Phuket Island is Thailand’s beach destination par excellence due to its huge tourist offer and privileged location on the Andaman Sea. You won’t find deserted beaches, but villa for sale in Phuket are an excellent option for those who live and want to make the most of it. If this is your case, don’t miss this guide with the best things to see and do in Phuket.
Introduction
Phuket is a fairly large island (over 500 km²) connected to mainland Thailand by a bridge. It means that most of the time, you don’t feel like you are on an island. Though, on closer inspection, it is the only one that doesn’t have the adjective “Koh,” meaning “island” in Thai before its name. But we assure you that you will find paradise beaches, resort areas, and other less crowded corners typical of any Thai island.
But first, we must warn you about something: Phuket is one of the most tourist destinations in the country, planes full of sun and sand-craving visitors arrive at its international airport every day, and you should know this. But on the other hand, the size of the island means there’s room for everyone, and you may even find semi-remote spots that are less crowded.
Its strategic position in the south of Thailand makes Phuket the perfect base from here to see many of Thailand’s most impressive sites within the “day tour” range. Not to mention the endless accommodation possibilities.
If you don’t have much time to waste on transportation, Phuket is a great destination for enjoying Thailand’s beaches.
What to see and do in Phuket?
Now that you know a little about what you’ll find, we turn to our recommendations of the best places to visit in Phuket and the highlights you shouldn’t miss:
1. Phuket Town
It is the main city of the island. The architecture, a mix of Portuguese and Chinese, and the buildings painted in different colors remind me of Penang in Malaysia. The best way to surround yourself with this atmosphere is Thalang Street, where the weekend market is set up.
Other things you can see in Phuket Town are the 3D Museum, a fun plan for those traveling to Phuket with kids; the sanctuary of Jui Tui, a Chinese temple where locals come with their daily offerings; or go to one of its two viewpoints: Rang Hill and Monkey Hill.
The bad thing about Phuket Town is that it has no beaches. The good thing is that public (and cheap) buses run from here all over the island. In addition, accommodation is cheaper than in other coastal areas.
2. Kata Beach
It is, without a doubt, one of the best beaches in Phuket. It is huge and has several restaurants on the beach, such as Ska Bar and sun loungers with umbrellas that can be rented for 100 baht all day, although this is common on many other beaches, always for the same price.
For me, this is also a great area to find accommodation in Phuket, it’s a bit quieter than the rest of the island, so it’s perfect for families.
3. Noi said
Not far from Kata to the south is her younger sister, Kata Noi. It is not as wide as the previous one but has all the services and, most importantly, fewer people. It can be reached on foot from Kata Beach in about 15 minutes, and you must climb some stairs to access it.
4. Karon Viewpoint, the best view in Phuket
If we continue south, now inland, we can go up to Karon View Point, the best viewpoint in Phuket. Above, we will see a very cool view of three beaches: Kata Noi, Kata Beach, and Karon Beach. I went at sunset, and I thought it was worth it.
5. Karon Beach, one of the longest beaches in Phuket
We continued our tour to the southwest part of the island to lay our towels on one of the best beaches in Phuket. Karon Beach tends to have more waves than its two southern neighbors, but being bigger, the crowds are less noticeable than in Patong (which we’ll talk about below).
There is also a restaurant, sun loungers, and umbrellas for 100 baht, and the possibility of renting a jet ski.
