'''Kata Yai Beach''' (??????????? ''Hat Kata Yai'') is on the west coast of Phuket, south of Karon Beach and north of Kata Noi Beach. It is sometimes called simply '''Kata Beach''' (??????? ''Hat Kata'').
Understand
Situated 20 kilometres from town, beautiful Kata is a scenic gem, its clear water flanked by hills, and picturesque Pu Island sits offshore. Kata retains a village feel at its northern and southern ends and is perhaps more family-oriented, its one-kilometer long beach more peaceful than Patong.
The main road runs from Kata center at the end near Karon Beach all the way to Kata Noi Beach. In Kata center you can find many shops that sell tourist gifts. These shops can be grouped into Gift, Suit, Music and Massage. Restaurants are well priced and food is good. Bars start further on down the road towards Kata beach.
There are more hotels than meet the eye and walking around for a couple of days you will find even more guest houses. This does not mean that Kata is packed with tall hotels.
Kata beach has safe swimming and does not have any dropoffs. It is safe for children and non-swimmers. But always take notice of the flags that fly, they will let you know if it is not safe to swim. There is a coral reef on the right hand side of the beach that goes out to Poo (crab) Island. Sitting on the beach and looking right you may see local fishermen on the rocks trying to catch their supper.
There are some great waves for simply body surfing on.. lot's of fun..
Get in
Get around
Taxi and Tuk Tuk cost around the same price.
See
The local market which is on Thursdays just off the main Kata road. Here you will find the locals buying their fish and spices. A very interesting place for the first time traveler to Thailand. Beware the shrimp paste. At one end of the market near the main road to Chalong you might just see an old man shelling coconuts with a very old, and dangerous looking machine.
Try and find the sauna in the jungle. It has an old copper water boiler that looks like a kettle, there is a cafe there and a plunge pool. They put tree bark in the water to make the steam smell like menthol sometimes. The sauna can be found on the right, about 10 minutes walk at the south end of Kata along the road that takes you to Chalong Bay.
Do
'''Diving and Snorkeling''' There is a great shallow snorkeling and diving location on the North side of the bay. Information and equipment is available from [http://www.phuket-diver.com Phuket-Diver]. They also provide SNUBA diving, which lets people try diving without much time or expense and it is reportedly safer than scuba diving.
Fantastic '''surfing'''. In the rainy season.
Buy
Eat
Ratri Jazztaurant Kata Hill, (0 76333538-9) www.ratrijazztaurant.com
Drink
There are many bars along the road from Kata centre to Kata Noi. No doubt you will hear the words "Hello Welcome" in most of them as you walk by.
Sleep
Alpina Phuket Nalina Resort & Spa, Kata Beach (???????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ????? ???)
7/1 Ket Khwan Road,Karon,Phuket 83000, (Tel: 0 76370999 Fax: 0 76370900 www.phuketnalinal.com), 140 rooms: 3,700-25,000 baht
Andaman Cannacia Resort & Spa (???????? ???????? ??????? ????? ???) 113/16-18 Patak Road, Tambon Karon (Tel: 0 7628 4211-4 www.phuket-cannacia.com), 113 rooms: 2,500-6,000 baht
Bell Bungalow 1/2 Patak Road (Tel: 0 7633 0858, 0 7633 0111),16 rooms: 100-300 baht
Boat House Inn (??????????????) 2/2 Patak Road (Tel: 0 7633 0015-7, Fax: 0 7633 0561, Bangkok Tel: 0 22464121 www.boathousephuket.com), 36 rooms: 8,000-15,000 baht
Bougain Villaea Terrace House (????? ??????? ?????? ?????) 117/1 Patak Road (Tel: 0 7633 0087, 0 7633 0139-40, Fax: 0 7633 0463), 35 rooms: 1,750-4,200 baht
'''Club Med Phuket'''.
'''Kata Palm Resort''', just off the main road. Has two large swimming pools. There are rooms in the new section that have steps into the pool, very nice !
'''Kata beach hotel''' is right on the beach.
'''Peach Hill Hotel''', 13 Karon Road, Kata Beach, [http://www.peach-hill.com], on a small hill between Karon and Kata Yai beaches, 400 metres from Kata Yai beach.
Get out