Where to go to Phuket. Which area of ​​Phuket to choose for your holiday. Restrictions on excursions. Karon - a huge beach and Russian tourists

Tired of the hustle and bustle big city? Take a swimsuit and a camera and head to the islands of Thailand. We have chosen 5 for you paradises, which definitely deserve attention!

Phi Phi is the superstar of Thailand! The archipelago is located in the Andaman Sea between Phuket and the mainland of the Kingdom. It includes two large islands: Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh - and four more tiny ones.

Phi Phi Don is the only inhabited island. It is from here that excursions to the rest of the archipelago depart. If you want to feel cut off from civilization, go to uninhabited Phi Phi Le. The film “The Beach” with Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role was filmed here on the “wild” coast. Tourists come here for freediving or snorkeling. There are no paved roads or an airport on the islands, so it’s best to get around on foot or by bike. Basic aquatic view transport - long boats. Take them to get to secluded coves or for a sightseeing tour around the islands.

An important task is to decide on the length of stay. According to reviews seasoned tourists, you won’t see all the beauty in one day. After all, you want to take a walk, go diving, admire the view from observation deck, feed the monkeys at Monkey Beach, and of course, sunbathe on the sand in a secluded bay. It’s worth setting aside at least a weekend for entertainment. There are plenty of offers for where to stay for a traveler. You can stay in a multi-storey hotel or a budget bamboo bungalow. But it is worth booking a room in advance, especially during the high season - from November to April. Prices for food and groceries in restaurants are higher than on the mainland.

Phi Phi surprises not only with its nature and authenticity: the local night life can compete with the parties of Phuket and Pattaya. Get ready for wild parties!

How to get there: by ferry or boat in about 2 hours. The ferry from Phuket Town departs daily at 8:30 and 13:30. Connoisseurs of comfort can order a personal boat, but it is much more expensive.

Price: A ferry ticket costs 600 baht. You can take it right away return ticket With open date departure. A round trip will cost 1000 baht. The ferry from Phi Phi departs at 9:00 and 14:30.

The nine Similan Islands are noted by UNESCO as one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Diving enthusiasts, pay attention! The most amazing inhabitants meet here underwater world: huge sea turtles, bright crustaceans, lionfish, cuttlefish, parrot fish. The archipelago is located in the open sea 80 km from Phuket. It is part of the national Mu Ko Similan. The islands are open to visitors only from December to April: the rest of the time, due to strong winds and stormy seas, it is impossible to get here.

You won't find luxury hotels and clubs here. But to fully experience the atmosphere of unity with nature, still stay overnight. You can stay in a tent on the island of Miang or Similan. The price of such romance is from 600 baht. More comfortable conditions - bungalows with air conditioning - will cost from 2,000 baht. Toilets and showers are common to everyone. There are a couple of cafes serving Thai cuisine on the islands.

How to get there: by boat or ferry from Thap Lamu Pier (Phang Nga Province), the journey will take 4 hours.

Price: ferry ticket - from 1500 baht. To get around the archipelago, you can take taxi boats; the tariff is negotiated on the spot.

20 km from Phuket there are two small islands Racha Yai and Racha Noi. This beautiful place for those looking for something between lively Phi Phi and pristine Similan. The islands are rightly called “paradise” or “royal” for their picturesque cliffs and dense tropics. If you want to stay longer, you can stay at one of the luxury hotels: Rayaburi Resort, Ban Raya Resort or The Racha Resort. Room prices range from 4,000 to 10,000 baht per night. There are several cozy restaurants, massage parlors and shops. The islands are quiet and calm, without discos until the morning. You can enjoy the sounds wildlife and the sound of the surf.

How to get there: 30-40 minutes by speedboat or rented boat from Chalong Pier or Rawai Beach. IN tourist season You can get to Racha Yai by shuttle boat from Chalong.

Price: 600–800 baht per person one way. To save money, you can buy a comprehensive excursion at your hotel or from guides in Phuket. The average price is 1200 baht per person. The price includes transfer from the hotel, travel by speedboat, diving and all diving equipment, lunch and return trip.

Ko He, or Coral island is 5 km from Rawai Beach and 10 km from Chalong Pier. Just a 15-minute ride from Phuket by speedboat, you will find yourself alone with nature in a place. Be sure to check out the coral reefs around: they are the living treasure of the Andaman Sea. They go to the island excursion groups, the cost of such a trip is approximately 1000 baht. There are two beaches here: Long Beach and Banana Beach. The road to Banana Beach follows a path through a dense palm jungle. For those who want to stay on Long Beach, there is only one Hotel Coral Island Resort. You can stay in a bungalow right on the shore.

