Categories > Guides and Tips
10 Most Popular Tours We Tried (and Loved!) in PhuketBy Praew Tan
Time in Phuket melts faster than sunscreen in the midday sun! This place is like a smorgasbord: you have so many beautiful beaches and so many wonderful things to do, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and worry about missing out.
But you know what? There’s merit in prioritizing – and joining a tour or two. Initially, we were under the impression that we wouldn’t be able to maximize our time in Phuket by joining tours, but we were proven wrong!
In the end, the overwhelming planning and logistics melted away with our sunscreens, giving us the time of our lives on this island. We braved the choppy waves, kayaked through hidden coves, and marveled at breathtaking landscapes!
And now, we’re bringing you the insider scoop on tours that will leave you breathless. Consider this your cheat sheet to an unforgettable Phuket adventure!
Phi Phi Islands Tour
Media credit: davidcorona._
Address: Mueang Krabi District, Krabi
Operating Hours: 24/7
Duration: 9 hours
Cost: $
If your ideal Phuket tour involves visiting a paradise island, book a Phi Phi Islands Tour. It’s a well-known island destination for tourists who frequent Phuket for a reason—aside from beautiful beaches, these islands have excellent dive spots and a buzzing nightlife.
Phi Phi Don Island, in particular, is a must-visit if you like beach parties. That makes it ideal if you want to meet new people to share drinks and conversations or make fun memories with them.
Aside from that, the Phi Phi Islands have plenty of great restaurants and beach resorts. That means you’re covered for good food and comfortable accommodations if you plan to stay the night.
Phi Phi Islands Tour Itinerary:
07:00 – Pick up from your Phuket hotel and depart to Rassada Pier.
08:30 – Depart from Rassada Pier to Phi Phi Islands.
10:30 – Sightseeing at Koh Phi Phi Leh. Notable sights include Maya Bay, Loh Samah Bay, and Viking Cave.
11:00 – Arrive at Koh Phi Phi Don’s Ton Sai Bay and board a snorkeling boat to snorkel at Coral Bay.
12:30 – Lunch at Koh Phi Phi Don and explore the island afterward.
2:00 – Arrive at Ton Sai Pier.
2:30 – Depart Ton Sai to Rassada Pier.
4:30 – Arrive at Rassada Pier for your transfer back to your Phuket hotel.
Phang Nga Bay Kayaking Tour
Address: Phang Nga Bay, Phang Nga
Operating Hours: 24/7
Duration: 9 hours
Cost: $$$
Kayaking in Phang Nga Bay is one of the more exciting water adventures you can try for your Phuket tour. This bay has numerous islands, sea caves, limestone formations, and lagoons, so it’s definitely worth the trip if you enjoy exploring the sea.
We suggest booking a kayaking trip to the less visited islands in Phang Nga Bay like Koh Kudu Yai, Koh Roi, and Koh Batang for this tour. This way, you can enjoy sightseeing without worrying about huge crowds spoiling your experience.
Moreover, visiting these underrated islands allows you to spot plenty of wildlife during the tour. Think white-bellied sea eagles, long-tail macaques, collared kingfishers, brown-winged kingfishers, bats, and monitor lizards.
Phang Nga Bay Kayaking Tour Itinerary:
7:15 – Pick up at Phuket for van transfer to Bang Rong Pier.
8:00 – Depart the pier to Koh Yao Noi.
8:30 – 30-minute longtail boat to the paddle station.
9:00 – Paddle your through the sights in Koh Yao Noi, Koh Roi, and Koh Batang. A packed lunch is available in the middle of the kayaking tour.
4:00 – Return to Koh Yao Noi and depart for Bang Rong Pier for your van transfer back to Phuket.
Ao Phang Nga National Park Tour
Media credit: lidyaoscar
Address: 80 หมู่ที่ 1 ถนน บ้านท่าด่าน Ko Panyi, Mueang Phang-nga District
Operating Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Daily)
Contact Number: +66 76 481 188
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Aophangnga
Duration: 8 to 10 hours
Cost: $
This marine park within Phang Nga Bay is great for tourists who like to see natural limestone formations, mangrove forests, and sea caves. The most popular part of this tour is James Bond Island.
It’s a small island with picturesque limestone karsts and numerous souvenir shops. Going on an Ao Phang Nga National Park Tour also gives you access to Koh Panyi’s floating village.
It’s a Muslim fishing village, so it’s a great place to sample fresh seafood or experience the local lifestyle. Depending on what tour you book, you may even have opportunities to enjoy diving and snorkeling activities here.
Ao Phang Nga National Park Tour Itinerary:
08:30 – Pick up from your Phuket hotel and depart to the pier in Phang Nga.
9:50 – Visit Monkey Cave.
10:30 – Explore Ao Phang Nga National Park HQ’s mangrove forest via a longtail boat.
12:00 – Lunch at Koh Panyi and island exploration afterward.
2:00 – Depart to Talu Island for a canoeing tour at the sea caves.
3:00 – Depart to James Bond Island for sightseeing.
