r/phuket • u/Lashay_Sombra • Sep 24 '26
Lately we've seen a steady rise in "Coming to Phuket, anyone want to hang out?" type posts. Most get no replies and we often see several people arriving at the same time posting separately without ever finding each other. To fix this, going to try something new.
How it works:
Below you'll find a mod comment for each of the next 3 to 4 months. If you want to meet people, reply under the comment for the month you arrive in Phuket.
Required comment format
Start your comment with the following:
Comments missing any of this information will be removed.
Reply to other people you are interested in hanging with, either within the thread or via DM's
Other Rules
This is not a swinger hookup thread. If that's what you're after, try r/ThaiSwinger or similar subs. Comments suspected of this will be removed, and obvious cases will result in a permanent ban.
Hopefully this gives everyone an easy starting point for finding fellow travelers.
Enjoy your trip!
r/phuket • u/Lashay_Sombra • Jul 18 '26
A breakdown of the transport options in Phuket
Not much to explain here. Just watch out for sunburn and dehydration and if crossing roads, look both ways, even on a one way street.
One thing worth flagging for anyone with a mobility impairment: Thailand in general, and Phuket is no exception, is not set up well for people with mobility disability’s. If you rely on a wheelchair or similar, be prepared for pavements that are either missing, badly damaged, or blocked by vendor stalls, tables, and chairs, that is the default, not good, clear and well maintained sidewalks.
Skip it and live a bit longer. Drivers here simply don't watch for cyclists and don't really know how to behave around them even if do see them. Long-distance cyclists who set out to ride around the world often find that Thailand is where their trip forcibly ends, for many its also where their life ends.
Similar considerations to motorbikes, see below.
Start with this fact: Thailand has one of the highest road death rates on the planet, and motorbikes are a major reason why. If you've never ridden before, this is not the place to start learning.
Equipment:
Licensing Requirements (cars are same just without bike licence endorsements)
To ride legally, you need one of the following:
Plus:
Without these documents, expect regular fines, particularly along the west coast, where police actively target tourists driving illegally as a source of revenue and set up checkpoints accordingly.
If you're staying long term, note that an IDP is only valid for 90 days of driving here. Police never check this, but insurers may use it as grounds to deny a claim after an accident.
In regards to IDP, you can only get them from the agent (and its nearly always singular, as in one agent) that your licencing country designated, that will your government itself or a group like your local AA. You will see online and on Phuket people selling IDP’s for every country, these are fake documents
If they are selling International Drivers Licence’s (IDL) that’s not even a fake as there just is no such recognised official document anywhere
Insurance
There's no strict legal requirement for driver/travel insurance (and the 3rd party insurance that comes for the bike itself is usually minimal), but skipping it is a very bad idea. Judging by how many GoFundMe campaigns exist for hospital bills, plenty of people learn this the hard way.
Read the fine print on any travel insurance policy. Some exclude motorbikes entirely, and most won't pay out if the injury happened while you were breaking the law, including riding without the correct licence.
For minor costs, a few hundred dollars or even a few thousand, insurers won't scrutinize much. But for serious injuries (spinal injury, head trauma, major surgery), medical bills in Thailand can reach the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. The bigger the bill, the harder the insurer will look for a reason to deny it, and an invalid licence is an easy out for them. If that happens, you'll be starting your own GoFundMe, just don't expect much in donations from the locals or expat community, we've seen this story too many times already
Renting (Car and Motorbike)
For the most part rental shops don't care if you will be legally driving or not. If they have any brains their vehicle is insured regardless of who is driving, anything beyond that is your problem not theirs.
Some, especially with bikes, will want to hold on to your passport. Do not do this, copys of passport or cash deposit only for bikes, car rental is normally more profession and take CC details/hold.
Take Photos of every inch of the vehicle before you get in/on it, be obvious about it too, Scams are common, cover yourself
https://www.phuket101.net/phuket-blue-bus/
Cheap (< ฿50), but that's really the only selling point. Hot, slow, uncomfortable, and the routes and stops aren't intuitive. Best suited to travellers on a really tight budget and time to spare.
Three routes currently run:
Kids under 6 ride free on any route when accompanied by a paying adult.
Runs mainly from airport stands. You'll be sharing the van with up to 10 other passengers heading in a similar direction/area. It's cheap, but the trade-off is time: the driver waits to fill the van, then makes multiple stops along the route. Good deal if you're dropped off early, painfully slow if you're one of the last stops.
