Phuket is a very divisive destination in Thailand. People either love it or absolutely despise it. If you’re going there to party or if it is your first stop in Thailand, you may look at it more favourably. It is still a really good place to visit in Thailand! However, it is certainly not my favourite place in Thailand, nor would I recommend everyone to go. Apart from the nightlife, they have some stunning beaches, Elephant Sanctuary and a giant Buddha. If you do have to fly in here to commence your Thailand travels, it is worth spending a night or two (unless you’re on a super tight itinerary). My best travel tip for Phuket would be to lower your expectations and just enjoy the chaos of Patong.
How many days to spend in Phuket
How many days you spend in Phuket depends on a few different factors, such as how much you want to party and experience the nightlife and how long you have in Thailand. Controversial travel tip, but if you don’t have that much time in Thailand, I would probably skip Phuket altogether. There are plenty of things to do, but there is nothing in Phuket that you can only specifically do there. Nightlife, beaches, Elephant Sanctuaries and giant Buddha statues- there are plenty of these sights in other places in Thailand, and arguably they are better than the ones in Phuket.
If you want to check out Phuket, I would recommend two full days to visit all the sights. This would allow you to explore Phuket at a leisurely pace and spend some time chilling on the beach. If you want also to experience the nightlife and party most nights, add an extra day or two to this.
How to get to Phuket
Phuket is a major transport hub in the South of Thailand and is easily accessible from many different places. Many people either start or end their Thailand travel route here as there are many international flights from Phuket airport. There are also a lot of ferries departing heading for Phi Phi Island. There are also buses and trains to Bangkok, Khao Sok National Park and Koh Tao, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. For any buses, ferries and trains, 12GOAsia is one of the best ways to book these.
How to get from Phi Phi Island to Phuket
One of the most popular routes is between Phuket and Phi Phi Island either via ferry or speedboat. Most boats will depart from Ton Sai Pier, which is the main pier on Phi Phi Island and within walking distance of most accommodations. A few depart from Laem Tong Beach, which is the northern tip of the island, where a few high-end resorts are. All boats arrive at Rassada Pier, which is in Phuket Old Town, so you must make your way from here. Ferries depart daily at 9 am, 11 am, 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm. The ferry is a large boat and takes around 2-3 hours. Expect to pay around 300-475 THB Thai Baht ($8.50-$13 USD).
Speedboats depart daily at 8:30 am, 9 am, 10 am, 10:30 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 1:30 pm, 2 pm and 2:30 pm. The journey takes between 1-2 hours, and you can expect to pay about 405-570 THB Thai Baht ($12-$24 USD).
Whether you go with a speedboat or a ferry will depend on availability, your budget and how short of time you are. One important factor that may sway your decision between a ferry and a speedboat is whether you suffer from seasickness. Speedboats get there faster, but you feel a lot more of the bumps and waves, which may be worse for you if you suffer from seasickness. While you may still get sick on the ferry, as it is a bigger vessel and moving slower, you will not feel the movement as much.
How to get from Krabi, Ao Nang or Railay Beach to Phuket
There are a number of vans running between Ao Nang/ Krabi, and Phuket. You can book the van from a number of different pickup locations in both Ao Nang and Krabi town, depending on where you are staying. The journey can take anywhere between 3-5 hours, depending on your pickup and dropoff locations and whether there is any traffic. The first van departs at 6 am, and the last van departs at 5:20 pm. Expect to pay anywhere between 163-420 THB Thai Baht ($4.70-$12.20 USD).
If you’re coming from Railay Beach, you have two options to get to Phuket. You can either get a ferry or speedboat there from the floating pier. This will take between 1.5-2 hours, depending on which boat you get. They depart daily at 10:30 am, 1:40 pm and 3:15 pm. Expect to pay between 466-723 THB Thai Baht ($13.50-$21 USD).
The other option is getting on the local longtail boat from Railay Beach to Ao Nang and then getting on a van transfer from there. The local boat between Railay and Ao Nang only takes around 10 minutes and runs on demand when they get enough people to fill the boat. It costs around 93 THB Thai Baht ($2.70 USD) for the boat. Ensure you allow enough time to transfer between the longtail and the van, and just in case it takes a while for the longtail boat to fill up with passengers and depart.
How to get to Phuket from Malaysia
Malaysia to Thailand is a very popular backpacking route, so many people travel between these two countries. There used to be a ferry that operated between Phuket and Langkawi, but unfortunately, post-covid, this ferry is no longer running. The easiest and quickest way to get to Phuket from Langkawi is by flying with Air Asia, and flights have a stopover in either Penang or Kuala Lumpur. Expect to pay 2872 THB Thai Baht ($84 USD) for the 4.5-hour flight.
