Water shoes for the reef
The seabed is rocky with old coral almost everywhere, so Kalim is for surfing and views rather than swimming; wear booties to surf or snorkel.
Kalim Beach
Patong · west coast
A small rocky bay just north of Patong on the road to Kamala. Too rocky for swimming, but a low-season surf spot with street food and fine sunset restaurants.
Also written Hat Kalim, Kalim Bay, Kalim Surf Beach, Kalim Patong · หาดกะหลิม · Пляж Калим
Kalim Beach in photographs
A hillside resort pool above the bay. Deckchairs on a wide sand beach.
- Sand
- Coarse sand over rocks and coral rubble
- Surfing
- Low-season reef surf at high tide
- Sunset
- Sunset views over Patong Bay
- Food
- Street food on the seafront every afternoon
- Seabed
- Rocks and coral rubble: no swimming
- Walking
- 20-minute walk from Patong
About Kalim Beach
Kalim is a modest bay just north of Patong, where the coast road climbs towards Kamala. The sand is coarse, and the seafloor is mostly rocks and coral rubble, so it is neither a swimming nor a sunbathing beach. Locals come to walk their dogs, fish from the shore and watch the sea.
In the low season Kalim turns into one of Phuket's surf spots, with a reef break that works best at high tide and has hosted surf contests. The waves are not huge, and the sharp reef makes it a spot for surfers who can handle it rather than for beginners.
The views over Patong Bay have drawn some of the area's best restaurants, from Michelin-listed French and Italian dining to a halal seafood place in bamboo huts by the sea. At the end of each afternoon, food vendors park their cars along the seafront and sell dishes from their boots.
Things to do at Kalim Beach
Rocks in the foreground, the sand and the bay. Sunset over the rocks. Sunset through the trees.
Surfing · monsoon months
Surf the reef
A reef break for experienced surfers, best at high tide in the low season; boards can be rented nearby.
Snorkelling and diving · dry season
Snorkel at high tide
On calm days at high tide there is enough water over the rocks for a look at the sea life; wear booties.
Food and drink
Street food on the seafront
Late each afternoon, food vendors park along the seashore and sell dishes from their cars.
Food and drink
Halal Thai seafood
Kalim Rim Lay, a local favourite in bamboo huts by the sea, serves grilled chicken, som tam and sea bass.
Food and drink
French fine dining
L'Arôme by the Sea, listed in the Michelin Guide, serves modern French cuisine with sea views and a rooftop Sunset Deck.
Food and drink
Michelin Plate Italian
Acqua, run by chef Alessandro Frau, is roadside with no view, but the tasting menus are the draw.
Food and drink
Thai by candlelight
Pan Yaah serves Thai seafood in an old-house setting with views over Patong Bay; book a table by the water.
Food and drink
Tacos on the rocks
Salsa Mexicana's terraces drop from the road to the waterline, with wicker seats on the rocks and 180-degree sea views.
Nightlife
Sunset cocktails at SeaSalt
A circular lounge bar with salas and an artificial beach by the sea, part of Diamond Cliff Resort.
Nightlife
Rooftop views at Malika
The Kalima Resort's rooftop sky bar on the hillside looks over the whole of Patong Bay.
Nature
Walk to Patong
The quiet shore links Kalim with the north end of Patong in about 20 minutes on foot.
A day at Kalim Beach
Walk from the north end of Patong along the quiet shore; it takes about 20 minutes and you will meet locals walking their dogs.
In the monsoon, check the tide: the reef works best at high tide, for surfers who can handle a shallow break.
Kalim Rim Lay serves grilled chicken, som tam and sea bass in bamboo huts by the water; no alcohol or pork. Kalim Rim Lay
Vendors park along the seafront at the end of the afternoon; wander and try something new. Kalim seafront street food
SeaSalt's circular lounge bar and salas by the sea are made for a sunset cocktail. Sea Salt Lounge & Grill
Acqua, a Michelin Plate Italian, is best enjoyed by letting the chef choose a tasting menu; book in high season. Acqua
Our Kalim Beach score
4.0out of 5
Monsoon surfing, a sunset drink and a good dinner a short walk from Patong.
Kalim earns its place for low-season surf, sunset views over Patong Bay, afternoon street food along the seafront and a cluster of very good restaurants just north of Patong. It sits at the bottom of our range because the sand is coarse and the seabed is rocks and coral rubble, so it is not a beach for swimming or lying on the sand.
The character of the beach
A profile, not a mark: where Kalim Beach sits on four scales, and what it is known for.
- Lively
- For children
- Surf
- Snorkelling
No lifeguards · Coarse sand over rocks and coral rubble
What is good about Kalim Beach
A surf spot next to Patong
When the monsoon swell arrives, the reef at Kalim produces long rides at high tide and has hosted surf contests; boards can be rented nearby.
Dinner with a view
Michelin-listed French and Italian restaurants, a romantic Thai seafood house and a Mexican terrace on the rocks all sit along Kalim Bay.
