Phuket

Eco-friendly travel guide to Phuket advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Phuket, Thailand.

Air quality: 4 / 5

Exploring by foot: 4 / 5

Exploring by bicycle: 4 / 5

Public transportation: 4 / 5

Parks: 4 / 5

Outdoor activities: 5 / 5

Locals' English level: 3 / 5

Safety: 4 / 5

Accommodation: US$10 - $100

Budget per day: US$30 - $150

Responsible Travel

With a population of 416,582 spread over an area of 543 square kilometres, Phuket is Thailand's most extensive and the most-visited Island. It comprises of the namesake island along with several smaller islands that sit along the coast of the primary Island. It comes under the Phuket Province, which is a southern province in Thailand. Phuket is famous amongst the tourists for its stunning beaches and the mindblowing cuisines. While travelling to Phuket, you must keep in mind several points such as the following to travel responsibly and respectfully.

Phuket has recently faced a natural disaster which led to the loss of a lot of life, flora, and fauna. The government is trying to implement specific laws towards repopulation and a balanced eco-system. Therefore, you should not indulge in any actions that will lead to a negative impact on such a fragile environment. Poaching, hunting, fishing, etc. are done in a limit, and you should reframe from over-exploitation of such natural resources.

Another thing that you can do is to travel in an eco-friendly manner. It refers to opting of sustainable measures like recycling, reusable items, proper waste disposal, adhere from plastic and use and throw objects, using public transports or electronic vehicles instead of taxis, and personal cars. These measures may mean very little but will result in a lot of positive impact on the local environment and communities.

Air Quality and Pollution

The air quality is good because of the less air pollution in Phuket. You can find that other corruptions are at a moderate or high level like water pollution and noise pollution. The low air pollution is because there are not much of private taxis running across this city. Another reason is the river, the fresh air from the river dilutes dust air in it. Being a responsible human being, you must maintain the low air pollution rate as much as possible and should help in lowering other pollutions also by adopting eco-friendly measures.

PM10 - 24

PM2.5 - 13

PM10 Pollution Level - Low to Moderate

Pollution Index - 51.74

Pollution Exp Scale - 94.51

Respect the Culture

There are many cultural festivals in this city, few of them are listed below. Disrespecting these festivals means you are disrespecting their culture and gods, this will harm your image directly. So it would be best if you respected the culture of the place you are visiting.

Songkran : It is a new year festival of Thai people and is celebrated on 13th April every year. It is a national holiday for the whole country from 13 to 15. Songkran comes from an ancient language Sanskrit, which means astrological passage. In 1989, it was fixed at 12 - 14 April by the cabinet.

Loi Krathong: It is the second most important cultural festival in this city along with the whole country. This word translation is to float a ritual vessel or lamp. This festival is to thank and seek forgiveness from the Goddess of Water; Ganga. Along with this, they also worship Buddha. A Krathong is a small container which can easily float on the water made up of banana leaves in which some flowers along with traditional Thai dish. This day is usually on the full moon of the 12th Thai month.

Yi Peng: It is a festival held on a full moon day in the twelfth month of the lunar calendar. The locals celebrate it by releasing sky lanterns in the air which is called Khom Loi made of rice paper attached with the candle for a fuel source to rise.

Songkran being celebrated in Thailand

Top 10 Places to Visit

Bang Tao Beach: Another name for this beach is Cherngtalay or Choeng Thale. This beach is as long as 6 kilometres long. Except for tourist here are some local people also who lives here and traditionally earn money by fishing and farming. There are also many luxurious hotels and resorts along the beach. Asia's largest Hotel complex is in the centre of Bang Tao beach. The hotels are around the southern end of the beach; the northern end is peaceful, warm, and quiet. It is the most family-friendly beach in Phuket. Other than laying down and enjoying peace, one can also do Jet skiing, water skiing, and paragliding. If you are a first-timer, you should prefer surfing on the southern side where there are smaller waves. Along the Northern side, the waves become more significant as the waves at the side are more exposed to the winds.

Big Buddha of Phuket: It is also known as the Great Buddha of Phuket. In the statue, The Buddha is seated in Maravija's attitude. The figure is 148 feet tall and 25.45 meters wide. It is ranked third in the list of tallest statues of Thailand and made of concrete covered with white marble. The construction of the statue initiated in 2002 and completed in 2014. It took 12 years to complete. The Supreme Patriarch of Thailand gave the figure the title of Buddhist Treasure of Phuket. The officially declared name of the statue is Para Phutta Ming Mongkol Akenakakiri in the Thai language. The literal English meaning of this name is the glorious honourable Buddha on the top of the hill of Naga. It is indeed a splendid and enormous site worth watching.

Karon View Point: Karon View Point acquires the title of the most visited viewpoint. This place is between two beaches; Kata Noi Beach and Nai Harh Beach. To be precise, it sits on the southside of the Kata Noi beach. The northern view of the Karon viewpoint is the most photographed place in Phuket. The site includes white sand beaches, blue sea, snow-white turf, and exotic Koh Pu island. For the convenience of the visitors, this place is open at night on Saturday and Sunday, which means you can also enjoy Phuket's beautiful night view. Moreover, for the convenience of the visitors, you can book the ticket in advance.

