# Phuket: map, what to do and when to go

The largest island in Thailand, with the old tin town, sand beaches on the west coast, and Phang Nga Bay and the Phi Phi islands a boat trip away.

Canonical: https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/phuket/
Language: en. Extended author commentary and itinerary notes may remain in Portuguese. Dates below belong to individual sources; this is not live availability.

## Direct answer
- **Phuket: How do you get from the airport to the beaches?** The Phuket Smart Bus leaves from the stop in front of exit 3 of the domestic terminal and runs down the west coast to Rawai, with a flat fare of 100 ฿ per trip, in cash or by contactless card.
- **Phuket: How many days should you plan?** I'd stay three days in Phuket, based in Kata or Karon.
- **Phuket: Does the ferry to Phi Phi stop at Maya Bay?** The ferry leaves from Rassada Pier and takes an hour and a half to two hours to reach Ton Sai, without stopping at Phi Phi Le.

## Phuket's old town
Leave Kata or Karon early for the old town, about 15 km away: by ride-hailing car it takes about 20 minutes without traffic, and the blue songthaews make the trip more slowly.
- Phuket Old Town
- Phuket Thaihua Museum
- Jui Tui Shrine
- Khao Rang
- Thalang National Museum

## The south of the island: temples, beach and Cape Phromthep
In the morning, go to Wat Chalong, about 9 km from Kata, in clothes that cover your shoulders and knees.
- Wat Chalong
- Phromthep Cape
- Karon View Point

## Phuket Old Town
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/phuket/#g-lugar-phuket-old-town
One to two hours
Phuket's old town gathers the Sino-Portuguese shophouses built at the height of the tin boom, between the reign of Rama V and the early 20th century: narrow facades, long bodies running to the back, covered arcades over the sidewalk, and windows and doors with carvings of Chinese and European influence. Thalang Road, Dibuk Road and Soi Rommanee are the best preserved streets; many houses have become cafés, shops and small museums. Walk early, before the midday heat.
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## Phuket Thaihua Museum
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/phuket/#g-lugar-phuket-thaihua-museum
Up to half an hour
Housed in the building of a former Chinese-language school on Krabi Road, the museum tells the story of Phuket's Chinese immigrants and gives context for a walk through the old town. Wikivoyage reports admission of 200 baht, 100 for students; check the price and hours before going.
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## Jui Tui Shrine
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/phuket/#g-lugar-jui-tui-shrine
Talat Nuea · Up to half an hour
A Taoist shrine on Soi Phuthon, by Ranong Road, begun early in the reign of Rama VI and one of the centers of the Vegetarian Festival: it is the shrine that draws the most participants during the nine days. Next to it is the Pudjor shrine, dedicated to Guan Yin, more than a century old and restored from 2024 to 2026. Entry is free; dress modestly and do not get in the way of people praying.
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## Khao Rang
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/phuket/#g-lugar-khao-rang
Wichit · Up to half an hour
A low hill on the northwest edge of town, with a viewpoint over Phuket, the south of the island and nearby islands, a park at the top and the statue of Phraya Ratsadanupradit, the governor of Rama V's time. It makes a good late afternoon for anyone already in town; it does not justify a trip just for itself.
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## Wat Chalong
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/phuket/#g-lugar-wat-chalong
Chalong · Up to half an hour
The island's most important Buddhist temple, officially Wat Chaiyathararam, dedicated to the monks Luang Pho Chaem and Luang Pho Chuang, who helped the wounded of the 1876 miners' revolt. It is a working temple, with worshippers all day; cover shoulders and knees and take off your shoes in the halls.
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## Big Buddha
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/phuket/#g-lugar-big-buddha
Up to half an hour
Phuket's Big Buddha, Phra Phutthamingmongkhon Eknakhiri, is a statue 45 m tall and 25.45 m wide at the top of Nakkerd Hill, between Chalong and Kata, made of concrete covered in white Burmese marble. Construction began in 2002, paid for with donations. The statue faces Chalong Bay, which can be seen from the top of the hill. It is the main Buddha of Wat Kitthi Sankaram; respect the site's dress rules.
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## Phromthep Cape
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/phuket/#g-lugar-phromthep-cape
Rawai · Up to half an hour
Cape Phromthep is the southern tip of the island, about 2 km from Rawai beach, with a lighthouse built in 1996 and a trail to the point. It is Phuket's best-known sunset viewpoint, named by the TAT as one of the most beautiful in the country; arrive before late afternoon to find a spot.
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## Karon View Point
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/phuket/#g-lugar-karon-view-point
Phuket · Up to half an hour
A viewpoint on the road between Kata Noi and Nai Harn, from which the three bays of Kata Noi, Kata and Karon can be seen in sequence. It fits on the same route as Cape Phromthep.
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## Kata Beach
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/phuket/#g-lugar-kata-beach
Karon · Half a day or more
Kata Yai is the main beach of Kata, on the west coast, and Kata Noi is a smaller cove to the south, beyond a headland. It is about 15 km from the old town by road and close to the Big Buddha and Cape Phromthep. In the dry season the sea is usually calm; in the monsoon, the waves attract surfers and the red flag is frequent.
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## Karon Beach
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/phuket/#g-lugar-karon-beach
Karon · Half a day or more
One of the longest beaches on the island, north of Kata and south of Patong, calmer than Patong and sought out by families. The shoreline was hit hard by the 2004 tsunami and rebuilt. As along the whole west coast, whether you can swim depends on the flag of the day.
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## Patong Beach
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/phuket/#g-lugar-patong-beach
Pa Tong · One to two hours
Phuket's busiest beach, with 2,850 m of sand and Bangla Road, the street of bars and nightclubs, which begins at the beachfront avenue. In 2015, water tests off Patong exceeded the Pollution Control Department's standards for fecal bacteria. It is worth it for anyone looking for nightlife; for swimming, Kata and Karon are usually calmer choices.
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## Thalang National Museum
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/phuket/#g-lugar-thalang-national-museum
Si Sunthon · Up to half an hour
The Thalang National Museum stands next to the monument to the heroines Thao Thep Kasattri and Thao Si Sunthon, in the north of the island, about 13 km from town, on the way to the airport. It displays archaeological objects, the ancient link between India and the peninsula, the war against the Burmese and the customs of the peoples who live in Phuket, the chao le among them. It is open Wednesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed Mondays and Tuesdays; check holidays and admission.
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**Phuket: How do you get from the airport to the beaches?**
The Phuket Smart Bus leaves from the stop in front of exit 3 of the domestic terminal and runs down the west coast to Rawai, with a flat fare of 100 ฿ per trip, in cash or by contactless card. There are also taxis and ride-hailing cars, such as Grab.

