phuket tropic tours

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The 20 Best Tours in Phuket 🏝️

• Best of Phuket , Cruises , Tours , What to Do?
• by Willy Thuan
• Last updated 10 October 2023 17 June 2024

What are the most popular tours in Phuket?

There are a lot of sites to enjoy in and around the island, and many places are easy to reach, so what are the best tours in Phuket? Some other great places need a boat or a minibus ride and a bit of planning. We list here 10 of the most popular day trip tours you should consider. Of course, we know there are many more, and we will add them as we try them.

The best Phuket tours start with Phang Nga Bay and often include a few nearby islands, such as Phi Phi and Similan Islands. Tours on the island itself include the Big Buddha , the much revered Chalong temple and the exploration of the old streets of Phuket Town .

1. Phang Nga Bay Tour

(With John Gray Hong by Starlight: 3,950 baht – 11:30 am 10:00 pm – Other tours 1,600 baht)

Phang Nga Bay is a fantastic wonder of the world and is an absolute must-do while in Phuket. As with any favourite Phuket tour, Phang Nga tends to become busy, but it’s enormous, and some tours, like the famous John Gray SeaCanoe , know how to take you where and when other tourists don’t go. The massive limestone formations rising above the water seem to come straight out of the movie Avatar (or it was possibly the other way around). The place was even featured as a background in one Star Wars episode (the bad one, I think). Phang Nga Bay is one of the best tours in Phuket. Read more

What we like a) As mentioned above, it’s just fantastic. b) The sea is quiet all year round and even looks better with the big rain clouds! c) It’s not very far, and all tour agents will pick you up at your hotel — no stress. What We Don’t a) Not every tour is Eco-friendly; some have no real experience and make lots of noise and shout, disturbing the magical peace.

Popular Ways to Discover Phang Nga Bay

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2. Phi Phi Island Day Trip

(about 2,800 baht – full day)

Phi Phi seems to be the Phuket tour on everyone’s list of islands to visit. It usually is for several reasons: The islands look fabulous, with two bays surrounded by vertical limestone cliffs. The beach parties are notorious and can last all night. Backpackers seem to have made Phi Phi their destination of choice. It also is an excellent snorkelling and diving destination for all levels, from beginners to wreck diving. There is an even more straightforward reason: they saw Maya Bay in the movie “The Beach” and wanted to know the place for themselves. Read more

A typical day trip to Phi Phi :

7.30: Pick up at your hotel 8.30 : Meet and greet at Royal Phuket Marina, short briefing. 9.30 : Departure by speedboat 10.30 : Enjoy snorkelling and swimming at Camel Rock, Monkey Bay Sightseeing 11.45 : Snorkeling near Phi Phi Don 12.30 : Lunch in Tonsai Bay on Phi Phi Don 13.30 : Head to Phi Phi Ley: pass by Viking Cave, swim at Piley Lagoon, and Sightseeing at Maya Bay. 15.30 : Relax, swim and snorkel on Koh Khai Nai, a small island on the way back. 16.30 : Arrive at the pier and depart to your hotel.

What’s good: a) It’s still beautiful a beautiful island, despite being spoiled mainly by unstoppable construction. b) It’s not very far from Phuket and affordable if you go by ferry c) The island being in a bay, it is accessible all year round (unlike Similan) d) Maya Bay is open again!

What’s Not: a) Uncontrolled constructions have spoiled the island, and it keeps extending. b) Phi Phi can get crowded with young backpackers coming here for a serious party, so it may not be your vision of relaxing beaches.

Popular Ways to Discover Phi Phi Island

3. james bond island tour and koh panyi village.

(Start at 1,800 baht, including pickup and return to hotel – join trip)

Usually, James Bond and Koh Panyi are part of any Phang Nga Bay tour. If you have time, we recommend dedicating one day to a Canoe in Phang Nga Bay, then another day to James Bond, Koh Panyi, the village on stilts and the reclining Buddha inside a cave. Read more

A typical day trip in Phang Nga Bay with James Bond Island and Koh Panyi Village:

9.00 : Pick up at hotel lobby 10.00 : Arrive at Royal Phuket Marina 10.30 : Visit Phang Nga Bay (James Bond Island) 12.00 : Buffet Thai lunch at Koh Panyee village 13.00 : Visit Khao Thalu to canoe inside a cave 15.30 : Visit Naka island for swimming 17.30 : Back at the Royal Phuket Marina and back to the hotel

What we like: a) Going there offers amazing photo opportunities; the location and the cruise to get there are jaw-dropping. b) The village on stilts is unique, unusual and fun to explore. What we don’t: a) It’s a major tourist attraction, so expect a lot of people at midday, which spoils a bit the exotic feeling

Popular Ways to Discover James Bond Island

4. south phuket with big buddha and phuket town.

