Phuket Travel Guide: Beaches, Island Hopping & Thai Culture
Phuket, Thailand
Phuket is an island in southern Thailand known for its breathtaking landscapes, tropical beaches and vibrant towns. Long sandy beaches line the aquamarine shores of Phuket’s coast. Bays famed for their iconic stone islands are teeming with underwater reserves and marine life. Old Town streets are lined with bright and colorfully painted buildings. Popular beach towns welcome travelers from across the world while floating villages offer a glimpse into the local culture.
Beaches & Beach Towns
Kata Beach. A small but popular golden sand beach with thousands of lounge rentals, street food stands, boat tour companies and surf board rentals.
Patong Beach. A large crescent shaped beach with a white sandy shore and aquamarine hued water. Vendors rent sun lounges and umbrellas and sell street food & local beers. Party goers dance at beach clubs while others parasail overhead. We laid out under the palms and rented lounges for the afternoon, swam in the playful waves and walked the length of the beach. The north side is quieter and cleaner than the south side.
Karon Beach. A beach town with a lengthy yellow sand and palm lined beach with swimmable turquoise water. It’s significantly less busy than Patong Beach and was our favorite of those we visited in Phuket. We spent an afternoon living our best tropical lives under an umbrella with drinks in hand. Between the shore and promenade are beach shacks with fresh juices, smoothies and cocktails. Vendors rent affordable lounges and umbrellas, also offering parasailing and jet ski tours.
Beach Prices. Two lounges and an umbrella cost 200 Baht for the day. Beers cost 60 Baht per bottle. Street food ranges from 40 to 80 Baht per dish.
Things to Do
Hike to the Big Buddha Lookout. A hiking trail up the hillside near Karon Beach to the Big Buddha Lookout with sunset views of the island and ocean. The trail is steep with loose gravel and trenches formed by heavy rain. Rope rails are installed throughout to make the hike easier. The trail lets out at a road that continues uphill towards the Big Buddha. It passes a few roadside cafes and small lookouts. The trail takes less than 30 minutes to hike. Wear sturdy shoes and insect repellent.
Finding The Trail Head. On Google Maps, look for the pin Trail to Big Buddha or Kata Karon Hiking Trail.
Walk to the Monkey Hill Viewpoint. Monkey Hill is exactly as its name implies, a hill with a view and a lot of monkeys. A steep roadway leads to a lookout over the city of Phuket and the bay. On the way up, large groups of monkeys gather along the edge of the road, waiting to be fed by park staff or to prey on unsuspecting visitors. It takes about an hour to walk. Many locals come here to exercise and jog.
Warning! Beware of the monkeys! They can be aggressive, even if unprovoked. Do not carry in any food or plastic nor wear any loose fitting clothing or accessories. Carry a stick or long umbrella for protection. You won’t need to use it but it warns the monkeys to think twice before jumping on you.
Visit the Phuket Old Town. A historic neighborhood of Phuket with vibrantly painted two floor buildings influenced by early European and Chinese immigrants. The architecture combines both western and eastern styles. The ground floor features dark wooden Chinese style doors, windows shaped like lotus flowers and gold painted ornamentation. The second floor features tall arched windows with slatted shutters and baroque style stucco designs. Many dessert cafés, international restaurants and shops selling Thai made goods occupy their ground floors.
Tour the Chalong Bay Distillery. An island distillery with rums, gins and vodkas made from sugar cane and rice. We toured the distillery and learned about their process of creating spirits. The tour included a welcome drink and a tasting of 6 rums, 2 gins and 1 vodka. The rums are infused with local herbs like lemongrass, kaffir lime, Thai sweet basil and spices. Their bar mixed cocktails with other local flavors like butterfly pea flower, Thai chili peppers, mango, passion fruit and pineapple. Try the passion fruit mojito, butterfly kiss and devil’s gold. Make a reservation or just show up.
