I often get asked about the best place to go in Phuket, particularly from people wanting to avoid the tourist trap of Patong that feels more like Faliraki than a tropical island.
And so I recorded a video while taking a stroll on Kata beach, I've also compared this with Karon beach; you'll find a link to that review below the video on this page. That way you can decide which beach you want to stay nearest to.
The beach is clean and the water really pleasant, and the views are picture worthy (as you will see in the video).
There is a rocky area at each end where you will see crabs and fish in the shallows, but make sure you wear shoes as some rocks are quite sharp.
If you're a runner, Kata beach is long enough for a relaxing morning run, and even in the day time there's plenty of room to run without bumping into people.
One thing that's nice about Kata beach is that there isn't an overkill of product vendors, and the ones there are tend not to hassle you once you've said “no”.
Thai food is available from local vendors, as is fruit and ice cream.
If you fancy a beer there are drinks available at a few hotels on the beach front.
For the adventurer there's jet-skiing, banana boating and paddle boarding available, too.
It's not the most magical looking beach in the world, but it's very pleasant, and big enough to accommodate everyone without it feeling over-crowded.
You won't be disappointed if you stay near to or on this beach. There's plenty of space even in high season, and just strolling up and down or paddling in the shallows is very pleasant.