Phuket Sailing Guide

Anchorages - Kata Beach (Phuket)

Malacca Straits | Ao Chalong | Kata Beach | Phi Phi | Krabi

This bay offers one of the nicest beaches on Phuket, and a pleasant balance in its development. There are only three hotels here, each quite different, and each excellent within its class. There are also several restaurants and some small shops behind the beachfront hotels. For a passing yacht looking for a beautiful beach, not too much development, but some onshore pleasures, Kata is difficult to beat.

The southeast corner of the bay offers anchorage in 8–10 metres on sand.

The Club Mediterranean covers about 60 percent of the beach, from the northern headland down. Casual, outside guests are not catered for here, though they are welcomed in the other two hotels.

On the south side is Kata Beach Resort, a 200 plus room establishment that became host of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta in 1998. This is a 4 star resort with large swimming pool and gardens, making it an ideal, reasonably-priced holiday resort for families.

At the southern end is The Boathouse, a long time favourite of the yachting community. This popularity began with when its owner and designer, ML Tri Devakul, was one of the founders of the King’s Cup Regatta. The Boathouse, sporting a nautical décor, often calls itself ‘a restaurant with a few rooms attached’. That restaurant is now so popular, and the food so good, that reservations are ‘must’ throughout the high season. Entertainment is in the piano bar style. The wine cellar here is the best on Phuket, with upwards of 250 labels. Passing yachts may call to replenish wine supplies at retail, not restaurant, prices.

The diving and snorkelling around Koh Pu (Crab Island) is well worth trying. A note of caution, however: the passage between Koh Pu and the headland is not recommended without local knowledge, as there is a rock awash in the channel.

You can walk to Kata Centre, with its shops, restaurants and bars, via the little road from the northeast corner of the bay. It takes about 35 minutes to Phuket Town by tuk tuk.