The Ultimate Guide to Phuket Thailand

Phuket Town, Phuket Thailand, is open all day and is free to visit. What better way of discovering the culture, history and leanings of art than to do a walking tour of Phuket which is absolutely a free learning experience. At Phuket, do a walking tour of the nine main roads, and you can boast you’ve seen Phuket upfront and close. As you walk along, look carefully, and you will see the Portuguese and Sino effects all over the buildings. Walking also means you can discover the local street art, murals, Chinese shrines, Thai temples or restaurants. As you mingle with the locals, eat like a local and perhaps discover the museums en route. Start with the eastern end of Thalang Roadand discover the China Inn Café known for handicrafts and other local restaurants of fame like the Willai. The Kopitiam where you can chat up the people with sweet round pancakes and tea or visit the Sunday walking Street Market.

From here, walk towards the Soi Romanee, with its Wat Mongkol Nimit shrine, Clock Tower Building and the Standard Charter Building close by. Do you know this area was once famed as the district’s red-light area? Turn onto the Phang Nga Roadwhere the Shrine of the Serene Light is worth a visit and look up the amulet market at The Memory at On On Hotel made famous in movies. Move on to Dibuk Road to feed your soul with local food at the Lock Tien Food Court, Charm Phuket, Phuket Indy Market, Kanom Jin Restaurant and Raya House. As you move along to Yaowarat Road, do not miss out on the Fountain Circle, Old Limpanon House and the Kanom Jeen Shop and old pharmacy.

The next important road to be covered is Krabi Road: with treasures like the Thai Hua Museum, Baan Chinpracha Mansion and Blue Elephant Mansion waiting to be discovered. The Old Mansion and the Thavorn Museum on Ratsada Road should keep you busy for at least half a day. And then you are left to do a bit of shopping on Phuket Road and Ranong Road. Don’t miss out on the Phuket city market and the Thai Airways heritage house here. Go to Vanich Street for your keepsakes and souvenirs to take home.

Racha Yai Island located just 12 km from Phuket Town at Rayagarden, Ko Racha Yai, Amphoe Mueang Phuket, Phuket Thailand is also free to visit and open all day. The Raya Islands are your best bet if you are interested in snorkelling, diving or other water-based activities. The Ao Tawan Tok U-shaped main bay with its fine white-sand beach allows you to take a look at its Ao Bungalow, The Racha Gateway Resort at Racha Yai, the larger bay of Ao Siam and the uninhabited diving areas of Racha Noi. You will need to use the 45 min speed boat or long-tail transfer from Rawai or Chalong Pier. The day tour of diving and snorkelling costs around 1,500 THB.

Jungle Elephant Riding at #11/27 moo.5, Lam Kean, Thai-mueng District, Phang-nga Province, Thailand 82210 houses this tour company that allows you and curious tourists to explore the elephant rides famous in Phuket Thailand.

The prices for such rides are not too high, and you can interact with the elephants too. Rawai and the Phang-nga Province is the elephant belt. The nearby jungle areas make a great ride for families to discover nature and the waterfalls together. The tour price depends on the number of services chosen, whether you are a child or an adult. Overall the prices are most reasonable and customer service excellent. The activity is a must-do for families with kids or young couples.

The Secret Cliff Resort and Restaurant is a resort equidistant from the Karon and Patong beaches and just a short distance away from Phuket Thailand. When so ever you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, head out to this well-maintained 2007 opened little secret of ours lying just off the Andaman Sea and nestling in the rain forest dense jungles around it. The best locale conferences their airconditioned classroom with classic sea-views. It takes up 40 people to a room while the Oval Room can house around 20 persons.

The special packages for a 3-day plus 2-night stay start at 5,990 and can run up to 8,990 THB.

Coral Island in Phuket Thailand is free to visit for coral reef watching and snorkelling and is open through the day to visitors and tourists. Also called Koh Hae, this island destination is hardly 3 km SE of Phuket and between the Banana and Long Beaches full of water, activities to keep you cool and happy through the day. Try their 600-baht brief parasail outing, the 2,000 baht/day course in Chinese, Thai and spoken English. The swimming pool based basic scuba diving classes, or the 250 THB/hour batik classes. Most day trips have lunch and free sun-loungers or beach-deck chairs. But for those who visit on their own, there are ample restaurants and cuisines to try out at the Coral Island. The beaches offer snorkelling, canoeing, long-tailing, speed-boat racing and a variety of water-based activities. Massages are at the eastern end. You can also take the super thrifty speedboat ride for 15m from the pier at Chalong or Rawai and go snorkelling with a buffet lunch thrown in at 1,000 THB/ day. The beaches also have a hiking/walking trail connecting them at the eastern end which the adventurous can explore by foot.

Ao Phang Nga National Park offers a variety of sights that can be explored during your tour. The park located at the Ban Tha Dan, Koh Phang Muang, Phangnga, Phuket Thailand- 82000 is open to visitors and tourists every day from 8 am to 4 pm. Most people travel to the east coast of Phuket from where the Phang Nga Bay and its wonders are easily accessible by boat. It again could be speed boats, yacht, canoes, long-tails or a combination of bus and boat tours lasting the day.

