Recommendations for a quiet beach at Phuket

[grain]

I read so many negative comments about Phuket. I understand Patong has gone to the dogs but are there any beaches that still offer a pleasant holiday for a few days? A less touristy beach, not interested in shopping or bars/clubs, just need a quiet beach with a few nice resorts and some seafood restaurants on the beach where wife and I can have a tasty seafood dinner and a few cold beers in the evening. So any recommendations for me?

[KhunLA]

There's plenty, and just depends on your budget.  Hard to wrong with the Kamala Beach area, though there's 3 different sections to it.

 

A lot depends if you self drive, or rely on taxis, or, if you chose a place where a few restaurants are within walking distance, away from the main beaches; Patong, Karon & Kata Beach.

 

I prefer the area around Lillo Island Restaurant & Bar, if picking Kamala Beach, unless you need an hotel with lots a amenities ...

 

 

Other good area are on southern end, Nai Harn Beach, and hard to go wrong staying at "The Nai Harn, Phuket"

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/The+Nai+Harn,+Phuket/@7.7783488,98.303288,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipNkr5NwJ4MpL2lkFTj4dhxZZycKRKzbh21Gblz8!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNkr5NwJ4MpL2lkFTj4dhxZZycKRKzbh21Gblz8%3Dw133-h86-k-no!7i3960!8i2559!4m10!3m9!1s0x3050261c99a67417:0x3944cd6f74966ce5!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d7.7785281!4d98.3032014!10e5!16s%2Fg%2F11btwpn8_h?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDQwMi4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

 

The view from Lido Island rest/bar, mentioned above ..

 

 

[zzzzz]

got $$$  any of the 5 star resorts in Laguna, don't expect chairs/umbrellas on the beach thou
Otherwise as above, Kamala beach,  need a pool on the beach;  Sunwing ( or Sunprime for adults only) 
walk to everything

[grain]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

There's plenty, and just depends on your budget.  Hard to wrong with the Kamala Beach area, though there's 3 different sections to it.

 

A lot depends if you self drive, or rely on taxis, or, if you chose a place where a few restaurants are within walking distance, away from the main beaches; Patong, Karon & Kata Beach.

 

I prefer the area around Lillo Island Restaurant & Bar, if picking Kamala Beach, unless you need an hotel with lots a amenities ...

 

 

Other good area are on southern end, Nai Harn Beach, and hard to go wrong staying at "The Nai Harn, Phuket"

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/The+Nai+Harn,+Phuket/@7.7783488,98.303288,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipNkr5NwJ4MpL2lkFTj4dhxZZycKRKzbh21Gblz8!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNkr5NwJ4MpL2lkFTj4dhxZZycKRKzbh21Gblz8%3Dw133-h86-k-no!7i3960!8i2559!4m10!3m9!1s0x3050261c99a67417:0x3944cd6f74966ce5!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d7.7785281!4d98.3032014!10e5!16s%2Fg%2F11btwpn8_h?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDQwMi4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

 

The view from Lido Island rest/bar, mentioned above ..

 

 

Thanks for this info LA, looks perfect. We'll be driving. We're going in October, we're doing a tour of South, and after Krabi heading back north via PhangNga, so I plan to spend a few nights at Phuket. I've been there numerous times myself (but last time was just before tsunami) wife has never been there before. So Kamala looks ideal, and the vdo you provide here is perfect...exactly what I had in mind, a quiet little restaurant right on the beach. On way home we'll be stopping off at PKK so hopefully we can catch up again, been many years since we had a beer and a chat.

[zzzzz]

FYI:
Lillo is the busiest restaurant ( and best) on the beach so don't expect quiet 
 

[KhunLA]

26 minutes ago, grain said:

Thanks for this info LA, looks perfect. We'll be driving. We're going in October, we're doing a tour of South, and after Krabi heading back north via PhangNga, so I plan to spend a few nights at Phuket. I've been there numerous times myself (but last time was just before tsunami) wife has never been there before. So Kamala looks ideal, and the vdo you provide here is perfect...exactly what I had in mind, a quiet little restaurant right on the beach. On way home we'll be stopping off at PKK so hopefully we can catch up again, been many years since we had a beer and a chat.

