I have left the Old Town and travelled for 40 minutes to reach the coastline of Phuket. There are any number of beaches that I could have chosen to explore, however I was looking for a less crowded, less touristy place to sink my toes into the sand. At beautiful Kamala Beach on the Island of Phuket, I found just what I was looking for.
Location
Situated to the west of the city, this stretch of coastline is full of small bays, each offering a sandy stretch of beach. Close to here is arguably the most popular beach on the Island, called Patong. I am definitely not going there; it is not the vibe I am looking for….at all. Sleazy, jam packed, prostitution, not my jam.
I’ll explore three of the bigger beaches on this side, and the first is Kamala Beach.
Walking
At just over 2km long, this beach is a perfect walking beach. Not long enough to feel exhausting, but just right in feeling you can get a good brisk paced walk in before the days heat arrives.
The sand all along the middle of the expanse is very compact and hard, a perfect surface for bare feet or shoes for those beach runners I see whizzing by me.
South End
There are two very distinct ends to Kamala Beach, the north and south ends. The south is known as the ‘dirty’ end. Let me explain. Probably five or so ‘brown water’ creeks drain into the ocean on this beach. Even though a waste water system has been upgraded, and the municipality has worked hard on its image to provide a clean beach, these creeks still exist. The worst and largest of these is at the south end.
They smell, have debris floating in the still waters under the bridges and are just plain ugly. The south end is also where the fishermen hang out, and their boats are kept.
North End
While the North end is a lot cleaner and more pristine, it is also where all the rocks are located. A perfect spot for snorkelling for sure!
There are two brown water creeks here but they can often run dry, so not leaking into the ocean and omitting unpleasant odours or sights. At this North end is where you will find the swankier hotels such as the gorgeous Novotel nestled into the hillside.
Middle
The majority of the beach is covered with fluffy light brown sand, not white as many would lead you to believe. It is soft on the feet and luxurious to walk upon.
The waters are clear but not crystal clear. At 8am it is typically about 28 degrees Celsius and when I dip into the sea here, it is not refreshing, it is that warm!
I must say, this beach is clean of garbage and other types of debris. I can walk along any time of day, and nary see a stray piece of plastic. Absolute gem quality.
Beach goers here are mostly families and older couples, my guesstimate would be at least 80% Russian. Its an interesting place to bring a blanket and people watch for sure. 😂 I would absolutely recommend Kamala Beach to any person who loves a great beach, for walking, relaxation or sport.
