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Phuket has a lot of things to do especially when it comes to content worthy things. It’s very busy and the language barrier can be a hassle at times. I really enjoyed the city and would come back. It’s super affordable!
If you go to Phuket, Thailand you have to go to Ma Doo Bua cafe! I suggest getting there early because it’s normally packed. For $30 usd you can get two drone videos and you get 6 pictures but sometimes they give you extra. The guys that work there will also take some shots and pictures of you with your phone as well if you would like. You can’t reserve a spot for the pictures and drone when you get there you will pay and add your name on the list. The list does move pretty fast while you wait, you can grab food or something to drink at the cafe part during that time. I used that time to take pictures and videos on my own and ate. The food is a little bit more expensive compared to other places you might go to in Phuket but when you convert it to to usd it’s really not lol. The food was pretty good and if you’re eating when it’s your turn to go take pictures they will come get you. So I definitely would say this is a must go in Phuket.
Traveling as a black couple in Thailand was eye opening. It’s the first place (and only so far) that I’ve traveled and people treated me as a complete outsider. A foreigner even approached us at Yanai Beach to ask if we were okay since he hadn’t seen any black people there in two years. I was stared and yelled at while also having my photograph taken too many times without my consent. A major part of Thai culture is bleaching/lightening the skin which also made me uncomfortable. The food was great, but I wouldn’t return unless I was going with someone who looked like the natives.
Phuket is not JUST Patong Beach! Patong is where the nightlife resides, Bangla Road, the LGBTQ street, things like that. However there is also Rawai, Phuket Old Town, Karon, and more. If you’re looking to get away from the constant crowds, go further south to Rawai or stay near Old Town and you will get more of a Thai experience that isn’t fully tainted by tourists. If you want to constantly be around people and parties, then Patong Beach is where you should stay. But Phuket is so much more than a party place! The Big Buddha is a must see, some of the ethical sanctuaries are truly ethical and very beautiful, Phromthep Cape is breathtaking at sunset, and Monkey Hill is a scary yet exciting experience to see monkeys in their true form.
Phuket is amazing!!! Definitely what I’d call a one stop shop!!!! Nightlife, romance, relaxation, nature, etc…. Bangla road is the place to be. The night life is beyond amazing!!! Phi Phi islands is definitely a nice romantic must seee if you are in visiting Phuket. Omg Thailand has the best food . Sweet water restaurant did not disappoint. Mango sticky rice, green curry, papaya salad, and Tom Yum soup are all delicious. They have tons of excursions white water rafting was definitely a favorite.
Phuket is sort of a party destination so there is a lot to do at night. However I was surprised to find there is a lot to do in the day as well, from food tours to thrill adventures like zip lining and 4 wheeling. Everyone was friendly and the prices for food and activities were relatively cheap. Definitely recommend. I recommend booking the speed boat trip to James Bond Island (Ko Khao Phing Kan) and the day tour in Phang Nga Bay.
The Hyatt regency Phuket resort had a very good ambiance. Excellent staff and always helpful. Will go extra mile to help you. Room was very clean. The only thing they are missing is floating breakfast, which we wanted to enjoy. Otherwise excellent choice to stay and relax. Spa is awesome too and we spent roughly under $1000 for a 7 night stay our room came with a swimming pool which was very pleasant.
Omg Thailand Is one of my favorite places That I Visited so far… I went to Phuket in February 2018 and it was so beautiful and the best experience of my life. Super Inexpensive about $300 US dollars lasted a whole week that’s how cheap I’m talking lol.I stayed in the Patong beach area and the name of that hotel is called Avista Hideaway Resort and spa. My friends and I Stay there for a week and it was the best hotel experience service ever.This luxury hotel is on a hilltop overlooking two bays. This 5 star hotel is so Instagram worthy. Food on point! I recommend anyone who visits Patong area to stay there.
https://www.avista-hideaway-phuket-patong.com/
Some of the activities that I recommend doing is Tiger kingdom, Elephant sanctuary, Visiting big Buddha Temple, visiting old Phuket town, And of course island hopping (phi phi island). I’ve seen the most beautiful Water when scuba diving in Koh Phi Phi.
You must stop by Naughty Nurys for the best ribs ever!! I live in Texas So that says a lot… We end up meeting the owner Who is on the cover of Forbes magazine and he was super nice and gave us free ribs. You have to stop by!!
Tips. It’s super hot!! I recommend bringing a hand fan because as soon as you step out of your hotel door you will be sweating. Best time to go is between November and early April. Please avoid July through October for rainy Season. The people are very friendly and overall great experience. They love black people a lot of Chinese people as well there taking pictures with me and my friends . We felt like celebrities. I definitely want to go back and visit other areas in Thailand.
Visit my Instagram highlight section “Thailand” for videos pictures of hotels and activities. @beaute_tue
Thailand was a blast. I island hopped but stayed mainly in Patong (Patong beach in particular) at hotel clover. Food was so cheap. Thai cuisine it’s not my go to I can’t lie. I think I ate Thai green and red curry once whilst I was there. It tasted good I can’t fault it on average I’d say food (curries, noodles, rice dishes) are between 100bt-120. If they’re charging you more run! Well no don’t run but walk away or haggle. Those prices are for street food. I went to a restaurant called the kitchen patong. Service was great, they were warm and welcoming, we weren’t looked at funny or anything like that which was a plus. They went above and beyond to make sure our dining experience was pleasant. Whilst in Patong I went to The Elephant sanctuary in Phuket (Camp Chang Kalim – Elephant Trekking Tours Patong Beach). https://phuketdir.com/directory/category/elephant-trekking/patong-beach/campchangkalim/ This for me was everything. I love elephants so being up close and feeding them and just generally being right there was a memory I’d never forget. I’d say that the Elephant Sanctuary is a must. I wanted to see the big Buddha but nobody wanted to go with me and it was all about the birthday girl. Yes I didn’t get to go but I’d definitely recommend going I’ve heard from friends that it’s amazing. There’s a strip by Patong beach with the bars. Strip clubs. Food. I’d call it a party all down one road. That’s where the parties at (Bangla road) I loved the ping pong shows it was an interesting experience but be warned they invite you in, tell you it’s for free, you sit down and within a few minutes they’re demanding you buy a drink? No thank you! Alcohol oh my how could I forget they were STRONG and cheap almost as cheap as the food. You come across offers like buy 3 cocktails (est 100bt -120 each) and you get one free. Be careful if you go for a Thai massage the next day I was in so much pain I could barely walk LOL. I don’t feel like I was harassed or pressured into buying things and I never once felt uncomfortable. I would say that the locals were generally very welcoming they were polite and just lovely people I guess they added to the whole experience and made it even better. Yes the actual trip and getting to Thailand might be expensive/long but once you get there you have a blast and it’s all really cheap. I recommend going on a few excursions here and there but just enjoy your time and explore really.
Phuket was probably our most favorite baecation thus far. We went in celebration of my birthday and it did not disappoint. When we arrived at the airport, we had a driver waiting for us with a sign of our names and a very NICE Mercedes. The Thai people literally treat you like royalty: I can’t recall a time I ever felt anything less. We stayed at the Wyndham Grand Phuket in Kalim bay. We were welcomed with delicious refreshments, cool towels, and complimentary cocktails. We had a pool suite which they had decorated with rose pedals all over and had an ocean view, which was super relaxing as well as romantic. The concierge there set us up with all kinds of tours from visiting and elephant sanctuary where we got to meet rescued elephants, to a speedboat tour to James Bond island, all for a very affordable price! We weren’t too far from Patong beach, which is where all the fun is. The Bangla road is the Thailand version of bourbon street in New Orleans, with a little bit more nudity. Overall, I rated traveling while black 5 stars because my boyfriend and I never once felt uncomfortable or felt that anyone was mistreating is due to our skin color.
Phuket is 100% a party destination. I stayed there for a few days, during my trip to Thailand. The most popular destination is Patong Beach. This is where all of the nightlife is. If you’ve ever been to New Orleans, this is the same, except Patong Beach is a strip alongside the beach & it has ping pong shows LOL. If you go to Phuket I highly suggest just winging it as you go. I did book a trip to Phi Phi Islands from there with Expedia, but other than that I just explored as I went along. Phuket is also popular for their muay thai fights. You’ll meet and see a lot of advertisements and people training for this. With the nightlife I would say just go along Patong Beach and see which of the dozens of bars interest you the most. A lot offer discounts. If you’re interested in a ping pong show (unforgettable in a weird way) they’ll tell you it’s free. Once you go in you’re expected to buy drinks that are usually overpriced. You can haggle the price down for sure, as the night goes on, the cost of drinks gets cheaper throughout the show. The shows seem sketchy, because they are lol but depending on who you’re with it’s a fun time!
Phuket is such an affordable city with tons of things to do. I suggest everyone to visit the elephant sanctuary (not the ones that abuse them by having people ride on top of them). Also taking a day trip to the James Bond island is a must! ( https://www.klook.com/en-US/activity/3227-james-bond-day-tour-big-boat-longtail-speedboat/#krt=s10&krid=bceafefe-e12e-46ff-40af-0e8ac866ebde ) The boat ride is a bit uncomfortable and you might get caught in the rain while you’re on your way back, but the scenery is amazing. While visiting the James Bond island I encountered an interesting experience with one of the merchandise sellers… I have natural full curls and while I was looking for money in my wallet, I felt someone touching my hair. When I looked up she was holding a chunk of my hair up to her face and examining it. She proceeded by saying she loved my hair and thought it was beautiful. I’m not here for the invasion of personal space but she was nice about it so I didn’t mind and thought it was kind of sweet :) There are a ton of beaches to choose from, the Patong beach is one of my favorites! As for night life, stay away from the ping pong shows haha. But the strip has a variety of different bars to choose from.
The US Dollar goes really far in Thailand in general. I stayed in a Bungalow Suite atop a high next to Kata Noi Beach for about $90/night for fives nights. It was only a 3 minute walk to the beach. The food there is spectacular. A vegetarian-influenced country, so i decided to choose from a lot of the vegan dishes. I’m not vegan per se, but these were the tastiest cuisines, the cheapest, and left you feeling pretty good after eating it. Spicy green curry soup is by far the best soup i’ve ever had in my life. It’s also pretty easy to coordinate a boat trip to the islands. I went to James Bond Island for $100. Coordinated the trip the day before and spent hours out on the island and got pictures after for about $10. All in all, that trip alone for the week (it was one of five countries i visited in 10 days of traveling) cost me about $350-$400. I split a lot of the cost with the girl i was dating at the time. When you fly in, you can do visa on arrival on-sight for $30, i believe. Customs is also pretty easy to get through as an Anerican. Utilize the Tuk-Tuks getting around instead of taxi cab cars. And if you can manage, get a personal tuk-tuk driver to accommodate you for your trip. You can save more and get around with someone who knows the area. Stay away from the old Aussie men. They’re weird.
