Going on holiday to Phuket? I’m jealous, because I miss this wonderful island in one of the best countries in the whole world! If you have heard of Thailand, you have probably heard of Phuket. Phuket is one of Thailand’s most popular destinations, touted as a breathtaking coastal paradise nestled in the Andaman Sea. The tropical gem is known for its stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, delicious food, and vibrant party scene. And I’ve put together the only Phuket travel guide you’ll ever need.
Phuket has gained immense popularity for several compelling reasons. Firstly, its stunning natural beauty—picturesque beaches, clear waters, and green landscape—makes it an irresistible destination. Plus, the island features diverse activities and attractions, from water sports and diving adventures to lively nightlife and cultural experiences.
I would argue that Phuket, despite being so popular, is not Thailand’s most wonderful city. In fact, I believe there are many, many more stunning destinations and even island paradises in Thailand that would top Phuket! But you can’t go on a tropical vacation to Thailand and not visit this famous tourist spot.
🌴 If you’re interested in a less commercial and touristy spot with the same beach vibes, check out Krabi! If you’re not sure which destination is right for you, I have a guide comparing them here as well.
How many days should you spend in Phuket?
While it’s tempting to stay here forever, there are more stunning destinations in Thailand. So don’t spend too much time in Phuket! I would say 3-5 days is good enough before you move on to other tropical places like Krabi, Koh Samui, or Koh Tao—or head north to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai (my personal favorite cities in Thailand!).
3 days is definitely on the shorter side and for those just wanting to hit the highlights, whereas 5 days gives you enough time to explore a bit more deeply and expand your visit to places a bit further out of Phuket like Phang Nga or day trip to the nearby islands.
Phuket has plenty of day trip options because of its strategic location on the coast. The beaches here are out of this world, so pick some islands and enjoy!
Where to stay in Phuket?
Except for days when you are exploring the region of Phang Nga (such as visiting Samet Nangshe or James Bond Island), I would recommend staying in central Phuket Town. This puts you in the center of restaurants, shops, activities, and more importantly, taxi drivers. I’ve made a few suggestions below:
- Budget: Phuket Merlin Hotel: This affordable hotel offers comfortable rooms, a central location in Phuket Town, and convenient amenities such as a swimming pool and on-site restaurant, making it a great choice for budget-conscious travelers.
- Mid-range: The Memory at On On Hotel: Located in the heart of Phuket Town, this charming boutique hotel combines heritage architecture with modern comforts. With stylishly designed rooms, a rooftop pool, and a trendy cafe, it offers a delightful mid-range accommodation option for those seeking a blend of history and contemporary charm.
- Luxury: The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa: Situated on Siray Island just off the coast of Phuket Town, this luxurious resort offers stunning views, spacious rooms, and an array of amenities. With multiple dining options, a luxurious spa, and direct access to a private beach, The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa provides an indulgent and upscale retreat for travelers seeking luxury and relaxation.
Please note that availability and prices may vary, so it’s advisable to check for the most up-to-date information and make reservations in advance.
Phuket Travel Guide: The 12 Most Stunning Spots in Phuket, Thailand
Samet Nangshe Viewpoint
Samet Nangshe is one of the most beautiful places in Phuket. But it’s not easy to get to—in fact, it’s not even really in Phuket at all! While most of the things to do and see in Phuket are on Phuket Island, Samet Nangshe is actually located on the northern side closer to Phang Nga, across the Sarasin Bridge. However, this might be my favorite part of Phuket—standing high over the rolling green hills and seeing the beautiful islands rise in the sea under an expansive sky is just otherworldly.
To get to Samet Nangshe Viewpoint, I would recommend staying nearby for the night and taking a taxi to the base of the mountain. The nearest town is Khok Kloi and we stayed at Baan Kamana Guesthouse, which is a very modern and beautifully furnished little guesthouse that I absolutely recommend. Even Khok Kloi is about 20 minutes from the base of Samet Nangshe by car and the taxi typically costs 1800-2000 THB round-trip. (The driver will wait for you at the bottom of the mountain.) If you’re willing to splurge a little more, you can stay at Samet Nangshe itself—making a reservation at Samet Nangshe Boutique will place you directly on top of the viewpoint and you can literally wake up to this iconic view in the morning. However, it’s expensive by Thailand’s standards and books out quickly, so make your reservation in advance!
When you reach the base of the mountain, you can either hike up or take a local truck for a small fee of about 90 baht. If you’re making this trip to see Samet Nangshe at sunrise, there won’t be any trucks there, so you’ll have to hike. However, if you’re going during the day, I highly recommend taking the truck because the sun is incredibly hot and unforgiving and the path is very steep and bumpy!
🍜 Foodie tip: If you end up staying in Khok Kloi, make sure to check out Khok Kloi Bami Tom Yam Khai. This Michelin Bib Gourmand-winning, unassuming little local restaurant still has one of the best tom yam khai I’ve ever eaten: sour and not too spicy, flavorful and delicious, with impressively sized portions at more-than-reasonable prices.
