Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and its most established luxury beach destination — dramatic limestone coastline, some of the country’s finest resorts, and easy access to the wider Andaman Sea’s island-hopping scene. It pairs naturally with a stay further along the coast in Krabi for anyone wanting to properly explore this stretch of southern Thailand.
Phi Phi Islands Day Trip
A boat trip to the Phi Phi Islands is one of the most popular excursions from Phuket — dramatic limestone cliffs, the famously turquoise Maya Bay, and excellent snorkelling along the way. Book an early departure if you can, to enjoy the islands before the bigger day-tripper crowds arrive.
Big Buddha Viewpoint
Phuket's own Big Buddha sits atop Nakkerd Hill, offering sweeping panoramic views across the south of the island in multiple directions. A relatively easy stop that rewards you with some of the best vantage points on Phuket.
Old Phuket Town
The island's original commercial heart, Old Phuket Town's Sino-Portuguese architecture — a legacy of the island's tin-mining wealth — makes for a genuinely charming wander, with boutique cafés and galleries now filling many of the restored shophouses.
Phang Nga Bay & James Bond Island
A boat trip through Phang Nga Bay takes in dramatic karst limestone formations rising straight out of the sea, including the small island made famous by the 1974 Bond film. Combine it with a kayak through the bay's hidden lagoons for the full experience.
Patong Beach & Nightlife
For a livelier evening, Patong is Phuket's most energetic beach town — bars, restaurants, and a nightlife scene that's a real contrast to the island's quieter luxury resorts further along the coast.
November to April offers the driest, sunniest conditions and is peak season. May to October brings Thailand's rainy season to the west coast, though showers tend to be short and the island noticeably quieter.
Very easily — the two are a short ferry or speedboat ride apart, and combining a few days in each is one of the most popular ways to see this part of southern Thailand, pairing Phuket's resort infrastructure with Krabi's more dramatic natural scenery.
No — UK passport holders can currently enter Thailand visa-free for tourism purposes for a set period (worth confirming current allowances at time of booking).
Yes — alongside its more adults-focused luxury resorts, Phuket has excellent family-friendly properties and activities, including Phuket FantaSea, aquariums, and gentler beaches on the island's east coast.
There's no direct UK flight, so most journeys connect via a Gulf hub (such as Dubai or Doha) or Bangkok — we'll always build your itinerary around the smoothest possible connection.
The Grab app is genuinely the easiest, most budget-friendly way to get around the island for taxis and shorter hops, and it's worth having installed before you land — we'd recommend setting up an eSim before you leave the UK so you're connected from the moment you arrive.
Yes — beyond pairing naturally with Krabi along the coast, Phuket is also a realistic base for a side trip to Khao Sok National Park, for a genuine change of scenery within a few hours' transfer.
Where to stay
From legendary minimalist design to family-friendly resort scale, here are four of Phuket's finest addresses.
Amanpuri
The very first Aman resort, and still one of the most iconic properties in Asia — minimalist Thai-inspired pavilions set among a private coconut grove, with a level of discretion and understated luxury that's rarely matched. A genuinely legendary address.
Angsana Laguna Phuket
Set on Bang Tao Beach within the sprawling Laguna Phuket complex, Angsana pairs genuine family-friendly polish with real scale — one of the island's longest free-form pools, a dedicated beach club, and enough activities to fill a week without repeating yourself. A strong choice for anyone travelling with children, offering a different energy to the more secluded, adults-focused resorts elsewhere on this list.
Sri Panwa
Perched high above Cape Panwa with panoramic views across the Andaman Sea, Sri Panwa pairs private pool villas with a genuinely social atmosphere — its rooftop Baba Nest bar is one of the most celebrated sunset spots anywhere on the island.
The Shore at Katathani
An adults-only property with private infinity pool villas overlooking the sea, The Shore offers a quieter, more intimate alternative just minutes from Kata Noi Beach — a strong choice for couples wanting peace without sacrificing polish.