Thai Cooking Class in Phuket

A 3-hour hands-on cooking class in Phuket run by Chef VJ, built around making your own curry paste with a mortar and pestle rather than buying it ready-made — from $65, with free transfers from Kata, Kata Noi and Karon.

Classes with the market tour start with a walk through a local market to taste and learn about Thai fruit and vegetables before heading to private cooking stations. You chop and cook everything yourself, guided through the ingredients and technique, then pound your own curry paste the traditional way rather than skipping to a jar. Recipes get mailed to you afterward, and you take home whatever you don’t finish eating on the spot.

Free transfers cover Kata, Kata Noi and Karon; Patong, Rawai and Naiharn are free with two or more people booked together, and Kamala or Surin guests meet at Hard Rock Cafe Patong instead. Unlimited bottled water, tea and coffee run throughout, and vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal menus are available if you flag it in advance. Nearly 400 reviews average 4.98 out of 5.

Good if you want to actually cook rather than watch a demonstration — private stations mean nobody’s sharing a wok. If your hotel is outside the free transfer zones, check the pickup terms before booking, since Kamala and Surin guests have a different meeting point than everyone else.

Insider Tip: Mention any dietary restrictions when you book — vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal menus are all available, but the kitchen needs advance notice to prep them.