20 Best Tours & Activities in Phuket

Phang Nga Bay Tour – Amazing Sceneries by Boat and Kayak

(With John Gray Hong by Starlight: 3,950 baht – 11:30 am 10:00 pm – Other tours 1,600 baht)

Phang Nga Bay is a fantastic wonder of the world and is an absolute must-do while in Phuket. As with any favourite Phuket tour, Phang Nga tends to become busy, but it’s enormous, and some tours, like the famous John Gray SeaCanoe, know how to take you where and when other tourists don’t go. The massive limestone formations rising above the water seem to come straight out of the movie Avatar (or it was possibly the other way around). The place was even featured as a background in one Star Wars episode (the bad one, I think). Phang Nga Bay is one of the best tours in Phuket. Read more

What I like
a) As mentioned above, it’s just fantastic.
b) The sea is quiet all year round and even looks better with the big rain clouds!
c) It’s not very far, and all tour agents will pick you up at your hotel.
What I don’t
a) Not every tour is eco-friendly; some have no real experience and make lots of noise, disturbing the magical peace.

Phi Phi Island Day Trip and Maya Bay

(about 2,800 baht – full day)

Phi Phi seems to be the Phuket tour on everyone’s list of islands to visit. It usually is for several reasons: The islands look fabulous, with two bays surrounded by vertical limestone cliffs. The beach parties are notorious and can last all night. Backpackers seem to have made Phi Phi their destination of choice. It is also an excellent snorkelling and diving destination for all levels, from beginners to wreck diving. There is an even more straightforward reason: they saw Maya Bay in the movie “The Beach” and wanted to know the place for themselves. Read more

A typical day trip to Phi Phi:

7.30: Pick up at your hotel
8.30: Meet and greet at Royal Phuket Marina, short briefing.
9.30: Departure by speedboat
10.30: Enjoy snorkelling and swimming at Camel Rock, Monkey Bay Sightseeing
11.45: Snorkelling near Phi Phi Don
12.30: Lunch in Tonsai Bay on Phi Phi Don
13.30: Head to Phi Phi Ley: pass by Viking Cave, swim at Piley Lagoon, and Sightseeing at Maya Bay.
15.30: Relax, swim and snorkel on Koh Khai Nai, a small island on the way back.
16.30: Arrive at the pier and depart for your hotel.

What’s good:
a) It’s still a beautiful island despite being spoiled mainly by unstoppable construction.
b) It’s not very far from Phuket and affordable if you go by ferry
c) The island, being in a bay, is accessible all year round (unlike Similan)
d) Maya Bay is open again!

What’s not:
a) Uncontrolled constructions have spoiled the island, and it keeps extending.
b) Phi Phi can get crowded with young backpackers coming here for a serious party, so it may not be your vision of relaxing beaches.

James Bond Island Tour and Koh Panyi Village

(Start at 1,800 baht, including pickup and return to hotel – join trip)

Usually, James Bond and Koh Panyi are part of any Phang Nga Bay tour. If you have time, I recommend dedicating one day to a canoe in Phang Nga Bay, then another day to James Bond, Koh Panyi, the village on stilts and the reclining Buddha inside a cave. Read more

A typical day trip in Phang Nga Bay with James Bond Island and Koh Panyi Village:

9.00: Pick up at hotel lobby
10.00: Arrive at Royal Phuket Marina
10.30: Visit Phang Nga Bay (James Bond Island)
12.00: Buffet Thai lunch at Koh Panyee village
13.00: Visit Khao Thalu to canoe inside a cave
15.30: Visit Naka Island for swimming
17.30: Back at the Royal Phuket Marina and back to the hotel

What I like:
a) Going there offers amazing photo opportunities; the location and the cruise to get there are jaw-dropping.
b) The village on stilts is unique, unusual and fun to explore.
What I don’t:
a) It’s a major tourist attraction, so expect a lot of people at midday, which spoils a bit the exotic feeling

South Phuket and Phuket Town

Note that this tour usually includes the Big Buddha, but due to recent events, access to the Big Buddha has been closed until further notice.

The South Phuket tour covers the main landmarks in the southern half of the island. Most tours stop at Wat Chalong, the Karon Viewpoint, Rawai Beach for a seafood lunch, and then Old Phuket Town in the afternoon. Some tours also include Promthep Cape for sunset photos. The route is flexible and most drivers will adjust it to suit your preferences.

To book this day trip, you can ask any travel agent, or even better, hire a local driver with a van to customise the trip according to your own preferences. It is cheap and super comfortable, between 2,400 and 2,700 baht, depending on how far your hotel is from the south. See here a list of private vans.