3:40 – Depart to Ao Phang Nga National Park HQ for your hotel transfer back to Phuket.
5:30 – Arrive at your hotel.
Old Phuket Town Tour
Media credit: philspet
Address: Old Phuket Town, Mueang Phuket District
Operating Hours: 24/7
Duration: 9 to 12 hours
Cost: Free
A Phuket tour isn’t complete without a visit to Old Phuket Town. This charming town is worth exploring if you like unique architecture, cute cafes, night markets, and vintage town vibes.
Moreover, you don’t need to book a tour to visit this town since it’s suitable for self-guided tours, making it ideal for budget travelers. The most notable sights in Old Phuket Town are the picturesque Sino-Portuguese buildings along Soi Romanee Alley.
If you’re a shopaholic, you also don’t want to miss the Lard Yai Sunday Night Market on Thalang Road. Here, you’ll see street performances and numerous vendors selling local street food, drinks, clothes, accessories, trinkets, handicrafts, and more.
Old Phuket Town Tour Itinerary:
9:00 – Walk around Soi Romanee Alley to see the Sino-Portuguese buildings.
10:00 – Cafe-hopping along Thalang Road. Must-visit cafes are Aungku Cafe, Coffs & Burgh, Eleven Two & Co., and Kopitiam by Wilai.
12:00 – Lunch at Baan 109.
12:30 – Visit the popular shops and attractions in Old Phuket Town. Queen Sirikit Park, Sangtham Shrine, Nguan Choon Tong, Bulan, etc.
4:00 – Head to the Lard Yai Sunday Night Market.
8:00 – Return to your hotel.
Big Buddha and Wat Chalong ATV Adventure
Media from big_buddha_phuket_official
Addresses:
- (Big Buddha) Karon, Mueang Phuket District
- (Wat Chalong) 70 หมู่ที่ 6 Chao Fah Tawan Tok Rd, Chalong, Mueang Phuket District
Operating Hours:
- (Big Buddha) 6 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Daily)
- (Wat Chalong) 24/7
Contact Number:
- (Big Buddha) +66 81 891 3827
- (Wat Chalong) +66 76 381 226
Website:
- (Big Buddha) https://www.mingmongkolphuket.com/
- (Wat Chalong) https://www.wat-chalong-phuket.com/
Duration: 1.5 to 2.5 hours
Cost: $
The Big Buddha Temple is well-known to tourists who frequent Phuket. It’s one of Phuket’s most Instagrammable attractions for two reasons: the massive 45-meter Buddha image and the temple’s sweeping staircase.
Though you can get here via public transportation, we think it’s best to visit with an ATV Tour. That means you can also explore its surrounding nature trails and lush jungles aboard a quad bike.
Since ATV Tours usually goes through Nakkerd Hill, you’ll also get a stunning view of Chalong Town from the hilltops. And, you can even drop by the beautiful temple complex in Wat Chalong to complete your tour.
Big Buddha and Wat Chalong ATV Adventure Itinerary:
9:00 – Pick-up at the meeting location in Patong.
9:25 – Arrive at the Big Buddha Temple.
9:50 – ATV adventure through Nakkerd Hill. Optional zip line.
11:25 – Car ride to Wat Chalong.
12:00 – Return to Patong.
Similan Islands National Park Tour
Media credit: kawaii__
Address: Lam Kaen, Thai Mueang District, Phang-nga
Operating Hours: Open 24 hours (Weekdays)
Contact Number: +66 76 453 275
Website: www.dnp.go.th
Duration: 10 to 13 hours
Cost: $$
Our team’s thalassophiles say Similan Islands National Park is the place to go for underwater activities. It’s a marine park, so expect beautiful white sand beaches, crystalline waters, and diverse marine life.
That makes it ideal for diving and snorkeling activities. The marine life you can spot here includes whale sharks, reef sharks, manta rays, lionfish, giant moray eels, sea turtles, dolphins, yellow boxfish, and more.
Meanwhile, the park’s coastlines are ideal for swimming and birdwatching activities, so there are plenty of things you can do here. You can even find gorgeous rock formations around the island.
Similan Islands National Park Tour Itinerary:
06:00 – Pick-up from your Phuket hotel.
09:00 – Depart on a speedboat to the Similan Islands.
10:20 – Arrive at Koh Miang for island walking, snorkeling, and swimming activities.
11:30 – Enjoy a Thai lunch.
12:00 – Depart on a speedboat to Koh Payu for snorkeling and swimming activities. You may spot sea turtles and clownfish.
1:00 – Depart on a speedboat to Koh Bangu for more snorkeling and swimming.
2:00 – Depart for Donald Duck Bay to enjoy swimming and snorkeling, and hike to the Sail Rock Viewpoint.
3:00 – Return to Phuket.
4:30 – Enjoy snacks and drinks before transferring back to your hotel.
7:00 – Arrive at your hotel.
