About Kamala
Kamala sits on Phuket's west coast between Patong and Surin, around 12 km from Patong by road (around 15 to 25 mins depending on traffic). It is calmer than Patong but still has a beach, restaurants and everyday shops within a few minutes. The town is in two parts: the original village set back from the beach, and the beachfront strip. It suits families, long-stay residents and second-home owners who want an easier pace without being far from things. Phuket FantaSea, the evening cultural theme park, is just north of the village centre.
Day to day, Kamala has a Big C Market, convenience stores, banks and ATMs on the main road, cafes and plenty of restaurants. For a bigger shop, Boat Avenue is around 10 to 15 mins away and the large malls and supermarkets in Phuket Town are around 25 to 30 mins. There is no international school in Kamala itself. Shining Stars takes children aged 2 to 6 in the village, and the nearest English-medium school campuses are around 10 to 30 mins away, listed below.
What's in Kamala
Beaches & nature
- Kamala Beach Around 2 km of sand, the main beach
- Surin Beach Around 5 to 10 mins north
- Patong Beach Around 15 to 25 mins south
- Tsunami Memorial Park Memorial and park in Kamala
Healthcare
- Bangkok Phuket Clinic Kamala (BDMS) Walk-in clinic for general treatment and basic accident care, open daily until 20:00. A clinic, not a hospital
- Wattanapat Phuket Hospital Private 200-bed hospital in Kamala, with the first phase planned for the last quarter of 2026. See New & coming soon
- Patong Hospital Public, 24-hour emergency, around 15 mins
- Bangkok Hospital Phuket and Bangkok Hospital Siriroj Private, 24-hour emergency, around 25 mins
- Vachira Phuket Hospital Public, 24-hour emergency, around 25 mins
- Vets Aura Pets International Animal Hospital in Cherngtalay, around 10 to 15 mins. Thonglor Chalong Pet Hospital is open 24 hours, around 30 to 35 mins. Ambulance: 1669
Schools & nurseries
- Shining Stars School Kamala English-immersion preschool and kindergarten, ages 2 to 6, in the village
- HeadStart International School, Cherngtalay campus British curriculum, Foundation to Year 9, around 10 to 15 mins
- QSI International School of Phuket American curriculum, ages 2 to 18, around 20 to 25 mins
- Kajonkiet International School British and Cambridge, ages 2 to 18, around 20 to 25 mins
- UWC Thailand and Glenalmond Phuket IB and English National Curriculum, both in Thalang beside Thanyapura, around 25 mins. Glenalmond opened in August 2026
- British International School Phuket (BISP) British, ages 2 to 18, in Koh Kaew, around 25 to 30 mins
- Finnway International School Finnish-based, ages 2 to 12, in Koh Kaew, around 25 mins
- More campuses HeadStart main campus (Wichit), BCIS and others in Chalong are around 25 to 35 mins. Check ages and curricula with each school
Shopping & daily needs
- Big C Market Kamala Supermarket and market-format store, around 5 mins
- Kamala Village Market Fresh produce, Wednesday and Saturday afternoons
- Convenience stores 7-Elevens and minimarts around the village
- Banks and ATMs Several along the main road
- Villa Market, Boat Avenue Imported groceries, around 10 to 15 mins
- Jungceylon, Patong Mall, around 15 to 20 mins
- Central Phuket Floresta Mall and supermarkets, around 25 to 30 mins
Restaurants & beach clubs
- Cafe del Mar Phuket Beach club with pool and DJ events at the north end of the beach. High-end prices
- Pine Beach Bar Beach bar at the InterContinental, moderate prices
- Smile Bar and Lillo Island Restaurant & Bar Thai and Western food on the beach
- Bella Vista Kamala Italian and seafood on the beachfront, higher prices
- Blue Manao, The Bua and Oiy Restaurant Thai and seafood restaurants on Na Hat Road. Oiy is casual
- Casa Boho and SILK Restaurant & Bar Latin American rooftop and upscale Thai and Western
- Tengoku and Jaras Japanese teppanyaki and modern Thai fine dining at the InterContinental
Coffee & cafes
- Sync Coffee Bar & Roastery Roastery and art cafe on Na Hat Road
- A&B Cafe and Amy House Coffee Breakfast, toasts and smoothie bowls near the beach
- Fruit Fusion Kamala Cafe and Chiang Mai Coffee Casual cafes in the village
- Cape Sienna Rocks Cafe and Baanrai I Talay Cafe Pool and ocean views at Cape Sienna; bay views at Baanrai I Talay, which is higher priced
Sports & wellness
- Gyms and Muay Thai Delta55 Fitness and Gym Club Phuket in Cherngtalay (around 10-15 mins), Revolution Muay Thai Camp near Surin (around 10 mins), Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA (around 15 mins). Tiger Muay Thai and the main training street are in Chalong, around 30 to 35 mins
- Padel & pickleball Padel Bay Indoor Club (indoor, near Layan) is around 15-20 mins; Padel Phuket @ Blue Tree (6 courts, 4 covered), WAREHAUS.club and The Peak Racquet Park, around 10-15 mins; Destination Padel Club (6 courts) in Thalang. None found in Kamala itself
- Golf Red Mountain, Phuket Country Club and Loch Palm, all 18 holes, around 20 to 25 mins. Laguna Golf, Blue Canyon and Mission Hills are around 15 to 35 mins
- Horse riding Beach rides at Kamala Beach; lessons at Niran Equestrian Centre, around 20 mins
- Thanyapura Sports and health club in Thalang with 50 m and 25 m pools, tennis courts, a gym and classes. Day passes are sold. Padel is not listed on its official site. Around 25 mins.