Thailand is one of the most beautiful places to not only visit, but also explore. The first stop in Thailand was Elephant sanctuary Phuket. While there you learn so much about elephants, what they eat and the way they live. You help to prepare their food, and have one-on-one time feeding them. You can also take a bath and shower with elephants which is one of the most amazing experiences. If you don’t do anything else while in Thailand the Elephant Sanctuary is a must.
Next, the Big Buddha. (Get there early to get a good picture) The Buddha sit at the top of a mountain so it’s quite a long ride up. You can pay to ride an atv up the mountain, take a scooter, or by car. Please be mindful when going that you have to be dressed modestly or you will be required to cover up in wraps that they provide. The views at the top of the mountain are breathtaking, and offer a 360 view of Phuket. You can purchase some souvenirs, and experience monks praying. One of the coolest things was purchasing a gold leave that you can write a message on and tie to any tree. Grab a snack on your way out at one of the shops for the ride back down.
Old Town, was such a vibe…the colorful to the street food allowed you to get a true feel for Phuket. Old town stretches about 4 block long, and is filled with markets, boutiques, ice cream and coffee.
While in Thailand I didn’t see any other African Americans, but the people in this beautiful city are kind and showed so much love.
If you get the opportunity please visit, you won’t be disappointed.
Phuket is a major tourist destination with a ton to see and do. Just hop on the back of a motobike and go!!! Phuket is also a good spot to hop over to Phi Phi Islands.
Things to do: 1. I mainly stayed around Patong Beach. The beach is a bit crowded but the waves were perfect for body surfing. 2. Bangla walking street. Clubs, bars and people watching. Take a picture or marvel at all the electrical wiring. 3. Big Buddha statue. 4. AN ABSOLUTE MUST!!! Chalong Bay rum distillery. The food is good and the rum is amazing!!!!
Travel while Black: It is Thailand. You could be an alien and they would not care.
Visiting Phuket was my first time vacationing internationally. I absolutely loved it there. I spent 12 days there and it was amazing. I stayed at this place called The Charm Resort on Patong beach and it was pretty nice. The greatest thing was that the hotel was literally a 30 second walk from the beach so I spent a lot of time there, getting massages while outside at the beach. I made time to go see some tigers, elephants, the massive Big Buddha and even visit a local cabaret. The highlight was how cheap everything was. Happy our was my best friend because a shot that normally would cost $10-$12 ran about $2-$4. I paid $8 for a double shot of Hennessy privilage?. Bangla road was also a place I spent a considerable amount of time at as well. If you want the ultimate night life experience that is to place to be. Open bars, clubs loud music, hookah bars, social interaction along with so much down a long dedicated strip EVERY NIGHT is the best thing ever. Simply put Phuket was amazing
This was my first solo trip and I had no issues. I booked two different tours and enjoyed both. Phuket is pretty cheap and it’s a good place for nightlife. If you’re looking for something more relaxing or for couples Krabi is a better place to visit.
I can’t recommend Phuket enough. It’s a beautiful island with amazing beaches! While you’re there branch out passed Patong beach and explore some of the lively markets including Naka and Chilva as well as trying local foods down by Rawaii Pier and along the Sai yuan. Phuket is a great hub as it’s easily accessible from Bangkok and Chang mai so be sure to visit those too. Phi phi and Railey are also great, both Picturesque and a literal hope and a skip away!
The island is very affordable! You don’t need any more than 300 pounds for a week and that’s if you’re trying to blow big money otherwise 150-200 is manageable.
Here I stayed in an Airbnb, located near the old town which I would suggest avoiding especially if you don’t know how to ride a moped! Things aren’t as accessible but you can have your host contact a driver for you so there were no issues there! If you Decide to ride please be safe. No one really follows the road rules so it can be rather manic especially if you’re not a confident rider.
I flew air Asia to Phuket! It was an easy ride. The booking was convenient as the arrival and departure from Bangkok for my connecting flight correlated quite well so no long waiting times!
Flew into Thailand from Bangkok (Short flight) for 4 days. Best days of my life! I highly recommend to book your excursions while you’re in Phuket and not before your trip. You can literally bargain with everything here. We stayed at the Burasari in Patong and it is such a beautiful hotel! While here we took a day cruise by speedboat to Phi Phi Islands. They took us to 3 different islands one being Monkey Beach. These are wild monkeys so I definitely did not get close. We got massages everyday while in Phuket! They were absolutely amazing! My favorite part of my trip was playing with the elephants at Paradise beach. I did not ride the elephants! We played by splashing water on each other, i bathed her in the ocean, and i gave her lots of kisses. While in Phuket make sure you visit the Patong beach strip. You can take a Tuk Tuk which is really cheap, bargain with them too! There are tons of ping pong shows and things you probably won’t ever want your eyes to see. LoL. But we thoroughly enjoyed the hip hop bar! (They take requests too!!) Just an FYI be careful when shopping at the stores for souvenirs. You’re still black! They watched me like a hawk and followed me around as i shopped. Lastly, we went to Tiger Kingdom where I was absolutely terrified to interact with the tigers. However, the staff made me feel comfortable and I was able to get some great pics. Phuket was overall really dope. Definitely a must while in Thailand.
We booked our trip through TripMasters. We went to Bangkok, Phuket, and Bali for about $1500. It was an amazing deal and they made the process painless. They also do payment plans. Our price also included trip insurance that we added on just as a precaution. We researched the hotels offered (there are hundreds) and we picked based off our own independent searches and reviews. So your price can fluctuate based off of what hotel and type of room you choose. Tripmasters also has an app that is absolutely amazing. Your whole trip is itemized along with your hotels and flights and they also let you check in for your flight via the app. It also includes a currency exchange calculator, maps of each country, and you can do a “near me” search for food, shops, attractions, etc.
Staying in an Airbnb or Hotel is always an internal debate I have with myself. When I travel solo, I typically opt for a hotel. Staying at an Airbnb while in Phuket was an amazing choice. The Airbnb villa was one of many properties that our host owned, and offered a number of services including tours, boat rides, an in-home chef, taxi rides, and other services. The Airbnb was located in a southern Phuket neighborhood approximately 15 minutes from Kata Beach and 30 minutes from Patong. We got the chance to experience a quieter local area of Phuket and was able to walk a short distance up the dirt road to eat at local restaurants, run to the local pharmacy to grab emergency meds, stock up on aloe vera for our sunburned skin at the corner store, and watch a few Thai boxing sparring rounds at the outside ring tucked back in the trees across the street.
Thailand was ABSOLUTELY amazing and beautiful ! You have not had a massage until you experience a Thai massage. I had the pleasure of catering to the jungles greatest master piece @ the elephant jungle sanctuary. The tigers at tiger kingdom were so fun and friendly. Phi Island, Chalong Temple, Phatong Beach and the Big Budda are a must see. The food is delicious as well! This was one of my favorite trips. #SparkleByJazz
When asked what’s the best trip I’ve ever been on, Thailand is the response. I spent my 26th birthday in Phuket, Thailand and it was one of the best birthdays ever! I traveled with 5 friends and the most expensive part of the entire trip was the flight/hotel package. We made it our priority to get on a red eye flight so we can have a full day to ourselves. I stayed at the Aleenta Resort and Spa which had to be the best Villa ever, it was a gated, luxury and private villa that was simply beautiful.
Phuket has a lot of excursions to offer and we made it our priority to actually do them all! We started off visiting the Tiger Kingdom and which was very nerve wrecking but yet beautiful, We engaged in elephant bathing/trekking which was an amazing experience within itself . I am greatly into Water activities so Sea walking was a great experience for me personally, while being with a group of girls made the ATV experience very fun.
While on our vacation we had a personal driver who made our Thailand experience so rememberable. The staff was so caring, they even went the extra mile to bring me a cake and sing to me at the Arrival of the Villa.
I am from NY and the night life in Patong reminded me of the excitement I get back home which was great!
Overall, again this is my best vacation!
I’d probably have to say my FAVORITE travel experience to date, was going to the ELEPHANT JUNGLE SANCTUARY in Phuket, Thailand!! I was so happy, I could have cried. What a magnificent and divine experience it was to be up close and personal with those gentle giants!
I beg you , if you travel to Thailand, PLEASE don’t go to those places where you ride the elephants! Trust me, before I was educated about it, I wanted to do the same. When I first red about the Elephant Sanctuary, and that I wouldn’t get to ride the elephants and take one of those cool IG photos , I was unsure. Once I understood that it’s shortens their life span and alters their health when people ride them, I understood. So I booked the excursion. OMG WAAAAY better than riding them.
At the sanctuary, you get to be one with the elephants! They roam free ( the way it’s meant to be). You feed them, bathe them, swim with them! I have the most amazing photos with them, people say it almost looks fake!
If you go to Phuket, you MUST GO TO THE ELEPHANT JUNGLE SANCTUARY!A once in a lifetime experience!
I left a piece of my heart in Thailand..Phuket was part 2 of my Birthday Trip! This was definitely the highlight of my trip. We flew into Phuket from Bangkok for a little under $100 USD and the flight time was roughly an hour. Our driver met us at the airport and transported us to The lantern Resorts Patong where we spend the next 4/5 days. The hotel wasn’t as upscale as our previous hotel and it was pretty good for the price which included free breakfast. This hotel is literally a walk away from Bangla Road. I’m sure if you’ve heard about Bangla Road you know this is where Phuket comes alive and is home of nightlife! There is street food, tons of restaurants, hookah lounges, nightclubs, spas and street shows. Along the streets there are ATMs and Tour vendors. We were able to get three full days of tours for a little less than $120USD, as opposed to the hotels concierge selling the same tours for near $200 USD. Please shop around! Tour day 1 consisted of a full day to all of the islands including Phi Phi Leh and Phi Phi Don islands, Viking cave, monkey beach and khai Nai island. PLEASE DO NOT FORGET YOUR SUNSCREEN, SUNGLASSES AND YOUR HAT ?? It was SUPER HOT! But, the views were breathtaking! Tour day 2 was a city tour which included places like Kata Viewpoint, The Big Buddha, Wat Chalong, a honey farm, cashew factory, Old Phuket City and Naka Weekend market.The last day was an evening show at Phuket FantaSea with dinner.
This experience was nothing short of amazing as we were able to get the true feeling of Phuket.
Please feel free to check out my IG page @Dachea.Elle for pics and snippets of my trip!