Self driving ... perfect.   Oct is good, as cusp of high season, surf may be safe, and far less tourist than Nov-Apr.

 

They actually have (had) basic rooms behind the Lillo Is. Rest/bar, with small parking area.  Once parked, you really don't need to leave.   We stayed there ourselves, as pet friendly.  Emphasis on 'basic'.

 

 

At worse for parking, you can park on last soi, northward, or over by the Po Po station, then when notice an opening, hurry and park next to room.

 

 

[grain]

32 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

FYI:
Lillo is the busiest restaurant ( and best) on the beach so don't expect quiet 
 

That's the beauty of having own car as we can move around easily and check things out. Seems like Kamala and Nai Harn will suit us best. We plan on spending 3 nights at Phuket, one day I'll take my wife for a tour of the main attractions, and possible we could do a PP trip the next day. 

[KhunLA]

2 hours ago, zzzzz said:

FYI:
Lillo is the busiest restaurant ( and best) on the beach so don't expect quiet 
 

@grain To add to that, my vid was taken during early covid, and Lillo was one of, if not, the only restaurant open.

 

We had the whole beach to ourselves ...

 

 

Kamala Beach ... now-ish 

opening and fast forward to end, this just south of where restaurants start.  Probably came on the beach at the police station.  At very low tide also.

 

[grain]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

@grain To add to that, my vid was taken during early covid, and Lillo was one of, if not, the only restaurant open.

 

We had the whole beach to ourselves ...

 

 

Kamala Beach ... now-ish 

opening and fast forward to end, this just south of where restaurants start.  Probably came on the beach at the police station.  At very low tide also.

 

Looks great LA, thanks again you've been very helpful.

[KhunLA]

37 minutes ago, grain said:

Looks great LA, thanks again you've been very helpful.

Most Welcome 

 

Anything else, don't be shy, though haven't been there in almost 2 years, as stated getting very crowded again.  Although that was Kata Beach area that we popped down for the day at.

 

Last few times we were there, we stayed at Secret Ciff Resort @ Karon, and sits atop the hill between Patong & Karon Beaches. 

 

Not sure if mislabeled on Gmaps, or they also own the property on the other side of road.  We stayed on surfside  side of the road.  Nice place to chill, and good brekkie with view from restaurant.

 

Once again, vis is early Covid (4 yrs ago), though stayed there <2yrs ago, May 2023 (?).

 

 

 

 

[zzzzz]

"...Oct is good, as cusp of high season"  
nope, Oct is low season, its rainy and the sea is mostly unsafe, ( rips and currents, waves)  for swimming till early Nov
high season starts Nov 20th or so
 

As far as Kamala goes, ( an the island)  out of the 28 years i have lived here in Kamala, last year was the first time there was really no low season , tourists are here year round now.  ;-( although Oct is not nearly as bad as Dec-March

 

[KhunLA]

6 hours ago, zzzzz said:

"...Oct is good, as cusp of high season"  
nope, Oct is low season, its rainy and the sea is mostly unsafe, ( rips and currents, waves)  for swimming till early Nov
high season starts Nov 20th or so
 

As far as Kamala goes, ( an the island)  out of the 28 years i have lived here in Kamala, last year was the first time there was really no low season , tourists are here year round now.  ;-( although Oct is not nearly as bad as Dec-March

 

Been there about 10X during late Sept, early Oct (school break) and surf was fine.   Just pay attention to red flags and or know how to get out of a rip, which can happen anytime.  

 

I preferred swimming at ebb or incoming tide times.  If I lived there, I wouldn't want any more tourist coming either ... 

 

And some folks don't even bother with swimming in the surf, and simply enjoy looking at it.  I know when crowded, I don't bother, as fecal count is too high for my liking.  Another reason I don't care for over developed beach town.

 

If they even have sewage treatment plants, they're stressed to their limits.

 

Kamala Beach hasn't been a secret for years, as people tire of Patong, Karon & Kata beach crowds.

