Phuket
ภูเก็ต
Thailand's largest island with some of the most popular beaches
Recommended by us
Wat Chalong
Phuket's grandest temple, with a 60m chedi you can climb for the breeze and the view. Dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered.
Phuket Old Town
Sino-Portuguese shophouses in sherbet colours, best wandered late afternoon. Sunday's Walking Street turns Thalang Road into a food market.
James Bond Island
The classic Phang Nga Bay run — limestone karsts, sea caves and the famous leaning rock. Long-tail beats the big speedboats for atmosphere.
Kata Karon Viewpoint
The three-bay sweep south of Kata — pull in for sunset, not midday when the tour coaches stack up. Five minutes is all you need.
Get to Phuket
Flying is quickest from Bangkok (1h20). The bus-and-ferry combos are for the budget-minded with time to spare — compare both here.
eSIM for Thailand
Land with data already working and skip the airport SIM queue. We tested six plans — code THAIHOLIDAY saves 10%.
Travel insurance
Scooters, speedboats and snorkelling trips — sort cover before you go. Check the motorbike clause; most cheap policies exclude it.
Getting to Phuket
Compare buses, trains, ferries, and flights to Phuket.
Travel services
Arriving via Phuket Airport?
Wats, shrines & spiritual sites
Temples in Phuket
Sand, snorkelling & island-hopping
Beaches & islands in Phuket
Waterfalls, peaks, caves & parks
Nature & outdoors around Phuket
Museums, history & heritage
Museums & culture in Phuket
Phuket Fantasea
Andamanda Phuket
Ban Phraya Wichit Songkram (A Wrecked Wall)
Chalong Bay (Ao Chalong)
Kathu Heritage Conservation Center
Peranakan Museum
Thalang National Museum
Two Heroines Monument
Ban Bang Rong Agricultural Conservation Tourism
Chinpracha House Museum (Ban Chinpracha)
Dino Park Mini Golf
Kathu Mining Museum
Parks, shows, wildlife & more
More to explore in Phuket
Things to do on the map
Tap a pin for details — 40 places in Phuket plotted.
Which area to stay in
Patong
The loudest, most commercial beach on the island. Good transport links and the widest range of restaurants and bars. Best for first-timers who want everything in walking distance.
Kata & Karon
Quieter than Patong with proper sandy beaches and a relaxed pace. Kata suits families; Karon has a long stretch of sand and lighter crowds. Good mid-range hotel choice.
Surin & Bang Tao
The upscale stretch on the northwest coast. Beach clubs, five-star resorts and a noticeably calmer atmosphere. Expect higher prices and fewer party options.
Phuket Town
The island's historic core — Sino-Portuguese shophouses, street art and local food markets. No beach, but far cheaper rates and a more authentic feel. Works well as a base combined with day trips.
Rawai & Nai Harn
The quieter south end. Fishing boats, local seafood restaurants and easy access to Chalong for dive boats and Muay Thai gyms at Soi Taied. Popular with long-stay visitors and fighters.
Mai Khao & Nai Yang
Near the airport in the north. Long, near-empty beaches and upmarket resorts. Practical if you have an early flight; otherwise slightly isolated from the rest of the island.
Where to stay in Phuket
Browse Stays in Phuket
Tours in Phuket
2 dives at coral reefs, Half day for certified divers
2 dives on coral reefs – no prior experience required
3 Fun Dives in Racha Yai and Racha Noi for Certified Divers
3-Hour Private Treatment and Massage Spa Buffet Package in Phuket
3 Hours Mandala Art Workshop Activity in Phuket
4 Element Day with Zipline Adventure Expedition
A beautiful afternoon with our elephants
Aerial Yoga Class in Kata, Phuket
Authentic Muay Thai Fights at Patong Boxing Stadium in Phuket
Coral Island Private Boat Tour
Discover Scuba Diving 3 Dives Racha Islands
Freediving in Phuket – SSI – AIDA – Molchanovs – PADI
Looking for more? Browse every Phuket tour and activity on Viator.
Search ViatorRetreats in Phuket
11 Day Amatara Body Detox Retreat in Phuket, Thailand
11 Day Amatara Mind Detox Retreat in Phuket, Thailand
11 Day Amatara Stress & Burnout Recovery Retreat in Thailand
11 Day Amatara Weight Management in Phuket, Thailand
15 Day Amatara Body Detox Retreat in Phuket, Thailand
15 Day Amatara Mind Detox Retreat in Phuket, Thailand
15 Day Amatara Stress & Burnout Recovery Retreat in Thailand
15 Day Amatara Weight Management Retreat in Phuket, Thailand
When to go
Nov–Feb The dry season on the Andaman coast. Seas are calm, visibility for diving is at its best, and crowds peak over Christmas and New Year. Book accommodation well ahead for December.
Mar–Apr Still largely dry but temperatures climb and the island gets busy over Songkran (mid-April). Prices start to ease slightly before the rains arrive.
