Phuket is much more than beaches and partying in Patong. On the same island, you can visit temples and a 45-metre Buddha statue, wander among the restored Chinese shophouses in Phuket Town, hike in the rainforest and watch the sun set from the island’s southern tip. You can also take day trips by boat from Phuket to the Phi Phi Islands, Phang Nga Bay and the Similan Islands.
Here are my picks for the 18 best things to see and do in Phuket, with prices, opening hours and tips on what to book before you go. Prices are in baht, and at the time of writing, 1 baht is worth about €0.027, so 500 baht is around €13. Several of the marine national parks close for part of the rainy season, so read the sections before you plan your days. If you haven’t chosen a hotel yet, start with my guide to where to stay in Phuket.
Contents
1. Big Buddha
The white Buddha statue on top of Nakkerd Hill in southern Phuket can be seen from far away. It’s 45 metres tall, built from reinforced concrete and covered in white jade marble from Myanmar. In 2008, it was given its official name and declared Phuket’s own Buddha figure. The view from the platform over the southern part of the island is a big part of the reason to go up there.
After a fatal landslide on the hillside in 2024, the area has been closed at times, so check the status before you head up. According to local guides, it’s open every day from 9am to 6pm, with last entry at 5.30pm. Entry is free, and donations are voluntary. Shoulders and knees must be covered, and you can borrow a sarong at the entrance.
The road up is steep and winding, so take a taxi or a Grab if you’re not used to riding a scooter on hilly roads. Come early in the morning, before the heat and the groups arrive. Big Buddha is included on almost all the classic island tours.
Book a full-day tour of Big Buddha, Wat Chalong and Old Town.
2. Wat Chalong
Wat Chalong, whose official name is Wat Chaithararam, is the temple that almost every island tour stops at, and it’s easy to combine with Big Buddha in the same morning. The grounds are large, with a tall chedi in the middle and several gilded temples and pavilions around it. Even though lots of tourists visit, it’s still a place where locals come to pray and make offerings.
If you hear loud bangs as you walk around, they come from firecrackers. Locals set them off in a special brick oven to give thanks when their prayers have been answered, so don’t be alarmed.
According to its own website, the temple is open every day from 7am to 5pm, and entry is free, but donations are welcome. Shoulders, chest and knees must be covered, and you take your shoes off before you go into the buildings. There’s free parking for cars, scooters and minibuses on Chaofa Road West. Try to come early, before the tour buses from the beaches arrive.
3. Phuket Old Town
Phuket Town is the island’s main town, and Old Town is the part of Phuket that surprises visitors most. The quarter is made up of the streets around Thalang Road, Krabi Road, Dibuk Road, Phang Nga Road, Rasada Road, Ranong Road and Yaowarat Road. Tin mining made the island rich, and that wealth gave the town its mix of Chinese and European architecture.
The best-known buildings are the Sino-Portuguese shophouses, with a shop on the ground floor and living quarters above. Many of them have been carefully restored and now house antique shops, galleries and restaurants. Krabi Road is sometimes closed to traffic, so you can walk in peace.
Come late in the afternoon, when the heat has eased, and stay for dinner, because I think Old Town is the best place on the island to eat local food. If you’re here on a Sunday, you can finish at the Lard Yai street market. If you’d like a local to show you around the food stalls, a food tour is a good choice.
Book a food tour of Phuket Old Town with more than 15 tastings.
4. The Phi Phi Islands and Maya Bay
The Phi Phi Islands are the best-known day trip from Phuket. They’re part of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park in Krabi Province. Most tours sail to Phi Phi Leh, with Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon, where you can swim in turquoise water between tall limestone cliffs. Lunch is usually served on Phi Phi Don, and several tours finish with snorkelling or time on the beach on the Khai Islands.
Maya Bay and the two neighbouring bays, Loh Samah and Lo Kor, close in August and September to give nature a break. During a count in 2024, park staff recorded 92 blacktip reef sharks in the area, so there’s still plenty of life in the water.
I’d recommend a speedboat tour, because the crossing is long on a slow boat. Choose a tour where the national park fee is included in the price, like the one below. If you’d rather not do it all in one day, you can also stay overnight on the islands.
Book a day trip to Phi Phi and the Khai Islands with pickup and park entry.
5. Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island
North-east of Phuket, limestone cliffs rise straight up out of the green water of Phang Nga Bay. The protected area is called Ao Phang Nga National Park and covers about 400 square kilometres, with the largest natural mangrove forests in Thailand.
The most famous sight is Ko Tapu, a narrow rock pillar about 20 metres high that stands in the water about 40 metres from the island of Khao Phing Kan. The spot became world-famous when the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun was shot here in 1974, and today it’s simply called James Bond Island. The island is small, so it gets crowded when lots of boats arrive at the same time.
For me, the best part of the trip is paddling a canoe into the caves and hidden lagoons rather than James Bond Island itself, so choose a tour that includes canoeing. Many tours have lunch in the fishing village of Ko Panyi, where the houses stand on stilts out in the water. The national park fee for foreigners has been about 300 baht (around €8), so check whether it’s included in the price when you book.
Book a full-day trip to James Bond Island by longtail boat with canoeing.
6. Patong and Bangla Road
Patong is Phuket’s busiest beach town, with a long beach, a sea of hotels and the island’s nightlife packed into a few streets. During the day, Bangla Road is an ordinary street with cafés, shops and stalls, but after 6pm it’s closed off to traffic and becomes pedestrian-only.
Then the neon signs light up, and the street fills with bars, nightclubs, street vendors and music from every other door. There are lots of touts trying to lure you into shows, so just keep walking if you’re not interested. The police are very visible, and the nightclubs check ages, so keep a photo of your passport on your phone.
To be honest, it’s loud and pretty vulgar, and for me, one evening is enough. Still, it’s quite a sight, and it’s fun to walk through early in the evening while the street fills up. Watch out for the strong drinks served in buckets, never leave your glass unattended, and sort out your ride home in good time, because late at night transport becomes both scarce and expensive. Grab is usually cheaper than the taxis, which rarely use the meter.
7. Promthep Cape
Promthep Cape is Phuket’s southernmost point and the island’s most popular place to watch the sunset. From the rocky headland, you look out over the Andaman Sea and the small islands off the coast, and when the sun goes down, the sky turns orange behind them.
On the headland, there’s a lighthouse with a small maritime museum and a Buddhist shrine with lots of brass elephant figures. By the old tree, you can sometimes see monks praying.
Promthep Cape is open around the clock, and both entry and parking are free. People start to arrive from 6pm, and the road down can fill up with cars, so come an hour before sunset to get a good spot on the rocks.
My tip is to stay until most people have left, because the last light after sunset is often the most beautiful, and you’ll avoid the queue on the way back. Combine your visit with an afternoon at Nai Harn Beach, which is close by.
8. Karon Viewpoint and Kata Beach
From Karon Viewpoint, you can see three beaches at once. Right below you is little Kata Noi, a bit further on is Kata, with the island of Koh Poo out in the water, and furthest north, Karon stretches along the coast. It’s one of the most beautiful views on Phuket, and it’s free.
The viewpoint is on the coast road between Kata and Nai Harn, so it’s easy to stop on the way to Promthep Cape. There’s a large car park, but it fills up in the late afternoon in high season, so try to come before 4pm. The light is warmest between 4pm and 5pm, while early morning gives clearer air and fewer people. It’s least impressive in the middle of the day.
I think Kata Beach is a good compromise between the buzz of Patong and the calm further south, and it suits families well. Afterwards, you can drive down to the beach for a swim, as it’s only a few minutes from the viewpoint.
9. The Similan Islands
The Similan Islands are a group of 11 islands about 70 kilometres off the coast in Phang Nga Province, and they belong to Mu Ko Similan National Park. They’re known for white sandy beaches, huge boulders and clear water for snorkelling and diving. The best-known sight is Sail Rock on Island 8, a rock shaped like a sail, where a short path leads up to a view over the bay.
The national park closes during the rainy season from mid-May to mid-October, so the tours only run in the other half of the year. The closure runs from 15 May to 15 October. There’s a cap on how many people can land each day, so book well ahead in high season. Entry for adult foreigners is about 500 baht (around €13), and it’s included in the price of some tours.
It’s a long day, with an early pickup and a long boat ride. Tours also leave from Khao Lak, and if you’re thinking of staying there, you can read my guide to where to stay in Khao Lak.
