PHUKET DIVING SIMILAN ISLANDS DIVE THAILAND LIVE ABOARDS BURMA SCUBA PADI DIVE COURSES AND DAY TRIPS
DIVING PHUKET THAILAND
DIVING PHUKET THAILAND LIVE ABOARD DIVE BURMA PADI SCUBA COURSES
PHUKET SCUBA DIVING COURSES
PADI GO PRO DIVING COURSES
PHUKET DAY DIVING TRIPS
PHUKET LIVE ABOARDS THAILAND
LIVE ABOARD DIVE SITE REVIEWS
PHUKET INFORMATION
KATA AND KARON BEACHES
KARON TOWN
The twin towns of Kata and Karon are so close to each other that they are slowly
extending and becoming one. At present they are separated by the 1.5 kilometre hotel
lined Karon beach road-
KARON BEACH
DANGER
NO SWIMMING IN THE LOW SEASON (MAY-
The beach at Karon is long, wide, sandy and not so popular. This is probably due to the fact that you must cross the some times busy Karon main road and a Klong (water drainage way) to reach it and there is little in the way of shade from the sparse tree line, although you can find it (shade) near the big roundabout that is a feature near the town centre and at the far end of the road at the beginning of Kata town centre. Food and drinks are not so easy to get as in most resorts and you must cross back over the main road to find them at the Thai style bamboo cafés that line part of the road.
The beach is, in the low season (May to October,) one of the few places on Phuket island that surfing takes place and a competition is held each year.
GETTING THERE: Take a Tuk Tuk or taxi or if on a motorbike rental, head south from
Patong along the busy and very scenic Kata-
WHAT'S THERE FOR THE DIVER AND SNORKELLER: Reefs: None.
Kata is a quiet, pleasant town in two noted for its beach. There are all the usual bars, restaurants and shops in the town centre offering everything you need. Part of the main road is dominated by the Dino centre, which is a bar complex made to look like the Flintstones film and to be honest it looks a little strange, dated and out of place in the otherwise normal Thai resort. Kata, like Karon is family friendly and children are welcome and doted on by Thai staff everywhere you go.
KATA BEACH
Kata beach is the best chance to see what Phuket was like before major tourism, as there are no buildings close to the beach front, just a palm tree lined avenue, the palms giving shade for those not wanting the added comfort of a sun bed and parasol.
Don't be fooled by the shady nature of the beach, as the sun is full-
GETTING THERE: Take a Tuk Tuk or taxi or if on a motorbike rental, head south from
Patong along the busy and very scenic Kata-
WHAT'S THERE FOR THE DIVER AND SNORKELLER: Reef: Yes. The reef at Kata beach is a little gem and good for both diver and snorkeller. The reef, at the north end of the beach (right side looking out to sea) is a favourite place for scuba diving instructor IDC and open water courses and at times the shallow sandy bottom can be quite crowded but in the main these courses don't use the reef as they are just doing dive skills practice.
To enter the reef just walk out by the long-
Keeping the reef to your right side, follow it along the sandy bottom to see lots of *lion and scorpion fish waiting for there prey on the fringes of the reef. The maximum depth here is around 5 metres with a dive site maximum of 10 metres. Visibility is some times as low as 5 metres with a maximum of 15 due to the slight rip current sending up clouds of sand. Marine life available is all the usual Phuket Thailand reef dwellers and some harder to find creatures like coral leaf fish and the occasional turtle.
Top dive site for a half tank dive then a rest, some food a snooze on the beach and then maybe the other half tank.
We can arrange dive gear rental and divemaster services to Kata reef for you, so feel free to contact us.
*Lion fish and scorpion fish are venomous and give nasty holiday breaking stings that can last a long time so please be careful not to touch them.
It is advisable for snorkellers to wear a T shirt to protect against sunburn.
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KATA-
