Phuket has been my home for over 30 years. I arrived in 1994 with no job, little money, a suitcase, a camera and a huge motivation. My first night was at a small guesthouse in Soi Sansabai, Patong Beach, called Swiss Garden. It is still there.
I never left.
At a glance
- In Phuket since 1994 (32 years)
- Founder of Andaman Graphics since 1996
- Founder of Phuket 101 since 15 January 2011
- 23 years at Asia Web Direct → Wotif → Expedia (last role: Senior Manager, SEO)
- Featured on CNN, French TV, and Netflix (Chefs Uncut, 2024)
- 100+ hotels stayed, 46 beaches visited, 30+ years of original photography
How I Got Here
Born in France, I caught the travel bug early and spent most of my 20s on the move. My most memorable trip started at 19, when I drove a Peugeot 504 across the Sahara, through Morocco, Algeria, Burkina Faso and Mali. I sold the car in Niger and hitchhiked all the way back through the desert. After that, nothing seemed too far away.
I worked as a set designer for Club Med for eight years, building stages and creating sets for their nightly shows on a rotating 15-day programme. The job was physical, creative, and came with a perk that suited me perfectly: a new country every six months. The Bahamas, New Caledonia, Turkey, Greece, Tahiti, and Japan. In 1990, I spent six months at Club Med Kata Beach in Phuket, designing sets for their shows. I had no idea I would be back four years later, this time to stay.
Travelling taught me more than any book could. My appreciation for cultures and cuisine led me to love the food of Thailand, Japan, Korea, France and Italy. Food has always been part of how I travel.
In 1993, while working in Tahiti, I decided it was time to try something different. I picked a place in Asia, planning to stay for only a couple of years. That place was Phuket.
Phuket in 1994
Phuket was a peaceful island then, and a very different place from what you see today. Some of the beaches were only connected by dirt roads. Kamala Beach was just a fishing village with wooden houses along the beach. Kata Beach and Karon Beach were small towns with a few restaurants and bars. Club Med was the big deal there. Phi Phi Island was mostly deserted, with just a small village on Tonsai Bay, so imagine how beautiful Maya Bay was before the rest of the world found it.
Patong, where I lived, was small and quiet. Bangla Road was just a handful of beer bars, a couple of go-go bars, a couple of nightclubs and some live music. Phuket Town was not considered interesting by most tourists. It was mostly for locals, and many of the now incredibly popular Sino-Portuguese mansions and shophouses were abandoned and in poor condition. There was only one department store, at the clock circle, and it closed later. Finding coffee and bread for a farang was a luxury.
My first job was as a Guest Relations Officer at the newly opened Banyan Tree Resort in Bang Tao Beach. Laguna Phuket at the time had nothing but five resorts, and that was about it. There was nothing else around. Getting there every day on a small motorcycle was quite an adventure, especially on rainy days.
My salary was 12,000 baht a month. Street food became part of daily life, not by choice.
From Microsoft Word to Phuket 101
At the Banyan Tree, I was introduced to computers for the first time. My job was to use Microsoft Word to write welcome letters for each guest. In my free time, I discovered there was a drawing toolbar at the bottom of the screen. I spent so much time drawing with it that, a few years later, it led me to open my own advertising company.
In 1996, I launched Andaman Graphics, mostly designing logos and printing brochures at the beginning. There was a huge demand and almost no designers on the island, so work came fast. Being a self-taught set designer for Club Med for eight years gave me enough creative experience to handle anything clients threw at me. There was so much work that I would stay up until 4 am, then open the shop at 9 am. It was exhausting, but I loved it. The diving industry was booming, and most of my early clients were dive centres.
In 2000, an expat businessman made me an offer I could not refuse: to join a new company called Asia Web Direct and help build a network of travel websites, starting with Phuket.com and later, in 2003, Bangkok.com. The company grew fast. It was acquired by Wotif, then later by Expedia, where I created the Hotels.com Go Guides international travel guide with my team. I was lucky enough to keep the same job through three companies, working in UX design and SEO for nearly two decades. My professional life took a direction I never expected when I first arrived with that suitcase, and it gave me a deep understanding of how people search for and book travel online.
