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Kathu – What to do in Kathu?

What to do and where to eat in Kathu?

Kathu is a small village and a small district, halfway between Phuket town and Patong Beach. The name of Kathu is not unknown, but very few people add it to their list of Things to Do in Phuket. The village of Kathu itself is not impressive, except maybe for a couple of temples, a few mural paintings and an annual festival.

Kathu Village

The street is lined with tiny little shops and administrative buildings. The location just away from the main road kept it relatively tranquil, but chances are, you will go to Kathu without knowing it.


Where to eat in Kathu


There is a surprising amount of restaurants in Kathu, including Krua Jongjit, a local restaurant with a Michelin mention and Thong Dee Brasserie, which has been #1 on TripAdvisor for quite a while now. Kathu is becoming a local Thai food hub, and the number of small local places to enjoy keeps growing. It is cheap, fun, tastes great and has fully become part of travelling!

Big Chicken Restaurant (Krua Thung Thong)

Big Chicken Restaurant Phuket

Big Chicken Restaurant (Tung Tong Restaurant) is one of our three favourites venues in Kathu. It is also your chance to try some authentic Thai dishes: how often can you eat giant ants eggs? If you drove past the Phuket Country Club in the past twenty years, you probably saw that weird big chicken on the side of the road. It’s a simple, affordable, nice and clean restaurant with very friendly service and they even have an air-con room! But the reason it is always busy is without a doubt the food.

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Krua Jongjit Restaurant

Krua Jongjit Restaurant in Phuket, Kathu

Krua Jongjit restaurant in Kathu is proof that a restaurant doesn’t have to be fancy nor expensive to be excellent and even receive a Michelin Plate for fresh ingredients, carefully prepared: a good meal. But, for such a modest venue, it is still a big statement.

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Ketho Dim Sum

ketho dim sum kathu 1

Address: 48 2 Vichitsongkram Rd, Kathu, Kathu District, Phuket 83120
Open: 6 am – 12 pm
Phone: 081 538 9377

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We Camping Phuket

we camping kathu phuket 1

We Camping Phuket is a local restaurant located in Kathu, with fun camping decor and a vast outdoor sitting area. Despite the name, the place is not related to camping at all: it is the decor theme where customers can sit outdoors while taking photos in the makeshift tents. The food and drinks are good and cheap, and the team is friendly.

Address: 2/127 Moo 2 Kathu Subdistrict, Phuket, Kathu District, Phuket 83120
Hours: 5 pm – 11 pm
Phone: 098 017 4481

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Ka Moo Boran

kha moo boran

Kha Mu Boran is a very discreet and modest restaurant at a busy intersection of Kathu; very easy to miss and not easy to part, but when you know the place, it is worth it. They serve a unique and delicious stewed pork leg with rice and stewed pork leg noodle with tom yam soup.

Address: 17/11 M.6 T. Kathu, Kathu District, Phuket 83120
Open: 7 am – 5 pm
Phone: 089 972 9438
Price: cheap

Red Clam Restaurant

Red Clam Kathu Restaurant in Phuket

Red Clam Kathu, locally known as Hoi Pai Daeng, is a fun local restaurant serving good and simple Thai food that goes well when meeting friends at the end of the day.

Address: 105/35 Tambon Kathu, Amphoe Kathu, Chang Wat Phuket 83120
Hours: 4 pm – 12 am
Phone: 090 879 2499

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Tam Saab Khon 101 (ร้านตำแซ่บคน 101)

tam saab khon 101 kathu

Address: 2/95 Kathu, Kathu District, Phuket 83120
Hours: 11 am – 10 pm
Phone: 093 627 2045

Nai Dam Restaurant

Nai Dam Restaurant Phuket

Nai Dam restaurant is an excellent place for those who know and love real Thai food. It is cheap, and they have some delicious dishes, including their very special wild boar in curry with yellow noodles. It’s so well-known that even one of the Princesses, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, stopped over many times to eat at Nai Dam when visiting Phuket or Phang Nga.

Address: 17/76 Phra Phuket Kaew Road, Tambon Kathu, Phuket 83120
Open: 5.30 pm – 11 pm
Phone: 076 323 758

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Krua Pai Lin Restaurant

Krua Pai Lin Restaurant Kathu

Krua Pai Lin restaurant is a very local restaurant hidden on the way to Kathu waterfall. It is so local that most tourists would not even consider stopping for a meal, but it is what travelling is also about! So try the real thing and eat very local food under the trees with chicken scratching the floor around you.

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Western restaurants

Pizzeria Da Moreno

da moreno kathu

Pizzeria Da Moreno is a casual Italian restaurant by the roadside of Kathu and has been popular with expats and locals for a long time.

Address: 9/391 Moo 6, Amphoe Kathu, Kathu District, Phuket
Hours: 12 pm – 11 pm
Phone: 085 796 4712

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Thong Dee Brasserie

Thong Dee Brasserie Phuket

Thong Dee Brasserie is a popular restaurant in Phuket, but it is hard to find! You definitely will need Google maps to get there on your own.

