Kamala
Beach (Ao Kamala) is on the west coast of Phuket,
just to the north of Patong,
and immediately south of Surin
Beach.
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.
How to get here
By taxi - 500 baht from the airport.
See
The only two tourist attractions Kamala has
to offer (besides the beach) are the Fantasea
show and the Buddhist temple at the southern
end of the beach.
At the middle of the beach, there is a small
park with a tsunami monument.
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.
On the beach, you won't be able to get around
a Thai massage. These are offered at small
stalls throughout the beach, and the rate
seems fixed (300 baht/hour, March 2007).
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 baht one way
(but less if you bargain). Tuk-tuks are a
simple and (sometimes) cheap way to leave
Kamala. Tuk-tuks to the more popular Patong
cost around 300 baht. Some of the hotels provide
an affordable shuttle to Patong.
Catching the local open-sided 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.
Eat
There are quite a few restaurants direct
on the beach. Usually they show some fresh
fish and seafood on ice, where you can choose
exactly what to eat.
One of them offers a weekly BBQ - all you
can eat. You should make a reservation in
time to get a table, but actually, its not
worth it. In the village you also find an
abundance of restaurants, also with the seafood
in the front on ice. Those which offer fewer
Western dishes sometimes have the best Thai
dishes.
For breakfast, try the "Stonefish".
This restaurant is located south of the beach,
on the hillside. It is rather splendid, and
not too cheap, but the breakfast special is
only 99 baht for juice, coffee and some breakfast
(several choices).
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 cocktails - notably
the "Kamala Sunset" - a concoction
designed by Bob himself.
Phuket Beaches
Particularly in the monsoon season, there are
strong currents on many of the beaches and drownings
are a depressingly common occurrence. Heed the
warning flags on popular beaches and play it safe
if off the beaten track. It is important to note
that, while many tourists who flock to the beaches
of Phuket are European, nudity is viewed as highly
offensive to Thais. It is very rude to go topless
to beaches. Thais are generally non-confrontational,
but it is always best to be respectful while treading
on another's home country.
About Kamala Beach, Phuket Thailand
Kamala
Beach (Ao Kamala) is on the west coast of Phuket,
just to the north of 
