Asia · Beach and resort guide
Thailand’s broadest beach-island choice, from lively bases to quieter luxury.
Is it right for you?
A strong fit for
Families, couples, first-time Thailand and easy island access.
We would think twice for
Travellers who assume Phuket is one resort, because the island runs from raucous to serene, and landing in the wrong strip is the single most common Thailand mistake we see.
What we would want you to know
Phuket is large and its areas are not interchangeable.
We’ve been here
Phuket is where our research goes most granular, beach by beach and road by road, because the question we are asked most about the island is which strip to book. We have been there ourselves, which is why we will talk you out of Patong as readily as into it.
Map and areas
Phuket's busiest resort, built around a long crescent of sand and the neon of Bangla Road. Everything is on the doorstep, from malls to beach bars, but so are touts, traffic and noise until dawn. Great for groups and night owls, and the wrong choice for most families.
Two relaxed resorts south of Patong with broad sandy bays, shops and restaurants within walking distance and evenings that wind down early. Kata is the prettier and more family-minded; Karon's long beach has more room. Both face the open sea, so watch the flags from May.
The island's southern tip, where long-stay expats live among seafood restaurants, yoga studios and the lake behind Nai Harn beach. It feels less like a resort than anywhere else on the west coast, but you will want taxis or a car for most outings.
The smart stretch north of Patong, where a cluster of big resort hotels shares a long sweep of sand and Surin adds beach clubs and restaurants. It is calm and well kept but spread out, and most evenings happen inside the hotels.
The quiet north, closest to the airport, where Sirinat National Park protects a long beach backed by casuarina trees. Resorts are self-contained and nights are silent apart from the odd late flight. You rely on the hotel and on taxis for everything else.
Sino-Portuguese shophouses, Chinese shrines and some of the best cooking on the island, inland on the east side. There is no beach, so it suits a night on arrival or before the flight home rather than a week.
Weather and seasons
Phuket's high season runs from November to April, when the Andaman lies flat enough for daily boat trips and January rainfall averages only 82mm. The sea is warm all year, around 28°C in January, and March and April are the hottest months, near 35°C. The south-west monsoon arrives in May and peaks in September (365mm), bringing red flags and rip currents to the west-coast beaches and cancelling some island trips; the reward is lower rates and green hills. The fortnight around New Year is the priciest of the year, and the Vegetarian Festival fills Phuket Town in September or October.
Worth timing a trip around
Nine days of Taoist ritual when the Chinese community gives up meat, with processions of devotees in trance, their cheeks pierced with skewers. Striking and very loud, and not for young children or the squeamish.
The Hokkien Hungry Ghost month, when families in Phuket Town offer red turtle-shaped cakes to wandering spirits at shrines and markets.
A week of yacht racing off the west coast, held around the late King Bhumibol's birthday on 5 December, with the bays full of sails and a lively scene ashore.
| Month | High | Low | Sea | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34°C | 25°C | 28°C | 82 mm |
| February | 34°C | 26°C | 29°C | 23 mm |
| March | 35°C | 26°C | 29°C | 47 mm |
| April | 35°C | 27°C | 30°C | 110 mm |
| May | 34°C | 26°C | 30°C | 242 mm |
| June | 33°C | 26°C | 30°C | 333 mm |
| July | 33°C | 26°C | 30°C | 223 mm |
| August | 32°C | 26°C | 30°C | 386 mm |
| September | 32°C | 25°C | 29°C | 365 mm |
| October | 32°C | 25°C | 29°C | 344 mm |
| November | 33°C | 25°C | 29°C | 223 mm |
| December | 33°C | 25°C | 29°C | 87 mm |
Temperatures are 2015 to 2024 averages from NOAA records for Phuket, 12 km away at 3 m. Rainfall is from the GPCC rain-gauge analysis (Deutscher Wetterdienst) for 2010 to 2019 and shows the typical (median) month, so one freak storm does not skew it. Sea temperatures: NOAA OISST, 1991 to 2020.
Sand, shingle and swimming
A long curve of pale sand, busy with loungers, parasailing and jet skis. Swimming zones are marked by buoys, so use them, and think twice before hiring a jet ski, because damage disputes are common.
A small, pretty bay at the southern end of Kata, with soft sand and clearer water. Gentle from November to April; in the monsoon the surf rolls in and red flags go up on rough days.
A deep bay framed by green hills and popular with Thai families at weekends, with a freshwater lake just behind the sand. Lovely in the dry season, but currents can be strong once the swell arrives.
A short, steeply shelving beach with beach clubs at either end. The water is clear in high season, but the slope means waves break close to shore when the swell is up, so it is not one for weak swimmers.
Phuket's longest beach runs for miles up the north-west coast, almost empty and shaded by casuarinas. Planes come in low over its northern end, and sea turtles still nest here in some years.
