Islands around Phuket
Located approximately 863 kilometres south of Bangkok, Phuket is the Thailand's largest island with a surface of 543 square kilometres. It lies just off the western coast of Southern Thailand in the Andaman Sea, which is part of the Indian Ocean. The island is separated from the Thailand's mainland by a narrow sea channel and connected by the Sarasin Bridge to Phang Nga Province to the north. Famous as the "Pearl of the Andaman", it is the country's most popular seaside destination, a real tropical paradise that attracts each year over 10 million visitors. Phuket Island forms a province in its own right, the second smallest in Thailand, which also includes other 32 small islands and islets, mostly uninhabited, scattered just off its coast. Most characterized by pristine white sandy beaches and stunning secluded bays, they are the perfect spot for snorkelling excursions or just to enjoy swimming and sunbathing on a small corner of tropical paradise. Phuket is the perfect jumping off point to reach all these islands and islets, as well as the other gems in the Andaman Sea, including the fantastic Similan and Surin Islands, the world-famous Phi Phi Islands and the 67 islands enclosed in the wonderful Phang Nga Bay.Read More
Phuket's most popular Islands
Phuket and Around with Drone by Luca Belfix Studio
Dinamic Map
Smaller Islands
Koh Bon
Koh Bon is a tiny island lying two kilometres off the beach of Rawai, on the south-eastern coast of Phuket. It is about 1.2 km at its longest and 500 meters at its widest. Covered with lush vegetation, this small island has some nice sandy coves and good places for snorkelling. Long Beach is the main beach of island. It is a semi-private 300 meters long strip of white sand situated on the north-eastern coast of island. The beach belongs to the Evason Resort’s owners in Rawai, and has some semi-abandoned structures, like Spa, bar and restaurant. The owners try to claim Koh Bon as a private island and consequently also the beach but, as per law, all the beaches in Thailand are public. Currently there are no facilities on the island except The Bon Island Restaurant located between two small beaches on north western tip of the island. The restaurant can accommodate up to 150 guests and is open every day, all year round, from 10:00 till 17:00. Bon Island Restaurant is closed only in case of rain. The two small beaches next restaurant are definitely the perfect place to enjoy a full day on the beach without overcrowding typical of Phuket. The activities around the beaches include swimming and snorkelling, very rewarding thanks to abundant marine life off its coasts. The easiest way to get island is to hire a long-tail boat at Rawai’s pier or along Rawai Beach, the cost is about 1,000 to 1,200 THB for the two-way trip, no more than 15 minutes each way. Long-tail boats usually take tourists to the two smaller north-western beaches, next to restaurant.Read More
Koh Kaew Yai & Koh Kaew Noi
Koh Kaew Yai and Koh Kaew Noi are two tiny islands just off Phuket's southwest coast, near Cape Promthep. Koh Kaeo Yai is the largest and has a small beach. The island can be seen from the viewpoint at Cape Promthep. On the island there two large golden Buddha images. One sitting is on the beach, one standing is in a small temple on top of the hill. To reach the island you can use the long-tail boats from Rawai Beach. Koh Kaeo Noi is just a few hundred meters offshore from Yanui Beach. The tiny island does not have any beaches; it is just more than a rock in the sea. Koh Kaeo Noi is just a few hundred meters offshore from Yanui Beach. To reach the island you can rent a kayak for a paddle around the island.Read More
Koh Lone
Koh Lone is the second largest island in Phuket province, after Phuket Island itself. The large and mountainous offshore island is located just off the south coast in the middle of Chalong Bay, only 15 minutes by long-tail boat from Cape Panwa or Chalong Pier. The small resident population is constituted by a friendly Muslim community, which draws sustenance from fishing and farming, rubber tree plantations and coconut planting. Koh Lone is rather unknown and secluded from the massive tourism although it has several beautiful beaches and some nice snorkelling sites. The main beach is on the northern side of the island facing Phuket, where are also located several mid-range bungalows. To reach the island you can rent a long-tail boat from Chalong Pier.Read More
Koh Maphrao