Coral Island Day Trip and Racha Island

(about 1,300 baht for both islands – full day)

Often packaged as one day trip, those two beautiful islands have white sandy beaches and the typical atmosphere of small tropical islands. They offer excellent snorkelling opportunities with plenty of fish coming and swimming around you. Racha Island is excellent for diving, especially for first-timers. Read more

A typical Day trip to Coral and Racha Islands by speedboat

8.30: Pick up from your hotel lobby
09.00: Depart from Chalong Pier to Racha Island and enjoy snorkelling and swimming
12.30: Depart from Racha Island to Coral Island and have lunch at Kahung restaurant
14.30: Snorkelling, swimming and relaxing on the beach
16.30: Back to the pier and sent back to your hotel

What I like:
a) It’s accessible all year round, and it doesn’t take too long to reach
What I don’t:
a) It can be busy and touristic

Yona Floating Beach Club

Yona is a floating beach club in the bay of Patong. The boat is 1,200 sqm on three floors, with a central 22-metre-long swimming pool surrounded by trendy loungers and palm trees. At the back of the pool are the DJ station and a bar with a vast choice of fun cocktails to enjoy the party. Read more

Phuket Old Town Tour and Colourful Streets!

(about 900 baht – half day)

In recent years, Phuket Town has become a charming city with several historic streets and many beautiful old Sino-Portuguese mansions, some renovated and some partly run down. You might get to see some local markets and even visit some Thai temples and their typical intricate gold, red and green roofs. Exploring the picturesque streets now full of little cafes and shops is a popular photo opportunity, mostly since they buried those horrible electric cables. Read more

What I like:
a) It’s a good exploration day, especially when the weather is not favourable to be on the beach
b) It’s not such a big area, so it’s easy to walk along the streets and between landmarks
What I don’t:
a) It’s relatively small, so don’t put your expectations too high either

Amazing Similan Islands Day Trip

(about 2,600 baht – full day)

Unique and beautiful, the Similans have the white sand and blue water you only see in postcards. It’s so strikingly beautiful that your friends might believe you photoshopped your photos. But it is that blue even in photos taken with a mobile phone!

It used to be possible to spend the night in a tent or a basic bungalow with air-conditioning, but it seems that this option is not available at this time! Apart from snorkelling, sunning, and a small restaurant, there is not much to do, but it’s a Robinson Crusoe experience you don’t want to miss. Read more

A typical day trip to the Similans

6.00: Pick up from the hotel lobby
9.00: Depart for Similan Island
10.20: Visit Miang Island (Koh 4) for swimming and snorkelling
11.30: Have a Thai lunch box on the island
12.00: Visit Payu Island (Koh 7) for swimming and snorkelling
13.00: Visit Ba-ngu (Koh 9) for swimming and snorkelling
14.00: Visit Similan Island (Koh 8) for swimming, snorkelling, and climbing the viewpoint at Sailing Rock
15.00: Back to the pier
16.30: Transfer back to your hotel

What I like:
a) Everything!
What I don’t:
a) It’s closed for half a year during the low season, mostly because of the sea conditions.
b) It’s quite a long way from Phuket. Usually, a van takes you from Phuket to Takua Pa, then 1.30 hours by speedboat

Island Hopping on a Sailing Catamaran

(6 days and 5 nights)

Spending a week on a sailing cruise is the most romantic and eco-friendly way to discover the islands near Phuket and south Thailand, an experience like no other!

Day 1 – Chalong Pier, Phuket -> Tonsai Bay, Koh Phi Phi
Day 2 – Tonsai Bay, Koh Phi Phi -> Kantiang beach, Koh Lanta
Day 3 – Kantiang beach, Koh Lanta -> Koh Rok Nok island
Day 4 – Koh Rok Island -> Koh Phi Phi Leh
Day 5 – Koh Phi Phi Leh -> Koh Racha Yai
Day 6 – Koh Racha Yai -> Chalong Pier, Phuket

Andamanda Waterpark

Andamanda Phuket is a large water park near Phuket Town on the road from Patong. It covers 100,000 square metres and has 25 attractions, including water slides for all ages, a wave pool, and a 550-metre lazy river (the longest in Southeast Asia). It opened in 2022 and is one of the most popular family activities on the island.

