Phuket is currently one of the most popular winter destinations among tourists. And it's not for nothing that Thailand is so popular, in the midst of the cold gray months, when there are subzero temperatures or rains at home, Phuket opens its arms with the rays of the sun, warm sea, wide sandy beaches, an abundance of greenery, as well as ripe juicy fruits, fresh seafood and a large selection of accommodation facilities with hospitable smiling hosts.
Tourists are increasingly choosing not package tours as a vacation on the island of Phuket (and indeed in Thailand), but prefer to travel independently. If you are one of these and are considering an independent vacation in Phuket, then you need to know a few things. In general, there is nothing difficult about an independent vacation in Phuket. Russian Russian is quite a safe island for tourists, you will be easily understood in broken English, and in many places in Russian, menus in cafes and restaurants with pictures, many are also duplicated in Russian.
Getting to Phuket
First of all, you need to get to Phuket. The fastest and most comfortable way to do this is by air. Direct planes fly from Russia, as well as with transfers in Bangkok or third countries (Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Guangzhou and other cities).
When buying air tickets, we advise you to pay attention not only to the price, but also to the time of docking, there are tickets for which you will need to spend 17, or even twenty hours or longer at the airport of a third country, which is not very convenient. You also need to pay attention to the time of departure and arrival, the main thing is that the time suits you, ideally, if you arrive in Phuket in the morning, it will be very convenient when checking into a hotel or apartment.
You can fly to Bangkok, if you want to spend a few days in Bangkok, get acquainted with the capital of Thailand, and then get directly to Phuket. There is an option to take a bus or also buy a plane ticket on the Bangkok - Phuket route.
The choice of air tickets is now provided by many sites through which it is easy to find and pay for tickets. We often use the Aviasales service. By the way, it was on the ticket that they searched and bought tickets on this site. Evening departure from Moscow via Bangkok (transfer an hour and a half). At 11 am we were at Phuket airport. From the airport, we got to "our beach" in an hour and just by the time we checked into the hotel, we were standing at the reception. And at 16:00 on the same day we swam in the sea and ate fruit. Round-trip flights for two from Moscow to Phuket via Bangkok cost 49 thousand rubles. It was possible to buy tickets at a better price, but, again, the arrival time to Phuket or the duration of the connections, as well as the arrival time from Phuket, did not suit us. The arrival time from Phuket can be very relevant for those who do not live in Moscow (well, or St. Petersburg, etc., depending on which city you arrive in), because such as we need to go further, Moscow is not the final destination.
It is better to buy tickets in advance, ideally 8-6 months before the trip. So the cost of air tickets will be lower, and the choice of airlines is much greater.
A big plus in an independent vacation in Thailand (in particular in Phuket) is also that there is a huge selection of various air tickets, ranging from direct and more expensive flights, ending with various connections at reasonable prices.
Accommodation in Phuket
Phuket is, after all, basically a beach holiday. That is why before you book a hotel, you need to determine which beach you want to relax on. In terms of beach holidays, Phuket provides a huge selection of all kinds of beaches. There are beaches that are more touristically developed, where, in addition to the sea and the beach, there will be a rich evening life, an abundance of cafes, restaurants and bars (these are beaches such as Patong, Karon or Kata), and there are quieter and less touristic places where there will be an opportunity to enjoy a quieter and more secluded vacation (Nai Harn, Kata Noi). There are beaches with an abundance of all kinds of housing and those where there are not so many hotels. There are very small beaches-coves (Yanui, Kata Noi), and there are long ones (Bang Tao, Karon). When choosing a beach, everything is very individual and it is better to make a choice based only on personal preferences, and not on anyone's recommendations.
Having decided on the beach, it is necessary to proceed to the choice of accommodation, it can be a hotel, an apartment, a holiday home, a villa, etc. There are hotels on the first line, they are usually more expensive, and there are located a little further from the beach, where you can stay for quite reasonable money. Whether you want to walk to the beach or go out and here's the sea for you - it's up to you, based on personal preferences and budget.
Even if you decide to look for accommodation on the spot, for the first couple of days, we still recommend booking accommodation in advance. So, upon arrival, there will be somewhere to throw things, where to rest from the road, take a shower, as well as time to look around and orient yourself on the terrain.
All accommodation facilities in Phuket can be viewed and booked here.
Insurance
Insurance is not a prerequisite for a holiday in Phuket (and in general in Thailand). But for the sake of your own safety and peace of mind, we still recommend having travel insurance, especially if you are traveling with children. After all, do not let what ... happens ... treatment without insurance can result in an amount exceeding the rest itself.
Insurance is convenient to purchase online. On the website, you can compare prices and insurance conditions of several companies, as well as, if necessary, select additional options.
From Phuket Airport to hotel
Phuket Airport is small, has two terminals - local and international. A free shuttle runs between the terminals.
A visa for up to 30 days to Thailand is not needed. At the border, when passing control, you will be stamped in your passport. To do this, you need to fill out a tourist's migration card, which has two parts - arrival and departure. You can fill out the card on the plane or at the airport before passing through passport control. The cards are free. Part of the card will be taken away from you at the control, and the second will be returned, it will need to be handed over on the way back, on departure.
