Originally Posted by
pgrin
Just a heads up. Rawai is not beach front. It faces the bay and is not for swimming. Kata/Karon is a good choice. Great beaches but pay attention to surf warnings, very dangerous at times. The extreme south end of Kata near club med is usually pretty safe ocean access for swimming.
Kata is definitely the preferred beach in my view esp with a family. One of the problems with Karon is that you have to cross the main rd to access it and there is little natural shade. Though I did used to play volleyball there a lot....
Just avoid the para sailing at Kata, probably at all Phuket beaches as the operators whilst also not being the most safety concious guys tend to party most nights.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...-at-kata-beach