• Mai Khao (Sai Kaeo) - This is the most northern of Phuket's beaches, just off the airport. You can find the magnificently long and endless stretch of power beach. Beach has no tourist facilities, with the exception of the JW Marriott Resort.
• Nai Thon and Nai Yang - A quiet beach area that is very different from the other beaches, very famous among locals. Here the quite beach is backed by tall casuarinas trees and forest which is part of Sirinath National Park, and Olive Sea Turtle Sanctuary. With the very mild current and relax environments, here is an ideal place for a nice peaceful rest under the sun or take in a swim.
• Bang Thao (Laguna Beach) - Bang Tao Beach is home to a number of luxurious resorts, villas, and Laguna complex. This long white beach is situated just a few minutes away from the town of Cherng Talay, local popular spot. People still earn their living by fishing, farming and rubber tapping. The cool sea breeze makes Bang Tao Beach very popular for windsurfing and sailing.
• Surin and Pansea Beach - an up-and-coming upmarket destination
• Laem Sing - The name means Lion Point in English in this case, Laem Sing
  This scenic Laem Sing Beach is a very small secluded beach located near Surin Beach with rocky cape surrounded. To reach this beach, visitors can ask permission to cut through a private road, or take a detour along the hillside to the shore.
• Kamala Beach -It takes a 10-minute drive between Patong Beach to Kamala Beach in Phuket. One of the most picturesque beach’s tucked in a valley and a well-enclosed bay with tropical rain forested views. Scenery is great, water is clear and sand is white. Kamala is home of the prime night attraction, Phuket FantaSea entertainment complex on the northern end. This is where you can enjoy a delicious dinner and vibrant nightly stage performance.
• Kalim Beach - a small beaches just to the north of Patong and home to many of the surfing competitions now being staged on Phuket.
  
• Patong Beach - The most poignant symbols of development and crowded beach in Phuket, a victim of it’s own success.. This is the busiest area of great concentration of nightlife activities, tourist hub, restaurant’s and shops. For this naughty beach of 3 kms, you always find beautiful white sand and clear water in the lap of crescent nature. The deck chairs and umbrellas are presented almost all around the beaches, offering an ideal place to relax and soak up the sun with the pleasant cool sea breeze. In brief, there are a large member of shops and nightlife hubs, as well as other entertainment and recreational activities. Clearly, if you are looking for a remote gateway, you won't find it in Patong.
• Karon Beaches - Karon is a vibrant beach town on south of Patong Beach Phuket. With the long array of powdery white sand and never feels overcrowded, many tourist choose here instead of Patong as accommodation, economy guesthouses, and restaurants are plenty. Besides, the beach is always fairly quiet comparing to Patong. Please take extra care when swimming here and do not swim when red flags are flying.
  
• Kata Beach -A surfer's paradise on the stunning bay, lies on the southern part of the Karon Beach, Phuket. It offers clear crystal waters, pure sands, beautiful scenery, and relaxed atmosphere with both northern and southern ends with a few hotels and resorts. Kata is great ideal for family vacation’s or couple holiday’s. There are quite a number of shops, restaurants and pubs around Kata Centre. if you are planning a trip to Phuket - Thailand, Kata is perhaps the best compromise between charming nature and lovely lively atmosphere.
  Note that don't miss the King's Cup Regatta if you are planning to visit Phuket in December.
  
• Nai Han and Ao Sen - Near Phuket's southernmost tip is picturesque and stunning Nai Harn Beach. Accommodation here is limited but the beach is easy to get to from Kata and Karon. This fronts a loveliest lagoon that is either faced to the clear water or closed off by a sandy bunger, depending on the season. A small temple relatively keeps the Nai Harn undeveloped, while Le Meridien Phuket Yacht Club is set its striking position on the northern side. You cal always find the upmarket housing development and a few local cuisine and convenient stores, just 100 metres off the beach
• Ya Nui Beach
• Rawai, Mittraphap and Laem Ka - Rawai Beach is located on the south-eastern side of Phuket. Although beach in not a good idea for swimming due to shallow water many long tails anchored off the shore, it is popular and a nice destination to picnic under the shade of big trees and plenty of seafood restaurants can be found here. There is a sea-gypsy village located on the eastern end of the beach which has a small fish market. Besides, you can find a long-tail boat service here to take you out to the smaller surrounding islands.
  
• Cape Panwa - Ideal for visitors seeking to get away from it all, journey to peace and relaxation. Cape Panwa is located to the Phuket¯s southern tip where lush hills and tropical gardens make spectacular views of the Andaman Sea.
  

