Karon Beach : Phuket, Thailand

Karon Beach is locate near the city on the western coast of Phuket, Thailand. The beach is a popular travel destination for tourists. Generally quieter than neighbouring Patong Beach, it is especially popular among families and couples, and less popular with singles than Patong beach. It is also especially popular to travel with Scandinavian tourists, with many businesses catering especially to them. Karon Beach was heavily damaged by the tsunamis following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, especially in its southern regions, but has since largely recovered and by 2008 showed little evidence of tsunami damage.

Karon is the second largest of Phuket's tourist beaches, some 20 kilometres from town. Large resort complexes line the road behind of the shoreline, but the long, broad beach itself has no development. The sand is very white, and squeaks audibly when walked upon. The southern point has a fine coral reef stretching toward Kata and Bu Island.

Restaurants, bars, tour companies and other non-hotel businesses are at the north end, near the traffic circle, and at the south end, on the little road connecting the back road with the beach road. The narrow road between Kata and Karon has a number of small businesses as well as the Dino Park Mini Golf facility. Karon is arguably the most up-scale of Phuket's beaches. There is a regular daytime bus service to and from Phuket Town.

Not many hotels have direct beach frontage - most are across the road (which is not a busy one). The southern part of Karon is known as Karon Noi (Hat Karon Noi), a 4 kilometre long straight beach with fewer visitors than its big sister. Nightlife is pretty much confined to dining and a few beer bars.

More information is at http://wikitravel.org/en/Karon_Beach