BWQangla Road: Bangla Road is the best place to experience and enjoy the nightlife of the country. This place is also called Patang Walking Street. During night because of the traffic, the speed is closed down and is opened only for the walking once. The length of the road is 400 meters. There are many night clubs and sports bars on the street. One of the most exciting features about most of the bars here is that the roofs and walls cover only one side; the three sides have no borders. Some places have performers others have DJ who plays local and other genres of music. Because of this reason, it has such a rich and exciting nightlife.

Phuket FantaSea: Phuket FantaSea is a theme park based on Thai Culture. The theme park spreads over a total area of 60 acres. Theme Park consists of a shopping Street, a themed buffet restaurant, and a theatrical show based on Thai culture. The cost of creation of the park was a hundred million US dollars or THB 3500 million. Festive Village Shopping Restaurant is the street for shoppers or for people who come here to buy things. It also has a game Town Restaurant bars and bakeries. Golden Kinnaree Buffet Restaurant occupies a total area of 1.3 acres and can entertain 4000 guests. It has an architectural style of the Ayutthaya Era. It is one of the largest buffet restaurants in the world. The fantasy of a Kingdom Show loaded with illusions, techniques, special effects, and its speciality is Thai culture. With a capacity of 3000 seats, it covers an area of 4 acres. The duration of the show is 70 minutes.

Chaitharam Temple: It is also known as Wat Chalong. However, formally it is known as Wat Chaiyathararam and located in the Chalong Subdistrict or Phuket District. Made from the inspiration of two venerable monks Luang Pho Chuang and Luang Pho Cheng, who fought as leaders of the people against the Chinese rebellion in the year 1876. They also helped many patients and injured people with the knowledge they acquired in herbal medicines. The monks present in the temple helped the people by storing their belongings in the boxes outside the temples. The temple also sells holy trinkets. The temple features a highly amplified pop music and fighting advertisements of Thai culture. For the visitors, the temple is open on weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Malin Plaza Patong: Malin Plaza Patong is best known for its shopping and nightlife. Malin Plaza gives the best deals on food in Phuket, be it range or prices it is the best place in both the aspects in the whole of Phuket. The Malin Plaza is the same as other markets on the Island the difference is just that Malin Plaza offers it in a much calmer environment and much Cheap food. If you know how to bargain then this is the best place for you. All the shops have a standard metal roof. The shops inside are well spaced and ensure proper ventilation throughout. The price shopkeepers offer here can be a bit higher than other markets, but bargaining is the ultimate solution, and the best thing here is it works! One of the best things about the market is the large food stand which is lined just in front of the Malin Plaza shops. Almost every dish you can imagine is available here. Be it Thai street food, Sushi, fresh fruit, fried chicken, or even chips; everything is available here. Moreover, the food here is very cheap and good.

Monkey Hill: Another name of Monkey Hills is Toh Sae Hill and is one of the highest hill points in Phuket. It is home to many radio stations and a few TV stations. There is also a place where local people come to work daily. With the set up of a proper viewpoint in 2015, you can get panoramic views of Phuket town. The site is built like a platform and offers a splendid and stunning view from over Phuket town. Towards the bottom near the hill, there is a holy shrine made in the memory of the sacred spirits named Toh Sae Bam, Toh Sae Dang, and Toh Sae Kaow. This place is busiest on Fridays although it opens regularly. A man known as Pae Hog nicknamed Uncle Hog, a performance show with the monkeys here. According to uncle Hog, 400 primates live in monkey hill. They are not aggressive and don't harm people, but you should be cautious if you are travelling with small children.

Karon Temple Market: It is spread on a compound of 12,000 square meters in Phuket. It occupies Wat Karon or Wat Suwan Khire Khet's part. Karon market is similar to Phuket Weekend Market; the difference is just that it gives a wide range and wide choice of local foods and local products. The Karon Temple is on the inland side. The central Karon is as long as a 500-meter street. Almost all the items at this temple are for tourists, be it fluorescent t-shirts, flower-shaped soaps, shorts, or multicoloured swimsuits. Karon Temple market includes vendors who sell original pieces that are handcrafted skillfully by artists. The handicrafts include hand-painted dolls, knitted teddy bears, and miniature robots. Many kinds of skincare products like virgin coconut oil or aloe vera are also available here. Towards the temple's main entrance, there is a food market. You can enjoy Thai sweets, grilled or steamed meats, fresh fruits, spring rolls, tofu, and many other traditional Thai delicacies that are available here. The place is open on Tuesday from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Green Elephant Sanctuary Park: Green Elephant Sanctuary Park spreads over a vast area of 40,000 meters. The Green elephant Sanctuary Park is a place where elephants are rescued from different regions in Asia to live. One of the interesting facts about this sanctuary is that here you can bathe elephants and know about their lives before being rescued. The trainers here look carefully after visitors and animals all the time. The sanctuary offers the elephants a free environment and a healthy life. Although the cost of keeping an elephant is expensive, this sanctuary is committed to taking care of them even if it costs a hundred dollars a month. The entry fee is TBH 2500, and the timings are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The beautiful Bang Tao Beach

Explore

Phuket possesses many mind-blowing and enlightening places that may not be a tourist's first preference, but are must-see and visit sites to get the full exposure to the culture, traditions, and history of Phuket.

