The last leg of our Southeast Asia trip was spent on Karon Beach in Phuket, i.e. the “Pearl of the Andaman,” Thailand’s largest island, and one of the best places to visit in Thailand.
We planned Phuket as our last stop, since we’d heard that it was one of the best places in Thailand to vacation. And, we were looking to end our action-packed adventure with lots of beach time and Thai massages before flying back to Delhi, India and then, all the way back to the United States.
This blog post focuses on all of the things we did in Phuket, specifically on Karon Beach, where we stayed, where we ate, and more.
*P.S. this post contains some affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase.
Which Phuket Beach is Best?
Before our visit, we considered several Phuket beaches, all on the west coast, before choosing Karon Beach. Karon Beach is one of the longest beaches on the island and is the most popular beach among families and couples.
Patong Beach, the most popular and crowded beach on Phuket, is deemed a major party spot and is lined with nightclubs and bars. Well-known for its Bangla Road, one of the craziest party streets in all of Thailand, Patong has a bit of a risqué vibe, which really wasn’t what we were looking for.
This time in Phuket, we were hoping for a more laid-back, quiet experience. That’s not to say that Karon Beach doesn’t have lots of restaurants, bars, shops, nightlife, night markets, etc., they’re just more low-key than Patong.
We also considered a couple of other beaches that seemed to be even more low-key and secluded than Karon Beach, like Kata Beach, but we settled for a happy medium.
Khao Sok National Park to Phuket
After our overnight stay in a Khao Sok National Park floating bungalow, we made the three-hour journey to Phuket, arriving early in the afternoon. Our transportation was coordinated through our excursion via Khao Sok Lake, so we didn’t have to figure this out ourselves.
If you plan to fly to Phuket, you’ll likely arrive at the Phuket International Airport. From there, you can take a Grab Taxi or prearrange an airport pick-up.
Where to Stay on Karon Beach
Once we decided on a location, we searched for hotels on Karon Beach and chose the Karon Cafe Inn. Even booking last minute (just a week in advance), we ended up getting a steal and paid just $12 per night plus taxes!
And, the place was perfect for us. It had a king bed, a TV, a full bathroom with shower, air conditioning, and a safe. What else do you really need?
Similar to all of the other places we stayed in Thailand, the staff were very kind and accommodating. But, at times, it was difficult to communicate due to the language barrier.
The only time this was even remotely a concern was when coordinating our airport drop-off, since we had a long drive and an early flight. We coordinated this the night before our departure, were picked up in a timely fashion the next morning, and had no issues getting to the Phuket Airport.
I definitely recommend Karon Cafe Inn when deciding between Karon Beach hotels.
Day 1 on Karon Beach
A Dip in the Indian Ocean
Although we arrived late in the day, we were still able to catch some rays on Karon beach and to feel the water. This was our very first time experiencing the Indian Ocean, which was really neat!
We also made friends with one of the rental guys, who let us lounge in a couple of chairs for free, since it was so late in the day. Because of his kindness, we promised to rent chairs and umbrellas from him for the rest of our trip. This cost us about $5-10 USD per day and was totally worth it for the shade.
A Broad Recommendation: If you see any sea turtles on the beach, let your hotel know because the Phuket Marine Biological Center has efforts to help grow the sea turtle population and will rescue any injured turtles or eggs left behind in the sand.
Dinner at Deepavali
After stopping at the beach, we walked around to get a feel for the area, popped into some shops, and searched for souvenirs before grabbing dinner at Deepawali – Fine Indian Restaurant – Karon. Obviously, we didn’t get enough Indian food in India, so we needed to try more in Thailand, haha.
Unfortunately, this restaurant has since permanently closed, so you won’t be able to try it for yourself.
Drinks at The Garage OG
After dinner, we made our way to The Garage OG, where we had a couple of Chang beers—when in Thailand, have Thai beers!—and listened to a fun band covering some popular American music. We also made friends with the stray pup that was hanging around our table. But, remember to never pet the stray dogs, just to be safe!
Day 2 on Karon Beach
A Morning on Karon Beach
Our next day on Karon Beach was a beach day! And, we were excited for some much-needed relaxation after all of our flights, long drives, and boat rides.
First, we stopped at one of the beach shops and picked up a couple of towels for 300 Thai Baht (~$10 USD) each.
A Broad Recommendation: I don’t recommend packing bulky items like towels when traveling to another country. You can always pick these up during the trip and take them home as souvenirs, space permitting! Worst case, they’re relatively cheap and can be left behind if you don’t have enough room.
