Top 30 Attractions in Phuket

For many years, Phuket has been breaking records in terms of popularity and demand among travelers. And not without reason, because the resorts of the island are located on excellent beaches, sea water pleases with purity and transparency, and vacation prices have always been kept at an affordable level.

According to many tourists, Phuket is a strong and worthy compromise between the ambiguous Pattaya and places like Koh Samui, Krabi or Phi Phi. The island has heavenly views, tranquil lagoons, traditional temples and hundreds of entertainment venues.

In the capital of the island, Phuket Town, you can wander the streets and enjoy the amazing architecture, and then rent a bike and drive to one of the many viewing platforms or to any beach. Everything is nearby, so the traveler does not have to travel hundreds of kilometers of tiresome road.

What to see and where to go in Phuket?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.

Big Buddha in Phuket

The monument is 45 meters high, installed on the Nakkerd hill in the southern part of the city. The Buddha statue is part of a large temple complex, which is being built with charitable funds. The construction of the monastery began in 2002, and continues to this day. Anyone can donate money for the construction. The majestic statue of the god is visible from many points in Phuket, several roads lead to the sights from the coast.

Temple Wat Chalong

The temple is located in the center of the island on the way to the Big Buddha statue. The attraction is included in all Phuket sightseeing tours. Wat Chalong is the largest and most picturesque temple on the island. It is well-deservedly popular among tourists. In the interior, gilding prevails in the decoration of elements, the floor is laid out of marble. The walls are painted with frescoes depicting scenes from the life of the Buddha.

Suwan Khiri Ket Temple

The building was built at the very end of the 19th century in the Karon beach area. The small building of the temple looks quite well-groomed, as it is carefully monitored. At the entrance there are figures of guard kites of emerald color. Twice a week, a night market operates on the site near the temple, where you can buy food and clothes. Some tourists claim that you can enter the territory of the monastery in a bathing suit, given its location on the beach.

Phuket old town

Phuket - the town is located in the interior of the island, away from the beaten tourist paths. There are no beaches and holiday entertainment, but it has its own special atmosphere. The mansions of the century before last, which adorn the streets of the old city, were built in the Sino-Portuguese style - a mixture of Chinese and European traditions, which indicates the times of alternate domination of the island by the Portuguese and Chinese.

Sarasin Bridge

A bridge built in 1967 that links Phuket with the mainland of Thailand. Over time, he ceased to cope with the increased flow of cars. In 2011, a new modern bridge was built nearby and Sarasin became pedestrian. An observation platform was equipped here, which offers a view of Phang Ga Bay and the exit to the Andaman Sea. At the foot of the bridge there are restaurants serving fresh seafood.

Bangla Road

Walking alley on the territory of Patong Beach, the center of Phuket's nightlife. There are more than 200 bars, several large night discos, shops, shows for adults. During the day, the street is an ordinary resort alley where souvenirs are sold and local cuisine is offered. At night, it turns into a motley bunch of staggering tourists, local transsexuals in breathtaking costumes and girls of easy virtue.

Night market in Phuket town

Weekend market or, more correctly, weekend evening, which is located in Phuket Town next to the Naka Temple. On weekdays, only a few points work here. Trading starts at 16.00 and continues until 22.00-22.30. This is a very bright and colorful place where you can try several dozen types of Thai street food, buy souvenirs, clothes, shoes and various trinkets.

Lard Yai Sunday Street Market

Lard Yai is considered the largest market in Phuket. Unlike many other similar places, locals shop here, so prices are lower than in tourist places. The marketplace is located in Phuket Town and is open only on Sundays from 16.00 to 22.00. The rest of the time it is a busy street with fairly heavy traffic. As in any Thai market, the stalls of Lard Yai are bursting with an abundance of food.

Shopping center «Central Festival»

A large modern store in Phuket Town where a tourist can spend a fair amount of money. This is the most common shopping center, of which there are a lot in all cities of the world. In addition to goods from world manufacturers, Thai products are sold here, and fast food with national flavor can be tasted at the local food court. Numerous massage parlors offer their services on the territory of the center.

