Beautiful 8km-long Hat Bang Thao is one of the longest, dreamiest beaches on Phuket. This slice of pearlescent sand is just asking for you to laze around…
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Phuket
Jade-hued waves concealing rainbows of fish wash white-gold beaches wrapped in Phuketian heritage: Phuket (ภูเก็ต), Thailand's dazzling largest island, is so diverse you may never want to leave.
Beach Bliss
The pearly white, palm- and casuarina-fringed beaches that ring Phuket's southern and western coasts are the island's key bounty. Each beach is different, from the northwest's upmarket Surin and Ao Bang Thao (with their luxe resorts and, in Bang Thao, glossy beach clubs) to mellow, jungled Rawai on far south Phuket, or the infamous west-coast sin city of Patong, home of hangovers and go-go bars. So there's space for everyone, whether you're a backpacking couple, a luxury jetsetter, a wandering budgeteer or a travelling family on the hunt for seaside fun.
Cultural Heritage
Those tropical-island beaches are glorious, of course, but venture just a little beyond and you'll uncover astonishing Phuketian cultural riches that many visitors zip right past. East-coast capital Phuket Town delights with its eye-opening museums, Peranakan cooking, Chinese shrines and historic mansions and shophouses done in characteristic Sino-Portuguese style. Major temples stand in Chalong and Thalang, while two national parks and a smattering of wildlife sanctuaries await exploration in the island's northern reaches. Even a speedy trip up into the hills behind Kata to Big Buddha connects you to modern-day Phuket's pulse.
Underwater Wonders
Some of Thailand's most magnificent landscapes lie hidden away beneath the Andaman's glittering surface, and Phuket sits blissfully within day-tripping distance of both Ko Phi-Phi's popular dive sites and the famed, national-park-protected, impossibly beautiful Similan Islands. A wealth of local dive schools will have you strapping on a mask and communing with denizens of the deep in no time. For those who don't fancy diving straight in, snorkelling trips offer a tantalising taster, while kayaking expeditions into Ao Phang-Nga's hushed hôrng (semi-submerged island lagoons) reveal awe-inspiring seascapes of towering limestone karsts.
Fabulous Food
On Phuket, as in other regions across the Land of Smiles, Thai cuisine takes on its own distinct character. Soulful, spicy, salty southern-Thai cooking collides with Chinese and Malay flavours and influences – so you get, say, Thai-style dim sum or roti dipped in curry for breakfast, along with local culinary creations like mèe pad hokkien (stir-fried hokkien noodles in a broth), mŏo hong (pepper-and-garlic-braised pork), mèe gaang pôo (crab-meat curry with noodles) and pàk miang (scrambled spinach-like leaves). You'll also uncover a world of exquisite fusion menus, elegant international cuisine and freshly caught seafood.
Explore Phuket
- HHat Bang Thao
Beautiful 8km-long Hat Bang Thao is one of the longest, dreamiest beaches on Phuket. This slice of pearlescent sand is just asking for you to laze around…
- Soi Romanee
Branching off Th Thalang, in the heart of the Old Town, this small, vibrant street flaunts some of Phuket's most gorgeously revamped Sino-Portuguese…
- BBig Buddha
High atop the Nakkerd Hills, northwest of Chalong Circle, and visible from half the island, the 45m-high, Burmese-alabaster Big Buddha sits grandly on…
- LLaem Phromthep
Come here to the island’s southernmost point to see the glittering Andaman Sea wrapped around Phuket. The cape is crowned by a mod lighthouse shaped like…
- HHat Nai Harn
Ask a Phuketian or a local expat for their favourite island beach and many will choose Hat Nai Harn. A beautifully curved golden-white crescent with…
- Phuket Thaihua Museum
Founded in 1934 and formerly a Chinese-language school, this flashy museum is filled with photos, videos and English-language exhibits on Phuket’s history…
- Chinpracha House
Built in 1903 with tin-mining riches, this beautifully preserved Sino-Portuguese mansion should make any antique- or architecture-lover's must-visit list…
- Jui Tui Shrine
One of the island's most important Chinese shrines, this red-washed, elevated complex is dedicated to Tean Hu Huan Soy, god of performers and dancers. It…
- Shrine of the Serene Light
A handful of Chinese temples pump colour into Phuket Town, but this restored shrine, tucked away up a 50m alley now adorned with modern murals, is…
Latest Stories from Phuket
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Phuket.
See
Hat Bang Thao
Beautiful 8km-long Hat Bang Thao is one of the longest, dreamiest beaches on Phuket. This slice of pearlescent sand is just asking for you to laze around…
See
Soi Romanee
Branching off Th Thalang, in the heart of the Old Town, this small, vibrant street flaunts some of Phuket's most gorgeously revamped Sino-Portuguese…
See
Big Buddha
High atop the Nakkerd Hills, northwest of Chalong Circle, and visible from half the island, the 45m-high, Burmese-alabaster Big Buddha sits grandly on…
See
Laem Phromthep
Come here to the island’s southernmost point to see the glittering Andaman Sea wrapped around Phuket. The cape is crowned by a mod lighthouse shaped like…
See
Hat Nai Harn
Ask a Phuketian or a local expat for their favourite island beach and many will choose Hat Nai Harn. A beautifully curved golden-white crescent with…
See
Phuket Thaihua Museum
Founded in 1934 and formerly a Chinese-language school, this flashy museum is filled with photos, videos and English-language exhibits on Phuket’s history…
See
Chinpracha House
Built in 1903 with tin-mining riches, this beautifully preserved Sino-Portuguese mansion should make any antique- or architecture-lover's must-visit list…
See
Jui Tui Shrine
One of the island's most important Chinese shrines, this red-washed, elevated complex is dedicated to Tean Hu Huan Soy, god of performers and dancers. It…
See
Shrine of the Serene Light
A handful of Chinese temples pump colour into Phuket Town, but this restored shrine, tucked away up a 50m alley now adorned with modern murals, is…