Phuket for a Low Cost Beach Holiday

Phuket is the Mecca and spiritual home of South East Asian beach holidays, with only Bali coming anywhere close in the region. From crowded commercial beaches to untapped and desolate beaches; Phuket has it all!

Patong is the king for getaway package beach holidays and is the number one tourist destination on the island. The beach is fairly clean and provides a mass of water sports and convenient restaurants and bars within a short walking distance.

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While it is an exciting and enjoyable beach location, it does not provide much seclusion or tranquility. The overriding factor in Patong’s success is the diverse nature of the price ranges and things to do. You can enjoy a real low-cost holiday in Patong, but there are better value-for-money options on the island.

Karon and Kata are two smaller beachside resorts on the south-western coast within a ten minute drive of Patong. Karon is a very friendly area with an affable expatriate community with very fair priced accommodation.

Karon is more of a family destination than Patong and owns a much cleaner and uncluttered beach. The quality of life is much slower and pleasant than the pulsating heart of Patong.

Kata is very similar to Karon, with its family atmosphere and slower pace. The beach is much smaller, but very picturesque and a favorite with locals due to the surrounding palm trees that provide welcome shade. The accommodation is also very reasonable, not as cheap as the low end of the Patong scale, but much better value overall.

Nai Harn Beach is reputedly the finest in Phuket, and I wouldn’t dispute that! But the area is generally more expensive and home to high-end resorts and hotels, pricing itself out of the value-for-money stakes.

The same can be said of the north-western beach resorts of Surin, Kamala and Bangtao. All three are beautiful beaches in their own right, but are generally dominated by five-star resorts and slightly expensive pricing.

I would personally recommend Karon or Kata for a value beachside holiday with good standard beaches, restaurants and overall atmosphere.