Phuket · Things to do
Things to Do in Phuket
Phuket is more than its beaches. Start in Phuket Old Town, where Sino-Portuguese shophouses line Thalang and Dibuk roads and the Sunday walking street fills Thalang Road with food stalls. Drive up to the Big Buddha on Nakkerd Hill for the view over Chalong Bay, then visit Wat Chalong, the island’s most important temple. Spend the late afternoon at Promthep Cape or Karon Viewpoint for the sunset. Keep a full day for a boat trip: the limestone towers of Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island, or the Phi Phi Islands. For beaches, Kata, Karon and Nai Harn are the easiest; Freedom Beach and Banana Beach are hidden coves. Most sights are free.
Phuket Town
1Phuket Old Town
Free · allow 2–3 hours on foot
★★★★★Reviews
Thalang Road
2Sunday Walking Street (Lard Yai)
Free · Sunday, late afternoon to evening
★★★★★Reviews
Krabi Road
3Phuket Thai Hua Museum
Daily 9am–5pm · 200 baht for foreign visitors
★★★★★Reviews
Chalong
4Wat Chalong
Free · allow 45–60 minutes
★★★★★Reviews
Patong
5Patong Beach and Bangla Road
Free · Bangla Road from about 8 pm
★★★★★Reviews
Nakkerd Hill
6The Big Buddha
Free entry, donations welcome · allow 1 hour
★★★★★Reviews
Karon
7Karon Beach
Free · sunset walks
★★★★★Reviews
Kata
8Kata and Kata Noi Beaches
Free · best November–April
★★★★★Reviews
South of Patong
9Freedom Beach
Longtail boat from Patong · half a day
★★★★★Reviews
Between Kata and Nai Harn
10Karon Viewpoint
Free · roadside stop, 15–20 minutes
★★★★★Reviews
Rawai
11Rawai
Free · seafood market in the evening
★★★★★Reviews
Nai Harn
12Nai Harn Beach
Free · best in the morning
★★★★★Reviews
Southern tip
13Promthep Cape
Free · arrive before sunset
★★★★★Reviews
North-west coast
14Banana Beach
Free · path from the coastal road
★★★★★Reviews
North coast
15Mai Khao Beach
Free · quiet all day
★★★★★Reviews
Andaman Sea
16Phi Phi Islands
Ferry or speedboat · a full day or one night
★★★★★Reviews
Phang Nga Bay
17Koh Panyee
On most Phang Nga Bay tours
★★★★★Reviews
Phang Nga Bay
18Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island
Full day by boat from the east-coast piers
★★★★★Reviews
Selected by Holiplanet editors from each place’s official website. Distances are straight-line from Phuket Old Town (map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, tiles © Esri). No platform ratings: contact each place directly.
Things to Do in Phuket: questions and answers
What is Phuket best known for?
Its beaches, Phuket Old Town and its Sino-Portuguese shophouses, the Big Buddha, the boat trips to Phang Nga Bay and Phi Phi, and its cooking, which made Phuket a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2015.
What can you do in Phuket for free?
Walk Phuket Old Town and the Sunday Walking Street, visit the Big Buddha and Wat Chalong, watch the sunset at Promthep Cape or Karon Viewpoint, and spend the day on the public beaches.
How many days do you need in Phuket?
Five to seven days: two or three for the beaches, one for the old town and the Big Buddha, and one or two for boat trips. Keep a spare day in the green season.
What should I wear to visit temples in Phuket?
Cover shoulders and knees, take off your shoes where asked and keep your voice low. Wat Chalong and the Big Buddha are places of worship.
More for your stay: Phuket map · Phuket City Guide · Where to Stay in Phuket · Best Restaurants in Phuket · Living in Phuket · Phuket in the Journal