Being the biggest island in Thailand and one of many nation’s hottest vacationer locations, boredom is one thing you’ll by no means expertise in Phuket.
Whereas there are infinite sights and issues to do in Phuket and you may simply have tons of enjoyable on stunning seashores like Patong, Rawai, or Bang Tao, lots of Phuket’s hidden gems are farther afield.
Phuket has 32 smaller islands within the Andaman sea surrounding it, this makes island hopping from Phuket tremendous straightforward and the inexpensive tour packages make splendid half-day or day journeys from Phuket. Plus, the encompassing provinces of Phang Nga and Krabi supply much more great and distinctive Phuket day journeys.
Probably the most handy technique to e book the preferred Phuket day excursions and journeys is on Viator or Get Your Information. These trusted platforms supply the possibility to learn actual opinions and e book your day journeys earlier than you get to Thailand. Most excursions additionally embody lodge pick-up for a stress-free expertise.
If you happen to haven’t booked your lodge but try my insider’s information on the place to remain in Phuket and, if you happen to’d favor to go to the islands independently, you possibly can e book your ferry tickets on-line at 12Go Asia.
As I’ve lived in Phuket for 3+ years, I’ve been fortunate sufficient to check out most of those island hopping excursions and day journeys from Phuket so right here is my choose of the ten finest together with well-known sights, widespread islands and lesser-known native treasures that you simply shouldn’t miss once you go to Phuket.
So whether or not you’re after culutral gems or one of the best diving and snorkeling spots, a nature lover searching for some tranquility, or a seashore bum searching for the last word Phuket island hopping expertise, learn on to find one of the best Phuket day journeys.
High 10 Island Hopping Excursions and Day Journeys from Phuket
1. Previous Phuket City & Huge Buddha
Earlier than you begin exploring the close by islands and taking day journeys from Phuket, I like to recommend doing a Phuket metropolis tour to discover the island’s tradition.
Phuket City is the island’s cultural hub. If potential, go on a Sunday to expertise the bustling Sunday strolling market within the Previous City. Nonetheless, no matter day you go to, you’ll discover a vibrant environment.
The easiest way to discover Phuket City is on foot – strolling round admiring the Nineteenth-century colourful homes and trying out the distinctive boutique retailers and cafes.
Then, take a taxi to Wat Chalong, one of the stunning Buddhist temples in Phuket after which head to the well-known Huge Buddha temple. This iconic sculpture is constructed excessive up on a mountain and is a powerful 148 toes tall and 83.5 toes broad. Together with its peaceable mountain environment, you’ll discover epic views over Phuket Island!
Getting there:
Phuket City and Chalong are within the southeast of Phuket Island. If you happen to’re staying within the vacationer seashore cities on the west coast, like Patong Seaside, it is going to be a 30-40 minute drive to the Previous City. The very best time to go to the Huge Buddha is at sundown.
Whereas it’s tremendous straightforward to discover this space by yourself through taxis, there may be additionally an excellent half-day group Phuket Metropolis Tour that may choose you up out of your lodge. It is a nice tour for anybody excited about historical past, tradition and spirituality because it visits all three of Phuket’s cultural highlights – Phuket Previous City, Wat Chalong and the Huge Buddha.
2. Phi Phi Islands
The Phi Phi Islands are undoubtedly the preferred day journey vacation spot from Phuket. Six islands make up the Phi Phi Islands, making it a super island-hopping Phuket day journey!
The most important and busiest island is Phi Phi Don – the archipelago’s solely inhabited island. It is stuffed with resorts and delightful seashores, equivalent to Monkey Seaside.
Koh Phi Phi Leh is among the uninhabited islands and residential to Maya Bay, made well-known after getting used because the filming vacation spot for the 2000 movie “The Seaside.” Bamboo Island is one other widespread spot on Phi Phi island hopping excursions.
Getting there:
The Phi Phi Islands are situated off the east coast of Phuket, within the province of Krabi. Being a well-liked day journey from Phuket, you’ll don’t have any bother discovering group excursions to the Phi Phi islands.
For instance, this Phi Phi tour consists of stops at Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Ko Phi Phi Don, Viking Cave and Bamboo Island. It’s one of many best possible day journeys from Phuket and they’ll additionally choose you up and drop you again from any lodge in Phuket.
