VISITING PHUKET FOR ONLY 10 DAYS
(update November 2023)
10 days ........ ok, I will try and cramp in the best things to do in 10 days (are you kidding me???) ..... if possible. You need at least 20 days, you are on a tropical island! You don't want to rush. You want to take your time relaxing, experiencing, and doing.
But here goes: Doing Phuket in 10 days for the first time visitor (noooooo its sooooo wrong!)
CHOOSING YOUR HOTEL LOCATION
OK, you have gone through my other posts on Phuket and you know the hows and whens. Now what to do in a short space of time. If you want to see and experience the most this fabulous island has to offer you have to stay in the heartbeat of Phuket ........ PATONG BEACH
Patong Beach is where everything happens ..... beaches. neighbouring island tours, nightlife, night markets .... in the middle of the western side of the island that boasts the most beautiful beaches.
Ok, Patong Beach is not the most beautiful, but it is worth the visit. A long beach with everything you need, swimming, watersports, recliners (at certain places).
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| PHUKET ISLAND |
DAY 1
Depending on the time of your arrival you will most probably spend in and around your hotel. Most hotels only allow you to access your room at 3pm anyway. So take the time to acclimatise, adjust to the time difference and grab a bite to eat. Maybe walk down to the beach and just chillax with a cocktail and a bite to eat.
DAY 2
First on the list is to hire a scooter (see my other blogs on this). Having your own scooter means you are in charge of your own time. You can depart and move whenever you want to. Let us introduce Phuket by going south on the island - driving to Karon Beach. kEEP DAY 1 SIMPLE. Relax on this beach and do paragliding. The drive is about 8 km and should take you about 14 minutes. Have a good breakfast at or around your hotel first.
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| Karon Beach with its pure white soft sand |
In the late afternoon get ready to explore the nightlife. Go grab a bite to eat at the Malin Plaza or anywhere at the millions of eateries available. Then hit BANGLA ROAD. The busiest nighttime street in Phuket. (See my other blogs). If you are adventurous go to Paradise Complex and spend a fun time with the LGTBQ+ community and their flamboyant ladyboy shows. Not that this is the only place you will see them. Just a different vibe in the streets of Paradise Complex. Soi Paradise only awakes at around 9pm. So you have ample time to get a bite to eat.
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| BANGLA ROAD |
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| PARADISE COMPLEX |
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| SOI PARADISE |
DAY 3
Keep today open for shopping. Go to Jungceylon Mall. Visit the hundreds of side stalls and the OTOP market. Take it slowly. You can also venture to Phuket City and do the Festival City Mall. Beautiful Mall. Take a songtaew from Beach Road in Phuket that drops you right in front of Festival City. When back in Patong find a reputable vendor that sells island tours. They are all over the show. Don't book at your hotel because they are ALWAYS more expensive for the same tour.
If you never did Phuket and its surroundings it is wise to visit James Bond Island and the Floating City which includes a canoe ride through the hongs (caves). See my other blogs on this. Pick up and drop off is at your hotel lobby and in my 1o years of going to Phuket I never once had a bad experience with any tour. You can go as expensive or as cheap as you want to. Your choice.
DAY 4
Spend the day on the island hopping tour that you bought the previous day. In the evening if you still have energy, hit the roads.
DAY 5
Hop on your scooter and go to Kata and Kata Noi Beaches. Pristine white sand and crystal clear water. Just relax and remember your sun tan lotion!. See my other blogs for more info. Between the two I prefer Kata Noi, the smaller of the two.
DAY 6
Book a day tour to see all the sights that Phuket offer. I love to do it myself by scooter but there are day tours where you are taken around in aircon minivans. As I said, a scooter gives me the freedom to choose myself and just let the road take me to unknown destinations to explore in my own time. A must-see for first-time visitors is The Big Buddha, Promthep Cape, the most southern point of the island with the most spectacular sunsets, the Elephant Sanctuary, Wat Chalong Temple and other temples scattered across the island,
DAY 7
Ok, you need to visit yet another beach (this is a tropical island, remember!) This time walk down to the southern part of Patong Beach where you find all the longtail boats. Negotiate a good price (negotiate and don't let them take you for a fool - join with others) and go for the day to Freedom Beach. This is the most beautiful beach on the island and you can only get there by boat. Ok, you can take the ten thousand steps down from the top of the hill and then climb it back again in the afternoon. I did - I almost died in the humidity. It is extremely hard on your legs and lungs. But if you are adventurous, drive your scooter there to the top of the hill, and decent by foot. Google Maps are excellent for navigation in Phuket.
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| The way to Freedom Beach by scooter and walking down |
DAY 8
Up for another off-the-island tour? Then book the previous day (or on day one already) a tour to Phi Phi Island and Maya Bay.
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| Magical Maya Bay |
DAY 9
Beach day again. Hey, there are over 20 beaches around the island and each one has its own charm. Hop on your scooter (or take the new beach to beach Bus) and go north again to Laem Singh Beach.
First, stop at Surin Beach and spend some time there. From there take a longtail boat to Laem Singh Beach. You will not be disappointed.
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| Surin Beach |
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| Laem Singh Beach |
DAY 10
Your last day. Spend it last minute shopping and going down to Patong Beach for a final relaxation in the warm tropical water. Go for a manicure, pedicure and facial in Jungceylon Centre (I can truly recommend this!!) Really, 10 days only, Really! NOOOOOOO!
Say goodbye to bliss and wipe a tear. This is my home away from home for me. Support the locals as tourism on this island is dependent on you. Please do not litter. We have only one earth! Make memories, don't make trouble.
Now next time make it at least 18 days!
Island love - Jacques
NEW ENTRY
Have I now discovered a hidden gem, especially for us that need to get away from the hustle and bustle for a day or two. There is this small little island off the coast of Phuket called Koh Lon. It only has one hotel on it NOTHING more. No shops nothing, just your accommodation. WOW, what a way to unwind. It is only 15 minutes to go there on a longtail boat.
The hotel is called Cruiser Island By Swiss-Belhotel. You can easily book on Booking.com and the prices are excellent. No cars or scooters or roads on this island, just pure bliss nature sounds. BLISS. Try it if only for two days. Experience truly hospitality.
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