Phuket is bigger than most first-time visitors expect. There are beaches you can swim at all afternoon and beaches you go to for the sunset, a hundred-year-old town centre full of Sino-Portuguese shophouses, temples, viewpoints, a water park and an aquarium, all on one island. Trying to see it without a plan usually means three days at Patong and a vague feeling you missed something. So here are 25 things to do in Phuket, with addresses, opening hours, entry fees and map coordinates, plus when to go and how to get around once you land.
Getting around the island is the easy part. GrabCar, GrabBike and GrabVan run across Phuket, and GrabRent lets you book a car with a driver by the hour. Download the Grab app before you travel.
Highlight
- When is the best time to visit Phuket?
- How to get to Phuket
- 25 things to do in Phuket, from beaches to the old town
- How to get around the island without driving
- FAQ
When Is the Best Time to Visit Phuket?
November to April is the high season, and it earns the name: clear skies, calm seas, water you can actually see through, and ideal conditions for every boat trip and snorkelling tour on the island. May to October is the low season, which means rain, stronger winds and rougher water on the west coast, but also fewer people and lower prices. If your trip falls in those months, plan around the weather rather than hoping, and keep the museums, temples and the old town in reserve for the wet afternoons.
How to Get to Phuket
- By air
Direct flights from Bangkok take about an hour and a half, and it is the option almost everyone takes.
- By bus
Coaches depart from Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal and take roughly 12 hours, usually overnight.
- By car
Around 862 km via Highway 35 and Highway 4 through the southern provinces. It is a long drive, and worth it only if you want the make stops along the way.
Once you arrive, you do not need a car of your own. GrabCar, GrabBike and GrabVan cover the island, while GrabRent lets you book a car with a driver by the hour if you want to string several places together in one day.
25 Things To Do In Phuket
Beaches, viewpoints, temples, museums and a few places the tour buses have not found yet. Work through as many as your days allow.
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Phuket Old Town (Sino-Portuguese Quarter)
Start here if you want to understand the island. The streets around Dibuk, Thalang, Krabi, Phang Nga and Yaowarat are lined with shophouses in faded pastels, built when tin mining money flowed through Phuket and Chinese and European styles were blended into distinctive facades. Walk it slowly in the morning before the heat, duck into the cafés, and eat well: this is the best food in Phuket, and it costs a fraction of what the beach resorts charge.
Address: Dibuk, Thalang, Krabi, Phang Nga and Yaowarat Roads, Mueang District
Opening hours: 24 hours
Entry: free
Phone: 0-7621-4325 (Phuket Municipality)
Highlights: architecture, cafés, street food, photography
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Promthep Cape
The most famous sunset viewpoint on the island, and deservedly so. The headland drops away into the Andaman Sea on three sides, and on a clear evening the whole southern coast turns golden. Arrive at least 45 minutes early. Everyone else has the same idea, and the good spots on the wall fill up fast.
Address: Rawai Subdistrict, Mueang District, about 2 km from Rawai Beach and 19 km from Phuket Town
Opening hours: 24 hours
Entry: free
Highlights: sunset, panoramic sea views
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Koh Mai Thon
A tranquil island off the southeast coast, quiet in a way the main beaches never are. White sand, water clear enough to see the coral from the surface, and very few people. You will need a boat, so check schedules and operators before planning your day around it.
Address: Rawai Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: Year-round (subject to boat and tour schedules)
Entry: varies by operator
Highlights: snorkelling, coral reefs, quiet sandy beaches
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Black Stone Cliff Viewpoint
Newer than the other viewpoints and still relatively unknown. A short trek through forest and rock brings you out onto a cliff with a 180-degree panorama of open Andaman Sea in front of you. Wear proper shoes, not flip-flops, and go early while the light is soft and the path is cool.
Address: Soi Haem Mum Nork, Karon Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 24 hours
Entry: Free
Highlights: short jungle hike, panoramic views
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Mai Khao Beach
The longest beach on the island, and one of the quietest, because most visitors come for one reason: it sits directly under the flight path to Phuket Airport. Stand on the sand and watch aircraft come in low overhead. Beyond the plane-spotting it is a genuinely peaceful stretch of coast inside Sirinat National Park, perfect for a long walk at the end of the day.