Nonetheless, if you happen to’ve obtained extra time you even have the choice to remain in a single day at one of many motels on Phi Phi Don and go to Krabi the following day, the place you possibly can take a protracted tail boat to the unimaginable limestone cliffs of Railay Seaside.
3. James Bond Island
James Bond Island is one other of the preferred excursions from Phuket because of being the filming location of the 1974 James Bond film “The Man with the Golden Gun.”
James Bond is simply one of many 100 stunning islands in Phang Nga Bay, northeast of Phuket. This space is stuffed with fascinating limestone formations and sea caves, in addition to many improbable swimming and snorkeling spots.
Getting there:
Boat excursions are finest for exploring Phang Nga Bay, and there are a lot of choices. I took this Luxurious Sundown Cruise, which included a good lunch and dinner onboard whereas cruising round Phang Nga Bay. Together with James Bond Island, this distinctive tour included sea canoeing by the limestone caves of Hong Island.
4. Racha Islands
The Racha Islands encompass Racha Noi and Racha Yai, situated within the southern a part of Phuket, just under Coral Island. Racha Island is among the many finest scuba diving and snorkeling spots within the Andaman Sea, so you’ll discover many diving journeys going right here.
The islands are a real paradise – white sand, crystal-clear waters, and no automobiles. Plus, it takes simply 45 minutes to get there, making it among the best day journeys from Phuket for all water and seashore lovers.
Getting there:
To discover the Racha Islands, you possibly can be part of a gaggle scuba diving or snorkeling tour, or you possibly can simply organize a protracted tail boat or speedboat switch from Rawai or Chalong pier.
One other widespread selection is the beach-club type Hype Luxurious Catamaran. On this journey, you’ve loads of time to sunbathe on numerous Racha Island seashores and go to Banana Seaside on the close by Coral Island. On the best way again, you’ll take pleasure in a “floating celebration” with tapas, drinks, and an on-board reside DJ.
5. Naka Island
Naka is one other of the shortest day journeys in Phuket. Naka Island is one among Phuket’s hidden gems and is right for anybody who seeks a soothing day of sunbathing and swimming relatively than journey.
Naka can also be house to the luxurious lodge “Naka Island Resort.” Whereas it’s costly to remain right here, day trippers can get a day cross to make use of the resort’s services, together with the pool, use of snorkeling gear, and water sports activities gear like kayaks.
Getting there:
Naka Island is only a 10-minute boat journey from Ao Por Grand Marina within the North East of Phuket. As it’s such a brief distance and there may be not a lot to do on the island, contemplate together with Naka in a self-guided island hopping journey with Koh Yao Yai & Koh Yao Noi (see beneath).
6. Koh Yao Yai & Koh Yao Noi
Koh Yao Yai & Koh Yao Noi are two islands barely east of Naka. Koh Yao Yai is the largest, house to beautiful resorts, stunning seashores, and mesmerizing nature.
One resort I like to recommend trying out is Santhiya, an unlimited hillside resort constructed from pure teakwood. Santhiya provides a day cross to make use of the resort’s two swimming pools (together with an infinity hilltop one).
Koh Yao Noi is a a lot smaller island, which is simply as stunning, however the seashores supply totally different views from Koh Yao Yai. It is because the north of Koh Yao Noi faces the beautiful limestone cliffs and caves of Phang Nga Bay. In the meantime, the island’s south is stuffed with lush nature, together with rice fields and coconut groves.
Getting there:
You possibly can entry these two islands through a 20 to 30-minute ferry from the Royal Phuket marina in northeast Phuket. You possibly can e book your ferry simply on-line at 12Go Asia. There’s additionally a ferry between each islands that takes simply 10 minutes, making for easy island hopping in Phuket.
7. Similan Islands
The Similan Islands are one of the well-known diving spots on the planet. Thus, these pristine islands make for one of the widespread Phuket day journeys. Right here, you possibly can spot turtles, leopard sharks, Shovelnose rays, and lots of extra uncommon species.
Nonetheless, whereas the turquoise waters and marine life are the highest sights right here, the surroundings is spectacular, too, with many distinctive rock formations. For instance, the Sail Rock hike is among the hottest on-land actions right here.
Getting there:
The Similan archipelago consists of 11 islands, 70 km off the coast of Phang Nga. Nonetheless, it is among the longer day excursions from Phuket, so put together for a 10-12 hour day! There are additionally multi-day journey choices, the place you sleep at a campsite or in a cabin on one of many islands.