City Parks

Loma Park: One of the best spots for every age group, Loma Park offers a quiet park for those looking to relax in the shade of this spectacular park which is surrounded by local food stalls, and a public playground span spread over 14,000 square meters. You can find this park at the north end of Patong Beach where many festival events and music concerts occur here throughout the year. It's the best place for families to hang out in this beautiful park in Phuket for experiencing lots of entertainment and fun activities.

Saphan Hin:Rated as one of the largest green parks in Phuket, Saphan Hin is a multi-purpose park with few fitness centres, jogging trails, a stadium, a software development centre, food stalls, and restaurants, and many more such amenities. You can find this park at the south end of Phuket Road, which hosts every festival and fairs throughout the year, making it highly recommended by the people of Phuket to come to visit here. It's also the best place for Phuket locals to organize fun activities and have picnics here with friends and families.

Suan Luang Park: Also known as 'King Rama IX Park', Suan Luang Park is a lovely and beautiful green park in Phuket town surrounded by large trees, walking paths, and lotus ponds. You might observe that this park is often busy in the early morning with joggers and workout freaks. You can also join in people's Tai Chi practices that they usually do every morning to stay fit and promote Tai Chi. There is a playground too for children, making this park well-populated with the public.

Saphan Hin

National Parks

Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre: The primary purpose of the Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre is that it operates in the old tropical forest around Bang Pae waterfall, Phuket. It rescues abandoned pet gibbons and prepare them for being released back into the wild and also to improve the welfare of gibbons that were hunted or mistreated. This rescue centre is in the Khao Phra Thaeo National Park since 1992. This rehabilitation centre is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with no entrance charges.

Khao Phra Thaeo National Park: Being the Island's last significant virgin rainforest, Khao Phra Thaeo National Park sits in the northern part of Phuket, where you will get to see various species of floras and faunas. Since it's a large national park, you'll find it difficult to point out the animals, yet this national park is worth visiting. It houses a small museum and an information centre located near the bottom of the waterfall. This place is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with an entrance charge of about 200 baht for visitors.

Khao Sok National Park: Located in southern Thailand, Khao Sok National Park is a typical rainforest with diversities comprising of different plants and animals. It is one of the most-visited and largest mainland national parks in the country. Khao Sok is easily accessible by the public where they can see several species of animals such as gaur, banteng, elephants, sambar deer, Asian black bear, serow, and lots more. The kind of flora here is partly tropical evergreen forests and tropical rainforest.

Mu Koh Similan National Park: Established in 1982, it is an archipelago consisting of 11 islands among which Ko Similan Island is the largest of all. This national park houses a turtle-hatching program facility centre and a reef conservation centre that protects and preserves sea turtles, whale shark, phantom bannerfish, trevallies, batfish, barracuda, golden pilot jacks, and triggerfish. The national park here protects several diverse species above water level such as the Nicobar pigeon, flying fox, mangrove monitor lizards, and many more.

Khao Sok National Park

Beaches

Kata Beach: Due to its combination of beauty, activities, and facilities, Kata Beach is considered one of the most popular beaches in Phuket. It is a 1.5-kilometre strip of golden sand where hundreds of people come each day to get tanned up the sun and swim in the sea and also enjoy several water sport activities like paragliding, surfing, sailing, and lots more. This beach also houses many famous seafood restaurants attracting loads of public to experience the best of seafood cuisine. For your better convenience, sun loungers and umbrellas are also available to rent on the southern side of Kata Beach.

Freedom Beach: A 300-meter-long strip of white sand near Patong there's this beach known as Freedom Beach set in a splendid bay dotted with granite rocks and surrounded by hills covered by a thick jungle. There are several amenities available here, including sunbathing, beach soccer, beach volleyball, and snorkelling in the area. While exploring the beach, you might spot some beautiful little underwater creatures wandering near the seashore. This beach is well-suited for loners and those who want to spend alone time under the heat of the sun and relax.

Kata Noi Beach: Phuket's people come here more often to relax and soak up the sun. This beach is about 700 meters long, making it the smallest one in the entire city, but because of its crystal-clear water, and lush green jungle backdrops, it became the main reason for attracting the public here. The sea-water is very calm, drawing attention to beachgoers to enjoy surfing and paragliding here. This beach is also famous among families as they are offered banana boat rides by the hour to see Kata Noi's beauty from afar. It is a must-visit beach if you're in Phuket.

Ya Nui Beach: Being one of Phuket's most famous viewpoints, Ya Nui Beach is a charming little cove offering the best experience in snorkelling, kayaking, and fishing. Also its best-suited for kids as the sand here is very soft and comfortable with plenty of different kind of shells. This beach lies between Promthep Cape and Windmill Viewpoint. This beach is best for swimming and other water activities, including body massages, also at a very reasonable price. You will not be bored here instead you'd want more time to explore and experience every single bit of Ya Nui.