Boxing stadium in Patong

The stadium is located in the center of Patong on Bangla Road. It is considered one of the best in Phuket. Boxing matches are held here three times a week, usually about 10 fights are held per evening. Serious professionals often come to demonstrate their skills. The arena has a capacity of 350 seats. Those who wish can visit Thai boxing trainings, which are held in the evenings, on days when there are no competitions.

Phuket FantaSea

A colorful theatrical performance that tells about the history of Thailand. The show involved several dozen elephants and more than 400 people. For an hour and a half, the viewer is immersed in the exciting world of magnificent scenery, colorful costumes, acrobatic stunts, traditional dances and special effects. The show has been running since 1998, since then it has been visited by a huge number of tourists.

Siam Niramit

The second historical performance, opened in 2011 and worthy of competition with Phuket FantaSea. Tourists often face the dilemma of which show to attend? Many decide to watch both. Siam Niramit is a branch of the capital's show park in Phuket. Before the start of the performance, the audience is invited to visit an impromptu Thai village and dine in a restaurant.

Simon Cabaret

The famous show, which is attended by transsexuals and transvestites. They perform breathtaking funny tricks, dance and sing superbly, which cause indescribable delight among the audience. Actors demonstrate all their skills on the stage, and grateful spectators answer them with unceasing applause. Simon Kabaret has been working since 1991 on the territory of the beach (resort village) of Patong.

3D Museum – Phuket Trickeye Museum

Museum of 3D paintings and optical illusions, opened in 2013. Against the background of "volumetric" images, magnificent photographs are obtained, since in the picture the whole composition is added to the overall picture. The gallery has reproductions of works by famous masters - Van Gogh, E. Munch, Da Vinci. Before entering the museum, you must take off your shoes, as some parts of the 3D images are located right on the floor.

Seashell Museum

The museum exhibits a collection of the Patamakantin travel brothers. For 40 years, they have traveled to countless countries and collected many artifacts around the world. The collection contains more than 2000 exhibits, many of them are quite rare and valuable. For example, the museum houses a 140-carat pearl and a huge shell weighing 250 kilograms. Some shell fossils are several hundred million years old.

Phuket Aquarium

Oceanarium, which was opened in 1983. The aquarium presents a rich fauna and flora of the ocean and fresh water. Moray eels, catfish, huge perches, bright tropical fish, sharks, rays, seahorses and other inhabitants of the depths live here (about 160 species in total). Some of the most interesting creatures of the aquarium are catfish, boxfish, clownfish and leopard shark.

Phuket Bird Park

The park is located in the central part of the island, about 8 km. from Phuket Town, it has been operating since 2013. The territory is inhabited by more than 300 species of birds brought from all over the world (about 1000 individuals in total). The creators of the park have worked hard on landscape design. Arbors, wooden figurines, sculptures are scattered everywhere, there are even several artificial reservoirs. The main entertainment is the bird show, which takes place three times a day.

Botanical Garden

A small picturesque park located on the territory of 1 hectare. It opened recently, but already claims to be a popular attraction of the island. The space of the park is divided into zones. There is a Japanese garden, a palm grove, a prairie with cacti, a Balinese corner, a European park, a traditional house of the Thai province. In the Botanical Garden there is an artificial waterfall, where a tunnel entwined with greenery leads.

tiger kingdom

A small "branch" of a Buddhist monastery, where there is a long tradition of keeping tigers and accustoming them to interact with people. Several animals live on the territory, the tourist can choose which of them he wants to go to the cage. This depends on the cost of the visit. It is believed that these tamed tigers are not aggressive and do not attack people, so they can be stroked. But before entering, each visitor is given a paper to sign, according to which he agrees with all the consequences of visiting a dangerous predator.

monkey mountain

A hill located near Phuket Town, where a colony of monkeys lives. There are a lot of animals there, they are not at all afraid of people - they calmly walk along the road, hang on trees, eat delicacies from the hands of tourists with pleasure. Sometimes a whole flock of monkeys can follow a car or a moped, this spectacle looks very funny. At the top of the hill there is an observation deck overlooking Phuket Town.

