Phuket
Thailand's big island: west-coast beaches, limestone bays and boats to the Phi Phi islands.
Phuket is Thailand's big island, joined to the mainland by a bridge, with a chain of beaches down its west coast, an old Sino-Portuguese town in the middle and the limestone sea-stacks of Phang Nga Bay to the north-east. It is the base for boat trips to the Phi Phi islands, Krabi's cliffs and the Similans.
Why go
For the beaches — Kata, Karon, Surin, Nai Harn, each with its own character — and for the water beyond them: the karst towers of Phang Nga Bay by longtail, the lagoons of Phi Phi, snorkelling on the reefs and diving out at the Similan islands in season.
And for the island's own life: the shophouses and street food of Phuket Old Town, the Big Buddha on the hill, the viewpoints along the south, and evenings that run from a beach bar to a night market.
Highlights
What people go for, in no particular order.
01Phang Nga Bay
Limestone islands rising sheer from a green sea, caves to paddle through by kayak, the pinnacle of Ko Tapu and the stilt village of Koh Panyee. A day trip by longtail or speedboat from the east coast.
02The Phi Phi islands
Maya Bay's cliffs, the Pileh lagoon and the reefs of Ko Phi Phi Leh, an hour or two by boat, with Phi Phi Don's beaches for an overnight stay.
03The west-coast beaches
Patong for the action, Kata and Karon for long sands and surf schools, Surin and Bang Tao for calmer water and the resorts, Nai Harn in the south for the locals' favourite.
04Phuket Old Town
Pastel shophouses, Chinese shrines, Sunday walking-street markets and coffee shops in the old tin-mining town in the island's centre.
05The Big Buddha and the viewpoints
The white marble Buddha on the Nakkerd hills above Chalong, and the Karon and Promthep Cape viewpoints for sunset over the Andaman Sea.
06Diving and the Similans
Liveaboards and day boats to the Similan and Surin islands in the dry season, and the reefs around Racha and Phi Phi for snorkellers and beginners.
Areas
Where to base yourself, and what each area is like.
Patong
The main resort: nightlife, shopping and a long beach. Loud and central to the west coast.
Kata and Karon
Family beaches south of Patong with surf, restaurants and hotels of every size.
Surin, Bang Tao and the north-west
Quieter beaches with the island's larger resorts and beach clubs, closer to the airport.
Phuket Old Town
Boutique hotels in shophouses, cafés and markets, away from the beaches but central to the island.
When to go: Phuket
- Dry seasonNovember – April
- Calm seas, clear skies and the boats running to every island. The high season, with the Similans reopening in mid-October.
- Wet seasonMay – October
- The south-west monsoon brings showers, bigger surf on the west coast and red flags on some beaches. Lush and quieter; the east coast and the bay stay calmer.
Getting there
Airports
One airport in our search serves Phuket. Distances are measured in a straight line.
- HKTPhuket International
Distance from
- SINSingapore950 km
- BOMMumbai3,020 km
- DXBDubai4,950 km
- SYDSydney7,240 km
- JNBJohannesburg8,450 km
- CDGParis9,770 km
- LHRLondon9,930 km
- JFKNew York14,560 km
Getting around: Phuket
The airport is in the north of the island; transfers and metered taxis reach the beaches in under an hour. Ride-hailing, tuk-tuks and songthaews cover local trips, and hire cars and scooters are easy to find.
Boats leave from Rassada pier and Chalong for the islands, and from the east coast for Phang Nga Bay. Ferries connect Phi Phi, Krabi and Ko Lanta for onward island-hopping.
Practical facts
The country, its currency and languages, the time zone and the time there now.
- Country
- Thailand
- Currency
- THB · Thai Baht
- Languages
- Thai
- Time zone
- Indochina Time
- Local time now
- Calling code
- +66
The atlas
Phuket in figures
The figures under this guide: the climate on modelled 2001–2020 averages, how far it is from the UAE, and the places around it.
Climate
The weather in Phuket, month by month
- Jan28°
- Feb29°
- Mar30°
- Apr30°
- May29°
- Jun29°
- Jul28°
- Aug28°
- Sept28°
- Oct28°
- Nov28°
- Dec28°
- Mild to warm and dry
- Mild to warm, humid or showery
- Hot
- Cool
- Wet
- Cold
Good for going, on these averages: December to April.
Mean highs run from 28°C in October to 30°C in March, with about 2,528 mm of rain in a year.
These are modelled averages for 2001–2020; the seasons described above are our own reading of a typical year.
Month-by-month climate for PhuketModelled averages for an area about 50 km across, not a weather station's record: NASA POWER climatology, 2001–2020.
Airports
How far it is from the UAE
From DXBPhuket
4,950 km
6 hrs 35 mins · Estimate
From AUHPhuket
4,990 km
6 hrs 35 mins · Estimate
The great-circle distance, and a rough flying time: the distance at an average 850 km/h plus 45 minutes for take-off and landing. Real flights follow airways, meet headwinds and wait for traffic, so schedules differ.
On the map
Places near Phuket
In pictures: Phuket
Plan this trip: Phuket
Open the trip builder with Phuket already filled in. Flights, stays and everything else are priced together in one quote, prepared by a person on our team.
