PineapplePhuket.com - The Pineapple Guesthouse, Karon Beach, Phuket, Thailand

Why choose Karon Beach for a holiday? Apart from the excellent budget accommodation at The Pineapple Guest house of course!

Firstly, the beach itself; a beautiful stretch of white sand that squeaks as you walk on it with a sprinkling of trees just behind. In the high season the waters are calm and crystal clear, and you'll find good snorkelling towards the rocks. Sunbeds are available, as are a few watersports, but not to the extent of completely ruining the beach. From May to October, the beach takes on a completely different character; it is dangerous to swim so the beach is nearly deserted. Kata Beach is just a few minutes walk away if you want a change of scenery and it gently shelving sands make it ideal for children.

Nightlife is relatively low-key. There are two nightlife areas within Karon: Pineapple Guesthouse is in the Karon Plaza area. There are plenty of bars and restaurants but the size of the resort allows it to retain an element of intimacy. You’ll meet new friends for sure. The northern end of Karon, close to Karon Circle, has many additional bars and restaurants, as does Kata, fifteen minutes walk or a short tuk-tuk ride in the opposite direction. Although in high season the bars are still busy into the early hours, you might want to experience the beer bars, pubs and clubs of nearby Patong. It’s a different world and good fun!

Children will love the sandy beach and the swimming pools but for a change the Dino Park mini-golf [website] is within walking distance of The Pineapple.

This 18-hole course features authentic scale replicas of prehistoric creatures, each hole blending with the theme and presenting an exciting view of the prehistoric world. Golfers will play beside a primeval swamp, in a lava cave, beside moving and roaring dinosaurs, under a 12-meter waterfall and beneath an erupting volcano.

Everything you’ll need for a beach holiday can be bought in the local shops though Karon itself can hardly be described as a shopper’s paradise. Phuket City, Patong, where you'll find the Jungceylon shopping centre, a number of local markets, Big C, Tesco Lotus and Central Festival Centre can all be easily reached by tuk-tuk or taxi, however, so you won’t be going home empty handed. And with cheap flights available, how about a trip to Bangkok or even Kuala Lumpur or Singapore for a couple of days?

Add a visit to nearby islands, temples, National Parks, take in an elephant ride, a boat trip or enjoy a relaxing massage at one of the many nearby shops. For the more active there's golf, pistol shooting, horse-riding, snorkelling, go-karting, bungee jumping, and much more. For scuba diving we recommend Sunrise Divers, see www.sunrise-divers.com. Ask us for more details. You’ll find there is plenty to fill your days and nights. We at the Pineapple are there to help you get the most out of your holiday in Phuket.

For more information about Karon, Phuket and even Pineapple Guesthouse, have a look at Jamie's Phuket Blog.

Then read about some of our tour ideas...