What a beautiful island! We stayed in Patong near the beach. We booked 2 activities in Phuket on different days to enjoy the islands. We went to Maithon Island for snorkeling, after we went to green Island to snorkel to here you can see more fishes. After we went to phi phi don island to relax have lunch shop or swim. And we also went to khai nai island to chill on the beach eat or shop or do whatever you like. I don’t remember the name but we booked this ticket near the hotel we stayed wich was Mazi design hotel by Kalima. Phuket was crowded, there are alot of things to do, you can snorkel, dive visit tigers party, night markets and the list goes on.. its really populair. So compared to other islands in Thailand is Phuket one of the expensive islands.
When I traveled to Phuket Thailand I stayed at the Wyndham Sea Resort & Spa. This hotel was the best service I experience in all my traveling. They are very friendly, nice and the hotel was just breathtaking. Hotel was about $220 for 3 nights ($100 security deposit that I paid with cash and receive back after check out) Food was amazing. My room had a jacuzzi, and was next to just about everything I wanted to do. I rented a car for 3 days, very cheap however the staring wheel is on the opposite side of the car so be mindful of that. Nevertheless, from hotel I was able to drive too the Wat Chalong Temples jus 10 min away. From there I went to the Tiger Kindom just another 10-15 min away. My hotel private tours to the islands like Phi Phi and James Bond but because I solo travel I wanted my own adventure. I GPS and drops 2 hours to the coast where the locals will take you on their lil dingy boat. When you are arriving it looks creepy but don’t be alarm it’s safe. I paid about 60$ to a local to use the boat and he took me to James Bond Island and site seeing a bit.
I recently took a girls trip to Thailand in May, I would say be careful when booking trips in May as it is the beginning of there Monson season, we were a little sceptical, but we went early May so it was still very hot and sunny, with only a day of light rain. As far as things to do, the Thai Night life is buzzing, we stayed in Patong and not too far from the strip on bangla road, full of clubs, restaurants, hookah lounges, the famous ping pong shows. The strip has a very vibrant atmosphere.
Away from the night life, we took trips to the Buddah Temple, visits to the Elephant Sanctuary with #Elephant Family sanctuary.
Tiger kingdom, ATV excursions in the patong jungle with #ATVphuket and of course you must island hop when in Thailand, you can hire exursions guids to take your around the surroundings islands (Phi phi, khai etc) for the day at a good price, we used #Vitaminsea tours, they where really great and friendly. Once out there you can have lunch and go shopping, massages.
Thailand is a very beautiful and friendly city, you have so much fun exploring, i would reccomend it and would definitely go back. tuk tuks and taxis are very cheap and best way to explore. Happy Travelling.
So I went to Thailand for my birthday in June. The most expensive part of this trip was the plane ticket. I paid $1300 (round trip). I went with two of my close male friends and we ended up getting separate hotel rooms! The first was the Palmery Resort ($189 for 5 night)… then we went to Bangkok for like a day. Stayed at the Prince Palace ($99 for 2 nights) and then we went back to Phuket and spent a night at the Wyndham Grand Phuket Kalim Bay ($305 for 1 night)- best hotel I’ve ever been private pool floating breakfast you name it!
In Phuket there are many excursions to choose from. The very first day we did the Tiger kingdom and a snake show. Most terrifying but yet fulfilling experiences. Went out for a beautiful dinner overlooking the ocean BAAN CHOM VIEW RESTAURANT (must go great food great vibes)
Day 2 we did ATV ride, elephant bathing and trekking, we went to a temple that has monkeys I forgot the name (beware the monkeys steal), kayaking, then we ended the day by going to a waterfall. This was one package (they picked us up from the hotel, fed us, then dropped us back to the hotel)
Day 3 Phi Phi island tour by speedboat. I did 6 islands total (hotel pick up, lunch, drop off)
Day 4 Phuket day tour: Great Buddha, cashew and honey factory, and a few temples.
Day 5 Bangkok. Visited temples and drove around and enjoyed the view (reminds me of NY). Had lunch at AMPHOE DAMNOEN SADUAK. Also went to the floating market and got a few items. at night we went on a river dinner cruise (MUST GO)
Day 6 we spent the entire day at patong beach. Beautiful scenery, a lot of shopping and the night life is to die for! Must go to Bangala Road!
My overall experience was great. The first hotel was farther away from the night life so we had to catch a cab to Patong beach THEY OVERCHARGE FOR CAB RIDES! Please download the GRAB app it helps! Tuktuk rides were fun and convenient atleast try it once. Street food was amazing, the people were amazing! Try to bargain everything you can lol like they give you the highest price first then drop it after u bargain with them! O and get a Thai massage it was amazing and very cheap.
If you have any questions or want to see pictures just go on my Instagram page ameena_james.
Phucket was one of the most exciting cities I have traveled to. The highlight of my trip was my time spent on Bangla Road. There was so much to get into and the nightlife was exceptional. There are tons of bars to choose from all offering different but good vibes. The street food was incredible and extremely inexpensive. If you stick to street food you can look forward to spending about $15 max on food per day. The hotels we stayed at in Thailand were relatively inexpensive and we were able to find 4-5 star hotels for around $50- $60 dollars a night. We stayed at Hotel Clover for two nights while in Phucket as it was in close proximity to most activities. A visit to Phucket is a must when travelling to Thailand!!
Phuket can be a traveler’s trap especially the area with lots of foreigners. The food is good the vibe is great lots of nightlife but staying there can be congested if you prefer a peaceful night. I chose to stay at hostel called Pause Kathu that is located off the touristic area and a very quiet location. The hostel has shared room along with individual rooms and it has been one of the most beautiful room I stayed in and I had my own room for about $20 per night. It was far but a bus ride would get you to the main attractions
Phuket is hands down me and my boyfriends favorite trip. Everything is cheap, it’s so beautiful, many activities and great night life ! We stayed at a gorgeous villa at villa zolitude, I highly recommend this place. We booked the treetop panoramic view room which had a private infinity pool. The price for 4 nights was about $1200 which included airport transportation, daily breakfast, private in room dinner with wine, and a 90 min couples massage. Can you imagine all of this for a veryyy affordable price.
We had pre booked our activities and tours but it will probably be better to visit one of the kiosks at their beaches and get better discounts. While here we chose a tour that included elephant trekking, and riding atv’s to visit the big Buddha statue for $45 each ! There’s so many people who go Phuket and don’t visit Bangla road. This strip is sooo bright and fun filled with bars and clubs. You’ll find plenty of spots that play hip hop music, and ladies you’ll find promoters who will get you in the clubs ands drinks for free.
Phuket is definately a hot spot for couples, or a group of friends. I’m going back soon !!
Phuket was wild. During my Thailand trip, I traveled from Bangkok to Chiang Mia to Phuket and then back to Bangkok. However, Phuket was definitely the wildest.
We stayed in a hotel really close to Patong Beach, which is the center of nightlife. Imagine Bourbon Street in NOLA but even more extra. If you want to be in the middle of everything, stay near Patong Beach. If you want more relaxation, stay on another part of the island.
No matter where you stay, take a boat trip out to Phi Phi islands. I went on a larger boat, but I would recommend shopping around and finding a private tour of the Phi Phi islands. You’ll probably get better photos and you won’t be as restricted as you tour the islands. Whatever you decide to do, Phi Phi island touring is a highlight of the Phuket experience.
For night life, I would recommend Illuzion Phuket. It’s a huge, lively club with decent music and dancers.
Okay, normally it’s not my style to speak poorly on places because no place is perfect. Every city has it’s ups and downs. That said, I would not be speaking my truth if I just hyped up Phuket as if it were my top 5 – which it is not. Phuket is a large island, so I’d like to be specific about a certain town that most night-goers visit in Phuket, which is Patong Beach. I’m from Miami, so I’ve seen and experienced nightlife on a 10, but Patong is off the scale. Walking down the main road where all of the clubs and bars are located, people kept coming up to us with flyers about a free “Ping Pong Show.” I had a feeling that naked women and men would be involved, more of a strip club feel, BUT, boy, was my imagination weak (LOL). The entrance is free but you’ll be required to buy 1 drink, which could cost you $20 USD (HUH?). Again, I’m from Miami, where we have some incredible strip clubs. Personally, I thought the dancing was weak. Now, back to the Ping Pong Show. The stripers do these little segments that involve hiding ping pong balls in their private areas, only to shoot it out across the room for people to catch. YEAH, WTF is right (LOL!!). There’s also a razor show, bird show, banana show, candle show, flower show, soooo just use your imagination. The nightclubs on the other hand were pretty fun. They played great music and drinks are affordable. Walking the streets of Patong, you’ll see a million Thai Massage shops. There will be women, and men who are called “ladyboys”, soliciting you for massages. The “ladyboys” are really beautiful, and more often than not, you won’t be able to tell the difference between the men and women, so there’s that. Live your best life how you choose. LOL Overall, Patong is for the hardcore partygoers. It takes the name sin city to another level, which I can appreciate in sense because I’m all about people living their lives how they see fit. Just be aware of what kind of fun it entails. If you’re looking for relaxation, I wouldn’t recommend Patong, rather I’d recommend Kata Noi Beach, which is a 15 minute tuk tuk ride from Patong, and is much cleaner and quieter. The beaches in Kata are incredibly beautiful and great for beginning surfing. Old town Phuket reminds me an historical, colonial-is neighborhood, which I loved. There you’ll find great shops, a night food market, and tons of trendy restaurants. Phuket has tons of attractions. I’d recommend going on a Phi Phi island hopping and snorkeling day, boat tour if your time is limited. I’d also recommend also visiting the Big Buddha and a few of their famous temples. Overall, Phuket was nice but not mind-blowing. Would I care to return? Probably not (lol). But I’m glad I went – glad to have had the experience.
Please do not stay more than two nights in Phuket. This city is dirty and it’s stinks. The night life overrated. Just take a ferry and forward straight to the islands. Please I beg. Oh and don’t waste your money on the ping pong show. Don’t. Save your eyes from misery and despair ?.
Fun fact, you can actually visit elephant sanctuaries from other parts of Thailand other than Phuket such as Koh Samui, Chang mai and Krabi. But we did ours from Phuket wasn’t far but it was also very nice. We got to feed and bathe with the elephants but didn’t ride them because the company we chose did not allow us which I ageee with! Elephantjunglesanctuary.org great company
I would only recommend Phuket if you’re going to be here during the Thai new year (Songkran Festival) and take part of their water fight festival to celebrate the new year. It was so much fun! Buy a water gun and start spraying water on people and just have fun. It was truly an amazing experience. Also yes street food is good but still not worth staying here more than two nights.
My good friend and I had an amazing time in Phuket. The local people were unbelievably generous and kind. The fresh fruits were incredible. I recommend checking out the weekend market where we experienced some of the best food on the island. I, also, highly suggest staying at the Sri Panwa hotel/resort. If you’re unable, at least enjoy some dinner/drinks at their beautiful rooftop restaurant Baba Nest. If you plan to go, please note that you must reserve at least a month prior to your visit.