Surin Beach: Known for its best experience in boogie-boarding and surfing; Surin Beach in Phuket is an excellent destination for people to enjoy several water sport activities along with sunbathing on the golden and white sand along the Andaman Sea. Surin Beach offers you several amenities including boutique shops, residences, and high-end resorts along with a good selection of Phuket's most exclusive hotels and restaurants which attracts many tourists to spend their day and night wandering all around the beach.

The mesmerising Kata Noi Beach

Landmarks

Phang Nga Bay: Known for its limestone karsts that go vertically out of the emerald-green water, Phang Nga Bay is one of the famous bays on this Island to enjoy the spectacular scenery. Still, it can get crowded with visitor/tourist boats during high season. This place is also a popular destination for sailing and kayaking along with a Muslim fishing village built on stilts. Phang Nga Bay also offers to rent a long-tail boat from Surakul Pier for around 2,000 baht (only for 3 to 4 hours) with accommodation of up to 10 people, making it cost-effective and convenient for groups.

Similan Islands: Famously known as one of the best island groups in the Andaman Sea, Koh Similan is an exciting dive area in the whole world where people come in large numbers to experience tour boats and yachts. You can explore and find more than 200 species of hard coral alone in this area along with some rare large trees such as Ironwood and gum trees while jackfruit, bamboo, and rattan form part of the denser undergrowth. Animals like crab-eating monkeys, squirrels, dusky langurs, bats, lizards, and different varieties of birds are also spotted here. This Island is only accessible from 15th October to 15th May.

Phromthep Cape: Being rated as one of the most famous landmarks of Phuket, Phromthep Cape is a spot that offers dramatic and spectacular panoramic views of the ocean, especially during sunrise and sunset. While exploring the cape, you'll find a lighthouse, which has several displays of historical artefacts. This place is quite crowded because of its high cliffs, and breath-taking scenery attracts people in large numbers.

Phuket Butterfly Garden & Insect World: Phuket's Butterfly garden is the best place to admire nature's amazing creatures and learn about the life of butterflies and insects. You will be blessed to see various species of butterflies breeding here, and you can also visit the breeding room to know and understand the transition of a butterfly. The most striking fact about the garden is that they breed 6,000 to 8,000 species of butterflies. To see the beautiful butterflies, you have to visit between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. only and is open every day.

Phuket Botanic Garden: Phuket Botanic Garden is one of the best tourist spots where children can have a great learning experience and for those who are interested in Thailand's flora. This unique botanic garden features a vast collection of tropical and exotic plants, including rainforests, ferns, orchids, cactus, water lily gardens, and lots more. The tropical garden is made as such where you can enjoy a leisurely picnic with family and friends and take a walk around the pond and sizeable artificial waterfall. This Phuket's landmark is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Wednesdays closed) with an entrance charge of 500B and 300B for adults and children respectively.

Phang Nga Bay: the beautiful island with mangrove forests and limestone cliffs is a must visit

Museums

Phuket Cultural Centre: Situated at Phuket Rajabhat University, Phuket Cultural Centre has a modest exhibition displaying the life of local southern Thais and Phuket's unique history and culture – might require a tour guide or a translator as these exhibitions are in Thai. This museum is a three-story space displaying a simulated Thai-Chinese house where you will see a handful of vintage tin-mining items and old ceramics from the Netherlands and China. You might visit this centre from Monday to Friday – 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Phuket Mining Museum: Phuket Mining Museum gives you immense opportunity to know about the Island's history as a significant tin-producing centre in Thailand, and it covers the issue well with both outdoor and indoor exhibitions. While exploring, you will see a few styles of tin-mining methods as well as some actual equipment used in the old days. Also, you'll be able to see pictures illustrating the lives and working conditions of the mineworkers.

Phuket Philatelic Museum: This museum is a part of the Phuket Post Office on Montri Road where you can find several exhibitions within the one-story Phuket Philatelic museum. It illustrates how the Thai Postal Service has developed since the reign of King Rama V along with much old and antique equipment used at those times. Equipment and machines such as telephones, telegraph tickers, and parcel-weighing machines are all set in this museum. This museum is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Phuket Seashell Museum: Visitors come to Phuket Seashell Museum to see the collection of valuable seashells from all over the world. Among which many pieces are from Phuket and Thai waters. Located in a large building, the Phuket Seashell Museum has four main exhibitions, all with information in both Thai and English. The most impressive collection here includes noble volutes which is a heavy seashell with varied patterns, stout-spine murex, and tiger cowries. It also hosts the world's largest golden pearl (140 karats) which attracts tourists towards this spot of Phuket. You can come here any day from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Phuket Trickeye Museum: This museum in Phuket is an interactive 3D painting exhibition that offers a comprehensive collection of excellent photos and sculpted scenes using 'deceive the eye' techniques in its gallery, placing you in hilarious unreal world-like situations. You can come here any day throughout the year between 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with no entrance fee chargeable.

