Phuket Town, Phuket, Thailand

Things to do in Phuket

There's no shortage of entertainment options on the island of Phuket for both night and day; day trips, boat trips, scenic spots, temples (wats) and nightlife are all in abundance.

Phang Nga Bay is a unique bay in the north east of Phuket, a popular day trip for tourists there are many islands in the bay the most famous of which are the James Bond Island, which featured in the movie 'The Man with the Golden Gun' and Koh Panyee notable for its buildings built on stilts.

Phuket Town is a great place to explore, easily enjoyed by foot preferably in the early morning or when the heat of the day is done, it features unique shops, numerous shrines, historical buildings and an Old Town featuring some beautiful Sino-Portuguese architecture.

Phuket has around 40 old and new Buddhist Temples (wats in Thai) and Chinese shrines to be found all over the island, providing visitors with an interesting insight into Buddhism and Taoism. When visiting these sacred places its worth knowing that you may be asked to remove your shoes for certain areas, respectable clothing is a must and there are generally no admittances charges.

A trip to the Phi Phi Islands is top of the list for most visitors to Phuket, around a 90 minute ferry boat ride away beautiful beaches, stunning rock formations and crystal clear water awaits.

For families and the young at heart the Splash Jungle Water Park on the Mai Kao Beach is great for a fun day filled with thrilling rides and fun aqua pools or relax along the lazy river and in the hot springs pool.

The Phuket Aquarium is ideal for viewing a diverse selection of tropical and colourful marine creatures. There are over 30 tanks of freshwater and saltwater creatures, one of which features a transparent tunnel through its centre giving a clear view of its inhabitants.

The Phuket Butterfly Garden and Insect World provides an interesting number of exhibitions showing the life of insects and butterflies. The outdoor tropical garden is home to hundreds of varied species of beautiful butterflies.

The islands biggest night-time attraction is the Phuket FantaSea theme park, based in the resort of Kamala Beach this Thai cultural extravaganza features live shows with elephants, tigers, traditional Thai dancing, acrobatics and indoor pyrotechnics.

Of course Phuket is famous for its other nightlife namely found on Bangla Road in the resort of Patong Beach; here you will find numerous drinking bars and pubs some of which house exotic girls and some with the striking lady-boys.

Dino Park is a mini-golf course with a difference and can be enjoyed at night or day, though the evenings are cooler and better for enjoying the regularly erupting volcano. The course has 18-holes with an accompanying bar-restaurant and can be found on the beach road between Karon and Kata resorts.

Out and about

Phuket Old Town is compact enough to stroll around, where the three main streets are; Thalang, Dibuk and Krabi roads each featuring some beautiful architecture. A must see is the Soi Romanee, a small side street which connects Thalang and Dibuk Roads, here there are some vintage buildings which have been converted into bars, guesthouses and cafes.

One of Phuket's most famous view points is Khao Rang (Rang Hill), its summit offers views out over the town, to the south of the island, neighbouring islands and the impressive Big Buddha.