The Perfect 4–Day Phuket Itinerary

North Pros & Cons

Pros: Close to the airport, family-friendly, hiking trails, less touristy, upper-end hotels

Cons: Far from the rest of Phuket (over an hour's drive to the south and an hour to nightlife), quiet beaches with few vendors

Mai Khao Beach

If you have one day to explore the northern region of the island, this long path of sand is like your own private beach. Watch the planes come in from overhead and simply enjoy authentic Thailand — no hotels, no crowds, just a deserted stretch of seclusion to grab a good book or take a nap on one of the sun beds with an iced Chang beer. This is where the locals choose to relax as well, so Mai Khao Beach will be an entirely different experience from the chaos that is Patong Beach (central Phuket).

Sirinat National Park

If you keep walking down Mai Khao Beach (if you drive there, there is an entrance fee of 200 baht...so walk!), you'll find yourself in the small coastal park of Sirinat National Park. I have never been myself, but I heard it boasts mangrove forests that hold various wildlife (monitor lizards, turtles, mangrove pit vipers, 130 bird species). I've also heard that this park is commercialized, overdeveloped with resorts, and polluted, so personally, I wouldn't spend too much time here.

Central Pros & Cons

Pros: Festive nightlife, many street vendors and restaurants, cheap accommodations, right in the action

Cons: Very touristy, crowded beaches, tacky atmosphere

Surin Beach

Spend the early part of your day relaxing on this white-sand beach with turquoise water, chairs/umbrellas for rent and many street vendors. This beach is popular for its proximity to the central chaos, but just north of it. There are many spots to sit in the shade, the snorkeling is admirable, the beach is clean and the restaurant staff are fantastic (whether opting for beach chair service or dining in). Surin Beach is also a hotspot for sunset if you make it back in time!

Old Phuket Town

Since the jellyfish start to come out midday at Surin Beach, pack up your things and drive 45 minutes to Old Phuket Town on the west side of the island. Old Town is a colorful neighborhood of century-old Sino-Portuguese townhouses. Between the myriad of coffee shops, artisanal ice cream and lines of souvenir shops, it offers pleasure to any traveler. Have you ever tried Red Bull vodka ice cream? Here is the place for it. I easily spent a good three hours here eating, shopping and wandering down the rows of this energetic town.

Chillva Market

About a 10-minute drive from Old Phuket Town, and opening at around 5 pm or so, this night market comes to life with thrifting, live music, an array of typical Thai cuisine and some unique samples you gotta try while you're here — one bag of grasshoppers, please!

Bangla Road

By 9 pm, the party is just getting started on the east coast. Drive about 30 minutes back to experience (or observe) the Thail nightlife heat that is Bangla Road. This famous road is heavily crowded, but entertains various street performances and throwback music that is impossible to not sing along to and bar crawl your way to the next best song.

South Pros & Cons

Pros: Less touristy, more local flavor, launching point for many island-hopping tours

Cons: Far from the airport, fewer hotels, little nightlife

The Big Buddha

The drive down to the south deserves many pit stops along the way, with the first being Big Buddha. A long, windy road up to the top, this marble Buddhist temple is 45 meters tall, resting on a mountaintop to offer panoramic views of the island. If you have the willpower to get there by 6:15 am for sunrise, you won't regret it. You'll beat the crowds and the pictures will be striking.

Karon Viewpoint

Another stop worth pulling over for is Karon Viewpoint. The picturesque views of the ocean, beaches and lush island surroundings are just a couple steps from your car door.

Nai Han Beach

Plop yourself on this lively stretch of white sand, take a swim, grab a bite to eat at one of the vendors and sip on a fresh coconut for sunset. The beach is small and the waves are big, but the water is crystal clear with no jellyfish to fear. Nai Han is considered to be the best uncrowded mainstream tourist beach on Phuket island. It has a rustic, undeveloped mood and is appreciated for its lack of high-rise resorts and chaotic party streets.

No Phuket trip is complete without a day trip via boat to one of its archipelago escapes in the Andaman Sea. One of the most beautiful options is the Similan Islands, about 1.5 hours from southern Phuket. The rich marine wildlife and coral reefs make this is a snorkeler's paradise — if your fingers aren't excessively pruney by the end of the day, you didn't reap the snorkeling benefits enough.

But note, if you're traveling from the north or central Phuket, be prepared for a long drive of carpooling to the pier. I definitely recommend getting a tour from the south, so your travel time doesn't accumulate to six hours for this day trip.