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Hidden Phuket

Discover Hidden Phuket and Things to Do Off the Beaten Track

Sangchai Beach

Sangchai Beach

    Sangchai Beach is a small, quiet beach on Phuket’s southern tip, right between Rawai and Promthep Cape. It’s only about 190 metres long, but that’s part of the appeal.

    Bar No Name in Patong Beach

    Bar No Name in Patong Beach

      Bar No Name is a small local spot hidden at the north end of Patong Beach, just below the Novotel Phuket Resort. It’s the kind of place you’d walk right past if you didn’t know it was there.

      Phra Aram Sakhonkhet Mansion - Thai Airways office in Phuket town

      Phra Aram Sakhonkhet Mansion

        Phra Aram Sakhonkhet Mansion is a historic Sino-Portuguese building located in Phuket Old Town. Its beautifully renovated white exterior distinguishes it and represents an important part of Phuket’s architectural heritage.

        Shhh Secret Bar in Phuket Town

        Shhh – Secret Bar in Phuket Town

          We’ve uncovered ‘Shhh’, one of Phuket’s most intriguing nightlife experiences hidden in the heart of Old Town, right on Thalang Road, where the famous Sunday Walking Street Market is held.

          Kluay Mai Thai Restaurant Phuket

          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.

            Black Pearl Art & Bar in Kata Noi

            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 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) near Phuket

                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 in Phuket

                  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

                      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 in Phuket

                      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

                          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 Phuket

                          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.

                            Old Mansion in Phuket Town

                            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.

                              Kathu Museum

                              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.

                                Ang Mo Lao Mansion in Old Phuket Town

                                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

                                    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.

                                    Panwa Beach in South Phuket

                                    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.

                                      Bandara Villas in Ao Yon Beach, Phuket

                                      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 – 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 Sinae Phuket on Koh Sirey Island

                                          Hilltop Cafe by Sinae Phuket

                                            Hilltop Cafe by Sinae Phuket 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.

                                            Chopol's Plantation, near Kata Noi Beach in Phuket

                                            Chopol’s Plantation Bar and Restaurant

                                              Chopol’s Plantation is a fantastic bar and Thai restaurant hidden high above the beautiful Kata Noi Beach. The place is hard to find because you have to spot a tiny road on the side of the main road that leads to the popular Karon View Point.

                                              Laem Sai Cup Cafe in Kata Beach

                                              Laem Sai Cup

                                                Laem Sai Cup is another little cafe hidden on the hills of Kata Beach, overlooking the Andaman Sea. The cafe consists of several terraces made of bamboo connected by narrow staircases leading all the way to boulders in the sea.

                                                A Blanket & A Pillow in Kata Beach

                                                A Blanket & A Pillow

                                                  A Blanket & A Pillow is another little gem hidden in the trees above the rocky shores of Kata Beach. A Blanket & A Pillow consists of several bamboo terraces connected by uneven staircases. Customers sit in colourful bean bags or the Thai way: around a small round table on a small woven carpet.

                                                  Green Heart Garden Kata Beach

                                                  Green Heart Garden Kata Beach

                                                    Green Heart Garden is a superb hidden restaurant perched high on the hills above Kata Beach and blessed with incredible panoramic views of the Andaman Sea.

                                                    Best Restaurants in Phuket, by beaches

                                                    Inthanin Naithon Restaurant

                                                      Inthanin Naithon is a tiny restaurant hidden on the soft sands of the beautiful Naithon Beach, near Phuket International Airport. The place is hard to find, but it is worth the effort.

                                                      Coconuts Cafe Phuket

                                                      Coconuts Café Phuket

                                                        Coconuts Café is a lovely little bakery and restaurant hidden in a small lane of Chalong, in the south of Phuket Island. The coffee shop is a tiny house on stilts, with a garden surrounded by a vast green natural landscape and immense coconut trees.

                                                        The Cove Phuket

                                                        The Cove Phuket

                                                          The Cove Phuket is a lovely little hideaway nestled in Ao Yon Beach near Panwa, a beautiful part of Phuket where very few tourists set foot. This small open-air restaurant and bungalow resort is blessed with a beautiful seaside view

                                                          Baba Nest Rooftop Bar at Sri Panwa

                                                          Baba Nest

                                                            Baba Nest at Sri Panwa Hotel is the ultimate rooftop bar in Phuket. It is built high above Phuket Aquarium on the remote Cape Panwa, southeast of Phuket Island. It’s far, hard to find, and hard to book, as you can expect a two-week waiting list to get a reservation, but it’s worth it.

                                                            Kin-Kub-Ei Restaurant Phuketket

                                                            Kin-Kub-Ei Restaurant

                                                              Kin-Kub-Ei Restaurant is a hidden gem serving delicious southern dishes cooked by Khun Tubtim with her family recipes and served in a beautiful garden near the main road to Bangtao Beach.

                                                              Restaurant Patong Sunset View

                                                              Patong Sunset View Restaurant

                                                                Patong Sunset View Restaurant is a great spot to end the day with a nice dinner or even just a drink while enjoying one of Phuket’s famous sunsets. The restaurant is relatively small, but the terrace can welcome quite a few guests, and everything is very affordable.

                                                                Karon Noi Beach

                                                                Karon Noi Beach ⛱️

                                                                  Karon Noi Beach, sometimes also called ‘Relax Beach”, is one of the most beautiful beaches in Phuket, home to the luxurious 5-star hotel Le Meridien Phuket.