There’s lots to do on Karon Beach like windsurfing, kayaking, banana boat rides, water skiing, jet-skiing, wakeboarding, parasailing, and more. Karon Beach is also one of the best places on Phuket for snorkeling and diving.
Being the avid readers we are, we just brought along a couple of books and relaxed by the water. Though, maybe we’ll try out some of these other activities the next time we’re in Phuket!
Lunch at Mama Restaurant
Just as it started to pour down rain, we found a small restaurant right off the beach called Mama Restaurant. Luckily for us, we made it just in the nick of time and didn’t get wet.
Here, I enjoyed a tasty bowl of green curry with white rice, and we caught up with the rest of the world for a bit, since they had Wi-Fi.
Swim at Karon Whale Resort
Since our hotel didn’t have a pool, we decided to go to another hotel on Karon Beach, the Karon Whale Resort, to use theirs.
Since we weren’t staying at the hotel, we had to pay a small fee—I can’t remember exactly how much, but it was no more than $10 USD—to use the pool.
Behind the pool is a serene garden where you can sit and reflect or meditate. This was a cute spot to relax and cool off after a morning on the beach!
Dinner at Two Chefs Bar & Grill
Later that evening, we discovered our new favorite restaurant, Two Chefs Bar & Grill, since even on the other side of the world, I have to do “Taco Tuesday”, haha.
Not only was the food great, but we also enjoyed the live music. And, the two gals who were performing came to recognize us over the next couple days, since we ended up back here again!
Day 3 on Karon Beach
Rinse & Repeat
Our last full day on Karon Beach was basically a repeat of our previous day, to include the same restaurant for dinner.
I know, I know, we really like going out of our comfort zone, but it was so relaxing spending the day on Karon Beach and then at the pool again.
And, we enjoyed Two Chefs Bar & Grill so much the first time that we didn’t even bother looking for other options.
An Evening of Thai Massages
Then, because we’re extra, we decided to book another three-hour massage session. I say “another” because we did the same thing in Chiang Mai and had the best massages of our lives, so we weren’t missing another opportunity to experience another round of Thai massages!
Unfortunately, I can’t remember the name of the place we went to, but in our opinion, you really can’t go wrong with any Thai massages in Thailand. We thoroughly enjoyed ours in both Chiang Mai and Phuket.
Ice Cream from Tutti Frutti
After our Thai massages, we ended the evening with some Green Tea Fried Ice Cream from Tutti Frutti Karon Beach, which was yummy.
Then, we made our way back to the Karon Cafe Inn to pack up for our early morning departure to the Phuket Airport.
Other Things to Do in Phuket
We researched lots of things to do in Phuket, but because we were feeling lazy, we opted out of these during our visit.
Here are some other things to do in Phuket that you may want to consider for your visit:
- Big Buddha: a giant, white, marble statue sitting atop a high hill with beautiful views of Chalong Bay. This is one of Phuket’s most popular landmarks!
- Wat Chalong: the largest and most well-known temple in Phuket.
- Karon Viewpoint: located in Kata, this has stunning views of the ocean and the beautiful beaches below.
- Bang Pae Waterfall: a Thailand national park with hiking trails, gorgeous scenery, and swimming opportunities.
- Phi Phi Island: one of the most scenic islands in Thailand. It’s a couple hours away but offers great snorkeling due to the vibrant corals and diverse marine life.
Karon Beach to Phuket Airport
Early the next morning, we made the hour or so drive to the Phuket Airport. From there, we flew back to Delhi, India, where Candace had stored all of her luggage from her six weeks in India.
The last two weeks in Southeast Asia had been a wonderful and inspiring adventure! And, now, our full Asia trip had come to a close, but we have so many wonderful memories to last a lifetime!
If you’re looking for more information on how to plan a trip to Thailand, some of these other posts may come in handy:
- Thailand Travel Tips: A-Broad Overview
- The Best Places to Visit in Thailand in July
- Explore Chiang Mai in Three Days
- A Full Day at the Elephant Nature Park
- Stay Overnight in a Khao Sok National Park Floating Bungalow
And, for more info about the other places we visited during our Asia trip, you may be interested in some of these blog posts:
- The Best Spots to Visit in Jaipur, India
- Two Action-Packed Days in Delhi, India
- How to See the Taj Mahal in Agra, India
- Three Days in Hanoi, Vietnam
- An Amazing Overnight Cruise to Bai Tu Long Bay
XOXO Sara Travel A-Broads
wpDiscuz