Overview
Take a trip to Phuket on your Thailand Vacation
Phuket is the largest island in Southern Thailand and is one of Asia’s most popular beach destinations on trips to Thailand. Surrounded by the Andaman Sea to its west and various bays to its east, Phuket features powdery white beaches, magnificent coves, lush mountains, and hospitable people.
Located approximately 536 miles (863 km) south of Bangkok, Phuket is approximately the size of Singapore, and the province’s borders include other smaller, nearby islands.
Previously named Thalang, Phuket is located on one of the major trading routes between China and India, attracting the competing Dutch, English and French for its tin and rubber resources.
More recently, tourism has prevailed, making Phuket the wealthiest province in Thailand. Even after the Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004, Phuket soon rebuilt, leaving no traces of any damage, and continues to further expand its urbanization by developing more hotels, apartments and houses, attracting both tourists and retirees on Thailand tours.
While Phuket’s west coast features the most popular beach resorts, including Kata, Karon, and Patong (known for its nightlife), its east coast is the gateway to various islands. Visitors on Phuket tours can enjoy a cruise through Phang Nga Bay and observe the many limestone karsts and maybe enjoy a seafood lunch.
The capital town of Phuket, located southeast of the island, has the highest population in the province and is its economic hub. A great place for Thai shopping, Phuket Town features an architectural blend of Chinese, Thai, and Portuguese buildings and shops.
Offering plenty of water sports, golfing, world-class resorts, mountainous beauty, and tropical climates on a Thailand vacation, it is easy to see why Phuket is known as the ‘Pearl of the Andaman’.
While Phuket’s west coast features the most popular beach resorts, including Kata, Karon, and Patong (known for its nightlife), its east coast is the gateway to various islands. Visitors on Phuket tours can enjoy a cruise through Phang Nga Bay and observe the many limestone karsts and maybe enjoy a seafood lunch.
The capital town of Phuket, located southeast of the island, has the highest population in the province and is its economic hub. A great place for Thai shopping, Phuket Town features an architectural blend of Chinese, Thai, and Portuguese buildings and shops.
Offering plenty of water sports, golfing, world-class resorts, mountainous beauty, and tropical climates on a Thailand vacation, it is easy to see why Phuket is known as the ‘Pearl of the Andaman’.
At a Glance
Languages
ThaiCurrency
Thai Baht (THB)What do the experts say?
Thailand is a friendly destination with fun & warm people, great food, and impressive cultural and beach experiences. Simply wandering neighbourhoods, visiting temples, shops & viewpoints, and eating at local restaurants are what I enjoy most when visiting Thailand. The south of Thailand is a special location with beautiful scenery and a seemingly laid back lifestyle, so visiting this area is always a special and memorable experience.
The experience of travelling from island to island on longtail boats in the south of Thailand is something that still resonates with me after many years.
For families, visiting a sustainable community in Koh Yao Yai can bring the trip to life with local interaction. For honeymooners, personalizing memorable experiences with special menus, in-room dining and more can really elevate the experience for Goway guests.
All the people that I met at the hotel, restaurants, and parks were always smiling at me. I can feel that they are grateful to all international tourists. A Thai smile inspires me most and makes me want to revisit.
Wat Chalong - The most important of the 29 budd...
Promthep Cape extending out into the sea
A traditional Thai boat in Chalong Bay
The spectacular architecture of Wat Chalong tem...
Most Popular Time to Travel
Know when to go.
Place
Conditions
Daily max temperatureMonthly rainfall
PhuketOccasional Showers
36°C / 96°F
58mm / 2.3"
Weather data is based on monthly averages.Popularity rating
-
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ExcellentBased on 5,205 ReviewsWe had a blast and felt covered by GoAway throughout. This was our first time using a travel agent and Melissa and her team made it easy. I also appreciated the quick communication while on our trip. I only wish that we got our official itinerary and tickets sooner as we did not receive them until a week prior. But it is busy season so I understand. Courtney McCarthyElise created a fantastic trip to South Africa. Our experience could not have been better. Thank You so Much!!Dave McVayOur trip to Japan was great. All our Goway arrangements preformed like clockwork and the guides for the tours were wonderful. Unfortunately, Mt. Fuji was in total fog but at least the lunch was very good and so was the drum solo, also our tour guide kept our spirits up ( she was the best).
