Kamala Beach

Eat and meet

Kamala Beach

The dining and nightlife in Kamala are underwhelming if you've come from Kata or Patong and while there is a fair selection of restaurants and bars along the beach road, none will wow you.

The main beach strip is dotted with international restaurants with similar menus -- it's easy to get a burger, sandwich, or pasta. Some of the better choices are the Scandinavian restaurants. H.C. Andersen's has family-friendly food and an ice cream parlour, and beach-side Salt &Pepper is better known for its steaks and pizzas than Swedish food.

The Kamala Coffee House has a breezy terrace overlooking the canal filled with long-tail boats, but the food is over-priced. Pastries from the Kamala Bakery aren't cheap either, but the quality is better.

There's a number of seafood restaurants that set up on the beach each night, but the grub from Charoen Seafood at Kamala Dreams is probably better. Prices are fixed and you can get a bottle of wine for less than 1,000B. With an eclectic East-meets-West menu, Rockfish is one of the best restaurants in Kamala. Their 99B breakfasts might not fill you up, but the eggs benedict is damn good.

For authentic Thai eats try Duck Spicy -- a small restaurant with a huge menu and some unintentionally hilarious literal translations from the Thai. Their specialty is northern Thai food and the become fluffy catfish and spicy salads are unlike anything you'll get at a resort (in a good way!). They also do typical Thai standards. Food stalls selling grilled meat skewers, fresh fruit, and sweets can be found near the school during the daytime and by the park in the evening.

You'll find a lot of small bars on the main beach road, but the nightlife in Kamala is pretty tame. Koi's Bar has 100B cocktails and Tiger on tap and the Kamala Beer Garden is a popular watering hold for the area's expats. Drinking at the Rockfish is affordable during their 4 to 7 happy hour, and their bartender makes some unique concoctions like the mangosteen martini. However, our favorite place to sip a cold beer was simply on the beach.

Charoen Seafood 74/1 Moo 3, Kamala Beach. T: (081) 893 2652
Kamala Bakery 73/59 Surin Rod, Kamala Beach. T: (076) 385 865.
Salt &Pepper Kamala Beach. T: (076) 385 371.
The Rockfish 33/6 Kamala Beach Rd, Kamala Beach. T: (076) 279 732. http://www.rockfishrestaurant.com