The Tsunami
On 26 December 2004, I was living in Patong. I was supposed to go for a photo shoot on the beach that morning. There was an earthquake earlier, the first one ever felt in Phuket. I did not think much of it. I felt lazy and decided to go later. That probably saved my life.
I lived in a narrow street, just 100 metres from where the wave stopped. I did not see it, and I did not realise how bad it was until the next day. When I walked the devastated streets of Patong, nothing could prepare me for what I saw. In the weeks that followed, I chose to document the island’s rebuilding rather than its destruction. While news reporters were showing devastation, I shared the recovery. A French TV crew came to my door and asked to follow me for a few days. I said yes, though it turned out not to be something I was comfortable with.
Watching Phuket rebuild gave me a perspective on this island that most travel writers do not have. You can read the full story and see the photos here.
Why I Started Phuket 101
Phuket 101 was born on 15 January 2011. At the time, there were plenty of websites about Phuket, but most were either too formal, hard to navigate, or written by people who had never set foot on the island. I wanted to create something different: a guide based entirely on personal experience, with original photography, honest opinions, and the kind of local detail that only comes from living somewhere for a very long time.
Every place on this site has been visited and photographed by me. Working for hotel companies for nearly two decades gave me countless chances to stay at hotels across Phuket, whether for work or a weekend break. When I started Phuket 101 in 2011, I increased my hotel stays to write articles and take photos. In total, I have stayed at more than 100 hotels in Phuket and around.
Most travel sites you read are written by people on press trips, sponsored stays, or content briefs. I never accept free stays, free meals, or paid placements in editorial content. Everything I recommend, I paid for. It is the only way I can stay honest, and after 15 years of running this site, it is the policy I am proudest of. No press trips, no sponsored stays, no free meals. If I recommend a place, it is because I genuinely think it is worth your time and money.
Photography
Photography is a lifelong passion and the reason Phuket 101 looks the way it does. Apart from hotel-supplied photos, every image on this site is mine. I mostly shoot with a Sony Alpha 7C with a 16-35mm F2.8 GM lens and a Canon EOS R. I also use a DJI Air 2 and DJI Mini 2 drone for aerial shots. A lot of the casual shots and videos are taken with an iPhone because it is always in my pocket.
After 32 years, I am still looking for new angles and new places to photograph. Phuket keeps changing, and there is always something new to document.
Why Trust This Guide?
I have been living in Phuket since 1994. I have watched hotels open and close, beaches change beyond recognition, and the island transform from a quiet place with dirt roads and fishing villages into one of Asia’s biggest tourist destinations. I remember when Bangla Road was a handful of bars, when Phuket Town’s shophouses were crumbling, and when you could have Maya Bay to yourself. I have stayed at more than 100 hotels, explored all 46 beaches on the island, and eaten at more restaurants than I can count.
I know which beaches get crowded by 2 pm, which restaurants the locals actually go to, and which hotel pools look great in photos but are disappointing in person. That kind of knowledge only comes from being here, year after year.
I still live here. I still eat at the restaurants I recommend. I still drive past the beaches I write about every week. That is the difference between this guide and one written from a desk somewhere else.
Languages: French, English, conversational Japanese, conversational Thai
Based in: Phuket & Bangkok, Thailand
Follow Phuket 101 on Facebook, 1M+ Phuket community and Instagram!
Professional background
Before founding Phuket 101 in 2011, I spent over two decades building travel content for major international companies.
After arriving in Phuket in 1994 and running my own advertising company, Andaman Graphics, I joined Asia Web Direct in 2000 and took charge of the content, design and SEO of Phuket.com. In 2003, when Asia Web Direct acquired the Bangkok.com domain name, I built the Bangkok.com travel guide from scratch with my team.
Over the following years, I led the growth of the Asia Web Direct travel guides network into more than 30 destination guides, reaching 10 million pageviews and 4 million monthly visitors through organic SEO. After Asia Web Direct became part of Hotels.com (Expedia Group), I created Go Guides, the worldwide destination content product on Hotels.com, and led a team of 10 researchers, writers and photographers.
