26 best excursions in Phuket
Phuket can be called ambiguous. When visiting it, you need to keep one thought in mind: choosing the wrong vacation spot, you risk never truly understanding this brilliant tropical island. For example, Karan Beach is ideal for party lovers, but Kamala is absolutely not suitable, which is an example of the complete harmony of natural and human principles. Excursions to Phuket in Russian never lose their popularity. Why? Everything is quite simple: the originality of this island is difficult to reveal when you come here for the first time. It is wiser to trust a person who will help you find your way to the heart of the island in a creative and exciting way.
First date in Phuket
“Land of smiles” is a bright name that perfectly reflects the essence of this place. And it is simply impossible not to fall in love with this wide smile. What can you see in a 6.5 hour tour? Kata Karon, the island's most replicated observation deck, lives up to its fame. From here you have a stunning view. Cape Promthep, which adorns the southern part of the island, and the Windmill observation deck do not lag behind in the beauty of landscapes.
As the name suggests, it is mainly known for its windmills. The focus will also be the Big Buddha, the Wat Chalong temple complex, as well as the mountain of monkeys. Children and adults will be interested in visiting the elephant farm – after all, your childhood dream was to touch a miracle weighing as much as a car? In general, this tour will allow you to form a general impression of the history of Thailand, its religion and traditions of the past and present. For example, about Thai boxing or the peculiarities of life.
Undiscovered Island – Sightseeing Motorcycle Tour
The unusual format in which the tour takes place will allow you to get to know Thailand on rewind. Remove all boring details and immediately find yourself in the epicenter of the exotic. So, in a day you will get acquainted with all the main tourist places, as well as walk along non-tourist trails. Wild tropics, deserted beaches, fishing villages are hotbeds of authentic life and culture, where you can not only meet the locals, but also taste local dishes in a real Phuket atmosphere, and not in a sleek restaurant marked “Authentic!”.
The views are a nice bonus. The guide will take you through the uncrowded viewing platforms, and therefore you can get unique pictures of the islands, lagoons and bays that have never been in the lens of other people's cameras. The tour is designed for 6 hours, but it will be individual. So tune in for an intense dive into the rich broth of Thai life.
Journey to the islands of Racha, Maiton and Coral
These three oases of the Andaman Sea are guaranteed to be on the list of your favorite corners of the island. First you will find yourself on Maiton Island, which has been closed to tourists for a long time. The local coral reefs are distinguished by their bright colors and unusual structure, and therefore Maiton is an ideal place for snorkeling. The coral island is distinguished by an unusual texture of sand – it resembles flour scattered along the coast.
Numerous shoals of colorful fish live in the quiet coves of the island, which are perfectly visible due to the clearest waters. This eight-hour journey will end on the island of Racha, which is often compared to the Similan Islands, which are a protected area. The harmony of the nature of this place and its quiet beauty conquer. If you are lucky, you will be able to see monitor lizards – the main owners of the island. A nice bonus is swimming in the azure Con Kae Bay before heading back to Cape Chalong.
Tropical party in the heart of the island
The tour starts at night. You will immediately find yourself in the atmosphere of historical Phuket, where high colonial architecture coexists with graffiti. But do not be deceived – the purpose of the walk is not to get acquainted with history. The outing is designed to introduce you to the most colorful clubs in Thailand. Let's start with the Forest Hut, a chapel building that has hardly changed since its opening. This place is distinguished by strong rock basses and a warm atmosphere of the nineties.
It is proposed to continue the night on the coast in the Cafe Del Mar chillout bar. Who would rather stay here? Fans of stylish rest, book a table! Well, the most glamorous jazz bar of the island, where a live saxophone is mixed with DJ tracks. Of course, we are talking about the Catch Beach Club, which easily competes with similar establishments in Ibiza!
Lake Cheow Lan, or Thai “Avatar”
Lake Cheow Lan, despite the fact that it is relatively young, has already gained fame as one of the most striking sights of the southern part of the island. At the moment, there are only a few natural monuments in the world that are as fantastic. The day promises to be busy. Since the lake is located on the break of karst mountains, sharp peaks rise from the bottom of the lake for more than a thousand meters. Among these peaks, mountain temples were lost. The tour is designed in such a way that a minimum of time is spent on moving between different locations. So you can not only walk around the Khao Sok National Park, but also go kayaking.