Street food from car boots
At the end of each afternoon, vendors park along the seashore and sell all kinds of Thai dishes, familiar and less so.
Sunset over the bay
The rocks and waves at sunset draw photographers, and several bars along the bay face the evening sky.
Not for swimming
The seabed is rocks and coral rubble; swim at Patong next door instead.
Before you swim at Kalim Beach
Surf at high tide
The waves break over a shallow reef and work best at high tide; the spot suits surfers with some experience.
Surf season, May to October
The low-season swell brings the surf; on those days the bay is for surfers rather than swimmers.
No lifeguard post
There is no lifeguard post at Kalim; Patong Beach next door has lifeguards.
Crossing the beach road
The main road between Patong and Kamala runs along the beach; cross with care, especially at night.
Beach clubs, bars and restaurants on Kalim Beach
2 places open on the sand in September 2026, walked south to north, then the road behind the beach and a few minutes inland. A price level is what one visit typically costs a person.
A few minutes inland
Acqua
Restaurant · the road behind · daily 17:30–23:00
Chef Alessandro Frau's Italian restaurant on Phra Barami Road at Kalim, just north of Patong, listed in the MICHELIN Guide.
L'Arôme by the Sea
Restaurant · the road behind · daily 16:00–23:00
A French restaurant on the cliff at Kalim, just north of Patong, with an open view over the Andaman Sea, listed in the MICHELIN Guide.
Sea Salt Lounge & Grill
Restaurant · on the sand · 11:00–00:00 on Wednesday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
A seaside lounge and grill at 225 Phrabaramee Road, Kalim, north of Patong: a circular bar under a white awning for sunset drinks, and dining tables under tall trees by the sea.
Kalim Rim Lay
Restaurant · on the sand · 10:00–20:00 on Wednesday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
A local seafood restaurant by the sea at Kalim, just past Patong, with bamboo huts on the shore.
Salsa Mexicana
Restaurant · the road behind · daily 11:00–23:00
A Mexican restaurant built into the hillside above Kalim Bay, on the coast road between Patong and Kamala, near the Wyndham Grand.
Kalim seafront street food
Market · the road behind · Late afternoon into the evening
Street-food stalls and cars selling dishes along the seafront of Kalim Beach, just north of Patong, at the end of each afternoon.
Malika Sky Bar
Bar · a short drive · every day 17:30–24:00 by its own site (the terrace below serves breakfast 06:30–10:30)
The open-air sky bar on the sixth floor of the Kalima Resort, between Patong and Kamala, with a 180-degree view of the Andaman Sea.
Baanrai I Talay Cafe
Café · 09:00–21:00 on Sunday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
A hillside café on the old mountain road from Kamala to Patong, about 500 m from Keemala, with a view over Kamala Bay.
Cafe Phuket Viewpoint
Café · 10:30–19:30 on Sunday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
A sunset café on terraces built into the rocky hillside above the sea, on a blind curve of the Patong–Kamala road.
Erawan Patong Seaview Zipline
For children · daily 08:00–18:00
A zip-line park in the hills above Patong with sea views.
Rom Sai
Restaurant · 11:00–19:00 on Sunday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
A small restaurant hidden from view near Kamala, built among boulders above the sea, with a covered area looking over the Thavorn private beach.
What it costs to live near Kalim Beach
6 months or more
Apartments
฿32,500/ month
median of 4 · from ฿29,500
Villas
฿94,000/ month
median of 1 · from ฿94,000
Townhouses
฿64,000/ month
median of 1 · from ฿64,000
- The zone
- The waterline
- Chosen step: The zone
- A home and its rent
- A place, as the list numbers it
Homes for rent near Kalim Beach
6 months or more
- homes for rent nearby
- 11
- within a 13-minute walk of the sand
- 6
- the nearest home to the sand
- 140 m
Resorts and villas overlook Kalim Bay from the hillside, including the Novotel Phuket Resort, Diamond Cliff Resort, Aquamarine and the Kalima Resort, along with a handful of smaller guesthouses; Patong is a short walk away.
Homes by type
Rent a month
6 homes in the beach zone
- New building
1‑bedroom apartment in Kalim, Moon Estate
฿29,500/ month
140 m to the sand · 2 min on foot
- New building
- Sea view
2‑bedroom townhouse in Kalim, Moon Estate
฿64,000/ month
140 m to the sand · 2 min on foot
- New building
2‑bedroom apartment in Kalim, Bayview Park
฿32,500/ month
440 m to the sand · 6 min on foot
- New building
2‑bedroom apartment in Kalim, Moon Estate
฿35,000/ month
610 m to the sand · 8 min on foot
- Rooftop pool
2‑bedroom villa in Kalim, Laguna Villas
฿94,000/ month
650 m to the sand · 8 min on foot
- Workspace
2‑bedroom apartment in Kalim, Moon Estate
฿31,500/ month
860 m to the sand · 11 min on foot
Around Kalim Beach
Every place inside the beach zone, by category: choose one to see its places, nearest the water first, each numbered as its mark on the map.
