Kata Beach Phuket Travel Guide: Surfing, Big Buddha, Scab Bar and More

Kata Beach is one of the best beaches on the island for water sports. Like other beaches on the island, you’ll notice the availability of jet skis and banana boats, although there’s actually less than some of the busier beaches. You can also try paragliding to get a view from above. At the south end of the beach by the rocks, there are some great snorkeling spots just off the coast.

Kata Beach Water Sports and Surfing

Probably the most famous water sport on the beach is surfing. At certain times of the year, the waves get pretty big on Kata, although not so big that you can’t swim. This makes it a great place to try surfing. There’s a surf school at the south end of the beach where you can rent a surfboard, and the guides will teach you how to surf. This is the perfect place to learn to surf.

Hiking to Phuket Big Buddha from Kata Beach

Starting from the north end of the beach, you can begin the hike up to the Phuket Big Buddha. The Big Buddha is the most iconic monument on the island and is a must-visit when staying in Phuket. We recommend starting early because the hike can get hot and humid. Start by walking across the beach to watch the sunrise, then make your way through Kata town to the start of the climb. From here, it takes about 45 minutes to get to the top, where you can see the Buddha itself as well as other Buddhist monuments, monkeys, and also get a bird’s-eye view of Kata Beach below.

Scab Bar at Kata Beach, Phuket

Kata is home to one of our favorite bars in the whole of Thailand, Scab Bar. Surprisingly, there aren’t actually that many bars on the beach around Phuket, which I suppose is a good thing as it preserves the natural beauty. Located at the south end of the beach, Scab Bar is our favorite beach bar on the island.

This is an unassuming bar with a treehouse aesthetic. The beers are reasonably priced, the music is a mix of ska and reggae, and the seafood is delicious. This is the perfect place to watch the sunset over the waves.

Thai Street Food Near Kata Beach

Outside of the Old Town, Kata, in our opinion, is the best place to try Thai street food, as it has a large number of street food carts and a number of night markets. Lying towards the middle of the beach, up on the road, are a series of street food carts. These carts serve delicious Thai food, and they’ll set up a place here to eat right on the beach.

Behind the beach, on the main road, you can find a number of different food and night markets where you can drink a beer and listen to live music to wind down at night.

Kata Noi Beach, Phuket

There are actually two beaches that make up Kata Beach. Just to the south of the main beach is Kata Noi, or Little Kata. This beach can be accessed by a short walk through the south end of Kata town. This beach is home to a number of high-end hotels and is a little quieter than the main beach.

Karon Viewpoint and Sunset Views

A short drive away from Kata Beach is Karon Viewpoint. This viewpoint spot is home to a number of bars and restaurants that overlook the cliff edge for beautiful views of the sea below. Here you can see Sai Corner, a great restaurant that is the perfect place to watch the sunset.