The South Phuket tour is a popular option for visitors to the island, taking in many of the most famous landmarks and attractions in the southern part of the island. The tour is flexible and can be tailored to guests’ preferences, but typically includes stops at beautiful beaches such as Karon and Nai Harn, as well as viewpoints for panoramic views of the island. The tour also includes a visit to the iconic Big Buddha Temple, which offers visitors the chance to take in the stunning views and pray for good luck. Another highlight of the tour is the visit to Old Phuket Town, where visitors can explore the charming streets and take in the unique Sino-Portuguese architecture. The tour also includes a stop for lunch at Rawai Beach, known for its delicious seafood and affordable prices.

To book a such day trip, you can ask any travel agent, or even better, hire a local driver with a van to customise the trip according to your own preferences, it is cheap and super comfortable, between 2,400 and 2,700 baht, depending how far your hotel is to the south. See here a list of private vans .

Popular Ways to Discover South Phuket and Phuket Town

5. coral island day trip and racha island.

(about 1,300 baht for both islands – full day)

Often packaged as one Phuket tour day trip, those two beautiful islands have white sandy beaches and the typical atmosphere of small tropical islands. They offer excellent snorkelling opportunities with plenty of fish coming and swimming around you. Racha Island is excellent for diving, especially for first-timers. Read more

A typical Day trip to Coral and Racha Islands by speedboat

8.30 : Pick up from your hotel lobby 09.00 : Depart from Chalong Pier to Racha Island, and enjoy snorkelling and swimming 12.30 : Depart from Racha Island to Coral Island and have lunch at Kahung restaurant 14.30 : Snorkeling, swimming and relaxing on the beach 16.30 : Back to the pier and sent back to your hotel

What we like: a) It’s accessible all year round, and it doesn’t take too long to reach What we don’t: a) It can be bustling and touristic

Popular Ways to Discover Coral and Racha Islands

6. yona floating beach club.

Yona is a floating beach club in the bay of Patong. The boat is 1,200 sqm on three floors, with a central 22-metre-long swimming pool surrounded by trendy loungers and palm trees. At the back of the pool are the DJ station and a bar with a vast choice of fun cocktails to enjoy the party. Read more

7. Phuket Town Tour

(about 900 baht – half day)

In recent years, Phuket town has become a charming city with several historic streets and many beautiful old Sino-Portuguese mansions, some renovated and some partly run down. You might get to see some local markets and even visit some Thai temple and their typical intricate gold, red and green roofs. Exploring the picturesque street now full of little cafes and shops is a popular photo opportunity, mostly since they buried those horrible electric cables. Read more

What we like: a) It’s a good exploration day, especially when the weather is not favourable to be on the beach b) It’s not such a big area, so it’s easy to walk along the streets and between landmarks What we don’t: a) It’s relatively small, so don’t put your expectations too high either

Popular Ways to Discover Phuket Town

8. similan islands day trip.

(about 2,600 baht – full day)

Unique and beautiful, the Similans have the white sand and blue water you only see in postcards. It’s so strikingly beautiful that your friends might believe you photoshopped your photos. But it is that blue even in photos taken with a mobile phone!

It used to be possible to spend the night in a tent or a basic bungalow with air-conditioning, but it seems that this option is not available at this time! Apart from snorkelling, sunning, and a small restaurant, there is not much to do, but it’s a Robinson Crusoe experience you don’t want to miss. Read more

A typical day trip to the Similans

6.00 : Pick up from the hotel lobby 9.00 : Depart to Similan island 10.20 : Visit Miang Island (Koh 4) for swimming and snorkelling 11.30 : Have a Thai lunch box on the island 12.00 : Visit Payu Island (Koh 7 )for swimming and snorkelling 13.00 : Visit Ba-ngu (Koh 9) for swimming and snorkelling 14.00 : Visit Similan island (Koh 8) for swimming and snorkelling and climbing the viewpoint at Sailing rock 15.00 : Back to the pier 16.30 : Transfer back to your hotel

What we like: a) Everything! What we don’t: a) It’s closed half-year during the low season, mostly because of the sea condition. b) It’s quite a long way from Phuket. Usually, a van takes you from Phuket to Takua Pa, then 1.30 hours by speedboat

Popular Ways to Discover Similan Islands

9. island hopping on a sailing catamaran.