Articles I wrote during that period are still cited as references on Wikipedia today, including the Phat Kaphrao entry. My final role at Expedia Group was Senior Manager, SEO, Destination and Experience Research.
Cited as a reference on Wikipedia
Phuket 101 articles are cited as references on Wikipedia, the most consulted encyclopedia in the world. Wikipedia uses Phuket 101 as a source for facts about Phuket attractions and locations:
- Phuket Big Buddha. The Wikipedia article cites my Phuket 101 article as a reference for facts about the statue. See on Wikipedia
- Bangla Boxing Stadium. The Wikipedia article cites my Phuket 101 article as a reference for the stadium’s history and operations. See on Wikipedia
- Kamala Beach. The Wikipedia article cites my Phuket 101 article as one of the main references describing the beach. See on Wikipedia
- Phuket (city). The Wikipedia article cites my Phuket 101 article as the reference for the Phuket local bus system. See on Wikipedia
- Patong (Persian Wikipedia). The Persian-language Wikipedia article on Patong cites my Phuket 101 Patong page as a reference. See on Wikipedia
In the Media
Phuket 101 has been credited as a source by national newspapers, travel publications, airline magazines, hotel groups, tour operators, and travel companies around the world. Below is a list of public mentions you can verify.
National news and major publications
- The Guardian, UK national newspaper. Cites my Pa Mai Kanom Jeen page in a Meera Sodha vegan khanom chin curry recipe feature (April 2024). Read the article
- Lonely Planet, the world’s largest travel guide publisher. Their official Phuket guide links to my Phuket Beaches and Phuket Blue Bus pages as references. Read the guide
- National Geographic Portugal, Portuguese edition of the global magazine. Links to my Phuket Vegetarian Festival page in a feature on Peranakan culture and Phuket rituals (2024). Read the article
- Condé Nast Traveler, one of the world’s most prestigious travel publications. Links to my Phuket Old Town guide in a girls’ trip destinations feature. Read the article
- Forbes, leading global business and lifestyle publication. Links to my Phuket Old Town guide in a January 2024 feature on a Maria Sharapova high-performance retreat in Phuket. Read the article
- Business Insider, major US business and lifestyle publication. Links to my Soi Bangla page in a 2023 feature about a tourist’s experience in Patong (August 2023). Read the article
- Time Out, global city and travel media brand. Direct photo credit “Photograph: Phuket 101” on their Phuket page. Read the article
- The Nation Thailand, one of Thailand’s major English-language national newspapers. Cites @willythuan and phuket101.net by name in a Songkran feature. Read the article
- Khaosod English, part of one of Thailand’s largest national news groups. Photo credit “Photo: @Willythuan / Twitter” on a Silom Walking Street feature. Read the article
- Gazeta.pl, one of Poland’s largest news portals. Phuket101.net cited by name as a source in an article about Maya Bay visitor limits. Read the article
- Vagabond, Sweden’s largest travel magazine. Photo credit “FOTO: Phuket101.net / WillyThuan” in a Thailand feature. Read the article
- Korean Air Morning Calm in-flight magazine. Photo credits to Phuket 101 in the Phuket feature, Sep-Oct 2025 issue. Read the feature
- Prestige Online Thailand. Photo credits “courtesy of Willy Thuan / phuket101.net” in a 2026 luxury resorts feature. Read the article
- Grist Magazine is an award-winning US climate news publication. Direct photo credit to Willy Thuan linking to Phuket 101. See the article
- Experience Seeker, UK travel magazine. Photo credit @WillyThuan on a Bangkok Sky Bar feature. Read the article
- Naver Blog, South Korea’s leading blogging platform. Photo source credit to WillyThuan on a Karon Beach feature. Read the post
Interviews and features
- EasyExpat.com. Full Q&A interview, “From France to Thailand: Phuket101” (August 2018). Read the interview
- The Luxury Signature. Q&A interview, “A Phuket Perspective with Willy Thuan of Phuket 101” (2024). Read the interview
- The Luxury Signature ranked Phuket 101 as the #1 Phuket blog in their “Top 3 Phuket Blogs” list. See the ranking