This was my second time in Phuket. My first stay in Thailand I went island hopping from Bangkok, to Ko Samui then to Phuket. This time I stayed just in Phuket for about 9 days. I had to come back because I love it here so much!
I stayed at Aleenta Resort and Spa for four days, which is a luxury resort in Natai Beach. It’s a ways a way from the actual city of Phuket but away from the hustle, and bustle and crowd of Phuket. Its very quiet and peaceful. It’s about an 1 and 20 minute drive from Patong and Phuket itself. We stayed in the Grand Deluxe Pool Villa. It was a spacious villa with a huge bathroom and private pool right in front of your bed. You literally take two steps from your bed and you’re in the pool. Not to mention, the bathtub was outside next to the pool. Hotel service and food was good. Breakfast was included so we ate on the beach every morning. It’s a tad bit more expensive than hotels in Patong but totally worth it to me.
After staying at Aleenta, we stayed at Sala Phuket Mai Khoa, which is again a little ways away from Phuket but closer than Aleenta. We stayed there for five days. Let me tell you, this was hands down the prettiest resort I’ve ever stayed at. We again stayed in the private pool villa. The villas are truly one of a kind with an outdoor shower and spacious bathtub with a beautiful chandelier right above it. The hotel gives you different types of pillows, lotions and soaps to choose from based upon your comfort and choice of smell. I chose a different pillow and scent every day. Breakfast was also included here. And it was delicious! The food and service in general was superb! We had breakfast on the beach at sunrise every morning so beautiful.
We went into Phuket every single day because there was just so much to do there. In terms of taxis it can get pretty pricey at about $47 each way however we used an app called “Grab” which is like their Uber/Lyft. Prices were way cheaper through them. You have the option to pay with card or cash.
We also swam with elephants for about $31 a person and booked that through a nice gentleman by the name of Mr. Kot. It included a transfer from our hotel. After swimming with elephants we used Mr. Kot as a private driver for just about everything to go everywhere. His prices ranged from $20-30. Which is a steal when you’re using him all day coming from 1 hour and 20 minutes a way. Each day he took us wherever we wanted to go. Because we used him so much he always gave us a discount on our drives which turned out to be even cheaper. We went to the tiger kingdom which is a must, and we also booked an island tour with Mr. Kot which included tours of Phi Phi and Bamboo islands (my favorites) on a speedboat. Which was about $63 a person. It was an all day trip from about 8am-4pm, filled with lots of fun and adventure. Lunch was provided and included in the price. We went snorkeling and jumped off the speedboat into the crystal clear blue water. AMAZING!
We also went into Patong quite a bit and had a few drinks at Bangla Road. Very cheap happy hours. Cocktails were around $4 and some places included a free shot, or buy one get one free. We went during the day and stayed out most nights. It turns into a party at night.
When in Phuket riding in a Tuk Tuk especially at night is a must! Nothing but bright lights and loud music of your choice. Our driver always let us play whatever music we liked!90’s R&B was always out go to! There was just something about listening to slow jams with the wind blowing in our hair. Very relaxing!
Also thai massages are a MUST! They feel amazing and are about $9! We got at least one everyday.
If you want to use a private driver please book with Mr. Kot, not only does he have cheap prices but he has so many other tours available. You can always reach out to him via WhatsApp at +66 89 874 0285 He’s very responsive.
All and all, I definitely recommend Thailand to anyone who is interested or even on the fence. It’s a place that can cater to those looking for adventure, relaxation , culture or just to experience some of the world’s most breathtaking beaches. This is the place to be!
I did a solo trip to Phuket for a week. I was looking for somewhere to relax by the pool with a good book, watch the sun rise and set, do yoga and still have the nightlife and adventure of Phuket available. If you are too then I would recommend staying in Amatara Wellness Resort. It’s an all inclusive resort located in Cape Panwa, a little pricey but worth it. The hotel provides free return transportation into various tourists spots daily. The staff are very friendly and the views are amazing. There are local restaurants and beaches just 10 minutes walk away from the hotel, from there you can take a 30min boat ride to small island for snorkelling.
In Phuket there is so much to do in and around. The sites absolutely breathtaking. Thai people are so friendly. Our place of stay Aleenta Phuket – Phang Nga Resort & Spa was lovely, the Villa was top-notch Luxury. The service was splendid 4.5 stars, $350/night. I recommend getting a driver courtesy of the Villa/Hotel to take you around to complete activities and sightseeing. It’s quite affordable. I was amazed at the pricing of many of the excursions (jet ski, playing with tigers, riding elephants in the ocean, Sea Trek helmet diving, and feeding monkeys) powered through Emma Tour & Travel So many memorable moments. If you get a chance check out the Nightlife. You will find clubs and lounges with Hip Hop, R & B, Afrobeats such as “GOSSIP Boutiq Supperclub” which has food, drinks, hookah and a live DJ.
Phuket is absolutely amazing! It is very affordable, you can live like royalty for cheap. There is plenty to eat however the city does have roaches. Besides the roaches, everything else is perfect! You can be adventurous with a tour and wild animal ( like elephants) excisions or hike and also relax at the one of the many beautiful beaches! Our Airbnb host assisted with scheduling (link: https://abnb.me/DUau6Dj0IV ). Hotels typically can also schedule for you and if not there are plenty of traveler agents around the city that can!
Phuket is a beautiful bay city with so much to do! We stayed in Patong Bay and the night life in this area is so fun! so many clubs and bars to hit up at night! Also be sure to visit the Elephant Sanctuary , it was in incredible experience! And be sure to also visit James Bond Island by boat, they have island hopping tours which take you to various islands . A note when shopping at the market, be sure to negotiate, the sellers give you a higher price and will definitely be flexible on lowering their prices , you can get a shirt for as low as 2 dollars if you negotiate
I did three days in Phuket solo before meeting up for a group trip in Bangkok. I stayed at the Amari Phuket Hotel & Resort in the Resort style suite bungalows. The view was to die for and I got to escape the bustling hotel to my personal apartment. They drove me back and forth from my room in these private golf carts and waited on me hand and foot. It was so quiet and peaceful at night. The overall hotel was amazing and the exceptional and attentive service is surely missed out here in LA ;-).
I went to Phuket with two friends and had the best time. We spent a total of 3 days there since we were city hopping throughout Thailand. We stayed at the Kalima resort and spa which was very inexpensive and in a nice location as it was close to Patong beach and bangla road. Patong beach is like the party beach, i didn’t go at night but I went during the day and it was pretty packed but I still was able to be relaxed in a lounge chair and soak in some sun. The resort also had two pools and a mini golf court. The main pool had a pool bar which ha happy hour 3-5 that was bogo free drinks, which was pretty dope. There was also a mini market inside and the bell hop service was fantastic. They carried our bags everywhere up and down stairs and to our rooms. They also gave water on request since water is very valuable there and you can’t drink it. The total was about 350+ USD but was split between 3 people so it honestly wasn’t bad at all especially for the aesthetic of the resort and quality of it all.
We went to Phuket for a part of our 3 week trip to Thailand and it was an amazing trip. It was probably the one of the most expensive part of Thailand that we visited (next to Koh Samui ) but even then very affordable we flew from Bangkok so the flight was only about $18 USD. We stayed in an Airbnb right along the beach line of Patpong for about $45 a night, A little on the pricey side for Thailand but because of the location, it was worth it. We visited an elephant sanctuary during our trip and I highly recommend this to anyone looking to see elephants avoid riding elephants on the beach etc. because those elephants have usually been abused. And the sanctuary you don’t get to ride the elephants but you get to bathe and feed and play with them surprisingly no one was hurt. We also did a tour of James bond island which was cool but not the clear water I expected this is more of a cultural learning experience if you’re looking for the clear water beaches id recommend the Phi Phi island tours.
Phuket was by far my most favorite trip !! We stayed st the Wyndham resort and it was amazing. The service was insane. We had a pool in our room and could order floating meals throughout the day! Also the pool inside our room over looked the ocean. When you get to the city there is so much to do . There’s tiger kingdom and elephant sanctuaries that I highly recommend to do. There are boat tours that take you to multiple islands that is a must.
The street food is a must, but just watch out how they cook the food. Sometimes your stomach may be able to handle it sometimes not.
Phuket is very very very cheap, I mean cheap ! Everything is affordable !
When we went to Phuket in November 2018, we stayed at an amazing resort—the Phuket Marriott and Spa Nai Yang Beach. The hotel is not too far from the airport which was a plus. Upon first arriving, you will see that this place has one breathtaking lobby that overlooks the lush, well-kept grounds. Palm trees for days and you can see clear out to the beach. The backdrop to the hotel is like a total rainforest so you have this secluded island beach feel.
Our room was beautiful. The dark wood added a nice touch to the neutral yet modern décor. The tiled tub was a beautiful eye-catcher!! And we had two showers! How convenient when both of us wanted to get ready. On the second day we were upgraded to a swim out room, which was very nice, so all Marriott Rewards members should consider this. It was definitely a nice perk that the staff went above and beyond to accommodate.
There are a few restaurants on site and also poolside service at the large infinity pool. You can eat while you look out at the beach (which has a high and low tide). The breakfast and dinner buffets were great with tons of options. Somewhat pricey but worth it if you like variety as I do. Seafood galore!
The sunrises at this hotel were second to none. The best view was from the infinity pool looking out at the beach. Worth waking up early for to see the skies be painted the pastel colors of cotton candy. You’ll certainly feel like you’re in a postcard. I got the perfect pic and it makes the best real life screensaver I’ve ever had!
I travelled with a group of 8 females while in Thailand. We went to Bangkok for two days and Phuket for five days. Phuket was lovely, it gives me island vibes with the heat & palm trees. We stay in a villa 30 mins outside of Patong Beach. The villa was extremely nice however we did experience some plumbing issues which resulting with us receiving a partial refund.
The group did spilt a few times to do excursions … elephant sanctuary, phi phi island, tiger kingdom, elephant in water, Patong & Kamala Beach. We did not spend any more than $64 on an item. Most of everything is really cheap. I paid 400 baht for a hr massage which equals to $15 or so in USD. Illuzions is a must do while in town, we went on Friday hip hop night and let’s just say Black Women are loved. The food is fresh and lighter than food in America. They specialize in pad Thai.
I definitely recommend Thailand to those interested. It was an amazing experience.
Phuket was a dream! I went on a girls trip, it was three of us. We stayed 6 days/5 nights (3 nights at a hostel and 2 nights at a resort). I love staying at hostels, but my friends don’t and since everything was extremely affordable, we compromised to doing 2 nights in a resort. We also planned our tour days on the hostel days so we could enjoy our time in the resort.