Songkran Festival
Songkran is a celebration for Thai New Year held every April. It’s notorious for its energetic country wide water fights. Across the streets of Phuket, people drench each other with water. Strangers shoot water guns in passing on foot and from scooters. Shopkeepers pour bowls of ice water on passersby. Groups riding in the backs of trucks and tuk tuks splash water on anyone in sight. People gently smear wet clay on others faces as a way of offering a blessing. Wear a swimsuit, embrace the chaos and prepare to get soaked! It feels refreshing under the hot summer sun.
Why Water? The festival started as a way to cleanse oneself at the end of the year and before entering the new one. It’s since evolved into one of the country’s largest and happiest celebrations. The date changes every year as Thailand follows the Lunar Calendar.
Where to Participate. Celebrations happen all over the island, even on the most unassuming streets. Patong Beach is one of the liveliest areas on the island. The most energetic place is along Thawi Wong Road, Rat Uthit Song Pi Road and any streets in-between, especially the Bangla Walking Street.
Prices. Water guns are available at stores and from street vendors across the city. Prices range by size: 100 Baht for small, 200 Baht for medium and 400 Baht for large. Phone bags are sold for around 50 Baht. Water refills cost 10-20 Baht per person.
Phi Phi Islands
The Phi Phi Islands are a cluster of islands famed for their verdant and towering rock formations, hidden coves, white sand beaches, aquamarine hued waters, troops of wild monkeys and marine life.
The Sunrise. We joined a sunrise tour, visiting three islands during the course of the day. From our boat, we stopped to watch the sunrise above the watery horizon and distant islands in the Andaman Sea. We even spotted a small pod of dolphins swimming 100 meters from the boat.
Ko Phi Phi Le Island. A lush and rugged island with picturesque bays, a white sand beach, protected marine reserve and cavernous cave.
Maya Bay. A photogenic bay nestled between the island’s lush cliffs with a large white sand beach and protected marine reserve. We spent an hour here admiring the landscape and enjoying a picnic breakfast comprised of fresh fruits, banana bread and coconut sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves. It’s forbidden to enter the water due to a coral re-growth program happening in the bay. We spotted black tipped reef sharks from shore.
Viking Cave. A cliffside cave home to nesting sea swallows. It’s inaccessible to visitors but viewable from the water in passing.
Ao Pi Le Bay. A hidden bay only accessible during high tide. We came here to swim in its iridescent blue waters as the tide was coming in.
Ko Phi Phi Don Island. The largest of the Phi Phi Islands. It’s home to hotels and resorts, white sand beaches, snorkeling coves, turquoise bays and dense tropical forest.
Monkey Bay. A remote corner of the island with troops of wild monkeys. We spotted some climbing on the rocks and tree branches from afar. The monkeys are known to be aggressive so we were advised to keep our distance.
Ao Lo Dalam Bay. A large bay on the west side of the island with multiple beaches and snorkeling spots. We snorkeled offshore from Monkey Beach, another location home to wild monkeys. We spotted tropical fish including parrotfish, angelfish, triggerfish and snapper. Sadly most of the corals were bleached.
Lo Lana Bay. A bay on the north side of the island with turquoise waters and snorkeling. Under the surface, we saw iridescent blue clams, tropical fish and mostly dead corals.
Ko Rang Yai Island. A small island east of Phuket with a pristine white sand beach overlooking the bright blue waters of the Andaman Sea. We swam and walked along its shores, ordered fresh coconuts from the beach bar and sunbathed under the Thai sun.
Pro Tip. Book the sunrise tour! It’s the best way to avoid peak crowds when visiting the Phi Phi Islands. We booked our tour with Simba Sea Trips on Viator. The tour included pick up, drop off, snorkel equipment, breakfast and a Thai buffet lunch.
Good to Know. Wear reef safe sunblock! The remaining corals and coral nurseries are under enough stress from above average temperatures.
Ao Phang Nga National Park
Ao Phang Nga National Park is a protected bay engulfed by breathtaking scenery and hundreds of picturesque islands jutting from the water. The lush islands are home to dense mangrove forests, towering rock formations, sheer cliffs, hidden coves, glittering caves, bioluminescent sea life and floating fishing villages.
Pha Nak Island. An island with glittering natural wonders including cave formations and bioluminescent marine life.
