Kluay Mai Thai Restaurant
We heard about Kluay Mai Thai from local chefs and Michelin‑starred friends, so we booked, pre‑ordered, and drove to Chalong. The GPS ended in a quiet lane where a small Thai house sat behind trees.
Hidden Phuket
Best Hidden Beaches and Local Places in Phuket
Here is our collection of the most hidden beaches and local places in Phuket. They are not secret to the locals, but travellers often don’t have the time to explore such a rich island. We explored Phuket for almost 30 years, and surprisingly, we still discover little gems We are happy to share them with you… well, most of them ;)
Black Pearl Art & Bar
Black Pearl Art & Bar is one of those places you wouldn’t find unless someone told you about it. We saw it while riding along the scenic road above Kata Noi Beach—the same road where people stop for sunset drinks at After Beach Bar, Baan Chong View, or The Sundeck.
Friendship Beach Phuket
Friendship Beach lies on the southeast coast of Phuket along Chalong Bay, just north of Rawai Beach. We recently revisited this little-known spot because it’s such a different experience from the island’s more popular beaches.
Koh Maphrao – Coconut Island
Koh Maphrao, commonly known as Coconut Island, is just a short boat ride from Phuket’s east coast and is a little-known, quiet retreat that has remained under the radar for decades. Despite its proximity to popular seafood restaurants, this island has only recently begun attracting attention with the opening of its first hotels.
Promthep Beach
Promthep Beach is tiny, almost impossible to access and therefore not well known; we don’t even know if it has a name, so we call it Promthep Beach because it hides on one side of the famous Promthep Cape in the very south of Phuket.
Heeowhat Beach
Heeowhat Beach is quite large, with tall trees near Cape Panwa on the east coast of Phuket. It is home to the Pullman Panwa Phuket Resort, but because the beach is very wide and shallow, it is not a swimming beach, just great for walks in a peaceful atmosphere.
Makham Beach
Makham Beach is one of the island’s least-known beaches, hidden near Cape Panwa when driving from Phuket Town. The beach is lovely to walk on, but the sea is not as blue as other tourist beaches on the East Coast
Siam Beach
Siam Beach on the west coast of Phuket is so small and hard to reach via stairs that it is not worth going there; we list it here because it is considered a beach, good for snorkelling.
Yae Beach
Yae Beach is not fantastic, but we wanted to see it since it is hard to find. It’s on a cape between Patong and Kamala, and you won’t see much there, just a small hut selling drinks when it’s open.
Ratsada Mansion behind the Thavorn Museum
Another example of a beautiful mansion abandoned in Phuket, probably beyond repair. We walked around this area a hundred times without ever noticing it, but once you do, its beauty is striking. It has no known name, so we called it Ratsada Mansion as it is located at the back of Ratsada Road, behind the weird ‘Thavorn Museum’ where the very first Phuket Shopping Center used to be.
Luang Amnart Nararak Mansion
Luang Amnat Nararak’s Mansion was built around 1925-1926. This grand mansion showcases an extravagant use of frescoes, a typical feature of Sino-Portuguese architecture. The Chinese believe that bats symbolize good fortune and longevity, which is why bats are a recurring motif in the mansion’s decoration. The mansion has undergone several renovations, the most recent being in 1957, but the main structure remains unchanged. This two-storey mansion features a front porch adjoining the driveway, and its polygonal side wings include small balconies.
Kathu Museum
What used to be a very rundown house by the side of the road in Kathu is now transformed into a small and half-abandoned lovely museum about Phuket Food. It used to be part of the large beer storage warehouse. It’s beautiful from the outside, but there is not much to see inside, and the staircase leading to the second floor is often closed.
Limpanon Mansion
Limpanon Mansion, is an abandoned old Phuket family house built more than 100 years ago. It is hidden at the intersection of Yaowarat Road and Phang Nga Road and is probably the most mysterious and least-known ancient mansion in Phuket. For a long time, the door of the ‘tunnel’ leading to this mansion was opened, but it has been locked for years now, and probably too many people have tried to sneak in.
Chair Cafe Old Town
Chair Cafe Old Town is a coffee shop and a good casual restaurant on Yaowarat Road. It is nice to stop for a break while you explore the streets of Phuket Town. In addition to the nice setting and food, Chair Cafe Phuket Town has a delightful little secret for those of you who like hidden places.
Good Vibes P-Town
Bar – Old Phuket Town Good Vibes P-Town is a friendly gathering spot found on Yaowarat Road in the Phuket Old Town area. By day,… Read More »Good Vibes P-Town
Cape Panwa Beach ⛱️
Cape Panwa Beach is a superb private beach located on the southeast coast of Phuket Island, only accessible by the lucky guests of the Cape Panwa Hotel. The beach is a superb crescent of soft white sand, surrounded by green hills, coconut trees, and beautiful flame trees.
Wat Charoen Samanakij (Wat Lang San) วัดเจริญสมณกิจ
Wat Charoen Samanakij, also known as Wat Lang San, is a beautiful and serene temple nestled on the slopes of Toh Sae Hill in Phuket Town, behind the old Phuket Prison which has since moved to the north of the island. It is a relatively new temple, having been built in 2012, but it has quickly become a popular destination for both locals and tourists alike.
Bandara Villas Phuket
Bandara Villas Phuket is a luxurious boutique resort located on the secluded Ao Yon Beach, in the Cape Panwa area, southeast of Phuket. Built on a steep hillside facing the sea, the hotel is known for its stunning ocean views from superb modern rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows over private infinity pools.
Flamingo Beach Front Cafe – Ao Yon Beach
Flamingo Beach Front Cafe is a superb beachside restaurant and bar located on the hidden Ao Yon Beach, southwest of Phuket. Its unique location right on the beach offers stunning views of the turquoise waters and soft sand.
Starbucks Hilltop Cafe
Starbucks Hilltop Cafe is an unusual and unexpected version of the famous Seattle-based coffee shop, perched at the top of Sinae Hotel on Koh Siray, an island located east of Phuket Town and connected to Phuket by a bridge so short that it never felt like an island.