High on our list are the islands of Phang Nga or karsts of limestone that jut out of the water and have the islands named Koh Panyee or James Bond islands accessible from the northern end. The islands of Koh Hong, Koh Mahak and Khao Khien are popular and have some rock-cut paintings to admire en route. You should also kayak your way to the inverted caves called Hong or room ensconced by the limestone cliffs on all sides at the Koh Hong and Koh Panak islands. This is nature at her best!

Most islands are not commercialized and need you to carry your food along. You can book your National Park Kayak Adventure for 148 USD for the day-long trip, for 109 USD for the 6.5-hour quickie trip or the 115 USD 9-hour trip from the Takua Thung district’s Ka Sohm Pier or even the southern end of the town of Phang Nga.

Karon View Point located at #4233, Tambon Karon at Amphoe Mueang Phuket in Chang Wat Phuket Thailand- 83100 is open through the day to tourists and visitors who love this highly-rated family beach destination set amid the bays of Phuket, Kata, Kata Noi and Karo. Lonely Planet has even rated it among the world’s top ten beaches to visit! The Karon or the Kata viewpoint provides a panoramic W-view of the three beaches here namely Kata Noi, Karon and the Kata beaches located below. You can trek to the hilltop, enjoy yoga or cookery classes or pamper yourself with the rejuvenating massages and spa treatments available here in plenty besides the regular beachside views. And all these views don’t cost a dime!

Phuket Shooting Range should be where you are headed to if you love the thrills of rifles, guns and shooting. Located at #165 Surin Soi # 5 at Amphoe Mueang Phuket in Chang Wat Phuket Thailand- 83000 and with a web address of http://phuketshooting.com/. This range offers you 24 shooting ranges with super trained instructors to help you practice your shooting skills on a variety like the 9mm, 0.22, 0.38 or 0.45 of rifle types complete with a requisite shotgun and rifle ammunition. You can also try the combat courses on the outdoor ranges where you can practice skills in Paintball, Archery, Clay Shooting, Kart Racing, Airsoft gun shooting, Monkey School, Elephant trekking and the Cobra shows.

The criteria here are that you need to be at least 135 cm tall. The 0.22 rifles and revolvers charge 890 THB for 10 bullets, 1180 THB for the 0.38 automatics, revolvers etc. for 10 bullets and 1300 THB if you are using 10 bullets on a shotgun. For advance reservations, you can call on 076*381*667 or 668 or fax on 076* 381* 655.

Natural Restaurant or the ‘Tamachart Restaurant’ is where you can catch up with friends over dinner and a couple of drinks. Why is this place called the Natural Restaurant? When you are near to the Jui Tui Shrine on Phuthorn Road, you will come across this small wooden house that seems unusual in its décor made of bits and pieces of wood, paper and more. When you do go in, you can see a fun world made of waste and junk housing plants and growing quite naturally outwards to form a giant environment of aquariums from monitors, bicycles, radios, fishing tackle, computers, old toys and more blended in. Even as you go to the first floor with a dragon-fruit juice in hand, the feeling of being in a tree that encompasses the balconies, terraces, stairways and roof appears to grow out in all forms and directions. The Thai cuisine and drinks served are extremely reasonably priced, and the place is a must-visit when in Phuket Thailand.

Mai Thon Island located at #100 Vichit Maung at Chalong in Mueang Phuket District of Phuket Thailand is private property but open through the day for you to enjoy the view of a palm encased golden sand island just 2.5 km wide and just of the eastern coast of Phuket. This beach has restricted access, and most boats from the Pier at Chalong stop here to let you enjoy some snorkelling, diving and swimming with the cuttle-fish, turtles amid the marine coral reef off the island’s beach.

Phuket Swing is a new scenic spot to enjoy and is located at #9 of Soi Laem Kroen Sub-District in Karon District of Phuket Thailand-83100. Enjoy being swung high and the natural scenic beauty of the spot where few tourists are yet to be found. It is an ultimate spot to photograph your family and yourself with the local women all decked up and take those snazzy bird’s eye view of huge trees and undisturbed tropical forest lands of Phuket. There may be an extra charge for photographs and the swing itself, but it is a must-visit place well-worth the bumpy ride to it.

Phi Phi Islands at Mu Ko Phi Phi of Amphoe Mueang in Krabi is all yours to view for free and open all day to tourists and visitors. The picture-perfect islands and bay are a must-visit spot made famous by the filming of the Viking Cave and The Beach. The 42 sq m collection of 6 islands in Maya Bay are noteworthy for the two main islands of Phi Phi Leh which is uninhabited. The other islands are the Kho Bida Nai, Kho Bida Nok, Mosquito Islands and Bamboo Island. Revel in the tropical sun of Phuket Thailand and enjoy the lazy days where large transportation and bicycles are the only modes of transport. Enjoy the day trip that generally lasts over seven hours and costs 87 USD.

