Comparison · Goa vs Phuket · India / Thailand
Goa vs Phuket
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Sam 8393, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Choose Goa for Beach shacks, Portuguese heritage, lower day-to-day costs and free sights; choose Phuket for Beaches and Phang Nga Bay. Goa is generally less expensive, and the two are about 2,766 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 2,766 km
- Less expensive
- Goa
- Best time for Goa
- November–February
- Best time for Phuket
- December–March
Side by side
| Goa | Phuket | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | India | Thailand |
| Known for | Beach shacks, Portuguese heritage and Old Goa churches | Beaches, Phang Nga Bay and Phi Phi Islands day trips |
| Best time to visit | November–February | December–March |
| Ideal stay | 7 days | 7 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $70–$150 | $90–$200 |
| Cost level | Affordable | Affordable |
| Warmest month | March, 33°C (91°F) | March, 34°C (93°F) |
| Coldest month | July, 29°C (84°F) | September, 31°C (88°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 11 | 7 |
| Day trips in our guide | 4 | 6 |
| Beaches | Baga | Kata Beach |
| Airports | GOI, GOX | HKT |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Goa for…
Beach shacks, Portuguese heritage, lower day-to-day costs and free sights. Goa is India's smallest state, a strip of about 100 km of Arabian Sea coast backed by rice paddies, coconut groves and the Western Ghats. Four and a half centuries of Portuguese rule, which ended in 1961, left the baroque churches of Old Goa, the colourful…
Choose Phuket for…
Beaches and Phang Nga Bay. Thailand's largest island, about 50 km long, lines its west coast with sandy bays from lively Patong to calmer Kata, Kamala and Nai Harn, all facing the Andaman Sea. Inland, rubber plantations and forested hills hide the Big Buddha and waterfalls, while…
Top sights compared
| # | Goa | Phuket |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basilica of Bom Jesus | Big Buddha |
| 2 | Sé Cathedral | Old Phuket Town |
| 3 | Church of St Francis of Assisi and Archaeological Museum | Wat Chalong |
| 4 | Fontainhas Latin Quarter | Promthep Cape |
| 5 | Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception | Karon Viewpoint |
Food compared
| Goa | Phuket |
|---|---|
| Goan fish curry rice | Phuket Hokkien noodles |
| Pork vindaloo | Moo hong |
| Chicken xacuti | Khanom jeen |
| Sorpotel and sannas | Phuket dim sum |
Which is cheaper?
Goa is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $70–$150 per person there, against $90–$200 in Phuket (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Goa on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 2,766 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 15 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Goa or Phuket cheaper?
Goa is usually less expensive: about $70–$150 a day mid-range against $90–$200 (estimates).
+Is Goa or Phuket better for a first trip?
Pick Goa for Beach shacks, Portuguese heritage, lower day-to-day costs and free sights, or Phuket for Beaches and Phang Nga Bay.
+How far is Goa from Phuket?
About 2,766 km in a straight line.