Thalang National Museum: Suppose you love history and want to learn about the history of Phuket and the Andaman region. In that case, Thalang National Museum is a perfect spot for you to see the exhibitions on ancient artefacts from Phuket. Here, you'll learn about the famous Battle of Thalang in the 18th century and also about the daily life in Phuket, its tin mining, and many more together with the Island's Chinese heritage. Visitors here might take time to explore the museum as it houses many artefacts and paintings depicting histories of essential days in Phuket in which the demonstration of the early Indian influence on Thai culture is on the highlights.

Thalang National Museum

Eat

Phuket's dining scene is considered the best from all over the country, and if you love food, you'll undoubtedly love this Island. Tourists are mainly attracted to its variety of cuisine as well as its dining experiences. There are many restaurants to suit every taste, ranging from western to Asian food; you can find every variety here. Check out these great restaurants and street food around Phuket for an exciting culinary adventure.

Traditional Local Restaurants

Mom Tri's Kitchen: Mom Tri’s Kitchen is a royal restaurant at Villa Royale in Kata Noi Beach that offers a great location and set up with first-class food. Its décor has terracotta floor tiling and offers breath-taking scenic views of Kata Noi Beach and the Andaman Sea. Must-try dishes include slow-cooked veal cheek in a red wine sauce with porcini mushrooms and the excellent French rose.

Black Ginger: Situated in the middle of a lagoon at The Slate Resort, Black Ginger allows you to enjoy modern twists on traditional Thai dishes. The restaurant is open every day throughout the year, between 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. You must-try its Thai cuisine's speciality – 'som tam' which is a green papaya salad, tom yam, or southern-style yellow fish curry. As this restaurant is in the middle of the Island, you can go there through boats only that will take you across the flame-lit waters to the main venue.

La Gritta Italian Restaurant: Located in the compound of Amari Phuket in the southern end of Patong Bay, La Gritta is a fine-dining venue that has a superb contemporary design in both – indoor and outdoor dining areas. The menu has splendid numbers of traditional and classic Italian dishes like sautéed calamari with lemon polenta nuggets, bruschetta campana with buffalo mozzarella, and pesto, rocket salad, bottarga, and it goes on and on.

Bampot Kitchen & Bar: Famously known for its traditional European cuisine, Bampot Kitchen & Bar lies at the entrance to the Lagoon Resort Area of Bangtao Beach, which is a modern restaurant that takes inspiration from the culinary scene across Europe to create unique and fused dishes. If you want to have the city's best fused and traditional dish, then Bambot Kitchen is the best option. You can come from Tuesdays to Saturdays – 5 p.m. till midnight (closed on Mondays).

DeDos Restaurant: DeDos Restaurant is a small venue located at Tinlay Place, near the entrance of Laguna Phuket Resort Complex in Bangtao that offers one of the best dining experiences in Phuket. You will observe that this gastronomic restaurant serves you dishes that blend French cooking techniques with Mediterranean and Asian influences (mostly Thai and Japanese). It's an excellent place to experience such fusion in dining settings. You can come any day from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Vegetarian and Vegan

Odysseus: With a classy and elegant environment, their food is organic as the owner is concerned about his customers. If you want to get some authentic and delicious Greek food, then Odysseus is the place you're looking. It would be best if you tried its Greek salad along with smooth hummus and vegetarian Moussaka.

Light of India: If you want some Indian food in this town, then the Light of India located at Patong Beach is the best choice for flavoursome food from North India. You will find a pleasant ambience and friendly staff members, which helps you in picking out the perfect dish for your day. You must try Paneer Butter Masala, Dal Fry, and naan along with sweet lassi and papad to complete the Indian experience.

Dok Bua: Known for its variety and hospitality, Dok Bua restaurant will leave you and your tummy spellbound. It is a small restaurant with immense charm as dishes are alterable according to your wishes and preferences. With the best staff present, this restaurant is most-visited by locals as it is also pocket-friendly. You must try Tempura vegetables with dip and the Spicy salad with mock liver and vegetables.

Yo Green: Yo Green – located on a quiet street off Bangla Road in Phuket, is one of the pure restaurants in Phuket where you can relax and have the best vegan dishes, made using fresh and healthy ingredients. The staff here is amicable and communicative. The restaurant's must-try dishes include spicy noodle salads and red curry fried rice. It is closed on Wednesdays but is open to all - Mondays to Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

O-Oh Farm Ta-Eiad: The O-Oh Farm Restaurant is a perfect place for relaxing and enjoying the cosy atmosphere. The restaurant is famous for its hospitality as well as an open-air lawn where you can enjoy its delicious delicacies and healthy food. If you're in town and visiting this restaurant, then must try Quinoa Sushi and Avocado Salad. The restaurant is open 365 days for the public from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Street Food

Som Tam: The primary type of the cornerstones of Thai cuisine comes in the various version, but the ingredient remains the same. The element of Som Tan is papaya with the addition of fish sauce, chillies, lime juice, peanuts, and green beans. Other varieties of this dish which are Som Tum Poof include black crabs and Som Tum Kai key with salted eggs. Som Tum Tai is the simplest and the famous dish prepared in Phuket.