Hostel Name: Paradise Beach Backpackers- this place was amazing BECAUSE if you stay at the hostel, you get 24hr access to the beach. Since it is private, you can take a shuttle there from Patong and pay 100-200Baht to get in. The beach was packed everyday and they have full-moon parties every Saturday night. The hostel cost was $9 per night. The hostel also has a restaurant and the atmosphere was great/relaxing.
Resort: Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket- I LOVED this resort. It’s located right across the street from Karen beach, has three pools, tropical grounds, and the environment was extremely friendly. We did spurge on a girls Spa day which was amazing. We booked the Garden Villas, but we wanted to check in early so they upgraded us to the ‘apartments’ which has its own infinitely pool. The cost was $330 person.
Tours!
We went on three tours, two tours with the same company and one with a different company.
Phuketletsgo tours:
Phangnga Treasures and James Bond Sunrise trekking Tour (HIGHLY recommend)- This tour was great because it was just us three in the group, so we had our own “personal” tour guide. The tour allowed us to experience the true beauty of the touristic landmarks without the crowds. We also had a private long-tailed boat to show us around to James Bond Island, Phangnga Bay at sunrise, marine caves exploration, sea-canoeing into hidden lagoons at Koh Hong, and the trip’s highlight was – the hidden 5,000 year-old shell cemetery. All of that was amazing! the tour does start at 4:30am. Cost was $130 person
Phi Phi Supreme (Sunrise Tour)- This tour started at 5:30am and there were only 16 people in the tour group. Our first stop was Bamboo Island, which is a cute little island. We were the first group to get there and left before other tours arrived. Then we ventured to Pileh cove to snorkel, Maya bay and Viking Cave, sightseeing at Monkey beach, and snorkeled again at Ao Nui or Yong Kasem. This tour was amazing! Between both tours I felt I got to experience enough of Phuket (on the water). Cost $145
The third tour was with Phuket Elephant Jungle Sanctuary- We didn’t want to ride the elephants, so with this company they showed you how they take care of the elephants, feed them, give them mud baths, and you got swim with them. It was a great experience to see rescued elephants and play with them. Cost was $75
Transportation: We used a private driver to leave the resort, explore Temples and for airport pick up/drop off. The drivers name is Kai and he’s great and affordable. He will wait for you at every location (we booked him for the day). Contact him through Whatsapp: +66911682145
Thailand was great! I would go back and visit Chiang Mai next time.
Make sure you get a massage, and make sure you go to Bangla road. Bangla Road is sooooo much fun! You’re going to see some pretty interesting things and people..but that’s all over Thailand. Also, the beach is at the beginning of Bangla Road so, that takes care of that. While here, ALL of the food I ate was extremely good and the massages were so worth it. Oh, and its cheap! I saw the elephants here and I also saw the tigers too. Really cool place.
I visited Phuket in January of 2018 with my brother. We stayed in a hotel in the Patong Beach area, it was only about $60 for a decent hotel in the tourist area near the beach and nightlife. The tiger kingdom and elephant sanctuary are also close by. English was spoken everywhere in the tourist area and all the food from local restaurants and shops was relatively cheap.
I really enjoyed Phuket! If you want to see tigers and you want to see the beaches. This is the place for you. Phuket has the famous Phi Phi Islands in which you can travel to by ferry. The ferry ride is 2 hours but is definitely worth it. I recommend to stay over night at Phi Phi islands if you can because the first ferry leaves at 9am and the last ferry back leaves at 3pm. That strict time frame really limits your time that you have on the island to really do anything. Also, take a trip to Patong beach for nightlife and shopping. This area really never sleeps and there is always something to do.
I traveled with a group of 12 other women to Phuket and Bangkok, Thailand in September 2018 and it was amazing. We booked with an agent through Beach Bum Vacations. It was a fairly inexpensive trip, great weather, good food, and plenty to do. We stayed at the Burasari Resort Hotel for 5 nights in Phuket and the Mode Sathorn Hotel in Bangkok for 2 nights. Both hotel accommodations were comfortable and in great walking distance to local shops, malls, and eateries. In Phuket, we visited the Elephant Sanctuary and Tiger Kingdom. In Bangkok, we visited the Grand Palace and Floating Market. As for traveling while black, many residents would take pictures of us or record us on their phone. One of our tour guides informed us that they were not used to seeing us over there, especially in groups, but it was still slightly uncomfortable. We only had one person actually ASK if she could take a picture with us. Everything (food, excursions, gifts) was fairly cheap ($1-$3 for gifts, less than $10 for meals). The most expensive part of the trip was the flight. We traveled from NC to LA to Hong Kong to Phuket and on the way back we traveled through Tokyo instead of Hong Kong. The flight was approximately 14 hours total. To get from Phuket to Bangkok, we booked through Air Asia and paid $30 US dollars. I cannot remember how much that is in Thai Bahts. Overall, I enjoyed all parts of my trip. The only thing that would keep me from going back is the long flight.
Elephant Care by Anda Advenure is a must! There was my favorite part of my trip to Phuket. I know most people go to take pictures with the elephants which I got to do as well but you get so much more with this excursion. At Elephant Care they focus on an ethical elephant experience, you cook, feed, give mud bath, wash, swim with and care for the own elephants for about half of the day and it really makes you appreciate these gentle giants. At first I was like wait what are we doing? but I would not trade this experience for the world. They put you to work and give you a cute uniform but I left which such a new found love for elephants. I was scared at first but elephants are literally the sweetest. One even gave me a kiss for all my hard work for the day lol.
Phuket Thailand was an amazing experience. It was very affordable as well. There is many things out there to do to have a good time. You can go to tiger kingdom which ranges from around $50-70 USD. There is also swimming with elephants at Pardise Beach which cost $20 USD. While in Phuket you should definetly check out the phi- phi island tour. It was a beautiful island. You can also check out the big Buddha Statue which had free admission you may have to just pay a taxi fee from your hotel which may range between $30-50 USD and theres people that’s there that can tell you a little about the history of the buddha. If looking for a hotel to stay at in Phuket you should choose Wyndham Grand Phuket Kalim Bay . Its very affordable and have rooms with private pools in it. Overall it was a 5 STAR trip experience.
I just can’t wait to go back here! Such beautiful scenery that it’s almost surreal. Definitely views that make you wonder if heaven is on earth. Beautiful beaches, mountains and great food. I loved my time in Phuket. I stayed at the Kamila resort and it was everything and more. Phuket was a dream and I’d recommend it for any occasion, honeymoon, girls or guys trip, romantic getaway, adventure. Phuket has it all!
We lived in Amari Phuket. Loved the room and facilities. Got an upgrade to ocean view. Great view and luxury. Food was good in la gritta. Tried chef menu. It was great. Breakfast was good. Had some Indian food. Not great but food enough considering it’s phuket.Highly recommend this to everyone who visits phuket. It’s worth the money we spent
I took a girl’s trip to Thailand this past May (2018) and it was one of the best places I’ve ever been to. the people are so polite and respectful there it makes you smile to know there are still good human beings out there in the world. the beaches are amazing, crystal clear blue water with soft white sands are just breathtaking and its a must see.
It’s also one of the most affordable places to visit as well. Anything you can think of was way cheaper than what we pay in the states. I’m talking about food, massages, taxis, clothing, etc. All of the girls literally got 60min-90min full body massages every night for about 300-500 Baht’s. This is equivalent to about $9-$15 US dollars. When I was there $1 US dollar is worth 32.53 Thai Baht’s. I know currency can go up and down, but I don’t think anything will drastically change.
The food was also amazing there, well at least for me. I also love the spices they use. We had seafood almost every other day and the meals were starting maybe around 90 baht-200 baht ($3-$7) a plate. I mean those prices are insane. You’re not getting small plates either. These are full size plates with a really good size portions. Even the mixed drinks and beers were more than reasonable. I don’t think I’ve never seen prices like this in the States. We stayed close to Patong beach so everything (food, beach, shops) was within walking distance from our hotel.
The hotels are also decent prices. I’ve seen prices as low $28 a night for a 3-star hotel. That’s pretty impressive for a nice hotel in a foreign country. I will definitely be going back.
Can’t wait to go back to Phuket!!!
My most memorable moments from my trip were visiting the Grand Palace, the experience of riding in Bangkok traffic, and the Patong beach. The Grand Palace was breathtaking and exceptionally beautiful. After staying in Bangkok for a few days, we traveled to Phuket. The views were amazing and Patong Beach was stunning! The sunset is shades of purple and pink! Think of cotton candy in the sky.
My sister and I planned this adventure three years ago. We love traveling and exploring other countries and cultures.
Things to be aware of: Bangkok scams i.e. the tuk tuk scams (definitely experience riding in a tuk tuk but just be aware) make sure to exchange your currency into baht, bowing is a greeting and form of respect, dress appropriately when visiting the temples, long pants and T-shirt is fine, and try to visit multiple cities in Thailand. We definitely look forward to returning to Phuket and visiting more islands in Thailand.
We stayed at the kalima resort!!!
When you travel to Phuket there is a private beach called Paradise beach where you can take private pictures with 2 Elephants on the beach. It is an amazing experience. You can message @phuketphotographerthailand for reservations and pictures
Oh Phucket, what a breath of fresh air, from the amazing food, beautiful Views, fresh water and beaches you can’t ask for more. Night life is relaxing. Especially after leaving Bangkok. The food is so fresh. The people are very nice and welcoming. Phucket has beautiful hotels as well. Sunsets are beautiful! Fresh coconut ice cream is a must. Also Phucket has beautiful elephants on the beach. Tuk tuk drivers are better than Uber’s they know the areas and are very patient with you. I would highly recommend going to visit Big Buddha
Its an amazing view. Either way you will not regret going to Phuket.
I had the absolute time of my life out in Phuket, where I spent most of my time while visiting Thailand. There is so much to do while you are out there. I definitely see myself going back because there was a lot more that I would have liked to do. I stayed at the Wyndham Phuket Kalim Bay, which was lovely. While in Phuket:
-Rode & played with elephants on the beach
-Went to a cultural show/play at Siam Niramit (Phenomal performance with impressive stage effects)
-Rode buggy’s up to see the Big Bhudda (must see)
-Snake show
-Day trip to Phi Phi islands (boat charter/excursion visited 4 islands including Jame’s bond island)
I used to Mr Kot, a travel excursion coordinator (https://www.mrkotphukettour.com) who was extremely helpful and gave us a free guided tour with a personal driver in a minibus after booking 3 others with him. Would highly recommend his services.
