Phuket in 5 Days: everything you need to know

Phuket is an island of incredible natural beauty and rich culture, which is very popular due to its proximity to some of the most photographed islands in the country: the Phi Phi Islands and the James Bond Islands. But Phuket also offers beautiful beaches and plenty to enjoy during your 5 day stay.

Some of the things to see and do in Phuket in 5 days are strolling around its charming historic centre, where you can visit temples and museums; the 45-metre statue of the Big Buddha and the famous Wat Chalong temple; the Khao Phra Thaeo National Park, and of course the Phi Phi and James Bond Islands. Let's get started!

On your first day in Phuket, you can go to the Wat Chalong temple in the morning, and then visit one of the island's paradise beaches: Kata Beach. From there you can go to see the statue of the Big Buddha at sunset. These attractions are included in most Phuket tours, which are a good option if you don't want to worry about transfers.

The first point on the itinerary is Chalong Temple, which is 9km from Phuket Old Town and can be reached in an hour by bus or 14 minutes by taxi or car. Then it's 8km to Kata Beach, and from there 3.5km to the hill where the Big Buddha is located, which can be reached by bus, taxi or motorbike taxi.

Wat Chalong Temple

Wat Chalong Temple, or Wat Chaithararam, is located towards the southern centre of the island, and is one of Phuket' s main Buddhist temples, where it is said that there would be splinters of Buddha's bones in its 60-metre-high Central Pagoda. It is an impressive 19th century building, where you can see murals depicting the life of the Buddha.

• Location: 70 Moo 6 Chaofa Road (West) Chalong Phuket 83000.
• Hours: Open daily from 8am to 5pm.
• Admission: Free of charge.

Kata Beach

From Wat Chalong Temple to Kata Beach is about 8 km, which can be done by bus in about an hour or by taxi in about 20 minutes. On the beach you can enjoy the lush nature or practice sports such as surfing or snorkelling. In addition, you can find everything you need, as it is a very lively area of the island, with restaurants, hotels and shops nearby.

Kata Beach is located less than 2 km from Kata Noi Beach to the south and 1 km from Karon Beach to the north, so you can take the opportunity to visit these two beaches. Another option is the Karon Viewpoint, which is one of the best on the island, and is located about 4 km from the beach. Just remember to save your energy for a visit to the Big Buddha before sunset.

Big Buddha

From Kata Beach, and when the sun goes down a little, you can go and see the Big Buddha of Phuket, a 45-metre high statue on top of Nakkerd Hill, which is the third largest Buddha statue in Thailand. There is also a golden replica and other smaller statues. The site offers an incredible panoramic view of the island at sunset.

The statue is about 3.5 km from the beach and you can either walk or take a taxi. If you choose to walk, be prepared for the heat and the steepness of the path.

• Location: Karon, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83100, Thailand.
• Hours: Open daily from 6am to 6.30pm.
• Admission: Free of charge.

On your second day on the island of Phuket, you can visit Phuket Old Town, which is the old town, where there are many old buildings, temples, markets and parks. The distances between the various attractions are only a few blocks, except for Saphan Hin Park, which is about 3 km away. This can be reached in 30 minutes by bus or 10 minutes by taxi or car.

The tour I suggest starts at the Phuket Thai Hua Museum and continues to the Chin Pracha House Museum. From there you can go to the Jui Tui Shrine, and then to the Temple of Serene Light. You can then walk along Dibuk Rd, where there are old buildings, and see the Han Leng Ong statue, before going to Saphan Hin Park, which overlooks the sea.

Phuket Thai Hua Museum

At the Phuket Thai Hua Museum, you can immerse yourself in the island's history and gain a better understanding of the influence it has received from various cultures such as Chinese and Portuguese.

• Location: 28 Krabi Road, Talad Nuea, Phuket Town 83000
• Opening hours: 9am to 5pm approx.
• Admission fee: free.

Chin Pracha House

About 3 blocks from the museum you will see the Chin Pracha House, a beautiful Sino-Portuguese style mansion where you can appreciate its unique architecture and learn how the Chinese families who lived there lived in the past, as it preserves antique furniture, artefacts and objects. The house, built in 1903, has been featured in Chinese and Thai films.

• Location: 98 Krabi, Talat Nuea, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000.
• Hours: 9am to 4.30pm approx.
• Entry fee: from €4 per person.

Jui Tui Shrine

Four streets away from the Chin Pracha House, you will find the Jui Tui Shrine, a Chinese Taoist temple well known because it is where the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is held in October. The temple worships the deity Tean Hu Huan Soy, who is associated with artists and dancers. It is one of the more modern temples, as it had to be moved after a fire.

There are very good vegetarian restaurants around Jui Tui Shrine, where you can enjoy lunch.

• Location: 283 Soi Phutorn, Tambon Talat Nuea, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000.
• Opening hours: 8am to 5pm approx.
• Entrance fee: free of charge.

