Patong Beach
Phuket's busiest beach resort, with a long curve of sand, water sports and a dense strip of restaurants, bars and shops behind it. Strong currents can make swimming risky in the rainy season.
Phuket
Lively nightlife, resorts, beaches and island-hopping boat trips draw visitors to Thailand's largest island.
Attractive locations
Phuket Big Buddha
Tall white marble Buddha seated on a hilltop in the south of the island. Visitors come for the broad views over Chalong Bay and the coast, and are asked to dress modestly.
Wat Chalong
Phuket's best-known Buddhist temple, a cluster of ornate halls and a tall pagoda said to hold a relic of the Buddha. Local people visit for worship and festivals, so modest dress is expected.
Old Phuket Town
The historic centre of Phuket Town, with brightly painted Sino-Portuguese shophouses, Chinese shrines, cafes and a weekly walking-street market. It shows a side of the island far from the beach resorts.
Kata Beach
Curved beach on the southwest coast with soft sand and a relaxed feel. Waves attract surfers in the wet season, while the calmer water in the dry season suits families and swimmers.
Karon Beach
Long, wide beach just north of Kata, backed by trees and low-rise resorts. Its length leaves plenty of room to walk and spread out, and sunsets draw many people to the shore.
Sirinat National Park
Protected strip of the northwest coast covering Nai Thon, Nai Yang and Mai Khao beaches, which are much quieter than the southern resorts. Sea turtles have been known to nest at Mai Khao.
Phang Nga Bay
Bay northeast of Phuket dotted with steep limestone cliffs and islands rising from green water. It is explored by boat and sea kayak, including paddling into caves and lagoons at low tide.
Khao Phing Kan (James Bond Island)
Island in Phang Nga Bay with a slim limestone pillar standing just offshore, made famous by a James Bond film. Boat trips stop here for photos and a short walk.
Racha Islands
Small island group south of Phuket with clear water, sandy coves and good snorkelling and diving. Day trips go by speedboat or ferry, usually from the Chalong area.
Jui Tui Shrine
Chinese Taoist shrine in Phuket Old Town, one of the main centres of the island's annual Vegetarian Festival. Its colourful interior is an easy stop on a walk through the historic streets.
Airports
Phuket International Airport HKT
It is about 26 km in a straight line from Phuket.
Krabi International Airport KBV
It is about 69 km in a straight line from Phuket.
Trang Airport TST
It is about 141 km in a straight line from Phuket.
Getting around
Buses from Phuket Airport
According to Phuket International Airport, public buses board near Exit 3 on Floor 1. Route 8411, the orange Airport Bus, goes to Phuket Town and the conductor accepts cash or QR code payment. The Phuket Smart Bus reaches Rawai by way of Surin Beach, Kamala, Patong, Karon and Kata, and the Airport Bus Express goes to Karon and Kata. Metered taxis wait at the airport too.
- Source: Phuket International Airport (AOT): Airport Bus (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Phuket International Airport (AOT): Phuket Smart Bus (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Phuket International Airport (AOT): Airport Bus Express (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Phuket International Airport (AOT): EVme VIP Taxi (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Phuket's public buses
Routes, timetables and live positions for the island's main public buses appear on a web guide called Phuket OneMap, made by Phuket City Development together with local government agencies. The services shown are the Phuket Smart Bus, three Phuket EV Bus routes and the free Dragon Line shuttle that circles Phuket Old Town. The guide runs in a phone browser, so no app is needed. Small change is useful on buses that do not take contactless payment.
- Source: TAT Newsroom: Phuket OneMap, a guide to getting around by public bus (2025) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Scams and safe taxis
Airport and island taxis
The airport's own listing for Phuket includes the EVme VIP Taxi, collected on Floor 1 of the domestic arrivals area, which runs on the meter, plus an airport fee that the Ministry of Transport sets. Canadian advice recommends a licensed taxi from an official stand, a limousine service or a trusted ride-hailing app, and warns against sharing a taxi with strangers. The tourism authority's complaint centre takes complaints about taxis and tuk-tuks.
