Karon

Introducing Karon

Travel Alert: Phuket's beaches can be very dangerous for swimming. Check the Health & Safety page for advice.

Karon’s gorgeous beachfront is developing rapidly, but the area still has an isolated feel. The beach road, once nearly void of development, now features a string of mainly top-end resorts. Luckily, most are tasteful and set far enough back from the sand to blend into the background hills. Karon is just a few minutes’ taxi ride from Kata, but has none of Kata’s noisy buzz. If you want to slumber in quiet, without being too far from the party, Karon is the beach for you.

During the monsoon season the surf is too rough for swimming here, so you’ll have to head to Kata for that as well. As a result Karon’s hotels are absurdly cheap during the rainy season: we’re talking luxury resorts for 2000B.

You’ll find most of the restaurants in the village of Karon, just north of the beachfront where many hotels are clustered. Karon is still a fairly peaceful place and relatively devoid of the overwhelming commercialisation, neon lights and loud music found on nearby Patong, although you’re still likely to be propositioned by the ladyboys hanging outside the restaurants come dark.

Last updated: Dec 7, 2009