Things to do
On Sunday evenings Old Phuket Town's main heritage street fills with snack stalls, crafts and live music. Arrive before dark to see the pastel shophouses and Soi Romanee's old façades before the crowds thicken.
Dozens of limestone islands rise from the bay north-east of Phuket, and guided canoes slip through low caves into hidden lagoons called hongs. Pick a tour timed around the tide, and go early to beat the crowds at James Bond Island.
A white marble Buddha on the hilltop between Chalong and Kata, still being finished with donations, with views over Chalong Bay. Cover shoulders and knees; sarongs are usually available at the gate for anyone who forgets.
The island's most important temple, where locals let off firecrackers in thanks for answered prayers. The tall chedi is said to hold a relic of the Buddha, and its upper floors are lined with murals.
The southern headland where crowds gather to watch the sun drop into the Andaman. Beautiful but busy in high season, so arrive an hour early or walk down the path past the lighthouse for more space.
Patong's pedestrianised strip of bars, clubs and neon, loud from dusk to dawn. Worth one look for grown-ups; keep an eye on drink prices and on your phone, and give it a miss with children after dark.
An island south of Phuket with clear water and coral close to shore, reached by speedboat from Chalong pier. It is calmer and less crowded than Phi Phi, though the crossing can be rough outside the dry season.
When the monsoon swell arrives between May and October, Kata becomes the island's learner surf spot, with boards and lessons on the sand. Only go in where the lifeguards say it is safe.
Food and drink
Thick yellow noodles fried with pork, seafood and greens in a rich gravy, a legacy of the Hokkien Chinese families who came to Phuket for its tin mines.
Pork belly braised slowly with garlic, black pepper and soy until it falls apart, a Phuket Town family classic.
A sticky, crisp fry-up of taro, egg and small oysters, topped with pork crackling and bean sprouts. A Phuket street snack you rarely see elsewhere in Thailand.
Fermented rice noodles ladled with curry, with a tray of fresh herbs, pickles and boiled eggs to add yourself. A Phuket Town morning ritual.
A small, sweet local variety, less sharp than the pineapples at home, sold ready-cut by beach vendors and fruit stalls.
Money
The same money buys very different holidays depending on the beach: a four-star room in Patong can cost what a five-star does up at Mai Khao. Boat days to Phang Nga Bay and the islands are the extra to budget for from the start, and a private boat is worth it for a family. Getting around the island is expensive by Thai standards, which is another reason to choose the right base first.
Flights and transfers
Phuket has its own international airport, reached one stop from the UK or via a short hop from Bangkok. Transfers on the island can be longer than the map suggests because the roads wind; the northern beaches are far closer to the airport than Patong and the south.
Flights from UK airports
Route check September 2026. Some routes are seasonal and schedules change, so we confirm the live options when we quote.
Practical details
7 hours ahead of the UK in winter, 6 hours in summer
Thai baht (฿)
Thai
Type A, B, C and O, 220V; a universal adaptor is safest
On the left
Not safe to drink; stick to bottled or filtered water
Not expected; small tips for boat crews, masseurs and good restaurant service are appreciated
Entry for British passport holders
Visa. Since 15 September 2026, visa-free entry covers tourist stays of up to 30 days, normally for two entries a year. You must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within 3 days before you arrive.
Passport. Valid for at least 6 months after you arrive, with a blank page.
The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the southern border provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat and part of Songkhla, and within 20km of the Cambodian border. The places we suggest on this page were outside those areas when we checked, and we check the advice again before every booking.
Summarised from the FCDO travel advice on gov.uk, checked 29 September 2026. Rules change: read the current entry requirements and the full travel advice before you go.
Questions we get asked
Kata and Karon suit most families: walkable resorts, broad beaches and quieter evenings than Patong. For a young family who will live in the hotel, Mai Khao and Nai Yang in the north give a short airport transfer and peaceful nights. Patong has the most going on, but its streets are not what most parents want after dark.
Only with great care. From May to October the west-coast beaches catch the monsoon swell and rip currents are common. A red flag means no swimming at all, and visitors drown every year after ignoring them. Swim near lifeguards, and use the pool on rough days.
It depends on the couple. Patong suits those who want nightlife, shopping and constant choice on foot. If you picture quiet dinners and a peaceful beach, look at Kata, Surin or Bang Tao and take a taxi into Patong for one big night out.
By taxi, the Grab app and hotel shuttles. Phuket's tuk-tuks and taxis charge far more than elsewhere in Thailand, so transfers booked in advance save arguments. Hiring a driver for a day is the easiest way to see the south and Phuket Town together.
Yes, if the holiday centres on the hotel. These shoulder months bring showers rather than constant rain, lower rates and quieter beaches, but the sea is often too rough to swim on the west coast and island trips can be cancelled at short notice.
Photographs
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