Island guide · Phuket, Andaman Sea
Phuket island guide
Thailand’s grand island: the Sino-European shophouses of Phuket Old Town, the beaches of the west coast, Laem Phromthep at sunset, PRU’s MICHELIN star and the marinas for Phang Nga Bay.
Plan your trip:Phuket International Airport
Towns & sights
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Sino-European shophouses
Phuket Old Town
Terraced shophouses, shrines and cafés along Thalang, Dibuk and Krabi roads.
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Phuket Old Town spans Thalang, Dibuk, Phang Nga, Yaowarat and Krabi roads and Soi Romanee, where early settlers built terraced homes in the Sino-European style (TAT).
- Architecture
- Cafés
- Sunday walking street
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Phuket’s Peranakan heritage
Peranakan Museum
A museum of Phuket’s Peranakan heritage in the Old Town.
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The Peranakan Museum tells the story of the island’s mixed Chinese and Malay heritage, in a historic building in the Old Town (TAT).
- Heritage
The best beaches
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Clear water and Ko Pu
Kata Beach
A scenic bay of clear water flanked by hills, with little Ko Pu offshore.
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Hat Kata is a scenic bay with clear water and hills on either side, and Ko Pu offshore (TAT).
- Swimming
- Ko Pu
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Between Bang Tao and Kamala
Surin Beach
Powdery sand between two rocky capes, shaded by coconut palms.
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Surin Beach lies between Bang Tao and Kamala, flanked by small rocky capes, with a lifeguard tower (TAT).
- Powdery sand
- Lifeguards
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Quiet and relaxed
Kamala Beach
A quieter two-kilometre beach north of Patong, home to some of the island’s grandest resorts.
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Hat Kamala is a relatively secluded 2-km beach north of Patong, home to luxurious resorts and to Phuket’s Muslim community (TAT).
- Quiet
- Resorts
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Yachts in the bay
Nai Han Beach
A sheltered crescent bay in the south, where yachts moor.
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Hat Nai Han is a crescent bay shielded by hills, popular for sailing; a windmill viewpoint stands on the ridge towards Ya Nui (TAT).
- Sheltered
- Sunset boats
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The busy heart of the island
Patong Beach
The island’s busiest beach, with watersports by day and Bangla Road by night.
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Hat Patong, between Kamala and Karon, is a crescent of fine sand lined with hotels, bars and tour companies (TAT).
- Watersports
- Nightlife
Where to eat
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One MICHELIN Star (2026)
PRU
One MICHELIN star at Trisara, cooking from its own farm.
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PRU is at Trisara, 60/1 Mu 6, Srisoonthorn Road, Choeng Thale; it holds one MICHELIN star in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026.
- One MICHELIN star
- Book ahead
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MICHELIN Guide 2026
Samut
Southern Thai cooking in Rawai, in the MICHELIN Guide.
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Samut is at 14/119 Mu 1, Rawai, and is listed in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026.
- Southern Thai
- Seafood
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At Rosewood Phuket
Ta Khai
Thai cooking at Rosewood Phuket, in the MICHELIN Guide.
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Ta Khai is at Rosewood Phuket, Muen-Ngoen Road, Patong, and is listed in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026.
- Thai
- Rosewood
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In the Old Town
Royd
Southern Thai cooking on Dibuk Road, in the MICHELIN Guide.
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Royd is at 95/1 Dibuk Road, in Phuket Old Town, and is listed in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026.
- Old Town
- Southern Thai
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Bib Gourmand (2026)
One Chun
Bib Gourmand Phuket cooking in the Old Town.
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One Chun is at 48/1 Thep Krasatti Road, Talat Yai; Bib Gourmand, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026.
- Bib Gourmand
- Local dishes
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Bib Gourmand (2026)
The Charm Dining Gallery
Bib Gourmand southern Thai cooking in an Old Town mansion.
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The Charm Dining Gallery is at 93 Dibuk Road; Bib Gourmand, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026.
- Bib Gourmand
- Old Town
Bars & nightlife
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Patong after dark
Bangla Road
Patong’s nightlife street, closed to traffic in the evening.
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Bangla Road runs inland from Patong beach and is the centre of the island’s nightlife (TAT: Hat Patong).
- Nightlife
Where to stay
Yachts, marinas & boats
Things to do & see
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The sunset cape
Laem Phromthep
The southern cape with its lighthouse, Phuket’s classic sunset view.
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Laem Phromthep, in the far south, is famous for its sunsets and its lighthouse, with an exhibition inside (TAT).
- Sunset
- Lighthouse
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45 metres high on the hill
Phuket Big Buddha
A great white marble Buddha on the hill above Chalong.
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The Big Buddha (Phra Phuttha Ming Mongkhon Ek Nakkhiri) is 45 m high and covered in white jade marble (TAT). Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, and take your shoes off before entering the halls.
- Views
- Dress modestly
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Phuket’s most visited temple
Wat Chalong
The island’s best-known temple.
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Wat Chalong (Wat Chaitaram) is the most revered temple for Buddhists in Phuket (TAT). Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, and take your shoes off before entering the halls.
- Temple
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Snorkelling and white sand
Ko Racha Yai
An island off Phuket’s southern tip, with white beaches and coral for snorkelling.
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Ko Racha Yai lies off Phuket’s southern tip, with fine white beaches, a hilltop viewpoint and coral at Ao Khon Khae (TAT).
- Snorkelling
- Day trip
Getting there
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