Sang Thain Shrine or Temple of the Serene Light

About 6 streets away from the Jui Tui Shrine is the Temple of the Serene Light, a Chinese Taoist temple that was built in 1889 by a local family. It is located in a somewhat hidden alleyway in the streets of central Phuket, surrounded by cafes.

• Location: V9MQ+G5R, Phangnga Rd, Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand.
• Hours: 10am to 6pm approx.
• Admission fee: free of charge.

Dibuk Rd & Golden Dragon Statue (Hai Leng Ong)

From the Temple of the Serene Light you can walk about 250 metres to Dibuk Rd, where you can see old European-style buildings. If you continue along this road and turn south over the bridge, you'll come across the statue of the Golden Dragon (Han Leng Ong) in Queen Sirikit Park, to which the Chinese often make offerings.

Saphan Hin Park

It is about 3km from the Golden Dragon Statue to Saphan Hin Park. You can get there by bus or on foot in about 30 minutes, or even by taxi in about 8 minutes. The park overlooks the ocean, making it a good place to take a break from the city. About 500 metres from there is the Kio Thian Keng Saphan Hin Shrine temple, close to the coast.

It is a place where locals go for sunset walks, jogging or cycling. It also often hosts cultural events, concerts and festivals. The surrounding area is full of Thai food restaurants, fruit juice stalls and sweet treats such as fried insects, giving you a chance to immerse yourself a little more in the country's food culture. It is also an area full of karaoke bars, which are a good option to enjoy the things to do at night in Phuket.

Another option if you want to enjoy the sunset on the beach, is to go to Sunrise Beach instead of going to the park, which is a quiet beach about 7 km from Old Town Phuket.

• Location: 55/108 ถนนนเจ้าฟ้า Wichit, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000.
• Opening hours: the recommended time to go to the park is from 6am to 10pm.
• Entrance fee: free of charge.

On your third day in Phuket, you can visit the Elephant Sanctuary in the morning, and after midday cross over to James Bond Island, which has become very famous after its 20-metre high rock monolith was featured in one of the Bond films.

From Old Town Phuket you can take a bus for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or a taxi for about 40 minutes to the Elephant Sanctuary, which is about 26 km northeast of Phuket. From the sanctuary it is about 10km to the Ao Por Pier, which takes about 15 minutes by car or taxi. Alternatively, you can book a tour from Phuket, which, in addition to arranging the transfer, will include other interesting activities along the way.

Elephant Sanctuary

The Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is a place where elephants rescued from exploitation and abuse are given protection. They live in a natural environment where it is possible to interact with them in a respectful way. Visits last about 3 hours, and usually include breakfast or a fruit brunch. You can also hire a transfer with your ticket purchase.

• Location: 100 Moo 2, Paklok, on the 4027 road in North East Phuket, Phuket 83110
• Opening Hours: Open daily. Visits are in the morning or afternoon.
• Entry fee: from €82 per person.

James Bond Island or Ko Tapu

From Ao Por Pier, which is 10km from the Elephant Sanctuary, you have to board a boat to James Bond Island. There are many transport options to sail to the island, such as catamaran, speedboat or longtail boat, the traditional Thai reed boats. There is also cheap transport offered by locals. The islands are part of the Ao Phang Ngal National Marine Park, which has an entrance fee.

On the island, whose real name is Ko Tapu or Nail Island, you can go snorkelling, kayaking or just swimming in the shallow green waters. From the island you can take boat trips to explore the caves of Phang Nga Bay, or other nearby islands.

• Location: Khao Phing Kan, Phang Nga Province 82130, Thailand
• National Park entrance fee: about 8 EUR per person.
• Recommendations: The caves can only be visited at low tide. The island cannot be visited from May to mid-July due to weather conditions.
• Boat transport: prices range from 30 to 80 EUR per person.

On your fourth day in Phuket, I suggest you discover the lush nature of the island, and venture into the jungle trails of Khao Phra Thaeo National Park. It is located in the north of the island, about 23 km from Phuket Old Town, and can be reached by car in about 30 minutes.

After noon you can go to Banana Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, which is about 14 km from the park, and then Patong Beach, one of the most popular beaches, where there is an interesting market for dinner.

Khao Phra Thaeo National Park

On this visit you can get some exercise with some of the 15 hiking trails in Khao Phra Thaeo Park to do, with varying levels of difficulty. One of the most popular is the trail to Bang Pae and Ton Sai waterfalls, which is low difficulty and 9km long in total. There are also easy trails of 2km in length.

The best time to visit the park is from November to June, when it is not the rainy season. Remember to bring plenty of water, a hat, sunscreen and insect repellent.

• Location: Thep Krasatti, Thalang District, Phuket Province 83110.
• Opening hours: Recommended time to visit the park is from 6am to 10pm.
• Entry fee: Free of charge.

