Things to Do in Phuket, Thailand
Phuket gets a strange reputation, equal parts paradise and party, and it is genuinely both. I came for the beach and left impressed by the islands, the food and the laid back Thai side of the place that sits underneath the resorts. The province is actually a huge island off the Andaman coast, joined to the mainland by two bridges, and it has hundreds of kilometres of shoreline that most visitors never touch. This is the Phuket I ended up spending a week finding.
Take a Boat Out to the Phi Phi Islands
If you do one thing in Phuket, make it the Phi Phi Islands. A packed boat takes two hours across open water, dropping you at the larger island where the village spreads along the beach. The classic walk is up to the viewpoint, a steep climb through jungle that finishes on a bare ridge with the whole bay below you. I sat up there for an hour watching the longtail boats cross the turquoise water. Do not skip the smaller, quieter Phi Phi and the lagoon on the far side, which is the best snorkelling I found in Thailand.
Rent a Boat for a Private Beach Day
Rather than queuing with the day trips, I rented a longtail with a fisherman called Ah Hock and we went looking for empty coves. He cooked us a lunch of fresh crab and rice on a sandbar, and we spent the afternoon drifting between tiny islands that had one or two other boats at most. It cost less than a resort excursion and was twice as memorable. Ask around the fishing village near the main jetty. Someone will always know a boat.
See the Big Buddha at Phuket Islands
Back on the main island, the Big Buddha in the east sits on a hill and looks mildly surreal until you stand in front of it. The phallic landmark is a meeting point, a local joke and a piece of public art all at once, and the Karon viewpoint beside it gives you a long view down the coastline. I went at sunset when the crowds had thinned, and the golden hour across the Andaman Sea was worth the dust from the dirt road up.
Hire a Bike for the Back Roads
The interior of Phuket is far removed from the resorts, and a rented scooter or bicycle is the way to see it. I rode through rubber plantations and small fishing villages where the road was barely wide enough for two vehicles, past mosques, temples and fruit stalls that did not appear in any map app. Stop often. The freshly pressed cane juice and the local seafood at roadside kitchens were highlights I would not have found from a tour bus.
Eat at the Night Market
Thai food in Phuket leans heavily on the sea, and the night markets are where the local version shines. I ate grilled squid, spicy mussels and a fried fish that was still almost too fresh, all bought from different stalls and eaten on a plastic table with the sound of the waves behind me. The market on the waterfront is the biggest, but the smaller village markets have better prices and fewer queues. Bring cash, since few stalls take cards.
Try Snorkelling and Diving on the Reef
The reefs around Phi Phi and the smaller islands hold healthy coral and a lot of fish. I booked an afternoon of snorkelling and was glad I did, because the water clarity in Phuket is unmatched in most of Thailand. If you dive, the drop offs and the slight currents make it an interesting site for someone with a few dives under their belt. For everyone else, a mask and fins from any beach shop will do the job for a fraction of the price.
Know When to Go
Phuket is busiest between November and April, when the weather is dry and the beaches are packed. I preferred the edges of that season, April and October, when the sea is still calm and the crowds have thinned. If you like waves, come in the rainy season, though you will trade sunshine for surf. Either way, plan a minimum of five days once you factor in the boat trips and the day to the islands.
Phuket rewards people who look past the resort strip. The water is the same everywhere, but the empty coves, the fishing villages and the food cooked on open fires are the reasons I would go back.
Know the Nightlife Without Letting It Take Over
The beach bars and the evening scene in the main resort area are famous, and you can take them or leave them. I went out one night and enjoyed the fire shows and the drums, then found I preferred the quieter fishermen’s bars further along the coast, where a cold beer cost a fraction of the resort price and the conversation was better. My advice is not to treat Phuket’s party reputation as something to fear or to chase, but as one option among many. Decide your own balance between the crowded sunset spots and the empty coves, and you will enjoy both far more.
