Karon Beach Webcam – Phuket’s Quieter West Coast Beach

The Karon Beach Webcam looks north along Karon Beach on the west coast of Phuket, Thailand, from Marina Phuket Resort on the headland at the southern end of the bay. The Andaman Sea fills the left of the frame, the sand curves away on the right beneath the trees, and wooded hills close off the far end of the beach. The camera sits right above the water’s edge, so the shoreline is the subject: a flat, glassy morning and a day of rolling surf are easy to tell apart at a glance, and so are a crowd of swimmers near the rocks and an empty sea. After dark the stream switches to a grainy black and white picture, with lamps along the back of the beach and lights on the hills to the north.

About Karon Beach

Karon Beach runs for about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) of white sand, from a small hill at its southern end, which separates it from Kata Beach, to the lake near Karon Circle at the northern end. It is the second-longest beach in Phuket province. The sand is known for squeaking: walk barefoot on the dry part of the beach and it gives a high-pitched sound underfoot, which is why some guides call it singing sand.

The camera’s own headland is the rocky southern point of the bay. Marina Phuket Resort says guests can snorkel right out front, and in daylight frames from the Karon Beach Webcam a large boulder shows in the shallows close to the lens, a handy marker for how high the tide and the waves are running.

Karon is the name of both the beach and the surrounding subdistrict of Mueang Phuket District, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Phuket Town and 43 kilometers (27 miles) from Phuket International Airport. It is generally quieter than neighboring Patong and is popular with families, couples and Scandinavian visitors. The beach was heavily damaged by the tsunami that followed the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

Weather and Climate at Karon Beach

Phuket is warm all year. Average daytime highs sit between 31.7 and 34 C (89 and 93 F) in every month, with average lows of 24 to 26 C (76 to 78 F). The dry season runs from December through March and is the clearest time on the Karon Beach Webcam. January is the driest month, with about 30 millimeters (1.2 inches) of rain and the most sunshine of the year, and the bay often looks flat and turquoise. March is the hottest month, with average highs of 34 C (93 F), and April has the warmest nights at about 26 C (78 F).

The wet season covers the other eight months, from April to November, as the southwest monsoon pushes cloud and swell onto the west coast. September is the wettest month, with about 361 millimeters (14.2 inches) of rain and only around 108 hours of sunshine, against about 236 hours in January. On the camera that shows up as heavy cloud over the hills, squalls blowing in off the sea and surf breaking along the whole beach. From May to October the rip currents at Karon are strong and red flags go up along the shore, so a rough sea on the stream is a real warning, not just a gray day. The yearly total is around 2,200 millimeters (87 inches).

Things to Do Near Karon Beach

Kata Beach lies just over the small hill at the southern end, with Kata Noi beyond it. Farther south, on the hill road between Kata Noi and Nai Harn, Karon Viewpoint (also called Three Beaches Hill) looks back over Kata Noi, Kata and Karon all at once, and there is no entry fee. Back on Karon, the rocks below the resort at the southern end are where snorkelers head when the sea is calm, which in practice means the dry season.

Wat Suwan Kirikhet, usually called Wat Karon, is the local temple, and its grounds host an evening market twice a week. The lake near Karon Circle at the northern end of the beach holds a local funfair during the Songkran festival in April. For a change from the sand, Patong is the next big resort up the coast, and Phuket Town is a short drive across the island.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

For more of Thailand’s coast and islands, try these cameras.

• Phuket Webcam
• Koh Samui Webcam
• Pattaya Beach Road Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Phuket webcam show?

Karon Beach on Phuket’s west coast, seen from Marina Phuket Resort on the headland at the southern end. The camera faces north along the beach, with the Andaman Sea on the left, the sand and trees on the right, and the hills at the far end of the bay behind. The operator’s caption and clock run along the top-left corner of the picture.

Does the Karon Beach Webcam show Kata Beach?

No. Kata Beach is on the other side of the small hill behind the camera, to the south, and the camera points the other way, north along Karon. Kata Noi and Karon Viewpoint are out of frame as well.

Where is Karon Beach located?

On the west coast of Phuket island in southern Thailand, in Karon subdistrict of Mueang Phuket District. It faces the Andaman Sea, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Phuket Town and 43 kilometers (27 miles) from Phuket International Airport, with Kata Beach next door to the south and Patong to the north.

What is the weather in Phuket right now?

Read it next to the camera: local time, temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit, sky condition, humidity, wind speed and today’s sunrise and sunset. Thailand runs on UTC plus seven, so daylight at Karon falls overnight and in the morning for viewers in the UK, and from late afternoon or evening through the night in North America. The sea is as informative as the readout: flat turquoise water means a calm day, while white water along the whole beach means wind and swell.

Is the Karon Beach camera live?

Yes. It streams around the clock, and the clock in the corner of the picture runs on Thai time. After dark the image turns grainy black and white, lit only by lamps along the back of the beach, so the sea is hard to read at night. For a clear look at the surf, watch between about 7 am and 6 pm Phuket time.

When is the best time to visit Karon Beach?

December to March, the dry season, when rain is lightest and the sea is usually calm enough to swim. From May to October the southwest monsoon brings swell and strong rip currents, and red flags on the sand mean stay out of the water. September is the wettest month, with about 361 millimeters (14.2 inches) of rain.

Is there a night market at Karon Beach?

Yes, at Wat Karon (Wat Suwan Kirikhet), the local temple. Its market opens on Tuesday and Friday evenings, from 4 pm to 10 pm. The camera does not show the temple or the market.

Source: Marina Phuket Resort