How to get there: by boat from Chalong Pier (10-15 minutes) or by booking a comprehensive excursion.

Price: from 1000 baht for an adult and 800 baht for a child.

The island is located 2 km from Phuket and 20 km from the Similan archipelago. The boom is very tiny: 1.2 km long and 500 meters wide. All the most interesting things are under water. The shore goes steeply to a depth of 30–40 meters. Once diving, you can see schools of five-meter stingrays, leopard and whale sharks.

How to get there: hire a boatman at Rawai Beach.

Price: round trip - from 1000 baht.

We wish you interesting excursions and vivid impressions!

In the Andaman Sea, near the island of Phuket, there are fantastically beautiful and unique islands. Some of them are very tiny and uninhabited. And some can offer a quiet and measured rest in cozy rooms or bungalows, and sometimes even in an ordinary tent without any amenities familiar to a city dweller. On white sand beaches you can soak up the sun and swim in the clear sea.

You can buy an excursion by choosing one or another one day tour, and get to know the sights of the islands. The second option for vacation on the islands is independent travel on a rented boat. And for those who want to spend more time in a place almost untouched by civilization, we recommend purchasing a tour for the entire vacation.

Islands located near Phuket

Koh Rang Yai(Ko Rang Yai) is a small island located 5 kilometers east of Phuket. On west coast there is the only beach on the island where Phuket tourists like to relax. Koh Rang Yai is famous for its palm plantations, fishing and pearl farm.

Ko Bon(Ko Bon) is a tiny island located south of Phuket. You can reach the island in just 15 minutes by renting a long-tail boat from Rawai Pier. On the island you can swim in the crystal clear sea and watch the fish while snorkeling.

Koh Kaew(Ko Kaew) is a small uninhabited island that is located opposite the southernmost point of Phuket Island.

Ko Lon(Ko Lone) is an island where you can go to enjoy the tranquility beach holiday or walking through the evergreen jungle. Koh Lon is located in the middle of Chalong Bay, southeast of Phuket island. You can sail to the island in just 10 minutes from Chalong Pier.

Koh Racha(Ko Racha or Ko Raya) consists of two islands, Racha Yai and Racha Noi. Racha Yai is a beautiful island ready to offer tourists luxurious accommodation on the seashore in newly built hotels. Racha Noi is an uninhabited island rich in fantastic nature. The islands are located 12 kilometers south of Phuket.

Distant Islands

James Bond Island or Ko Tany- a tiny, but the most famous and memorable island located in Phang Nga Bay. Daily to extraordinary beautiful island, which gained its popularity thanks to the James Bond film, many boats and boats with tourists arrive.

Koh Similan(Ko Similan) is an archipelago consisting of 9 islands of extraordinary beauty located in the territory national park. Koh Similan is located 70 kilometers from Phang Nga. Koh Similan is the most beautiful group of islands in Thailand and favorite place all tourists.

What is the current Thai Baht exchange rate? In the post, all prices will be given in local Baht, so the Baht exchange rate for today is important: 1 Euro = 38 Baht; $1 = 35 Baht.

What is more profitable, going on an excursion or sightseeing on your own? Since Thailand is still a wild country with its own mentality, not all corners of the country can be reached in a comfortable, civilized way. Besides, public transport here is specific: local residents Taxi prices are prohibitive for visitors, renting bikes or a car is unsafe, so the easiest option to travel around the area is to take a tour. The funny thing is that excursions can come out at a price lower than if before different places get to the islands on your own.

What language are the tours in?? Most often, excursions are conducted in English and Russian. It didn’t matter to us what language the guide spoke, and we traveled with both Russians and foreigners. The level of excursions and transport is approximately the same for everyone. True, sometimes you come across scammers with terrible transport and service, a lot is written about such companies negative reviews in the Internet.

Where to buy excursions? Excursions can be purchased online or at kiosks selling excursions in Phuket. On the island itself, in all the places where tourists crowd, it feeds a large number of sellers of excursions, often these are outbids. Prices vary greatly: for the same excursion the price with the same service can differ by 2-3 times! Finding direct sellers of your excursions is unrealistic: everything is confusing on Phuket, and you won’t understand who is organizing the excursion, who is outbid, and who is outbid. Everywhere near hotels, near shopping centers, on the beaches, on the pedestrian streets there will be a huge offer of travel options. Some will say that the occupancy rate is high, and you need to go faster, otherwise the places will run out. Maybe this is true during the peak season, but we calmly bought everything the day before the excursions, and there were no problems with seats. You can also bargain with the excursion seller, and if he is ready to greatly reduce the cost of the excursion, then it means that the organization of such a tour will be difficult, or they may simply not come to the hotel to pick you up. Therefore, it is better to buy excursions from trusted companies.

