Kamala Beach 
Anchor anywhere well out in the bay in 6 - 8 metres on a sandy
bottom.
Kamala Beach lies in a pretty bay, with several hotel developments.
There are plenty of restaurants ashore in a busy village atmosphere
on the south end of the beach. The bay is easily recognised from
seaward by the large structures of the Phuket FantaSea Park and
the developments on the southern hill.
Care should be taken when coming from the south to avoid the rocky
patch 300 metres off the headland.
Laem Sing/Surin
Anchor in 10 metres on a sandy bottom.
Laem Sing is a beautiful bay framed by two rocky headlands.
It is the favourite spot for paradise seekers and ageing hippies
who prefer the short longtail ride from Patong to the gruelling
bus ride to Krabi.
There are several daytime restaurants here, in the high season,
with more in nearby Surin Beach.
Around the headland is Surin Beach, which is one of the
island's only zoned public beaches and as such has no permanent
structures, apart from a small group of restaurants at the southern
end.
One of these is the famous Diver's Place, a casual
beach bar named for its charismatic Australian owner (once Australia's
national deep diving champion), and frequented mostly by expat residents
of the island.
Behind the beach is a community park backed by a number of restaurants
and small guest houses.
From this headland north the private housing and hotel accommodation
becomes increasingly exclusive and expensive.
Pansea Bay
You should anchor outside the hotel moorings (which are not available
for public use) in 10 metres on a sandy bottom. This anchorage is
uncomfortable when the northwesterly swell is running in February
or March.
This secluded spot is one of the nicer bays on the west coast
and is home to The
Chedi Phuket
and Amanpuri
exclusive resorts. Yacht crews may use the hotel restaurants for
that special occasion, but it is wise to make a reservation.
There is an excellent sandy beach, and good snorkeling is to be
had on both points.
Bang Tao Bay
Approaching Bang Tao Bay from the south, watch out for the
large rock shown 150 metres off the headland on the chart. If it
is visible, vessels can pass close on either side, as there is 10
metres of water all around. At high water, however, give the headland
a wide berth and proceed well north before turning into the bay.
Bang Tao has been developed by Laguna Phuket group as Asia's
first fully integrated resort complex, comprising the Dusit
Laguna, Laguna
Beach Resort, Sheraton
Grand Laguna, Allamanda
and Banyan
Tree Phuket hotels.
Anchor in 6- 8 metres on a sandy bottom in front of any of the
hotels.
Ashore, you will also find several good beach restaurants catering
to a wide range of budgets. Just 25 minutes from the airport, these
hotels are a useful pick-up point for visitors.
All the hotels in the Laguna complex can be accessed by the free
resort shuttle tuk tuks and boats on the canals.
On the very north end of Bang Tao beach, just inside the island,
is a high tide river that can be accessed by dinghy leading to two
huge, previously tin-dredged inland lagoons — which are earmarked
as a potential site for the first west coast marina.
Kamala - Surin - Bang Tao Map
|
