1st Time in Phuket: Where Should I Stay?

Quiet and tranquil, Nai Harn Beach is among the most popular places for locals. This is mostly because, being in a narrow, hill-lined cove, there isn’t much space for too many hotels. The geography creates an excellent harbor and offers visitors a cool choice of tiny beaches and coves such as Ya Nui and Ao Sane, making Nai Harn especially popular with sailors as well as snorkelers and divers.

The area has a steady pace, with some great local restaurants but very few shops or other attractions apart from the splendid panoramas offered at Promthep Cape and Windmill Viewpoint. Nai Harn Beach is, therefore, the best place for enjoying a relaxing stay in natural surroundings without being totally isolated.

Who's it for:

• Beach and nature lovers
• Snorkelers

What's good:

• 3 beautiful beaches and 1 lagoon
• Amazing viewpoints
• Great snorkeling and diving from December to April
• Good surfing and kite surfing from May to November
• Peaceful environment

What's not so good:

• Very little shopping and nightlife entertainment
• Limited fine-dining options
• A long drive from the airport

Bangtao is the second-longest beach of Phuket. It really is a place of contrast: the southern part of the beach hosts budget and mid-range hotels surrounding a small fishing village while its central area is occupied by the Laguna Complex - a group of luxury resorts settled between lagoons. The northern area – which ends at Layan Beach – is still rather undeveloped, apart from a few 5-star properties set on the verdant hills.

Bangtao Beach is a rather quiet destination, yet it hosts a few beach clubs offering night-time animation and some excellent restaurants, most of them located on or near Tinlay Plaza at the entrance of the Laguna Complex.

Who's it for:

• Wealthy travelers
• People looking for a relaxing escape
• Families
• People who like everything in one place

What's good:

• The beautiful long beach
• Excellent choice of first-class restaurants
• Good boutique shopping opportunities
• Some of the world's best beach clubs
• A good place to learn to surf (between May and November)

What's not so good:

• Long distances between interesting bits
• Few sight-seeing attractions
• Fairly quiet after dark

Blessed with remarkable natural beauty, Surin Beach is a highly exclusive area. It's popular with visiting celebrities for this very reason and many of the large houses in the area are the private property of multimillionaires. It's not so exclusive as to be completely exclusionary, however, and it offers a peaceful yet cosmopolitan stay, with the small town being home to a range of high-end shops and boutiques. Surin Beach is somewhat limited in attractions, making it better suited to those who want to escape and relax in relative privacy.

Who's it for:

• Wealthy travelers
• People looking for a more exclusive destination
• Celebrity spotters
• People seeking total relaxation

What's good:

• Great sundowner spot
• Trendy shopping
• Good surf spot from May to November
• Good snorkeling in high season at the northern end of the beach

What's not so good:

• Very few attractions or things to see and do, except for the beach
• Quiet at night

The long, curved expanse of Kamala Beach and the little town behind it are just a short distance from Patong but is practically the polar opposite. Far from being a hive of activity and nightlife, Kamala is popular with retirees due to its quiet atmosphere, relaxed pace and abundance of spas, villas and quality hotels. It has a very subdued nightlife, which mostly caters to those seeking a pleasant time instead of high-energy partying. That is gradually changing as high-quality beach clubs spring up on the northern end of the beach, however.

The area best caters to those who are in no rush, want to take it easy, and are quite happy for lazing on the quiet beach being the day’s most strenuous activity.

Who's it for:

• Families
• People looking for a village community feel
• Budget-conscious travelers

What's good:

• One of the few places in Phuket with restaurants right on the beach
• Good range of quality affordable hotels
• Some top-quality restaurants nearby
• Real local feel, away from the beach
• Some excellent surfing available from May to November

What's not so good:

• Very few shopping opportunities
• Pretty quiet at night
• Few sight-seeing attractions

The inviting sands of the third-longest beach on the island have attracted a number of large, sprawling resorts with designs that blend well with the surrounding nature. This gives a lot of Karon quite a relaxed air. However, the more urbanized northern part of the town also offers many of the attractions of the nearby Patong Beach – to the extent that Karon is sometimes called ‘Patong’s little sister’. This makes Karon a great place for people who want to have a nightlife, shopping and various attractions, but don’t necessarily want it right on their doorstep.

