With kids · Phuket · Thailand
Phuket with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Myinternationalwikipedia, CC0
Quick answer
Phuket is one of Southeast Asia's most popular family beach destinations, with resorts offering kids' clubs, calm dry-season seas, water parks, an aquarium and gentle island trips. In the monsoon, choose resorts with good pools, as the sea can be dangerous. Top picks: Big Buddha, Aquaria Phuket and Andamanda Phuket. Families usually base themselves in Kata and Karon.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 5
- Best area for families
- Kata and Karon
- Rainy-day options
- 1
- Busiest months
- December–February
Best things to do with kids
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
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
Nature · Paklok
4.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
Nature · Thalang
5.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
Rainy-day ideas
- Aquaria Phuket — Save it for a rainy afternoon in the monsoon season, and combine with the mall's restaurants.
Where families should stay
$$ · 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
Family travel tips
- Swim only at lifeguarded beaches and never when red flags fly, especially from May to October.
- Choose Kata, Karon, Bang Tao or Nai Yang for calmer, family-friendly bases than Patong.
- Bring or pre-book child seats for taxis and transfers.
- Choose ethical wildlife experiences with no riding or performances.
- Plan boat trips for the dry season, when seas are calmer and seasickness less likely.
Day trips for families
- Phang Nga Bay (About 1 hour to the bay) — Hundreds of limestone towers rise from emerald water, including Khao Phing Kan, known as James Bond Island.
- Koh Racha (About 30–40 minutes by speedboat) — Koh Racha Yai has clear water and white-sand bays such as Patok Bay, good for snorkelling and diving, and is quieter than Phi Phi.
When to go with children
The best months overall are December–March. December–February are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Phuket good for kids?
Phuket is one of Southeast Asia's most popular family beach destinations, with resorts offering kids' clubs, calm dry-season seas, water parks, an aquarium and gentle island trips. In the monsoon, choose resorts with good pools, as the sea can be dangerous.
+What can kids do in Phuket?
Big Buddha, Aquaria Phuket, Andamanda Phuket, Phuket Elephant Sanctuary and Khao Phra Thaeo and the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project.
+Where should families stay in Phuket?
Kata and Karon: Wide family beaches with surf in the monsoon and a relaxed evening scene.