Phuket and the southern islands
Phuket and the southern islands, in a few days
Phuket as a base, then the islands by boat: Phi Phi and Maya Bay, the towers of Phang Nga Bay and the reefs of the Similans: the map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.
- Day by day
- 1 Phuket Days 1-2
- 2 Phi Phi Islands Days 3-4
- 3 Phang Nga Bay and the Similans Days 5-6
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
Day by day
Phuket
The largest island in Thailand and the base for the Andaman Sea. Busy beaches on the west coast, an old town of Sino-Portuguese shophouses built on the tin trade, and dive boats leaving every morning.
- Diving or snorkelling day on the reefsFull day · from €60A day on a dive boat to the reefs near Phuket, with turtles and reef fish on the good days.
- Phuket Old Town
- Patong Beach
- The Big Buddha
Phi Phi Islands
Limestone cliffs dropping straight into clear water. Maya Bay, on uninhabited Phi Phi Leh, reopened in 2022 with swimming banned, and closes every year in August and September.
- Long-tail boat around Phi Phi and Maya BayFull day · from €45Lagoons, caves and snorkelling stops among the cliffs. At Maya Bay you land and wade, but swimming is not allowed.
- The Phi Phi viewpoint
Phang Nga Bay and the Similans
Limestone towers rising out of a shallow bay, with sea caves you can paddle into. Further out, the Similan Islands national park opens from mid-October to mid-May for some of the best diving in Thailand.
- Phang Nga Bay by sea kayakFull day · from €50Paddling into the sea caves and the hidden lagoons called hongs, then a stop at James Bond Island.
- The Similan Islands (dry season)
- James Bond Island
Worth sorting before you go
Ferries and speedboats · Phi Phi is about two hours from Phuket by ferry, less by speedboat. Phang Nga Bay and the Similan Islands are day trips by boat, the Similans usually from Khao Lak, north of Phuket.
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Compare the agencies before you land.
Compare · Booking
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
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Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Pad thai: stir-fried rice noodles with egg, tamarind and peanuts, the classic of the street stalls.
- Tom yum: a hot and sour soup with prawns, lemongrass and lime leaf.
- Green or red curry: coconut milk and a pounded spice paste. Southern curries run hotter.
- Mango sticky rice: sweet glutinous rice with ripe mango and coconut cream.
- Som tam: green papaya salad, pounded in a mortar with chilli and lime.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Ignore the 'temple is closed today' line: it ends in a tuk-tuk ride to a gem or tailor shop.
- Tuk-tuks and taxis in Phuket rarely use a metre: agree the fare before you get in, or book through Grab or Bolt.
- Do not drink the tap water. Ice in hollow cylinders is factory-made and fine.
- Cover shoulders and knees in temples, the Big Buddha included.
Words that help
English ↔ Thai
| English | Thai |
|---|---|
| Hello | สวัสดี (sawasdee) |
| Thank you | ขอบคุณ (khop khun) |
| Please | กรุณา (karuna) |
| Yes | ใช่ (chai) |
| No | ไม่ (mai) |
| Excuse me | ขอโทษ (kho thot) |
| Goodbye | ลาก่อน (laa kon) |
| Do you speak English? | พูดภาษาอังกฤษได้ไหม (phut angkrit dai mai?) |
| I don't understand | ไม่เข้าใจ (mai khao jai) |
| How much is it? | เท่าไหร่ (thao rai?) |
| Where are the toilets? | ห้องน้ำอยู่ที่ไหน (hong nam yu thi nai?) |
| The bill, please | เช็คบิล (chek bin) |
| Help! | ช่วยด้วย (chuay duay!) |
| Cheers! | ไชโย (chai yo!) |
The practical page
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/phuket
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.