Taryn picked hotels that were very convenient to the meeting point of our tours which was much appreciated and organized all aspects of our trip perfectly. So from our airport pickup to our last day in Tokyo everything ran very smoothly so we have used Goway before and will certainly use it again and reccommend Goway to others.JWWe had a great experience with Goaway travel our travel agent,FARNAZ. was very helpful and patient with us in planning our vacation to Greece. She was very thorough and professional and excellent with laying out our flights and our itinerary for our trip would highly recommend her very professional. Thank you again Franaz for your help and for me and my wife to have experienced a wonderful time in GreececustomerFarnaz booked Greece and Italy - she is fantastic! She listened to our needs and planned a beautiful itinerary that everyone enjoyed. All transfers went smoothly and I am looking to book more trips with her! AmyWe have used Goway Travel for previous trips and have been very happy with their excellent service. Our last trip to New Zealand and Australia was no exception. Our agent, Lori Mazzono, got tuned into the sort of trip we were hoping to have immediately. The various booking she provided were, without exception, exceptional and exactly what we envisioned, We really don't think we would have changed anything. tBruce BelshawMary was absolutely fantastic to work with. She was incredibly responsive and quick to assist with every update and change my clients made throughout the planning process. Her expertise was invaluable, from recommending the perfect resorts to advising on the best way to travel between the islands.
My clients loved every moment of their trip, especially their resort stays and overwater bungalow experiences. As this was their honeymoon, creating a seamless and memorable journey was so important, and Mary exceeded expectations. They rated their experience a 5 out of 5 and could not have been happier.
Thank you, Mary, for your outstanding support and attention to detail. I truly appreciated your partnership and would not hesitate to work with you again for future South Pacific Island bookings.
I am from the TravelStore in Fresno.Jenn WWe had an exceptional experience with Goway Travel on our recent trip to Africa. From start to finish, every detail was thoughtfully planned and flawlessly executed, which made the entire journey stress-free.
The recommendations on where to go and what to do were absolutely fantastic! Each stop felt perfectly curated and exceeded our expectations. It was clear that Goway truly understands the destinations they offer and knows how to create a memorable, well-balanced itinerary.
A special thank you to our travel consultant, Bijal, who was outstanding throughout the entire process. Bijal was incredibly knowledgeable, responsive, and supportive while we prepared for the trip, ensuring that all our questions were answered and that every detail was taken care of. Their guidance made a big difference in building our confidence and excitement leading up to the trip.
I would highly recommend Goway Travel to anyone looking for a seamless, expertly planned travel experience. We will definitely be using them again for our future adventures!
Harjit CElisa planned our trip. We were met at the airport by Paul who drove us to Arusha. Adam, our guide and driver was with us the whole trip and was very knowledgeable about the country and the animals & birds we encountered. Accommodations were excellent, meals were delicious and the Tanzanian people we met at each location were so kind and welcoming. A wonderful trip.pat vickersWe had a wonderful trip to Peru for 11 days organized by Goway. Overall the trip was great, we loved our guides throughout, some of the hotels were truly amazing and it was helpful having everything organized and having a point person to ask questions and check in while we were there.
Some main highlights were:
1) Machu Picchu- I am so glad we did two tours, because the weather was perfect for views, but also had an opportunity to see Machu Picchu more in depth with a knowledgeable and friendly guide and had a little extra time in Aguas Calientes to shop, explore and even visit the butterfly garden and do some birdwatching.
2) Cusco especially the Hotel Aranwa Cusco. The hotel was incredible, excellent service, modern updates, it was a true highlight of the trip. Cusco itself was also a highlight, loved our half day tour, plus getting ideas for our guide on what else to see in our free time and where to eat.
3) Lima- Aloft Miraflores was another highlight, very modern, nice pool and the best breakfast out of the hotels we stayed in. The location in Miraflores was also perfect, as there were plenty of restaurants, cafes and attractions nearby.
4) Everyone at Condor was great, from ensuring we had all our documents, tickets and itinerary to even stepping in to get water and agua Florida when we were feeling the altitude sickness the first hours in Cusco. Most of our rides and transfers were very comfortable and made the trip run smooth through all the different locations.
I have been telling my friends and family how wonderful the experience with Goway has been for our Peru adventure.
Eric Paul Schatzel
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