Discover Hidden Phuket and Things to Do Off the Beaten Track
Phuket Secret Beaches [toc] Private beaches don't exist in Phuket or Thailand in general, and that's by law. However, people often call some of Phuket most amazing beaches' private beaches' because they can't enter. So if none of those beaches is private, how is that possible? Simple: if you own the land that surrounds that beach, you can indeed deny its access. It's a little twisted, and some might find
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Phuket Hidden Places [toc] 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 less known angle and discover places most people haven't heard of. Many would say there are no such places in Phuket anymore, but there are! After 24 years spent on Phuket Island, I found a lot more
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What to Do in Ao Yon Beach? [toc] Ao Yon Beach, as surprising as it may seem, is a quiet and remote beach of Phuket where you can have a quiet walk and only meet locals and few longtime residents. Of course, these little beaches are far and often hidden; you need to make a bit of effort to find them. There are few such hidden beaches: among them are
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The magic of local Thai restaurants [toc] Boon 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. The restaurant is tiny, hard to spot, and so modest; we probably wouldn't bother explaining to anyone how to go there. But after so many years, we realised that
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Where is Koh Bon Island? [toc] Bon Island (or Koh Bon) is located just south of Rawai Beach in Phuket and is just a short longtail boat ride away. A few sandy beaches pepper the coast of this tiny island, and despite being so close to Phuket, it hasn't been invaded yet. There are only two real beaches on Koh Bon (In Thai, islands are 'Koh'). One was the landing
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What is Baba Nest? [toc] 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, on the south-east of Phuket Island. It’s far, hard to find, hard to book as you can expect a two weeks waiting list to get a reservation, but it’s worth it. Once you managed to get a table, you will finally
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What is Nui Beach [toc] Nui Beach is an unusual beach in Phuket. It’s not the most magnificent beach as sand is quite coarse, but people seem to love secret and hidden beaches. The hardest they are to find, the more travellers want to go them, and Nui Beach is one of the last. Nui Beach was closed for about a year and was almost forgotten. It recently reopened in
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Patong Sunset View Restaurant [toc] 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 famous sunsets. The restaurant is relatively small but the terrace can welcome quite a few guests and everything is very affordable. To make the best of your dinner, you should really sit at the front of the balcony to
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What to Do in Panwa Beach [toc] Panwa Beach, also known as Khao Kat Beach, is not a great swimming beach, and yet has the charm of these remote bays not many would take the time to explore while visiting Phuket. Located on the east coast cape but facing west, the whole area is peppered with luxury villas and few resorts, a great alternative to relax away from west coast
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Where are the secret beaches of Phuket? [toc] There are still secret, quiet and hidden beaches in Phuket and they are beautiful. Of course, some of them are difficult to find, but surprisingly many are in plain sight and easy to access. People are just not trying very hard to find them. Despite the permanent tourist complaints, more than 10 beaches range from 'quiet' to 'totally deserted'. Most don't have
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How to Get to Ao Sane Beach? [toc] Ao Sane Beach (which is pronounced Ao Sain) is the proof that Phuket still has some little beaches hidden from view where you can pretend nothing has changed in the past twenty years. Of course, there is no such thing as a 'secret beach' anymore, but you have to make a little effort to get there. These might be small tiny sandy
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Mor Mu Dong Restaurant Mor Mu Dong received a 'Bib Gourmand' rating from the new Michelin Guide for Phuket. Bib Gourmand means 'friendly establishments that serve good food at moderate prices [toc] Mor Mu Dong is quite an unusual restaurant in Phuket. If you enjoy eating off the beaten tracks where mostly locals go for a great lunch or dinner, Mor Mu Dong is your place. Every Phuket resident knows
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Phuket Reclining Golden Buddha [toc] Wat Sri Sunthon (Wat Srisoonthorn) is known for the immense golden Buddha reclining at the top of a large building in the 'Pang Sai Yat' posture, which corresponds to “Realizing Nirvana” (read more here). The statue seems to be staring endlessly at the frantic traffic on the nearby road to Phuket International Airport. Of course, you already knew that 'Wat' is the Thai word for 'Temple'.
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Samet Nangshe [toc] Samet Nangshe is a superb panoramic viewpoint in Phang Nga Bay. It's a little far outside Phuket island, but if you have a car or a big bike, it is worth the drive. From up there, you can admire the fantastic limestone formations of Phang Nga Bay, but it requires a good deal of effort. You need to drive 25 kilometres past the Sarasin bridge that connects Phuket
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How to Get to the Secret Banana Beach [toc] Banana Beach in Phuket is a little hidden treasure. Phuket is a world famous holiday destination, and every corner of this tiny tropical island has been explored, invaded, sold, developed and exploited. Yet, the small Banana Beach is hiding from the crowd. We thought it wouldn't last, but it is still quiet. Considering that Banana Beach is pretty big with shallow
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Discover The Cove Phuket [toc] 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, making it a great way to escape the crowd for lunch or dinner. The food is good and well prepared, not toned down like often
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Doi Thepnimit Phuket [toc] Doi Thepnimit Phuket 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. Doi Thepnimit is a small but so beautifully decorated Thai temple, and with such a view, it's worth stopping on your way in or out Patong beach. The
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Little Tiger Restaurant [toc] Little Tiger is a small and hidden restaurant with a superb view, perched on a hillside of Merlin Beach near Patong Beach. Even if you find this remote beach, you might have a hard time spotting Little Tiger, which is why the place is still quiet and peaceful. Once you found the beach, you might think that it looks a lot like a private beach for
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Rom Sai Baan Nakalay Restaurant [toc] Romsai is a little unusual restaurant well hidden from view, with a beautiful view on the sea and a nearby beach. Serving Isan food for lunch, it definitely has a fun mood, feeling like being far from Phuket. Precariously built the a rocky cliff alongside the seaboard north of Patong Beach, it serves good food on typical round concrete tables or on wooden platforms
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A Hidden Thai Restaurant in Phuket [toc] Sabai Corner is a beautiful Thai restaurant really well hidden in Phuket, not far from Kata Noi Beach. Only the few dedicated travellers will find it or make the effort to find it. The food is good without being exceptional, but you will get a lot of satisfaction just to find it and discover the magnificent panoramic view on the nearby sea. [caption
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