Kamala Beach (Ao Kamala) is on the west coast of Phuket, just to the north of Patong, and immediately south of Surin Beach.

Understand

Kamala provides a haven for those who prefer the quieter life. Although the southern end of the beach can get busy in the high season, the northern end is peaceful all year round. "Rim Haad" (Beach Road), at the southern end, has a number of small 20-30 room hotels for the low/medium budget traveller. Friendly service and village feel and a diversity of restaurants and small bars can be found on this small road. Cheaper food options/market stalls can be found on the main Kamala Road.

Get in

by Taxi 500 THB from Airport

Get around

Internet

The cheapest I found: in Kamala (Main) Road 78/6 opposite of CLUB EURO. You pay 25 Baht per hour. Coffee or Tea 10B.

Most internet providers charge 1baht per minute - most having a minimum limit of 10baht. Jackie Lee Tours charges one baht per minute and has no limitations. You can also book your tours and events here - for example Phi Phi island tours and Fantasea bookings are just two of the many services Lee provides. I found this to be the most friendly and accomodating of the internet providers.

See

Do

If you are looking to spend most of the time on the beach enjoying the sea, this is a very good place to be. Beach is quite nice and is not too crowded. Sea floor is nice and sandy. In the afternoons the water spectacularly recedes leaving a blanket of rocks at the left end of the beach for local fishing and a beautiful swimming area at the right end of the beach.

The Kamala Wat is located at the southern end of the beach and is almost unnoticeable. The temple and its grounds have been restored since the Boxing Day tsunami and the Buddhist locals and resident monks welcome curious Australians and foreigners. It was the Australian television program Backyard Blitz that helped restore the gardens of the Wat after the tsunami. A memorial tree is placed in the garden with a dedication plaque and the walls of the main temple are a beautifully decorated story of Buddha. Visiting this Wat can be an enlightening and cultural experience; pictures and events of the Tsunami are displayed on a board for foreigners to see and the monks allow photos of the grounds as long as you’re in the company of a local.

The extremely popular Phuket Fantasea is located in Kamala. Fantasea is an exuberant show/theme park that combines the rich heritage of Thailand with unique 4D effects and animals. The park is 140 acres and presents a 4000-seat restaurant offering a grand buffet of Thai and international cuisine. The park operates daily except Thursdays and opens at 8.30pm.

If more entertainment is desired you can take a taxi to Patong beach; however taxi’s are unreasonably expensive ~500 B (~$15) one way. Tuk-tuks are a simple and (sometimes) cheap way to leave Kamala. Tuk-tuks to the more popular Patong cost around 300 baht (~$10AUD). Some of the hotels provide an affordable shuttle to Patong.

Catching the local windowless bus to Phuket Town or further is a cheap and cultural experience for travellers unwilling to pay expenses for taxis or tuk-tuks. The bus is fantastic and cheap - if you are willing to share it with curious locals. In Kamala the bus runs every hour and passes along the main road. You need only to flag it down and jump through the back - you pay the driver at the end of your journey.

In April 2006 I paid 200 THB for the Taxi ride each way. But sometimes one has to bargain for it.

Buy

Eat

At a street-kitchen we ate delicious Thai-food with lots of shrimps for 50 THB. April 2006.

Drink

There are several bars in Kamala - most designed to suit the tourists who flock to Phuket in the tourist season. For example the Welsh Bar and the Aussie Bar are bars that have a certain patriotic atmosphere but are rather quiet in the off season. Bob's Bar is located on the main road, towards the Southern end of the beach and provides standard cocktails as well as exotic original coctkails - notably the "Kamala Sunset" - a concoction designed by Bob himself.

Sleep

Kamala Dreams Hotel http://www.kamaladreams.net/

• Rooms: Very accomodating. Comfortable and lesiurely. Air conditioned.
• Location: Right on the beach - the water comes right up to the path of the hotel during the night.
• Staff: Extremely friendly and willing to help.
• Restaurant: Huge variety of food - both Thai, European and Western.
• Extras: Pool, sunbathing area, satellite television.
• Price: Very affordable - approximately $40 AUD per night. Daily delicious breakfast included in cost.

The hotel is great value – it has an excellent restaurant, the rooms are comfortable and accommodating and most outstandingly it’s right on the beach. The cleaners of this hotel were meticulous and particular in their cleaning – notably straightening the shoes left at the front door, wrapping certain electrical appliances left by myself and folding the tips of the toilet paper and tissues. (October 2006)

Kamala Beach Hotel and & Resort http://www.kamalabeach.com/

• Rooms: very nice and clean
• Location: great - right on the beach
• Staff: very nice and friendly
• Price: affordable ~50USD

In Benjamin-Resort we paid 600 THB per night for a room with 2 persons, including breakfast (ham & eggs, toast, coffee, tea, fruits). (April 2006). This is directly on the beach.

Kamala Bar Garden Resort http://www.kamalabaygardenresort.com/

• Great pool
• Tasty hotel food
• 200 m from the beach
• All rooms are suites

Get out