Ice Cream Cave. A cave tunneling through the limestone island with crystalline rocks, stone columns, dripping stalactites and nubby stalagmites. The cave is named after rock formations that resemble melting ice cream. It leads to a hidden lagoon with milky blue water.
Bioluminescent Cove. A small cove home to bioluminescent algae and comb jellyfish only visible at night. Waves lap onshore creating a glittering array of bright blue and white sparkles throughout the water. It was a truly magical experience!
Kong Island. A verdant island with narrow channels and caves leading to hidden lagoons, tree covered chambers and towering rock structures. Guides kayaked us through its passageways; many were only accessible during low tide or so tight that we needed to lay flat to pass through.
Khao Phing Kan Island (James Bond Island). An island made famous by the 1974 James Bond film, The Man with the Golden Gun. It features a standalone rock tower rising from the bay, surrounded by islands. The iconic view is visible from a small beach and multiple overlooks. A short trail leads around the island with access to a cliffside cave and a sheer crevice.
Ko Panyi Island. A towering island at the top of the bay with a floating stilt village home to a small fishing community. It’s famed for its floating football pitch and mosque topped with golden onion domes. We walked through the village past rustic and colorful homes, saw people weaving fishing traps and watched as long boats returned with freshly caught fish. We enjoyed a Thai buffet dinner overlooking the natural scenery of the bay from Maria Sea View Restaurant.
Getting Here. The best way to visit Ao Phang Nga National Park is by boat tour. We booked an afternoon tour, well after most other groups had returned for the day. We had the experience of seeing most sights with few other visitors outside of those on our tour. We booked with Discova Thailand on Viator and highly recommend them.
Shop the Markets
Banzaan Fresh Market. A large farmers market in Patong with aisles of vendors selling locally grown vegetables, fruits and herbs. It’s popular among locals for its large seafood section with freshly caught shellfish like shrimp, prawn and lobster. We shopped here buying all the groceries we needed for the week.
Mae Somchit Kata Fresh Market. A local farmers market under an open air pavilion with vendors selling fresh vegetables, fruits, seafood, flowers and spices.
Kata Walking Street Market. A large street food market near the north side of Kata Beach with alleyways and a shed of vendors serving all types of Thai dishes. It’s a popular spot to try freshly caught and affordable seafood like grilled whole fish, squid and lobster.
Places to Eat & Drink
Coffee Bar Let’s Roll. A breakfast and brunch spot in Kata with a range of egg dishes, smoothie bowls, baked goods and coffees.
Griffin House Bar. A small street side bar in Kata with well made and affordable cocktails. We stopped in for tropical Mai Tais.
Pots, Pints & Tikis. A restaurant and bar just steps from the north end of Patong Beach. Their menu includes classic Thai dishes, brick oven pizzas, pastas and burgers. Bartenders mix tropical cocktails and tiki drinks in addition to serving Thai beers. It’s the perfect spot for a mid-afternoon bite or post sunset drink. Come for the buy one get one free happy hour from 5-7pm.
Taodaeng. A beautiful dessert café in Phuket’s Old Town with pastries, tarts and cold caffeinated beverages. We stopped in to escape the heat and sip on Thai Iced Tea with Boba as well as try two tarts decorated in local fruits and edible flowers.
Ubuntu Vegan Café. A vegan restaurant in Phuket with Mediterranean, Indian and Thai dishes as well a fresh fruit smoothie bowls.
Thai Cuisine
Pad Thai. A world renowned rice noodle dish famed for its tangy and sweet sauce paired with peanuts, scallions, bean sprouts and chili peppers.
Thai Curry. Red, green and yellow curries made with a range of hot and savory spices, coconut milk and rice noodles.
Tom Yum Goong. A flavorful spicy and sour Thai soup made with lime juice, lemon grass, galangal root, kaffir lime leaves and evaporated milk. It’s often paired with shrimp or prawn.
Spring Rolls. Crispy and flaky rolled or deep fried dough filled with veggies and herbs typically served with a sweet and spicy sauce.
