Just 5 minutes south of Karon, you'll find Kata Beach - a wide curving bay with rocky headlands where local fishermen can still be seen casting their lines. Kata village, close to the beach retains a cosy atmosphere with clusters of restaurants, bars, and small resorts. Nightlife is low key compared to Patong, but there are some good music bars and local shopping.

The beach has few resorts. Club Med which dominates the centre, has effectively saved the beach from high rise development. There are also some good small guesthouses and boutique style hotels which provide gourmet food and some of the best wine cellars on the island, like The Boathouse Inn and Marina Cottage. The south end of Kata is also a popular spot for Phuket's growing community of monsoon season surfers. Each September, the Quicksilver Surfing Contest is held here with local and international amateur surfers riding the waves.

Kata Noi, its smaller cousin further south, is quieter and more sedate. The Kata Thani is the main resort hotel and dominates a wide area of the beach. There are a few small guest houses, plenty of little restaurants and boutiques. It's a place with not too much action, but close enough to pop into Kata's main area if you fancy shopping or a night out.