Major city · Thailand
Karonหาดกะรน
Stay 3 nights if you want a quiet 3 km (1.9 mi) beach with resort comfort; skip Karon if you want nightlife or a walkable old town — that is Patong or Phuket Town.Stay 3 nights if you want a quiet 1.9 mi (3 km) beach with resort comfort; skip Karon if you want nightlife or a walkable old town — that is Patong or Phuket Town.
Karon is Phuket's second-largest tourist beach: 3 km of white sand, 8 km south of Patong on Route 4233 and about 20 km from Phuket Town. Almost no hotel sits on the sand — the beach is public and unbuilt, with resorts across the beach road. Business clusters at the north traffic circle and at the south end near Bangla Rd. It is a beach-and-resort base, not a sightseeing town, so 3 nights covers it and 5 suits slow days with day trips.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- THB
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (Andaman dry season)
- avoid May–Oct southwest monsoon: rough surf and rip currents; Sep–Oct wettest
- Airport
- HKT
- Nights
- 3
Rules in force · 6Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
- Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
- Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
- Thailand ↗Check entry rules and any arrival card on the official Thai government sites for your passport; visa-exempt stays and pre-arrival forms change.
- Thailand ↗Do not criticise or mock the monarchy: insulting the royal family is a criminal offence.
- Thailand ↗Temples and palaces: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off before entering halls.
- Thailand ↗E-cigarettes and vapes are illegal to import or use; do not pack them.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Karon191 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Karon, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Thai baht (THB, ฿).Thailand-wide
- SIM or eSIMAIS and TrueMove H sell tourist SIMs at airport arrivals; passport registration is required.Thailand-wide
- Tap waterNot drinkable from the tap.Thailand-wide
- TippingSit-down restaurant: Leave ฿20–100 (≈ US$1–4) or the coins; skip it if a 10% service charge is on the bill.Thailand-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B/C/O. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 220 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Thailand-wide
- SafetyKaron is a low-crime resort strip; the real risk is the sea.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsWestern toilets in malls and hotels; squat toilets with a water bucket in rural stops.Thailand-wide
- Emergency numbers191 police · 1669 ambulance and rescue · 1155 tourist police (english) (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysMany Bangkok street-food vendors stay off the main roads on Mondays (street-cleaning day in several districts)…Thailand-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportHKT Phuket International (About 1 h by road; airport transport booth sells a flat-rate voucher (about ฿750 (≈ US$25)) and minibus seats (about ฿200 (≈ US$7))).
- Getting aroundThe beach road and a parallel path are walkable end to end (about 3 km (1.9 mi)).The beach road and a parallel path are walkable end to end (about 1.9 mi (3 km)).
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Coffee฿60–120 (≈ US$2–4)
- Street or quick mealThai noodle or rice dish at a local shop฿60–120 (≈ US$2–4)
- Beerdraught pint / 7-Eleven can฿120–210 (≈ US$4–7)฿40–60 (≈ US$2)
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Tuk-tuk Karon–Patong฿350–400 (≈ US$11–13)
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week฿300–500 (≈ US$10–16)
- Budget bedGuesthouse double room, a night, per room฿500 (≈ US$16)
- Mid-range bedGuesthouse double room, a night, per room฿900 (≈ US$30)
- High-end bedGuesthouse double room, a night, per room฿1,500 (≈ US$50)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget ฿1,500 (≈ US$50) · Mid ฿3,000 (≈ US$95) · High ฿6,000 (≈ US$190)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- HKT Phuket International (About 1 h by road; airport transport booth sells a flat-rate voucher (about ฿750) and minibus seats (about ฿200))
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Best
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Feb
Best
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
Mar
Best
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
Apr
Best
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
May
Avoid
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Jun
Avoid
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Jul
Avoid
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Aug
Avoid
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Sep
Avoid
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Oct
Avoid
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Nov
Best
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Dec
Best
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Best: Nov–Apr. Avoid: May–Oct. Month by month →
Warmest Feb (33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)), coolest Jan (24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C) low), wettest Sep (22 rain days), driest Feb (3). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Karon: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
4 rd
Feb
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
3 rd
Mar
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
6 rd
Apr
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
11 rd
May
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
18 rd
Jun
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
18 rd
Jul
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
18 rd
Aug
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
19 rd
Sep
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
22 rd
Oct
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
22 rd
Nov
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
14 rd
Dec
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
7 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The beach road and a parallel path are walkable end to end (about 3 km). Songthaew buses run to Phuket Town roughly hourly for about ฿40. Tuk-tuk Karon–Patong is quoted around ฿400 per ride. Renting a motorbike (about ฿150–200 per 24 h) is the cheapest way to reach other beaches, but Phuket traffic and the winding coast road are not for a first-time rider. Metered taxis exist but are scarce away from the airport.
