An Insider’s Travel Guide to Phuket Island
Our Phuket Travel Guide and personal blog share 30 years of passionate exploration and photography to help you plan your trip. We’ll help you prepare it, decide where to stay to fit your holiday style, pick all the best things to do, and even discover hidden gems off the beaten track, secret beaches, and amazing islands. Try with us some real, local food in local restaurants, explore night markets, and discover the notorious nightlife and the famous Bangla Road in Patong Beach.
We found that there are usually 5 steps to plan a perfect trip to Phuket: When to Go ► How Long Should I Stay ► Where to Stay ► Which Hotel ► What to Do with your precious holiday time after you finally have dropped your suitcase in the perfect hotel! We help you with each of these steps… and more!
What to Do in Phuket?
Phuket is Thailand’s largest and best-known island, about 850 km southwest of Bangkok. The island is relatively small: 48 km north to south and 21 km west to east, making exploring in a day or two easy. Beyond 45 superb beaches, our list of things to see and do during the day is vast; the most popular landmarks to visit on the island and nearby are:
There are activities for everyone, such as scuba diving, snorkelling, golf, classes, and spas if you prefer to relax. We did not forget family activities! Kids can feed the elephants, learn to surf safely, and play in water parks.
Phuket Map and Beaches Locator
Our map will help you locate the many beaches and visualise our small island’s geography.
The Beaches of Phuket
We explored more than 40 amazing beaches to help you decide which beach you wish to stay on and which beach you want to explore during your holiday. We also remind you that the situation is very different during high-season and low-season.
- The most popular and busiest beaches are in the southwest: Patong Beach, Kata Beach, and Karon Beach.
- The central west part of Phuket is getting trendy: Kamala Beach and Bang Tao Beach offer many fancy restaurants, beach clubs, and affordable 4 and 5-star resorts.
- The northwest beaches are peaceful, with enough restaurants and hotels for a great holiday: Naithon Beach, Nai Yang, and Mai Khao Beach.
- There are still some quiet and hidden beaches!
Phuket Hotels and Resorts
There is a vast range of hotels for all budgets, and picking the right beach and hotel can be challenging. We found most hotels on the island’s main beaches:
Before diving into this section of our travel guide, it is good to consider what you want for your holiday: Are you planning to party at night and relax on the beach the next day, or are you looking for a quiet and remote location? Are you planning to spend a lot of time in your hotel relaxing, or is it just a base from which to explore the island?
What is your budget? When do you plan to visit? Is the weather important or can you take a bit of rain for better prices? In the past 30 years, we explored and reviewed hundreds of hotels on the island to share them on our blog, from luxury to budget, from beachfront resorts to family resorts and private pool villas.
Islands Nearby
As our plane approaches the island, and if we are lucky enough to have a window seat, we are always amazed by how many islands we will fly over! In the northeast, the vast Phang Nga Bay is home to hundreds of exotic islands, often tall limestone cliffs with a beautiful crescent of white sand that reminds us of Robinson Crusoe.
Cruising east and southeast, Phi Phi Islands are the best known, but there are other gems we often go for a break, such as Racha Island, Coral Island, and our favourite hidden gem: Koh Yao Noi. Island hopping is very easy to organise for an unforgettable day trip, and we never miss a chance! Similan Islands is another iconic gem that only opens during the high season (October to May) and is a bit far in the northwest area.
Where and What to Eat in Phuket?
Thai food is an endless discovery, and if food is as important to you as it is to us, Phuket will surprise you! Experience true local Thai restaurants with us, as there is much to enjoy in south Thailand, from the cheapest street food to Michelin restaurants and everything in between.
We enjoy great Thai food by the roadside for just 50 baht or have a fancy dinner with a sunset on a romantic terrace by the sea. The choice of Thai food is staggering! We share new places as we discover them. You can start with the classic and well-known Thai dishes and the amazing seafood, try some excellent local restaurants, and then experience real southern specialities.
Nightlife
Patong Beach nightlife has always been legendary; it’s pretty unique and as fun and wild as you want it to be. Bangla Walking Street, also known as Bangla Road, is where you will find clubs with famous international DJs, excellent live music bands that won’t cost you more than a drink to enjoy, dozens of easy-going beer bars, and, of course, the go-go bars that always trigger curiosity. While Patong is the beating heart of the nightlife here, each beach resort has something to offer after dinner, from Rooftop Bars to amazing tropical Beach Clubs and tattoo studios to simple bamboo bars on the sand facing the ocean!
Shopping
Shopping is cheap and surprisingly fun! With so many street stalls, night markets and bazaars, anyone can find something to take back home. The Sunday Walking Street Market is the most popular, but more markets are open on weekdays, including Chillva Market and Naka Market in Phuket Town and Malin Plaza in Patong Beach.
Jungceylon in Patong is the most popular shopping mall. It offers entertainment, spas, and restaurants to keep you busy on a rainy day or evening. Just next to Jungceylon, Banzaan Fresh Market is a great opportunity to explore the vast range of tropical fruits, seafood, spices, and ingredients used in Thai food. If you are in Phuket Town, Central Phuket is now the largest shopping mall on the island.
Useful Information
This section of our travel guide covers all the aspects and elements you need to plan your first time in Phuket or next trip: when is the best time to come, weather information, and even with a live webcam, where to exchange money at the best rates as there are many options for getting Thai Baht, but the best rate is in the street and at the many ATMs around the island. We also share some driving and scooter rental information, but remember that driving here can be challenging for beginners!
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