Entry tickets for events. In addition to trips, you can buy entrance tickets to various events from excursion sellers. This is often much cheaper than buying entrance tickets yourself. For example, we bought tickets for the Simon Transvestite show for 550 Baht (we bargained, the starting price was 700), and at the box office the entrance ticket cost 800-1000 Baht. As you can see, you can save a lot of money.

Excursions to the islands

The most popular excursions- this is a visit exotic islands: , Similan Islands, James Bond Island and others. We went on a couple of such excursions, and this is how one of the excursions we visited called “Phi Phi Islands for 1 day” went, which consisted of the following: a visit to DiCaprio Phi Phi Island with Maya Bay, Paradise Island Kai, snorkeling, lunch and swimming on Phi Phi Don island, monkey beach, swimming in a picturesque radon bay with beautiful steep cliffs.

• 7:30 - We were picked up from the hotel by minibus and taken to the pier. From Patong and Karon, transfer to the pier is free.
• 8:00 - Arrival at the pier. At the pier, safety instructions on water and speed boats are provided. You can also drink tea or coffee with cookies here; this is included in the price of the excursion. One of the company representatives in a shop near the pier offered tourists to buy the necessary things for the excursion: a hat, sunscreen, protective phone cases for $5 (they cost $1 on Aliexpress). The only scam is renting fins, because... It was said that while snorkeling you can hurt your feet on the coral. But while swimming, my feet couldn’t reach the coral at all, and 200 baht for renting fins for one person was wasted.
• 9:30 - Arrival at Phi Phi Le Island in Maya Bay in 45 minutes. The trip was by speedboat, we were lucky and there were no waves. The boat travels very fast, and when there are waves, it shakes so much that people feel sick. Even in calm weather, water flows normally onto the deck. I would like to warn you that it is better not to take expensive things on the excursion, and you should go immediately in swimsuits.
• 10:30 - We sail from Phi Phi Island, go to see the monkeys, swim in a romantic, beautiful bay.
• 12:00 - Arrival on Phi Phi Don island for lunch at a beach restaurant. Lunch is poor and very meager; drinks and food are included in the price of the excursion. After lunch we took a swim, took more photos, and walked around the island. And here’s an unpleasant moment: we picked up people from the island who were going on a two-day excursion. This means that there were 32 people on our boat instead of the allowed 25. The ride became uncomfortable due to lack of space.
• 13:30 - We went to the bay for snorkeling. After the dive, the captain of the ship cut a cold watermelon, which came in handy, because the heat was already hellish. After swimming we arrived at the paradise white sand island of Kai.
• 16:00 - Departure to the port in Phuket. After 20-30 minutes we were there and after another 30 minutes we were taken to the hotel in a Toyota minibus.

To summarize, I can say that the excursion went well, the guide was a cheerful, positive guy. I liked that the boat always had free cold water, and the speedboat and minibus transfer were quite new and comfortable. We visited all the places described in the booklet. The only unpleasant moments: a scam when renting fins, people added to the boat and an unpleasant photographer-girl who intrusively and shamelessly offered her services. The girl should learn some culture and buy a normal camera for shooting.

The excursion cost us 2000 Baht, masks and snorkeling tubes were included in the price of the excursion (scam tourist offices ask for an additional payment of 300-500 Baht for mask rental). The most interesting thing is that there were people on the excursion who bought an excursion from a tour operator at the hotel for 3,200 Baht.

If you decide to visit the Phi Phi Islands on your own, then you need to worry about getting to the pier, then you need to find a ferry that will take you a long time to get to the island. And in order to get to Maya Bay, you will need to negotiate with the local aborigines. As a result, the final cost of the trip is unclear, you can waste your precious vacation time waiting for a ferry or boat - it’s all a hassle, and it’s easier to go on an excursion.

Conclusion about excursions to the islands: All excursions from Phuket to the nearest islands are approximately the same: transfer from the hotel to the port, speed boat, islands, lunch, swimming, islands, road back. If you are traveling for 2 days, you will also have an overnight stay at the hotel. My advice, if you have limited time in Phuket, it is best to go to Phi Phi for 1 day, and to the Similan Islands for 2 days, because... the road to these islands is much more tiring, but these islands are very picturesque, just like the Seychelles.