Phuket Temples
If you haven’t been to Thailand before, something you’ll be struck by is how many temples there are in Thailand. We spent 3 weeks across Thailand and I can’t even describe how many temples we saw, sometimes even 3 or 4 per day! Phuket also has lots of temples, but most of them aren’t that large compared to the ones in other parts of Thailand. Here are some notable ones that you should consider:
- Wat Mongkhon Nimit: A beautiful temple in Old Town Phuket. It’s very small, but lovely in red and gold. There is a school here as well and the locals set up a food market in the parking lot that you can check out!
- Wat Chalong: The largest temple in Phuket, expansive and beautiful in traditional colors. It’s slightly out of the way if you’re staying in Phuket Town, but you can stop by here on the same day as the Big Buddha (below).
- Big Buddha: Not so much a traditional Thai temple as just an absolutely enormous statue of the Buddha with a temple-like space underneath. It’s beautiful, especially when the light gets softer and the Buddha seems to be glowing white! More on the Big Buddha in a later section.
Tip: Make sure to come early enough in the day if you’re visiting temples. While most of them are free to visit, they tend to close around 4 – 5 PM.
Chillva Market
Chillva Market is a great fun night market beloved by locals and tourists alike. There’s tons of street food, clothes and accessories shopping, and even a live music stage. It doesn’t have the same vibe as a true local market, but this is offset by just how much there is to do, see, and eat here. It’s one of the best activities to try in Phuket.
Don’t bother negotiating or haggling; the vendors here are very used to their prices and aren’t interested in haggling with foreigners. Simply enjoy trying and eating everything, listening to the performances, and perhaps buying some clothes here or there. They even have massages and nail technicians if you’re interested in some pampering! Note that the market is closed on Sundays.
James Bond Island
Nestled in Phang Nga Bay, a bit further away from Phuket, you’ll find the famous James Bond Island. Remember that epic scene from “The Man with the Golden Gun”? Well, this is the place! It’s a must-visit spot for a day trip from Phuket, where you can soak up the stunning views of the limestone rock formation jutting out of the turquoise waters. Hop on a boat, explore the surrounding islands, and uncover hidden caves for an adventure you won’t soon forget.
The port that day trips to James Bond Island leave from is, similar to Samet Nangshe, on the northern side of Phuket. If you are interested in visiting, I would recommend pairing James Bond Island on the same day or an adjacent day as Samet Nangshe. Both of these are two of the most beautiful places in Phuket and shouldn’t be missed!
Ma Doo Bua Cafe
Ma Doo Bua is an Instagram-famous cafe in Phuket known for its gigantic Queen Victoria water lilies. The main draw here is to take photos lying in the boat positioned in the lily pond. It’s beautiful for sure, but I do have mixed feelings about this place. To take photos in the boat, you must purchase a photo and/or video package from Ma Doo Bua that includes drone footage and phone photos airdropped to your phone after the approximately 10-minute session—they do not allow you to bring your own drone. This isn’t a problem on its own, but the cafe become extremely popular since it blew up on Instagram. The first time we came here, we made the mistake of arriving at 11 AM. The staff then informed us the next available photo booking slot was around 5 PM, 6 hours later! We declined and showed up early the next morning instead, but even after arriving less than half an hour after opening time, we still had to wait an hour and a half.
The staff was also quite rude to us, first seating us in the area by the pond and then later scolding us for sitting there even though they were the ones who sat us there in the first place. They also tried to charge us an extra 300 baht. It wasn’t my favorite experience, so be prepared if you are going to come for the lilies!
You can also stay at Ma Doo Bua; they have a hotel branch. We didn’t, but it seems reasonably priced and you get to live on the edge of the lily pond.
Nui Beach
It’s no hidden beach, but the touristy Nui Beach is fun and popular for a reason. This beach is tucked away in a bay surrounded by tall boulders, effectively closing it off into its own little corner of paradise. The road leading here is rough as well, and you’ll want to take a truck down for a small fee. We did see people with motorbikes at the bottom, but I highly don’t recommend this; while we were driving down I was shocked by how steep and rough the road was and I cannot imagine taking a 2-wheeled vehicle of any kind down such an unsafe path.
The beach is cute and Instagrammable. There are cafes and huts, two Bali-style rope swings, and some photo ops such as a wooden nest and a bathtub. The facilities are quite good, and while we didn’t get anything, I read and heard that the prices for food and drink are also very reasonable considering everything needs to be shuttled down the steep path to the beach.
Karon Viewpoint
Slightly up the road from Nui Beach is Karon Viewpoint. I actually recommend coming here first if possible, since you’ll be sticky from the sand and saltwater if you choose to come after. This is one of the most popular viewpoints on the island and it’s really quite gorgeous! The spot is well built-out and there is plenty of space for everyone. You can even sit in the shade and enjoy the expansive views over the beautiful blue water, spying small towns and buildings in the distance.
I do recommend arranging a ride or having contact with a driver before coming out here. Karon Viewpoint and Nui Beach are far enough away from Phuket Town that ride service isn’t reliable. We made arrangements with a driver that we contacted beforehand, but we did meet some people who had a rather difficult time because they couldn’t hail a Grab from this far out.