(6 days and 5 nights)

Spending a week on a sailing cruise is the most romantic and eco-friendly way to discover the islands near Phuket and south Thailand, an experience like no other!

Day 1 – Chalong Pier, Phuket -> Tonsai Bay, Koh Phi Phi Day 2 – Tonsai Bay, Koh Phi Phi -> Kantiang beach, Koh Lanta Day 3 – Kantiang beach, Koh Lanta -> Koh Rok Nok island Day 4 – Koh Rok Island -> Koh Phi Phi Leh Day 5 – Koh Phi Phi Leh -> Koh Racha Yai Day 6 – Koh Racha Yai -> Chalong Pier, Phuket

10. Andamanda Waterpark

Andamanda Phuket is an immense amusement water park built close to Phuket Town when approaching from Patong Beach. Encompassing an enormous 100,000 square meters, this water park features 25 attractions, incorporating numerous water slides, a 10,000 square meter swimming zone equipped with artificial waves, and the the longest lazy river in southeast Asia, extending to a remarkable 550 meters!

11. Elephant Sanctuaries

There are now many elephant sanctuaries around the island that allow you to interact with the elephants. You can feed them, walk with them and make unforgettable memories. The old-fashioned elephant trekking is over! Ask your hotel or travel agent for one of the sanctuaries but skip the trekking or elephant riding! Read more

What we like: a) It’s fun, unusual and the best way to see real elephants! What we don’t: a) Some of the sanctuaries may feel a little too touristic (they probably switched from trekking to the sanctuary to catch the wave)

Popular Ways to Discover Elephant Sanctuaries

12. phang nga bay private cruises.

Phang Nga Bay is an amazing destination. With its countless islands and towering cliffs emerging from the sea, the scenery is truly extraordinary. It often ranks at the top for many tourists, however, the popular areas of Phang Nga Bay can become overcrowded, making it difficult to fully appreciate its natural beauty. Therefore, on that particular day, we made a decision along with a few friends to rent a private boat and explore Phang Nga Bay in a more exclusive manner, allowing us to reach each location before the crowds arrived.

13. Koh Khai Tours

(about 1,900 baht – Full day)

This tour goes to the tiny Koh Khai islands, found just a few kilometres off Phuket looks like a cartoon postcard of a tropical island. There is not much to do there apart from sunbathing, snorkelling or swimming with hundred fish and drinking fresh coconuts. It’s so back to basics but isn’t it why you came to Phuket in the first place?

What we like: a) It’s an easy and not far, relaxing day out b) Plenty of photo opportunities to post on your Facebook and drive your friends insane What we don’t: a) Can be really busy

Popular Ways to Discover Khai Island

14. cooking classes.

Due to the immense popularity of Thai cuisine and its frequent portrayal on television and social media, cooking classes have become increasingly favoured in Phuket. The island offers a multitude of cooking schools catering to various budgets, with options available in both hotels and privately run establishments. Certain classes even offer the opportunity to explore local markets, adding an enjoyable aspect to the overall experience. Read more

Popular Ways to Discover Thai Cooking Class

ATV tours in Phuket offer exhilarating off-road adventures for visitors. These tours allow participants to explore the stunning natural landscapes of the island while riding all-terrain vehicles. With various routes available, tourists can discover hidden trails, lush jungles, and scenic viewpoints. ATV tours in Phuket cater to both beginners and experienced riders, providing a thrilling and memorable experience. From navigating through rugged terrains to enjoying breathtaking views, these tours offer an exciting way to explore Phuket’s outdoor beauty.

Popular Ways to Discover ATV Experience

16. zipline.

There are 3 or 4 Ziplines around the island, and we tried Flying Hanuman in the forest near Patong Beach. Zipline is a great way to do something fun and exciting with friends and family. You can do something active, fun and unforgettable in the dense forest in Kathu. It’s enormous, impressive and safe; anyone can do it, even a four-year-old kid! Read more

How to get there : Book directly with them or check with a local travel agent Price : starts at 2,300 baht (16 platforms) and 3,250 baht (28 platforms).

