In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Thailand
Phuket
ภูเก็ต
Go to Phuket for beaches and island trips, in the dry season: three to five nights, about 1 h 25 min by air from Bangkok. Pick your beach first because the island is large and traffic is slow.
Phuket is Thailand's largest island, linked to the mainland by bridge, with an international airport and beaches along its west coast. Patong is the busiest resort area, while Kata, Karon and the north are quieter. Phuket Town has Sino-Portuguese shophouses and local food. Distances are big and transport is costly, so choose one base and take boats for the islands.
- Country
- Thailand
- Local name
- ภูเก็ต
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (dry season, calm seas)
- Avoid
- May–Oct (monsoon, rough seas and rip currents)
- Stay
- 3–5 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- THB
- Money
- Currency is the Thai baht (THB, ฿). Cards work in malls, hotels and many restaurants; street food, markets, boats and small taxis are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget THB 1,200–2,000 excl. bed · Mid THB 2,000–4,500 excl. bed · High THB 4,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AIS and TrueMove H sell tourist SIMs at airport arrivals; passport registration is required.
- Emergency
- Police 191 · Ambulance 1669 · Fire 199 · Tourist Police (English) 1155
- Plugs
- Types A, B, C, O · 220 V · 50 Hz · Most sockets take flat US pins and round European pins; type O is the Thai three-pin standard. UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food: Nothing.; Sit-down restaurant: Leave ฿20–100 or the coins; skip it if a 10% service charge is on the bill.; Taxi / Grab: Round up to the next ฿10 or ฿20.; Massage: ฿50–100 per hour to the therapist, in hand.; Guide / driver day: ฿300–500 for the guide, ฿200–300 for the driver.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ฿20–50.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Street refill machines charge about ฿1 a litre; bottled water everywhere.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in malls and hotels; squat toilets with a water bucket in rural stops. The hose ('bum gun') replaces paper; paper goes in the bin in older buildings. Some public toilets cost ฿3–5.
Get in
By air
- HKT · Phuket International
- North of the island. Airport bus to Phuket Town about 100 baht; taxi to Patong about 700–1,000 baht and 45–60 min (2026 estimate); ride-hailing may be restricted at the curb.
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Taxis and ride-hailing are pricey; a Patong to Kata ride is about 400–600 baht (2026 estimate); agree fares or use the meter. Songthaews run between main towns for about 40–100 baht. Rental scooters are common but accident risk is high and insurance often excludes unlicensed riders. Boat tours include pier transfers.
See and do
Known for
- Patong and Kata beaches
- Old Phuket Town and Sunday walking street
- Big Buddha and Wat Chalong
- Island tours to Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay
- Promthep Cape sunset
- Nai Harn and Freedom beaches
- Local food (Hokkien noodles and dim sum)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Phang Nga Bay | Tour boat from the east coast piers, with hotel pickup | About 8 h with the tour |
| Phi Phi Islands | Ferry from Rassada Pier, about 1.5–2 h each way, or a speedboat tour | About 9–10 h |
| Koh Yao Noi | Longtail or ferry from the east coast pier, about 30–45 min | About 1.5 h |
| Khao Lak and Similan Islands | Road to Khao Lak, about 1.5 h, then a boat | About 3 h one way |
Sleep
- Kata / Karon
- Family-friendly beaches with a quieter feel than Patong; good restaurants, and swimming is best in dry season.
- Phuket Town
- Local food, cafes and shophouse streets; away from the beach, cheaper.
- Patong
- Busiest beach with the most nightlife; noisy but convenient.
- Rawai / Nai Harn
- Quieter south end for long stays; boats to nearby islands; needs a taxi or scooter.
Language
Thai is tonal and written in its own script; English works in hotels, malls and tourist areas, much less in the north-east and small towns. Polite particles (khrap for men, kha for women) go a long way.
- Ask hotels for their address card in Thai script.
- LINE is the messaging app of Thai businesses.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A wai (palms together, slight bow) to return a greeting; a smile and nod for shop staff; avoid: Waiing children or service staff first — it confuses; hugging strangers
- Head and feet: Keep feet on the floor, sit with legs folded to the side in temples; avoid: Touching heads (even children's), pointing feet, stepping over people or food
- Temples: Covered shoulders and knees, shoes off, sit lower than monks; avoid: Women touching monks or handing them things directly; climbing Buddha images
- Monarchy: Stand for the royal anthem in cinemas and at 08:00 and 18:00 in public places; avoid: Any joke or comment about the royal family; stepping on a banknote
- Keeping calm: Stay polite and smiling when things go wrong ('jai yen' — cool heart); avoid: Raising your voice; public anger loses the argument
- Names: Khun plus first name ('Khun Somchai'); nicknames are normal; avoid: Using the family name alone
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring fruit or sweets; step over the threshold, not on it; avoid: Sitting with feet towards the family shrine
- Beckoning and pointing: Palm down, fingers waved towards you; point with the whole hand or chin; avoid: Pointing at people with a finger or with your foot
Scams and watch-outs
- Rip currents in monsoon season are dangerous: obey red flags and do not swim when they are up.
- Agree taxi and tuk-tuk fares before you go; refuse pushy tour touts at the beach.
- Motorbike accidents are frequent; check that your insurance covers riding and hold a valid license.
- Jet-ski rental scams: never leave a passport, and photograph the ski before you ride.
- Beach and island tour boats can be cancelled in bad weather; check refund terms.
- Drug and vaping rules are strict; check current rules.
Generally safe for visitors. The main risks are rip currents in monsoon, scooter accidents, jet-ski and taxi scams, and strict drug and vape laws.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Phuket yet. Suggested stay: 3–5 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Patong and Kata beaches
- Old Phuket Town and Sunday walking street
- Big Buddha and Wat Chalong
- Island tours to Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay
- Promthep Cape sunset
- Nai Harn and Freedom beaches
- Local food (Hokkien noodles and dim sum)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tourism Authority of Thailand: www.tourismthailand.org/
- Wikivoyage — Phuket: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Phuket
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/phuket). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.