- Holiday Home Times. Profile interview, “Willy Thuan On Life As An Expat In Phuket”. The original site is no longer online. Read the archived version
- Thai Island Quest, by David Luekens. Named Phuket 101 “Website of the week” and noted that few photographers have covered Phuket as extensively. Read the mention
Travel publications and platforms
- Travel + Leisure Asia, the Asia-Pacific edition of the global travel magazine. Cites my Phuket Cafés page in their Phuket guide, syndicated across all 5 of their regional editions (Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Southeast Asia). Read the article
- Klook, the largest Asia-Pacific travel booking platform. Cites Phuket 101 by name as a Phuket weather source. Read the article
- 12Go Asia, the largest transport booking platform in Southeast Asia. Cites my Phuket Vegetarian Festival page as a source. Read the article
- GetYourGuide, the world’s largest tours and activities marketplace. Links to my Bang Pae Waterfall page in their Phuket “what not to miss” guide. Read the guide
- Hostelworld, one of the world’s largest hostel booking platforms. Recommends Phuket 101 by name to their readers in a Patong solo travel guide. Read the article
- TheSmartLocal Thailand, major Southeast Asian travel publisher. Photo credits @willythuan across Thailand features. Phuket outdoor activities, Wat Pariwat Bangkok
- TheSmartLocal Singapore, the Singapore parent edition. Image credit “Phuket101” on a Phuket things to do guide. Read the article
- Wanderluxe magazine by TheLuxeNomad. Photo credits to Willy Thuan in a Phuket seafood restaurant feature. Read the article
- Wanderlog, travel planning platform used by hundreds of thousands of travellers. Phuket 101 is cited as one of their “reputable sites and blogs” reference sources across multiple Phuket guides, alongside publications like Lonely Planet, Time Out, The Culture Trip, Eater, and the MICHELIN Guide. Examples: romantic restaurants in Patong, night markets in Phuket, and viewpoints in Karon.
- Chope, leading Asia-Pacific restaurant booking platform. Quotes Phuket 101 alongside the Bangkok Post on the Blue Elephant restaurant page. Read the page
- SingSaver, Singapore lifestyle and finance publication. “Source: Phuket 101” credit in their Phuket guide. Read the article
- Says.com, major Malaysian viral news and media site. Cover image and source credits to Phuket 101 in a feature on the world’s largest underwater restaurant. Read the article
- TripGuru, Southeast Asia tour booking platform. Photo credit @willythuan in their Phuket shopping guide. Read the article
- Stippl.io, AI-assisted travel planning platform. “Blog Insight” feature embeds Phuket 101 recommendations. Read the article
- Monster Day Tours, Asia tour operator. Phuket Old Town image credited “Credit Phuket 101”. Read the article
- Searadar, yacht charter platform. Recommends Phuket 101 as a Phuket food reference. Read the article
- Feedspot ranked Phuket 101 as #1 in their “30 Best Phuket Blogs and Websites in 2025”. See the ranking
- EXO Travel lists Phuket 101 as a recommended Thailand resource in their official reading list, alongside CNN Travel, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and Bangkok Post Travel. Download the PDF
- Hotels.com Go Guides. The worldwide destination content product I created at Expedia Group continues to use photos credited to Phuket 101 across its destination guides. Example: Bergen, Norway
- Kiwitaxi Travelblender. Quoted by name as “Willy Thuan, Phuket 101 Blog” with editorial recommendations about Phuket beaches and the Similan Islands. Read the guide
- Airportels, Thailand’s luggage delivery and storage service. Phuket101.net is listed as a source in their Phuket travel tips guide. Read the article
- A&S Traveler. Photo credit “photo by WillyThuan” on a Bangla Road feature. Read the article
Hotels, tour operators and local businesses
- Exotiq Magazine, Thailand’s premium luxury lifestyle magazine (distributed in 175+ five-star hotels in Phuket and nationwide). Photo credits to Phuket 101 in their heritage mansions feature and their luxury couples’ spa feature. Magnificent Mansions, Island Indulgence