Sightseeing tours of Phuket

Sightseeing tours of Phuket are a great way to spend time and explore the main points of the island. The excursion is cheaper than renting a taxi and purchasing entrance tickets yourself. All sightseeing tours around the island are a kind of hodgepodge of visits to several places, shows and elephant riding.

We chose a trip that included visits to the following places: Kata Viewpoint, Elephant Riding, Monkey Show and Baby Elephant Photography, Chalong Temple, Pearl Factory, Walnut and Honey Factory. Our excursion cost 700 Baht, although the Indian seller initially wanted 1300. The duration of our excursion was 3-4 hours.

Below is a list options sightseeing tours in Phuket, which can be found in local travel companies.

• Elephant ride 30 minutes; Kata Observation Deck; Elephant show; Big Buddha; Monkey show; Snake show; Visit to a pearl factory and shopping, Visit to a nut and honey factory.
• Market; Chalong Temple, Elephant Show; Big Buddha; Visit to a pearl factory and shopping, Visit to a nut and honey factory.
• Kata Observation Deck; Chalong Temple; Elephant show; Big Buddha; Chinese temple; Visit to a pearl factory and shopping, Visit to a nut and honey factory and Watch the sunset at .
• Elephant ride 30 minutes; Kata Observation Deck; Chalong Temple; Big Buddha; Monkey show; Quad biking through the jungle; Visit to a pearl factory and shopping, Visit to a nut and honey factory.
• Elephant ride 30 minutes; Kata Observation Deck; Chalong Temple; Big Buddha; Monkey show; Elephant show; Quad biking through the jungle; Visit to a pearl factory and shopping, Visit to a nut and honey factory; Canoe trip through mangrove forests; Walk through the old town of Phuket Town.
• Big Buddha; Elephant ride 30 minutes; Bird show; Dolphin show; Chalong Temple.

The cost of such excursions varies, as a rule, from 500 Baht to 2500 Baht. The cost depends on the comfort of the minibus, the adequacy of the driver, the number of places visited and the markup of resellers. The duration of these excursions varies from 2 to 7 hours. Considering that on farms riding elephants alone costs 500-1000 Baht, then I think that visiting such an excursion is very profitable.

Complete table of all excursions in Phuket

The choice of excursions, especially if you are coming to Phuket for the first time, is quite difficult. Which excursions to choose? Which islands should you go to? There are a lot of them, and they have similar unpronounceable names. What is the difference? How to find the perfect tour for yourself and your family? Because in all these Khao Soks, Khao Lakah and other Phi Phi's are easy to get confused. I’ll tell you about the variety of excursions in Phuket and teach you how to choose the right trips.

All excursions can be divided into several groups: islands near Phuket, overland trips to the mainland, entertainment and attractions on the island itself, trips to neighboring countries. Let's look at each of these groups separately. Look at the map and read the description of each category.

1. Boat excursions in Phuket
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3. Attractions in Phuket
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Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island

Among the island tours, Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island stand out. In my opinion, it is definitely worth a visit. Magnificent - this is a must see of Phuket and one of the wonders of Thailand. There is no wonderful snorkeling or colorful fish here, but the nature is amazing. Dozens of islands are scattered around the bay; these are the ones you see below when you approach Phuket. Hong and Panak caves have internal lagoons that can only be accessed by kayak. You'll feel like a grain of sand among giant rocks and stalactites, and monkeys and mudskippers await you in secret lagoons. Another popular island in Phang Nga Bay is named after James Bond. Two films about agent 007 were filmed here: “The Man with the Golden Gun” and “Tomorrow Never Dies.” Every day hundreds of tourists take pictures against the backdrop of the island. He's like Leaning Tower of Pisa or pyramids in Egypt. If you still don’t have such a photo, then you should come to Phuket again. An excursion to Phang Nga Bay is available. The advantages of the first option are the speed of movement and the visit, which is located right on the water. But on big ship You can go to girls in position. And don’t worry about the waves, there are none in Phang Nga Bay.

James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay

Similan Islands

For snow-white sand and azure sea, you can go to any other islands. Let's divide them by geography - north and south of Phuket. The Surin Islands are also located in the north. The latter are worth going to, they are located very far from Phuket. The Similan Islands have a different landscape from the islands south of Phuket: huge boulders volcanic origin border snow-white beaches. The Similan Islands are worth choosing for accommodation on desert island among Nicobar pigeons, flying foxes and other fauna. You can stay on the Similan Islands in a tent, in a bungalow with a fan or air conditioning. The Similans are open to visitors from November to April, the remaining six months national park closed for tours. may be tedious and not suitable for families with small children. And mine personal recommendation- it is better to organize this trip closer to the end of the holiday, so that it is not on the first day and so that the impressions are formed as the beauty of the islands increases.

