Explore Kata Beach

On Phuket’s west coast is the picturesque Kata Beach, that boasts scenery typical of pristine tropical paradise, with its white sandy beaches and warm turquoise water. It’s one of the most popular holiday destinations in Phuket, alongside Karon Beach.

Dive centers and resorts that cater to all budgets are in abundance here, and liveaboard trips often take Phuket-dwellers to nearby iconic sites like the Bida Islands, King Cruiser, Shark Point, Anemone Reef, the Phi Phi Islands and the Racha Islands. Dive courses are similarly just as easy to find, and beginners will enjoy taking their open water course in calm, shallow diving conditions in Kata and its surrounding dive sites. Experienced divers can also benefit from advanced courses, with a number of suitable training sites easily accessible by boat.

What’s more, macro lovers here can rejoice, as Kata Beach dive sites are home to some of the rarest tiny critters in Thailand. Nowhere else in the kingdom will you find such a high quantity and quality of macro life.

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Diving in Kata Beach

Diving here typically involves easy reef diving, shore, muck, and fantastic night diving. It’s said to be the macro diving capital of Thailand, so for those that adore tiny critters, only places like Anilao and Raja Ampat can rival Kata. For wreck diving, wall and cave diving, you’ll need to head further afield on some of Phuket’s day trips.

Dive Centers

Dive Sites

The best Months to dive in Kata Beach

Air temperatures range from 25°C-32°C, and water temperature is around 29°C all year, thanks to a sublime tropical climate experienced in Phuket. The high season runs from around November to April and experiences less rainfall.. Liveaboards are also abundant in this period, and make trips to the Similan and Surin Islands from Phuket. Waves and current are at their calmest, and visibility at its best in the area, making this season the best time to dive.

The low season from May to October has rougher seas and reduced visibility, but divers won’t be disappointed, as critters don’t disappear, and the water is ever-warm. Also, bargains on accommodation and diving can be had too, which is a plus.

Top Wildlife Sightings in Kata Beach

The usual tropical favorites can be seen at Kata Beach, such as colorful hard and soft corals and sponges at the beautiful reef site, along with a myriad of reef fish like angelfish, anemonefish, lionfish, and even cuttlefish, stingrays, eels and sea snakes.

Turtles and black tip reef sharks have also been sighted, and it’s macro critters galore, including nudibranchs, shrimp and seahorses. Reports of super rare creatures come fairly often, including mimic octopus, seahorses of varying sizes, snake eels and much more.

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 200

Moray Eel

Moray Eel

285 Sightings
J
44
F
40
M
73
A
48
M
15
J
0
J
4
A
7
S
6
O
2
N
22
D
24

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 27

Barracuda

Barracuda

243 Sightings
J
50
F
33
M
51
A
46
M
9
J
5
J
0
A
7
S
5
O
2
N
14
D
21

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 600

Wrasse

Wrasse

13 Sightings
J
13
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 12

Lionfish

Lionfish

413 Sightings
J
87
F
57
M
94
A
58
M
14
J
0
J
3
A
6
S
7
O
14
N
30
D
43

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

Pufferfish

Pufferfish

263 Sightings
J
46
F
45
M
51
A
39
M
12
J
7
J
4
A
8
S
6
O
0
N
19
D
26

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 100

Parrotfish

Parrotfish

247 Sightings
J
60
F
25
M
53
A
36
M
14
J
4
J
4
A
2
S
6
O
0
N
19
D
24

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 28

Clownfish

Clownfish

232 Sightings
J
52
F
30
M
52
A
43
M
2
J
0
J
5
A
5
S
6
O
1
N
17
D
19

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 90

Angelfish

Angelfish

209 Sightings
J
54
F
30
M
52
A
31
M
10
J
0
J
4
A
5
S
0
O
3
N
4
D
16

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 8

Bannerfish

Bannerfish

180 Sightings
J
39
F
22
M
46
A
22
M
10
J
0
J
4
A
4
S
0
O
0
N
13
D
20

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

Butterfly Fish

Butterfly Fish

176 Sightings
J
44
F
25
M
47
A
30
M
2
J
0
J
4
A
2
S
0
O
0
N
4
D
18

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 20

Porcupinefish

Porcupinefish

150 Sightings
J
35
F
14
M
25
A
24
M
11
J
0
J
3
A
3
S
5
O
0
N
12
D
18

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 7000

Crab

Crab

120 Sightings
J
14
F
11
M
29
A
18
M
1
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
13
N
19
D
13

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 25

Boxfish

Boxfish

96 Sightings
J
13
F
21
M
25
A
25
M
2
J
0
J
2
A
5
S
0
O
0
N
3
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 110

Snapper

Snapper

90 Sightings
J
26
F
19
M
25
A
0
M
8
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
10

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 120

Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish

83 Sightings
J
22
F
4
M
23
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
18
D
13

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3400

Shrimp

Shrimp

79 Sightings
J
11
F
11
M
12
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
13
N
21
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

Pipefish

Pipefish

78 Sightings
J
11
F
0
M
28
A
16
M
9
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 350

Damselfish

Damselfish

73 Sightings
J
25
F
0
M
28
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
3
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
3
D
13

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 80

Stingrays

Stingrays

61 Sightings
J
17
F
5
M
14
A
10
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
2
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

Scorpionfish

Scorpionfish

60 Sightings
J
21
F
10
M
19
A
0
M
2
J
0
J
3
A
3
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 85

Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish

56 Sightings
J
24
F
0
M
15
A
1
M
1
J
0
J
3
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
12

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

Grouper/Basslets

Grouper/Basslets

55 Sightings
J
16
F
0
M
13
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
3
S
5
O
0
N
0
D
18

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 40

Triggerfish

Triggerfish

38 Sightings
J
21
F
0
M
12
A
1
M
2
J
0
J
0
A
2
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3000

Nudibranch

Nudibranch

32 Sightings
J
12
F
0
M
17
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
3
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 150

Sweetlips and Grunts

Sweetlips and Grunts

30 Sightings
J
11
F
0
M
11
A
1
M
2
J
0
J
3
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 300

Squid

Squid

29 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
13
N
14
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 90

Goatfish

Goatfish

24 Sightings
J
15
F
0
M
1
A
0
M
2
J
0
J
2
A
3
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3

Cornetfish

Cornetfish

22 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
11
A
1
M
8
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 60

Soldierfish

Soldierfish

17 Sightings
J
12
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
2
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 120

Flounder

Flounder

14 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 30

Stonefish

Stonefish

13 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
13
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Curated by Interest

Events by Lifestyle Category

Underwater Beginner