Phuket Activities & Tours

Most of what visitors book on Phuket happens off the island. Speedboat and ferry day trips run from Rassada Pier and Chalong Pier to Phi Phi, the Similans, Phang Nga Bay with its limestone karsts and sea caves, Coral Island, Racha Yai and the Ko Yao islands. The Similan trips run only from mid-October to mid-May, when the national park is open.

Diving is a long-established trade here, with the operator cluster around Chalong. Day boats work the Racha and Phi Phi sites, and the liveaboards head for the Similans and Richelieu Rock in season. Snorkelling, sea kayaking through the Phang Nga caves and sailing charters out of the marinas on the east coast fill out the water side, along with parasailing and jet skis on Patong and Kata in the calm months.

On land, the island has a large Muay Thai training scene, mostly around Rawai and Chalong, taking everyone from drop-in visitors to full-time fighters. Ethical elephant sanctuaries in the Thalang and Kathu hills have largely replaced the old riding camps. Cooking classes, zip lines, ATV routes, golf at Laguna and Blue Canyon, and the Phuket FantaSea and Carnival Magic evening shows round out the rest.