Popular Ways to Discover Zipline Experience

17. carnival magic phuket.

Carnival Magic is a new 40-acre nighttime Thai carnival theme park, known as the Magical Kingdom of Lights. It features numerous record-breaking attractions. The Kingdom of Lights is an illumination park that boasts a display of over 40 million lights, and The River Palace is an enormous indoor parade show theatre capable of seating over 2,200 spectators. It showcases the world’s largest indoor parade show, known as the River Carnival. Read more

18. Simon Cabaret Show

(starts 700 baht – 2 hours – Patong beach)

Simon Cabaret is a long-running successful stage performance with beautiful sets and outstanding choreography. Of course, people go to Simon Cabaret for reasons other than the pretty costumes and the show. They want to see the surprisingly beautiful ladyboys with their own eyes! Photos are not allowed during the show, but the ‘girls’ will happily wait for you outside the theatre for a photo session. Read more

What we like: a) Excellent stage performance. b) It’s literally in Patong Beach, so you can enjoy the show and still go out for a party after the show What We Don’t: a) Ladyboys are known to be pushy for a tip if you take photos after the show. They might pick the money from your hand; thank you very much

Popular Ways to Discover Simon Cabaret Show

19. siam niramit.

Siam Niramit Phuket is a surprising show narrating 700 years of Thailand’s history. The stage is immense, and the choreography involving more than a hundred people is spotless. The narration is simple and clear enough for everyone to understand each scene. The superb sound system immerses you in a fantastic world based on centuries of Thai myths and legends. It is seriously impressive.

20. Phuket Fantasea Show

(starts 1,800 baht – from 5 pm – Kamala Beach – closed on Thursday)

This longtime running show is still top-rated. It’s a giant theme park and a professional stage performance with dancers, acrobats and real elephants walking through the audience and then onto the stage. The setting is awe-inspiring, and the exceptionally well-executed show narrates the legend of Kamala, where the park is. Read more

What we like: a) It’s professional and beautifully crafted, including the many buildings in the park. b) There are a lot of fun photo opportunities outside the theatre. What we don’t: a) With 2,500 seats, the buffet is too big to be enjoyable b) The elephants performing in the show or giving tourists a short ride are a little controversial c) You can’t take photos inside, but we understand that it can be annoying

Contact a local tour agent in Phuket

Phuket 101 is not a travel agency, but you can get in touch with a local tour agent to get better prices as well as local information or even custom tours by using this link: https://www.johnwelcometravel.com/

Contact a local tour agent

Fast Facts about Phuket Tours

Faqs about phuket tours.

a. Popular Phuket tours and day trips include island hopping tours, visits to the Big Buddha, exploring Phang Nga Bay, visiting the Phi Phi Islands, and exploring James Bond Island. Here are some favourites: Phang Nga Bay Phi Phi Island Coral Island Samet Nangshee

a. Some nearby islands that are worth visiting on a day trip from Phuket include the Phi Phi Islands, Racha Islands, Coral Island, and James Bond Island. These islands offer beautiful beaches, snorkelling and diving opportunities, and stunning natural scenery: Similan Island Phi Phi Island Coral Island Koh Khai Racha Island Island Hopping

a. If you want to stay on the island only, there are a few interesting ways to explore Rent a van with a driver Self-explore old Phuket Town Phuket Fantasea Show Simon Cabaret Show

a. In most cases, you can book safely from an online tour agent or even buy in the street once in Phuket. It is recommended to book Phuket tours and day trips in advance to ensure availability, especially during peak tourist seasons.

a. You should bring sunscreen, a hat, comfortable clothing and shoes, a camera, and any necessary medication. You may also want to bring a towel and swimwear if your tour involves water activities.

a. Meals and hotel transfers are often included in Phuket tours and day trips, but it depends on the tour. Be sure to check the tour description or ask the tour operator for details.

a. The best time to take Phuket tours and day trips is from November to April, during the dry season, as the sky is clear and the sea is quiet. However, tours are available year-round and some tours, such as Phang Nga Bay, have a unique charm during the monsoon season.

Born in France a long long time ago, I started to travel the world early until I settled in Phuket in 1994. For the past 30 years, my passion for photography and my curiosity have taken me to every corner of Phuket, Bangkok and everywhere I could go in Thailand. My goal is to share my discoveries, photos and tips to help travellers plan their holidays by making Phuket 101 as easy as possible to use for everyone!

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