Check availability for Andamanda

Elephant Sanctuaries

There are now many elephant sanctuaries around the island that allow you to interact with the elephants. You can feed them, walk with them and make unforgettable memories. The old-fashioned elephant trekking is over! Ask your hotel or travel agent for one of the sanctuaries, but skip the trekking or elephant riding! Read more

What I like:
a) It’s fun, unusual and the best way to see real elephants!
What I don’t:
a) Some of the sanctuaries may feel a little too touristic (they probably switched from trekking to the sanctuary model to follow the trend)

Phang Nga Bay Private Cruises

Phang Nga Bay is an amazing destination. With its countless islands and towering cliffs emerging from the sea, the scenery is truly extraordinary. It often ranks at the top for many tourists. However, the popular areas of Phang Nga Bay can become overcrowded, making it difficult to fully appreciate its natural beauty. On that particular day, I made a decision, along with a few friends, to rent a private boat and explore Phang Nga Bay in a more exclusive manner, arriving at each location before the crowds.

Koh Khai Tours

(about 1,900 baht – Full day)

This tour goes to the tiny Koh Khai islands, found just a few kilometres off Phuket, and looks like a cartoon postcard of a tropical island. There is not much to do there apart from sunbathing, snorkelling, swimming with hundreds of fish, and drinking fresh coconuts. It’s so back to basics, but isn’t that why you came to Phuket in the first place?

What I like:
a) It’s an easy and not far, relaxing day out
b) Plenty of photo opportunities to post on your social media
What I don’t:
a) Can be really busy

Cooking Classes

Thai cooking classes have become one of the most popular activities in Phuket. Several schools across the island offer half-day and full-day courses where you learn to prepare classic dishes like pad thai, green curry, and tom yum. Some classes include a trip to a local market to pick ingredients. Most schools keep groups small, and the chefs are patient with beginners. It’s a fun way to spend a morning or afternoon and you go home with recipes you can actually use. Read more

ATV Tours

ATV tours take you through parts of Phuket you would never see from the road. Routes run through rubber plantations, red dirt trails, and jungle paths, with stops at viewpoints and quiet beaches. Several operators offer tours lasting 1 to 3 hours, with bikes suitable for beginners and experienced riders. Some routes pass near the Big Buddha, and a few include a combination with zip-lining. It’s muddy, noisy, and good fun. Read more

Zipline

There are 3 or 4 ziplines around the island, and I tried Flying Hanuman in the forest near Patong Beach. Zipline is a great way to do something fun and exciting with friends and family. You can do something active, fun and unforgettable in the dense forest in Kathu. It’s enormous, impressive and safe; anyone can do it, even a four-year-old kid! Read more

How to get there: Book directly with them or check with a local travel agent
Price: starts at 2,300 baht (16 platforms) and 3,250 baht (28 platforms).

Carnival Magic Phuket

Carnival Magic is a 40-acre nighttime Thai carnival theme park in Kamala, right next to Phuket FantaSea. The park features over 40 million lights spread across themed zones, and the main attraction is the River Carnival, a large indoor parade show in a theatre seating over 2,200 people. It opened in 2022 and runs every evening. Read more

Simon Cabaret Show

(starts 700 baht – 2 hours – Patong beach)

Simon Cabaret is a long-running, successful stage performance with beautiful sets and outstanding choreography. Of course, people go to Simon Cabaret for reasons other than the pretty costumes and the show. They want to see the surprisingly beautiful ladyboys with their own eyes! Photos are not allowed during the show, but the ‘girls’ will happily wait for you outside the theatre for a photo session. Read more

What I like:
a) Excellent stage performance.
b) It’s literally in Patong Beach, so you can enjoy the show and still go out for a party after.
What I don’t:
a) Ladyboys are known to be pushy for a tip if you take photos after the show. They might pick the money from your hand.

Siam Niramit

Siam Niramit Phuket is a surprising show narrating 700 years of Thailand’s history. The stage is immense, and the choreography involving more than a hundred people is spotless. The narration is simple and clear enough for everyone to understand each scene. The superb sound system immerses you in a fantastic world based on centuries of Thai myths and legends. It is seriously impressive.

The show opened in 2012. Photos aren’t allowed inside the theatre, but the large park surrounding it recreates traditional Thai villages from major regions of Thailand. Each wooden house displays what the province is famous for, whether food or handicrafts.

Phuket FantaSea Show

(starts 1,800 baht – from 5 pm – Kamala Beach – closed on Thursday)

This long-running show is still top-rated. It’s a giant theme park and a professional stage performance with dancers, acrobats and real elephants walking through the audience and then onto the stage. The setting is awe-inspiring, and the exceptionally well-executed show narrates the legend of Kamala, which is where the park is. Read more

What I like:
a) It’s professional and beautifully crafted, including the many buildings in the park.
b) There are a lot of fun photo opportunities outside the theatre.
What I don’t:
a) With 2,500 seats, the buffet is too big to be enjoyable
b) The elephants performing in the show or giving tourists a short ride are a little controversial
c) You can’t take photos inside, but I understand that it can be annoying