Khao Lak National Park and cave temple
The cave temple, in the center of which there is a statue of the Golden Buddha, is literally permeated with an atmosphere of sacred tranquility. The Buddha itself is by no means a tiny variation of it that you can bring home as a souvenir by going to any small shop in this region of Asia. Oh no, this statue is colossal – a fifteen-meter golden giant! Strength and beauty are combined in the appearance of the temple, the second name of which is the Monkey Temple. Five species of these amazingly intelligent animals live here.
It will take just an hour to get to the Khao Lak National Park, which will captivate you with the beauty of untouched nature and its exoticism. You can ride through the wild jungle on the back of an elephant. Then you will have an equally exciting swim in the waterfalls and – at the peak of your impressions – you will raft down a turbulent mountain river on a bamboo raft! Impressions will last until the end of the trip. To cope with vivid emotions, you will be offered a hearty Thai meal, and then take a walk around the turtle farm. Please note that the duration of the tour is 9 hours.
Phi Phi, Bamboo and Maiton Islands – 2 days trip
It is not always possible to waste time on a transfer from island to island. It is much easier to set aside two days in your holiday program and devote them entirely to the beauty of the coral reefs and clean sand, so that you can continue to discover Phuket from other sides. For starters, a speedboat will take you to Koh Phi Phi Ley. Here, in the company of a guide, you will see the Viking caves, you can swim in the rejuvenating Pile lagoon, the waters of which have an unusual emerald hue.
The jagged rocks that surround the lagoon look more than menacing. Bamboo is the typical island you see in the Bounty ad. All shades of azure, white sand and palm trees are classics of a beach holiday. The evening will be no less incendiary than the day – parties until dawn and a fire show. The second day will be completely devoted to exploring Maiton, or rather, the underwater world of the Andaman Sea on the colorful Maiton reef.
Phi Phi and Bamboo Islands – a paradise squared
This eight-hour excursion will instantly let you fall into an idealistic picture in the spirit of advertising brochures, luring to tropical islands, overgrown with dense greenery, hanging low over azure waters. The first destination of the trip is the Phi Phi archipelago. Of interest is the island of Phi Phi Don – a narrow strip of land, squeezed by two bays.
Its lush Monkey Beach is a favorite habitat for monkeys. The second island of the archipelago is Phi Phi Ley, where some scenes of the film “The Beach”, well known to all fans of Leonardo DiCaprio's work, were filmed. Tiny Bamboo seems even smaller compared to the previously visited islands. He is often referred to as “The Bounty”. Here you can relax, swaying in a hammock and sipping a bright cocktail.
James Bond and other islands of Phang Nga
The Phang Nga National Reserve is famous for its cave systems. This is the enchanting world of thousands of islands. You will spend the first fifteen minutes of the tour on a speed boat, and then civilization will be left behind. You will have to transfer by canoe to explore the island of Panak, as well as its inland lake, which can only be accessed at low tide. Of interest is also Hong Island, which means “Room” in Thai.
The name fully reflects the essence – the island consists of hundreds of tiny caves more like rooms. Next, the floating island of Koh Tapu awaits you, where some of the most impressive scenes in all of James Bond were filmed! There you can stage a starry scene and take your own unique shots. The end of the nine-hour tour will be somewhat unusual – you will find yourself in the village of the sea gypsies of Panyi, which is Muslim. Due to the old ban on land ownership that applied to foreigners, the Gypsies had to build houses on stilts so as not to literally touch the land.