Book a day trip to the Similan Islands by speed catamaran.
10. Lard Yai Sunday Walking Street
Every Sunday evening, Thalang Road in Old Town is closed to cars and turned into the Lard Yai street market, which is also known as the Sunday Walking Street. The market usually runs from about 4pm to 10pm, and the stalls are set up earlier in the afternoon.
The stalls stand close together along the old shophouses and sell everything from grilled skewers, noodles and fresh fruit to local desserts, clothes, handicrafts and souvenirs. There are also buskers and small performances, and I think the atmosphere is more local than at the markets in Patong. It’s one of the best places to try lots of small dishes in one evening without spending much money.
The crowds arrive early in the evening, so come around 5pm if you want to stroll in peace. As the street is closed, you’ll have to walk the last bit from the side streets, and parking is hard to find, so take a Grab or a taxi. Search for Thalang Road in Phuket Town if you want to see where the market is. Bring cash in small notes.
11. Muay Thai at Bangla Boxing Stadium
Muay Thai is Thailand’s national sport, and in Patong you can watch fights every evening. Bangla Boxing Stadium is in Patong on Phang Muang Sai Kor Road and holds fight nights seven days a week, with the first bouts at 9pm.
A fight night is made up of several bouts in a row, with both male and female boxers. Before each bout, the boxers perform a traditional ritual to honour their trainers, and it’s a big part of the experience.
Tickets start at 1,600 baht (around €43). You can choose between ringside seats, where you sit really close to the action, and regular stadium seats with a better overview. It isn’t cheap by Thai standards, but I think it’s worth the money to see the sport live. I’d recommend ringside if you want to feel the intensity. Buy your ticket in advance in high season to be sure of a seat.
Book a ticket for Muay Thai at Bangla Boxing Stadium.
12. Nai Harn Beach
Nai Harn is a long, wide beach at the head of a bay in southern Phuket, and I think it’s one of the most beautiful on the island. The water is clear and blue in the high season from December to May, and although the beach can get busy in December and January, it’s far calmer than Patong.
Behind the beach is Nai Harn Lake, where you can hire a pedalo, and between the lake and the beach is the temple Wat Nai Harn. Along the beach, there are restaurants, small supermarkets and massage places, where an hour costs about 300 baht (around €8).
Walk or drive just under three kilometres south to Windmill Viewpoint, where you look out over Ya Nui Beach and Promthep Cape. The walk takes about half an hour and isn’t hard. I’d recommend coming here in the afternoon, swimming for a couple of hours and then carrying on to Promthep Cape to watch the sunset.
13. Freedom Beach
Freedom Beach is a small, hidden beach south of Patong, surrounded by dense jungle and clear water. There’s no road all the way down, and that’s exactly why it’s much quieter than the big beaches, even though it’s close to them.
There are two ways to get there. The easiest is by longtail boat from Patong Beach, but the boats only run when the sea allows. The other is a hiking trail from the road between Patong and Karon, which is steep, so the walk back up can be hard in the heat. Depending on which way you choose, there may be an entry fee or transport to pay for, so bring cash.
On the beach, there are toilets, outdoor showers, food and drinks for sale, and sunloungers. Prices are higher than on the public beaches, and access is controlled. I’d recommend agreeing on the price and the time of the return trip with the boatman before you set off, and going early, before most people arrive. Search for Freedom Beach on the map to see where the trail starts.
14. Khao Phra Thaeo National Park and Bang Pae Waterfall
In the northern part of Phuket lies Khao Phra Thaeo National Park, a large area of rainforest. It’s a good place to get away from the beaches and go for a walk in green surroundings.
The most popular destination is Bang Pae Waterfall in Thalang District. The path up passes natural pools and smaller waterfalls, and you can swim, but the rocks are slippery, so tread carefully. The entry fee for the national park has been about 200 baht (around €5.50).
At Pa Khlok, in the same part of the island, is the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project, which cares for gibbons that have been kept as pets or used for tourist photos and releases them back into the wild. You can only get in on a pre-booked one-hour learning session at 10.30am, 12.30pm or 2pm, and there’s a maximum of 36 visitors a day. If there are no bookings, the project stays closed, so book your visit in advance and check the times before you drive out there.
