number of excellent specialist shops selling artifacts,
art and unusual jewellry. Just in front is Gungs - a great place
for a stylish but informal lunch. Along from the Dinopark is a
small street market with vendors selling wooden toys, jewellry,
souvenirs, T shirts and beach clothes.
Nightlife centres mainly on eating, drinking and hanging
out with new found friends. Along the high street, most of the
bars open on to the street and offer great bar snacks and music,
TV and pool tables. For a stylish cocktail or place to meet try
Cafe Del Mar overlooking the high street. Kata also has
small bar-beer scene, close to Kata corner. The usual square shaped
bars complete with obligatory bar girls and bum-numbing bar stools
are complemented with music guaranteed to make you drink and be
merry, or leave. Worth a visit at least once.
Get in touch with your feet at the Reflexology Centre on the
high street or, for an exquisite pedicure and foot massage try
Piroh's Beauty Salon, behind the Good Earth Bookshop. Very
local, friendly and inexpensive.
General Facilities
Kata has all the basic facilities you need to get out and about.
Most of the shops, restaurants, etc, are within walking distance
of each other, but if you want to visit other beaches, there are
lots of tuk-tuks (open air taxis) There's also a regular bus service
to Phuket town during the day (stops at 6.00pm) Kata also has
a reliable clinic, a pharmacy and a couple of supermarkets.
Most foreign language newspapers can be bought at the supermarket,
along with chocolate and other western items you might pine for
while in Thailand! No banks but there's an ATM and currency
exchange at Kata Corner.
Other Beaches nearby
 Nui
Beach. A great little beach. Remote and away from the crowds,
it's not that easy to get to! You can get there on a mountain
bike or larger motorcycle. Not recommended on a standard rental
motorbike like a Honda 'Dream" and don't take your hire car,
or you could be paying hefty repair bills! The trail is deceptively
steep and you will fight the whole way to maintain traction on
the loose soil and gravel on the path. The safest way to enjoy
this truly beautiful and pristine beach is to walk the 2 km trail
to the beach. It is a beautiful but fairly steep climb as you
walk around and down the rocky headland to the beach below. To
get there: Follow the coast road south from Kata to the viewpoint
and continue down the road about a half kilometre where you will
see a small parking area and sign for Nui Beach. Park and walk!
From here you can follow
the coast road further south over a beautiful mountain road to
Nai Harn or Rawai Beach.
Link here to our clickable Kata
Map or to our Phuket
Photo Tour.
Overview
· Airport Beach
· BangTao · Kamala
· Karon · Kata
Laem Singh · Nai
Harn · Nai Yang
· Pansea ·
Patong · Rawai
· Surin
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