Let's not sugarcoat it, these are aimed squarely at tourists, and locals avoid them for good reason. The legal minimum fare, even for a one-metre trip within the same town, is ฿200. For context, the minimum daily wage is ฿400.
And that's the floor. Fares jump 50% outside 5-star hotels, and 50-100% higher from Bangla Road at night. Handing over a ฿500 note for a ฿300 fare? Don't count on getting change.
Nearly every tourist tries one at least once. Most clever ones never do again, aside from stumbling into one after a night on Bangla Road, since many rideshare apps won't pick up passengers there for fear of conflict with the tuk tuk drivers.
If you do use one, agree on both the destination and the price before you get in.
Fixed Price Taxi
Found at airport stands, with set fares to all major towns. Buy your ticket at a booth near the exits, then a driver walks you to the car. Prices are fixed, so there's no point negotiating. Don't mix these up with the pricier "limo" booths nearby.
Metered Taxi
Also mainly found at the airport, with a dedicated rank outside each terminal. Get in, the meter runs, you pay what it shows at the end. If you see one wandering elsewhere they generally will not stop if try to flag them down.
Ride-share/Taxi Apps
There are about 10 ride-share apps operating legally in Phuket, but only three are worth knowing:
Watch out for "blackspot" areas where app drivers won't pick up because the taxi/tuk tuk cartel controls the territory, places like the airport (except Grab), Bangla Road (already mentioned), the port, and some beach clubs or upscale hotels. The workaround is simple: walk about 50 metres away and try again.
Transport options from the Airport, how they work
How to get Bolt/InDrive pick ups at airport:
Domestic Terminal: Walk across the car park and out the main gate to reach the road. Wait until you're actually there before booking, otherwise the app's GPS will still show you as being inside the airport, causing confusion with the driver.
International Terminal: Follow signage to the main exit gate. It can be a bit of a maze, but the goal is simply to get off airport grounds and onto the main road.
Comparing Prices (Airport to Patong as example)
The wide range for app-based fares comes down to dynamic pricing. Prices usually sit toward the lower end, but spike during high-demand periods like New Year's Eve, Songkran or if major music event on.
My own habit: I use Bolt normally, but fall back on the fixed-price taxi stands when surge pricing kicks in and apps get close to, equal to or higher than the Taxi stands, since stand fares don't move (barring the odd attempt to overcharge).
Thinking about a hotel pickup? Google "Phuket airport taxi prices" and check the image results for the taxi stand bilboard prices to see the official taxi stand rates. They are all set by town, regardless of where in the town exactly you are going. That'll tell you quickly whether your hotel's quote is fair.
Rideshare Pricing Away From the Airport
For short hops within the same town (1-3km), pricing across apps is fairly similar, usually ฿150-฿200/$4-$6
Longer distances show more variation. Right now (just looked at the apps), a 10km trip from Bangla Road to Phuket Old Town costs ฿311/$9.11 on Grab versus ฿249/$7.40 on Bolt (these are low season prices; expect roughly 20-30% higher in high season).
A tuk tuk covering the same distance would run ฿600-฿1000/$18-$30.
Bikes on the apps.
Great way to get around fast on the cheap (circa ฿50/$1.50 in same town), but please do be aware, drivers never have helmets for you. And if paying by card watch out for them overcharging, its common especially if not thai. If that happens just contest it in the app and app provider normally returns the extra few days later
Bottom line: install at least two ride share apps and compare prices and pick up wait before booking each trip. Also remember, on all apps, scroll down the price list, cheapest or even fastest pickup are generally not at the top. Also don't accidentally pick a bike if you want a car and same in reverse
r/phuket • u/khaldrug0 • 6h ago
I booked flights for a holiday there, but not sure if I should still go
I've been seeing a lot of flooding videos in Phuket, not sure it's still worth going. Does anyone know are the floods likely to clear up by then?
r/phuket • u/PhysicalStop579 • 11h ago
Hey I’ll be in Kamala and Phuket around November / December, let me know what to do here - where I can get some 🍃and the best spa’s out there..
r/phuket • u/Due-Permit7455 • 16h ago
Hey everyone! I'm 27F from India, planning my first international trip to Thailand this November for 8 days.
Thinking of covering Phuket, Krabi and Phi Phi, but a bit confused about how to split the days and what all to include.
Would love some suggestions on must-visit places, fun activities, hidden gems or even things I should skip.
