Kathu is surrounded by mountains and can only be accessed by climbing over Patong Hill from the west coast, or from Chaofa Road (4024) in the east.

The hills and the natural greenery made this a popular area for golf courses on the island, and the proximity to Patong has also made it a logical location for many tourist attractions.

Over the last few years, the population here has grown, and so have the amenities. Kathu is now an extremely popular area for long-term residents of Phuket.

Why the Kathu Valley is a Great Place to Invest in Phuket Property

As the name suggests, the Kathu Valley is not on the coast, which means the land prices here are far more reasonable than in near-by Patong (or anywhere on the West Coast, for that matter).

Property in Patong is far too expensive for most tourist attractions, especially if they require a large tract of land.  But only 4 km from the roundabout at the northern end of Patong Beach, on the other side of Patong Hill, lie vast tracts of land.

Kathu is a perfect area for the overspill from Patong, both in terms of commercial and residential development, and there is still plenty of available land.

The proximity to not only the beach, but also to international schools, retail shops and restaurants makes Kathu an ideal area for some people to settle.

Villas and Condos For Sale in Kathu

There are many condominiums and villas for sale in Kathu valley area. Some service the golf industry and many villas have views overlooking the fairways.

As the area develops you will also find some new condo units appearing closer to the Central shopping malls towards the Darasamut intersection on the bypass road.

Both the condominium and villa developments throughout the valley offer huge discounts compared to the west coast.

Anyone looking for great value for money will be enticed by the modern units and villas for sale with a far more attractive price square metre than say in Patong, just a short distance away over the hill.

You can view some of the villas for sale in the Kathu Valley area here:

The Kathu Valley is Not On the Beach . . . but Pretty Close

It is not that far to take the road that winds up and over Patong Hill from Kathu and down into Phuket’s busiest tourist area.

If you follow the one-way system along the main busy road (Rath-U-Thit Road) you can double back to get to Patong seafront.

But when you reach the shoreline you actually have a few options. Instead of heading into Patong you can turn left to explore the headland at the southern end of Patong, which features the more laid-back beaches of Freedom, Paradise and Tri Trang. These are some of the most stunningly beautiful beaches on the island.

But you aren’t limited to staying in Patong for great beaches. Turning left at the end of Rath-U-Thit Road will take you over the mountain to Karon Beach, Kata and Kata Noi. Heading north takes you to Kamala. These all offer a completely different vibe to Patong.

So while Kathu may not be on the water, when you live on an island, even the central valley is not far from the sea.

Schools Near Kathu

The Kathu Valley area has one of the best choices of international schools on the island.

QSI, the American curriculum school is one of the oldest and most established on the island. This is found a short distance away from the Samkong intersection (by the large Tesco Lotus).

Kajonkiet (KIS), which follows the English curriculum is also in Kathu. The highly renowned HeadStart, one of the most rapidly growing and successful schools on the island has their campus in the Kathu area. Both Kajonkiet and HeadStart are not that far from Central  Festival.

Depending on which part of Kathu you are in, the British International School, probably the best known in Phuket is also only 15 minutes away.

For Pre-K or Kindergarten, the Baan Kru Jay Active Learning Child Center and Dino Daycare are both only 15-20 minutes from the Kathu Valley. But you usually find that many of the international schools also offer preschool learning.

Restaurants In and Around Kathu

As the Kathu Valley has developed so have the dining choices. To start the day off, there is a great selection of breakfast joints. From Swiss bakeries, such as Zurich Bread, English breakfasts like Zebra café and a selection of other cafes and sandwich shops, such as Lucky 13, there is something for everyone.

Kathu now has curry houses, European restaurants including Italians, pizza houses, even Japanese and a multitude of excellent Thai and seafood restaurants. There are even some fine dining choices such as Royale Nam Tok.

Of course, within the Kathu valley area is Central Floresta and Central Festival with literally dozens of choices.

And not forgetting Patong is just over the hill with the best selection of restaurants on the island.

Shopping and Groceries Near Kathu

There is not a lot of shopping in Kathu central itself, but you are less than 15 minutes from the best shopping centres on the island.

It is a 10-minute drive to Central Festival and Central Floresta.  Here you can find the major high street brands, as well as top fashion brands.  On the ground floor of both Central Festival and Central Floresta there is also a Central Food Hall – one of the best supermarkets on the island.

If you take the walking bridge from Central Festival to the other side of the 4024, there is also a Tops Supermarket.

Less than 15 minutes away in Patong there another Central mall (complete with another Central Food Hall), as well as the larger Jungceylon.

Jungceylon has high street shops, as well as Thai fashions and handicrafts.  There are also restaurants, and a Big C supermarket.

Big C and Tops will take care of all your basic food shopping needs, but if you are missing certain products from home, you are more likely to find these at Central Food Hall.

Golf in the Kathu Valley

There are six major golf courses in Phuket, and half of them in the Kathu Valley.  Golf is very clearly a major attraction in this area.

The Phuket Country Club is home to the oldest course on the island.  The club’s “Old Course” has has hosted a number of national tournaments, but the wide, forgiving fairways also make it a favourite among high handicappers.

As the name suggests, Loch Palm was built around a giant lake, meaning water comes into play far more often than many would like.  On top of that, the fairways have a cruel tendency of sloping toward the lake.  But the generous fairways make up for the ever-present water hazard, and the greens run quick and true.

Red Mountain Golf Club is right next door to Loch Palm.  The course winds around the canyons of what used to be a tin mine. The narrow fairways favour anyone who hits straight, and the course is definitely a challenge.  Hallmarks of Red Mountain are the stunning landscape and the rapid changes in elevation (be thankful of your golf cart).

Of course, if you don’t fancy a few hours on the links, each of these courses has its own driving range where you can go and practice your swing.

Other Nearby Attractions to Kathu

Kathu also has its own wake park, (cable water skiing) where participant’s wakeboard around a huge lake pulled along by a cable.

The Flying Hanuman is one of the best zip-lining experiences in all of Phuket.  With 28 platforms and 15 zip-lines you can see the island from a completely different perspective – flying through the trees.

We mentioned at the outset that Kathu is perfectly situated to handle the overflow from Patong, well, the Patong Go-Kart Speedway in Kathu has even decided to appropriate the name “Patong”.

Patong Go-Kart Speedway is the most well-known go-kart track on the island, and some would argue, also the best.  It has been around for nearly 30 years, and in additional the traditional kart track, it also has an “off road” buggy track for you and your friends to race on.

You may want to read some of our related Phuket property articles here:

The Benefits and Advantages of Buying a Freehold Condominium in Thailand

Owning a Freehold Hotel-Licensed Condominium in Thailand

10 Good Reasons to Buy a Condo in Phuket

5 Essential Tips for Buying a Condominium in Thailand

8 Top Tips for Finding Your Perfect Condo in Phuket

Using a Thai Company Limited to Purchase a Leasehold Condo Unit