Phuket & Krabi

Phuket is Thailand's largest island, 543 square kilometres, and its most visited destination. The relevant fact for discerning travellers is not the crowds but the geography: Phuket and its surroundings form the gateway to the Andaman Sea, one of the most varied marine environments in Asia, with dive sites ranging from shallow reef gardens accessible to beginners to technical wrecks and pinnacles that require certification.

Krabi, on the mainland to the east, organises itself around Railay Beach: a peninsula accessible only by boat, with limestone cliffs that have made it among the most photographed beaches in Asia. The Phi Phi Islands, around an hour by speedboat, contain Maya Bay, which became so crowded that Thailand's national parks department closed it in 2018 to let the reef recover. It reopened in 2022 with strict visitor limits, and boats may no longer enter the bay itself.

Phang Nga Bay, accessible from both Phuket and Krabi, is where the limestone karst landscape of the Andaman reaches its most extraordinary expression: dozens of islands rising directly from the water, sea caves accessible only at certain tides, and James Bond Island (Ko Tapu), which appears in The Man with the Golden Gun and has been photographed from more angles than almost any other rock formation in Asia. A private longtail boat, an early morning departure, and the bay is nearly empty.

Phuket itself is more varied than its reputation suggests. Patong, on the west coast, is the busiest resort, with nightlife and crowds. The quieter beaches, such as Kata Noi, Nai Harn, Kamala, Surin and Mai Khao, offer calmer water and a more relaxed atmosphere. Nai Yang, in the north, is part of a national park and has a long beach backed by casuarina trees, near the airport.

Phuket Old Town is often overlooked, but it is one of the most attractive towns in southern Thailand. Its streets of Sino-Portuguese shophouses, built by tin-mining merchants in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, now house cafés, galleries and restaurants. The Sunday walking street on Thalang Road fills with food stalls and crafts. The local cooking reflects the island's Hokkien Chinese heritage, with dishes such as mee hokkien and moo hong, pork belly braised in soy and pepper.

Further inland, the Big Buddha, on a hilltop in the south of the island, offers views over the coast. Khao Phra Thaeo, a forest reserve in the north, has waterfalls and a gibbon rehabilitation project. The Promthep Cape, at the southern tip, is the most popular place to watch the sunset.

The best time to visit is from November to April, when the Andaman Sea is calm, skies are clear and visibility is at its best for diving. From May to October, the southwest monsoon brings rain and rough seas, and some boat trips are cancelled; red flags on the west coast beaches warn of dangerous currents, and drownings occur every year when they are ignored.

Phuket International Airport has flights from Bangkok and many international destinations. The island is connected to the mainland by a bridge, and Khao Sok National Park, with its rainforest and lake of limestone cliffs, is around two to three hours by road.

A week is enough for Phuket and the Andaman coast, with time for Phang Nga Bay, a day at sea and a few nights in Krabi or on a quieter island such as Koh Yao Noi.