Everyone enjoys traveling, and they all hope to have a fantastic vacation. But occasionally, if you don’t know the vital travel facts about the destination you’re visiting, it might lead to a negative experience.
Thailand’s golden child is Phuket. The lovely island is the top tourist attraction in the country and is renowned for its magnificent beaches, delectable cuisine, stunning scenery, and warm people.
Over 9 million foreign visitors came to Phuket last year to unwind and take advantage of everything the area has to offer.
If you intend to travel to Phuket, the Pearl of the Andaman Sea, soon, you must be aware of how to have a fantastic vacation.
We have compiled a comprehensive collection of travel advice for Phuket to help you plan your trip, stay away from unpleasant surprises, and become more familiar with Phuket.
Things to know before visiting Phuket in 2023
1. Phuket Affordability
The Thai Baht, or THB, is the local currency in Thailand. 1 THB currently equals USD 0.03, and 1 USD is equivalent to 34.52 THB.
Accommodation
In Phuket, there are a variety of lodging options to fit any budget or vacation preference.
- The typical cost of a hotel stay is about $75 for a 3-star hotel and $200 for a 4-star establishment.
- 5-star luxury hotels The average nightly rate for a luxury 4-star hotel is $350, although there are many possibilities, especially if you want to splurge. For instance, the Trisara provides guests with opulent villas in a stunning coastal setting starting at $1000 per night.
- If your budget is tight: Phuket is a backpacker’s haven with a tonne of inexpensive options.
Food
- In addition to being tasty, the food in Phuket is also very reasonably priced.
- A three-course supper for two at a midrange restaurant runs about $30.
- Expect to pay roughly $4 for a basic supper at a budget restaurant or from a street vendor.
- A cappuccino costs about $2, while a drink costs $2 to $3.
Transportation
- Local buses, minibusses, and songthaews (covered vehicles with extra seating), which can range in price from $1.50 to $15, depending on your mode of transportation and the distance you are traveling, are popular options for low-cost tourists visiting Phuket.
- Taxi rates begin at $1.25 and increase by $2.35 every mile. There are also many motorbike taxis and a short ride usually costs around $2.
- Grab, Phuket’s main ride-hailing service, operates similarly to Uber. Prices are typically less expensive than taxis.
2. Culture And Etiquette In Phuket
Before your vacation, check this list! The main Dos and Don’ts in Phuket are listed here.
- DO reciprocate a way: The wai is a frequent gesture in Thailand. If someone does it by bending their head and clasping their hands together as if in prayer, do the same. In a similar vein, grin back if someone does.
- DON’T POINT: It’s regarded impolite to point with your finger at statues or other depictions of Buddha, in particular.
- DO take off your shoes before entering a home or a place of worship.
- When giving someone something or money, DO NOT use your left hand; only use your right hand because the left hand is regarded as unclean.
3. Local Eats And Drinks
With so many local options, Phuket will feel like home to seafood aficionados. Off of Laem Hin Pier, one of the floating restaurants offers a very delicious dining experience. Diners are transported to floating restaurants where the freshest seafood is creatively cooked in a 5-minute complimentary long-tail taxi boat ride.
- Khanom jeen is a type of soft, thin, fermented rice noodle that is typically eaten with soups, curries, and salads.
- Gaeng poo is a mellow yellow curry dish that is served with rice noodles and fresh veggies. It contains juicy morsels of crabmeat.
- Moo, hong is a stew of slow-cooked pig belly that is heavily flavored with garlic and pepper.
- Thick yellow noodles known as “mee hokkien noodles” are stir-fried with pork, eggs, squid, prawns, and bean sprouts.
- A tasty dessert of shaved ice was presented.
Drinks
- Fresh juice – what better way to beat the heat than freshly squeezed pomegranate, orange, or sugarcane juice
- Beer – the favorite local brew is Phuket Lager, a pale lager with a fruity taste, perfect on a hot day
- Coconut water – fresh coconut water served sweetened or unsweetened
4. Top Attractions in Phuket
Local buses, minibusses, and songthaews (covered vehicles with extra seating), which can range in price from $1.50 to $15, depending on your mode of transportation and the distance you are traveling, are popular options for low-cost tourists visiting Phuket.
There are so many amazing things to do in Phuket. The following are some of the best sights and activities in Phuket:
- Big Buddha, a 148-foot-tall marble statue of the Buddha perched atop a hill. Although the statue is visible from all parts of southern Phuket, trekking up to it is a must-do if you want to visit the Buddha and enjoy the breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and sea.
- Green Elephant Sanctuary Park – At the Green Elephant Sanctuary Park, visitors may get up close and personal with well-cared-for elephants. Visitors have the chance to swim, clean, and feed the elephants at the park.
- Phuket Town’s expansive Naka Market, which takes place every weekend, is an excellent place to find inexpensive goods.
5. How Safe Is It For Tourists?
Local buses, minibusses, and songthaews (covered vehicles with extra seating), which can range in price from $1.50 to $15, depending on your mode of transportation and the distance you are traveling, are popular options for low-cost tourists visiting Phuket.
Phuket is extremely secure for travelers, just like many other Asian locations. To ensure their safety when visiting, visitors should nevertheless bear the following in mind:
- Petty crime and bag snatching are frequent, so use particular caution in crowded places or popular tourist destinations. To prevent thefts, never leave anything of value unattended at the beach.
- Local buses, minibusses, and songthaews (covered vehicles with extra seating), which can range in price from $1.50 to $15, depending on your mode of transportation and the distance you are traveling, are popular options for low-cost tourists visiting Phuket.
- Know how to ask for assistance: Dial 191 for immediate assistance if you or someone you are with needs it.
- Don’t use drugs: Thailand has very harsh drug laws, and violating them has resulted in foreigners being sent to prison.
6. How’s the WiFi?
The average internet speeds in Phuket for March 2023, as measured by the internet speed testing service Ookla, were 61.47 Mbps download and 14.92 Mbps upload.
7. How Long Can I Stay?
American citizens do not require a visa to enter Thailand if their passports are valid for at least six more months and they can provide documentation of a subsequent trip. Visitors are permitted to stay for a maximum of 30 days, with the opportunity to extend their stay for an additional 30 days by paying a $55 fee to the Thai Immigration Bureau office.
To help you have an outstanding vacation, we’ve attempted to provide the most significant Phuket travel advice. You shouldn’t worry, though, about going to Phuket.
The ideal vacation spot in Thailand is the lovely island city of Phuket. Your pre-holiday concerns will vanish once you arrive in this city, just like they do for other new travelers.