Address: Soi Bangthong, 110/25 Moo 7, Kathu, Kathu District, Phuket 83120
Open: 12 pm – 10 pm (Monday closed)
Phone: 076 319 323

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What to do in Kathu

Kathu is a surprisingly rich part of Phuket island, full of things worth exploring, trying or eating (we are talking about the Kathu neighbourhood here, not Kathu district, which would include Kamala beach). You will find plenty of golf, museums, treetops zip-line, wakeboarding, Bungy jump, wakeboard park, and the list goes on. Please browse the list below; you will probably recognise quite a few of them!


Kathu Waterfalls

kathu Waterfalls

Kathu waterfall was probably the first talked about place in the Kathu area. It’s well indicated and found at the end of a narrow road. It’s not a very impressive waterfall, and it’s only really worth going during the low season, after several days of rain. Not worth going in high season as the flow is reduced to a trickle.

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Flying Hanuman Phuket

Flying Hanuman Phuket

An incredible jungle activity you will never forget! High sky bridges and zip lines connect 28 platforms; one of them is 400 meters long! It is very Eco-friendly and respectful of nature. They take safety extremely seriously. Most of it is pure adrenaline for all; even four-year-old kids can do it, and they seem to love it.

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Phuket Wake Park

Phuket Wake Park

Phuket Wake Park is a long-time established cable ski with a 0-shaped counter-clockwise wakeboard park. It’s popular and easy to reach and features a few obstacles to play with and test your skills. Great for beginners and very advanced enthusiasts, even for kids.

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Beauty & Co. Nail and Spa

Beauty & Co. Nail and Spa

Beauty & Co. Nail and Spa is a haven of indulgence, offering premium beauty services in the vibrant paradise of Phuket. With two strategically located outlets—one nestled within the tranquil surroundings of Kathu Phuket Country Club and the other on the second floor of Robinson Chalong—Beauty & Co. stands out as a top-notch destination for those seeking nail services, luxurious hair treatments, and meticulous lash and brow services, and wax services.

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Wat Kathu

Wat Kathu Temple

Kathu temple is a beautiful park on the edge of the village. It was recently renovated and is an excellent photo opportunity if you are in the area. It’s so photogenic that many Chinese and Korean photographers use it for their pre-wedding shootings (yes, they are everywhere anyway)

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Kathu Market

Kathu Market

This fresh market is at the Kathu intersection near Caltex gas station before climbing the hill to Patong Beach. Visitors would easily miss the market if not for the massive amount of motorbikes parked in front of it, but it is pretty large and bustling inside. It’s a little dark and messy but a chance to see the ingredients used to prepare the Thai food you like so much. Lots of tropical fruits, vegetables and herbs you have never seen before. Contrary to other fresh markets, it is still busy in the afternoon.

Phuket Mining Museum

Phuket Tin Mining Museum

The Phuket Mining Museum is an immense building hidden behind Kathu’s hills. Why they invested so much in such a remote location has always been a mystery. As a result, the museum is rarely visited and feels a little lonely.

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Kathu Museum

Kathu Museum

This tiny museum is a beautifully renovated Sino-Portuguese style house very close to Kathu village. It used to be a beer company warehouse and office. Its purpose seems to change occasionally.

Kathu Chinese Shrine

Kathu Chinese Shrine

Kathu Shrine is one of the oldest Chinese shrines in Phuket, and it’s believed by many to be the birthplace of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival nearly two centuries ago.

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White Sitting Buddha

Kathu White Sitting Buddha

This new sitting Buddha is hidden in the jungle behind Flying Hanuman Zipline, on the way to Kathu Waterfall. It may not be worth travelling up there, but finding it was a pleasant discovery.

Golf Courses

There are three 18 holes golf courses in Kathu: Loch Palm Golf, Red Mountain and Phuket Country Club. As you can see, we are not very knowledgeable in the game of golf, but there is plenty of information about those golf courses.

Map of Kathu

See all Phuket Maps!

What’s Around?

Kathu Waterfall in Phuket

Wakeboarding in Phuket 🏄

FAQs about Kathu

  1. ✳️ What is there to see and do in Kathu?

    a. There is a surprising amount of places to visit in Kathu:
    Kathu Waterfalls
    Kathu Night Market
    Phuket Mining Museum
    Wat Kathu
    White Sitting Buddha
    Kathu Chinese Shrine

  2. ✳️ What are the activities in Kathu?

    a. if you prefer active holidays, here are some places to have a great time:
    Flying Hanuman Zipline
    Phuket Wake Park
    KC Kathu Connection Slip’n’Fly
    Go-Kart

  3. ✳️ Where to Eat in Kathu?

    a. Kathu has some great restaurants, both local and international:
    Krua Jongjit Restaurant
    Thong Dee Brasserie
    Big Chicken Restaurant (Tung Thong)
    Royale Nam Tok Restaurant
    Nai Dam Restaurant
    Krua Pailin Restaurant

  4. ✳️ How far is Kathu From Phuket Airport and Phuket Town?

    a. Kathu is 10 km from Phuket City, 33 km from Phuket International Airport and 6 km from Patong Beach

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