Phuket
ภูเก็ต
Thailand's largest island with some of the most popular beaches
Getting to Phuket
Compare buses, trains, ferries, and flights to Phuket.
Airport 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 Bang Rong Agricultural Conservation Tourism
Ban Phraya Wichit Songkram (A Wrecked Wall)
Chalong Bay (Ao Chalong)
Chinpracha House Museum (Ban Chinpracha)
Dolphins Bay Phuket
Kathu Heritage Conservation Center
Kathu Mining Museum
Patong Boxing Stadium Sainamyen
Peranakan Museum
Phraya Ratsadanupradit (Khaw Sim Bee na Ranong) Monument
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
The Shore at Katathani – Adults only
Casa Blanca Boutique Hotel Phuket
Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa
The Memory at On On Hotel
The Nai Harn
The Racha
Banyan Tree Phuket (SHA Certified)
Perennial Resort
Sri Panwa Phuket Luxury Pool Villa Hotel
Hotel Clover Patong Phuket
BS Airport at Phuket
Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach Resort
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
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Itineraries Featuring Phuket
From the blog
Phuket guides & reading
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.
Best Markets & Night Markets in Thailand
Thailand's best markets for 2026 — Chatuchak's 15,000 stalls, the Maeklong railway market, floating markets and the night markets worth your evening, with days and hours.
Thailand Island Hopping: Routes, Ferries & How to Plan
How to plan island hopping in Thailand for 2026 — the two coasts and their opposite seasons, the main island clusters, how ferries work, and sample chains.
Top Attractions in Thailand: 20 Places Worth Your Time
The 20 attractions worth building a Thailand trip around in 2026 — temples, ancient capitals, islands and waterfalls, grouped by region with the honest word on each.
20 Muay Thai Camps in Thailand 2026: Real Gyms, Real Prices
20 Muay Thai camps for 2026, from $300/month village gyms in Phetchabun to all-inclusive beach camps on Koh Samui. Prices and booking links verified.
Phuket Airport (HKT): Arrivals, Transfers, Direct Flights
Phuket International Airport (HKT) guide. Direct flights from Doha, Dubai, Istanbul. Arrival, taxis, transfers to Patong, Kata, Karon.
Soi Taied Phuket: "Fitness Street" Muay Thai Gyms & Stays
Soi Taied — Phuket's "Fitness Street" in Chalong: Tiger Muay Thai, AKA, Apollo Camp, CrossFit boxes, protein cafés and 8 places to stay on a 1-mile strip.
Thailand Health Advice: Vaccinations, Hospitals & Food Safety
Recommended vaccinations, top hospitals (Bumrungrad, Bangkok Hospital), street food safety, dengue prevention, and pharmacy basics for Thailand travellers.
Explore around Phuket
About Phuket
Last updated June 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.
Book Accommodation in Phuket
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Travel Concierge
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Frequently Asked Questions about Phuket
When is the best time to visit Phuket?
November to April is dry season on the Andaman coast — calm seas, clear skies and the best conditions for diving and island trips. May to October brings the southwest monsoon with afternoon storms and rougher surf; prices drop 30–40% and the island is far quieter. September and October are the wettest months.
How do I get from Phuket Airport to Patong?
The easiest option is the Grab app — rides to Patong cost ฿450–600 and take around 45 minutes, well under the typical metered-taxi fare of ฿900 or more. The Smart Bus (Route 3) also runs to Patong and Kata for ฿60, though journey times vary with traffic.
How long should I spend in Phuket?
Four to seven days is the standard range. Two days covers the main beaches and Phuket Town; four to five days adds a Phi Phi or Phang Nga Bay day trip. A week suits anyone combining beaches, diving and wellness — the island is large enough to reward a slower pace.
How do I get around Phuket?
Grab works well between the main beach towns and is the fairest option for metered pricing. Songthaews (shared pickup trucks) run fixed routes between beaches for 30–50 baht. Scooter hire (200–300 baht/day) is worth it if you are comfortable riding — the roads between beaches are steep in places. Tuk-tuks charge tourist rates and are best avoided for longer journeys.
What is the Big Buddha and how do I get there?
The Big Buddha is a 45-metre white marble Maravija statue on Nakkerd Hill in the south of the island, visible from much of Phuket. Entry is free. The easiest way to reach it is by Grab or hired scooter — it sits at the end of a steep road about 15 minutes from Kata or Chalong.