[grumpyoldman]

Mai Khao

[grain]

1 hour ago, grumpyoldman said:

Mai Khao

OK thanks, I wasn't familiar with this beach so just checked it out online, it certainly looks promising.

[KhunLA]

4 hours ago, grumpyoldman said:

Mai Khao

 

2 hours ago, grain said:

OK thanks, I wasn't familiar with this beach so just checked it out online, it certainly looks promising.

 

Stayed there (Coriacea Boutique Resort) and one of our first O&A during very early covid.  Best to self drive, or pick a resort that has good food.   We were the only ones at the resort, due to covid, and most everything around was shuttered.   But you definitely needed a car for the area.

 

You can get some great plane spotting snaps from the beach ... 

 

 

 

[grain]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

 

 

Stayed there (Coriacea Boutique Resort) and one of our first O&A during very early covid.  Best to self drive, or pick a resort that has good food.   We were the only ones at the resort, due to covid, and most everything around was shuttered.   But you definitely needed a car for the area.

 

You can get some great plane spotting snaps from the beach ... 

 

 

 

It's certainly on my list, as I said earlier we have a car, I checked some resort prices and much cheaper than elsewhere on Phuket, I guess due to the isolation. I had a walk around the place with Goggle maps and there are a few little Thai seafood restaurants, so this beach could be what we're after. 

[zzzzz]

for day tripping or camping; Layan beach and the Sirinat national park
no accommodation,  street food options, only a few umbrellas /loungers at the northern end but a fantastic beach
 

[grain]

12 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

for day tripping or camping; Layan beach and the Sirinat national park
no accommodation,  street food options, only a few umbrellas /loungers at the northern end but a fantastic beach
 

OK, thanks for the tip.

[TaiMaiTai]

On 4/6/2025 at 8:56 PM, KhunLA said:

There's plenty, and just depends on your budget.  Hard to wrong with the Kamala Beach area, though there's 3 different sections to it.

 

A lot depends if you self drive, or rely on taxis, or, if you chose a place where a few restaurants are within walking distance, away from the main beaches; Patong, Karon & Kata Beach.

 

I prefer the area around Lillo Island Restaurant & Bar, if picking Kamala Beach, unless you need an hotel with lots a amenities ...

 

Kamala seems to tick a lot of my boxes except for 1 thing: noise.

 

I know it's not a party town like Patong, but I've seen a number of complaints from people staying in the southern end (Icon Park and Oceana Resort) about loud noises at 5 am from the nearby Masjid Naka Kamala Mosque; and the Lillo area you mentioned is even closer to another mosque (Masjid Al-Bushra).

 

So I'm a little confused by the mixed hotel/Airbnb reviews I've read with some complaining of 5 am loudspeaker noises and some saying it's quiet - even for reviews from the same properties. I'm wondering what the causes of the different experiences are - it could be subjective noise tolerances, or it could be that certain sides of the buildings are quieter (eg: the ones facing the opposite direction from the mosques), or maybe it depends on the time of year/religious holidays?

 

Can anyone who has stayed in Kamala comment on this?

[KhunLA]

28 minutes ago, TaiMaiTai said:

 

Kamala seems to tick a lot of my boxes except for 1 thing: noise.

 

I know it's not a party town like Patong, but I've seen a number of complaints from people staying in the southern end (Icon Park and Oceana Resort) about loud noises at 5 am from the nearby Masjid Naka Kamala Mosque; and the Lillo area you mentioned is even closer to another mosque (Masjid Al-Bushra).

 

So I'm a little confused by the mixed hotel/Airbnb reviews I've read with some complaining of 5 am loudspeaker noises and some saying it's quiet - even for reviews from the same properties. I'm wondering what the causes of the different experiences are - it could be subjective noise tolerances, or it could be that certain sides of the buildings are quieter (eg: the ones facing the opposite direction from the mosques), or maybe it depends on the time of year/religious holidays?

 

Can anyone who has stayed in Kamala comment on this?

 

We didn't notice any noise, and that is something I would notice.