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Patong
goDoor to door: About 20–30 min
Tuk-tuk or taxi over the hill on Route 4233
Go for the evening: Bangla Road nightlife and shopping, then return by agreed-fare taxi.
Kata and Kata Noi
goDoor to door: About 10–15 min
Songthaew or tuk-tuk south along the coast road
Smaller, busier beach with a walkable strip of cafés; easy half-day.
Phuket Town
goDoor to door: About 30–40 min
Local songthaew bus, roughly hourly, about ฿40 (≈ US$2)
Old-town shophouses, markets and the main bus connections onward.
Kamala
cautionDoor to door: About 30 min
Taxi or motorbike north past Patong
Quieter village beach; the drive is long enough that a taxi fare adds up.
Chalong Bay
cautionDoor to door: About 40–50 min
Taxi or motorbike via Phuket Town
Pier for island boats and a different, less beachy side of the island.
Phi Phi or Phang Nga Bay
goDoor to door: 2–3 h each way
Hotel pickup minibus to a pier, then a boat
Book a full-day tour; the pickup and boat legs eat most of the day.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
North Karon (traffic circle and Nong Harn Lake)
Restaurants, bars and tour offices cluster here; the northern third of the beach is the quietest stretch.
Central Karon (Patak Rd beach road)
Resorts line the inland side of the road; the beach path runs the full length. Best for a first stay.
South Karon (Bangla Rd end)
Smaller businesses and the narrow link road toward Kata; closest to Kata's restaurants on foot.
Karon Noi and the headland
Upmarket resorts on the bay between Karon and Patong; you need a taxi or motorbike for everything.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ฿1,200–2,000 (≈ US$40–65) excl. bed
- Mid
- ฿2,000–4,000 (≈ US$65–130) excl. bed
- High
- ฿4,000 (≈ US$130)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Mid-range resort double1 × 3 nights × ฿2,200 | ฿6,600 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × ฿3,000 | ฿18,000 |
| Airport transfer, both ways2 × ฿900 | ฿1,800 |
| Motorbike rental, one day2 × ฿200 | ฿400 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × ฿350 | ฿700 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | ฿2,750 |
| Trip total≈ ฿5,040 per person per day, bed included | ฿30,250≈ US$950 |
2026 estimate in baht; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Thai noodle or rice dish at a local shop | ฿60–120 (≈ US$2–4) |
| Beer: draught pint / 7-Eleven can | ฿120–210 (≈ US$4–7) / ฿40–60 (≈ US$2) |
| Coffee | ฿60–120 (≈ US$2–4) |
| Beach umbrella and mat rental, per day | ฿100–200 (≈ US$4–7) |
| Tuk-tuk Karon–Patong | ฿350–400 (≈ US$11–13) |
| Songthaew to Phuket Town | ฿40 (≈ US$2) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ฿300–500 (≈ US$10–16) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Rip currents: the Andaman surf kills swimmers every season — swim between the red-and-yellow flags and obey no-swim flags in the monsoon months.
- Tuk-tuk and taxi fares in Karon are high and loosely fixed; agree the price before you get in.
- Motorbike rental: wear a helmet, check the bike for damage, and confirm your travel insurance covers riding.
- Jet-ski and motorbike damage claims are a known dispute pattern; photograph the machine before you take it.
- The beach is public and free; anyone charging an access fee to a public beach is not legitimate.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 191
- Ambulance and rescue
- 1669
- Tourist police (English)
- 1155
Pocket card
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Karonหาดกะรน
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
ไปที่ที่อยู่นี้Please take me to this address
Emergency
- Police191
- Ambulance and rescue1669
- Tourist police (English)1155
Embassy
No embassies in Karon; most are in Bangkok, with consulates in Phuket Town and Chiang Mai (check).
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- HKT airport → Karon, transport booth voucher: about ฿750 (≈ US$25), under 1 h
- HKT airport → Karon, shared minibus: about ฿200 (≈ US$7), longer with drop-offs
- Tuk-tuk Karon → Patong: ฿350–400 (≈ US$11–13) per ride
Say or show
- สวัสดี — Hello (sawatdee)
- ขอบคุณ — Thank you (khop khun)
- เท่าไหร่ — How much? (tao rai)
- แพงไป — Too expensive (phaeng pai)
- ไม่เผ็ด — No spicy, please (mai phet)
- ช่วยด้วย — Help (chuay duay)
Beach flags are the rule that matters: red means no swimming.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Karon. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Nov–Apr (Andaman dry season) · avoid May–Oct southwest monsoon: rough surf and rip currents; Sep–Oct wettest · month by month →
- 1 airport and 4 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 6 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for HKT: voucher, minibus and metered-taxi options with last-departure checks.
- Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: north traffic circle, central Patak Rd, south Bangla Rd, Karon Noi.
- Beach-safety fixture: flag system, monsoon no-swim months and lifeguard coverage.