Short-Term Holiday Rentals in Kamala

• North, Surin (about 10 minutes): the coast road climbs past the Laem Singh viewpoint and drops down to Surin, a short, pretty beach with a smarter, quieter feel.
• North, Bang Tao (15 to 20 minutes): one of the longest beaches on the island, with beach clubs, the Laguna resorts and golf.
• North-east, Cherngtalay (15 to 20 minutes): the inland area behind Bang Tao, with Boat Avenue, Porto de Phuket, international schools and supermarkets.
• North, Nai Yang (35 to 45 minutes): a quiet beach inside Sirinat National Park, close to the airport and handy for early flights.
• South, Patong (15 to 20 minutes): over the headland past Kalim Bay, Phuket’s busiest beach town, with Bangla Road, Jungceylon shopping centre and late nights.
• East, Kathu and Phuket Town (30 to 40 minutes): inland through Kathu, home to golf courses, to the Sino-Portuguese old town with its cafes and Sunday walking street. Most guests visit for a day.

The main draw is the balance. Kamala has a real village with a mosque, a temple, local markets and a school, and the beach road has enough cafes, restaurants, minimarts and massage shops to cover a holiday on foot. Yet the bay stays calm after dark.

The north end has the resorts, the tsunami memorial park and Cafe del Mar, while the south end is more local and the quietest part of the beach, with longtail boats on the sand. Hillside homes have the best sea views, though you will want a car or scooter.

Patong, Surin and Bang Tao are each under twenty minutes away, so you can try a busy night out or a different beach and still sleep somewhere quiet. Longer-stay guests like having shops, pharmacies and laundries close to hand.

If you want bars and clubs within walking distance, Patong is a better fit. In the green season the sea is often too rough to swim, and some hillside roads are steep, so check the location if anyone has limited mobility.

• Kamala Beach: a curved bay with calm, clear water from about November to April. For the quietest sand, head to the south end; Fruit Fusion, known for smoothie bowls, is a handy landmark.
• Laem Singh viewpoint: a roadside lookout a few minutes north on the coast road to Surin, looking down on a small, cliff-framed cove.
• Tsunami memorial park: the Heart of the Universe sculpture at the north end remembers those lost in the 2004 tsunami.
• Phuket FantaSea: a large evening Thai culture show with a theme park, shops and a buffet restaurant, just behind the village. It is open on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday evenings.
• Carnival Magic: a carnival-style park of lights, parades and rides beside FantaSea, good for children after dark. It is open on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evenings.
• Kamala market: a local market opposite FantaSea on Monday and Friday, from late afternoon into the evening, with fruit, street food, clothes and household stalls.
• Surfing in the green season: from May to October the swell brings waves to the bay, and local schools teach beginners.
• Sunset at Cafe del Mar: the beach club at the north end is at its best from about 4pm. Reserve a front bed for Saturday sunsets and full-moon weekends, or walk about ten minutes south along the sand for a much quieter beach.
• Pine Beach Bar: on the wider northern stretch below the InterContinental, a quieter sunset bar with loungers on the sand and none of the club atmosphere.

• Jaras: contemporary Thai cooking at the InterContinental, listed in the MICHELIN Guide and worth booking for a special evening.
• Talung Thai: the signature restaurant at Paresa Resort, on the cliffs south of the bay, listed in the MICHELIN Guide. Southern and central Thai dishes come with wide sunset views.
• Silk Restaurant & Bar: refined Thai food at Andara Resort on the hillside above Kamala Bay, with a terrace that looks over the sea.
• hom: an ingredient-led tasting menu built on fermentation, in a Thai pavilion on the hillside at the InterContinental. One for a special occasion.
• Smile Bar & Restaurant: Thai and Western food with your feet in the sand and music in the evening, on Soi Police Station. It reopened in late September 2026, so check its social pages for live music nights.
• Bella Vista: a beachfront Italian spot for wood-fired pizza and pasta.
• Lillo Island: a laid-back beachfront restaurant, good for a slow breakfast or a sunset meal.
• Village food stalls: the south end of the beach road and the market have simple stalls for grilled fish, roti, noodle soups and fresh fruit.

The dry season, from November to April, is the best time for the beach, with flat, clear water and sunny days. December to February is the busiest and most comfortable period, so book early for Christmas and New Year. March and April are the hottest months, and Songkran in mid-April brings water fights; Kamala’s celebrations are smaller and friendlier than Patong’s.

From May to October the southwest monsoon brings bigger waves and stronger currents. Red flags mean no swimming, so always follow the lifeguards; this is when surfers arrive and families use their pool more than the sea. September and October are the wettest months, and the Vegetarian Festival, usually in late September or October, is worth a trip to Phuket Town.

Kamala is roughly 40 to 45 minutes by car from Phuket International Airport, depending on traffic. Allow a little more time in the late afternoon rush or on rainy days.

The beach road and the village are easy to walk. Ride-hailing apps such as Grab and Bolt work well for trips to Surin, Bang Tao or Patong, taxis wait near the beach, and the Phuket Smart Bus between the airport and Rawai stops in Kamala. Many guests hire a car or scooter for a few days. We can arrange an airport transfer so a driver meets you when you land.