What's up guys, we're here in Phuket. It's one of the most popular islands to visit in Thailand
and in this video we're going to show you the best things to do here. So hope you enjoy it!
Phuket is located on the Andaman Sea in southern Thailand.
It's the biggest island in the country and thanks to its easy access via an international airport as
well as a bridge to the mainland, it's also one of the most popular tourist hot spots.
Most people are attracted to its sandy beaches, vibrant nightlife, and delicious Thai cuisine.
But there's so much more to discover than that. In this video, we highlight 10 of the best things to
do on Phuket Island, including some exciting day trips. Make sure to watch until the end because
we also share three travel tips so you won't make the same mistakes that we did. Now let's dive in!
We're Zac and Ine. We make helpful videos about
destinations around the world so you can easily plan your own adventures.
With over 30 beaches to choose from, Phuket has something for everyone. If you like the more
popular party beaches with lots of activities, then Patong or Karon Beach might be for you.
And if you enjoy quieter, more serene beaches then look no further than Yan Nui or Freedom Beach.
Our favorite one called Nai Harn Beach had the best of both worlds.
This beach doesn't attract large crowds yet, but does offer some activities and facilities. Keep
in mind that the beaches in Phuket are best visited between November and May.
At that time you won't be fighting rough waves that can make swimming and snorkeling dangerous.
Wherever you go in Thailand, the streets come alive in the evenings
with night markets filled with delicious street food options and souvenir stalls. The
most popular and authentic one on the island is the Sunday Walking Street Market in Phuket Town.
But if you're not visiting on a Sunday, you can browse for other night markets in the area.
Besides Phuket Town, you'll also find them at Patong, Karon, and Bangtao Beach.
The Indy Market in Phuket Town is also an amazing spot to enjoy local dishes.
All of the markets on the island provide a great opportunity to sample Thai cuisine.
As the capital of the Phuket Province, Phuket town
has a rich history which is reflected in the architecture of its Old Town today.
Strolling around Thalang Road, you'll find colorful Chinese-European style houses.
There are several souvenir and handicraft shops as well as some cafes and restaurants along the way.
The street isn't very long and you don't need more than an hour or two to walk around here.
One of the things we enjoyed most about Phuket was its proximity to nearby highlights,
such as the stunning Phang Nga Bay. This natural beauty is shaped by towering limestone cliffs,
emerald waters, and numerous islands to explore.
From Phuket, it's possible to go on a one day tour here. The first stop on the tour is generally the
Monkey Cave Temple, where you can find brilliant Buddha images and of course lots of monkeys.
Panyee Island is another popular stop on the route and a place we really enjoyed. We got here by
longtail boat and were able to explore the amazing village built on stilts by local fishermen.
We also had some delicious Thai food on the island. Talu Cave was the next stop on our tour,
where we explored its beautiful blue waters and rock formations by canoe. And finally, we
visited the famous James Bond Island which got its name from the 1974 James Bond movie "The Man with
the Golden Gun". You can find a link to the tour that we joined in the description below the video.
If you're going to go into the water here and take pictures at James Bond
Island you should definitely be a little bit careful because there's things like
monitor lizards, stingrays, and broken seashells.
Patong
is known as the party capital of Phuket, if not all of Thailand.
Bangla Road is the notorious heart of all Phuket nightlife with a variety of live
music bars and nightclubs to choose from. The road turns into a pedestrian walking
street after 6 pm and you can expect large crowds later in the evening.
One of the most iconic landmarks on the island is undoubtedly the Big Buddha. This 45 meter
or 147 foot tall white statue is at the top of a hill and offers spectacular views of the island.
The best way to get here is by rented vehicle, taxi, or tuk-tuk. It's also possible to hike
here from Kata Beach, but keep in mind that it's a steep, long, and sweaty route.
Besides the Big Buddha, there are tons of other breathtaking viewpoints.
One of the most popular areas to take in the scenery is Karon Viewpoint,
which is accessible by road and gives you a lovely view of three beaches. But our favorite view was
Black Rock Viewpoint in the south of Phuket. It's the most challenging view to reach as it
involves first driving a scooter or car over a sketchy dirt road as well as some steep walking.
If you hike the trail from the last parking lot on the dirt road like we did, it takes about
15 minutes to get to the top. There's also an option to do a longer trail and we've put a link
to both trail options in the description if you want to follow it on your phone.
There are plenty of places to watch the sunset in Phuket, whether you head to one of the beaches
on the west coast such as Patong or go to a higher lookout point. Prom Thep Cape is
likely the most visited sunset spot on Phuket Island. But for a more relaxing experience,
try to secure a spot at one of the bars on the west-facing hill with a panoramic view,
just a three minute drive from Karon viewpoint. After Beach Bar and Restaurant is a good one.
You
cannot leave Thailand without visiting at least one of its Buddhist temples. Wat Chalong is the
largest and arguably most beautiful one in Phuket. Dating back to the 1800s is
also an important place of worship for the Thai people. Make sure to visit the Grand
Pagoda, which protects a fragment of Lord Buddha's bone. You can book a half day tour to this temple,
the Big Buddha and Phuket Old Town via the link in the description below the video. But there
are also more than 25 other temples in Phuket, so you might find one closer to you as well.
When you visit these Buddhist temples in Phuket, make sure to really dress
appropriately to respect the culture, which means like you have to cover your knees
as well as your shoulders, and also like sunglasses and caps should be taken off.
Finally, there are numerous beautiful islands that are only a short boat right away from Phuket.
The most popular ones to visit on a day tour are undeniably the Phi Phi Islands,
which includes the beautiful Maya Bay. Here, you can find white sandy beaches,
crystal clear waters, and spectacular natural scenery. You might recognize the idyllic
setting of Maya Bay from the movie "The Beach" with Leonardo DiCaprio. We included a link to
the Phi Phi Islands Day Tour from Phuket in the description below as well. But if you're
looking for less crowded Islands to visit it might be best to look at some other options,
such as Koh Yao, the Similan Islands, Coral Island, and Racha Island. So pick your favorite!
As we promised at the beginning of our video, we'll now share three things that
we learned in Phuket that will help your own trip. First, the best area to stay is
the southwest side of the island. This is because most attractions and beaches are located there.
We made the mistake of staying in Phuket Town, which was a far drive for most of the highlights.
There's also a mountain range on the island that runs north to south, which means you
have to drive over a steep mountain pass to get from east to west or vice versa.
Secondly, the traffic is unforgiving all around Phuket and you can expect large traffic jams,
especially on the West Coast. Many tourists decide to rent a scooter to avoid it, but you have to
be very cautious because we saw many accidents. Make sure to follow all the traffic rules as well
if you do rent a vehicle. Chances are very high that you'll get pulled over by the police at some
point and you'll have to pay a fine if any rules are broken at all. We learned this the hard way.
Finally, as you can probably understand from the previous two tips, don't expect a peaceful
paradise island from Phuket. The island is heavily loaded with tourists in all of the popular areas.
There are a lot of fun things to do here, but keep in mind that it's always busy. If you're
looking for a laid-back, tranquil Island, then we recommend looking into the smaller islands
that are off the shore of Phuket or in the Gulf of Thailand. You can check out the other Thailand
videos on our channel for more island destination options if tranquility is more your vibe.
And of course there are a few things to do in Phuket that we didn't mention and
we've included a list of those on the screen here for you.
If you're planning your Thailand trip, we recommend keeping things
organized with our interactive travel planner. Find a discount code below.
We also included important links that you'll need for your Phuket trip in the description,
such as a full travel guide with where to stay and eat. We'll catch you on the next adventure!