Phuket Restaurants
Phuket thrives on its constant influx of tourists, which means that a lot of the restaurants here can be more expensive than those found in other parts of Thailand and more geared towards foreign palates. I don’t disagree that this is the case, but there’s still a lot of delicious food to be found around Phuket. Here are some of my favorite restaurants that I would recommend for any first-time Phuket traveler:
- Mook Manee: A popular but very interesting seafood restaurant in Phuket. Set on the coast, Mook Manee is a restaurant located on a street that acts as a fresh seafood market. You can buy seafood at the market and bring it to the restaurant, where they will cook the seafood for you to your preference. We had a great time selecting fresh scallops, clams, and prawns at the fresh market. It was also amazing to see the exact seafood that we brought to the chefs come back out later as the dishes that we requested! I highly recommend buying and then asking for basil stir-fried clams—I still remember today how delicious that dish was.
- Khok Kloi Bami Tom Yam Khai: I listed this one above in my section on Samet Nangshe, since it’s located a bit out of the way for those staying in Phuket. However, if you have the chance, I cannot recommend this spot enough! It was the first meal that we had in Thailand and I am still thinking about it today. The tom yam khai is so flavorful with beautiful spicy and sour broth and plenty of vermicelli noodles. This spot feels uber-local, in stark comparison to the many tourist-friendly restaurants that we had in Phuket.
- One Chun: A foreigner-friendly restaurant that doesn’t compromise on its delicious flavors. We had to wait about 30 minutes for a table at One Chun, but it was more than worth it for how delicious everything was. You can get all your favorite classic Thai dishes here (and we loved the pad thai, which we can’t say about a lot of the ones we had in Bangkok!), but I have to recommend the crab meat in the lemon sauce. It’s not a pairing I’m used to having, but the crab meat was so fresh and tender and the lemon sauce gave it a wonderful lightness and acidity. I’m addicted! Left photo below.
- Salaloy Seafood: A medium-priced seafood restaurant in Phuket. Seafood restaurants in Phuket are a dime a dozen, but Salaloy is located so wonderfully directly on the coastline that I cannot complain. We loved eating everything here as well. Having a spicy papaya salad on a hot day, looking out at the ocean, is hard to beat! I also fell in love with the tender and lightly crispy calamari. Right photo below.
Day Trip to Phi Phi Islands
I have a dedicated article on taking a day trip to Koh Phi Phi here, but if it wasn’t already on your radar, consider this your sign! The Phi Phi Islands are devastatingly beautiful with their soft white sand beaches, crystalline turquoise water, waving palm trees, beautiful mountains, and lively sea life.
While it’s possible to stay over a day or two in the Phi Phi Islands, most people tend to take a full-day trip on a boat to see a few of the main sights such as Maya Bay and Monkey Island. It’s also possible to rent a longtail boat, but I would recommend taking a speedboat tour instead because the islands can be quite far away from one another and you don’t want to waste your precious time! If you want to take a longtail boat, locals often will offer their boat while you’re at a stop, or you can opt to hire one when chasing the closer islands in Krabi.
🥥 Make sure to read my article on day-tripping to the Phi Phi Islands here.
Big Buddha
It’s exactly what it sounds like. High on a mountainside in west Phuket, you’ll find a towering white Buddha statue majestically overlooking the island with serene grace. This iconic landmark offers not only a spiritual sanctuary but also panoramic views of Phuket’s stunning landscapes, making it a must-visit destination for both cultural immersion and breathtaking photo opportunities. There are 90 steps to the top, which may sound like a lot but isn’t hard at all.
Families of monkeys live here, so make sure to hold onto your belongings and don’t get too close! There are signs posted all around warning tourists not to approach or feed the monkeys, but it happens all the time. Stay clear of them and let the monkeys have their space as well.
Conclusion
And with that, I have covered all the must-do experiences in lively Phuket, so you’re all set for an amazing adventure. I hope this Phuket travel guide makes planning your holiday to Phuket effortless and exciting!
Phuket FAQs
- Is Phuket worth visiting? Absolutely. While there is no shortage of beautiful places to visit in Thailand, I definitely think Phuket is worth a visit. It has great beaches and amazing food—plus a bumping nightlife scene if you’re into that. This Phuket travel guide covers the best things to see and do to make the most of your trip.
- Should I go to Krabi or Phuket? Both Krabi and Phuket in Thailand are incredible destinations, but they offer different vibes. Phuket is livelier but more touristic, while Krabi is more laid-back. Check out my Phuket vs. Krabi comparison guide for more details.
- Is Phuket better or the Phi Phi Islands? Many travelers combine both—using Phuket as a base and taking a day trip to the Phi Phi Islands for crystal-clear waters and iconic scenery. I definitely recommend scheduling in a day to visit beautiful Phi Phi while you’re here in Phuket!
- What is the hottest month in Phuket? April is typically the hottest month in Phuket, with temperatures often reaching 35°C (95°F). If you plan your holiday to Phuket during this time, be prepared for intense heat and high humidity.
- What NOT to do in Phuket? Don’t disrespect local customs—dress modestly in temples and remove shoes before entering. Avoid renting motorbikes without experience, and skip unethical animal tourism like elephant riding.
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