What to do in Kamala Beach?
Contents
- What to do in Kamala Beach?
- Kamala Beach Video
- What to Do in Kamala?
- The Main Beach
- Phuket Fantasea Park
- Markets
- Night Market
- Rayee Beach
- Laem Singh Beach
- Surin Beach
- Wat Kamala
- Where to Eat in Kamala?
- Smile Bar
- Boat Bar & Restaurant
- Bella Vista Kamala
- Silk at Andara Resort Phuket
- Plum Premium Steakhouse at Cape Sienna
- Sunset Grill at Hyatt Regency
- Thalung Thai at Paresa Resort
- Kamala Beach Nightlife
- Cafe Del Mar
- Pine Beach Bar
- HQ Beach Club
- Novotel Kamala Rooftop
- Where to Stay in Kamala?
- Novotel Phuket Kamala Beach
- Hyatt Regency Kamala
- Cape Sienna
- Are There Beach Chairs in Kamala?
- More Photos
- How to get to Kamala Beach?
- Kamala Beach Map
- More reading
- FAQs about Kamala beach
Kamala Beach is a tranquil beach on the west coast of Phuket, popular with families and travellers who prefer a quiet holiday. The beach is immense and features many excellent Thai and international restaurants right on the beach, a rare luxury in Phuket. Its popularity expanded with the new Pine Beach Bar opening at The Intercontinental Hotel or Cafe Del Mar beach club next to it. Kamala is still a beautiful long beach with clear waters during the high season. It features many beach restaurants and shopping options, including some excellent hotels, including direct beach access.
Kamala Beach Video
The main road coming down from Patong Beach passes through Kamala, and you might keep driving (fast) without noticing the small street right at the bottom of the hill. Kamala consists of two villages, the original Muslim town in the very back with not much happening here, and Kamala’s touristic part is built all along the beach.
What to Do in Kamala?
There are no real attractions to see or visit besides Fantasea Park, a modest temple, a local market, and the beach itself. A couple of small beaches (Rayee Beach and Hua Beach) to the south on a tiny long road leading to nowhere, nicknamed “The Millionaire Row”, home of the beautiful Paresa Resort and a collection of incredible private villas. Almost at the very end, you can even enjoy a drink on a small bar built on top of rock boulders with amazing Patong Bay views.
The Main Beach
The beach has always been the main reason travellers prefered Kamala. The beach is long and wide with soft pale sand with casuarinas and coconut trees. The sea is very shallow and clear during the high season. The northern and central areas are the most attractive as a couple of dirty streams release some brown waters at the south end, where fishing boats are often parked.
Phuket Fantasea Park
Phuket Fantasea Park is a massive stage performance involving acrobats and adult elephants. Fantasea is a top-rated show in an immense park full of shops and games in the middle of a village.
Markets
The main road also has a bit of nightlife, shops and restaurants and even a Big C Superstore but most interesting is the fresh local market held all day at the village entrance.
Night Market
The night market opens Mondays and Fridays from 3.30 pm to 10 pm on the main road. It’s your chance to see fruits and vegetables like you haven’t seen before and eat fun snacks you will never forget.
Rayee Beach
Rayee is just next to the main Kamala Beach and is home to several luxurious properties, including Hyatt Regency Phuket and, further down, Cape Sienna. While it is a beautiful spot, Rayee is not suitable for swimming because of the coral.
Laem Singh Beach
The elusive Laem Singh Beach is just a little further down the road, past Kamala. This was one of the most popular green coves on the island for many years, but the landowner decided to close it. It now seems impossible to access, but it still is. You have to find the way! We’ll tell you how 🙂
Surin Beach
Further north, just a few kilometres away, the superb Surin Beach and Pansea Beach are further north. Surin is an immense natural beach with only one restaurant still available. Years ago, it used to be the place to dine and party at one of the many beach clubs, but all were declared illegally built and removed one day. Pansea Beach next to it is a beautiful but private beach only accessible to the guests of the two 5-star hotels sharing it: The Surin and Amanpuri.
Wat Kamala
Wat Kamala is a modest temple near the entrance of town. It is quite modest but the long lines of small golden Buddhas are worth a photo and it is a glimpse of real Thai life. Remember that this is a religious site so don’t wear too short clothes.
Where to Eat in Kamala?