The second half of my birthday trip took place in Phuket. This trip took a lot of pre-planning because of our jam-packed schedule (#TeamNoSleep). We booked a roundtrip flight though AirAsia Airlines, which cost only $60 U.S. dollars roundtrip (there were roundtrip flights even cheaper, but we were very specific with our arrival time) and we landed in Phuket at 5:00 am. We checked-in to our villa (Secret Cliff Villa), and had breakfast and drinks before our next adventure. (FYI: Phuket is an island and there are geckos everywhere, so don’t be surprised if you find one of those little fellas in your hotel room). Our first activity in Phuket was a visit to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary! We pre-booked this activity as well, which costs $70 (U.S. Dollars) per person and includes lunch of traditional Thai food and a nice souvenir. The elephant sanctuary company picked us up from our villa at 11:30 am and let me just say elephants are the friendliest giants ever!! I’m totally against elephant trekking camps, so if you ever visit Thailand, please choose not to ride the elephants and opt for a sanctuary instead, where elephants have been rescued (#SaveTheElephants). You will have so much more fun bonding and playing with them at the refuge sanctuary. We fed the elephants, bathed them in a mud mask, which is good for their skin, and played with them. The staff was great and it was a blast! Definitely a highlight of my Thailand trip. We returned to our hotel at about 4:30 p.m. We had dinner, and dressed up to see about the nightlife in Phuket. We went to Patong Beach, which is a street full of bars and clubs, and we had a great time at the club.
The next day was island hopping day! We pre-booked a Phi Phi Island Tour ($56 U.S. dollars per person), and we were picked up by the tour agency at our villa by 8 a.m. We toured the islands by speedboat and our first stop was Phi Phi Leh Island. From there, we monkeyed around on Monkey Beach, and yes there are actual monkeys everywhere. Be careful to keep your personal belongings close, because they will snatch it and run (FYI the monkeys love shiny things). A lady had her very expensive sunglasses stolen from a monkey while we were on the beach. We then relaxed, snorkeled with colorful fishes, and went swimming at Maya Bay, which is the beach featured in the movie “The Beach.” We discovered Loh Samah Bay and Pileh Lagoon, did some sightseeing at Viking Cave, and enjoyed a great lunch at Ton Sai Bay. Our next stops were Phi Phi Don Island, then Khai Island where we enjoyed swimming, fish feeding and leisure time. The views and sights were UNREAL at all of the island stops, you have to just see it for yourself. We returned to our hotel at around 5 p.m.
The next adventure on the agenda was a visit to the Tiger Kingdom Phuket. The price to interact with the tigers are $30 for the large tiger, $25 for the medium sized, $20 small or baby tigers and $45 for the biggest Sino-Portuguese tigers (U.S. dollars). Of course, we went with the biggest because…’Go Big or Go Home,’ also the biggest tigers are also the oldest, meaning they are more tamed than the younger tigers. Also, meaning they are probably big enough to swallow a person whole, but less likely to do so. Keep in mind that you probably will only spend about 30 minutes at the Tiger Kingdom and 15 minutes interacting with them. The staff let all five of us go into the tiger space together, and we were so stiff walking in and tried to not to make any sudden movements that could trigger the tiger, it was hilarious to say the least. We were able to pet the tigers, lay on the tigers and pose with them. The staff took great photos of us, which is provided to us on a flash drive and included with the entry price. I’m glad I was able to experience interacting with a wild animal, it was definitely one of my bucket list items.
My favorite thing to do in Phuket was swim with the elephants. I had already visited an elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai and I had such a good time that I wanted to spend another day with these beautiful creatures. I knew I didn’t want to support any of the elephant trekking tours because I personally witnessed them abuse the animals. I do not recommend those tours at all! It was very difficult to find a tour where you can swim with the baby elephants though. We stumbled across this one after seeing someone on Instagram post about it. It’s a very secluded beach which is very hard to find so I recommend hiring the driver when you book the tour to save time. We booked the tour with Mr. Kot Phuket tour company. It’s about $30 for 20 minutes with the elephants. They are very bubbly and happy to see people, especially if you buy the bananas to feed them. Don’t forget to get a nice hug from them before you leave!
Thailand is a beautiful country and Phuket is my favorite part.
The food in Phuket is simply delicious and the ocean water is clear.
I tried scuba diving for the first time and had the time of my life.
I went through seafun divers which is the perfect company to go through for beginners.
They do an amazing job at teaching you the basics step by step and help get you comfortable for the ocean dive.
If you haven’t tried scuba diving, it’s a MUST!
Even if you don’t know how to swim, Seafundivers Divers will have you feeling one with the ocean ok!
If you want to be near the night life area, Bangla rd is the place to be. The streets of Bangla rd is swarming with people until 4 a.m. I had the opportunity to go to the club Illusion and let me tell you it was the best club I have ever been to in Asia. The DJ was on point with the music. The DJ played Hip Hop, Reggae, and Reggaeton. The club was enormous, with two floors and the club was full of lively people.
The popular notion of phuket is phi phi islands and while phi phi is easily accessible by boat, phuket (pronounced puket) on it’s own is pretty phenomenal. There are a lot of great hotels with phenomenal architecture and views, personally I stayed at the avista hideaway and it was definitely very very pretty.
We’ve established that phuket is cheap food, massages, smoothies please drink the fruit smoothies (Jamba out here struggling, still love them though) they were like $3 and sooo refreshing. So food is cheap but activities not as much. Tiger kingdom and hanging out with elephants were pretty pricey but well worth the experience. A huge part of phuket is bangla road which is where all the clubs , bars and majority of shopping boutiques ae besides the mall. From phuket I did a day trip to phi phi which was everything I picture it to be and more. Definitely do the trip, I didn’t find it worth my while to sleep on the island but others certainly have.
There’s a lot of shopping to be done in phuket but there’s a lot of fake stuff so be weary. stay away from brands and go for more locally made and traditional thai outfits. There’s less cabs in phuket than say bangkok but your favorite tuk tuk is always available and also most hotels have shuttles that take you to and from the main city and that’s really all you need. Once on bangla street in patong everything you need is there. So be sure to make sure your hotel is in Patong. A lot easier.
Get a thai massage, super cheap and super thorough just please get one. Phuket has an old town that remind me of bo-kaap, SA with the colorful buildings it’s worth seeing, thy also have a very interactive 3D museum called trick eye museum that’s worth an hour of your day. I took a cooking class that took us to the markt and then to the class and we made a variety of thai dishes. I wrapped up my trip with a phenomenal photoshoot with elephants cause where else will i get the opportunity? This can be easily done at any sanctuary at a price ofcourse. Check out my IG page femmeetnoir to see the outcome.
english is very common in phuket so you have nothing to worry about but having the time of your life. You also don’t need to dress up for anything really, bikinis and chilled outfits for bangla road where you’ll meet people from everywhere.
Me & my husband went to phuket in January it was extramly hot so Im not sure if that is the best time to travel there if you dont like to so much heat . we stayed at Sir panwa resort , the resort was beautiful but far from everything . We were about hour in half from the airport about an hour from the main attraction and nightlife in Patong beach area , but we were more close to the ferry to get to phi phi island . We had a personal driver so i would suggest to stay more close to Patong beach . Amari hotel is really nice . The ferry I remember total about $20 round trip to get to phi phi island , also i would suggest staying at least 1 night at phi phi island there is a beach party at night that you must experience . Exchange your money before going to phi phi island the exchange rate is different from phuket . Its also a $10 fee once you get off the ferry on to the island . Phuket have so many things to do , the main attractions are Tiger kingdom , elephant sanctuary ,big Buddha. To really enjoy everything i would suggest to stay at least 4-5 days . I think me and husband spent less then $100 for both for food for the week we were there .
Went to Phuket for 1 week in mid June and stayed at Charms resort. I liked the infinity pool area. It rained a few days while there. On the first night, I went to Simon cabaret show. The ladyboys sing and perform to popular songs. After the show, they have photo opps (they expect a tip). The next day, I went bamboo rafting (you can see snakes in the trees), to a waterfall, to the monkey temple (some monkeys were aggressive, fighting one another, and took things from tourists), and elephant trekking. I also went to the Phuket trickeye museum and Tiger kingdom. Took photos with a white and regular tiger. There is also an option to take photos with a lion. The animals were not sedated. I saw them playing with one another and running around in the enclosures. The workers said, during the evenings, they are most active because that is their normal hunting time. I went on an intro to scuba diving course for nonswimmers with Super Divers Phuket for $137. There was 2 dives to Racha Yai Island. The water was beautiful. There is an option to purchase photos/videos of the experience. Breakfast and lunch was included. I got seasick and medication was offered fot free. I saw tropical fishes and starfishes. IMO, snorkeling in the Caribbean is more beautiful. I had a good time and would like to try it again. The next day, I went to a muslim fishing village for lunch and James Bond island. The water there was muddy. In my opinion, that trip wasn’t worth it. I also visited the Big Buddha. Be sure to dress appropriately. They do have free items to wear though. I also went swimming with elephants at the beach. This was so much fun. There was a nice beach swing over the rocks. In the evenings, I ate street food on Bangala Road, went to nightclubs, and had Thai massages. My sisters were curious about the ping pong show, so we went to one. I don’t want to give a lot away, but those ladies…smh. They say it’s free, but expect you to buy a drink. Be sure to catch the sunset at Patong beach, try the rolled ice cream, and eat a banana pancake. Phuket was fun, but everything is more expensive there compared to the other Thai cities.
Phuket was a dream. Airbnb was 40$ a night (included washer and dryer) which was very much needed (one of the main reason why I book airbnbs more often than I book hotels). The complex had an incredible infinity pool that looked over Patong beach.
Was close enough to enjoy the nightlife but far enough to get a good sleep at night, I had to go and see what Bangala road was all abou.t In my opinion if great for people who love to party, it’s a street full of bars and clubs, its blocked so you don’t have to worry about being drunk and walking from bar to bar. They do cool shows in the middle of the street and you can spend your whole night here.
Day trips to the many islands around Phuket is a most. There are many travel agencies in town in case you would like to book once you get there, I used Phuket SRC Travel, each day tour was about $100-150( full day trips included delicious thai food), and they also have half day options.
They will pick you up at your hotel/airnbn. Drive you to a meeting point and explain how the day will be and what to expect. One of the day trips we chose made stops in Maka or Lawa island, Panak island, Hong Island, Ice Cream Cave Island, James Bond island and Panyee Island.
I can wright a page long for each of this islands but I’ll keep it sweet and simple. It was truly breathtaking. Heaven on earth, I had to ask myself is this real!!!! This trip should be in everybody’s bucket list. Bring plenty of sunblock.