Similan Islands and Mount Parus

Maiton + Coral + Racha

Excursions to the islands south of Phuket can be divided into three groups: the nearest islands, Phi Phi and Krabi, Rock and Ha Islands. Coral, Maithon and are located very close to Phuket. Excursions there are suitable for families with children and older people. The most beautiful of the islands is. It is private, and there are no crowds of tourists, the number of visitors is limited. Maiton is an excellent alternative to Similan in summer season. There are no waves here, the sand is snow-white, and the water in the sea is turquoise. Myton is suitable for have a relaxing holiday with children all year round, for those who like to swim with masks and see colorful fish. , although they are nearby, they are very different in landscape. Racha is of volcanic origin: large boulders line the coast; the island has hotels and several beaches. There is no such beauty on Coral, and there are many more people. , combined in Coral, admire the gorgeous sunsets, drink an exotic cocktail, and swim with masks among the fish. A hotel for an overnight stay is much more comfortable than a bungalow on Similan.

Maiton Private Island

Phi Phi Islands

View from observation deck in Phuket

Restrictions on excursions

In addition to pregnancy, there are other restrictions on age, height or weight.

The minimum age for is 10 years. Airplane travel is permitted at least 24 hours after the last dive. The day before the dive you are prohibited from drinking alcohol.
In "" children less than 150 centimeters tall can only enter the smallest tiger cubs. People over 16-18 years old are allowed to see the rest of the tigers.
The minimum age for riding is 7 years, for excursions in the extreme park - 4 years, for rafting - 6 years, for driving an ATV - 8 years, for - 5 years.
Weight Limit for excursions in the extreme rope park - 120 kg.
To enter any temple, your shoulders, knees, cleavage and stomach must be covered. Bring a scarf or pareo with you on the excursion to cover bare areas.

Excursions to neighboring countries from Phuket

Phuket is good for its international airport, from where you can fly by plane to neighboring countries. Such tours last 2-3 days. You can explore its colorful sights, see a vibrant combination of different cultures, or combine. It’s a special pleasure to go and see along the way best islands Andaman Sea: Rock, Ha and Lipe.

Merline - the symbol of Singapore

To summarize, it is worth noting that the choice depends on your wishes and the composition of the group of vacationers. For, for older people - another, for active travelers- third. To experience Phuket and see the beauty of Thailand, go to Phang Nga Bay, drive around the islands with snow-white sand, alternate sea excursions with land excursions, take a trip to the mainland, explore the sights on the island and go to an evening show. And if time permits, spend the night in floating houses on Lake Cheo Lan or have a blast at a beach disco on Phi Phi during a two-day excursion. Partygoers should definitely visit, and. And you should definitely try it too. This is a list of must see attractions that cannot be missed. Have a nice holiday!

General map of Phuket and surrounding areas.

Description for independent travel.

The general map shows that Phuket separated from the mainland by a small strait. And it is connected to the mainland by a bridge called “ Bridge – Sarasin”(Sarasin Bridge). More detailed map Phuket itself with attractions is available.

Water area near the province Phang-nga() refers to part of the national park. This is where the excursion to the island takes place. James Bond. If you look closely, you can easily see this name on the map.

In the western part, washed by Andaman Sea There are also wonderful beaches. (Ehai Muang District on the map) This area suffered the most during the 2004 Tsunami (long, open coastline was defenseless against the elements). In the same area there are piers from which boats depart to the island . (see additional map).

Two large islands located in the middle of Phan Nga Bay - islands Ko Yao Noi And Ko Yao Yai(Noi and Yai in Thai respectively - small and large), are the most large islands in this area after Phuket. On these picturesque islands, just like in Phuket, there are highly comfortable hotels. There are bungalows, minimarkets 7/11. And a ferry goes there every day from Phuket. – it’s very easy to get there.

In the lower right part of the map it is easy to notice a very popular islands (Phi Phi Ley small and Phi Phi Don big). They can be reached different ways. There is a ferry from Phuket Town and various tourist visiting programs are available. The infrastructure on the islands is not bad - there are many hotels, bars, nightlife. On the islands themselves you can rent a boat and go fishing or