Coral Island and Racha Island Day Trip
Media credit: gbonn4788
Addresses:
- (Coral Island) Rawai, Mueang Phuket District
- (Racha Island) Rawai, Phuket, Thailand
Operating Hours: 24/7
Duration: 10 hours
Cost: $
If you want a Phuket tour that involves plenty of watersports, a day trip to Coral Island and Racha Island is your best option. These islands tick a lot of boxes: white sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, jungly coastlines, and numerous watersport options.
On these islands, you can enjoy kayaking, paddle boarding, parasailing, banana boating, swimming, and snorkeling. These activities are available through the watersport centers on Coral Island and Racha Island, so they’re hard to miss.
On top of that, these islands’ lush jungle coastlines are ideal for animal spotting. Some of the wildlife you’ll see are water monitor lizards, hornbills, and more.
Coral Island and Racha Island Day Trip Itinerary:
9:00 – Hotel pick-up in Phuket.
9:45 – Arrive at Chalong Pier. 30 minutes for the safety briefing and tour information.
10:15 – Depart Chalong Pier to Racha Island.
10:55 – Arrive at Racha Island for 3 hours of beach activities.
2:00 – Depart Racha Island to Coral Island for another 3 hours of beach activities.
5:00 – Depart Coral Island to Chalong Pier.
6:00 – Return to Chalong Pier for hotel transfer.
Yona Beach Club Cruise Party
Media from yonabeach
Address: Royal Phuket Marina, Ko Kaeo, Mueang Phuket District
Operating Hours: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. (Daily)
Contact Number: +66 2 430 4400
Website: https://www.yonabeach.com/
Duration: 8 hours
Cost: $$$
Yona Beach Club is the most interesting Phuket tour for pleasure seekers who like beach parties. This beach club has a unique side. It’s a cruise, so expect an exclusive and electrifying beach party experience in the middle of the Andaman Sea.
On board, you have access to an outdoor pool, pool lounges, private cabanas, a restaurant, and a sunset deck. That means you’re already covered for entertainment, food, drinks, and stunning ocean views.
Aside from that, Yona Beach Club also invites international DJs which means going here gives you the chance to join one of the hottest parties in Phuket. That’s why this beach club particularly attracts huge crowds during special holidays and events.
Pro Tip:
Yona Beach Club’s standard day pass only gives you a 1,500 baht credit for food and drinks, so be sure to bring enough cash to last until the end of the cruise. They also accept card payments.
Khai Islands Tour
Media credit: tomapaunovicphotography
Address: Andaman Sea, Tambon Phru Nai, Amphoe Ko Yao, Chang Wat Phang-nga
Operating Hours: 24/7
Contact Number: +66 62 050 2833
Duration: 9 hours
Cost: $
Khai Islands is one of the most popular tour destinations from Phuket. It’s a three-island group, so there are plenty of sights and activities for everyone.
Koh Khai Nai is the main island and it’s where you can enjoy numerous beach activities: swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, fish feeding, jet skiing, and sunbathing. If you’re a cat person, you’ll also enjoy hanging around the cats roaming this island.
Meanwhile, Koh Khai Nok and Koh Khai Nui are more popular spots for kayaking and snorkeling since they get fewer crowds. That makes them ideal if you like to relax during your Khai Islands Tour.
Khai Islands Tour Itinerary:
08:20 – Hotel pick-up and transfer to Asia Marina. You also get coffee, tea, snacks, snorkeling equipment, towels, and tour information.
10:00 – Departure by speedboat to Mai Thon Island.
10:30 – Arrive at Koh Mai Thon for snorkeling activities. You can spot coral, colorful fishes, and sometimes dolphins.
11:15 – Depart Koh Mai Thon for Koh Khai Nai for snorkeling, swimming, and fish-feeding activities.
12:30 – Lunch buffet in a Koh Khai Nai beach restaurant.
1:30 – Snorkeling at Koh Khai Nai via speedboat.
2:30 – Arrive at Koh Khai Nok for snorkeling, swimming, and fish-feeding activities.
4:30 – Depart Koh Khai Nok.
5:00 – Return to Asia Marina for hotel transfer.
Phuket Private Catamaran Tour
Media from mantatravelclub
Address: 12 Sunrise Road, Chalong, Mueang Phuket District
Operating Hours: 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. (Daily)
Duration: 6 to 10 hours per day
Cost: $$ – $$$
Booking a private catamaran for your Phuket tour is ideal if you want to go island hopping. This gives you a chance to visit Coral Island, Racha Island, Phi Phi Islands, James Bond Island, Khai Islands, and Similan Islands in a day.
Or you can sail to a different island each day to make the most of your time in Phuket. That makes it ideal if you plan to go on a week-long vacation in Thailand.
Aside from that, sailing in a catamaran allows you to enjoy activities like fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and kayaking anywhere in the Andaman Sea. After all, a private tour lets you select the best spot for your desired water activity.
Phuket Private Catamaran Tour Itinerary:
7:30 – Hotel pick-up.
8:00 – Arrive at the marina and check in for your private boat charter.
8:30 – Depart the marina to your selected island or islands and enjoy numerous activities.
5:00 – Return to the marina for your transfer back to your hotel.
