It’s hard not to fall in love with Phuket with sunny weather, clear blue waters, sandy beaches, lively vibe, and spicy Thai food. It is the largest island in Thailand and the place to go if you want to experience a little of everything that Thailand offers, from relaxation to adventure. In 2019 (pre-COVI19), Phuket received almost 10 million tourists worldwide, indicating something special about this island.
Check out our Previous Post on Essential Things to Know Before Going to Thailand, which details all the COVID19 Requirements for Thailand.
In This Article
Getting There
If Phuket is your first or only destination in Thailand, then, in that case, international airlines have routes to Phuket via connecting hubs depending on your origination. Flying into Bangkok and catching a domestic flight to Phuket may be less expensive. Traveling within Thailand is relatively easy between domestic flights and speedboats to hop around all over the country. In our case, Phuket was the third stop in our journey, so we took a speedboat from Koh Lanta via Koh Phi Phi, where we stayed for a couple of days.
How Much Time To Spend in Phuket
You can spend much time as your trip allows. We spent 6 nights in Phuket, which is enough time to hit a fair number of highlights. Because Lo is still young (6 years old), we like to take things slow and not rush from one place to another. Still, I would have been thrilled to spend more time in Phuket.
Where To Stay in Phuket
We stayed at Four Points by Sheraton, a Marriot Bonvoy Hotel in the Patong area, for the first 4 nights paid for by Mariott Bonvoy Points. This hotel was in a quiet north end of Patong Beach and was convenient to walk to places we wanted in the Patong area. The amenities of this hotel were absolutely spectacular and perfect for our needs. Breakfast was excellent; they even served ice cream at breakfast. In addition, kids were served complimentary ice cream at 4 pm daily. The only inconvenience was the long lines for breakfast at the two restaurants and at the guest services counters because the hotel was understaffed for the capacity.
For the last two nights in Phuket, we stayed at the Mariott Courtyard in Old Town to experience a different part of Phuket. This hotel was less crowded, guest services were very attentive, and the rooms were very comfortable with a spectacular view of Old Town and the sea. There are so many options for where to stay in Phuket. We recommend going on Agoda.com to search for accommodations that suit your budget.
Top Things To Do In Phuket
#1 Patong Beach
– (free) – Phuket has many beaches to choose from; however, Patong is the most famous beach in Phuket for its 1.8-mile-long stretch of white soft sand beach and bustling nightlife. Our hotel was on the quiet north end of Patong beach; we could just walk across the street to the beach. The water was clear blue and calm; in fact, we could walk out pretty far before the water reached my shoulders, which made it safe for kids to splash in. You could rent beach chairs and umbrellas from several vendors at the beach. Still, we typically went to the beach at sunset and lay on the hotel’s beach towels. Patong Beach (and most other beaches) are west-facing, so you could enjoy an unobstructed view of the gorgeous sunset. I imagine this beach was overcrowded pre-COVID19; had we gone pre/post COVID19, we would have opted for one of the other beaches – Kata, Karon, or Kamala.
#2 Street Food Market at Bangla Walking Street
– (free, except for your street food) – The Patong party hub is not entirely appropriate for children, but we went there for the food, and so did other families. We ate there three out of the four nights we were in Patong. This open space hosts a couple of dozen culinary stalls with all the dining tables located in the center. Food was a little more expensive than in Chiang Mai, and seafood tends to be more expensive than other proteins. We spent approximately ~$40 for 3 people. As soon as you enter the street food area, be prepared to be mobbed for business by every host of each stall you walk by. This was definitely a different vibe from laid-back Chiang Mai. However, the food was unparalleled!
#3 Big Buddha
– (free, however, donations are welcome) – Visiting the Big Buddha in Phuket was nothing short of peaceful and magical ✨. The Big Buddha is one of the greatly revered landmarks on the island. The statue and views atop this hill are absolutely breathtaking! The statue, 147ft (45m) tall, sits on top of the Nakkerd Hills and can be seen as far as Phuket Town and Karon Beach. The body is reinforced concrete, layered with beautiful Burmese white jade marble tiles approximately 2” x 2”. The marble gleams in the sun and reflects the color of the sky. On a cloudy day, the Big Buddha is sparkling white. This magnificent site offers the best 360-degree views of the island, with incredible panoramas of Phuket Town, Kata, Karon, and Chalong Bay. As always, because this is a religious site, one has to dress respectfully.
#4 Windmill Viewpoint
– (free) – Located on the southern tip of Phuket Island between Nai Han Beach and Yanui Beach, the views were absolutely breathtaking. We arrived mid-afternoon to enjoy the view, snapped a few pictures, and moved on to Promthep Cape. We recommend you take a picnic (or order food on Grab) and enjoy the view if you have time.
#5 Promthep Cape
– (free) – Located approx 5 min south of Windmill Viewpoint by car/scooter. We didn’t spend too much time hanging out at this location as we were getting hungry, and it was blazing hot, but I wanted to see the southernmost cape of Phuket. If you have time, there are a few things to explore at this location:
- You can hike down to the cape.
- Explore the airconditioned lighthouse museum.
- Browse through the giftshops/stalls for souvenirs.
From here, we went to the Rawai Seafood Market.
#6 Rawai Seafood Market
– ($$ depends on your seafood selection) – If you love seafood, this is the place where you can get fresh seafood. This unique market is unlike any we have ever been to. On the oceanside of the promenade are dozens of seafood vendors, where you can choose your catch of the day. Most of the vendors have bubbling tanks and beds of ice to maintain freshness. Prices are per kilogram and reasonably similar across all the stalls, but you can still bargain for a better price. Then, across the promenade, on the inland side, to one of the several restaurants ready to cook your seafood for a small fee. Once you have picked your seafood, it is delivered across the lane to your chosen restaurant with the billing ticket. Although most restaurants will charge the seafood and cooking fee together, be sure to ask if you have to pay separately. The total cost for 3 people was approximately $40USD – we ate a lot!
#7 Phuket Walking Street Market
– (free) – Located in Old Town or Phuket Town along the beautiful Thalang Road, only on Sunday evenings from 5:00 pm till 11:00 pm. Walking through the market is an experience that definitely stimulates all the senses. You can sample typical southern Thai culinary specialties here, from Thai sausages to hand-churned ice cream. It is also an excellent opportunity to shop for beautiful handmade crafts. Several performance stages are placed throughout the market featuring local musicians playing traditional Thai and local pop music.
#8 Thai Massage
– (Approximately $10) – Who can beat $10 Thai massages? There are many types of massages to choose from – foot massage, Thai massage, oil massage, hand massage, etc., and so many locations. If you walk past one and have second thoughts down the street, don’t bother running back; there is another one a few yards away. We got massages every other day, because…why not? Beware of naughty massages. You might want to keep walking if windows are tinted, there are no female patrons, or the masseuses are scantily/sexily dressed. Some masseuses will straight-up proposition the male in your group for a “massage” – this didn’t happen to us in Thailand but has happened in Dubai.
We hope this helped you plan an awesome vacation with your family <3
This is great information! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for stopping by <3