Kata Yai Beach Travel Package Tours, Thailand Tour Information Hotel Guide

KATA YAI OVERVIEW

The Kata area can be considered as three main sections, the long, sweeping Kata Yai Beach to the north, the smaller and more secluded Kata Noi to the south and the thriving Kata town which sits to the west, inland and well off the beaches.

Kata Yai
This sweeping beach is one of the more popular Phuket spots for flashpackers, due to the proximity of the beach to Kata Centre with its reasonable selection of budget accommodation. While there are some cheapish places on the beach itself, the bulk of the hotels and resorts here are mid- to upper-range.
A particularly scenic beach, with squeaky soft sand and gentle lapping waves. Kata Yai, like Karon Beach to the north, is a hit with families. A small islet sits off its northern headland and when the waters are calm, able swimmers can make it across for a spot of not unreasonable snorkelling.
In high season, Kata Yai is crammed with deckchairs, umbrellas and people. Along with the bronzing bodies are all the support staff any serious tanner requires -- pineapple ladies, ice-cream kids, beer boys and of course, masseuses. The beach undergoes a breathtaking transformation between low and high season, and when it's crowded here, it's crowded with a capital C.
If heaving crowds and the ever-present scent of coconut oil isn't your scene, you'll probably feel more at home on Karon Beach, which sits a short walk to the north and which, even in high season, has no shortage of deserted stretches of sand to bake away on.

Kata Noi
Quite a contrast to big sister Kata Yai, this lovely little beach is hidden away over the headland to the south and gets but a fraction of the crowds you'll see elsewhere. This is in part because the beach is dominated by a massive resort owned by the Kata Thani group, but there is also a smattering of budget accommodation just off the beach.
Kata Noi is a reasonable place to escape the rest of Phuket, with just about nothing in the way of nightlife, and, as already mentioned, relatively low crowds. Even in high season, when the water can be like a millpond, the beach is rarely busting at the seams. During offseason, when the sea can get pretty rough indeed, chances are you'll have the beach largely to yourself, though swimming is for able-swimmers only.

Kata Centre
The town area behind the two beaches is a bustling little area packed with restaurants, bars, internet cafes and travel agents. Home to the bulk of the budget-orientated guesthouses and hotels, after Phuket town, Kata Centre is where you'll be at if a cheap room rather than a beach view is what you're after. If you're planning on setting up in Phuket for a while, be sure to ask after longer-stay rates, as many of the guesthouses offer discounts for weekly and month-long stays.
While the eating and drinking options on both Kata Yai and Kata Noi are limited, that's not a problem in Kata Centre where a wide range of bars and tourist-orientated eateries are on offer -- there's nothing too outstanding, but at least the bill won't leave you in tears. In the evenings some of the bars get pretty raucous, so bear that in mind when considering any room within earshot of a bar.