The dining scene seems to be changing faster than the seasons. Kamala was famous for the many small restaurants and bars set along the beach on a 1 km strip. These restaurants are not always legally built, so they tend to come and go, making it difficult to tell which is open or closed when you arrive. However, there are still a few of them to enjoy in the middle area. Those are nice for a slow and cheap continental breakfast by the sea. Recently Cafe Del Mar and HQ Beach Club opened on the northern part of the beach next to the Novotel.
Parallel to the beach, but behind a line of buildings is the ‘main street’ where you will find the usual suspects: tailors, conveniences stores, travel agencies, dive shops, bars and restaurants, and even two small shopping alleys, one leading to the beach and one leading to a plaza in the back. Favourite Thai restaurants to eat at on this street are Charoen Seafood at Kamala Dream, Blue Manao, and Sala Thai.
Smile Bar
Smile Bar is a very popular beachfront restaurant and a bar with a great location just across the beach and the sea. The place has been recently renovated and is brighter and very welcoming. The team is super friendly and speaks good English. The menu is great, but Smile Bar is well known for its grilled chicken!
Speciality: Thai and International
Address: 97/85 Kamala Beach Road Soi Kamala Police Station Kamala, Kathu District, Phuket 83150
Hours: 10 am – 12 am
Phone: 089 677 4851
Boat Bar & Restaurant
Boat Bar is a simple but always popular restaurant on the beach, and the staff is very friendly. They serve a great range of Thai food and Pizza at an excellent price. Perfect for drinks at sunset too!
Speciality: Thai and International
Address: Kamala Road, Soi 16 Kamala, Kathu District, Phuket 83120
Open: 11 am – 10.30 pm
Phone: 083 175 7664
Price: Cheap
Bella Vista Kamala
Speciality: Italian
Address: 97/82-84 Moo 3, Kamala, Kathu District, Phuket 83120
Hours: 9 am – 10 pm
Phone: 083 199 9922
Price: Affordable
Silk at Andara Resort Phuket
Silk Restaurant at Andara Resort Phuket is an upscale and much-talked-about Thai restaurant set in a beautiful and elegant design, overlooking Kamala Beach. Silk Restaurant is instantly pleasing to the eyes with polished wood, high ceilings, warm tones, and a sleek design with polished wood, high ceiling, warm tones, and an elegant design. Just walking through the hotel to reach the large wooden doors of the restaurant is a lot more impressive than we expected.
Location: Andara Resort in Kamala Beach
Address: 15 Moo 6, Layi Nakalay road, Kamala sub-district, Kathu, Phuket 83150
Open: 07.00 – 24.00 (last order 22.30)
Phone: 076 271 702
Plum Premium Steakhouse at Cape Sienna
Plum and Vanilla Sky, its sister restaurant below, offer the Andaman Sea’s superb panoramic views with a sunset if you stay in Kamala.
Location: Cape Sienna
Address: 18/40 Moo 6, Layi-Nakalay Road, Kamala, Phuket 83150
Phone: 076 337 300
Sunset Grill at Hyatt Regency
Address: 16/12 Moo 6 Tambon Kamala, Amphur Kathu Phuket Chang Wat Phuket 83150
Phone: 076 231 234
Thalung Thai at Paresa Resort
Address: 49 Moo 6, Layi-Nakalay Road, Kamala Kathu, Phuket 83150
Phone: 076 302 000
Kamala Beach Nightlife
Kamala beach nightlife has evolved a lot since the arrival of Cafe Del Mar and HQ Beach Club. After all, there is still a bit of old-fashioned nightlife, and you are still in Phuket. Few ladies will probably call you “Hellooooo welcome!” when you walk past their bars, and it is always more fun to have a drink in a smiling company than alone. It is nowhere like Bangla road, but it adds a bit of spice and colour to the street.
Cafe Del Mar
Café Del Mar Phuket is one of the best beach clubs on the island. This well-known Ibiza brand found out this island was the right place for a beach party beach club with good music, great drinks and most of all, notorious parties.
Address: 118/19 Moo3, Kamala Beach, Kathu District, Phuket 83150
Open: 11 am – 2 am
Phone: 061 359 5500
Price: 1,000 baht minimum spend per single lounger per day, 3,000 baht minimum spend per double beach bed
Pine Beach Bar
Pine Beach Bar is a recent and beautiful venue set right on the sand of Kamala Beach and part of the prestigious Intercontinental Hotel. With such a wide strip of soft white sand and a beautiful landscape, the north end of Kamala is an ideal place to spend the afternoon or watch the famous colourful sunsets of Phuket.
