Where to stay · Phuket · Thailand
Where to stay in Phuket
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Patong. Phuket's busiest beach town of bars, clubs, malls and Bangla Road. Best alternatives — families: Kata and Karon.
Key facts
- First visit
- Patong
- Families
- Kata and Karon
- Budget
- Patong
- Nightlife
- Patong
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Patong | Phuket's busiest beach town of bars, clubs, malls and Bangla Road |
| Families | Kata and Karon | Wide family beaches with surf in the monsoon and a relaxed evening scene |
| Couples | Kata and Karon | Wide family beaches with surf in the monsoon and a relaxed evening scene |
| Budget | Patong | Phuket's busiest beach town of bars, clubs, malls and Bangla Road |
| Luxury | Kamala and Surin | Quieter west-coast bays with villas and beach clubs |
| Nightlife | Patong | Phuket's busiest beach town of bars, clubs, malls and Bangla Road |
| Food lovers | Phuket Town | Sino-Portuguese shophouses, cafés, markets and local food |
| Solo travellers | Phuket Town | Sino-Portuguese shophouses, cafés, markets and local food |
| Shopping | Patong | Phuket's busiest beach town of bars, clubs, malls and Bangla Road |
| Quiet stays | Kamala and Surin | Quieter west-coast bays with villas and beach clubs |
| Beach | Kata and Karon | Wide family beaches with surf in the monsoon and a relaxed evening scene |
Phuket neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for nightlife, budget, first-timers and shopping
Patong
Patong's 3 km beach is backed by hotels, restaurants, the Jungceylon mall and Bangla Road, a pedestrian strip of bars and clubs that roars until late. It has the widest choice of hotels and the most going on, but it is crowded, noisy and commercial.
- Good
- Huge choice of hotels and restaurants; Nightlife on the doorstep; Boat trips easy to book
- Watch out
- Crowded beach; Touts and noise late at night
- Nearby
- Bangla Road, Jungceylon, Freedom Beach, Kalim Beach
$$ · Best for families, couples, beach and first-timers
Kata and Karon
South of Patong, Karon has a long, uncrowded beach and Kata a pretty bay with an island offshore and gentle beginner surf from May to October. Kata Noi, over the headland, is smaller and quieter. Restaurants and bars are plentiful but far calmer than Patong.
- Good
- Good beaches for swimming in the dry season; Family-friendly hotels; Easy reach of Patong and the south
- Watch out
- Rip currents in the monsoon; Steep roads between beaches
- Nearby
- Karon Viewpoint, Kata Noi Beach, Big Buddha, Promthep Cape
$$$ · Best for couples, luxury, families and quiet stays
Kamala and Surin
North of Patong, Kamala is a mid-sized village beach with a relaxed mix of resorts and local life, and Surin is a smaller, upmarket bay with beach clubs and luxury villas on the headlands. Both are 20–30 minutes from Patong.
- Good
- Calmer than Patong; Good choice of villas; Beautiful beaches
- Watch out
- Fewer cheap restaurants; Need taxis to explore
- Nearby
- Laem Singh Beach, Kamala Beach, Surin Beach, Bang Tao
$$$$ · Best for families, luxury and beach
Bang Tao and Laguna
Bang Tao's 6 km beach includes the Laguna complex of resorts around lagoons with a shuttle boat between them, plus golf and a growing number of beach clubs and restaurants. It is self-contained, good for families and close to the airport.
- Good
- Resorts with big pools and kids' clubs; Long, uncrowded beach; About 25 minutes from the airport
- Watch out
- Resort-focused; Far from Phuket Town and the south
- Nearby
- Bang Tao Beach, Boat Avenue, Laguna Phuket, Surin Beach
$ · Best for culture, food lovers, budget and solo travellers
Phuket Town
The provincial capital is not on a beach but has the island's most character: restored shophouses along Thalang, Dibuk and Krabi roads, the pastel lane of Soi Romanee, Chinese shrines, cafés and the Sunday walking street. Guesthouses and boutique hotels are good value, and songthaew buses run to the beaches.
- Good
- Local food and culture; Low prices; Boutique and heritage stays
- Watch out
- No beach; 30–45 minutes to the west coast
- Nearby
- Soi Romanee, Thai Hua Museum, Monkey Hill, Chillva Market
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples, food lovers and beach
Rawai and Nai Harn
In the south, Rawai has a seafood market where you choose fish to be cooked next door, a pier for longtail boats to nearby islands and a long-standing Urak Lawoi sea-gypsy community. Nai Harn has one of Phuket's prettiest beaches beside a lake with a walking path. Many long-stay visitors live here.
- Good
- Laid-back atmosphere; Excellent seafood; Sunset at Promthep Cape
- Watch out
- Scattered; transport needed; Limited nightlife
- Nearby
- Nai Harn Beach, Promthep Cape, Rawai Seafood Market, Ya Nui Beach
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, families and luxury
Mai Khao and Nai Yang
The north-west coast is part of Sirinat National Park, with casuarina-lined Nai Yang beach, its seafood shacks and an offshore reef, and the 11 km Mai Khao beach, where sea turtles have historically nested and planes come in low to land. Resorts are spread out and peaceful.
- Good
- Minutes from the airport; Uncrowded beaches; Natural surroundings
- Watch out
- Far from everything else; Few restaurants outside the hotels
- Nearby
- Sirinat National Park, Phuket International Airport, Splash Jungle
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Patong | $$ | Bangla Road, Jungceylon, Freedom Beach, Kalim Beach |
| Kata and Karon | $$ | Karon Viewpoint, Kata Noi Beach, Big Buddha, Promthep Cape |
| Kamala and Surin | $$$ | Laem Singh Beach, Kamala Beach, Surin Beach, Bang Tao |
| Bang Tao and Laguna | $$$$ | Bang Tao Beach, Boat Avenue, Laguna Phuket, Surin Beach |
| Phuket Town | $ | Soi Romanee, Thai Hua Museum, Monkey Hill, Chillva Market |
| Rawai and Nai Harn | $$ | Nai Harn Beach, Promthep Cape, Rawai Seafood Market, Ya Nui Beach |
| Mai Khao and Nai Yang | $$$ | Sirinat National Park, Phuket International Airport, Splash Jungle |
Getting to your hotel
Phuket International Airport is in the north of the island. Taxis from the official counter take about 30–45 minutes to Bang Tao, 45–60 minutes to Patong and about an hour to Kata and Karon. The Phuket Smart Bus follows the west coast to Rawai, and airport buses run to Phuket Town.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Phuket for first-time visitors?
Patong. Patong's 3 km beach is backed by hotels, restaurants, the Jungceylon mall and Bangla Road, a pedestrian strip of bars and clubs that roars until late.
+Where should families stay in Phuket?
Kata and Karon: Good beaches for swimming in the dry season.
+Which area of Phuket is best for a budget stay?
Patong ($$): Phuket's busiest beach town of bars, clubs, malls and Bangla Road.