Phuket
Things to do in Phuket
Beaches, beaches and more beaches - If you are visiting Phuket your primary objective is probably to enjoy the beautiful beaches on the island. There are many beaches to chose from and fun beach clubs with day parties, drinks and lounge options.
I would say that the beaches on Phuket island itself were not as impressive as the beaches we visited on the islands surrounding Phuket. There you will find the picturesque clear blue waters that drew you to Thailand in the first place. If you are looking to spend most of your time on the beach I definitely recommend limiting your time on Phuket itself and heading out to one of the neighboring islands like Koh Phi Phi, Krabi island or Koh Yao Noi, however, some worthwhile non-crowded beaches to visit on Phuket are Banana Beach,Kata Noi, Nai Thon, and Surin,
Beach clubs Phuket
Iguana beach club
dream beach club
Cafe del mar
Paradise beach club
Tiger Kingdom ? - I have so many different emotions towards the tiger Sanctuary I visited during my trip. For one thing I was extremely scared of the idea of being in an enclosure with these naturally wild animals. I also felt as though this type of tourism was very shallow but I decided to still go so that I could form an opinion based of my own experience. I will say now, after having visited the Tiger Kingdom, this is something I will not be participating in again moving forward. I think it is important as tourists to be socially and environmentally conscious when we visit another country, the entire experience was geared towards taking pictures with the animals by all means necessary. There was very little education actually communicated to us about the animals. The cages where the tigers are kept in were much too small for these big creatures and every tiger seemed very dull and almost as though they were not fully conscious as they would be naturally. I can’t say more than that because I simply cannot confirm anything beyond my observations but I will say the picture isn’t worth it, if you want to see tigers, go see them in the wild, on a safari, in India.
Bangla Road - For a fun night out Bangla road is the spot, expect to be bombarded every step you take by people trying to sell you something or grab your attention and lure you into their bar but that’s part of the fun of it. While it is very touristy, it’s still worth doing. Be cautious of the prices of food and drinks here its often times 3x as expensive as other places you may visit in Thailand.
Rent a scooter - Hands down the best way to explore Patong Beach and other parts of Phuket. We rented a scooter for $7 a day and drove ourselves around the island to all top places we were interested in. With a scooter you can travel easily at your own pace, Phuket is very accessible so most of the attractions on the island are well within reach.
Karon Viewpoint - This is one of the most popular spots to view the whole island, you can take in the mountains, bays and unending Andaman sea. Try to get there early so you can beat the selfie stick crowds or check out some other popular viewpoints in Phuket like Ya Nui viewpoint, Khao Rang hill or Kata Noi viewpoint.
Other Things to do
Big Buddha Statue
Boathouse oceanfront cooking class
Wat Chalong Temple
Explore old phuket town
Planning your Itinerary
I went into our first trip to Phuket not having done a lot of research, I wanted to be close to Patong beach and I knew I wanted to visit the Phi Phi Islands so be booked a hotel 10 minutes away from the beach and decided to figure the rest out once we got there.
While I enjoyed my time in Phuket there was one thing I would have done differently:
For a true beach vacation I personally wouldn’t spending more than 3 nights on Phuket island, I would recommend staying at least 1-2 nights on the Phi Phi islands and using the island as a springboard to visit other beautiful islands such as the Racha Island, coral island, Koh Khai and the Similan Island.
There are many options to go island hopping from Phuket
Boat Tours: You can join one of the many popular boat tours that are offered on the island, you can find someone selling a tour almost anywhere you go. These day tours usually include hotel pick up and drop off as well as lunch, drinks and the option to visit 2 -3 islands of your choice before 5pm. I would recommend this if you are short on time or if you are on a budget, they generally go for $40 per person. The bIggest con about these boat tours is that you will be stuck with about 25-30 other people which can be very annoying if you aren’t trying to make friends. The tours also have a set schedule and only give you about 45minutes to 1 hour on some islands.
If you are choosing to stay a night or more on Koh Phi Phi or you simply want to have a semi private experience you can take the ferry to to Koh Phi Phi and then hire a traditional long tail boat to take you around the island and to other nearby islands. You can check the ferry timetable here and prices too.
If you are traveling with a group of friends or have more leeway in your budget, hire a speedboat and have them take you to all of the islands you are most interested in, this allows you to spend more time on the islands enjoy the most without having to be tied down to the set schedule of a large group tour. Private trips will cost you anywhere from $200-$300 if you aren’t able to find a good bargain.
Making the most of your trip
Mid range budget for Phuket
Accommodation- $55 - $65 per night for a mid-range hotel
I stayed at the Baan Yin Dee hotel during my time in Phuket, the hotel rooms were luxurious and the service was great, the hotel is a 5-8 minute drive from Patong beach so close enough that you get to enjoy the atmosphere but far enough that you aren’t caught up in the crowds.
Activities - $300
Food - $85
Transportation- $85