Karon is a dangerous beach. Yes, it’s beautiful. Yes, it has singing sand (though really it just crunches underfoot) and stunning sunsets. Karon has several other advantages that put it in the top five beaches of Phuket.
But personally, one harsh reality about Karon frightens me – the constant rip currents. There are many spontaneous rip currents here. Read linked article if rip currents mean nothing to you, and after reading – choose another beach for swimming. Or strictly follow the lifeguards’ instructions and beach flags.
Beach Overview
Karon Beach sits between Patong to the north and Kata to the south. The beach stretches for about 2 miles (3 km), and I didn’t even bother measuring its width – it’s incredibly wide, dozens of feet across with a gentle slope towards the water. The sand at Karon is fine, almost white with a yellowish tinge.
It crunches like snow when you walk on it, earning its nickname “singing sand”, though I don’t think that’s quite right. Squeaky or crunchy would be more fitting. During the high season, the water at Karon is clean and crystal clear.
In the off-season, large waves stir up the sea, making it lose its appeal. Here’s a quick bookmark for you – a brief overview of all Phuket beaches to help you choose another beach if you decide against Karon.
Swimming
The sea at Karon is deep. Coming back to the topic of rip currents, I’ll say again that Karon is a dangerous beach. Even during the calm season, red flags often line the shore, along with flags marking rip currents spotted by lifeguards. The key word here is “spotted”.
Besides these, there are spontaneous rip currents that are only discovered when they’ve already pulled someone out to sea. In summer, you’ll find large waves here, but be warned – the lifeguards are fed up with fishing out bodies.
If you stumble in drunk trying to jump these waves, they won’t smile at you – they’ll kick you out of the water quite rudely. During the calm season, the sea is quieter and swimming isn’t quite as dangerous.
Sunbeds and Shade
Karon has some trees, but they provide barely any shade, and what little there is disappears by noon. Once the sun moves to Phuket’s western side, there’s nowhere to hide except under rented umbrellas.
The beach’s geography helps a bit: between the promenade and sand, there’s a narrow strip of grass with trees that occasionally widens enough for people to shelter in their shade.
Shade is scarce and demand is high, so expect to jostle for space. The locals have adapted by creating makeshift sand loungers (since actual loungers were banned) and rent these to tourists for 100 baht.
Beach Photos
Southern Karon
Central Karon
Northern Karon
Amenities
Karon’s infrastructure is fairly rich in tourist services and rentals. There’s plenty to try in terms of entertainment, both active and relaxed.
On the hill behind Kata Beach, there’s the Karon Viewpoint, though it’s actually closer to Kata Beach. Karon has loads of travel agencies offering a wide selection of tours, both around Phuket and to neighbouring islands.
There’s surfboard rental, mini-golf at Dino Park, and a Buddha statue on the mountain near the beach. Evenings at Karon are quite lively, especially near the karaoke venues and where night bars and discos open. There are a couple of nice gazebos by the road with sea views.
The beachfront cafes are typically expensive and often disappoint with their menu choices. Along the streets leading to the beach and along the road, you’ll find 7-Eleven mini-marts and other shops. Food at beach eateries starts from 70 baht per dish (mainly chicken with rice) and up.
Some restaurants offer free salad bars, which consist of cut vegetables and fruits that you can snack on while waiting for your ordered dish.
Taking tuk-tuks in Karon isn’t worth it – prices are inflated, they’ve got a proper mafia here, they barely negotiate, and they’re quite cheeky. It’s better to walk – for instance, you can walk from Karon to Kata in about 20-30 minutes, depending on where you start and how heavily you’ve eaten.
Accommodation
Accommodation in Karon is expensive. It’s mainly large beachfront hotels, with cheaper hotels a bit further from the sea, small condos and very few private houses. The “front line” that runs right behind the beach road is occupied by hotel giants like Hilton.
The road isn’t too densely built up, but there are plenty of spots for shopping enthusiasts: markets, shops, cafes. There’s a park with a small pond in the north. It’s quite peaceful for a tourist town.
Further south, where there’s a roundabout, a street full of numerous cafes, shops and hotels leads inland to a Buddhist temple. But you can find affordable accommodation in Karon too, there are options.
You can book a fan room in a guesthouse in advance from 350 baht per night. It’ll be quite clean, with WiFi, and a 5-minute walk to the beach.
Finding accommodation won’t be a problem even during New Year’s holidays, as there are loads of options. Since there are really too many hotels in Karon to list them all, I’ll mention some that are truly worth noting.
Recommended Hotels:
The highest concentration of hotels in Karon is around the roundabout with the fountain. Where the main beach road begins. Near this spot, in the centre of the beach, you’ll mainly find huge chain hotels.
More Notable Hotels:
- Karon Sea Sands Resort & SPA 4
- Ramada by Wyndham Phuket Southsea 4
- Baumancasa Beach Resort 3
- Baan Karonburi Resort 4
- Woraburi Phuket Resort & SPA 4
In southern Karon, you can find several large hotel complexes with great locations, impressive interiors and excellent reviews:
How to Find the Beach
From Phuket Town by taxi or songthaew. Songthaew is the cheapest option – just 40 baht from Phuket Town. Tuk-tuks, those red vehicles with two benches in the back, are quite expensive – they ask for 200 baht from nearby Kata in the evening.
To the airport by taxi also goes through Phuket Town, taking an hour if there’s no traffic. Cost is 1500 baht and up. There are also motorcycle taxis, suitable for short distances.
