What to Do in Karon Beach?
Karon Beach is one of Phuket’s most popular seaside destinations, offering a good mix of relaxation and activities along its 3-kilometre stretch of white sand. Visitors can spend the day swimming, walking the shoreline or enjoying water sports like parasailing for stunning views of the bay of Karon. For a change of pace, the beach is lined with spas where traditional Thai massages and wellness treatments are available. Families can also try Dino Park Mini Golf nearby for some lighthearted fun. Cultural highlights include visiting Wat Karon, the local temple, and exploring the lively Karon Temple Fair, held twice a week.
The Beach
Karon Beach stretches for 3 kilometres along Phuket’s west coast, featuring soft white sand that makes an unusual squeaking sound when walked on. The beach offers plenty of space to relax without feeling crowded, even during high season. Clear waters with gentle waves during the dry season (December to May) make it perfect for swimming and body surfing. Backed by a line of tall trees providing natural shade, the shoreline maintains a laid-back atmosphere with minimal beach vendors, beach massages and sun loungers with umbrellas. The vast beach is ideal for long, peaceful walks, offering stunning sunset views over the Andaman Sea.
Wat Karon (Karon Temple)
Wat Suwan Khirikhet, locally known as Karon Temple, stands as a beautifully crafted Buddhist sanctuary that welcomes visitors every day of the week. Located just 500 metres from Karon Beach, this historic temple showcases traditional Thai architecture with intricate carvings and emerald-green naga serpents guarding the main hall. Beyond its spiritual significance, the temple transforms twice weekly into a vibrant marketplace. Every Tuesday and Friday from 4 pm to 10 pm, the temple grounds host the famous Karon Temple Market. This lively night market offers authentic Thai street food, handmade crafts, and souvenirs, providing visitors with a genuine glimpse into local culture.
Dino Park Mini Golf
Dino Park is a Jurassic Park-inspired mini golf attraction located between Karon and Kata beaches, featuring an immersive prehistoric experience that’s been entertaining families since 1997. The 18-hole course takes players through a lush jungle setting filled with life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, including moving Tyrannosaurus Rex and roaring creatures that create an authentic prehistoric atmosphere. Players navigate through exciting obstacles like swamps, lava caves, waterfalls, and an erupting volcano that blasts smoke and flames every 30 minutes. Open daily from 10 am to 11 pm, admission costs 490 baht for adults and includes equipment for the 40-minute game. The attraction also features a Flintstones-themed restaurant where visitors can enjoy Dino Burgers and cocktails in a cave-like setting after their prehistoric golf adventure.
Parasailing
Parasailing in Phuket offers an aerial adventure where participants are harnessed to a specially designed parachute connected to a speedboat by a long cable. As the boat accelerates across the crystal-clear waters, riders are lifted high above the Andaman Sea, reaching heights of up to 800 metres. The experience typically lasts 5-10 minutes and costs between 1,200 and 1,500 Baht per person. Participants enjoy spectacular bird’s-eye views of Karon’s coastline while gliding in the sky. A local beach crew member will typically attach themselves to first-time riders to help control the parachute during the flight, which often comes as a surprise to newcomers.
Spa Treatments
Karon Beach offers spa and massage experiences at affordable prices. Beach massage along the shoreline provides the perfect remedy after sunbathing, with traditional Thai treatments starting from just 200-300 Baht. These beachside sessions are particularly effective for soothing sunburn using cooling aloe vera gel treatments. Along Karon’s streets, numerous massage shops offer oil massages, foot treatments, and traditional Thai techniques in comfortable indoor settings for 500-800 Baht. For those who prefer luxury, high-end hotel spas like The Spa at Paradox Resort and Pearl Spa at Avista Grande provide premium experiences with professional therapists, tropical garden settings, and specialised treatments using locally sourced herbs and essential oils. These upscale facilities offer everything from couples massages to body wraps and aromatherapy sessions.
Kata Beach
Kata Beach is just 600 metres south of Karon, making it easily accessible on foot or by a short drive. This smaller beach offers softer sand and crystal-clear water, nestled between protective hills that create a more intimate, enclosed atmosphere. The compact bay is perfect for swimming and sunbathing year-round, while the low season brings excellent surfing conditions. Unlike Karon’s relaxed pace, Kata buzzes with activity, with many restaurants, massage shops, and a local market that create a lively scene. Many visitors staying in Karon make regular trips here for dining, shopping, and experiencing a completely different energy just minutes from their hotel.
COAST Beach Club
COAST Beach Club is an excellent place to enjoy a couple of drinks at the end of the day. The bar is not exactly on the beach but quite near and is part of the Centara Grand Beach Phuket.
Tann Terrace
Tann Terrace is a new restaurant with an immense beachfront wooden terrace at the very south of Karon Beach, just next to Beyond Resort Karon and opposite the old football stadium. The restaurant mostly serves Italian and Thai food and has an excellent bakery, perfect for enjoying breakfast on the beach.
Karon Temple Market
The Karon Temple Market transforms the grounds of Wat Suwan Khiri Khet every Tuesday and Friday from 4pm to 10pm, drawing locals and visitors to this popular night market. Located 500 metres from Karon Circle, the market offers an authentic taste of Thai street food culture with mango sticky rice, banana pancakes, and exceptional Pad Thai prepared by vendors at the temple entrance. Shoppers can browse tropical clothing like elephant pants and colorful dresses, alongside local cosmetics, beautifully carved soaps, and tourist souvenirs. The market provides a welcome attraction in Karon, where visitors enjoy the friendly atmosphere, sample fresh fruits like mangosteens and passion fruit, and experience genuine Thai community life in a temple setting.
Karon Bazaar
The Karon Bazaar is a vast covered market situated just next to the Paradox Karon Resort. You will mostly find T-shirts, bags, trousers, beach toys, accessories and cheap souvenirs. It’s fun and colourful but can be hot during the day. Most vendors can speak decent English (they are not often Thai), so don’t forget to bargain hard!
Your Karon Beach Travel Guide