Who's it for:

• Beach lovers
• People who like market shopping
• People who like a little bit of nightlife
• People who want a compromise between 'too busy' and 'too quiet

What's good:

• Quiet and relaxing atmosphere
• Large, clean beach
• Good choice of budget restaurants
• Lots of spacious resorts near the beach
• Plenty of cheap souvenir markets

What's not so good:

• Not many quality restaurants (other than hotels)
• Few sight-seeing attractions
• Long distances between areas of interest

This west-coast resort town is best known for just one street – Bangla Road – which is the densest concentration of bars and clubs anywhere in Phuket and is the island’s primary nightlife destination. This is surrounded by a large number of hotels, ranging from budget guesthouses to small resorts. The picturesque coast road heading north towards Kamala takes advantage of the great sunset views by offering a more luxurious experience, but at the cost of being further from the party. There are also a number of excellent restaurants, countless shops, several cultural attractions and various activities to enjoy in the area.

Who's it for:

• Budget-conscious vacationers
• People who love to party
• People who like a busy and lively beach
• People who want to be centrally-located and want everything in one place

What's good:

• Phuket's most exciting nightlife
• Great shopping opportunities
• Lots of interesting things to see and do
• Massive choice of restaurants
• Beautiful nearby beaches

What's not so good:

• Always busy
• Nightlife can be a little extreme and overwhelming
• Not many traditional Thai touches

The provincial capital and largest urban area of the island, Phuket Town’s narrow streets are filled with great restaurants, boutique shops and unique attractions. This is the ideal location for people who want every day of their vacation to be different; filled with new discoveries and new experiences.

The town has absorbed many aspects of the varying cultures that have called it home over the centuries, making it also a place of beautiful historical designs and features. Being the hub of local life, Phuket Town is probably the best place to get the “real Thailand” experience on the island and there are regular local markets to explore.

Who's it for:

• Backpackers
• People interested in history and culture
• Local food lovers
• People who like market shopping

What's good:

• Beautiful historical Old Town
• Real local atmosphere
• Great affordable dining
• Several local markets, especially at the weekends
• Charming affordable hotels

What's not so good:

• A long way from Phuket's best beaches
• Traffic is intense at rush hour
• Quiet on weekday nights

Rawai Beach is at the south-eastern tip of Phuket Island. Historically the very first tourist beach of Phuket, it somehow retained its local touch with the sea gypsy village and the many long-tail boats belonging to local fishermen anchored along its 2.5-km length. The departure port for island-hopping to Coral and Racha islands, the atmosphere of Rawai is really tranquil compared to that of Patong.

With only a few shops and nightlife options, the resort town nevertheless hosts a few great beachside restaurants. Its proximity with Nai Harn and Chalong also gives visitors good opportunities to discover some of Phuket’s most notable attractions like Promthep Cape and Phuket Big Buddha. The accommodations scene of Rawai features a wide range of hotels and resorts from budget to 5-star.

Who's it for:

• People looking for the 'local' experience
• People who want to get away from overcrowded tourist areas

What's good:

• Very popular Sea Gypsies Fish Market
• Great local seaside restaurants
• Laem Ka Beach and Promthep Cape are nearby
• Easy island-hopping opportunities

What's not so good:

• Very few shops
• Very quiet at night

Mai Khao Beach, at 11 km, is the longest beach in Phuket. This long, deserted beach offers a panorama similar to that of the 350 km coastal area between Phuket Island and Ranong at the border with Myanmar: a long stretch of sand fringed with pine, tropical almonds, and palm trees as well as splendid tropical seaside plants.

Mai Khao seems far from everything and, apart from a few luxury resorts and the refreshing Splash Jungle Water Park, most of the beach belongs to Sirinath National Park as it's the only place in Phuket where the giant ridley sea turtles lay their eggs each year between November and February. If you're looking for a ‘far-from-it-all’ type of vacation, Mai Khao Beach is definitely the place you are looking for.

Who's it for:

• Honeymooners
• Luxury travelers
• People who want to get away from it all

What's good:

• Phuket’s biggest beach
• Beautiful areas of National Park
• Convenient for the airport
• Peaceful and quiet
• Convenient for Phang Nga Bay

What's not so good:

• Long distances between interesting bits
• Very few shopping or nightlife options
• Not many things to see and do

The range of attractions around Kata Beach makes it a pretty good all-rounder as a vacation destination. Its beach is long and lively and is a particular favorite with surfers (from May to November) and student divers (there’s a cool reef to explore between the beach and Pu Island).

The nightlife here is fun, but not too raucous. There are several great restaurants to choose from as well as shops, viewpoints and fun activities. It offers fun for all the family, making it a particularly popular destination for young couples traveling with children.

Who's it for:

• Young travelers
• Families
• People who like a good but not hectic nightlife
• Surfers and student divers

What's good:

• Amazing viewpoints and beaches
• Great selection of fine-dining and mid-range restaurants
• Excellent shopping options
• Lots of sports and activities available
• One of Phuket’s best surfing beaches (between May and November)

What's not so good:

• Long distance from most hotels and restaurants to the beach
• Few sight-seeing attractions