Address: Thepkrasattri Road, Mai Khao Subdistrict, Thalang District
Opening hours: 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Entry: Sirinat National Park, Thai adults 40 Baht, children 20 Baht
Highlights: aircraft photography, sunset views, long beach walks
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Patong Beach
Three kilometres of curved sand, swimmable water, and everything else Phuket is known for packed in behind it: bars, restaurants, shops, jet skis and a nightlife scene that runs until the early hours. It is loud, it is busy, and it is still worth a day. Swim in the morning, eat on the beach road, and decide for yourself about Bangla Road after dark.
Address: Thaweewong Road, Patong Subdistrict, Kathu District
Opening hours: 24 hours
Entry: Free
Phone: 076-211036 (TAT Phuket)
Highlights: swimming, water sports, sunset, nightlife
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Thao Thepkrasattri and Thao Srisunthon Monument
Two sisters led the defence of Thalang against a Burmese invasion during the Nine Armies War, and this monument on the roundabout honours them. It takes 10 minutes, sits on the road most people drive between the airport and town, and is a key piece of Phuket’s history that has nothing to do with beaches.
Address: Srisunthon Circle, Srisunthon Subdistrict, Thalang District
Opening hours: 24 hours
Entry: Free
Phone: 076-211036 (TAT Phuket)
Highlights: paying respect, history, photography
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Kata Beach
A crescent bay with white sand and calm, clear water, quieter than Patong but with enough restaurants, cafés and places to stay that you never feel far from anything. This is the beach to pick if you want nature and convenience in the same afternoon, and the sunset here is excellent without the crowds at Promthep.
Address: Karon Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 24 hours
Entry: Free
Highlights: swimming, snorkelling, sunbathing, sunset views
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Karon Beach
The second-longest beach on the island, over three kilometres of fine white sand, and rarely crowded because there is simply so much of it. Good for water sports, and even better for walking a long way without encountering crowds. The sand here squeaks underfoot, which nobody expects the first time.
Address: Karon Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 24 hours
Entry: Free
Highlights: swimming, water sports, quiet stretches of sand
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Rawai Beach
Not a swimming beach, and that is the point. Rawai is a working fishing community, and the seafood market on the beachfront is where you pick what you want from the day’s catch and carry it to one of the restaurants across the street to have it cooked. Go hungry, go at lunch, and expect to pay a fraction of resort prices.
Address: Wiset Road, Moo 6, Rawai Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: daily, hours vary by vendor
Entry: Free
Phone: 076-613-801 (Rawai Subdistrict Municipality)
Highlights: fresh seafood, local life, beachside walks
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Nai Yang Beach
Inside Sirinat National Park, shaded by casuarina trees and backed by protected coastline, with coral offshore and nesting grounds for rare marine life. It is the beach for people who came to Phuket for nature rather than nightlife, and it stays quiet even in the high season.
Address: Sakhu Subdistrict, Thalang District (89/1 Moo 1, Ban Nai Yang)
Opening hours: 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Entry: Thai adults 40 Baht, children 20 Baht; foreign adults 200 Baht, children 100 Baht
Highlights: beach walks, sunset views, quiet place
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Wind Turbine Viewpoint
On the hillside between Yanui and Nai Harn, where turbines turn slowly above green slopes and the open sea. It is a brief stop on the way to or from Promthep Cape, and the view back along the coast is arguably just as stunning as the one everyone queues for at the cape itself.
Address: hillside between Yanui and Nai Harn beaches, Rawai Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Entry: Free
Highlights: coastal panorama, photography, sunset views
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Nai Thon Beach
Small, tucked between headlands on the north-west coast, featuring a wooden bridge that has become its signature photograph. There is not much here beyond soft sand, clear water and a few places to eat, which is exactly why visitors who find it keep coming back.