Wonders of Phang Nga Province
If there is a fairy world somewhere, the entrance to it definitely begins in the province of Phang Nga. The first stop on your way will be Monkey Temple, Suwan Kuha. Hundreds of tiny monkeys live in the vicinity of this religious building. They are more than friendly and gladly accept offerings from tourists – peanuts or bananas will make you best friends. Temple caves with a fifteen-meter statue of the Reclining Buddha will amaze you with a meditative atmosphere. At the exit of the temple, you can buy a sai-shin rope bracelet for good luck. The next in line are the floating village of Panyi and the temple of Hell and Heaven, which stands in the middle of the impenetrable jungle. The Thai concept of Heaven and Hell was reflected in the appearance of the latter. Traditional sculptures and bas-reliefs will clearly tell about Buddhist ideas about life and death.
sea fishing
Do you want to diversify a comfortable, but quickly boring beach holiday? Try to catch a horned marlin or a huge tuna! Basically, you have to “hunt” in the vicinity of the island of Racha. All the necessary equipment will be provided on site, so don't worry and try to tune in to the fact that wahoo, dorado, mackerel, marlin or other inhabitants of the Andaman Sea are beating on your hook. After successful fishing, you can use snorkeling equipment and enjoy the beauty of exotic reefs. Sea fishing will end with a barbecue or sashimi from freshly caught fish yourself.
Day on Koh Rok and Koh Ha
Be prepared for the fact that the road to the islands will take a really long time. Only to get to the islands themselves will take two hours, but the wait is worth it – the islands are distinguished by their solitude and harmonious landscapes. They are difficult to access and contrast sharply with other large islands of the surroundings, and therefore there are never crowds of motley tourists here. The pristine, almost virgin nature of Ko Rok and Ko Ha cannot but fall in love with itself. Only monitor lizards live here, but they favorably treat the guests of the island.
Koh Ha resembles the scenery of Bond Island with its sharp peaks and beautiful lagoon. It is very important to note that due to the absence of boats that scare fish and break corals, diving and snorkeling here are on a completely different level. Moray eels, Moorish idols, parrot fish and other rather rare underwater inhabitants live here. Particularly breathtaking is the spectacle of the huge canvas of the coral reef of the island of Koh Ha, abruptly giving way to a steep cliff.
Trip to Cheow Lan Secret Lake
Thai “Baikal”, surrounded by karst mountains, is the pearl of the Khao Sok National Park, on the territory of which the rarest species of animals and people coexist organically. As part of the tour, you will not only visit Cheow Lan and ride an elephant, but you will also see with your own eyes many ancient temples that are some distance from the usual tourist routes. The Temple of the Black Monk is the first thing you will see. Forget the giant statue of Buddha, as well as fragments of his bones, teeth and hair will not work. The energy of this place is too strong. Next in line is the Suwan Kuha temple, where many locals come to pray for the health of their loved ones. There is also a huge colony of monkeys. And, finally, Lake Cheow Lan itself is a real underwater kingdom, which appeared at the behest of the King of Thailand. Remarkably, that some villages were not demolished, and after the construction of the dam, they ended up at the bottom of a lake surrounded by mountains. The spectacle is amazing.
Recreational boat trip for the whole day
Have you spent several days in the bustling Phuket and got tired of its noisy atmosphere? There is salvation! Embark on a cruise on a three-deck ship that cruises along the islands of Naka Yai and Rang Yai. From the moment you walk down the ladder, you have only one mission left – to enjoy your vacation as fully as possible.
How exactly this vacation will look like is up to you, but the organizers of the tour have tried to make sure that the ship has opportunities for entertainment for every taste: jumping into the water from a height, fishing, diving and snorkeling, stopping on deserted islands to soak up the beach. For adults, the upper decks with a bar are open, and a team of professional animators is ready to entertain children. A pleasant bonus is the presence of a chef in the team who will prepare national Thai dishes and traditional pastries for you.
Andaman pearl in one day
This tour is designed in such a way that within just one day you can fully enjoy all the sights of the surrounding islands. Your attention will be presented to the best collection of sights of the Andaman Sea in full size. You will sail between the hundred islands of Phang Nga Bay. Among the landing sites, James Bond Island, as well as Hong and Panak Islands, which are famous for their caves decorated with stalactites and stalagmites, stand out.
Watch out for bats and mangrove dwellers! Next, you will be invited to visit the neighboring islands of Phi Phi Ley and Phi Phi Don with their Viking cave and rejuvenating waters. The heavenly beauty of Bounty Island or Bamboo Island with its atmosphere of complete relaxation, as well as snorkeling at Maiton Island, will complete the trip.