                                                                  Andaman White Beach on Naithon Noi Beach

                                                                  Naithon Noi Beach ⛱️

                                                                    Naithon Noi Beach is one of the few ‘private beaches of Phuket’ as well as one of the most beautiful. Located near Phuket International airport on the west coast of the island, Naithon Noi Beach is often called ‘Andaman White Beach’, from the name of the resort that occupies the entire land around it.

                                                                    Private Beaches in Phuket

                                                                    11 Amazing Private Beaches of Phuket

                                                                      Private beaches don’t exist in Phuket or Thailand, and that’s by law. However, people often call them private beaches because you can’t enter

                                                                      Splash Beach Club Phuket

                                                                      Splash Beach Club near Patong

                                                                        Splash Beach Club is a new spot hidden in a tiny creek not far from Patong Beach, between the beautiful Tri Trang and Paradise beach.

                                                                        Hidden Phuket

                                                                        20 Unusual and Hidden Places in Phuket People Often Miss

                                                                          Surprisingly, there are still amazing places people miss entirely when visiting Phuket. And like most people, you want to visit Phuket, but you wish to see it from a lesser-known angle and discover places most people haven’t heard of.

                                                                          Boon's Local Thai Restaurant in Phuket Town

                                                                          Krua Maikhao Restaurant

                                                                            Krua Maikhao is one of the most underrated local Thai restaurants in Phuket. It’s not fancy, the menu is not long, and lunch at Boon only costs a few baht, but the taste is unique.

                                                                            Three Monkeys Restaurant in Phuket

                                                                            Three Monkeys Restaurant

                                                                              Three Monkeys restaurant is set in the Jungle somewhere between Phuket Town and Chalong, part of the popular Hanuman World Zipline attraction.

                                                                              Best Thai Restaurants in Phuket

                                                                              Rimpan Seafood Restaurant Phuket

                                                                                Rimpan Seafood is a small but great Phuket local restaurant hidden in plain sight in the north of Phuket Island, near the bridge that connects the island to the mainland. Thousand people drive past Rimpan each day without realising such a great place sits right here.

                                                                                Kathu

                                                                                Kathu – What to do in Kathu?

                                                                                  Kathu is a small village and a small district, halfway between Phuket town and Patong Beach. The name of Kathu is not unknown, but very few people add it to their list of Things to Do in Phuket.

                                                                                  Nui Beach in Phuket, Thailand

                                                                                  Nui Beach ⛱️

                                                                                    Nui Beach is an unusual beach in Phuket. It’s not the most magnificent beach as the sand is quite coarse, but people seem to love secret and hidden beaches.

                                                                                    Wat Doi Thepnimit Patong Phuket

                                                                                    Wat Doi Thepnimit Phuket near Patong Beach

                                                                                      Wat Doi Thepnimit is a monastic residence with a fantastic panoramic view over Patong beach. You can see its iconic white pagoda from the beach, if you know in which direction to look, of course, it’s pretty tiny.

                                                                                      Sabai Corner Restaurant

                                                                                      Sabai Corner Restaurant Phuket

                                                                                        Sabai Corner is a beautiful Thai restaurant hidden in Phuket, not far from Kata Noi Beach. Only a few dedicated travellers will find it or try to find it. The food is good without being exceptional, but you will discover the magnificent panoramic view of the nearby sea.

                                                                                        Ko Yoon Hokkien Noodles

                                                                                        Ko Yoon Restaurant

                                                                                          Ko Yoon Restaurant is a very small and discreet place serving amazing Hokkien Noodles. If you happen to visit Phuket Town, chances are you walked passed it without noticing it, it looks like any other anonymous local hole-in-the-wall restaurant. But Ko Yoon has prepared those delicious big yellow noodles for decades and locals know how good they are.

                                                                                          Kalim Rimlay restaurant Phuket

                                                                                          Kalim Rim Lay Restaurant in Kalim Beach

                                                                                            Kalim Rim Lay Restaurant is a little-known restaurant serving good honest Thai food and seafood at a good price. Best of all for some of you, it is located not far from Patong Beach, just past Kalim Beach. Rim Lay is a very relaxing spot to enjoy lunch or dinner with spectacular sunsets if you are lucky to get one as we did.

                                                                                            The Beach Bar Phuket

                                                                                            The Beach Bar Phuket – Panwa Beach

                                                                                              The Beach Bar Phuket is a local restaurant half-hidden on Panwa beach, away from most tourist crowds. Once a modest wooden shack, the restaurant grew in popularity and now displays a long row of tables and plastic chairs.

                                                                                              Piang Prai Restaurant

                                                                                              Peang Prai Restaurant

                                                                                                Peang Prai Restaurant (Krua Piang Prai) is an excellent local venue in a green nest next to Bang Pae waterfall. Mostly unknown to tourists because of its remote location, Peang Prai is one of the two great places to have lunch if you happen to be in the area.

                                                                                                Wat Phra Nang Sang

                                                                                                Wat Phra Nang Sang – วัดพระนางสร้าง

                                                                                                  Wat Phra Nang Sang, originally known as Wat Takian, was built more than 200 years ago and is one of the oldest Thai temples in Phuket. This unusual temple was built when Thalang was the main city of Phuket Island and even was the scene of a battlefield during the Burma War in 1785.