Phuket 10 Useful tips

Phuket is a large island situated off the west coast in the Andaman Sea with a bridge connecting it to mainland Thailand. It acts as the focal point for tourists who use this island as the main stay holiday or the base camp. Here are some quick tips about Phuket to help construct your plan when you visit this Island.

Here are my top 11 recommendations for Phuket :

1. Select wisely your entry points into the Island:
Phuket International Airport:
The second largest airport in Thailand after Bangkok. Nothing special about the airport but it is effective and efficient in operations with the high number of tourists passing through. Good to book your flight direct here instead of going through Bangkok if you have the chance. Once you are outside the arrivals area, you can get a taxi to your location. Remember the same same but different rule and therefore bargain for a taxi. Airport is located north of the Island.

Phuket harbour:
Rassada Pier is the main port here for moving tourists to the Islands around Phuket or across to Krabi. This port is on the east side of the island and it is a mess with herds of day trippers walking around without purpose, simply following a guide when they are not lost. There are all kinds of good, bad and nasty smells here so the less time spent here the better. There is a drop of point outside the ferry terminal and then it is a mission of getting your suitcases and yourself through the crowds to the right ferry or the ticket office. Avoid using the port if you can.

Thao Thepkasattri Bridge:
The driving option is one of the better options to avoid the crowds. Krabi is a 90 minute drive and the roads are very good, so it makes for a comfortable ride. So if you are flying into Krabi this is a good option as can skip the above two busy areas. I drove from Phuket to Krabi on New Year’s Day and it was a great scenic trip with lots of amazing temples and landscape along the way. Bangkok is a 9 hour drive so best to have a pit stop along the way for that road trip.

2. Get a driver if you are not renting a car:
Once you use a few private taxis, use one of the drivers as your local guy. You can pay them 1000-3000 bhats for 4-5 hours. They will take you around and take you to good lunch places, some sightseeing and pretty much save you time and money. Our driver below had this van they carried the team to all locations while keeping us entertained with the fancy lighting and sound systems.

Try the following drivers that I used while in Phuket, remember to call at least 1 day in advance.
West Side:
Mr. Mee (Buntang area) +66-83-105-3441 or +66-85-884-2859
Mr. Nop (Surin Beach) +66-92-073-6436
East Side:
Mr. Hab (Panwa Beach) +66-86-952-1667

3. Avoid living in the west side:
Okay for a night or two but not longer. It is noisy and chaotic especially Patong, you never know when a ping pong ball will fly at you. So stay in the East if you want to avoid the day trippers and big crowds.

4. Avoid the malls:
Unless you looking for something specific and need an international brand. Prices in the mall are not necessarily cheaper and it is very crowded. Try the night markets instead or wait till you get to a different city.

5. Avoid the spas near the malls or in the malls:
Forgot about privacy and expect something from the matrix. This photo was taken from outside the spa where at least 50 people were squeezed next to each other like a manufacturing factory.

Our Ride for Phuket by or driver Mr Hab

Spa at the Mall

6. Pick up some goodies from the Pharmacy:
Here you can get all the goodies you need to survive the trip. Citronella organic insect repellent is great along with lemongrass palm if the damage is already done.

7. Try the Chalong bay beach restaurants for good fish dishes and views:
These restaurants are mostly occupied by locals, tourists anchored in the bay and the guests living around the area. The price is approximately 1/4 of what you pay on the west side.

8. Try this restaurant for seafood Phong Phang in Chalong:
There is a tourist trap buffet restaurant in the front but take the back entrance to find a big seafood restaurant that served some of the best seafood during my time in Thailand. It is filled with locals and its a local hidden gem. Here is the Facebook page for this place.

Chalong Bay Dinner at the beach

Seafood galore at Phong Phang

9. Familiarize yourself with the Island setup:
Here is a Map with some descriptions of the areas. This is a big island with a lot of activity in comparison to others in this area.

10.Wildlife:
Expect a lot of mosquitoes all over the place. They have a lot of monkeys running around at the temples and other spots close to the forest. They will usually grab any food item that is on you or in close proximity so be careful.

Monkey at the Big Buddha park

The Big Buddha

11. Three days is too long in Phuket so get out to the other Islands:
The best beaches, the good spots, the reefs, and all the stuff that makes a holiday more relaxing is outside of Phuket or big cities. Go to the smaller Islands.

Similar Thailand articles of Interest:

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