Phuket Discovery
Thailand's largest island offers everything from world-class rooftop bars to sacred Big Buddha sunrises.
Chapter 1 of Southeast Asia Grand Journey · Thailand
The stops
- Tasting · Price: moderate Phuket Wine Connection Tasting Thailand's best wine bar chain has a flagship in Phuket. Proper tastings, temperature-controlled storage, and knowledgeable staff - rare in Southeast Asia.
- Adventure · Price: low Big Buddha Sunrise Wine The 45-meter white marble Buddha sits atop Nakkerd Hill with 360-degree island views. Arrive at dawn, watch the sun rise over Phuket, and toast to the spiritual side of the island.
Plan the trip
Getting there and around
- Car required
- No
- Nearest airport
- Phuket International Airport (HKT) - direct flights from most Asian cities and some Europe
- Drinking and driving
- Never drink and scooter - Phuket has serious accidents. Grab everywhere. Bangla Road is walking distance from Patong hotels.
- Other airports
-
- Krabi (KBV) - 3 hours by road, often cheaper flights
- Without a car
- Grab works well. Scooter rental common but traffic is chaotic. Songthaews (shared trucks) run set routes. Taxis overcharge - use Grab.
Where to stay
- Base yourself in
- Patong (party/central) or Kata/Karon (quieter beaches)
- Why there
- Patong for nightlife and convenience. Kata/Karon for beach focus. Old Town for culture.
- Booking tip
- Patong is busy year-round. Book 1 week ahead in high season. Walk-in OK in low season.
- Nightly range
- $15-200/night
- Peak season
- Dec-Jan and Chinese New Year see 2-3x prices. Songkran (April) is chaos.
Recommended stays
- Shoestring
- Lub d Phuket Patong $15 dorm - social, rooftop pool, party central
- Wanderer
- The Kee Resort Patong $60 - pool, breakfast, 5 min walk to Bangla
- Flashpacker
- Sri Panwa (near Baba Nest) $200+ - where the Baba Nest experience continues
What it costs
- Includes
- Accommodation, transport, food, 1-2 activities/drinks
- Wine prices
- Baba Nest has excellent wine list (expensive). Bangla Road is beer/bucket territory. Villa Market and Wine Connection have retail wine.
- Meals
- Street food: $2-4. Beach restaurants: $8-15. Fine dining: $30+
- Per person
- $50-200/day
- Ways to spend less
-
- Baba Nest minimum spend is high - plan it as your splurge experience
- Bangla Road drinks are tourist-priced - pre-drink at 7-Eleven
- Kata/Karon are cheaper than Patong for accommodation
- Scooter rental saves money but ride defensively - traffic is wild
- Transport
- Grab across island: $5-15. Scooter: $8/day. Airport taxi: $20-30.
Booking and timing
- Lead time
- Baba Nest: 2-3 days for sunset slot. Hotels: 1 week in high season.
- Visas
- 30-day visa-free.
- Walk-ins accepted
- Yes
- Peak season
- High season (Nov-Apr) is busy. Christmas/NYE and Chinese New Year book out everything.
- Rainy season
- May-October: afternoon storms, but mornings usually clear. Prices 50% cheaper. Baba Nest may close in heavy rain.
Where to eat
- Wine bars
-
- Baba Nest (splurge)
- Wine Connection Phuket
- Acqua Restaurant (fine dining + wine)
- Street food
-
- Phuket Old Town night market (Sunday)
- Malin Plaza Patong - local prices
- Restaurants
-
- Bampot (Old Town) - excellent cocktails + food
- No. 9 Second Floor (beach views)
If your time is short
- Do not miss
-
- Baba Nest sunset - book ahead
- If you only have one day
- Big Buddha sunrise -> Beach day -> Baba Nest sunset
- If it rains
- Central Festival mall. Phuket Trickeye Museum. Wine Connection tasting session.
- Skip if time is short
-
- Phi Phi day trip (do it properly or skip)
- Old Town (nice but not essential)
Mistakes to avoid
-
- Don't skip Baba Nest booking - you will be turned away
- Don't drink and scooter - Phuket has the worst road accident stats in Thailand
- Don't take tuk-tuks without agreeing price first - they overcharge tourists
- Don't wear beachwear to Big Buddha - it's a sacred site
Worth stopping for
-
- Baba Nest: Arrive 17:00 for best sunset position. Champagne glass + infinity view = the shot.
- Big Buddha: Sunrise from the viewing platform. Include the massive sitting Buddha.
- Bangla Road: Neon chaos shots work best around 22:00-23:00 when fully lit.
- Kata Beach: Sunset from the southern viewpoint - quieter than Patong.