If you've been there recently, please share your experience or itinerary. Would really help. Thanks! :)
r/phuket • u/Confident-Policy-858 • 14h ago
Hi! Any Recos (best DiY possible) we are 4 with secured ticket early next year wanted to visit Krabi first before exploring Phuket. We check by Bolt it would be a fair share than going to speedboat or just so we know?!?
r/phuket • u/Big-Macaron-9211 • 20h ago
Hi! I’m coming to phuket on 13th Dec(morning) from Bkk, and attending EDC on 18/19/20.
How many days are good to do phuket, PhiPhi, are karabi and area near by? Should i come on 12th or 11th December instead?
Thank you!
r/phuket • u/R4t_B0t • 15h ago
My girlfriend and I will be in Thailand for our anniversary and I am proposing to her during our time in Koh Yao Noi.
I would love recommendations for good food/romantic vibes for dinner on the special day I have done some research but would love recs from people who have been
r/phuket • u/Arunima_Jana • 15h ago
Solo female traveller looking for wild sunsets, beach parties, spontaneous adventures & interesting strangers who might become great stories. 😉
Where’s the fun hiding in Phuket?
r/phuket • u/drpepperusa • 16h ago
Folks, what are your “must do” or “must see” lists for Phuket? I have a short list but I’d love to hear from folks who have been before.
r/phuket • u/Chance_Ad_3699 • 20h ago
We are travelling to Phuket from 28oct - 7nov and had initially planned to get a car from our travels as we are travelling with our 5 year old son . We travel to patong - khao lak - Mai khao . Now seeing all the rain and flooding we are contemplating our decision of travelling by car . Can anyone who’s currently there shed some light on this .
r/phuket • u/Vegetable-Draw260 • 22h ago
Hey everyone! I'll be traveling solo to Bangkok and Phuket from November 21st to 29th and I'm looking for some solid hostel recommendations. I'm hoping to find places with a great social/party vibe where it's easy to meet other backpackers.
Also, if anyone else is going to be around either city during these dates and wants to link up, grab some drinks, and party, hit me up or drop a comment. Cheers!
r/phuket • u/Big-Macaron-9211 • 1d ago
Hey everyone! I’ll be in Thailand from Dec 9 to Jan 12, travelling solo from Canada (M29 🇨🇦).
I’ll be attending EDC Thailand on Dec 18–20 and am thinking of spending an additional 5 days in Phuket to explore places like the Phi Phi Islands and other nearby areas.
Is 5 extra days enough to explore Phuket properly, or would you recommend spending more time there? Which areas would you recommend staying in for beaches, nightlife, exploring, and meeting other travellers?
Also, would love recommendations for good hostels or budget-friendly hotels!
Thanks in advance! 🙌🇹🇭
r/phuket • u/jarvisnothere • 1d ago
Hey all,
Looking to travel to phuket as an added destination for the my honeymoon this December and am looking for some hotel recommendations. We are a couple traveling for honeymoon and are not too big into the party scene and would our much rather stay somewhere with access to nice restaurants & cafes and easy access to do "touristy" things along with relaxing,.
Currently looking for areas and hotel recommendations that fit these criteria. Also currently thinking of 3000 bhat/day avg but is flexible.
Please drop a few suggestions.
r/phuket • u/Open_Yogurtcloset_89 • 22h ago
I'm travelling to Thailand with my girlfriend from 8 December 2026 to 1 January 2027, and I'm hoping to propose during our trip. I'd love some advice from people who know Thailand well, particularly Chiang Mai and Koh Samui.
My budget is around A$2,500, ideally without going over. I'm hoping to find somewhere beautiful and romantic, with a photographer and ideally a videographer to capture the moment.
Our itinerary:
8–10 December: Bangkok
10–14 December: Pattaya
14–21 December: Chiang Mai
21–23 December: Surat Thani
23–26 December: Koh Samui
26–30 December: Phuket
30 December–1 January: Bangkok
What I'm considering
My original plan was to propose on Christmas Day, 25 December, in Koh Samui. I'm currently speaking with a proposal organiser, but they've mainly suggested beach proposals. The problem is that my girlfriend hates getting sand everywhere, so ideally I'd love to find somewhere with beautiful scenery that doesn't involve standing directly on the beach.
I'm also considering proposing in Chiang Mai on 16 December, as we'll be staying there for a week and have a little more flexibility with dates.
I've been looking into private gardens, mountain-view terraces, scenic resorts and places with beautiful sunset views, but I'm open to other ideas.
Are there any beautiful resorts, private villas, gardens or ocean-view terraces where a proposal could be arranged without spending a fortune?
What scenic locations would you recommend for a proposal?
Are there any hidden gems, private gardens, lakeside venues or mountain-view terraces worth considering?