While in Phuket I did a tour of Phang Nga or Aka James Bond Island! This tour included some to die for views, canoeing, dinner at a Muslim village and of course the amazing setting of where “The Man with the Golden Gun” was filmed! I would certainly recommend this tour. I wore a sun dress and I would recommend shorts and a tank….you WILL get wet on the boat ride over lol. We found this tour on Viator James Bond Island Tour. The cost of the tour was 60.00 usd and included dinner. The second tour I did while in Phuket was the tiger kingdom with interaction with baby elephants. This tour included Wat Chalong Temples! The tour was offered through the hotel we stayed at called Paripas Patong Hotel. The hotel offered this tour for 40.00 USD dollars. You are able to barter on the street with various vendors for tour prices, but I opted to go through the hotel for convenience.
Phuket was a home for me for nearly 3 years and I loved every minute. The food, the beaches, the people, my students.
It’s such a gem and I’m not talking about the overhyped Patong Beach/ Bangla Road. There are so many small beaches reachable by motorbike, Kata/Karon was always my favorite! Kamala beach was my home, while it wasn’t the most spectacular it was quiet and cute. If you want to hop around you can find a taxi boat, pay them about 300 baht and ride for 2-3 hours.
Thai food is the absolute best! Classics like pad thai, green curry, massaman curry, how mak mak, fried fish, mango sticky rice. I could go on and on. The street food isn’t as good as Bangkok BUT if you do see a crepe place you MUST eat there. Absolutely. Banana and Nutella!
I’m all about relaxation and this is the lace with tons of small shops, massages come plenty. Go for one of the beach I paid about $9 US for 1hr massages every other Sunday.
I went to Phuket with my boyfriend and have nothing bad to say about this city. We stayed at the Wyndham Grand Kalim Bay private pool villa and felt like true Royalty in there. The private infinity pool from the room offers an amazing view of the city and Patong Beach. The staff in the hotel were so accommodating and always available. The hotel offered a free shuttle to all the main attractions. I do suggest that you rent scooters from a local shop in Patong. Getting a Tuk Tuk or cab anytime you need to get around could really add up. We rented scooters for $6 a day!!! We were able to go anywhere we needed to go on our own time. This saved us tons of money.
Do the island hopping tours, they allow you to visit many islands in a single day. As you may have read in past reviews there are so many things to do in this city…enjoy every bit of it!
My husband and I went to Phuket, Thailand and it was truly the best trip so far! We by to Phi Phi Islands by big boat, but I wish we would have made sure we bought the package that actually takes you there. The boat took us to another island that was nice and there was lunch and snorkeling, etc. We also to a boat to James Bond Island which was one of the highlights of our trip. You go out on smaller boats and canoe through the caves and swim in the open waters! We visited Tiger Kingdom and took pictures with the tigers which was scary yet unbelievable! We also went on an excursion that included seeing the Big Buddha, went on an elephant ride and had an elephant bath experience which was unforgettable. We went to Patong Beach where a lot of shopping can be done, but at night gets real wild and exotic. LoL I really felt safe everywhere I went. I even left my wallet in a taxi and he brought it to my room with all my money in it! This was definitely a trip to remember!
I agree with everyone on here saying that they had an amazing time in Phuket. I’m debating now on either going to a brand new place next year or going to Thailand for the 2nd time. We stayed at the Renaissance & paid $50 a night!! Being from California, these prices are unheard of!! I do suggest taking a few shots before you hit Bangla Road…it’s definitely a must see but not with a totally clear head!!!
We spent two weeks in Thailand, beginning with a 5 day stay in Phuket. We chose the Wyndham Grand Phuket oceanview pool suite with a private infinity pool on the balcony. The hotel provided a free shuttle to major attractions including the popular nightlife strip of Patong Beach. The service was amazing and nothing short of luxurious! The views and sunsets were also next to none! Highly recommend this resort.
We then ventured off to Koh Yao Noi (must take an hour boat shuttle to get there), a more secluded island that provided the best cultural experience. We stayed at TreeHouse Villas which could be bragged about for days!! Pure luxury!! There are only a few resorts on the island, giving it a peaceful, relaxing vibe. Activities included paddle boarding, snorkeling, Thai cooking classes and jeep adventures to the local villages to buy handmade souvenirs. The locals are the sweetest folks you will ever meet and treat you like royalty! Everything at the TreeHouse Villas is handmade, including the coconut bodywash and the fruits/vegetables grown on the property. Thomas, the resort manager was wonderful! He speaks english and made sure we enjoyed ourselves!
While staying at Koh Yao Noi, we took a boat tour through a company called The Beach to explore 5-6 islands in one day. We chose the sunrise option that left at 530am and we were so thankful we woke up early because Maya Bay and Phi phi Islands becomes overly crowded after 11am. The tour guide Tuk was amazing and so funny! We truly loved the excursion and we were able to see crystal clear water, white and beaches, bright colored fish while snorkeling, swimming monkeys, and enjoyed jumping off the boat into the bay. Lunch was included as well as snacks and water/soft drinks.
We concluded our trip at Kata Rocks resort in Phuket, on Kata Noi Beach. This is the most beautiful resort Ive ever stayed at. The sunsets are to die for, the food is mouth watering and the service is outstanding! The infinity pool is also amazing. My fiance proposed on our last night, on “The Rocks” at sunset, so I may be partial haha! Our last few days were spent petting Tigers at Phuket Tiger Kingdom, visiting Big Buddah, partying on Patong Strip, swimming with elephants at Paradise Beach, and eating all the Pad Thai we could. The only thing I would not recommend doing in Phuket is the Phantasea Show– we were offered free tickets from the Wyndham and took them but felt the show was waste of time.
Travel tips: always barter with the Tuk-Tuks. If you say no and walk away, they will come down on the price. We never spent more than 400 Baht for a 15min Tuk Tuk ride.
The Sexy Ping Pong show in Patong is a rip off–they say it’s free but will charge you $20-30 usd per drink to make up for it. You’ll leave feeling disturbed.
Arrange your transportation with resorts for timely pick-up/drop off to and from the airports. Some of the resorts in Phuket can be quite far from the airport and the traffic can be bad due to only one way in/out.
Travel late april/early may for the best deals. Monsoon season starts late may therefor prices drop however we traveled the first two weeks of may and it only rained a few nights, around 10-12am. It never bothered our plans and it didn’t seem overcrowded with tourists.
Xana Beach club is super nice and has a south beach vibe to it. Great food and drinks with a gorgeous beach location and Dj! Highly Recommend!
Overall, loved Thailand!! The locals are so sweet, outgoing, and most speak english. We cannot wait to return!!
Thailand Phuket was the most wonderful experience, I would encourage anyone to travel to Phuket for a beach holiday. There is so much to do and see. I went to Thailand in October 2017 for about 2 weeks, I stayed at a resort called Kata Sea Breeze which cost us about $40 a night , this fee also included breakfast daily and had some really great features such as their pool bars. The resort had about 5 pools in total.
While in Phuket, I did a lot of the Thailand bucket list items such as a sunrise trip to Phi Phi Islands. I chose the sunrise trip because it’s less crowded at the islands around that time and you get to take in all the beauty because hundreds of people arrive. The coat of that trip for two people was $70 and also included lunch and drinks. I also did the James Bond Islands which was a full day tour costing also in the region of $50-70 and also included foods, drinks, a canoeing experience where you get to go into the hidden caves of the island( this is one trip that everyone should try).
Anotheruat experience is the buzzing nightlife in Phuket, in Bangla road to be specific. Bangla Road is a Street whixh is full of clubs , you experience all types of music there, drinks are also really cheap especially if you go for the all you can drink specials which will cost you about $25.
I must say this is one place I would definitely go back to
A must do in phuket is going to tiger kingdom. If you want to touch the most majestic animal of our earth then this is place to be. Tiger cubs are especially super cute and very playful. Staff and photographers helps to overcome the initial fear of Tigers..it was Thrilling experience…not for everybody…but I was so content with this experience. you have 10mins to get pics with one of your love types as in be it with a cub, medium sized or the king the prices varies from 600bath to 900bath.
Phuket was the highlight of my trip to Thailand. Amazingly beautiful and not to mention, very affordable! It’s very kids and family friendly. I went with 4 sisters. We rented a villa we found on Airbnb for $750. That’s $150 per person for 3 nights!! We were given a driver upon our request. He was nice, affordable and always on time. Couldn’t ask for more. We hired a chef to cook for us one night for $30 per person which included a cake and 4 different dishes. Yassss. There’s so many excursions and activities to choose from. Overall you won’t be disappointed.
Phuket was the highlight of my trip to China. Amazingly beautiful and not to mention, very affordable! It’s very kids and family friendly. I went with 4 sisters. We rented a villa we found on Airbnb for $750. That’s $150 per person for 3 nights!! We were given a driver upon our request. He was nice, affordable and always on time. Couldn’t ask for more. We hired a chef to cook for us one night for $30 per person which included a cake and 4 different dishes. Yassss. There’s so many excursions and activities to choose from. Overall you won’t be disappointed.
Tons of fun things and excursions. Starting with Phi Phi island, totally breath taking. Visiting the elephants, tiger kingdom and Patong beach are great. Night life on bangla road is must! Very nice clubs and everything is open all night.
The second leg of my trip to Thailand in 2013 was spent in Phuket. I personally found this to be the better part of the trip. Phuket seems more relaxing and family friendly, whilst Bangkok was definitely a very busy city which would suit business men well. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Resort in Mai Khao – the resort was amazing, located on the beach with its own private beach area and all the facilities were very family orientated.
As with the rest of Thailand, Phuket is quiet affordable and you will find that the one thing you spent most of your m money on is water. SO it would be smart to buy large bottles of water and keep them.
There are significantly fewer market areas in Phuket, but you will never be short of any good local food. You will just need to inquire at your hotel for the closest local restaurant.
*Things to Do*
– Tour of Old Town Phuket (You can organize this via your hotels information desk)
– FantaSea Show : An interesting show about traditional Thai culture. The show also includes a meal.
– Phi Phi Island Tours : You are given a tour of the infamous Phi Phi island and the tour usually stops at Maya Bay which has amazing snorkeling views and you can relax on the beach. We booked our tour through a local company which we found in the city and it turned out to be cheaper than the hotel organised tour.
The best part of Phuket is definitely the beach. So you should definitely try to get in a good day spent on these amazing beaches.
Overall, I really loved Phuket, The city was warm, and the people were ever friendly and helpful.
I just returned from Phuket, Thailand and it was the most incredible experience of my life!! There is so much to do in Phuket that I actually could not do many things there despite the fact that I still got to participate in a lot. I firstly recommend that anyone going to Thailand must do both the Phi Phi Island and James Bond tours. The stop at Maya Bay (which forms part of the Phi Phi tour) was by far the best with the most breath-taking scenery and amazing water (the water is quite salty though). I took amazing pics there! I would also recommend on going on the Phuket City tour which takes you around the city to see some landmark places which you probably wouldnt see or experience but for the tour. For example, I saw the Big Buddha and on that particular day, the monks were busy praying and doing their teachings with their masters. It was so incredible to watch!!