Pad Thai: It is a type of fried rice noodle which is commonly very common and reserved as a star street food but is available at most of the restaurant in Phuket. As per its history, the stir-fried rice noodle recipe came in Thailand from China, and then there was the creation of the Pad Thai dish using a key ingredient from a Chinese recipe in the 20th century. It usually includes chicken, beef, or tofu inside rice noodles along with peanuts, scrambled egg, and bean sprouts, and various other veggies to enhance its taste. Ingredients are firstly sauteed in a wok to give an even heat distribution. This dish has a signature tangy-salty flavour with an essence of sweetness that is enriched by its Pad Thai sauce.

Pancake: Pancake is the number one dessert, and almost everyone in Phuket loves it. Made using chocolate, condensed milk, Nutella, and banana, it is a quick and straightforward breakfast item. You can have it, everywhere on the Island from small stalls vendors to big named restaurants located nearby the coast.

Noodle Soups: Noodle soups are the most popular dish in Phuket. It comes in a vivid variety such as pork, beef, chicken, and seafood. Served with a bowl of big rice noodles in Phuket, you can select your preferences before placing your order.

Thai grilled chicken: It is available everywhere in Phuket and made by grilling a full chicken. It generally served with some Tam and hot sticky rice. This the best trio combination of an award-winning dish that will make your taste bud dance.

Crispy pork Pad Thai is a must try on your visit to Phuket

Drink

Juices: You can find freshly squeezed juice types to escape from Phuket's heat mentally. You can have different varieties of fruit right before your eyes and put it into a slender plastic bottle. Juices you may try over here are sugarcane juice and pomegranate juice, which are amongst the best choices to drink.

Coconut water: Here you can find coconut water which is stored in a long cylinder or container and then scoop out into a cup. With coconut water, you can also have juicy slices of coconut. You can also have pure coconut water, or the vendor can add up sugar water to give it a punch of flavour.

Smoothies: There are so many varieties of smoothies worth trying here like the watermelon smoothie in a watermelon bowl. You can have the drink with a combination of carrot, dragon fruit, and other fruits. These combinations are for the health benefit by boosting your immune system and improving digestion.

Coffee: You may find a variety of speciality coffee in Phuket. It is on the list due to its abundance and availability in the market for Phuket. You can find many street-side stalls selling coffee, and if you don't like sweet, you can ask the barista to exclude condensed milk from your coffee.

Beer: In Phuket, you will find a local beer brand with the name Phuket lager beer. It is known for its taste, and authentic regional appeal of flavour as these drinks got many awards for it. Brewed with premium German hops and Jasmine rice, which gives it a Lyman grass fruity appeal, it is quite popular beverage in Phuket.

A coconut drink in Phuket

Tap-water

You cannot drink the water in this city. The water of Phuket is very much polluted; therefore, you have to buy water from a private supplier or a local authority. The pipeline through which water reaches the residential area gets leakage due to which many contaminants enter into the water, including bacteria, heavy metals, or calcium which might cause diarrhoea or other digestive problems. There are two stations built for water treatment so that the quality of drinking water improves and becomes drinkable directly. You must not waste water in Phuket because there are no natural lakes and the ones which are present are the abandoned tin mines. You can boil water for regular use or instead purchase readily available water bottles. However, this may increase plastic consumption; therefore, it is why you must buy or deal with the local suppliers for the number of days you are there.

Organic Cafés

There are many cafés in Phuket serving organic food. Organic food is the type of dishes created from fresh ingredients either brought by their garden or purchased from local farmers. These ingredients are free from any artificial nutrients or look. Therefore they are least attractive but full of nutrients. The food prepared from organic ingredients is very beneficial for health.

Tibits Luzern

Felsenegg Restaurant

Crazy Cupcake Café

PURA plant-based food & cafe

GourmIndia

Breweries

Breweries or the brewhouses are places where beers are made and sold either for commercial purposes or the locals. These beers are top-rated amongst the locals and the tourists. Local beers are cheaper because of the excluded tax.

Fullmoon Brewworks

Crafts & Co.

Pint Factory

Brew Bridge

Phuket

Activities

Phuket has many beaches and the ocean, which makes it a very adventurous place to go. You can select your type of adventure according to your choice as it has land, sea, and air-related experience. You can visit famous architectural masterpieces or perform watersports like snorkelling, windsurfing, and many more which are not only adventurous but also involves exploration and depth knowledge.

Boat tour: There are many destinations on which boat tour offers. You can have a speed boat tour on an island which includes a beach and a cave, and you will give an international book fair. It will be a remarkable experience for you filled with adventure and memorable things.

Beaches: In this city, there are up to 30 beaches where you can spend your day. There are many advantages of visiting beaches such as it helps in getting rid of stress by experiencing calm winds from the sea. You can have a sunbath on the beach, which will load your body with vitamin D, which can help you in strengthening your immune system and your bones. You can have some exercises like swimming which will be very beneficial for your body and muscles. Reducing stress and loading your body with vitamin D will give you a better sleep relaxing your body and mind.