I'm not looking for an overly extravagant or elaborate setup. I'd much rather have a beautiful location, a romantic atmosphere and great photographs.
Ideally, I'd love to have a photographer and videographer discreetly capture the moment.
I'm open to suggestions beyond these two locations if there's somewhere you think would be particularly special.
If you've organised a proposal in either location, or you're a local photographer, planner or venue owner who could offer some advice, I'd really appreciate your recommendations and experiences.
Thanks in advance!
r/phuket • u/Possible_Height_4657 • 23h ago
One blogger mentioned that the best time to see the sunrise is at Big Buddha. However, a quick Google search says the site closes at 6 PM and doesn't allow visitors at night. So, how are people able to watch the sunrise there?
r/phuket • u/Quick_Seesaw226 • 1d ago
50 year old US male staying entire month of February. Full week vacation first week, partial remote work the rest. Interested in beach, food, working out and a little bit of night life / walking around.
Thinking 2 weeks in Bang Tao and then 2 weeks in Kata. This way I could easily explore the northern and southern beaches. I will have a car.
For Bang Tao deciding between HOMA and Title Legendary.
For Kata, not sure. I’d like to pay <$3500 USD for month could spend more if convinced.
Any and all advice is welcome. Thank you!!
Hey everyone!
I’m traveling solo to Phuket in November and looking for recommendations for a modern, lively resort with a great atmosphere.
I’m looking for:
A modern or newly opened resort with nice facilities.
Plenty of activities, entertainment, and things to do.
A social atmosphere where it’s easy to meet other travelers.
A fun pool area, pool parties, or organized events.
A good mix of relaxation and nightlife.
A private, comfortable room (not a shared hostel dorm).
I’m not looking for a quiet, romantic, or family-oriented resort. I’d prefer somewhere with a younger, energetic crowd.
Any recommendations based on personal experience? I’m open to different areas of Phuket.
r/phuket • u/Ananyachaudhary09 • 1d ago
My boyfriend (and his friends) went on a yacht at the Royal Phuket Marina and he put his phone (iPhone 13) along with the rest of their belongings in a locker provided by the staff there. While leaving, they went to collect their stuff and my boyfriend’s phone wasn’t there. It was the only missing item. Now they don’t know if it fell while taking the other things out or if someone took it from the locker itself but the yacht staff did not allow them to look for it. I tried to track his location but it just says the phone is offline, his Apple Watch did not help either.
What can we do? Please help. He’s had a pretty shit year and this trip was sort of like a consolation for everything he has been through and this happened on the first day itself. Any advice would be helpful!
r/phuket • u/Maverick_1509 • 1d ago
Hey all, I am 33M coming to Phuket from Europe solo for 1 month in November.
My priorities are:
-Padel
-Good spots/coworking zones for work with laptop for few hours a day
-Meeting western women my age group (tourists, long stay locals)
-Good food spots (higher quality)
I do not plan to rent a bike. So good location is important.
My budget is 1,5K Eur for housing and 1,5K Eur pocket money maximum.
Appreciate your advice and thank you in advance.
r/phuket • u/Bigcostabar • 1d ago
We are staying inbetween patong and Kamala in the mountainy area. It was early hours this morning around 1-2am and could hear voices on a speaker and music.
Was this a ceremonial thing? Was it a budist wake? We could ONLY hear it in the property. As we got out the sound faded like it was never there
r/phuket • u/voslauer_1 • 2d ago
Hi everyone!
My wife and I are planning a trip to Phuket from approximately December 8th to December 22nd with our two little ones. Our oldest will be almost 3 years old, and our youngest will be 10 months old.
We’re really looking forward to the trip and want to make the most of our time in Phuket. Since we’ll be travelling with two young children, we’re looking for a combination of relaxation, beautiful beaches, great food, family-friendly activities and a bit of luxury.
We’re fortunate enough to be flexible with our accommodation budget. We don’t necessarily want to spend a fortune just for the sake of it, but we’re happy to pay more for a genuinely great hotel, excellent service, beautiful surroundings and facilities that make travelling with small children easier.
We’ll be staying for around two weeks, and we’re completely open to splitting our stay between two different hotels or areas if you think that would give us a better overall experience.
1. Hotel recommendations
This is probably the most important part of our trip, so we’d love to hear your personal recommendations!
We’re looking for hotels or resorts that offer a great experience for both adults and young children. Ideally, somewhere with a beautiful pool, easy beach access, spacious rooms, good restaurants and a relaxing atmosphere.
