Things to do · Phuket · Thailand
16 best things to do in Phuket
16 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Myinternationalwikipedia, CC0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Phuket are Big Buddha, Promthep Cape and Bangla Road. Of the 16 picks below, 7 are free, 2 work on a rainy day and 5 suit children. Allow about 7 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Big Buddha
- Free sights
- 7
- Good on a rainy day
- Aquaria Phuket
- Time to see the highlights
- 7 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Buddha | Nakkerd Hill | 1 hour | Free |
| Promthep Cape | Rawai | 1 hour | Free |
| Bangla Road | Patong | 1–3 hours | Free |
| Old Phuket Town | Phuket Town | Half a day | Free |
| Wat Chalong | Chalong | 1 hour | Free |
| Karon Viewpoint | Kata and Karon | 20 minutes | Free |
| Sirinat National Park | Mai Khao and Nai Yang | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Khao Phra Thaeo and the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project | Thalang | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Phuket Elephant Sanctuary | Paklok | Half a day | Expensive |
| Aquaria Phuket | Phuket Town | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Andamanda Phuket | Kathu | Half a day | Expensive |
| Phuket Weekend Market (Naka Market) | Phuket Town | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Thai Hua Museum | Phuket Town | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Rawai Seafood Market | Rawai | 1–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Wat Phra Thong | Thalang | 45 minutes | Free |
| Simon Cabaret | Patong | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
The 16 best things to do
Religious site · Nakkerd Hill
1.Big Buddha
A 45-metre white marble Buddha sits on Nakkerd Hill between Chalong and Kata, visible across much of the south. The hilltop terrace has panoramic views over Chalong Bay, Kata and Karon, and entry is by donation.
Cover shoulders and knees (sarongs are lent at the entrance) and visit late afternoon for softer light over the bays.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Rawai
2.Promthep Cape
The southernmost point of Phuket is a grassy headland jutting into the Andaman Sea, crowned by a lighthouse and an elephant shrine. It is the island's best-known sunset viewpoint, looking across to small islands and Nai Harn.
Arrive 45 minutes before sunset for a spot on the wall, or walk down the path towards the tip for fewer people.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Street · Patong
3.Bangla Road
Patong's 400-metre pedestrian street turns into a neon strip of bars, clubs, go-go bars and street performers after dark, running from the beach road inland. It is loud and adult-oriented, but many visitors walk it just to see the spectacle.
Agree drink prices before ordering in smaller bars and ignore touts offering 'shows'.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- After dark
- Free
- Iconic
Neighbourhood · Phuket Town
4.Old Phuket Town
Phuket's tin-mining wealth built the Sino-Portuguese shophouses and mansions along Thalang, Dibuk, Krabi and Phang Nga roads, now restored as cafés, galleries and shops. Soi Romanee's pastel houses are the photo stop, and on Sunday evenings Thalang Road becomes the Lard Yai walking street market.
Come on a Sunday afternoon, explore the shrines and cafés, then stay for the walking street food market after dark.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Food
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- Shopping
Religious site · Chalong
5.Wat Chalong
Phuket's largest and most visited Buddhist temple honours two monks who helped settle a 19th-century tin miners' rebellion. 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.
Climb to the upper floors of the chedi for views over the temple grounds.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Viewpoint · Kata and Karon
6.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.
Stop here on the way to Promthep Cape; mornings usually have the clearest light.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
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Nature · Mai Khao and Nai Yang
7.Sirinat National Park
This coastal park protects Phuket's north-west shore, including Nai Yang beach, Mai Khao beach and an offshore coral reef. A boardwalk winds through mangrove forest, and Nai Yang's shaded beach is popular with Thai families at weekends.
Visit on the way to or from the airport, and eat grilled seafood under the trees at Nai Yang.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Thalang
8.Khao Phra Thaeo and the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project
Phuket's last large area of rainforest is protected in Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary, with forest trails and the Bang Pae waterfall. At the park entrance, the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project cares for gibbons rescued from the pet and tourist trade and returns them to the wild.