- Rom Sai2.4 km from the sand · 30 min on foot
- Cafe Phuket Viewpoint1.9 km from the sand · 23 min on foot
- Baanrai I Talay Cafe3.3 km from the sand · 41 min on foot
- Erawan Patong Seaview Zipline810 m from the sand · 10 min on foot
Kalim Beach by month
The season · November to April
Calm sea, clear water
November to April: the sea is calm, good for sunset views and snorkelling at high tide, but the rocks still rule out swimming.
The monsoon · May to October
Waves, walks and red flags
May to October: the swell brings surf to the reef, best at high tide, and surf contests have been held here in the low season.
| Month | The sea |
|---|---|
| Jan | Calm |
| Feb | Calm |
| Mar | Calm |
| Apr | Calm |
| May | Changing |
| Jun | Rough |
| Jul | Rough |
| Aug | Rough |
| Sep | Rough |
| Oct | Changing |
| Nov | Calm |
| Dec | Calm |
Calm: swim any day Changing: check the flags Rough: monsoon swell, red flags on many days
Kalim Beach with children
Kalim is not a family beach: the seabed is rocky with coral, there are no lifeguards and a busy road runs behind the sand. Families can enjoy the restaurants, such as the family-friendly Salsa Mexicana, and swim at Patong next door.
- No swimming: rocks and coral rubble.
- A busy road right behind the beach.
- Family-friendly restaurants along the bay.
- Patong's sandy beach and lifeguards are a short walk south.
Getting to Kalim Beach and parking
- From the airport, by car
- 45–60 min
- From Patong, with the traffic
- 5–10 min
- From Phuket Town
- 25–40 min
Kalim lies at the northern edge of Patong on Phrabaramee Road, the coast road to Kamala, which runs right along the bay. From Patong it is about a 20-minute walk along the shore.
- On foot. About 20 minutes on foot from the north end of Patong Beach along the quiet shore.
- By car. Phrabaramee Road, the Patong-Kamala coast road, runs along the bay.
- By scooter. Easy from Patong or Kamala along the coast road.
- Grab and taxis. Taxis and ride-hailing cars are plentiful coming from Patong.
Parking. Cars park along the seafront, where the street-food vendors also set up. SeaSalt diners can park at Diamond Cliff Resort across the street.
Who will love Kalim Beach, and who will not
Will love it
- Surfers in the low season who can handle a reef break at high tide.
- Couples after a sunset cocktail and a fine dinner a short hop from Patong.
- Anyone who likes cheap street food eaten by the sea.
- Dog owners: locals walk their dogs along the shore.
Will not
- Swimmers: the seabed is rocks and coral rubble.
- Families with small children: no swimming, no lifeguards and a busy road behind the beach.
Tips for Kalim Beach
Swim at Patong
Kalim is for looking, eating and surfing; for a swim, walk 20 minutes south to Patong.
Come at the end of the afternoon
That is when the street-food cars arrive along the seashore and the light turns golden for sunset.
Surf at high tide
The reef works best and is safest at high tide; at low tide it is shallow.
Wear booties
Whether surfing or snorkelling, reef booties protect your feet from the coral.
Book the good tables
Acqua and Pan Yaah fill up in the high season; reserve, and ask Pan Yaah for a table by the water.
No alcohol at Rim Lay
Kalim Rim Lay is a halal restaurant: no pork or alcohol, but some of the best grilled chicken around.
Questions about Kalim Beach
Can you swim at Kalim Beach?
Not really. The seafloor is mostly rocks and coral rubble, so Kalim is not a swimming beach. Patong Beach, a 20-minute walk south, is the nearest place for a swim.
Is Kalim Beach good for surfing?
Yes, in the low season from about May to October. The reef break works best at high tide and has hosted surf contests; the waves are moderate but the reef is shallow, so it suits surfers with some experience.
Where is Kalim Beach?
At the northern edge of Patong, on the coast road to Kamala. It is about a 20-minute walk from the north end of Patong Beach.
What are the best restaurants at Kalim Beach?
L'Arôme by the Sea (modern French, Michelin-listed), Acqua (Italian, Michelin Plate), Pan Yaah (Thai seafood with bay views), Salsa Mexicana (terraces on the rocks) and, for a local meal, Kalim Rim Lay.
Is there street food at Kalim Beach?
Yes. At the end of each afternoon, vendors park their cars along the seafront and sell all kinds of Thai dishes.
Is Kalim Beach good for kids?
No. There is no swimming because of the rocks and coral, no lifeguards, and a busy road runs behind the beach. Families are better off at Patong or Kamala.
Can you snorkel at Kalim Beach?
A little, at high tide on calm days, when there is enough water over the rocks. Wear booties to protect your feet from the coral.
Is Kalim quieter than Patong?
Yes. It is Patong's quieter northern neighbour, with a slower pace, though the coast road behind the beach is busy.