Banana Beach

Banana Beach is one of the best beaches on Phuket Island, with clear waters and white sands. It is not very popular, as it is more remote than other beaches, so it retains the charm of almost virgin beaches. However, it is well equipped, so you can rent an umbrella and eat at a nearby restaurant.

It is 14km from the National Park, but can only be reached by private transport. If transport is difficult, you can skip this beach on the itinerary and go directly to Pantong Beach, which you can reach by bus from Phuket Old Town, so you'll have to return to Phuket Old Town first.

• Location: 27RG+PHH, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket 83110.

Patong Beach

It is about 26km from Banana Beach to Patong Beach, and can be reached in about 40 minutes by car. It is one of the most popular beaches on the island, especially for its nightlife, as it is surrounded by cafes, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. However, the nightlife is not for everyone, as Patong is the red light district of Phuket, so I recommend you to do this kind of tours in an organised tour.

You can go to this beach at sunset and then go to the Banzaan Fresh Market for dinner. But before that, if you still feel like walking, less than 3km walk away is Freedom Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. You can also get there by taxi.

Dine at Banzaan Fresh Market

Banzaan Fresh Market is one of Phuket's most popular night markets. It is located 2.5 km from Patong Beach and 4 km from Freedom Beach. It is a large fresh market where you can buy food, especially fruit and fish, or dine at the tables upstairs. Of course, they offer a wide variety of seafood.

It's a simple and inexpensive place to eat, which is open until late. If you are interested in food, Patong is also a good place to take Thai food classes. To get back to Phuket Old Town (13km away), it's a 20-minute taxi ride or an hour and a half bus ride.

• Location: 74, 51 Nanai Rd, Pa Tong, Kathu District, Phuket 83150.
• Opening hours: daily from 6am to 11pm.

If you are staying in Phuket for more than 3 days or in this case 5 days, you can't miss the paradisiacal Phi Phi Phi Islands and dedicate a full day to it.

Phi Phi Islands

To get there, you must go to the Chean Vanich Pier and board a boat that will take you to the island in an hour. The Phi Phi islands are actually an archipelago made up of 4 islands and 2 islets. The only inhabited island is Koh Phi Phi Don.

• From Phuket Old Town to Chean Vanich Pier (4 km): 10 minutes by taxi or 20 minutes by bus.
• From Chean Vanich Pier to Koh Phi Phi Phi ferry terminal: 1 hour. The ferry will drop you off at Phi Phi Don Island.

When you get off the ferry, you will find a very picturesque pier, and cafes and restaurants where you can stop for breakfast before starting your tour of the island. If you prefer not to worry about transport, you can book a day trip from Phuket to the Phi Phi islands.

Monkey Bay

This is one of the most curious beaches on the island, as it is inhabited by monkeys. It's a great idea if you're visiting Phuket with children, as they'll really enjoy seeing these animals in their habitat. It is best to go as early as possible, as it is very crowded the rest of the day.

The beach is only accessible by boat, so you can take one from the ferry pier. There you can always do fun experiences such as rafting or zip-lining. Remember that feeding the monkeys is forbidden and although they are used to the presence of people, it is not advisable to get too close to them.

Phi Phi Viewpoint

On the way back to the pier, you can walk 1km to one of the best viewpoints on the island, Phi Phi Viewpoint. There is another viewpoint 500m away if you want to walk a little further, and another one 1.5km further up.

Viking Beach and Long Beach

Viking Beach is about 1.3 km from Phi Phi Viewpoint 1, and can be reached on foot (20 minutes) or by taxi. It is one of the most beautiful beaches on Phi Phi islands where you can find restaurants for lunch nearby. It is next to Long Beach (1.5 km away), which you can reach on foot.

You can stay on one of these beaches or walk to the other. On both beaches you can rent a kayak or go snorkelling or other water sports. Alternatively, instead of going to these beaches, you can go north to Nui Beach, which is 4 km from Phi Phi Viewpoint.

Optional: Maya Bay and Viking Cave in Ko Phi Phi Lee

Maya Bay and Viking Cave are located on the island of Ko Phi Phi Lee, so most tours from Phuket include them in their tour of the Phi Phi islands. You probably won't have enough time to see both islands in one day unless you go on an organised tour.

The most popular beach on Ko Phi Phi Lee is Maya Bai, as it's the beach that was the setting for the Leonardo DiCaprio film The Beach. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful beaches in Thailand, with cliffs framing the beach. Another interesting place to visit is Viking Cave, where paintings of ships were found that would have been painted by the Vikings. The caves can only be reached by water.

Phuket 5 Day Itinerary Summary

This has been the itinerary that I propose for you to fully enjoy your stay on the island of Phuket, with proposals both in the city and in nature, and both on the beach and in the jungle. Without a doubt, this is an island for long stays where you have many options to enjoy all kinds of experiences.