Kamala Beach
Best for. Families and couples who want a calmer alternative to Patong, an easy swim in season, and the option of a big beach club day without the party intensity.
Best spot. The northern end of the bay, quieter and greener, with the big beach club anchoring the scene above the sand.
Know this. Kamala is a real village beach as well as a holiday one, so the mood is relaxed, but the southern end can get a sharp drop off and monsoon currents, so read the flags.
Kamala is where a lot of repeat visitors quietly base themselves once they have done Patong and decided it is not for them. It sits just to the north, a short ride over the hill, but the mood could hardly be more different. This is a proper village with a calmer, more local rhythm, a beach that families settle into for the week, and just enough on the front to keep you fed and shaded without the relentless commercial wall of its famous neighbour.
The honest picture is of a beach that does relaxed very well and intensity not at all. The northern end is the nicer half, wider and greener, and it is here that the bay anchors itself around Cafe del Mar, one of the largest beach clubs on the island, which brings a pool, daybeds and sunset sessions to the sand without turning Kamala into a party strip. The southern stretch is more workaday and can have a sharper drop off and stronger monsoon currents, so it pays to know which end you are on.
Where Kamala earns its keep is as a calm base with options. You can have a quiet family swim and a cheap lunch from a beachfront vendor, or you can spend the day on a daybed at the club, all on the same sand. Come in the dry season for the gentlest water, favour the northern end for swimming, and treat Kamala as the sane, scenic middle ground between sleepy Surin to the north and full throttle Patong to the south.
Clubs on this beach
Kamala keeps the club layer simple, anchored by one large venue at the northern end of the bay alongside the usual beachfront vendors. We can pass a booking request to the club through our enquiry form, and the Phuket clubs guide sets it in context. Terms are set by the venue and to be confirmed.
Photo: Café del Mar Phuket Beach Club via GoogleCafe del Mar Phuket
One of the largest beach clubs on the island, set at the northern end of Kamala with a big pool, daybeds, dining and regular sunset and music sessions. Day passes, pool rules and minimum spends are set by the club and to be confirmed.
Beachfront vendors and cafes
Along the village front, small vendors and cafes rent loungers and serve cold drinks, fresh fruit and Thai plates at local prices. This is the low cost, low key way to spend a Kamala day, with no club minimum to clear.
Quiet southern end
Toward the south the bay turns quieter and more workaday, with fewer facilities and a sharper drop off. It suits a walk and a swim where the flags allow rather than a full service beach club day.
West coast, Phuket
Kamala is on the west coast just north of Patong, around thirty to forty minutes by road from Phuket International Airport depending on traffic. The road in drops over a green hill to the village and the bay.
Most visitors arrive by taxi, Grab car where available, or scooter. There is roadside and village parking, and the beach club has its own drop off and parking arrangements.
Patong sits a short ride south over the hill for a livelier evening, while Surin and Bang Tao are a little to the north, so Kamala makes a calm and central base for this run of coast.
Photo: Phuri Hoye via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we will help arrange a daybed or table at a club near Kamala Beach. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Kamala Beach
Is Kamala Beach better than Patong?
For most families and couples seeking calm, yes. Kamala is quieter, greener and more of a real village, while Patong is loud and intensely commercial. Patong wins only if you specifically want nightlife. Many visitors base in Kamala and visit Patong for an evening.
Can you swim at Kamala Beach?
Usually yes in the dry season from November to April, especially at the wider northern end. The southern stretch has a sharper drop off and the monsoon brings stronger currents, so always read the safety flags before you go in.
Is there a beach club at Kamala?
Yes. Cafe del Mar at the northern end is one of the largest beach clubs on the island, with a pool, daybeds and sunset sessions. Day passes and minimum spends are set by the venue and to be confirmed, and we can pass a booking request through our form.
Is Kamala good for families?
Yes. The relaxed village mood, the calmer northern end and the mix of cheap local food and a big beach club make it a comfortable family base. Stick to the northern end for swimming and keep an eye on the flags.
When is the best time to visit Kamala?
The dry season from November to April gives the calmest water, the clearest swimming and the best sunset weather. The monsoon months bring swell and stronger currents, so the beach is for walking and the club more than for open water swimming then.