Take a look at the totally different choices for Similan island journeys on Get Your Information to seek out one of the best one for you. Observe that the Similan Islands are closed throughout the monsoon season (June to September).
8. Surin Islands
Whereas staying in Khao Lak I wished to go to the Similan islands. Nevertheless it was a busy interval and the journeys have been all absolutely booked – so be sure to e book prematurely if you happen to’re visiting Phuket within the peak season! Anyway, as an alternative, I made a decision to go to the lesser-known Surin Islands.
What’s distinctive about these islands is that they’re house to an indigenous tribe often known as The Moken. The Moken have been beforehand sea nomads/gypsies however settled within the Surin Islands within the Nineteen Nineties.
Residing in such an remoted area (a 4-hour boat journey to the mainland), the Moken reside a semi-nomadic hunter-gatherer way of life. They sleep in very fundamental, humble picket huts on the seashore, and you may go to their village to see how they reside.
Except for the Moken, you’ll discover some pretty seashores and snorkeling spots within the Surin Islands, together with Mai Ngam Seaside.
Getting there:
The Surin Islands are situated far off the west coast of Phang Nga. The one technique to go to the Surin Islands from Phuket is through a tour. I did a snorkeling journey much like this one, which included snorkeling, seashore time, and a go to to the village.
Whereas the Surin Islands are completely value visiting, it’s a VERY lengthy boat journey (from Phuket or Khao Lak). Subsequently, you spend a lot of the day on a small pace boat, which is probably not best for some.
9. Khao Sok Nationwide Park
Khao Sok is an unimaginable nationwide park within the northern a part of Phang Nga, the province immediately above Phuket. Khao Sok Nationwide Park is house to the oldest evergreen rainforest on the planet – 160 million years outdated. Subsequently, you possibly can anticipate finding infinite lush jungles and various wildlife, together with 48 mammal species and 311 species of birds!
One other iconic a part of Khao Sok is Cheow Lan Lake. Majestic limestone mountains and cliffs encompass this serene lake, and there are a lot of floating raft homes and bungalows – a part of the resorts you possibly can keep at.
Getting there:
You possibly can go to Khao Sok on a day journey from Phuket. Nonetheless, it’s a lengthy drive from Phuket Island (about 3.5 hours a method), so observe that you’ll have to go away within the early morning and spend a lot of the day in a minivan.
Contemplating this, I extremely suggest taking a 2 day 1 night time Khao Sok tour the place you’ll keep the night time in one of many floating raft homes in Khao Sok Nationwide Park – which is a complete expertise in itself. That manner, you’ll get to expertise the tranquility of the lake after darkish and witness a wide ranging dawn (if you happen to’re up early sufficient).
You may also journey independently by bus and organize your personal lodging, you then’ll even have the possibility to discover the close by Khao Lak, which, as you’re about to find, is one among my favourite elements of Thailand!
10. Khao Lak
If you wish to escape the crowds of Phuket and Patong seashore throughout excessive season, Khao Lak is undoubtedly the place to go. Khao Lak is situated on the west coast of Phang Nga and is extremely quiet and largely untouched in comparison with Phuket.
The lengthy stretch of coast provides quite a few serene seashores, together with Pakarang and Pak Weep Seaside. Each of those seashores have quiet elements in addition to mini “seashore villages” with a couple of native eating places and “on-the-beach” therapeutic massage retailers. There are additionally a number of waterfalls close by and a spot the place you possibly can go bamboo rafting alongside the river!
Getting there:
Relying on the place you’re staying in Phuket, Khao Lak is a 1.5 to 2.5 drive, making it one of the accessible day excursions from Phuket. You possibly can lease a automobile and drive your self, take the general public bus (from Phuket bus terminal 2, simply north of Phuket city), or e book a personal switch.
Ultimate Ideas
The huge quantity of islands surrounding Phuket are one cause why I am keen on this a part of Thailand a lot so be sure to get out and discover!
Whether or not you’re right here for one week or one month, you should definitely try all of the sights and issues to do on Phuket island itself in addition to leaving sufficient time to do a couple of of those Phuket day journeys and island hopping excursions to discover this Thai paradise absolutely.
And if you happen to’re searching for extra concepts in your journey to Phuket, try my different Phuket blogs and this 7 Day Phuket itinerary which incorporates all of the highlights and likewise Koh Phi Phi and Krabi for the last word Thailand seashore expertise.
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