Magic Tastes of Asia: Food Tour
Thais are not much different from other Asian peoples in their love of food. As you know, even with a simple greeting, they are more likely to ask: “Have you eaten?”. The cult of food in this country is amazingly developed, and therefore gastronomic tours in Thailand always come out exotic and a little crazy. This six-hour gastronomic tour begins early in the morning at the market, so that you can see with your own eyes how the first vegetables and fruits are brought in, how merchants begin to heat oil in vats, so that ten minutes later they start frying the most aromatic pastries in it.
Life in the market is always in full swing – baklava, donuts, brushwood – after the morning tasting you will have a tasting of a different kind – almost legends have been composed about durians for a long time. Are you ready to try this exotic fruit with a very specific taste and even more specific aroma? Lunch will take place in an authentic cafe where you can try the famous pineapple and coconut soups, as well as a special Thai curry.
Fresh juices, shakes, craft beer will help pass the time before dinner in the shadow of a waterfall. Closer to sunset, numerous street food shops will open, as well as pharmacies where you can buy healing potions that have migrated here from China.
Relax day: arrange a bright festival of impressions
The program of this excursion is very flexible, but its basic version will begin with morning yoga at the waterfall. After your body is awake and ready for new experiences, you will go for a picnic on top of the mountain with a colorful view of the island. The ideal continuation of such a morning will be a visit to Wat Chalong, where you can receive guidance from one of the monks and make a wish. The guide will dwell in more detail on the story of the structure of the temple, its architecture and the pantheon of local deities.
There is a lake near the temple. There you can spend some time alone with yourself, feeding the birds or fish. As the time approaches sunset, you will be invited to head to one of the more secluded beaches for a photo shoot and fruit shakes. Evening Phuket Town – the old town – will delight you with stylish cafes, as well as a visit to the night market, where you can listen to local music, as well as watch performances by numerous artists.
Day on secluded Maiton Island
This island is privately owned. For a long time it was closed to tourists, but now people who want to take a break from the noise and din are brought here. This island, untouched by civilization, is like nothing else suitable for a thoughtful vacation. You will not be disturbed by the horns of cars or the noise of tourists crowding everywhere – only the soft rustle of the waves and the whisper of the mangroves. The whole island will be at your disposal. In the morning you will be offered to go snorkeling.
Fortunately, the local waters are very clean, and along the coast there is a coral reef with no less colorful inhabitants of the deep sea. After lunch, the guide will help you get to the main viewpoint of the island. If you wish, you can return there at sunset to take amazing pictures. You will not be disturbed anymore – you can explore the island on your own or spend time lounging on the beach.
Nature, culture and history of the island
What makes Thailand different? Buddhist culture, exotic natural and gastronomic world, as well as religious architectural buildings. It is these three constants that will be the focus of this tour, opening up for you the amazing world of the island. All the main sights will be demonstrated: the statue of the Big Buddha, the old city, the Wat Chalong temple complex and much more. The guide will tell you why Portuguese and Chinese cultural traditions are so clearly intertwined in the appearance of local buildings.
After such a walk around the city, you will begin to better understand the Buddhist culture, as well as local traditions. Next, the survey part of the tour will begin, when you will see the five main beaches of the island, and also climb Cape Promthep. The guide will try to help you feel the real pulsation of the island: you will feed the baby elephant, try to negotiate with the monkeys, bargain with the sellers of the Banzan market, try local gastronomic curiosities.
Perfect day in Phi Phi
The Phi Phi archipelago is suitable for completely polar holiday concepts: here you can arrange a romantic walk for two or an extreme quest through the wild jungle. In order for you to have a truly perfect day, the tour organizers will try to find you a route that best suits your ideas of a good vacation. You will be able to walk along one of the most interesting hiking trails, the final destination of which is the Laem Tong cape.
You have to go along the path laid right through the jungle. You will then be escorted to Tansai Village, which is still home to some of the most talented artisans of the old school. Silk, organic cosmetics and souvenirs are produced here. Next, you will have a boat trip – grottoes and caves, tropical greenery, bizarre rocks. In the evening it will be time for fire shows and discos. Based on your preferences, a list of cafes and bars that you should definitely visit will be selected.