Address: Sakhu Subdistrict, Thalang District
Opening hours: 24 hours
Entry: Free
Highlights: quiet beach, beach walks, sunset photography
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Phuket Thai Hua Museum
Housed in what was once Thailand’s oldest Chinese school, this museum tells the story of the Chinese families who settled Phuket and built the town you walked through at number one. Fourteen well curated, air-conditioned exhibition rooms, make it the obvious move on an afternoon when it will not stop raining.
Address: 28 Krabi Road, Talad Nuea Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Entry: Thai adults 50 Baht, students 25 Baht; foreign adults 200 Baht, students 120 Baht
Phone: 076-211224
Highlights: local history, Chinese heritage, architecture
Photo credit: TrueID
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Lard Yai Walking Street (Limelight Avenue)
An evening market through the old town, packed with handmade goods, art, homeware, local snacks and street food, and live music playing between the stalls. It is where the island’s younger crowd spends its evenings, offering a far more authentic dining experience than any hotel buffet.
Address: Limelight Avenue, Dibuk Road, Talad Yai Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: Wednesday – Friday, 4:00 – 10:30 p.m.
Entry: Free
Phone: 089-474-5253
Highlights: shopping, street food, live music
Photo credit: Phuket.net
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Phuket Botanic Garden
More than 30 themed zones spread across the hillside: orchids, flowering trees, medicinal herbs, tropical gardens from other countries and a traditional rice paddy. It is a peaceful, shaded spot to spend a couple of hours, and a welcome change of pace if the beaches have started to blur into one.
Address: 98/89 Moo 4, Chao Fa Soi 48, Chao Fa Road, Chalong Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Entry: Thai adults 100 Baht, children 50 Baht; foreign adults 500 Baht, children 300 Baht
Phone: 076-367076
Highlights: orchids, themed gardens, herb collections
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Chinpracha House
A mansion built during the tin-mining boom and still furnished as it originally was, from the tiled floors to the family portraits. Of all the Sino-Portuguese buildings in Phuket, this is one you can step inside and explore, with the option to rent period costumes for photos in the courtyard if that appeals.
Address: 98 Krabi Road, Talad Nuea Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Entry: Thai 100 Baht, foreign visitors 150 Baht; free for small children
Phone: 076-211281
Highlights: heritage architecture, period interiors, costume photography
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Khao Krating
A coastal hilltop most visitors never hear about, featuring sweeping grassland that changes colour throughout the year, cliffs falling away to the water, and a rock formation shaped like a sail. Come for sunset, bring water, and be prepared to have the panoramic view largely to yourself.
Address: Karon Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 24 hours
Entry: Free
Highlights: grassland walks, sail rock, sunset, cliff views
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Hanuman World
Thirty-two zipline stations strung through the forest canopy, a skywalk 40 metres above the ground, and a roller zipline that follows the hillside’s contour. The outdoor adventure on this list, and one that keeps teenagers entertained for an entire afternoon.
Address: 105 Moo 4, Chao Fa Road, Wichit Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Entry: SkyWalk from 500 Baht; zipline 1,500 – 3,490 Baht depending on the number of stations; roller zipline 1,000 Baht; combination packages 2,400 – 3,490 Baht
Phone: 085-141-3391
Highlights: ziplining, canopy skywalk, adventure activities
Photo credit: Rock Beach Swing
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Rock Beach Swing
Balinese-style swings set on the rocks above the water, crafted specifically for one photograph and delivering on every shot. There is a small café to sit in between turns. Worth knowing before you go: the entry fee is charged per person and differs for Thai and foreign visitors.
Address: 25/421 Moo 3, Wichit Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Entry: Thai 250 Baht, foreign visitors 600 Baht; free for children under 3
Phone: 063-076-2046
Highlights: swing photography, coastal views
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Three Bays Viewpoint (Karon Viewpoint)
One stop on the coast road, three beaches in a single frame: Kata Noi, Kata and Karon curving away one after another. It is the classic Phuket postcard view, it takes 5 minutes, and it is on the way to almost everywhere in the south of the island.
