Just over the big hill (going south past Le Meridien Hotel) and only 10 minutes from Patong Beach lies Karon Beach, with three miles of unspoiled sand and a good choice of accommodation. Development on Karon is fairly spread out, and because of its size the beach is seldom crowded. In the southwest monsoon (May to October) it can be dangerous to swim here because of strong undertows, so do observe the warning flags.