If you’re looking for a cheap paradise with beautiful beaches, Phuket is the place to be in Thailand. It’s one of the most well traveled destinations in Thailand and is a perfect spot for solo, couples, or family vacations. See our list below of fun things to do in Phuket to enjoy your vacation!
Phuket: When to go?
You’ll want to make sure you go during the dry season or it won’t be very relaxing. The dry season is between November and early April. During this time the temperature ranges between 84°F (29°C) to 93°F (34°C) in Thailand.
1. Enjoy some Phuket beach relaxation
Phuket has an assortment of great beaches to choose from. No matter what part of the island you’re staying on you should have good choices nearby.
Which Phuket beach is best?
Freedom Beach – Freedom Beach is a small, pristine beach just south of Patong on the westside of the island. It’s quieter and more relaxed since it lacks the vendors and jet skis that line most of the larger beaches. Please note that if you travel by land you can only access this beach by walking down a steep hill. If you have kids or you are aren’t able to manage steep hills, you can take a long tailed boat from one of the other beaches. This is one of our favorite beaches to watch the sunset.
Kata Beach – Kata Beach is a picturesque beach with a calm atmosphere. The palm trees and soft sands will help you slip into full relaxation mode. This is a good beach for snorkeling and surfing depending on the time of year. It’s quite a bit larger than Freedom Beach, but not nearly as busy as Patong Beach making it a nice compromise between the two. This is a good beach to bring kids since it’s less busy and easier to keep an eye on them, but there is still enough to do to keep them entertained.
Patong Beach – Patong Beach is a solid choice if you’re looking for activity. It’s definitely one of the busier beaches, but that doesn’t have to be a negative. First, the beach is really long so if you like walking with your feet in the water, there is plenty of space to do it. Next, there are lots of restaurants and shops in the town of Patong right next to the beach. This is where you’ll find some of the best night life in Phuket. Finally, if you tend to get bored you can rent a jet ski, go parasailing, and there are wandering vendors.
2. Phuket Weekend Market
The Phuket Weekend Market is the largest night market on the island and is fun for the whole family. It’s located in Chao Fa West Road, just outside Phuket Town and not far from Central Festival. The market is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 4pm-11pm.
One side of the weekend market is in covered tents with countless goods for sale. Vendors have huge varieties of clothes, electronics, toys, shoes, accessories, and much more. Even if you don’t plan on buying anything, it’s worth a little time to walk through to see the assortment of goods.
The other side of the market is reserved for food vendors with grilled chicken, seafood, sausages, rice dishes, desserts, etc. They even have live music for entertainment while you eat.
3. Local Shopping Malls
If you’re looking to get out of the heat for a bit, one of the Phuket shopping malls are great options.
Jungceylon Shopping Mall – If you’re staying in Patong, the Jungceylon Shopping Mall isn’t far inland from the beach. It contains a great selection of stores and restaurants, and a nice seating area in an open courtyard in the center. Plus, there is a large grocery store next door if you want to stock up on snacks, or just experience a full size Thailand grocery store.
Central Festival Phuket Shopping Mall – Central Festival is the largest shopping mall on the island. It has three floors filled with stores, restaurants, and a movie theater. Note: If you want to visit it from Patong, take the bus to save money. It runs from the Patong Beach and stops at Central Festival and it’s really cheap.
4. Phuket Big Buddha
The Big Buddha statue is a seated Buddha and is the third tallest statue in Thailand. It stands about 148 ft and cost nearly $30 million baht to build (~$950k U.S. Dollars). The statue is located atop a steep hill that looks over the surrounding area. It’s a perfect setting for great pictures.
Remember it is a religious site so you should dress appropriately. Don’t wear beach clothes, or anything with offensive text or images. If necessary, the visitor center should have sarongs if you need to cover anything up. It is open daily from 6am-7pm.
5. Patong’s Bangla Road Nightlife
Bangla Road is located in Patong and is the main nightlife party street in Phuket. They close the street to cars around sunset and that’s when it comes to life. There is loud music, bright lights, cheap drinks, and food. You can grab a drink at one of the bars that overlooks the street to watch the festivities and street shows, or go dance at one of the clubs.
Plus, you’ll be hounded by leaflet distributors for the many shows that take place throughout the night. If you’re traveling with your family it’s best not to bring young kids here.
6. Phuket Old Town
Phuket Old Town features narrow streets and colorful buildings. You can wander aimlessly enjoying the buildings and shops that line the streets. You’ll also be treated to quaint restaurants and museums.
There is also a Sunday walking market with varied items for sale from local vendors.
7. Monkey Hill
Monkey Hill is located near Phuket Old Town. As the name indicates it is a steep hill with a small population of monkeys living at the top. More specifically they are macaques.
While it’s ok to watch the monkeys and enjoy nature, it’s a bad idea to feed them. There are vendors at the bottom of the hill selling food, but these are wild animals and have been known to get aggressive. A monkey scratch or bite can be dangerous and will put a damper on your vacation. The views from the hill also make it worth the trek.
8. Visit a nearby island
We highly recommend you explore some of the other islands and nearby areas while you’re in southern Thailand. Some of them can be done in day trips, but most are better enjoyed if you dedicate a day or two to them. Otherwise, you might spend hours on ferries and not get a chance to truly relax.
Below are a couple of the islands and areas we recommend you visit, in no particular order.
Phuket to Phi Phi Ferry
Koh Phi Phi is a popular island in Thailand. It’s a well known party island filled with hostels, bars, and fire shows on the beaches.
The Rassada Pier is the main ferry pier in Phuket. This is where the Phuket to Phi Phi ferry can be booked and will take about 2 hours travel time. You can buy ferry tickets at the pier or ahead of time online. We were able to book tickets through Expedia.
If you prefer, you can also book a private speed boat. This option costs more, but is quicker.
Phuket to Koh Samui Ferry
There are several options to get to Koh Samui from Phuket. The Phuket to Koh Samui ferry route entails first taking a bus or taxi from Phuket to Surat Thani. Then you can take the Koh Samui ferry.
Otherwise, if you don’t mind spending a little more there are flights directly from Phuket to Koh Samui. They are a little overpriced, but it only take about an hour so it’s convenient.
Phuket vs Koh Samui
Some of the main differences when looking at Phuket vs Koh Samui are the size and atmosphere. Phuket is larger and has more to do especially if you’re looking for things to do with kids. Koh Samui is smaller and is popular with budget travelers looking for longer stays. However, it does still host luxury resorts and spas that make it a perfect couples retreat.
Both have amazing beaches and can be very relaxing, but the pace tends to be slower and more mellow on Koh Samui. So the choice between Phuket and Koh Samui depends on what you want out of your Thailand vacation.
Phuket to Krabi Ferry
The Phuket to Krabi ferry leaves from the Rassada pier. The trip takes about 2.5 hours. The same options are available as the other ferries, you can buy ferry tickets at the pier or ahead of time online. We were able to book tickets through Expedia.
While you can also go with the private speed boat there is actually another option. A bus runs from Phuket to Krabi and is cheaper than the ferry or private speed boat. It will however take about the same 2.5 hours as the ferry.
Wrap Up
This is just scratching the surface of fun things to do in Phuket. Whether you’re on a family vacation, couples retreat, or solo adventure it has something that should spark your interest.