Phuket, Thailand: Pros and Cons

The famous island of Phuket, Thailand holds a certain legendary status as everyone seems to rave about the beautiful crystal blue water and clear sand beach. But unfortunately we were a little disappointed in what we actually found when we got there. In this article, we’ll break down the pros and cons to our experience in Phuket, Thailand. 

If you haven’t checked out our article about Thailand in general, click here to learn more about the currency, visas, and other logistics before you come. 

Phuket Transportation – Pro and Cons

Phuket does have an international airport on the island which makes connecting to other parts of Thailand and other countries pretty easy. While it is a smaller airport, there are many flights daily which helps get you where you need to go. However, transportation once you land on the island seems to be a big problem. There is only one main road connecting a lot of the beaches on the west coast. This road often gets clogged with traffic making it difficult to get around. 

There is a bus you can take from the airport into the main towns of the island which we took. Look for signs for the SmartBus right outside arrivals. From the airport to Karon Beach only costs us 100 baht per person but it took 1.5 hours due to all the stops and traffic. 

Cabs and taxis are expensive. Beware – Bolt and Grab apps don’t work in Phuket. Well I guess they work but there is some shady collusion happening so locals recommended we use inDrive app instead. We never used taxis though, we mostly walked or rented a scooter. However, we had to leave super early the day of our flight so we used our hotel to arrange a taxi and paid 1,200 baht which seemed steep but was the guaranteed option so we didn’t miss our flight. 

Once we were at our accommodation, we rented a scooter for 250 baht per day which was a nice way to see more of the island. Just walk up to any dealer, pay for the day and ride around. This was our best option for mobility but also allowed us to see other parts of the island we couldn’t easily get to. You only need a driver’s license and some extra cash as they hold the cash for a security deposit but they give it back to you once you return the scooter. We had to leave a $100 or 4,000 baht deposit which we got back when we returned the scooter. These stores are literally everywhere so no need to book in advance. 

Other than that, walking is about your only option but it’s crazy hot out and sidewalks aren’t always guaranteed.  

Old Phuket City – Pros and Cons

Old Phuket City definitely leans to the cuter boutique stores, funky coffee shops, street art, and historic feel. It’s not very big but you can spend a few hours meandering the alleyways and finding some cute things. This is where we found cuter boutiques selling nice beachwear, there were some trinkets but much more art and souvenirs we’d take home. Don’t miss the coffee shops, ice cream, and Thai tea places. 

I’d definitely recommend a stop at Thaihua, an adorable coffee and tea shop with tons of seating, great prices (all drinks just 50 baht), and a fun atmosphere where old local Chinese men were having their tea and playing cards. It was a great find. 

If you’re in the area, Monkey Hill is a fascinating stop. You cannot drive to the top anymore so park at the bottom and walk up the paved road. There is a security check before you enter to make sure you don’t have any food. If you do, you can leave it at the checkpoint and get it back when you leave. We saw super aggressive monkeys steal water bottles out of people’s pockets so they are pretty serious about not taking food or drinks in. There are hundreds of monkeys just wandering in the trees and street. Don’t get close to them as they are wild animals and there are many signs warning of scratching or biting. It’s a quick stop but a fun walk. 

Phuket Shops and Restaurants – Pros and Cons

The shops and restaurants lining the streets left a lot to be desired for us. We spoke with local business owners who all expressed a huge change post COVID. We weren’t here before so I can’t speak to it firsthand but the shop owners said the clientele (type of tourist) has changed a lot over the past couple years. With this change, many of the stores have also changed what they sell to meet the new tastes of what people buy. We found way too many trinkets, beachwear, dirty bars with cheap liquor, weed stores, and pushy salespeople at subpar seafood restaurants. It was really disappointing. 

We found the restaurants to be very disappointing too. The Google reviews are very hard to trust here. So many restaurants we went to that had 4.5-5 star reviews with many saying “best Thai food ever” but we found them to be just okay and some not flavorful or good at all. 

One restaurant that was fun due to its history and staple on the island is The Pad Thai Shop in between Kata and Karon beach. You order at the counter, no payment, no number and she just remembers you when she calls out your order. The Pad Thai was good and the Thai Iced Tea was only 30 baht. Well worth it!! Then after you’re done, you walk up to pay and she remembers your order again. It’s rather impressive considering how crowded it was. 

Communication was no problem at all on the island. All signs are in English, Chinese and Russian to cater to the many tourists. 

Phuket Nature – Pros and Cons

Yes the water is the most beautiful blue and the sand super smooth so if you are only looking for beaches, hot weather, and resorts, you may love Phuket. There are a few beaches to the south with some overlooks which were really nice. We liked Yanui Beach and Nai Harn Beach with Windmill Viewpoint in between Karon Viewpoint. 

But beaches seemed to get really crowded quickly which made us not want to leave any valuables in the sand. If I could do it again, I’d try to get a hotel with a private beach so you don’t have to watch your belongings so closely. Another thing I would suggest is to book a boat tour. There are many places that will take you off the crowded beaches out into the water to swim off the boat which would be a nice experience. You can book boat tours to take you to multiple islands or just one, ranging from a few hours to all day excursions. It’s totally up to you. Most people seemed to be booking these on the spot at the local tourist offices so no need to book in advance. 

It may have been the time of year we went, March, but it was much hotter than we expected. You will definitely sweat a lot so the water is a nice reprieve from the hot air. 

We did find a nice hike to the top of Big Buddha. Search “Trail to Big Buddha” in GoogleMaps. It’s quite steep but there are ropes to help you climb. The way up wasn’t too bad, just super hot and sweaty. But the way down was much more slippery. There are no bathrooms or stores until the very top so bring lots of water with you as it gets crazy hot. At the top you can visit the Big Buddha. It’s free but if you don’t have proper temple clothing (covered knees and shoulders) they won’t allow you in. 

All in all, if you love extra hot weather, crowded beaches, and subpar food, this place is for you. It’s not somewhere we’ll go back to as we feel there are other, nicer beach destinations that aren’t as expensive to get to and offer more to do. With the change in tourists and locals catering to newer tastes, Phuket just wasn’t for us.