Karon, Phuket
Karon is Phuket's second-longest beach: a wide, breezy sweep of famously squeaky white sand, calmer than Patong just to the north and a firm favourite with families.
Karon
Featured places
A few of our favourite spots across the island right now.
Karon · ฿฿฿฿
Fira Beach Club in Karon sells a day pass from 1,000 baht: pool, day beds and a food and drink credit, with Andaman sunset views. Prices, hours and booking.
Day pass access from 12:00, with pool and towel access until 19:30. The DOXA rooftop bar and Kipo Steakhouse continue into the evening. Ages 16 and over for pool access.
Karon · ฿
Karon Beach is the long one: about 3.5km of thick, squeaky sand with far fewer vendors than its neighbours, and room to walk even in high season.
Karon · ฿฿฿
Pullman Phuket Karon day pass opens Ocean Beach Club pool access to non-guests for a 1,000 baht minimum spend, plus DJ sets and fire shows on set nights.
Karon · ฿฿฿
Family focused Centara Karon Resort sits above Karon Beach in Phuket, with lagoon style pools, waterslides, a kids club, SPA Cenvaree and many dining spots.
Karon · ฿฿฿฿
Thavorn Palm Beach Resort is a beachfront 5-star resort on Karon Beach, Phuket, with four pools, giant waterslides and a Pool Day Pass for day visitors.
Karon · ฿฿฿฿
Paradox Resort Phuket at Karon Beach is a 22 acre tropical garden resort with pools, gardens and a day pass offering food, drink and spa credit for families.
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A THB 1,500 beach club day pass in Phuket at Tann Beach Club, Karon: the full price back as food and drink credit, plus pool, DJ and a towel.
Karon · ฿฿฿
Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket is a five-star Karon Beach hotel built around its own water park, with wild slides, multi-level pools and a beach club.
Karon
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Best of Karon by category
Karon sits on the west coast between Patong and Kata, and its defining feature is space. The beach is huge, wide and long, with fine white sand that famously squeaks underfoot, and even in high season it rarely feels crowded.
The vibe and who it suits
Karon is relaxed and unhurried, popular with families, couples and repeat visitors who want a big beach and decent facilities without Patong's intensity. The town behind the sand is low-key, spread out along the main road with a mix of restaurants, shops, a temple market and a modest bar scene.
The beach
Karon Beach is one of the island's most impressive stretches of sand, wide enough that it never feels packed. Swimming is good in high season, but note that the sea shelves quite steeply in places and the green-season surf can be strong, so respect the warning flags. Our Phuket beaches guide covers gentler options nearby if you're travelling with small children.
What you'll find here
Karon has a solid choice of mid-range and family-oriented hotels, plenty of restaurants spanning Thai and international, and the twice-weekly Karon Temple Market for street food and souvenirs. Nightlife is gentle, think beach bars and pubs rather than clubs, so browse our nightlife section if you want the bigger scene in Patong. The town is also a convenient base for island tours and the nearby Karon Viewpoint.
Getting around
Karon is spread out, so a scooter or regular taxis make life easier, though the beach road itself is pleasant to walk. Patong is only 10 to 15 minutes north, putting its nightlife and shopping within easy reach, and the airport is around an hour away. Kata is an even shorter hop to the south, so it's easy to sample both towns from a Karon base. Like the rest of the west coast, Karon is at its best from November to February, when the sea is calm and clear; green-season months are quieter and cheaper, with bigger surf and the odd tropical shower.
See the Karon listings below, or head back to the Phuket area overview to compare beach towns.