Page 31 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Phuket

Kata Beach ❮❮ 29

Water Sports
7 DEVELOPMENT
The best season
for surfing (left) in Kata During the 1970s, Kata
is from May to October. was known as a low-
The waters around Kata budget back packer’s
are great for begin ners destination offering
since the waves are not inexpensive beach
too large. The southern bungalows and cheap
end is best for surfing, guesthouses. However,
but if that’s not for you, when Club Med opened
rent a kayak from the its doors in 1985, the
north end of the beach. area started turning
upscale. Today, Kata
mostly caters to well-
to-do family travelers.
Low-cost rooms can
still be found along
the inland roads, while
most of the beachfront
properties have been
snapped up by high-
end devel opers.
Dino Park
9
Mini-Golf
With a 39-ft- (12-m-)
high waterfall and an
erupting volcano, the
setting at this minia ture
golf course is nothing
short of stirring. Playing
a round is a great way to
beat the after noon heat.
Kata Yai
0
When people talk
about Kata, they are
Kata Noi
Karon
5 8 usually refer ring to Kata
Viewpoint
Yai (below), which is the
The more secluded
On the coastal road of Kata’s beaches, Kata larger of the two Kata
south toward Naiharn, Noi, located just south of bays, and boasts more
this viewpoint pro vides Kata Yai, gene rally offers resorts and activities.
gorgeous views of the more space and privacy The beach is sepa rated
island. Look north and than its larger counter- from Kata Noi, which is
you’ll see three white- part, espe cially during much quieter, by a small
sand beaches along the the low season. rocky headland.
coastline (above).
Kata Temple
6
This Buddhist wat
lies at the base of the
mountains behind Kata
town. Formally known as
Wat Kittisangkaram, it
dates from the 1800s, but
it was rebuilt. It is rarely
visited by tourists due to
its modern buildings.

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