This south-westerly facing beach - named after a nearby Muslim village - has managed to remain exactly the same as it has been for years in spite of intensive urbanization in the direct area. It's still tranquil and a haven for people who like peace and quiet.
Khao Khat is eight kilometres east of Phuket Town and covers the west coast of Cape Panwa. Its sand is rather rough and the water shallow but it's certainly very scenic with views out across Chalong Bay and Lone Island. Luxury villas and condominiums line almost the entire beach but dotted in between are fishermen's huts and at the far west end of the beach there is a mangrove swamp.
How to Get There
Drive out from Phuket Town along Sakadit Road. At the third traffic light turn right and then left at the traffic circle. Alternatively, if you continue on along Sakadit Road take the next turn right and you will eventually come to the beach road.
Continue on for one kilometer and you will see the beach. However, access to Panwa Beach (Khao Khat) is not possible until near the far end where you will see a sign saying 'Bech Bar' (they mean 'Beach Bar').
You can go down here or at another track some 150 meters further on but at this one you should park on the main road.
Facilities on the Beach
Except the facilities reserved to the guests of the Novotel Panwa Beach Resort, there are very little facilities on Panwa Beach (Khao Khat).
You can rent a long tail boat to visit Koh Lone just a few minutes ride across the bay. During high season a small wooden shack sells few beach accesories.
Panwa Beach Restaurants
The Beach Bar does snacks and drinks and, apart from walking into one of the two hotels on the beach and using their restaurants, there are only few other small restaurants on the actual strand.
However, if you take the road back up the hill towards Phuket for a few hundred metres you will come to 'Best Food Good View' which is a wooden rustic Thai restaurant with great views out over Chalong Bay.
Beach Activities
Panwa Beach (Khao Khat) is good for a brisk walk along. It is not a swimming beach.
Best Hotel in Cape Panwa
Cape Panwa Hotel
If a resort can be judged by the amount of return guests it enjoys then Cape Panwa Hotel, Phuket is a phenomenal success.Still, it is hard to put a finger on what exactly makes this hotel so popular.Its location is a definite plus - in a tranquil corner of Phuket with an exclusive beach and rolling verdant grounds.But then again so are the recently renovated accommodation choices of Junior Suites, Cape Suites, Cape Signature Suites, spacious (127sqm) Cape Signature Corner Suites, and Pool Villas, and the sprawling, magnificent (530sqm including 90sqm pool) Absolute Suite with 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside and sea. Read More...