- Source: Phuket International Airport (AOT): EVme VIP Taxi (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Government of Canada travel advice: Thailand (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand: Tourism Complaint and Suggestion Coordination Centre (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan26.9 °C80 mm
- Feb27.6 °C27 mm
- Mar28.4 °C112 mm
- Apr28.8 °C145 mm
- May28.5 °C265 mm
- Jun28.1 °C281 mm
- Jul27.9 °C264 mm
- Aug27.7 °C310 mm
- Sep27.4 °C352 mm
- Oct27.2 °C336 mm
- Nov27.4 °C219 mm
- Dec27.1 °C137 mm
Driest months: Jan, Feb, Mar. Wettest months: Aug, Sep, Oct.
Costs
Prices here are about 31% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Festivals and events
religious
Phuket Vegetarian Festival
In Phuket Town, nine days bring Chinese-Thai processions along with vegetarian food.
Who can help
Emergency
Tourist police 1155 (English). Emergency 191. Ambulance 1669.
local government
Tourist Police Bureau
Helps with: Thai police bureau set up to protect visitors and their belongings. Its hotline 1155 gives information and help to tourists, runs 24 hours a day and supports eight languages.
Who qualifies: Tourists and other foreign visitors anywhere in Thailand.
Phone: 1155
Email: [email protected]
Address: 999 Moo 1, Suvarnabhumi 4 Road, Nong Prue, Bang Phli, Samut Prakan 10540
local government
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
Helps with: Thailand's national tourism body. Its Travel Buddy call centre 1672 gives travel information and help to visitors, and its website takes complaints and suggestions.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Thailand or planning a trip there.
Phone: 1672
Email: [email protected]
Address: 1600 Phetchaburi Rd., Makkasan, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
local government
Tourist Assistance Center (Ministry of Tourism and Sports)
Helps with: The tourism ministry's assistance centre for visitors. It offers help in the aftermath of natural disasters, assault, accidents and other distress.
Who qualifies: Tourists in Thailand who have had an accident, been attacked or are otherwise in trouble.
Phone: 0 2134 4077
ngo
Thai Red Cross Society
Helps with: Thailand's national Red Cross society. It provides medical and health care services, the blood transfusion service, and disaster preparedness and relief for people affected by disasters.
Who qualifies: People in Thailand who need its medical, blood or disaster relief services.
Phone: +66 2256 4032
Address: Terd Prakiet Sodej Phra Yanna Sangworn Building, 1871 Henry Dunant Road, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Thailand
Helps with: The UN migration agency. In Thailand it works to save lives and protect people on the move, including vulnerable migrants and people affected by trafficking, such as into scam centres.
Who qualifies: Migrants in Thailand, especially vulnerable migrants and people affected by trafficking. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +66 2-343-9300
Email: [email protected]
Address: 18th Floor, Rajanakarn Building, 3 South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120
embassy
Foreign embassies and consulates in Thailand (official list)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Thai foreign ministry's Diplomatic and Consular List (April 2026) gives each mission's address and phone; some are based abroad.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy or consulate.
local government
Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM)
Helps with: Thailand's national department for disaster prevention and relief. Its hotline 1784 is the national contact line for disaster situations.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Thailand affected by a disaster or reporting one.
Phone: 1784
Address: 3/12 U-thong Nok Road, Dusit, Bangkok 10300
local government
TAT Phuket Office
Helps with: Tourism Authority of Thailand office responsible for Phuket. Contact it for tourist information about the island.
Who qualifies: Anyone visiting Phuket or planning a trip there.
Phone: +66 (0) 7621 1036
Email: [email protected]
Address: 191 Thalang Road, Tambon Thaladyai, Amphoe Mueang, Phuket 83000
local government
Emergency number 191 (police, ambulance and fire)
Helps with: Reaches police, ambulance and fire services. UK government travel advice lists this number.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.
Phone: 191
local government
Ambulance emergency number 1669
Helps with: Reaches the ambulance service. UK government travel advice lists this number.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.
Phone: 1669
local government
Fire emergency number 199
Helps with: Reaches the fire service. UK government travel advice lists this number.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.
Phone: 199