The local currency is Thai Baht (THB). All calculations are made in baht.
You can exchange currency at Phuket airport, but when we visited, the exchange rate at the airport was less favorable than in the exchangers near the beaches. No commission is charged for the exchange.
At the airport, you can exchange a small amount, which will only be needed to get to the hotel, and already exchange larger amounts on the spot.
Dollars, euros, etc. are accepted for exchange. Which currency to bring with you is up to you personally, ideally based on the exchange rates, which, as we all know, can change several times a day.
From personal experience, dollars are more profitable. When exchanging dollars on the beaches, the most favorable exchange rate for banknotes in denominations of 50 and 100 dollars.
The photo below is for reference only. You should not focus on courses, as they change frequently.
You can get from the airport to the most popular beaches - Patong, Kata and Karon by bus /minibus. The fare to Patong is 180 baht, to Karon and Kata - 200 baht. A minibus will take you directly to the hotel. It is better to buy a minibus ticket at the airport building at the counters. Ticket sales are also carried out on the street, but there are usually queues there. The price is the same.
After buying a ticket at the airport building, turn left, exit the building and there are minibuses in front of us, sit down and go to the hotel.
Some of the island's beaches can be reached by public buses with transfers. A bus from the airport will take you to the capital of the island - Phuket Town. And then there are buses to the beaches (songteo):
- Phuket Town - Patong Beach. The fare is 30 baht.
- Phuket Town - Karon Beach - Kata Beach. The fare is 40 baht. From Kata Beach, you can walk to Kata Noi Beach, a distance of approximately 1 km.
- Phuket Town - Rawai Beach - Nai Harn Beach. The fare is 30 - 40 baht. By this bus you can get to Nai Harn Beach, and there on foot not far from Ao Sein Beach. From Rawai Beach, about 1.5 kilometers to Yanui Beach.
- Phuket Town - Bang Tao Beach - Surin Beach - Kamala Beach. The fare is 40 baht.
Buses from Phuket Town start from Ranong Street, run until 16:30 - 18:00 pm.
Buses going to the beaches are blue. Such small buses without windows and doors with benches in the cabin. As such, buses have no stops, except for the final ones. To get on the bus, you need to stand by the road on the way of the trace of the bus, seeing your route, wave your hand and the driver will pick you up. To get off the bus, you need to press the bell button in the bus cabin, most often it is located on the ceiling.
You can also rent a motorbike or car.
Well, or, what is the fastest and easiest, to get from the airport to the hotel, you can order an individual transfer/ taxi, even from home. At any time of the day, at the airport, a driver will be waiting for you with a sign where your first and last name will be written. To order a taxi, it is enough to provide your flight data.
How to get around Phuket
The most developed tourist transport in Phuket is a bike. You can rent a bike in many places: near beaches, at the airport, the capital of the island, etc. The rental price is daily, on average 250-300 baht / day. Basically, they ask for an original passport or 3,000 baht as a deposit.
If this type of transport does not suit you, then you can rent a car, travel by taxi / tuk-tuks or on your own - on foot and by public transport.
Tuk-tuks are bright little open cars that can be seen in abundance in tourist places. In Phuket, the cost of a trip in tuk-tuks is quite high, prices are broken, they are reluctant to bargain.
In the photo you can see the fare in tuk-tuks from Kata beach
Although they say that it is difficult to move around Phuket on your own without a taxi or a rented bike, but we tried, there is nothing complicated in such movements, everything is quite acceptable and safe. Details in the article "By public transport and on foot in Phuket".
Sights and excursions of Phuket
And what sights to visit on the island, or to go with one of the excursions outside of it, choose for yourself, based on your preferences. On the streets near the beaches, tourist offices offer numerous excursions, both around the island and beyond. For example, various sightseeing tours of the island, with visits to the main attractions and interesting places, elephant rides, excursions to the Phi Phi Islands, Similan Islands, James Bond Islands, visiting Krabi or Khao Lak National Park.
When choosing an excursion, bargain, the price is discounted willingly and sometimes more than half.
In tourist offices, you can also purchase a transfer + ferry to nearby islands or to the province of Krabi and spend a day there in an arc.
Excursions can also be watched and booked at a convenient time in advance:
Food in Phuket
That's what, and with food in Phuket, as in all of Thailand, there will be no problems. Food in Thailand is a cult. There are cafes, restaurants, street food, fruits, makashnitsy on every corner. There are shops and markets.
If you are a fan of Thai dishes, then you are doubly lucky, in addition to a decent selection, the prices for local dishes are quite acceptable. Rice from 60 baht, noodles from 90.
In restaurants and cafes of European and Russian cuisines, the cost starts from 300 rubles per serving, for example, a plate of borscht costs 400 rubles or so, depending on the restaurant. A small pizza for one or fresh fish - from 200-250 baht.
Here, perhaps, are all the simple wisdom that you need to know when preparing for an independent trip to Phuket. As you can see, there is nothing difficult in independent rest, it is only necessary to devote a little time to preparation and your rest will be five plus.