How to get to Phuket from Bangkok
To get from Bangkok to Phuket, you can either fly or jump on an overnight bus. This would be the same route you would take from the north of Thailand as well, from places such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pai, Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi, as you will need to get to Bangkok first to get to the south. The easiest and quickest way would be to fly from Bangkok to Phuket. Flight prices are as low as 723 THB Thai Baht ($21 USD), not including baggage. This is with budget carriers such as Air Asia and Vietjet Air, and it only takes 1.5 hours.
You can also catch an overnight bus from Bangkok to Phuket. The journey will take between 12-15 hours and will cost 513-793 THB Thai Baht ($15-23 USD). Buses depart from either Mochit or Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok, both of which are around 30 minutes drive from the centre of Bangkok. The buses are pretty comfortable with AC, blankets provided, chairs reclining to a 90-degree angle, a small toilet on-board, and phone charging points. Buses depart at 6:45 am, 4:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:30 pm and 7:20 pm daily.
How to get to Phuket from Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao
Regardless of which island you are coming from, you will need to catch a ferry to Surat Thani and then catch a bus from Surat Thani to Phuket. Journeys can take anywhere between 6.5-9.5 hours, and you can book this as a combined ticket with guaranteed transfers on 12 Go Asia. Day Ferries and van tickets cost between 395-863 THB Thai Baht ($11.50-$25 USD). Ferries depart at 5 am, and the last ferry is around 1 pm, depending on which island you are coming from. There are more ferry options coming from bigger islands, such as Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. From Koh Tao, the only day option departs at 9:30 am.
There is also a night ferry option from Koh Tao if you don’t want to lose a whole travel day. But be warned, the night ferry is extremely basic, so it will not be a good night’s sleep for you. The ferry does not have aircon and is thin mattresses on the floor so close together that you’re basically sharing a bed with your neighbour. It is certainly an experience! The ferry departs Koh Tao at 9 pm and arrives at Phuket Bus Terminal at around 1 pm the next day. It involves an overnight slow ferry and then a van/bus transfer taking around 16 hours in total. Expect to pay around 863 THB Thai Baht ($35 USD) for all connections when booked on 12GOAsia.
How to get to Phuket from Khao Sok National Park
Another popular route is from Khao Sok National Park to Phuket. The journey only takes around 4 hours in a bus/ van. The van departs from the small terminal at Khao Sok National Park and arrives at Phuket Terminal 2 bus station in Phuket Old Town. Buses depart at 9:10 am, 12:10 pm and 4:10 pm daily. Expect to pay a flat rate of 233 THB Thai Baht ($6.85 USD).
How to get around Phuket
Given how spread out the sights are in Phuket and how many different areas there are, it can be a bit tricky to navigate getting from one place to another. The distances are pretty far, and there is not much in the way of public transport. I would try to plan my days around doing activities in similar areas to avoid going back and forth.
Getting around Phuket on foot
If you’re staying in Patong, you’ll be able to easily walk to all the nightlife, night markets and Patong Beach. For everywhere else you will either need to go by car or by scooter. Similarly, if you’re staying in Karon, you can walk to Karon Beach, but everywhere else will require a vehicle. If you decide to stay in Phuket Town, you are even further away and can only really get to the colonial buildings in Phuket Town on foot. The footpaths in Phuket are generally pretty good, and there are not many stray dogs around. So it is easy and safe to walk places. The only thing to be mindful of (particularly in Patong) is pickpockets. Also, if you are a male, sex workers on the streets may catcall you or try to pull you into massage parlours.
Getting around Phuket by Grab
Much like most places in South East Asia, there is no Uber, but they have an alternative called Grab. Grab is just like Uber, except you also have the option to pay cash to the driver upon pickup. It is a safe way to get around, and it’s fairly easy to get a Grab in all the main tourist areas like Patong, Karon and Phuket Old Town. It may be trickier getting a Grab back to these tourist areas, particularly if you’re coming from somewhere kind of remote like the Big Buddha Statue. You may just have to wait longer searching on the app or even have to get a Taxi which will charge you a higher price.
You can also get around by private driver, taxi or Tuktuk. These generally tend to be a bit more expensive than Grab, and you will have to haggle a lot with the pricing. A private driver may be a good idea for sightseeing outside of the city areas, as they will wait for you at each of the stops. This means you avoid waiting for a Grab in some of these more remote areas.
Getting around Phuket by scooter
As it is in most places in South East Asia, it is incredibly easy and cost-effective to rent a scooter to get around. Travel tip: ensure you have an International License before renting a scooter, as Phuket is a hot spot for tourists getting fined. Also, make sure you are a confident driver and never drive drunk. Another thing that is important to note is that Phuket is very hilly, particularly getting to the Big Buddha and near Karon and Kata Beaches. There’s not a lot of traffic once you get out of Patong, but you will want to ensure you are confident tackling hilly terrain.