We’d especially love recommendations for higher-end resorts that are genuinely worth the money. We’re also interested in hotels with excellent breakfast, beautiful gardens, family-friendly facilities, babysitting services or other amenities that make travelling with a toddler and a baby easier.
If you’ve stayed somewhere in Phuket that exceeded your expectations, we’d love to hear about it!
2. Where should we stay in Phuket?
We haven’t decided on a specific area yet, so we’d really appreciate advice on the best places to stay with our family.
We’re considering areas such as Kata, Karon, Kamala, Bang Tao and potentially other areas we haven’t thought of.
We’d love to stay somewhere with a beautiful beach, good restaurants nearby and enough things to do without having to spend hours travelling around the island.
Would you recommend staying in one area for the entire trip, or splitting the two weeks between two locations? For example, spending a week at a family-friendly beach resort and another week somewhere more luxurious and peaceful?
We’re happy to change hotels once during the trip if it makes sense, but we also want to avoid making the holiday unnecessarily complicated with two small children.
3. Things to do with a toddler and a baby
We’d love recommendations for activities that are actually enjoyable with children aged almost 3 years and 10 months.
We’re interested in beautiful beaches, playgrounds, aquariums, animal experiences, water parks suitable for young children, family-friendly boat trips, markets, parks and anything else you think is worth experiencing.
We don’t need to fill every day with activities. We’d rather have a relaxed schedule with a few great experiences and plenty of time to enjoy the hotel and beach.
Are there any particular attractions or experiences you would highly recommend for children this age? And are there any that you think are overrated or not worth the hassle with little ones?
4. Restaurants and great food
We absolutely love good food, so restaurant recommendations are very welcome!
We’d love to discover authentic Thai food, excellent local restaurants, hidden gems and perhaps a few more upscale dining experiences.
We’re particularly interested in places that are welcoming to families with young children, where we can enjoy a great meal without feeling uncomfortable if the kids get restless.
Are there any restaurants you would consider must-visits in Phuket? We’d also love recommendations for great cafés, breakfast spots, beach restaurants and places with beautiful sunset views.
5. Massages, spas and relaxation
Since we’ll be travelling with two small children, we’d also love to find some opportunities to relax and recharge!
We’re looking for recommendations for excellent Thai massage places, proper spas and perhaps a few more luxurious wellness experiences.
Are there any places you’ve personally tried and would recommend? We’d be interested in both affordable local massage spots and higher-end spa experiences.
If you know of hotels with particularly good spas or places where we could arrange babysitting while enjoying a treatment, that would be a huge bonus.
6. Hidden gems and practical advice
Finally, we’d love any advice from people who know Phuket well or have travelled there with young children.
Are there any beautiful places, quieter beaches, local restaurants or experiences that tourists often overlook?
We’d also appreciate practical tips on getting around with a stroller, using taxis with car seats, finding baby supplies, and anything else that could make travelling with a toddler and a baby easier.
Since we’ll be visiting in December, we’re also interested in any seasonal recommendations or things we should book well in advance.
To sum it up, we’d especially appreciate:
Your favourite hotels and luxury resorts in Phuket.
Advice on the best areas to stay with young children.
Whether you would split a two-week stay between two hotels.
Activities suitable for a toddler and a 10-month-old.
Great restaurants, cafés and local food spots.
Excellent massage places and spas.
Hidden gems and any tips you wish you’d known before visiting Phuket with small children.
We’re open to all suggestions, from luxury resorts to smaller boutique hotels and local experiences. Personal experiences and honest opinions are especially appreciated!
Thanks so much in advance. We’d love to hear what you would do if you were planning a similar trip with your own family! 😊
r/phuket • u/meowkney • 2d ago
hiya! i’m looking for affordable accommodation in phuket for around 3 days for 3 people. ideally, we’d love to stay near the beach in either Rawai or Kata and not Patong
we’re hoping to find somewhere with at least 2 double beds, or 1 double bed and a sofa bed, and a private pool would be a huge bonus!
Would love to hear any recommendations or places you’ve stayed at that you’d recommend. thank you!!
r/phuket • u/Leading_Natural_4831 • 2d ago
Hi, I will land in Phuket at 6:30pm so will miss the public shared speedboats to Koh Yao Yai.
I have found a tour/diving company that is offering a private speedboat. By the time I clear the airport and get to the pier it will be around 8pm.
Is it safe to take a speedboat at that time of night?
I’m guessing there is a reason why most speedboats stop after 5pm?
Thank you 🙏
r/phuket • u/Tekhooperjutsu • 2d ago
Has anyone ever went to Yona Beach Club solo? What was your experience like? Is it worth it?