Best Things to do in Phuket, Thailand
As soon as Thailand eased their travel restrictions I knew I wanted to go back and visit Phuket. Located in southern Thailand, it is the biggest island of Thailand which is surrounded by the beautiful Andaman Sea.I spent about a week in Phuket and these are my must do’s when visiting the island.
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Island hopping
One of the most famous islands in Thailand which shouldn’t be missed on a trip to Phuket are the Phi Phi Islands. The marine life and crystal clear waters are truly one of a kind. We booked our tour with Siam Adventure World and I highly recommend the early bird trip.
Maya Bay became well known from the movie “The Beach and is the first stop on the tour.
Note: As Maya Bay has been closed for several years to protect the marine life it is not permitted to swim here. You are allowed to take pictures and head to the next island after approximately 30 minutes.
The trip includes snorkelling at Pileh lagoon as well as lunch at Bamboo island. You have the possibility to decide if you’d rather rest and hang out at the beach or go for a hike to the Phi Phi viewpoint.
2. Elephant Sanctuary
If you are an animal lover and you would like to support an ethical encounter with elephants you have to visit Phukets first ethical elephants sanctuary. This is a great tour to take your kids to. It includes elephant feeding and a walk on Thailands longest canopy walkway.
3.Explore THE beach
Some of my favourite beaches on the island include Freedom beach , Banana beach as well as Surin beach where we stayed for our first two nights. My absolute favourite and sort of an insider tip from my sister, who currently lives on the island, was Banana beach. If you are short on time, ditch the others and make sure to go there. The atmosphere is laid back and there is a food stand where you can buy delicious authentic Thai food from a local family, making it even more special.
Freedom Beach
Surin Beach
Banana Beach
4. hike to big buddha
If you are an adventurous traveller, make sure to hike up to the Big Buddha statue. We decided to trek and make it just in time for sunset. The hike up took us about 40 minutes. However, if you don’t wish to hike you’ll always have the possibility to drive up as well. Once you’ve reached the top, you’ll find beautiful restaurants with perfect sunset viewpoints.
5. Phuket old town
The colourful old town is known for brightly painted old townhouses. Its a perfect place to come for dinner and shopping. You can find several stores selling artisanal treasures and if you happen to be there on a Sunday, make sure to check out the well known Sunday Night Market with many local food options.
6. RENT A SCOOTER
This is by far the most fun and convenient way to get around Phuket. Since the streets are quite narrow, I advise you to take a taxi for longer distances. You can also download the app Grab which is similar to Uber.
We rented our scooter with Bang Tao Motorbike Rental.
Note: Grab and taxi prices are much higher compared to other cities in Thailand.
WHERE TO EAT
Phuket has some of the best restaurants and dining scenes. From casual dining at the beach to a more upscale Michelin experience, there is a great variety and option for everyone. Some of the best restaurants and cafes are as follows:
Coffee Lab ( Good coffee )
Day and Night ( Spicy Thai food )
Hugo Hub ( Laid back & at the beach )
The Beach Cuisine ( By the beach )
SUAY ( Contemporary Thai )
TATONKA ( Tapas Restaurant-my personal favourite! food is DELICIOUS )
Where to stay
There are lots of beautiful areas and hotels to choose from. What I love most about Phuket is that there is a wide spectrum for budget to upscale accommodations. For the first two nights we decided to stay at a place that was in walking distance to the beach.
Surin Beach :
We opted to stay at the Outrigger Resort . The room was very spacious and the pool area was the perfect place to relax and unwind after a long flight.
Bang Tao :
Bang Tao is the perfect place to stay if you are looking for hotels and accommodations in close proximity to numerous restaurants, massage parlours as well as shopping areas. Highly recommend staying here if you don’t drive and prefer walking to nearby places. Here are your hotel options for Bang Tao
Kamala :
The beach town of Kamala is located on the west coast of Phuket. It is close to the buzzing area of Patong and is also home to the beautiful Keemala Resort that overlooks the Kamala village and the Andaman Sea. We decided to stay one night at Keemala and enjoyed every bit of it. This is a must stay place if you are ready to splurge on yourself.
If you are thinking to stay at Keemala make sure to check out my full blog post on Keemala here and leave a comment if you have any questions or if you would like to share your experience with me.