Visit various monuments: There are many monuments built in the city depicting the cultural heritage and ancient architecture. These monuments and architectures will help you in increasing your knowledge and correcting it because visual attracts more than text. It will give you a sense of respect towards the culture and the predecessors of locals. It also gives us various ideas about how ancient people lived. It gives us knowledge about the art and the category of art, the people of the city you are visiting prefer which will help you to create a family bond.

Jungle Safari: Safari is a journey or trip by tourists exploring wildlife. In this, you can have a jungle tour with a four-wheel-drive Jeep which is an open jeep to get a realistic view of nature and feel the freshness of the jungle. In this tour, you can also learn about rubber plantations and fruit orchids along with visiting waterfalls.

You can enjoy beautiful sunset on your boat tours in Phuket

Yoga and Retreats

Yoga is an ancient practice which is running for a very long time. It helps an individual to rejuvenate his mind and body from a tiring tour. It reduces stress and increases strength.

Healthy Ning Yoga Studio

Club Asia Fitness

N3N Aerial Studio Phuket

The Yoga Shala

Abbysan Yoga and Wellness Centre

Accommodation

As this city is a tourist spot, it has many accommodation options available according to your budget. Also, remember to be a good tourist and opt for an eco-friendly alternative to stay. Like for solo travellers, they have hostel rooms which are very much budget-friendly if they are running low on budget and loves simplicity. Other options like guesthouses or apartments are best if you want to stay for a longer time, and hotel rent is costing you higher than expected. Adventure loving people can camp in camping areas with their partners.

Green Hotels

Super Green Hotel

Patong Green Mountain Resort

Palai Green House

Green House Phuket

Green Harbour Hotel

Hostels and Guest Houses

Phuket Sunny Hostel

Ai Phuket Hostel

Eco Hostel Phuket

Borbaboom Phuket Poshtel & Hostel

Bloo Hostel Phuket

The Rommanee Guesthouse

Phuket Backpacker

Chaphone Guest House

The Wide Condotel- Phuket

99 Old Town Boutique Guesthouse

Apartments

Banchaofa Phuket Apartment

The Serene Apartment

Nin Place Apartment

Central Gear Apartment

Lake View Apartment

Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is possible in Phuket, but you will face a hard time in setting a deal with a local because the people are very cautious when dealing with strangers. The reason for their conservative nature is that they have come across various scams and scandals that involved tourists or foreigners. You will first need to earn the trust of the couch-surfing host to be able to live in his or her home.

Camping

Phuket Camping

TOM TOM Tropical Camping

Phuket Campground

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Phuket/Camp4

Elephant Paradise View Point

How to Get There

For people living in Asia, they can directly get a flight from their country to Phuket. People living in Europe might have to reach Thailand first, and from there, there are many options available to come here.

Air

There is an international airport in Phuket called Phuket International Airport. The Airport is present in the north of Phuket island estimated around 32 kilometres from the centre of the city. It is the third busiest Airport in entire Thailand. The elevation of this Airport is 82 feet and is a hub for Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, and Thai airways. This Airport has three terminals from which terminal 2 is for international flights, and terminal 3 is for domestic flights, terminal X is open for charter flights since 2014. This Airport serves many global cities such as Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Dubai, and many more.

Domestic terminal at Phuket International Airport

Bus

There is a total of 3 bus terminals in Phuket. Terminal 1, terminal 2, and the local bus station in the old town of Phuket. From which all the major intercity reaches in terminal 2. The R2 ticket counter one is on the left, and one is on the right from the centre of the building. Each ticket counter has a different time and a specific destination to avoid confusion. From the centre of the building on the left is a luggage counter and on the right, there is a convenience store that has all the necessary items you will need in your journey including snacks drinks, and many more. If you reach this city, there is a store nearby which has everything you would require if you forgot something. To get by bus, you have to be present in the neighbouring cities. The buses are air-conditioned with charging socket and Wi-Fi.

Bus in Phuket

Train

There is no rail system in Phuket, but the other transportation networks are quite efficient and reliable modes. You can opt for public buses or electronic vehicles for comfortable travel. Also, most areas in Phuket are easy to explore by walking and will give you deep insights into the local culture, livelihood, and traditions.

Hitchhiking

You can hitchhike in Phuket as the locals are always willing towards helping out tourists. Although, you might need to behave in a friendly but genuine manner so that the people don't feel suspicious about you or your actions.

Others

Another way to reach this city is by taking a ferry or a cruise ride from the nearby seaside towns. A ferry ride can be cheaper, but it takes a lot of time to reach there. Therefore you must plan your visit accordingly. The cruise usually has its Wi-Fi along with space for entertainment and other such facilities. You can travel without any difficulty to Phuket from Bangkok through car or taxi through the Thao Thepkasattri Bridge. The overall distance covered is about 862 km; moreover one can effortlessly get rental cars from both places.

Moving Around

Phuket is a vast city; therefore visiting the entire city by walking is not possible, and the crime rate is also high, which makes walking at night quite impossible. There is no rail network at present; it is under construction, and the estimated time is 2024. The best options to move around Phuket are local buses or tuk-tuks or rental cars. Tuktuk is a bicycle that has a seat for two or three people and is run by a driver on foot; it is entirely eco-friendly and is an excellent option for a short ride.