Where to stay in Phuket
Phuket has a lot of hostels to choose from, and they are pretty spread out in different parts of Phuket. The main area of Phuket and the most infamous is Patong. This area is famous for nightlife like Bangla Road and sex tourism as it is a red-light district. Patong is perfect for anyone wanting to party, as you can easily walk home from any nightlife spot. You can book all accommodation online here.
Another popular area to stay in is Karon Beach area. Karon is popular with honeymooners and couples, so there are mainly resorts in this area and a few hostels. The benefit of staying in Karon is you will be a couple of minutes walk from the cleanest and prettiest beach in Phuket. The streets are also very quiet. You can still venture into Patong if you want to party, but it is around a 20-minute drive each way, and you may find it tricky to get a taxi at certain times of the day.
The other place where some people stay in Phuket is in Old Phuket Town. This is a convenient place to stay if you are going to catch a ferry from Phuket. Phuket Old Town also has picturesque pastel-coloured colonial buildings, which are very instagrammable. They do also have night markets and some nightlife, but it is more lowkey. It is around a 35-minute drive from Patong and Karon areas to Phuket Old Town. Most people opt to spend 1-2 days in Phuket Old Town. Then 1-2 days in either Karon or Patong to not waste time and money transiting back and forth.
Bodega Hostel– best party hostel
If you’re looking for a party hostel near Patong Beach, then Bodega Hostel is for you! They run nightly events such as pool and beer pong competitions and run a pub crawl down Bangla Road every few nights. They’re located just a 2-minute walk from the start of Bangla Road and about a 5-minute walk from Patong main beach. Full disclosure, the beds and bathroom facilities are basic (no curtains on the bed), but really what most people stay there for is the vibe. If you prefer something a bit more comfortable, you can stay elsewhere and just come for the nightly activities and drink at the bar.
Lub D Hostel Patong– best flashpacker hostel
One of the most luxurious hostels I have ever stayed in! This feels more like a luxury resort than a hostel. Be warned; the price is pretty steep! It’s located in a super central location, a short walk from Bodega Hostel, Bangla Road and Patong Beach. The dorm beds are super comfortable, with proper duvets and privacy curtains. They have a really nice pool with a stunning pool bar area filled with comfortable loungers. They also run nightly events such as a pub crawl and trivia night. Lub D attracts a range of different travellers, such as honeymooners wanting a more affordable accommodation option, groups of friends on holiday and backpackers. In my experience, it was a little tricky to make friends as a solo backpacker. But it is still possible if you hang around the pool or go to the hostel-run events.
What to do in Phuket
There are many things to do in Phuket, but most are beach-related or nightlife related. I’ve outlined all the daytime and non-drinking activities below. For nightlife-related activities these are outlined in the nightlife section of this blog.
Marvel at the Big Buddha
Did you really go to Phuket if you didn’t get a photo in front of the famous giant white Budda statue? The Big Buddha is a famous landmark of Phuket and one of the must-do sights. Ensure you dress appropriately- have your knees, torso, and shoulders covered to enter! If you forget, you can buy or rent a sarong for the shops at the entrance. The Big Buddha is around 37 minutes drive from the Patong area, so you must arrange a Grab or rent a scooter to get here. It is free to enter the area, and most people spend between 30 minutes to an hour exploring and taking photos. One of my best travel tips for Phuket is to get up early and watch the sunrise here before all the crowds!
Learn to surf on Kata Beach
Kata Beach is a famous surf beach just south of both Karon and Patong areas. Many people come to Kata Beach to learn to surf as it is suitable for beginners. You can pay for surf lessons from an instructor or just rent a board from one of the sellers along the beach. You can also swim at Kata Beach, but it can be a bit rough with the waves and trying to dodge the surfers, so you may want to stay in the shallows. There are also heaps of street food sellers just behind the beach, so it’s a great place to chill for the day.
Relax at Karon Beach
Karon Beach is another stunning beach to check out. The sand is really clean, and the waters are crystal blue. They also have loungers for rent if you prefer this to laying on the sand.
Spend the day at Paradise Beach
Probably my favourite beach in Phuket! Paradise Beach is a stunning beach in a little alcove surrounded by jungle. It is a bit tricky to get to, and there is an entrance fee, but it is well worth it! It’s around a 15-minute drive from Patong Area. Your taxi will only be able to take you to the entrance building. This is where you will need to get out and pay 100 THB Thai Baht ($3 USD) to enter. Entry includes a transfer to the actual beach in a buggy, use of the toilets and a lounger. The water is stunning and so calm. Due to the entrance fee and difficulty getting there and back, there are way fewer people there. They also have a beach bar where you can get food and drinks if you want, but they are a little on the pricey side.