- Rebel Rock Climbing Indoor climbing gym, around 15-20 mins
- Merlin Divers Phuket Dive centre in Kamala
- Kite and wake Kitesurfing at Rawai and Nai Harn in winter and Nai Yang in summer; Phuket Wake Park around 20-25 mins
Attractions
- Phuket FantaSea Evening cultural theme park with dinner show, just north of the village centre
New & coming soon in Kamala
New
- NewBangkok Phuket Clinic Kamala (BDMS) Opened 12 December 2025. Walk-in clinic for general treatment and basic accident care.
- NewGlenalmond Phuket (Thalang) English National Curriculum school at Thanyapura, opened August 2026, around 25 mins away.
Coming soon
- Coming soonWattanapat Phuket Hospital, Kamala Planned. A 200-bed private hospital in two phases of 100 beds. The company has said the first phase is planned for the last quarter of 2026. Check with the hospital for the current position.
- Coming soonKathu to Patong expressway and tunnel Planned. Government timetable gives Cabinet approval in December 2026, construction from October 2027 and opening around October 2031 (reported September 2026). It affects Kamala only for access to Patong and Kathu.
- Coming soonPhuket Airport expansion Planned. An international terminal extension and extra gates, taking capacity to at least 18 million passengers a year. Completion is given as between 2029 and 2031, depending on the source.
- Coming soonBumrungrad International Hospital Phuket Planned in Mai Khao, near the airport. Opening is reported between the third quarter and the end of 2027, depending on the source.
- Coming soonSongklanagarind (PSU) Hospital Phuket Planned. A new university hospital, reported to open between 2029 and 2030, depending on the source. The site is reported as Kathu in some sources.
- Coming soonNLCS Phuket (North London Collegiate School) Announced in May 2026. The opening date has not been confirmed; one summary gives the third quarter of 2028.
- Coming soonICONPHUKET (Siam Piwat) Announced 5 October 2026. A retail and attractions project on Thepkrasattri Road in Thalang, planned to open in 2029 as part of the wider Synthesis Ark Phuket development. A regional draw rather than a Kamala one.
- Coming soonAndaman International Airport (Phang Nga) Proposed. A second airport on the mainland in Phang Nga, reported to open between 2030 and 2032, depending on the source.
- Coming soonPhuket light rail Proposed. Airport to Chalong, about 42 km. Construction is reported between 2028 and 2029 and opening between late 2031 and 2032, after earlier dates were missed. It would not serve Kamala directly.
Getting around from Kamala
- Surin Beacharound 4 km, 5-10 mins
- Boat Avenuearound 8 km, 10-15 mins
- Patong Beacharound 12 km, 15-25 mins
- Boat Lagoon & Royal Phuket Marinaaround 19 km, 25 mins
- Phuket Airportaround 26 km, 30-40 mins
- Phuket Townaround 22 km, 25-35 mins
- Kata Beacharound 22 km, 25-30 mins
- Chalong Pieraround 28 km, 35-40 mins
Properties in Kamala
Projects in Kamala
Other Phuket area guides
Bangtao/Laguna · Bangtao/Surin · Cape Yamu · Chalong · Cherngtalay · Karon · Koh Kaew · Layan · Nai Thon · Natai Beach · Pru Jampa · Rawai · Sakhu · Thalang
Frequently asked questions
What is Kamala like to live in?
A calm west-coast beach town between Patong and Surin, with an original village and a beachfront strip. It is popular with families and long-stay residents who want beach, restaurants and shops close by without the pace of Patong.
How far is Kamala from Patong?
Around 12 km by road, roughly 15 to 25 mins depending on traffic.
Is there a hospital in Kamala?
There is a BDMS walk-in clinic in Kamala, and a new private hospital, Wattanapat Phuket Hospital, is planned there, with the first 100 beds planned for the last quarter of 2026. The nearest 24-hour emergency departments are Patong Hospital (around 15 mins) and the private hospitals in Phuket Town (around 25 mins).
Are there international schools near Kamala?
Not in Kamala itself. Shining Stars takes ages 2 to 6 in the village. HeadStart's Cherngtalay campus is around 10 to 15 mins away, QSI and Kajonkiet around 20 to 25 mins, UWC Thailand and Glenalmond around 25 mins and BISP around 25 to 30 mins.
Where can I play padel, golf or train near Kamala?
Padel courts are in Cherngtalay, around 10-15 mins. Golf is around 20 to 25 mins at Red Mountain, Phuket Country Club and Loch Palm. Gyms and Muay Thai camps are around Surin and Bang Tao, around 10 to 15 mins.
How far is Kamala from the airport?
Around 26 km, roughly 30 to 40 mins depending on traffic.
How many properties are for sale in Kamala?
There are currently 9 properties for sale in Kamala with Digital Villas, across 4 projects.
What do villas cost in Kamala?
Villas in Kamala start from around THB 10.05M, with price depending on the project, plot and finish.
Which developers build in Kamala?
Kamala has developments from MontAzure, Botanica.