Pineapple Fried Rice. Stir-fried rice cooked with diced pineapple, umami forward sauces and a choice of protein like tofu, chicken or pork.
Mango Sticky Rice. A simple and delicious staple of Thai cuisine made from sticky rice paired with freshly sliced mango. The rice is often flavored with sweetened condensed milk or a herbal syrup.
Thai Iced Tea. A classic Thai beverage made from brewed black tea and mixed with milk and sugar. It’s often flavored with star anise and cardamom. Try it with boba pearls.
Thai Rolled Ice Cream. Cream poured over a chilled surface and aggressively mixed together with toppings, thinly spread and scraped up into small rolls of ice cream. Tt’s a staple of every street food market with at least one stand offering the cold and flavorful dessert.
Chang Beer. A national beer, popular across the country. It’s recognizable by two elephants on its label.
Where to Stay
Moonlight House. A boutique hotel in a teak wooden house on the hill above Patong Beach. We stayed in a private room on the second floor with a balcony and sunset views. It was the perfect oasis close to nature and the energy of Patong Beach. Book on Airbnb.
When to Visit
We visited Phuket and southern Thailand in mid-April. There are some pros and cons to consider.
Pros. The Songkran Festival (Thai New Year) happens in mid-April. It’s the shoulder season so there are fewer visitors. It’s peak mango harvesting season. The sweet and tasty fruit is available everywhere.
Cons. There will be some rainy days. Plan to leave buffer room if tours need to be rescheduled or if beach days get rained out.
Getting Around
Phuket Smart Bus (Airport Bus). An inexpensive public bus with stops between the airport and beach towns of Phuket making stops at Patong, Karon, Kata and Rawai Beaches. Tickets cost 100 Bhat per person. Follow the signs outside of the terminal to the pick up spot.
Grab. A taxi hailing app similar to Uber or Lyft. Taxis were readily available on the app and cheap to travel around town but significantly more costly to get across the island.
Good to Know. Grabs here can be very scammy! Drivers try to charge more in cash, come up with excuses why they can’t pick you up and ask you to cancel. Make them cancel, not you. Expect to be paired with 3 or more drivers.
Phuket Patong Public Bus. A public “bus” operating a singular route between Phuket and Patong. The bus is a large covered flatbed truck with benches on either side. It costs 40 Baht per person and is by far the cheapest way to get between both cities. The bus leaves every half an hour between 9am and 6pm. The station in Patong is not marked. It’s located on the corner of Sawatdirak Road and Thaweewong Road next to the Barracuda Beach Club. In Phuket, it’s located at the Phuket Town Bus Terminal.
Elsewhere in Thailand
From Phuket's beaches and island hopping routes to Bangkok's cultural landmarks, Chiang Mai's northern heritage and Krabi's dramatic coastline, continue your journey through Thailand with these travel guides:
Bangkok Travel Guide: Temples, Street Food & Thai Culture. Immerse yourself in Bangkok where gilded temples, the Royal Palace, lively night markets and legendary street food reflect Thailand's dynamic blend of tradition and modernity.
Chiang Mai Travel Guide: Old City, Temples & Night Markets. Meander through Chiang Mai's Old City where historic temples and night markets reveal Northern Thai culture, mountain landscapes, waterfalls and elephant sanctuaries.
Krabi Travel Guide: Railay Beach, Limestone Cliffs & Tropical Adventure. Adventure through Krabi where Railay Beach, limestone cliffs, turquoise bays, white sand beaches and caves form one of Thailand's most dramatic coastal landscapes.
For Next Time…
Mai Khao Beach Airport Viewpoint. A beach at the end of Phuket’s airport runway. During certain times of the year, airplanes fly just several meters overhead before touching down on the runway.
Mu Ko Similan National Park & Islands. A protected marine reserve famed for its underwater marine life and biodiversity. It’s a popular snorkeling and diving destination.
Visit the Mangroves. Phuket and the surrounding islands are home to a dense ecosystem of coastal mangroves. During high tide, many of them can be toured by kayak or stand up paddle by guides that know the route.