Wat Chalong or the Wat Chaiyatharam Buddhist temple is located at Chao Fah Tawan Tok Road in Chalong of Phuket Town in Phuket Thailand and is open each day from 7 am to 5 pm. Contact their web site for more information at http://www.wat-chalong-phuket.com. Do remember that at all temples, shoes are a no and dress codes are strictly adhered too. Women need to be attired in long dresses with shoulders covered. Also, show courtesy and speak in hushed tones and never touch the relics. Entrance and parking to the nineteenth century Chalong Temple is free!

This large temple is where the people pay their obeisance to the Wat Chalong founders and monks like Luang Pho Chuang and Luang Pho Cham who rallied with the locals in the 1876 rebellion against the Chinese. There they helped the injured with their traditional knowledge of herbal medicines. The sanctum sanctorum or Chedi has the Buddha bone splinter and the 3 floors form a museum of Buddhist figurines and statues. The view atop from the terrace is resplendent and simply awesome! Getting to Wat Chalong is easy from Rawai or Chalong where you need to drive along the Chaofa Road and to the west about 5km from the Phuket Central Festival. You can email them at info@wat-chalong-phuket.com.

Koh Khai Nok island at the Ao Phang Nga National Park and its sister island of Koh Khai Nui are also well worth a peek at and open all day. Just 3km from Phuket East. The two islands of Phuket Thailand can be covered by a tour lasting five hours or so and costs around 59 USD. Here’s your chance to enjoy swimming in the reef among the tropical fishes. Snorkel, dive in or enjoy the snacks and drinks on the beach.

Promthep Cape located at Rawai at Mueang Phuket District is also free to visit and open all day. What is special about the place is that the island is one of the most favourite sunset watching view-points in Phuket Thailand.

The Promthep Cape on Rawai Beach is the southern-most point and gets crowded when dusk falls. The sunset view sets you back by 13 USD or more for a trip that lasts just over four hours. That’s all. If you visit the lighthouse museum, you can access the viewing gallery from there. On a clear day, it is said you can look across the oceans to see India and Sri Lanka. When the weather is not so cooperative you still get the most beautiful views of Koh Racha Noi, Koh Racha Yai and the Phi Phi Islands not too far off. There is a tiny souvenir shop here where you can probably buy a sarong, seashells and such as a keepsake of your trip. Check out their web address at http://www.phuket.com/island/promthep-cape.htm.
Simon Cabaret Show which performs at #8 Sirirat Road at Tambon Patong in Amphoe Kathu of Chang Wat Phuket Thailand is your stop for some fantasy, comedy, music and entertainment. The 3 performances of an hour each happen at 6, 7.30 and 9 pm daily and on holidays there is an extra show at 5 pm. Check via email for tickets and information at info@simongroups.com or their web address of https://www.phuket-simoncabaret.com/. You can also call on 66*0*87*888*6888 or 66*0*76*340*807.

The Phuket Simon Cabaret is a family affair and suitable for children too. Book at least 2 to 3 days before the view date and present your booking to exchange it for a ticket with a privileged view. They also have a lobby bar and ample parking around the main theatre. Remember no refunds are allowed though!

Hanuman World, the adventure park with a web address of https://hanumanworldphuket.com/, provides you with a monkey-god themed ziplining adventure time slice. Anyone from as young as 4 and as old as 80 can still zipline provided they are below the weight of 120 kg. The various packages start at 690 baht/person. The packages like World A provides 3-hour playtime and the B package for 2hours costing 3,190 Baht. The regular B package for 1.5 hours costs 2,300 THB. The C for 1hour costs 1,190 THB. Contact them at Sky world Adventures Co Ltd. located at #105 Moo #4 on Chaofa Road, T. Wichit, Muang, Phuket Thailand-83000. Their web address is play@hanumanworldphuket.com or call at 66*0*76*540*767.

Dolphins Bay located at #33/50 M#2 T at Soi Pa Lai #2 in Chalong, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket Thailand-83000 is generally open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 9 am to 6 pm. The Nemo Dolphin Bay has captive bred and well-trained dolphins who do some awesome stunts and people interaction at the dolphinarium. They are closed on Mondays. Normally, there are 3 super 45-minute performances every day from 11 am to 2 pm and 5 pm at the Dolphinarium. You can buy your tickets online at http://dolphinsbay-phuket.com/, and they are also randomly assigned. You will need to exchange the vouchers for actual tickets at the entrance, and that’s where you could also choose your seat numbers. You can also call them on 66*9*93*137*666.

The tickets for the first-row VVIP seats cost 1,200 THB per adult and 700/ child. The second row VIP seats cost 1000 Baht/ adult, and 600/child, the third and fourth rows of Deluxe seats cost 900/adult and 500/child. And the later rows till the seventh of Regular seats cost 700/adult and 400/child in THB. You can also do a Royal Swim with dolphins for 5,000/adult in THB or do a professional photo shoot with the dolphins at 400 THB up to 4 persons. Call them for reservations on 66*8*31*811*155.

As we beg to sign off, we hope we have given you a well-guided and wordy tour of Phuket Thailand’s many must-visit sights and attractions. Depending on your choice of activity Phuket will welcome you and the family to a never-before experience in dining, water sports, zip-lining, island viewing, and affordable accommodation on a must-do vacation of at least 5-7 days. Pack your bags and come soon to Phuket, Thailand!