Bang Pae Waterfall

One of the largest and most picturesque waterfalls in Phuket. Jets of water fall from a height of 15 meters, in a small lake at the foot you can swim if you wish. The place became famous due to the fact that on its territory there is a nursery for orphan monkeys. Gibbon cubs left without care for any reason are nursed here. You can't enter the nursery, but you can make a donation.

Sirinat National Park

The reserve was founded in 1981. Its territory stretches along the northwestern coast of the island. Within the national park are the wild beaches of Bangtao, Nai Thon, Nai Yang, Mai Khao, where giant turtles nest. A unique mangrove grove grows in the reserve, where various species of this tree are represented and mangrove snakes and monitor lizards live. The total area of ​​Sirinat is about 90 km².

Viewpoint Karon

The point is located between Nai Harn Beach and Kata. From the top of the hill, views of the coast and beaches of Karon, Kata Yai, Nai Harn open up, and the statue of the Big Buddha is also perfectly visible. The observation deck is popular with tourists, many people come here to admire the surroundings. There are a couple of cafes nearby where you can grab a bite to eat. There is a large gazebo on the site.

Rang Hill Lookout

Rang Hill is located within Phuket Town, overlooking Chalong and the emerald Andaman Sea. At the top of the hill, where the observation deck is located, there is a monument to P. Ratsadanupradit, one of the respected governors of Phuket province. Wild monkeys live on the slopes, sometimes begging visitors for food. Near the observation deck there is a restaurant and a small square for sports.

Observation deck "Windmill"

Less popular and well-known observation deck in Phuket. It offers views of the beaches of Nai Harn, Ya Nui and a small uninhabited island off Prom Thep. The site is equipped with a gazebo and several tents with food and drinks. There are not a lot of people here, as well-trodden tourist routes pass away from this picturesque place. But this is perhaps for the best.

Cape Prom Thep

The cape is the southernmost point of the island. From the local observation deck you can watch the stunning beauty of sunsets. Travel agencies even organize special evening tours so that people can see the magical colors of the sun setting in the waters of the Andaman Sea and painting the entire horizon in all shades of pink. In clear weather, from the observation deck you can even see the distant shores of India.

Nai Harn beach

Nai Harn is located in the southwestern part of Phuket. On both sides it is surrounded by low mountains, which are covered with palm groves. The beach is small - only 1 km. long and up to 50 meters wide. It is suitable for a relaxing family holiday with children, as the descent into the water is smooth and gentle. Thanks to the warm currents, the water temperature is kept within a comfortable range of 27-30°C throughout the year.

Karon beach

A member of the three most promoted and popular beaches of the island, which, in addition to it, also includes Kata and Patong. It stretches along the coast for several kilometers. There are many hotels and tourists here, but still, not as crowded as in Patong due to the greater length of the coastline. There are fewer people on the outskirts of Karon, so lovers of solitude are advised to go there immediately, and not look for a place in the central part.

Bang Tao beach

A large beach with golden sand and a shallow entry into the sea with a length of more than 7 km. It is located next to Patong. The southern part of the beach is more populated, there are restaurants, cafes, retail outlets and other infrastructure. The northern part is less popular due to its inaccessibility. In the central part of Bang Tao there are several natural lakes that are connected to the sea by a narrow channel.

Kata beach

The coastline of the beach stretches along the coral reef. According to some tourists, here is the cleanest water in Phuket. From May to October, winds blow here, so the place becomes popular with surfers. Many local hotels are located in close proximity to the beach and offer excellent views of the azure Andaman Sea from their windows. Kata is suitable for both family holidays and active pastime.