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.

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: 200

Moray Eel

285 Sightings
J
44
F
40
M
71
A
47
M
15
J
3
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: 27

Barracuda

243 Sightings
J
51
F
33
M
51
A
44
M
9
J
5
J
0
A
7
S
5
O
2
N
15
D
21

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

Total number of species: 12

Lionfish

414 Sightings
J
87
F
57
M
94
A
55
M
14
J
3
J
4
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: 130

Pufferfish

268 Sightings
J
46
F
45
M
49
A
38
M
12
J
6
J
4
A
8
S
6
O
8
N
20
D
26

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

Total number of species: 100

Parrotfish

244 Sightings
J
60
F
25
M
52
A
33
M
14
J
4
J
4
A
2
S
6
O
0
N
20
D
24

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

Total number of species: 28

Clownfish

237 Sightings
J
52
F
30
M
52
A
40
M
8
J
2
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: 90

Angelfish

210 Sightings
J
54
F
30
M
52
A
28
M
10
J
3
J
4
A
5
S
0
O
3
N
5
D
16

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

Total number of species: 8

Bannerfish

179 Sightings
J
39
F
22
M
45
A
19
M
10
J
3
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: 130

Butterfly Fish

177 Sightings
J
44
F
25
M
47
A
27
M
2
J
3
J
4
A
3
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: 20

Porcupinefish

153 Sightings
J
35
F
14
M
25
A
24
M
11
J
2
J
3
A
3
S
5
O
0
N
13
D
18

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

Total number of species: 25

Boxfish

102 Sightings
J
13
F
21
M
24
A
23
M
8
J
3
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: 110

Snapper

91 Sightings
J
26
F
19
M
25
A
1
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: 130

Pipefish

87 Sightings
J
11
F
0
M
28
A
17
M
9
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
8
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: 7000

Crab

86 Sightings
J
14
F
11
M
28
A
16
M
1
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
13

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

Total number of species: 120

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: 350

Damselfish

81 Sightings
J
26
F
0
M
27
A
0
M
7
J
2
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: 80

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: 250

Scorpionfish

61 Sightings
J
21
F
10
M
19
A
1
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: 3400

Shrimp

59 Sightings
J
11
F
11
M
12
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
12
D
11

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

Total number of species: 250

Grouper/Basslets

58 Sightings
J
17
F
0
M
13
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
4
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: 85

Surgeonfish

56 Sightings
J
24
F
0
M
14
A
1
M
1
J
0
J
3
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
12

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

Total number of species: 40

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: 3000

Nudibranch

35 Sightings
J
12
F
0
M
18
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
3
A
0
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: 150

Sweetlips and Grunts

32 Sightings
J
13
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: 90

Goatfish

25 Sightings
J
15
F
0
M
1
A
0
M
2
J
0
J
2
A
3
S
1
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: 3

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 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.

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