2 days in Phuket

Day by day

1. Day 1: Big Buddha and Promthep Cape

   Big Buddha, Promthep Cape, Bangla Road and Old Phuket Town, then Phuket Weekend Market (Naka Market) in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Big Buddha

      The hilltop terrace has panoramic views over Chalong Bay, Kata and Karon, and entry is by donation.

   2. Late morning

      Promthep Cape

      It is the island's best-known sunset viewpoint, looking across to small islands and Nai Harn.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Phuket Hokkien noodles

      Noodle shops in Phuket Town, especially around Thalang and Phang Nga roads.

   4. Afternoon

      Bangla Road

      It is loud and adult-oriented, but many visitors walk it just to see the spectacle.

   5. Late afternoon

      Old Phuket Town

      Soi Romanee's pastel houses are the photo stop, and on Sunday evenings Thalang Road becomes the Lard Yai walking street market.

   6. Evening

      Phuket Weekend Market (Naka Market)

      Go hungry and graze; bring small notes and expect to bargain for non-food items.

2. Day 2: Wat Chalong and Karon Viewpoint

   Wat Chalong, Karon Viewpoint, Sirinat National Park and Khao Phra Thaeo and the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project, then Simon Cabaret in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Wat Chalong

      Its tall chedi has painted interiors and is said to hold a bone fragment of the Buddha; firecrackers are set off by worshippers giving thanks.

   2. Late morning

      Karon Viewpoint

      On the coast road between Kata Noi and Nai Harn, this roadside viewpoint looks north over the three curved bays of Kata Noi, Kata and Karon in one sweep.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Moo hong

      Southern Thai and Peranakan restaurants in Phuket Town.

   4. Afternoon

      Sirinat National Park

      A boardwalk winds through mangrove forest, and Nai Yang's shaded beach is popular with Thai families at weekends.

   5. Late afternoon

      Khao Phra Thaeo and the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project

      At the park entrance, the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project cares for gibbons rescued from the pet and tourist trade and returns them to the wild.

   6. Evening

      Simon Cabaret

      Book the earlier show if you are bringing older children, and allow time for photos with the performers afterwards.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Aquaria Phuket (Phuket Town): Save it for a rainy afternoon in the monsoon season, and combine with the mall's restaurants.
• Swap in Thai Hua Museum (Phuket Town): Visit before walking the old town so the architecture and food make more sense.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 15–20 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.7 hours in January to 12.6 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Taxi. Taxis and red 'tuk-tuk' minivans run on negotiated fares, which are high by Thai standards; fixed-price taxi counters operate at the airport.

More or fewer days

• One day in Phuket
• 3 days in Phuket
• 4 days in Phuket
• 5 days in Phuket
• 7 days in Phuket

Questions travellers ask