Natural Treasures of Phang Nga and Krabi Provinces
The real Thailand – magical, pristine, not crushed by concrete and neon signs of civilization – has been preserved in the provinces of Phang-Nga and Krabi. That is why these places are valuable. In just half an hour you will find yourself at the most dizzying start – on the observation deck of Nang She, which has long been a mystery. Crazy views will leave you breathless. After such a dizzying start, an even sharper turn is planned – deeper into the cave temples and their sometimes even too quiet, meditative atmosphere.
Three temples will be in the center of the tour: the Tiger, the Black Monk and Wat Suwan Kuh. You will see with your own eyes not only sculptures of snakes, birds and dragons traditional for Thai culture, but also get acquainted with the life of monks and climb the thousand steps of temples. Next, you will find Railay Beach, which is one of the ten most beautiful in the world. The emerald lake with cool waters and the hot springs of Klong Thom await you at the finish line.
On a big ship to James Bond Island
Thousand Islands – a real coral kaleidoscope! This is exactly what awaits tourists who plan to visit James Bond Island. You can see not only the island of Khao Ping Kan, where the famous Bond hero was shot with a golden gun, but also other islands of Phang Nga Bay. A distinctive feature of the island, which was chosen as the proscenium for the film, is its narrowing towards the base. Because of this, it seems that the island literally “floats” above the water.
It's especially fun to recreate stills from a movie, or spend time competing in creativity when staging compositions that are about to be captured. The tour usually lasts up to 9 hours, so don't worry if you miss something.
Beaches and the underwater world of the Similan Islands
The Similan Islands are considered the best place to observe the underwater world of Thailand. The nature of this place was so breathtakingly beautiful that UNESCO named this archipelago one of the most beautiful in the world, and a little later the archipelago received the status of a Marine Reserve and continues to be protected by both local authorities and international organizations.
Palm forests turn into dense jungles that hide the bizarre shapes of granite rocks. You will walk around the main islands of the archipelago, as well as put on a mask and snorkel to go underwater. If you're lucky enough, you'll see not only the tropical fish that are common to the region, but also sea turtles or even leopard sharks! Please don't be afraid of the latter. They are completely safe and will not attack a person.
Three Khai Islands
What the Khai Islands cannot boast of is their size – they are very tiny, especially compared to Phuket and similar islands. However, this does not make them less attractive for tourists, especially for those who appreciate secluded relaxation. You do not have to spend a lot of time on the road – the islands are only twenty minutes from Phuket. Very soon you will be met by turquoise waters, cozy coves, rocky shores covered with soft greenery. These islands were literally made for beautiful photos!
So relax on the velvety sand, swim and go hunting for pictures! If the heat wears you down, visit one of the cafes that hide on the edge of the jungle. They serve popsicles and tropical cocktails. The most enjoyable, without a doubt, is snorkeling off the coast of Khai Nui. Surprisingly, local fish are so accustomed to guests that they not only swim very close to people, but also do not mind tasting bread, banana or rice right from people's hands!
Coral, Maiton and Racha Islands
During the day you can visit the three pearls of the Andaman Sea – the islands of Maiton, Coral and Racha. If you are not in the mood for a long transfer or come on vacation with children, you should definitely pay attention to this excursion, since the road to the first of the presented islands – Maiton – will take only 30 minutes. At the same time, the tour program is quite rich. You will have time to relax on the beach, and go in for water sports, feel like an explorer of the deep sea. From Mayton, coral reefs diverge in wide arcs, and therefore it is not surprising that the tour starts from it.
Having plenty of fun in the water, you will find yourself on Coral Island, which, despite its name, may be more interesting from the point of view of a beach holiday – the sand here is surprisingly similar to flour and soft. Of these three islands, Racha most resembles one of those neon-lit cities with bars and discos until dawn. But here, too, there are iconic places for secluded relaxation – the lagoons of Theo and Konkare.
Photo session: warm memories of Phuket
Of course, towards the end of your stay on the island, you will have a desire to take with you not only warm memories, but also no less warm photographs. Before meeting with the guide, you will discuss the place where you would like to take a photo session. This is usually one of your favorite beaches. As a result of such a walk, you will receive not only information about useful life hacks for a traveler, but also 150 pictures taken by a professional photographer with vast experience. You don't have to worry about the quality of your photos.