**Phuket: How many days should you plan?**
I'd stay three days in Phuket, based in Kata or Karon. With a fourth day, I'd go to the Phi Phi islands on a speedboat tour from Phuket, checking beforehand that the program includes Phi Phi Le and Maya Bay.

**Phuket: Does the ferry to Phi Phi stop at Maya Bay?**
The ferry leaves from Rassada Pier and takes an hour and a half to two hours to reach Ton Sai, without stopping at Phi Phi Le. To see Maya Bay the same day from Phuket, the practical way is a speedboat tour; check the program to see whether Maya Bay is included.

**Phuket: Can you pay by card?**
Cards work at hotels, shopping centers, sit-down restaurants and on the Smart Bus. PromptPay, the QR payment that Thais use everywhere, requires a Thai bank's app, so bring baht in cash for stalls, songthaews and markets.

**Phuket: When is the best time to go?**
December to March is the dry season, with 24 to 74 mm of rain a month in Phuket town and generally calm seas on the west coast. From May to October, the monsoon brings rain on more than half the days, peaking in September (361 mm) and October (320 mm).


## In the Nilo app
- Plan these 3 days on the map: https://nilopelomundo.com/en/app/guide/phuket/?utm_source=llm&utm_medium=markdown&utm_content=door-itinerary
- Mark your hotel on the map: https://nilopelomundo.com/en/app/map/phuket/?utm_source=llm&utm_medium=markdown&utm_content=door-stay

## Full editorial guide (Portuguese)
https://nilopelomundo.com/llm/phuket.md