Discover Hidden Phuket and Things to Do Off the Beaten Track
The Black Rock viewpoint, in the south of Phuket, has been known for a while, but it’s among the most challenging ones to reach if you are not familiar with the area. It also requires a car or, even better, a motorbike to get there. You will need to be in a decent physical condition as it involves some steep walking.
Merlin Beach is a small hidden cove located just a few kilometres south of Patong Beach, and while it is not a private beach, it is so unknown that only the guests of the Phuket Marriott Resort Merlin Beach have the pleasure of enjoying it.
Phuket street art is a collection of superb murals paintings by local and Thai artists all around Phuket Town. Some are easy to spot and others are well hidden. Walk around town and spot them, there are more than we share on this page but we will keep adding them as we discover them.
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,
Heaven Rooftop Restaurant is a little-known viewpoint terrace hidden below the famous Karon Viewpoint , with a relaxed style usually found on beach clubs and is a great place to end the day with a sunset.
Quip Sky Bar is an unexpected rooftop bar and restaurant at the top of Quip Hotel in Phuket town. The hotel itself is really original and fun to visit, with an old Austin car used as a reception counter.
Haad Pak Phra is the last beach you will see when leaving Phuket from the north end, and most people would drive past without ever stopping. But Haad Pak Phra has a little ‘Dirty Secret’.
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Romsai is a little restaurant well hidden from view, with a beautiful view of the sea and a nearby beach. Serving local Thai food for lunch, definitely has a fun mood, feeling like being far from Phuket.
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Chaiyo Seafood is a simple little restaurant close to Phuket town if you feel like a nice seafood lunch by the mangrove, without getting far from the city. Nicely built in a comfortable setting, Chaiyo Seafood keeps its livestock directly in the mangrove stream.
Nai Dam Restaurant in Kathu looks just like any restaurant by the roadside of Phuket. It’s not fancy, there are no exterior signs of luxury and even the restaurant signboard is hardly visible.
Wat Khao Rang (Kao Rang Temple) is a modest temple in Phuket town that would be somewhat anonymous if it was not for its large and majestic golden sitting Buddha. But is the giant Buddha not supposed to be much bigger and made of white marble?
Tri Trang Beach is just a few kilometres south of Patong Beach and is a superb and unsuspected haven of peace. There used to be a lot of confusion about the names of the four beaches around this peninsula.
Had enough tourist food and want to try real Phuket specialities? When visiting Phuket Town, if you have a bit of time and are curious about Phuket’s real local food, you have to stop by Lor Rong Market.
Kin Dee Restaurant Phuket is not exactly what you would call a ‘local’ restaurant in the pure sense of it, but it’s not a touristic place either.
Bang Pae Seafood is a great local restaurant, very hidden on the east coast of Phuket. It’s not so easy to find, and yet, it’s busy on weekends with a mix of Thai, expats and some tourists brought by local friends.
Khao Khad Viewpoint (Panwa Viewpoint) is a solitary standing viewpoint on top of one of the highest and most remote hills of Phuket and a bit of a mystery. With parking designed to accommodate a large number of buses and cars, a shop and a massive staircase leading to a large tower, you would expect to find a crowd up there
Panwa Beach, locally known as Kao Khad Beach, is not a great swimming beach but has the charm of these remote bays not many would take the time to explore while visiting Phuket.
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 is not too busy with tourists.
Ao Yon Beach is a surprisingly quiet and remote beach where you can have a calm walk and only meet locals and a few longtime residents.
Ao Sane Beach proves 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 must make a little effort to get there.
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”. 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’.
There are still secret beaches in Phuket and some hidden and quiet spots, most of which are beautiful. Of course, some are difficult to find, but surprisingly many are in plain sight and easy to access.
Freedom Beach Phuket is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. The 300-metre stretch of soft white sand and turquoise water is just 10 minutes by longtail boat from Patong Beach, but it feels like a different world.
Pansea Beach looks like a private beach, but since private beaches are not allowed in Thailand, you can get around by owning all the land around that beach. Only two luxury hotels, ‘The Surin’ and ‘Amanpuri’, can access Pansea Beach.
Koh Sirey is an island connected to Phuket town by a very short bridge, this small piece of land doesn’t have any particular signs, but this is where you will find the beautiful Westin Siray Bay Resort.
Six Senses Yao Noi on Koh Yao Island is not your usual ‘Phuket Resort’; it is a destination in itself. Specially designed for romantic couples searching for an escape from the stress of the big city, this is a perfect hideaway to spend a few days.
Phuket Mining Museum was built with unusual grandeur in a remote and isolated location behind the Loch Palm Golf Club of Kathu, somewhere in the hills before Patong.
Fresh markets in Phuket are always a great way to get close to real, local life with minimal effort. Markets are everywhere around the island, every community and every village has one, small or large, permanent or occasional.
Laem Ka Beach, in the very south of Phuket near Rawai, is a little gem hidden from view and mostly locals know about it. It was closed to the public a couple of years ago to allow the construction of a new hotel.
Nam Yoi Restaurant is a discreet local place tucked away on a remote street in Phuket Town. While it’s challenging to find, the effort is worth it for their excellent local and southern Thai cuisine. The setting is simple, prices are very affordable, and the food is exceptional.
Built in 1960, the Thavorn Hotel has a long story in Old Phuket Town. The museum originally opened decades ago as a small quirky hotel attraction that was more an anecdotal storage of all the old stuff and equipment used in the many years of the hotel’s operation
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Banana Beach in Phuket used to be one of those places you had to work for. The tricky parking, the steep path down the hill, the hunt for the unmarked entrance.
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