May–Oct The southwest monsoon brings afternoon storms and rougher surf. September and October are the wettest months. Prices drop 30–40% and the island is far quieter — manageable if you don't mind some rain.
Events & Festivals
All events →
Itineraries Featuring Phuket
From the blog
Phuket guides & reading
Soi Taied Phuket 2026: Gyms, Food & Where to Stay
Soi Taied in Chalong explained: compare Muay Thai, MMA and strength gyms, walkable hotels, healthy food, transport and first-timer training tips.
Rooftop Bars in Phuket: Best Sky Bars & Sunset Views (2026)
Phuket rooftop and elevated bars, including Baba Nest, Kee Sky Lounge, west-coast sunset venues and practical booking notes.
Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurants in Phuket (2026)
Vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Phuket, including Pure Vegan Heaven, The Vegan Table, local jay food and the October Vegetarian Festival.
Best Accommodation in Phuket: Our Top Picks
From Karon boutique hotels to Cape Panwa’s Andaman Sea views, our picks cover every budget — luxury resorts, family options, and guesthouses in Phuket.
Best Cafes in Phuket: Coffee, Brunch & Old Town Gems (2026)
10 Phuket cafes for specialty coffee, brunch and remote work, including Old Town shophouses, a Rawai coworking space and a Nai Yang beach stop.
Best Family Resorts in Phuket
Eight Phuket family resorts with waterparks and kids' clubs — Centara Grand's lazy river on Karon, Club Med's all-in packages, and The Slate's Tin Box.
Best Restaurants in Phuket: Local, Seafood & Fine Dining (2026)
11 Phuket restaurants for Old Town heritage Thai, Rawai seafood, Michelin-starred PRU, and local meals worth crossing the island for, with price ranges.
Best Viewpoints in Thailand: 11 Views Worth the Climb
Thailand's 11 best viewpoints for 2026 — island twin-bays, sea-of-mist sunrises, limestone bays and a 314m glass skywalk, with the honest word on timing and effort.
Explore around Phuket
About Phuket
Last updated July 2026
Thailand’s largest island draws everyone from backpackers sleeping above Patong bars to couples in clifftop villas overlooking the Andaman Sea. Phuket has 17 distinct beaches along its west coast, each with a different personality — from the all-night energy of Patong to the family-friendly calm of Kata and the near-empty sand at Nai Yang near the airport.
Beaches & Highlights
The west coast catches the sunsets. Karon has a long, wide stretch of sand with decent surf between May and October. Surin and Bang Tao attract a more upscale crowd — think beach clubs and five-star resorts set back from the sand. Down south, Nai Harn and Rawai feel more local, with fishing boats and seafood restaurants lining the shore.
Away from the beaches, Phuket Town rewards a half-day wandering its Sino-Portuguese shophouses, street art and local food markets. The Old Town Sunday Walking Street market on Thalang Road is worth timing your visit around.
Tours & Day Trips
With 204 tours running from Phuket, this is one of the best-connected launch points in southern Thailand. Speedboats run daily to the Phi Phi Islands, Phang Nga Bay (James Bond Island), and the Similan Islands during the November–April dive season. Island-hopping, snorkelling and diving are the biggest draws, but cooking classes, ATV rides and Muay Thai sessions fill the gaps between beach days. For Muay Thai in particular, Soi Taied in Chalong has become Phuket’s fight-camp hub — a short stretch of road packed with gyms, fighter-friendly cafés and recovery clinics that draws both first-timers and professional fighters year-round.
Retreats & Wellness
Phuket has become a major wellness destination with more than 70 retreats on the island. Options range from intensive detox programmes at Amatara to affordable yoga retreats in Rawai and Kata. Multi-day fasting, fitness boot camps and meditation courses all operate year-round.
Where to Stay
Hotels span $9/night fan rooms to $360+ luxury pool villas, with the average sitting around $112/night. Casa Blanca Boutique Hotel Phuket (9.0 on Agoda) in Phuket Town offers boutique style at mid-range prices. For a splurge, Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa (9.0) at Mai Khao has direct beach access and a kids’ club.
First-timers usually base in Patong or Karon for convenience. Repeat visitors gravitate toward the quieter northern beaches or Rawai in the south.
Getting There
Phuket International Airport (HKT) receives direct flights from Bangkok (1h 20m), Chiang Mai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and seasonal European routes. From the airport, metered taxis and the smart bus reach the main beaches in 30–60 minutes. Buses from Bangkok take 12 hours overnight — the flight is worth the extra cost.
Best Time to Visit
November to April is dry season on the Andaman coast — clear skies, calm seas, prime diving conditions. May to October brings the southwest monsoon with afternoon storms and rougher surf. Prices drop 30–40% in low season and the island feels far less crowded. September and October are the wettest months.
Insider Tip: Skip the overpriced airport taxis. Download the Grab app before landing — rides to Patong run ฿450–600, well under the typical ฿900+ taxi fare.