• Ko Bon — 10 minutes from Rawai, an ideal island for a day of snorkeling and relaxing.
• Ko Hae (Coral Island) — 15 minutes by speedboat from Chalong Bay, accessible all year.
• Ko Kai
• Ko Lon — quiet, mostly Muslim island with a few bungalows
• Ko Mai Thon — gorgeous little island with only one (expensive) place to stay
• Ko Maphrao (Coconut Island)
• Ko Racha (Ko Raya) — consists of two islands (Yai and Noi), popular with scuba divers.
• Ko Sire (Ko Si Le) — Sea Gypsy colony, connected to the mainland by a causeway
• Ko Yao — two islands halfway to Krabi, with four upmarket resorts

Festivals and Events

January through February
Apart from the famous New Year celebration held at major beaches around Phuket Island, Chinese New Year comes in Febuary or around the end of January, according to Chinese calender. Phuket Town puts on a sign of boisterous, firecrackers, colorful dragon parades, Chinese live music and your favorite Chinese food stalls.

April
The Songkran festival is the most frenetic festival in the Thailand, it is the advent of Thai New Year and all-around national water splashing. Ceblebration from the 13th to 15th April each year, at least by lots and lots of water! From the sprinkling of water, water guns, buckets, hoses and anything else that can do water fighting onto someone, everyone gets soaking wet with the hottest climate of the year. This has to be one of the friendliest, though wet refreshing, wet everywhere and a good way to make new friends.

Tip Keep cameras and other electronic devices protected if you participate in Songkran, no complaint for any damages! It’s not advisable to drive a motorbike during this festival.

November
The romantic festival not to be missed. Thailand has many rivers around the country, some of them are spectacular, beautiful and magical. In November's full moon, the Loi Krathong Festival is aim to pay the respect to the goddess of rivers and waterways. Loy Krathong is celebrated throughout all over the country, min-floats (kratong) are made from banana trunks, resembling with flowers, incense sticks and candles. This symbolizes the washing away of troubles, sins and a call for a good luck and fortunes. For Phuket Island, as the sun dips below and the moon rises instead in the evening, people converge around the beautiful beaches throughout the island to release their kratongs.

By plane
The compact Phuket International Airport (IATA:HKT) ICAO:VTSP) is located in the north of the island, and is Thailand's second largest hub, second only to Bangkok. There are very frequent flights to/from Bangkok as well as direct flights to many other airports in the region, including Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, and direct charters to Europe>and Australia in the high season

By train
There are no direct train services to Phuket. Travellers by train must get off at Phun Phin railway station in Surat Thani and continue for another 5 hours by regular bus to Phuket. See Surat Thani or details.

By bus
Buses to mainland destinations including Bangkok, Chumphon, Hat Yai, Krabi, Phang Nga, Ranong , Satun, Sungai Kolok and Surat Thani use the BKS terminal off Thanon Phang Nga in Phuket Town.
The most reliable buses from Bangkok are the public BKS buses from the Southern Bus Terminal to Phuket. The journey takes 13 hours. There are also 2 private bus companies, Phuket Travel Tour and Phuket Central Tour. Khao San Road operations have a bad reputation for theft, often turn out to include a "surprise" transfer to a minibus at Surat Thani, and are best avoided.
From Phuket bus terminal to your final destination, you can take a motorcycle taxi, tuk-tuk, meter-taxi, or bus. A motorcycle taxi into Phuket Town will be about 10-20 baht; to most beaches 100-200 baht (negotiable).

By car
Phuket is directly connected to the mainland by the Thao Thepkasattri Bridge. From Bangkok, take Highway 4 through Nakhon Pathom, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, thence through Ranong province’s Kra Buri and Kapoe districts, Phang-nga province’s Takua Pa and Thai Muang districts and onto Phuket island. The total distance is 862 kilometres.

By boat
Ferry services connect from Rassada Port in Phuket Town to Ko Phi Phi and on to Krabi on the mainland twice a day, taking 90 minutes and costing 350/650 baht one-way/return, for each leg. It's usually a pleasant ride, but can be rather bumpy when it's windy.

There are also speedboats to Ko Racha(2 hours), the Similan Islands (about 3 hours) and other islands in the high season only. Boats and yachts can be chartered at Chalong Bay, the Boot Lagoon, the Yacht Haven and Royal Phuket Marina.

The most popular form of transport for getting around Phuket are Song Taew or Tuk Tuk. For those who stay in Patong, Kata and Karon, a majority of hotels are located close proximity to the beach, outlets, entertainment, restaurants and shopping centres, which easily to reach on foot.

By Motorcycle

Motorcycle taxis are everywhere. They dress in a green, red or yellow numbered vests, and usually provide the short trip services. Again it is wise to ask the price before taking them. A journey anywhere within the areas of one town is 20-50 Baht, but can cost more, agree before you start.