Enjoy the chaos of Patong Beach
Patong Beach is by no means a nice peaceful beach to chill at during the day. However, at night it is a cool place to head for the sunset and enjoy the many activities going on! From live music to street performers to paragliders- Patong Beach is bustling around sunset time. Highly recommend walking down the beach and enjoying the hustle and bustle. Then finding a nice quiet-ish spot to watch the sunset.
Where to eat in Phuket
These recommendations will mainly focus on the Patong Area as it is the most popular area of Phuket. Most of your meals will probably be from markets and street sellers. Phuket has a lot of street food and markets, so you can buy pretty much anything fancy without paying extra for a sit-down restaurant meal!
Phuket Night Markets
There are endless night markets and street vendors dotted around literally every area in Phuket. You’ll find street sellers at Patong Beach, on Bangla Road, in front of the Big C Mall and about a million other places. Personally, I preferred the markets outside Big C as they tended to be quieter than the other markets. You can get everything from fresh fruit juices to Pad Thai to dumplings to Nutella crepes to burgers.
Prime Burger
If you take one travel tip from this blog; make sure you try the best burgers in Phuket! Just opposite the night markets outside Big C Mall is Prime Burger- a little food truck tucked away in a carpark. While it doesn’t look like much, they have the best burgers and fries. There’s almost always a line, but it is well worth the wait.
Uncle Joe Cafe
If you’re looking for something other than the standard backpacker brunch of a 7/11 toastie and iced coffee, then Uncle Joe is for you! They’re just next to Lub D in Patong and have every breakfast/brunch food you could imagine. The coffee is great, and it’s a cute little cafe to sit and people-watch. They also have heaps of plugs around and fast wifi, so perfect if you need to do some work or travel planning.
Nightlife in Phuket
Phuket is famous for its nightlife, and there are lots of options! You could go out every night for a week and never go to the same places twice and always have a crazy night out. One thing to be mindful of in Phuket is Patong is a red-light district. That means sex workers will approach you and try to pull you into bars. This is more so for men, but it can still happen for females. The best way to avoid unwanted grabbing and attention is to avoid eye contact and keep walking.
Bangla Road
It would not be a Phuket Travel Tips Guide without mentioning the infamous Bangla Road. If you haven’t heard of it before, it is a small walking street filled with bars, clubs, people selling stuff and sex workers. Visiting Bangla Road is an experience in itself and should be experienced by everyone travelling to Phuket, regardless of whether you want to party. During the day, it’s pretty tame, but from 6 pm, it becomes a crowded, chaotic street filled with tourists. Important to note it is super easy to lose your friends or get pickpocketed walking down Bangla Road, so make sure you keep your wits about you.
Bodega Hostel Pub Crawl
The best pub crawl in Phuket! It’s a really fun way to experience Bangla Road and toe-dip into the nightlife scene in Phuket. They run the pub crawl every few days, starting at around 7 pm. It costs 500 THB Thai Baht ($14 USD) to participate, which includes a drink at every bar and a pub crawl t-shirt. You don’t have to stay at Bodega to join. However, you should contact them directly to check which nights the pub crawl is running.
Phuket Foam Boat Party
This recommendation is a bit on the pricey side but so worth it if you’re into partying! Every Saturday from 1:30-7:30, Sailaway runs a Foam Boat Party. The boat is a monster double-decker ship with a massive dancefloor and DJ Deck inside and a large bar, multiple areas to chill and waterslides. The unlimited alcohol ticket option is 2490 THB Thai Baht ($72 USD). Alternatively, you can get the standard ticket for 1490 THB Thai Baht ($42 USD), which does not include alcohol. Both tickets will include return transfers, dinner and free use of all the boat facilities. If you purchase the non-open bar ticket, you can still purchase drinks yourself. Hot tip: if you travel Phuket with a friend, you can purchase one open bar ticket and one standard ticket. Then get your friend to discreetly buy you drinks to save money.
Patong Backpacker Bar
The best bar to kick off your night out! They have beer pong and play dance music like naughties classics. It’s a really fun chilled vibe, and the drinks are more affordable than at other bars. It’s tucked away just down an alleyway off Bangla Road, so it is a bit quieter. However, it is usually filled with backpackers.
Illuzion Nightclub
Illuzion nightclub is a large nightclub complex with multiple areas. They don’t charge a cover fee, but you have to be dressed semi-nicely. You may have to queue on a Friday and Saturday night if it’s super busy. The best time to get there is around midnight after you’ve already been out at another bar. Drinks are more on the pricey side, so better to pre-drink or drink elsewhere before you come.
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