- John Gray’s Sea Canoe is a legendary Phang Nga Bay kayaking operator. Phuket 101 article on kayaking republished on their blog with full credit. Read the article
- HOMA is a serviced apartment brand with properties in Phuket and Si Racha. Photo credits to Phuket 101 in their Phuket Vegetarian Festival guide (Bang Neow Shrine, Sam Kong Shrine, Kathu Shrine). Read the article
- Deevana Hotels & Resorts is a Thai hotel group with properties in Phuket and Krabi. Phuket 101 is cited as a reference in their Wat Chalong guide and Phuket Water Parks guide. Wat Chalong, Water Parks
- Naithonburi Beach Resort, Phuket beachfront hotel. Acknowledged @willythuan as a contributor in their Naithon Beach feature. Read the article
- Suvana at Central Floresta Phuket, high-end underwater restaurant. Lists Phuket 101 on their official press page. See the press page
- Ocean Rhyme at Thavorn Beach, Karon Beach restaurant. Phuket 101 is cited as the first reference in their Phuket dining guide. Read the article
- Hungry Hub is a Thai restaurant booking platform. Phuket 101 photo credit on Bangla Road features in their Phuket travel guide. Read the article
- COMO Hotels, luxury hotel group with properties in Phuket, the Maldives, Bhutan, Bali, London, New York and beyond. Their “Little Black Book Phuket” editorial guide links to my Big Buddha and Raya Restaurant pages. Read the guide
- Jungceylon Shopping Mall, Patong’s largest shopping centre. Photo credits to Willy Thuan in their official editorial content about Phuket. See the article
- Crystal Lagoons, the global water technology developer behind the Blue Tree Phuket lagoon. Wrote an editorial feature about how Phuket 101 showcased their public-access lagoon. Read the article
- Hilltop Wellness Resort, Phuket. Lists Phuket 101’s “Best Yoga Studio in Phuket” recognition as a credibility claim on their yoga page. See the page
- Lee Marine, Phuket yacht broker. “Story by: Phuket 101” credit on their Amari Coral Beach feature. Read the article
Travel blogs and directories
- HomeInPhuket. Photo credit “Credit: @WillyThuan on Phuket101” in their Phuket walking street markets feature. Read the article
- CleverThai travel blog. Photo credit “Image source: Phuket101” in their Central Phuket shopping feature. Read the article
- Hither & Thither, travel blog. Refers readers to Phuket 101 for a deeper guide to Old Phuket Town. Read the article
- Phuket Pearl. Cites Phuket 101 as the source for their Phuket Instagrammable spots guide. Read the article
- Thailand Tidbits. Refers readers to Phuket 101’s Freedom Beach article for more detail. Read the article
- Travel See Write, travel blog. References Phuket 101 in a Phuket budget travel guide. Read the article
- Organic Thai Cooking. References Phuket 101 in a Phuket street food article. Read the article
- The Thaiger, Thailand news portal. Phuket 101 photos credited in news articles over the years.
- MyYatraDiary travel blog. Photo credit “image courtesy: Willy Thuan @ phuket101.net” in a Phuket guide. Read the article
- TempatWisataSeru, Indonesian travel blog. Photo credit “Foto by WillyThuan” on a Phuket Big Buddha feature. Read the article
- BlogExpat lists Phuket 101 in its Thailand expat blog directory. See the listing
Academic citations
- Columbia University (Engineering). Phuket 101 cited as a reference in an academic paper hosted on Columbia University’s Center for Buildings, Infrastructure and Public Spaces. See the paper
- Penn State University (sites.psu.edu). Phuket 101 photos used (with watermark credits to Phuket 101 and Willy Thuan) in a Penn State student blog post about Phuket. See the post
- National Economics University, Vietnam. Phuket 101 cited as an academic reference in a sustainable tourism paper. See the paper
Other appearances
Phuket 101 has been mentioned on CNN, in Thailand’s national newspapers, and in airline in-flight magazines from around the world.
I have also been interviewed for a French national television documentary about Phuket’s recovery after the 2004 tsunami, and appeared on Netflix in “Chefs Uncut” (2024) alongside Chef Ton (watch on Netflix).
In 2023, comedian Uncle Roger (27 million followers across social media) gave Phuket 101 a public shoutout on Instagram, crediting “nephew Willy @phuket101” to his audience. See it here.