15. Khao Rang
Khao Rang is the hill right next to Old Town in Phuket Town, and from the top you get the best view over the island’s main town. You look out over the rooftops, the coast and the island’s forested hills, and in the evening, the town’s lights come on below you.
There are no fixed opening hours, and the viewpoint is at its best in daylight or at sunset. It takes about an hour to walk up from Old Town, but in the heat it’s easier to go up by taxi or scooter. At the top, there’s a viewing tower, where you get the best overview.
Khao Rang is only a few minutes from Old Town, so it’s easy to combine with an afternoon among the shophouses. My tip is to drive up just before sunset and then head back to Old Town for dinner. Search for Khao Rang Viewpoint if you want to see the way up.
16. Phuket Thaihua Museum
Phuket Thaihua Museum is in a handsome Sino-Portuguese building on Krabi Road. The building went up in 1934 as the province’s first Chinese school and was founded by Hokkien immigrants, the first large group of Chinese to settle on Phuket.
Today, the museum tells the story of how the Chinese came to Phuket and of life in the tin-mining era. The exhibition is spread across a long series of rooms covering immigration, the Chinese school, tin mining, traditional dress, the island’s Chinese cuisine and the local festivals. It gives you good background for everything you’ll see in Old Town afterwards.
According to the Thai museum database, the museum is open every day from 9am to 5pm, and a ticket for foreign tourists costs 200 baht (around €5.50). Allow an hour to an hour and a half. It’s a good place to take shelter if a rain shower hits Old Town.
17. Naka Weekend Market
Naka Weekend Market is Phuket’s big weekend market, on Wirat Hong Yok Road on the edge of Phuket Town. It’s only open on Saturdays and Sundays, from around 4pm until late in the evening.
A large part of the market is food. Here you can buy grilled skewers, fish, noodles, desserts, fresh fruit and, if you dare, deep-fried insects. The rest is stalls selling clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, souvenirs, small electronics and homeware. I think it’s more local than the markets in Patong, and the food in particular is the reason to go.
The crowds arrive after 6pm, and the car parks around the market fill up quickly, so come early or take a Grab. Have dinner here instead of at a restaurant, and carry cash in small notes. Search for Naka Weekend Market to see where the market is. If you’re in Phuket Town on a Sunday, you can do both Naka and Lard Yai in the same evening.
18. Monkey Hill
Monkey Hill, or Khao Toh Sae in Thai, is a forested hill on the outskirts of Phuket Town, where a large troop of wild macaques lives along the road up to the top. You’ll see them sitting on the railings, on the road and in the trees, and from the top there’s a view over the town.
Feeding by tourists made the monkeys steal food and bite. That’s why the authorities have removed the illegal stalls that sold monkey food, and you’re no longer allowed to take food up. There’s a checkpoint on the road where bags are checked, and bananas and fruit are turned away. Instead, the monkeys are fed by volunteers at fixed places and times.
Keep a firm grip on your sunglasses, phone and bags, don’t look the monkeys directly in the eye, and keep your distance from mothers with babies. If you have small children with you, stay in the car or choose Khao Rang instead. Come in the morning or late in the afternoon, when it’s coolest to walk up Monkey Hill.
Practical Travel Tips for Phuket
Phuket is a large island, and the sights are spread out, so you’ll need transport. The Phuket Smart Bus runs from the airport via Patong, Karon and Kata to Rawai, and tickets cost up to 100 baht (around €2.50) depending on the route, while some sections are free. You can pay contactless by card. Otherwise, Grab is the easiest way to get around, and it’s usually cheaper than the taxis, which rarely use the meter. My guide to transport from Phuket Airport shows how to get from the airport to the beaches.
Think about the season when you plan the boat trips. The Similan Islands are closed from mid-May to mid-October, and Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh is closed in August and September. For the temples, you’ll need clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, so keep a light sarong or a pair of long trousers in your bag when you go on an island tour.
If you want to stay close to the beaches and the nightlife, Patong, Karon and Kata are the obvious choices, while Old Town in Phuket Town is best for food and culture. Read my guide to where to stay in Phuket, or see all hotels in Phuket on Booking.com. If you’d like to see more of the country, I’ve rounded up the best holiday areas in my guide to where to stay in Thailand. If you’re heading on to the mainland, read my guide to where to stay in Krabi.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
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