Listen for gibbon calls in the early morning; donations to the project are welcome.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Paklok
1.Phuket Elephant Sanctuary
An ethical sanctuary in the island's north-east, home to elderly elephants retired from logging and tourism work. Visitors watch and feed them from viewing platforms and walk alongside them; there is no riding or bathing.
Choose a morning visit, when the elephants are most active and the heat is lower.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Visits are by reservation with limited places; book ahead online.
- Kids
- Nature
Aquarium · Phuket Town
2.Aquaria Phuket
A large modern aquarium inside the Central Phuket Floresta mall, with underwater tunnels, rays, sharks and themed zones, close to the main road between Phuket Town and the airport.
Save it for a rainy afternoon in the monsoon season, and combine with the mall's restaurants.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Theme park · Kathu
3.Andamanda Phuket
A water park in the hills between Phuket Town and Patong, themed on Thai legends of the sea, with slides, a wave pool, a lazy river and children's splash areas.
Arrive at opening on a weekday and bring reef-safe sunscreen and a hat.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Active
Market · Phuket Town
4.Phuket Weekend Market (Naka Market)
Held on Saturday and Sunday evenings on the southern edge of Phuket Town, this large market sells clothes, souvenirs, second-hand goods and a huge range of street food, from grilled skewers to Thai desserts.
Go hungry and graze; bring small notes and expect to bargain for non-food items.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Shopping
- After dark
Museum · Phuket Town
5.Thai Hua Museum
Housed in a 1930s Chinese-language school on Krabi Road, this museum tells the story of Phuket's Chinese immigrants, the tin-mining boom, Peranakan culture and local food, with displays in English.
Visit before walking the old town so the architecture and food make more sense.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Market · Rawai
6.Rawai Seafood Market
Next to the Rawai pier, sea-gypsy fishermen and traders sell prawns, crabs, lobster and fish by weight; restaurants across the lane cook your purchase for a small charge per kilo.
Compare prices at a few stalls, and confirm the cooking charge before handing over your seafood.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Food
- Off the beaten path
Religious site · Thalang
7.Wat Phra Thong
This temple near the old capital of Thalang is known for a golden Buddha image that appears half-buried in the ground, with only the head and shoulders visible; legend says attempts to dig it out were abandoned. It is a quiet stop on the way to the north.
Combine it with the Thalang National Museum and the Heroines Monument nearby.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Patong
8.Simon Cabaret
A long-running cabaret show in Patong performed by transgender artists, with elaborate costumes, lip-sync numbers and comedy in a purpose-built theatre. It is a staple of a Phuket evening out.
Book the earlier show if you are bringing older children, and allow time for photos with the performers afterwards.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- After dark
- Couples
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Thai Hua Museum |
| History | Old Phuket Town, Wat Chalong, Thai Hua Museum and Wat Phra Thong |
| Views | Big Buddha, Promthep Cape and Karon Viewpoint |
| Outdoors and nature | Sirinat National Park, Khao Phra Thaeo and the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project and Phuket Elephant Sanctuary |
| Food and markets | Old Phuket Town, Phuket Weekend Market (Naka Market) and Rawai Seafood Market |
| After dark | Bangla Road, Phuket Weekend Market (Naka Market) and Simon Cabaret |
| With children | Big Buddha, Khao Phra Thaeo and the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project, Phuket Elephant Sanctuary and Aquaria Phuket |
| On a rainy day | Aquaria Phuket and Thai Hua Museum |
What to book ahead
- Phuket Elephant Sanctuary: Visits are by reservation with limited places; book ahead online.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Phuket?
Big Buddha. A 45-metre white marble Buddha sits on Nakkerd Hill between Chalong and Kata, visible across much of the south.
+What can you do for free in Phuket?
Big Buddha, Promthep Cape, Bangla Road, Old Phuket Town and Wat Chalong. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Phuket when it rains?
Head indoors to Aquaria Phuket and Thai Hua Museum.
+What is there to do in Phuket at night?
Bangla Road, Phuket Weekend Market (Naka Market) and Simon Cabaret are best after dark.