Where to Stay in Phuket Island: Best Towns and Hotels

Phuket Town, also known as Phuket City, is the capital and largest city on the island of Phuket.

Phuket Town stands out for its architecture. In its outskirts, the city is more modern and more traditional and provincial in its city center.

Its most representative street is Thalang Road, full of shops and nineteenth-century buildings with typical Sino-Portuguese architecture.

Although Phuket Town does not have a beach, it is a great option because of its history, tradition and the variety of its urban attractions that make it a pleasant place to stay in Phuket. Its sumptuous temples, restaurants, modern cafes and souvenir shops make it one of the main tourist attractions of the island.

This city offers hotels of all categories, you can get accommodation at really low costs, boutique backpacker hostels, or luxury options with a pool.

Patong Beach is one of the most popular places to stay in Phuket.

Patong is the party capital of Phuket, and although its beach is nothing spectacular, most tourists who stay here do so to enjoy this peculiar beach town’s the legendary nightlife.

Patong is a beach city full of day and nightlife, its streets always look full of tourists who flock there for its leisure options: shopping centers, bars, clubs, hotels, and restaurants.

Patong Beach is about 50 minutes from Phuket Airport, it is possible to get there using the minibusses and vans that take passengers straight to their hotels or the city center.

Patong has all types of accommodation.

Patong is one of the best beach towns to stay in Phuket, especially for those looking for the best nightlife in southern Thailand.

Rawai Beach is located in the south of the island of Phuket, not far from Phuket Town.

Rawai is known for its beautiful sunsets and its proximity to Cape Promthep, a spiritual place located on a rocky hill.

Rawai Beach is not considered suitable for swimming at its western end. Its eastern part houses the best restaurants specialized in seafood.

Rawai Beach is appreciated for its pier and its ferry connections.

Rawai Beach is a long and narrow beach ideal to walk on foot and taste delicacies at the seafood market.

Most visitors choose Rawai Beach to stay in Phuket not because of the beach itself, but because of how easy it is to get around Phuket and the nearby islands (including Phi Phi).

Bang Tao Beach is located to the west of the island of Phuket.

Long and wide, Bang Tao offers white sand and calm turquoise waters. Bang Tao is one of the most paradisiacal beaches in Thailand.

Bang Tao Beach is half an hour away from Phuket Airport, from where you can a taxi.

Its beachfront offers luxury hotels, a golf course, a shopping center and many interesting places to eat and have a good time.

To move internally in Bang Tao Beach, you can catch a free shuttle bus on the beach. To leave Bang Tao and go to other areas on the island, you have to rent a scooter or take a taxi.

Bang Tao Beach is a great area to stay in Phuket. It has luxury hotels, its beach has all services, including bars and restaurants. It also offers cordoned bathing areas.

Nai Harn Beach is another famous beach in Phuket. It is popular for its immaculate white sand.

It is located in the south of Phuket, camouflaged between green hills and small islands.

Nai Harn Beach is flooded not only with water and sand, but with enough restaurants, hotels, and shops to spend a spectacular vacation.

Nai Harn Beach is a large bay, it has fine, soft sand and clear water. It offers a large beach with a wide area for sailboats and luxury yachts.

Nai Harn offers excellent service with massages, exotic fruits and walks around the bay, but lacks an extensive hotel offer on the beach itself.

You can get great views of Harn Beach from the Windmill lookout or get on a rowboat on the famous lake behind the beach.

Karon Beach is located in the southwest of the island of Phuket.

Karon Beach is one of the most developed tourist areas on the island. It has the second largest urban beach in Phuket. Karon Beach enjoys a good stretch of white sand, enough restaurants, and lively nightlife.

Its clean, transparent and warm waters, its nearby coral reefs and its wide pathway for pedestrians and cyclists make it one of the most recommended places to stay in Phuket.

Karon Beach can be reached by a bus service that takes almost an hour from Phuket Airport, by taxi or by renting a motorbike.

Karon Beach is one of the best beach resorts to stay in Phuket.

Kata Beach is the most popular beach in Phuket, after Patong.

Its waters are flanked by hills. It also has a picturesque island right in the center of the bay.

As Kata Beach offers clear blue and calm waters, it is especially popular among families who come here to enjoy the warm and serene environment.

Kata is also a very commercial beach. Here you can find souvenir shops, clothes, music, and massages, as well as a variety of restaurants with a variety of typical seafood dishes.

From the airport, you can get to Kata Beach by minibus, taxi or rent a car. From Phuket Town you can reach it in a small open-air bus. To move around the beach, tuk-tuks are available for rent in front of the various hotels.

Surin Beach is considered one of the most beautiful on the island of Phuket.

It is known for its crystal-clear waters, white sand, and tall bushes.

Its calm waters make it great for swimming in high season. During the monsoon months, however, waters can be turbulent.

In Surin Beach, you will find small Thai restaurants, modern beach clubs and many palm trees bringing the touch of color and exoticism mandatory during a holiday in Thailand.

Surin Beach is about half an hour from Phuket Town, you can get there by bus or taxi. It also offers tuk-tuks and motorbike rentals.

Among attractive luxury resorts, there are shops specializing in massages and some fashion stores.

Kamala Beach offers a bustling lifestyle during the high season. It is one of the cheapest beaches to stay in Phuket thanks to its wealth of budget accommodation and backpacker options.

Kamala, in addition to its beach, is a popular destination because of Phuket Fantasea, a circus-like show including acrobatic dancers and elephants, part of a two-decade-old theme park.

Kamala Beach has a variety of restaurants, small bars, a Buddhist temple on the south end of the beach and several mosques in its residential areas.

Moving around Kamala Beach is easy thanks to its blue songthaews, local bus-like public transport.

To get to or from Phuket Town, the airport or Patong beach, it is recommended to use the taxi or tuk-tuk.

Nai Yang Beach is a wide beach located ten minutes from the airport, northwest of Phuket Town.

It has more turbulent waters than those found more to the south of the island.

Nai Yang is surrounded by abundant vegetation and native fauna.

Although Nai Yang Beach is not as well-known, it is popular for Kite Surfing and other related activities, it also offers shops, markets and entertainment places.

Nai Yang Beach is pleasant, shady and full of small bars and restaurants, many of which are lined on the street or right on the beach.

Nai Yang Beach can be reached from Phuket Town by minibus or taxi, or by bus from the terminal next to the airport.