Phuket and the southern islands itinerary, day by day

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.

🗓️ 4 or 7 days📍 3 stops☀️ Best time: November to April

Phi Phi · Photo Miro Alt / Pexels

Route map (numbers = order of the stops).

Phuket and the southern islands in 4 days

2 stops · 6 things to do · Boat & ferry

1Phuket

Days 1-2

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.

🎟️ Worth booking

Diving or snorkelling day on the reefsFull day · from €60
A day on a dive boat to the reefs near Phuket, with turtles and reef fish on the good days.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Phuket Old Town · Patong Beach · The Big Buddha

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Lub d Phuket Patong (€25 a night) · Mid-range: The Memory at On On Hotel (€70 a night) · Luxury: Amari Phuket (€185 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Malika Sky Bar ★ 4.9 · 2514 reviews
Dinner in the Sky Phuket | Restaurant ★ 4.9 · 948 reviews
Phuket Romantic Dining ★ 4.9 · 445 reviews
SIAM Phuket - Seafood Restaurant ★ 4.8 · 4915 reviews · €€
TAPAS Cafe & Restaurant - Phuket Old Town ★ 4.8 · 3113 reviews

Photo Pexels

⛴️ Ferry · 1h30 · ferry

2Phi Phi Islands

Days 3-4

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.

🎟️ Worth booking

Long-tail boat around Phi Phi and Maya BayFull day · from €45
Lagoons, caves and snorkelling stops among the cliffs. At Maya Bay you land and wade, but swimming is not allowed.
Book on GetYourGuide →
The Phi Phi viewpoint1h · from €1
A steep climb to the viewpoints over the twin bays, with a small entry fee.
Book on GetYourGuide →

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Blanco Beach Bar & Hostel (€20 a night) · Mid-range: Phi Phi The Beach Resort (€110 a night) · Luxury: SAii Phi Phi Island Village (€260 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Thai Sea ★ 4.9 · 420 reviews
The Mango Garden ★ 4.8 · 3617 reviews · €€
P.P. Wang Ta Fu ★ 4.8 · 2453 reviews
Pa-Noi Thai Food ★ 4.8 · 1631 reviews · €
Prime Burger Phi Phi ★ 4.8 · 1236 reviews

Photo Pexels

Phuket and the southern islands in 7 days

3 stops · 8 things to do · Boat & ferry

1Phuket

Days 1-2

🎟️ Worth booking

Diving or snorkelling day on the reefsFull day · from €60
A day on a dive boat to the reefs near Phuket, with turtles and reef fish on the good days.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Phuket Old Town · Patong Beach · The Big Buddha

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Lub d Phuket Patong (€25 a night) · Mid-range: The Memory at On On Hotel (€70 a night) · Luxury: Amari Phuket (€185 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Pexels

⛴️ Ferry · 1h30 · ferry

2Phi Phi Islands

Days 3-4

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.

🎟️ Worth booking

Long-tail boat around Phi Phi and Maya BayFull day · from €45
Lagoons, caves and snorkelling stops among the cliffs. At Maya Bay you land and wade, but swimming is not allowed.
Book on GetYourGuide →
The Phi Phi viewpoint1h · from €1
A steep climb to the viewpoints over the twin bays, with a small entry fee.
Book on GetYourGuide →

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Pexels

🚤 Boat · 1h · boat

3Phang Nga Bay and the Similans

Days 5-6

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.

🎟️ Worth booking

Phang Nga Bay by sea kayakFull day · from €50
Paddling into the sea caves and the hidden lagoons called hongs, then a stop at James Bond Island.
Book on GetYourGuide →
The Similan Islands (dry season)Full day · from €90
A speedboat day trip to one of the best dive and snorkel spots in Asia; the national park is open from mid-October to mid-May.
Book on GetYourGuide →

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Khanittha Homestay (€30 a night) · Mid-range: Beyond Skywalk Nangshi (€130 a night) · Luxury: Treehouse Villas (€300 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

BOHO Kitchen & Bar ★ 5 · 141 reviews
Mu-Te-Lay ★ 4.8 · 854 reviews

Photo Pexels

Hotel prices are per room per night, activity prices per person, checked when written. Some links are affiliate links (Booking, GetYourGuide): we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Take this itinerary with you

The free printable Phuket and the southern islands guide: map, stops day by day, hotels by budget. Works offline.

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Good to know before you go

🍽️ What to eat

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.

⚠️ What to avoid

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.

Plan this trip

📒 The free printable Phuket and the southern islands guide→ 🗓️ Best time to visit Phuket and the southern islands, month by month→ 🎟️ What to book before you go→

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