Address: 333, 333/3, Moo 3, Kamala Sub-district, Kathu District, Phuket 83150
Hours: 8 am – 12 am
Phone: 076 629 999
HQ Beach Club
HQ Beach Club and Lounge, located in the northern part of the beach next to Cafe Del Mar, is one of the few beach clubs still standing on Phuket Island.
Address: 118/17 Moo 3 Kamala Beach, Kathu, Phuket 83150
Open: 9 am – 10 pm
Phone: 091 165 0251
Novotel Kamala Rooftop
‘On The Roof’ is a vast and breezy rooftop with plenty of comfortable seating with the beach’s views. This rooftop is a great place to end the day with a cocktail or even dinner, as the music is not as loud as in nearby beach clubs. Don’t miss the happy hour from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm, two glasses for one’s price.
Address: 118/16 Moo 3, Kamala Beach, Phuket 83150
Phone: 076 303 700
Where to Stay in Kamala?
Kamala has a wide range of hotels, from budget to luxury. All along the south part of the main beach, you will find a row of guesthouses at excellent prices, but the sea isn’t as attractive around this part. In the centre is the Kamala Beach Resort, and in the north end is the Novotel Phuket, which is an excellent value for money. Both have direct beach access. In the 5-star range, try the luxurious Paresa Resort or the Hyatt Regency.
Novotel Phuket Kamala Beach
Novotel Phuket Kamala Beach combines many of the features for a great holiday if you are searching for a reasonable mid-range accommodation in Phuket. The hotel is right on the beach of Kamala, a unique and much sought after feature on the island.
Category: 4-star
Rooms: 166
Swimming Pool: 1
Restaurants: 2
Nearest Attraction: Phuket Fantasea
Distance to city centre: 1.4 km
Distance to Phuket Town: 22 km
Distance to airport: 24 km
Hyatt Regency Kamala
Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort is a superb 5-star resort built on a hillside of Kamala, overlooking Rayee Beach, which is just a little south of the main Kamala beach, far from any crowd. This luxurious 190 rooms resort on the west coast of Phuket offers splendid sea views from almost every balcony.
Range: 5-star
Swimming pools: 1
Restaurants and bars: 2
Distance to the beach: across the street
Distance from airport: 28 km
Distance to Phuket Town: 20 km
Distance to Kamala Center: 3.5 km
Cape Sienna
Cape Sienna Phuket is a beautiful resort with panoramic views of Kamala Bay, designed to take full advantage of the hillside setting. All 146 rooms offer a sea view with a large private terrace; most have a Jacuzzi or even a private pool.
Range: 5-star
Swimming pools: 1
Restaurants and bars: 3
Distance to the closest beach: 700 m
from airport: 29 km
to Patong Beach: 7.5 km
to Phuket Town: 20 km
Are There Beach Chairs in Kamala?
Beach chairs are back on 10% of the beach, so everyone should be happy, as shown in this picture taken from the same spot on the same day. On the left, there are beach loungers; on the right, there are none. Kamala is a beautiful but often underrated beach. It’s probably why many visitors are returning every year, knowing that the best way to keep your favourite beach to yourself is to keep it low profile!
More Photos
How to get to Kamala Beach?
You can easily go to Kamala Beach by tuk-tuk, taxi or self-driving:
From Patong Beach to Kamala: 10 km
From Phuket Airport to Kamala: 24 km
From Phuket Town to Kamala: 22 km
Kamala Beach Map
More reading
FAQs about Kamala beach
- ✳️ What is there to do in Kamala Beach?
a. Kamala Beach has a few activities to offer:
Phuket Fantasea Park
Cafe del Mar
HQ Beach Club
Laem Singh Beach
Surin Beach - ✳️ What are the best hotels in Kamala Beach?
a. There are dozens of hotels to choose from:
Cape Sienna
Hyatt Regency
Novotel Kamala
Intercontinental Phuket Resort
Paresa Resort - ✳️ Where to eat in Kamala?
a. There are restaurants for all tastes and all budgets:
Restaurants on the beach
Silk at Andara Resort
Plum Premium Steakhouse at Cape Sienna
Sunset Grill at Hyatt Regency
Diavolo at Paresa Resort - ✳️ How far is Kamala from the airport?
a. Kamala Beach is 22 km from Phuket International Airport, 10 km from Patong Beach and 27 km from Phuket Town.