When booking tours please use the locals who have tourist stands throughout Phuket and not formal companies at hotels which are ridiculously expensive. For example, for Phi Phi Islands the company at the resort offered the tour at 3100Baht but I got the same trip for about 1000Bhat using the locals.
I think a trip to Thailand is incomplete without a visit to the Green Elephant Sanctuary. Unfortunately the elephants in Thailand are not treated well at all and are mainly used to make money. I saw two baby elephants chained on one leg and clearly looking unwell. They also hit the animals, really sad. The Green Elephant Sanctuary rescues the elephants and rehabilitates them back to normalcy. You will get to feed them, give them a mud spa and also a nice wash in the pool. That was so much FUN!
Please go to Bangla Road for atleast one night of your trip, thats the party central of Phuket! You will be offered very interesting and eyebrow-raising things though lol. But if you are not into crazy stuff then just take a walk down the road to experience the party atmospehere, it really is awesome.
Other than that, everything was super cheap and the food was actually good.
Thanks,
Phemelo
Thailand! Where do I even start? My most top 10 highlights
1. The Affordable Cost
2. Fresh Coconuts
3. The Beaches
4. Thai Locals
5. Massages
6. The Warm Weather
7. The Night Markets
8. Fruit Smoothies & Freshly made ice-cream
9. Island Day Trips
10. The Fast & Available WiFi
I loved Thailand!!! We stayed at the Sunset Beach Hotel in Patong and it just about ticks every box for me. Location, affordability, cleanliness, friendly staff etc. Also in the heat, my air conditioned room was my sanctuary. There’s an information desk right opposite reception so you can pretty much plan all your excursions from there, it’s literally across the road from the beach and the tuk tuks are parked right outside the entrance. As a single lady the odds were stacked against me as the Thai women are HOT and even the men are hot women but nonetheless, I had a blast. Bangla road is just one non stop party and I was thoroughly entertained. If like me, you love hip hop, check out Gossip nightclub. That DJ was on point. Also, try the cocktail buckets while you’re there. Very pretty but very, very potent :)
While in Phuket for 3 days I did a Full day island tour. Which includes temple tours, elephant trekking, monkey and snake show plus several other things. This was a great experience. Plus I went to Tiger Kindgom at the end of the tour. Make sure you bring LOTs of bug spray because the mosquitoes are no joke in Phuket. The nightlife is on another level. Don’t get conned into going to any ping pong shows lol.
There is PLENTY to do in Phuket. The highlights of my Phuket trip were island hopping (Maya Bay is a must) and the elephant sanctuary. One thing that I would recommend (that I forgot to do) is ask how many elephants and other tourists are in your session. You might pay slightly more but having too many people in your session takes away from the experience.
Phuket is a must see. I am from the Caribbean (Jamaica) and I was stunned while visiting Phuket. I stayed at the Wyndham resort which is about 10 minutes Tuk Tuk ride to Patong beach where all the fun is. The resort is beautiful and you have many choices of Villa styles to choose from. On Patong beach you can eat, party, get massages for cheap! You can get a full body massage for about 5–10 American dollars. While in Phuket you can visit animal sanctuaries, atv rides, but my favorite excursion was the tournofnthenphuket islands. For about $80 you have the choice to pick multiple islands. My favorite was Maya Bay where Leonardo Di Caprio “The beach was shot”. James Bond Island is definitely a sexy island. You get to snorkel while there and swim in the gorgeous blue lagoon. The night life on Patong beach definitely keeps going all night. You can see just about anything, and I mean anything at the sexy show.
Great experience! I stayed at the Charm Resort located right on Patong Beach. It’s within walking distance of many restaurants and shopping markets. It’s also within walking distance of Patong Road which is a strip of bars and clubs that are absolutely LIT. One thing anyone has to experience is a Ping Pong show which is explicit acts with inanimate objects so don’t bring your kids here. Children can enjoy Tiger Kingdom, Big Buddha, Elephant treks and more. One great thing is you don’t have to pre plan all of your activities you can plan as you go. Every thing is affordable 1 THB = 00.32 USD
Phuket is the ultimate travel destination in Southeast Asia !!! Phuket is very much a touristy area. You can find anything from word famous 5 star restaurants and resorts to local Thai start markets. There is tons to do day and night. I would recommend to definitely visit Bangla road it’s a must do while in Phuket.
Phuket is one of my favorite places in Thailand! Full of amazing night life. My friend and I spent a lot of our nights on patong road. This is a street loaded with bars and clubs. Everything is super affordable from your Airbnb to food and drinks. We took a boat to Phi phi island and omg the views are breathtaking. We loved it so much that we ditched our tour and booked an Airbnb to stay the night. If you visit Phuket definitely plan to stay a couple of days in phi phi island. Do not take the island tours. It’s super rushed and you don’t get your money’s worth. A friend of ours told us this and we didn’t listen. When we got to phi phi island we took a taxi boat to monkey beach and maya bay. With a private taxi boat you are able to spend more time in the places that you want to see. It is also cheaper than the tours. The monkeys at monkey beach were so cute. A baby monkey took a drink of water from my water bottle and it was an overload of cuteness. I reccomend Phuket to anyone thinking of traveling to Thailand.
BANGLA WALKING STREET!!! i saw some stuff there that i will never be able to get out of my head. so many clubs and bars,best night life in all of Thailand . We stayed at Deevana Patong Resort&Spa its about a 10 minute walk to the beach ,after about 10 minutes there i got sick it was sooo freaking hot i had to leave the beach was over crowed. i became agitated with all the unauthorized pictures and videos being taking of us ,one lady had the nerve to touch my friends hair without asking . other than that we had a great time in phuket .
The food here is AMAZING! I visited Phuket the first week of March, 2018 with my two girlfriends and we were eating for about $5-$10 a Day (each)! The street food is awesome, and we stayed near Bangla road (Royal Paradise Hotel) which has a market specifically for street food.
Lots of fresh seafood, so if you’re a seafood lover like myself you’re in luck. You can get good food all hours of the day, as it seems they don’t have a strict breakfast, lunch, and dinner schedule as we do in the States.
Practice bargaining and make friends with locals on the beach. They’ll tell you what the prices of things really are, and show you all the good hangouts. Just like anywhere in the world, being black is sort of a spectacle. We had Chinese and Russian tourists bombard us with requests for pictures with/ of us, and we soon felt fetishized. We refused, and when they became persistent we’d say “300 Bhat ($10)” to their dismay. They still snuck pictures of us though, and it made us feel more “other” than even in the US.
Anyway, I never wanna eat pad Thai in America again!
For questions or advice, feel free to email me jalghali@gmail.com
The food here is AMAZING! I visited Phuket the first week of March, 2018 with my two girlfriends and we were eating for about $5-$10 a Day (each)! The street food is awesome, and we stayed near Bangla road (Royal Paradise Hotel) which has a market specifically for street food.
Lots of fresh seafood, so if you’re a seafood lover like myself you’re in luck. You can get good food all hours of the day, as it seems they don’t have a strict breakfast, lunch, and dinner schedule as we do in the States.
Practice bargaining and make friends with locals on the beach. They’ll tell you what the prices of things really are, and show you all the good hangouts. Just like anywhere in the world, being black is sort of a spectacle. We had Chinese and Russian tourists bombard us with requests for pictures with/ of us, and we soon felt fetishized. We refused, and when they became persistent we’d say “300 Bhat ($10)” to their dismay. They still snuck pictures of us though, and it made us feel more “other” than even in the US.
Anyway, I never wanna eat pad Thai in America again!
Phuket…. Amazing city with everything we needed and much more. I and my husband went to Phuket and we are both nightlife people. Phuket is the place for nights parties, we been in Patong Road almost every night, very very entertaining road and very popular. We loved food in Phuket, we tried to make a deal even on food it works!!! We stayed at LeMeridien Phuket, the hotel is located a little bit far from downtown but the transport is very easy to get.. with tuktuk.. the experience was amazing.
And what I loved the most with Phuket is that from there, we been able to visit PhiPhi Island and James Bond Island….AMAZING!!!!! Deals are good too, we took our deal at the airport for the both islands packages including transport from the airport to the hotel and back for cheaper than taking one thing a part. Once in Thailand, Phuket is a must.
Phuket is a real paradise on Earth.
It is consisted of many beautiful islands, gorgeous beaches with crystal clear water and soft sand.
You can get there from Thai Lion Air – Bangkok and you’ll pay 3500 baht for round trip ticket.
I stayed at Brother hotel on the Bangla walking street – Patong. It is great for young people because it is located at the center with many clubs but it can be a little bit noisy at night but you get used to it.
I would highly recommend Paradise beach where you can swim with baby elephants for 1000 baht. It’s an amazing experience that you will remember for the rest of your life.
I also recommend to visit: Tiger Kingdom, Kata beach, Raya islands and Phi Phi islands.
Phuket is definitely as must do while in Thailand. It’s a beach town with many activities. The island hopping tour was amazing. We did the sunrise tour and it was absolutely beautiful. Monkey beach was fun to see also. We stayed in Patong where there were numerous shops, restaurants, bars and activities. I would also highly suggest the Tiger Kingdom while there!
I went to Phuket with 10 of my good friends and it was absolutely amazing! Phuket is an island off of the main land of Thailand so it has that “island life” vibe. People there are super friendly, the food is great and views of the beach, blue waters, water caves are stunning. While I was there my favorite activity had to be renting a private yacht where we were were out on the beautiful water for 8 hours and visited 3 private islands on the outskirts of Phuket.
Phuket is very touristy, but if you’re there to be out and about, it works. I stayed in Patong, which is the most populated area in the city. It’s filled with tons of restaurants, stores, massage parlors/nail shops, and various markets. The beach here is very crowded as well so if you like more of a private scene, this isn’t for you. I actually visited Nai Thon Beach which is less crowded but still beautiful, obviously with less to do in the area. Now back to Patong.. the nightlife is pretty exciting. They have a street called Bangla Road, which I would compare to Bourbon Street in New Orleans. It really comes alive at night! I was actually by myself for this leg of my journey and was meeting some new friends on Bangla Road. So for any solo
travelers, I felt very safe and found it very easy to make new friends. One friend even came with me to the Phi Phi Islands, which was only a 2 hour ferry ride away ($10-30). All in all, Phuket was a good time and I would most certainly return. Xo, Jeli
I visited Phuket in late February – early March when the weather is perfect. We stayed on the strip of Patong beach in Patong Tower. If you’re into the nightlife then you must checkout Bangla Road which is walkable alongside the strip. There are plenty of bars and clubs all on one street in walking distance of each other with amazing DJs from all around the world! It kind of has a Vegas feel to it. I highly suggest it!