Address: Highway 4233 (Kata – Sai Wan Road), Karon Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 5:00 a.m. – midnight
Entry: Free
Highlights: three-bay panorama, sunset photography
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The Big Buddha
Forty-five metres of white marble atop Nakkerd Hill, visible from across half the island and from the air as you land. Most people come for the view, which takes in Chalong Bay, Kata and Karon in one sweep, and stay for the quiet. Shoulders and knees must be covered; sarongs are available at the entrance.
Address: Nakkerd Hill, Karon Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 6:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Entry: Free
Phone: 086-328-0369
Highlights: paying respect, island-wide views
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Wat Chalong
The most important temple on the island, built in honor of Luang Pho Chaem, an abbot who treated the wounded during the tin miners’ rebellion and remains venerated today. Look for the wall murals telling his story and reconstructed monks’ quarters holding historical artifacts from his time.
Address: 70 Moo 6, Chao Fa Tawan Tok Road, Chalong Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Entry: free
Phone: 076-381-226
Highlights: paying respect, murals, temple history
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Andamanda Phuket
Five zones and more than 25 rides, from thrilling high-speed slides down to a massive wave pool, all themed around Thai mythology. It is the one place on this list where a family can spend an entire day without anyone complaining about the heat. Buy tickets online before you go, as they are often discounted.
Address: 333 Kathu Subdistrict, Kathu District
Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Entry: adults (122 cm and above) 1,800 Baht; children (91 – 121 cm) 1,200 Baht
Phone: 076-646-777
Highlights: water slides, wave pool, family day out
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Phuket Aquarium
Small, well run and considerably more affordable than the commercial mega-aquariums. Highlights include an underwater tunnel with more than 130 species overhead, sharks, sea turtles, coral displays, and a freshwater section. An hour and a half is plenty, making it a great morning stop before a boat trip or a rainy-day escape.
Address: 51 Moo 8, Sakdidet Road, Wichit Subdistrict, Mueang District
Opening hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Entry: Thai adults 50 – 80 Baht, children 20 – 40 Baht; foreign adults 180 – 300 Baht, children 100 – 150 Baht; free for children under 90 cm
Phone: 076-391126
Highlights: underwater tunnel, sharks and turtles, family-friendly
Twenty-five places, and no two days on the island need to look the same. Pick a beach for the morning, a viewpoint for the evening and the old town for dinner, and you will have seen more of Phuket in one day than most visitors manage in three. The factor that decides how many you fit in is transportation, since attractions are spread from Mai Khao in the north to Promthep in the south and taxi prices between them add up fast.
How to get around the island without driving
Getting around without renting a car or haggling over fares: GrabCar and GrabBike cover point-to-point trips across the island, GrabVan suits groups, and GrabRent lets you book a car with a driver by the hour so you can chain several stops together seamlessly in one day.
FAQ
Q: What are the best things to do in Phuket for first-time visitors?
A: A beach day at Kata or Karon, sunset at Promthep Cape, a morning walking Phuket Old Town, and the Big Buddha for the island-wide view. Add a boat trip if the weather is good.
Q: What activities are available in Phuket?
A: Swimming and sunbathing, water sports, snorkelling, island-hopping boat trips, kayaking, ziplining, along with family-friendly water park and aquarium.
Q: What is there to do in Phuket in the rainy season?
A: Plenty indoors. The old town cafés, Thai Hua Museum, Chinpracha House, Wat Chalong, the aquarium, and spa treatments all work regardless of the weather.
Q: What should I buy as a souvenir from Phuket?
A: Cashew nuts, shrimp paste, local sweets and handicrafts. The old town boutiques and Lard Yai Walking Street are the best places to look.
Q: How do I get around Phuket without driving?
A: GrabBike for quick hops, GrabCar or GrabVan for longer trips and groups, and GrabRent when you want a car and driver for the entire day.
Q: What are the benefits of using GrabRent in Phuket?
A: The hourly rate is fixed and shown upfront — meaning no haggling, no unexpected tourist surcharges,, and the same driver stays with you throughout your booking rather than having to book a new ride at every stop.