Walk

The crime rate of the city is at a moderate level, but you should avoid walking alone at night as most people find it not safe to walk in the city at night. In the morning this city is spread over an area of above 250 km²; therefore, it is not possible to visit the entire city by walking, but there are many places like waterfalls, parks, and beaches where you can walk and get some peaceful yet refreshing time. The sunset or the sunrise view from the beach is a must-see thing because of the fabulous scenery it provides.

Bicycle

Bicycling can be very beneficial for health as it involves the exercise of the whole body. It strengthens muscles and bones and improves the coordination of mind and body. It also decreases stress levels lowering the rate of depression. There are many accessible locations where you can buy a cycle in Phuket, including beaches in the morning. You can even visit some of the tourist spots by bicycle. If you want some adventure in cycling, then you can go through to a forest or can cycle at a hill.

Electronic Vehicles

Electric vehicles for travelling are the best way to reduce pollution and global warming, which is a significant problem in today's world. The government has given specific allowances to the people who have electric vehicles; they will be provided free parking songs everywhere in the city, and can even enter the bus lane to save time. Electric car owners get an exemption from tax; therefore purchasing it is very cheap. The electric vehicle has many advantages like it promotes a healthy environment and reduces air pollution and noise pollution, which is high in this city.

Public Bus

There is a blue-coloured bus that runs across the whole city. Bus 1 runs between the departmental store and Acheewa college, whereas, the bus 2 runs between Rajabhat university and Lamchan Health Centre. The third type of bus is known as Songthaews. These are the cheapest bus with all the destinations written in English. The speciality of this bus is that it does not have a fixed stop if you want to get off the bus you have to press the buzzer, and the driver will stop the bus. The bus reaches every 30 minutes, but when they are not many passengers, the driver waits for the passengers. The fair starts at 15 baht.

Tram, Train and Subway

There are no railway or tram services built in the city. However, a project for a railway network is in progress and the construction of which began in 2019. The project is most probably going to finish by the year 2024. The project includes a light rail transit system with a length of 58.6 km that will spread over all the significant areas of the city. The total number of stations will be 23 or 24 with a single line. It took five years for the ministry of transport to approve this project, and this project got its cabinet approval in 2019.

Sustainable Shopping

Products that affect health and the environment towards its positive sides are sustainable. Purchasing them is known as sustainable shopping. As the pollution rates are low, therefore many people with the government try to maintain the low pollution rate as much as possible. Therefore many markets are available which offer sustainable shopping.

Food Markets

Felsenegg Restaurant

Quai4

Eelam market

SPAR Grocery Store Lucerne

Coop

Flea Markets

MARTA

Flohmarkt Bullingerwiese

Flohstube

Roger's Flohmarkt

Restaurant "The Hangar" Buttwil

Second Hand Stores

PurPur Second-Hand

The Secondhand

Luzerner Brockenhaus

Antonio Brockenstube

Ziitlos 2nd Hand - Vintage Store

Eco-Fashion

Glore

WE Fashion Store

Esprit Store

UNICA Fair Trade

Recycling

Earth's resources are depleting day by day; therefore, there is a need to recycle as it will save a lot of energy. Garbage if not taken care, will require a landfill to gather all the trash in one place. That can be very dangerous for the residents nearby as it will stink, causing air pollution and soil pollution. Sometimes the waste can be so toxic that if it reached the water, it could cause catastrophic damage to marine life and aquatic plants. If you look at the other side, the landfill is a vast land usable for other works instead of dumping waste. Coming to the statistics which shows that recycling is not done in many parts of this city, therefore increasing the garbage amount daily.

Waste

The waste management policies of this city are not efficient because the service shows that 63.1 per cent of people are dissatisfied with the garbage disposal, which is more than the majority. Many people dump their garbage in the river resulting in a significant increase in water pollution up to 71.25%. The government has come up with strict policies regarding waste management because it is very much crucial in reducing the pollution rates of this city.

Work and Study Abroad

Education in this city is comparatively good. The schools are of two sections - public schools and private schools. Public schools are cheaper than private schools. If anyone wants to teach their child English, then various International schools or private schools can be a good option. At International schools, children are accepted from the age of 3 to 12 for 18 years with day boarding options. There are different job options available in this city, including English-speaking teachers and going up to managerial levels and companies.

Exchange Student

The exchange student program is a program in which students of the native colleges get to study in colleges outside the country. Few colleges in this city offer this program, and even you can gain admission.

Au Pair

Au pairs are very few in this city as many of the people don't trust tourists so easily. You have to undergo a process of verification to get yourself registered as an authentic au pair.

Volunteering

Volunteering is an important activity that needs to be indulged not only by locals but also the tourists. These activities aim at improving the quality of life and standards of the people living in the city.

Phuket Sunshine Village Foundation

SOS Children's Village Phuket

Life Home Project Foundation

All Nations Church Phuket

Asia Center Foundation