Top 26 Things To Do In Phuket

Big Buddha

Sitting on the top of the Nakkerd Hills, 45 metres high and visible from most of the south of Phuket is The Big Buddha.

Excellent views, beautiful jungle journey to the top just add to the appeal.

5.5 hour Phuket Island Guided Tour including Big Buddha from £20 per person

Phang Nga Bay Sea Cave Canoeing & James Bond Island tour from £74.66

Phang Nga Bay

A day trip to Phang Nga Bay should be towards the top of your must do list. You can take a motor or sailing boat but the best way is probably by sea kayak. The limestone cliffs and rock formations are spectacular and a signature feature of the area.

Koh Tapu became famous as James Bond Island after it appeared in The Man With The Golden Gun.

Phi Phi Islands

There is a reason why Koh Phu Phi is so popular and famous the world over. Stunning beaches, sheer limestone cliffs, jungle, what’s not to like. Well the overcrowding in some parts for one, Maya Beach, famous for being the location for the film The Beach, has been closed to tourists to enable the eco-system to recover from the sheer numbers of boats and people that were visiting each day.

Find the right location and you cans till enjoy the seclusion and beauty of Phi Phi and then visit Tonsai Bay for some shopping and a couple of drinks.

Phi Phi Day Tour from Phuket from £52.73 per person

Old Phuket Town

A marked contrast to the tourist areas of Phuket, the Old Town retains it’s charm with quirky shops, bars and nightlife, architecture and markets.

Take time out to wind down in this unexpected delight.

Similian Islands

The Similian Islands are a virtually uninhabited Marine National Park. home to some of the best scuba diving in the world many people will take a multi-day liveaboard to get the most out of the area

Wat Chalong

Thousands visit Wat Chalong to worship each year alongside the tourists who visit for the shimmering Grand Pagoda and artwork many of which are images of the Buddha and tell his life story.

There is also a bone splinter claimed to be from the Lord Buddha.

Patong’s Bangla Road

Nightlife but not as you know it. Many visit Phuket primarily for the Patong night-scene which is centred on this one road. There are bars, shows, go-go bars, nightclubs and a number of less family-friendly attractions that makes it a tourist destination in its own right.

Ladyboy Show

Family friendly shows where the stunning women are, of course, actually Ladyboys.

there is even a choice of top quality Ladyboy shows on Phuket with Simon Cabaret Show in Patong and Simon Star Show in Phuket Town

Sea Gypsy Village

Head to Rawai seafront and you will find a small fishing community of Sea Gypsies who increasingly have turned to the tourist industry offering guide services and souvenirs as well as still actively fishing locally.

Visit a Night Market

With so many tourist areas plus Phuket Old Town, there are many night markets to choose from usually all with a selection of street food and some with live music and street acts.

The range of goods on sale will varying depending on the market but in tourist areas will all tend to have similar souvenirs.

The Thalang Road Walking Street on Sunday evenings in Old Town has an excellent range of local, authentic street food you may not find elsewhere.

Beach Life

There are so many beaches to choose from on Phuket, you could spend your trip visiting a different one each day, all as stunning.

With most of the beaches situated on the west coast you get the added advantage of stunning sunsets to end the day in style.

Koh Panyee (Panyi)

Often visited as part of a trip to Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island but also an easy trip by longtail boat is this Muslim Fishing Village. Constructed in the bay on stilts it is a very different experience than most Thai villages you will come across, even offering overnight stays.

Water Sports

Hire a dingy, or a yacht for the more experienced sailor, a sail board (wind surfer), paddle board, jet ski, paragliding, kite surfing, banana boat and even go surfing. There is even an freshwater wake boarding park and an artificial surfing centre. Phuket has it all for the water sports enthusiast.

Adrenaline Activities

For many water sports may represent the limit to the adrenaline activities they consider. There is much more on offer in Phuket.

You can zip line through the jungle canopy, go in a zorb ball, bungee jumping, go-karts and more.

Sample Thai Food

Forget the western food widely available in the bigger resorts and enjoy the local cuisine.

from street food to high end restaurants, it can all be found on Phuket

Scuba Diving

Incredible diving can be found on both western and eastern coasts of Phuket which is why it is one of the most important dive destinations in the world.

Arrange daytrips or multi-day liveaboards with a number of top class dive shops or even learn or improve your dive skills.

Massage Time

There are plenty of places to get a massage in Phuket most of which do not offer the “extras” that many people associate with a Thai Massage parlour.

Usually found along the main streets in resorts and in beach side areas they offer a cheap, but usually high quality massage or treatment that you will struggle to find in many places around the world.

Khao Phra Thaeo

To the north of Patong is this national park that features easy walking trails through the rainforest witha wide range of wildlife, waterfalls and other stunning sights.

Hire a guide for the best experience.

Muay Thai

Phuket is an excellent place to visit to watch top quality Muay Thai fights, the real thing not tourist exhibition type events, or to train and practice at high quality Muay Thai gyms.

Phuket Aquarium

Escape the heat with the family and visit this excellent Aquarium that houses thousands of marine creatures mostly from the surrounding area.

Paradise Complex

The Royal Paradise Hotel and Spa in Patong is the centrepiece of this area that has become the gay capital of Phuket with a wide range of businesses all geared around the lgbt+ community.

Sirinat National Park

Mai Khao, Nai Yang and Nai Thon beaches, mangrove forests amd saltwater swams are all part of this National Park in the north west of Phuket. An excellent nature trail and walkway make exploring easy.

Phuket Golf

Phuket has a number of adventure golf, mini golf and football golf to keep the family entertained. For the more serious golfer there are a number of excellent golf courses, including championship courses. Many are attached to Hotel Resorts making it easier to combine with the beach and pool.

Shrine of the Serene Light

Built in 1889 this hidden secret is worth hunting out as you may be one of the few visitors to this gem.

You may need to hunt out the entryway down an alley of Phang Nga Road

Get a Close Up View of Planes at Mai Khao Beach

The authorities have tried to restrict access to the beach due to safety concerns, however as the beach is part of the National Park they have not, yet, been successful. If you manage to get the perfect spot you can be just a few metres short of the airport boundary and experience one of the few places on earth where you can be so close to planes landing or taking off.