Kata Beach Place guide

Kata Beach is comprised of two beaches: Kata Yai and Kata Noi. Large hotels dominate the landscape on both beaches, although Kata Noi is nearly swallowed up by the Kata Thani hotel. 

Surf: Of the two beaches, Kata Yai is the beach with soft, sugar-fine sand and pristine waters. Its size varies with the tide—it’s a tiny millpond during dry season, but turns into a small beach perfect for surfing during the wet season.

Snorkel: If you’re a snorkeler who wants to enjoy the variety of marine life on Kata, go towards the northern end of the beach, where you can find coral nests among the rocks, where marine life abounds. If you’re on Kata Noi, find a longtail boat that can take you south to a quaint little hideaway called the Nui Beach. 

Walk: If you prefer to be adventurous and find Nui yourself, continue past Karon Viewpoint and head to Laem Promthep to find the entrance to the hidden beach. There you can get a beach chair, umbrella, towel and a cold drink without too many tourists.

Eat: Kata has restaurants full of delicious food just waiting to be devoured. However, if you want to get away from the cacophony, head on over to Southern Kata for flashpacker dives—perfect for backpackers and travellers that want to explore Thailand without being burdened by high fees or strict itineraries. 

How to get there

To get to Kata Beach, Phuket there are regular songthaews from 7:30am to 5:00pm between Kata Yai and Phuket Town. The route starts at Kata Yai and runs over a hill to Karon, then towards the beach before heading inland and finally returning to Phuket town. This same songthaew can be used if you plan to head to Kata or Karon Beach.