Koh Maphrao, best known as Coconut Island, is an island located 500 meter off Phuket’s east coast, just north of Phuket Town. It is quite a large island but rather unknown and still undeveloped, due to the fact that there are no electricity on the island apart some private generators, although there are at least 500 residents on it. The island has a rectangular shape, 2.5 km in length and 1.5 km in width, wit a good portion of its south-western side covered with mangrove forests. A narrow road goes through the island from west to east; it starts at the pier and ending at the panoramic viewpoint in the east-coast. The main living centre is located on the northern coast, right next to The Village Coconut Island, one of two resorts built on the island. Fishing and farming are the two main occupations of inhabitants on the island. There are only three beautiful beaches of Koh Maphrao practicable. The longest one is on the northern coast, in front of The Village Coconut Island; the second one is on the southern coast, next to Jindarin Beach Club & Resort; the third one is on the east coast. There are other small beaches on the island but awkward to reach and mostly occupied by mangroves. Reach Koh Maphrao’s main pier, situated on the northern part of its west coast, takes only five minutes by long-tail boat from Laem Hin Pier, just outside Phuket Town or from Phuket Boat Lagoon. The cost is around 1,000 THB for the round trip.Read More
Koh Sirey
Koh Sirey is an island on the east side of Phuket Town, but if you do not discover this from a map feels more like a small promontory than an island. The island covers an area about 20 square kilometres, and is connected to Phuket Town by a short bridge. A good part of the island is free from development, although in recent years were built private villas, exclusive residences and high standard hotels, like the Westin Sirey Bay Resort & Spa. Most of east coast is covered by rubber plantations; along it there is an abalone farm that hosts a seafood restaurant with a view out over Phuket's east coast islands. Koh Sirey has a Thai temple at the top of its hill, where lies a golden reclining Buddha. At Laem Tukkae Village, near the temple, tourists will also visit a colony of Moken Sea Gypsies, known locally as Chao Ley.Read More
Koh Tapao Yai & Koh Tapao Noi
Koh Tapao Yai and Koh Tapao Noi are two small islands just offshore from Cape Panwa, on the south-east corner of Phuket. Koh Tapao is the largest and is located less than one kilometre from the mainland. The distance between the two islands is 800 meters. The islands are uninhabited apart from a couple of rangers. Koh Tapao Yai has lush forests where live a lot of beautiful coloured hornbills. The island has also a couple of nice beaches and a trekking trail that ends up to the hill where you can observe Sirey Island. Koh Tapao Noi has the southern sea level measuring station and a lighthouse, so visitors need to obtain permission before visiting the island. The lighthouse is older than 100 years and the first in the south for navigation aid. The area around it is a wonderful viewpoint.Read More
Koh Dok Mai
Koh Dok Mai is a tiny limestone outcrop, jungle topped, located southeast of Phuket, just over one hour boat ride on the way to Phi Phi Islands. The rock juts vertically from the sea in a shape like a tulip, in fact Dok Mai in Thai mean flower. The island is just a rock and therefore has no beaches, but it's however well known by tourists as a good scuba location, with an excellent wall dive. The rock is one of best spot around Phuket for macro photography and offers good chances to see Whale Sharks and Nurse Sharks.Read More
Koh Aew
Koh Aew is a tiny forested island off the south-eastern coast of Phuket, between Koh Lone and Coral Island. The island is rather unknown and ignored by tourists because it does not have any beaches; it is just little more than a rocky outcrop over the sea.
Get to Phuket & Weather
All along the west coast of southern Thailand, where lies Phuket and the surrounding islands, the average temperature is about 24° C to 34° C, all year round. The best time to visit the region is between November and March, when the humidity is lower and the average temperature is 28° C with cool evening breezes; the surface conditions are generally calm and the water temperature is between 27° C and 30° C. During the rain season, from early May until November, the southern Thailand is influenced by the southwest monsoons and rainfall is more frequent and intense, but still worth a visit because the rainfall usually do not last more than a day or all day and sunny days are not rare even in this period. The average temperature during this time is between 24° C and 33° C with the humidity usually well over 70%.
Phuket is Thailand's most famous island, the largest by extension and the most developed touristically. Located about 879 south of Bangkok, the island has its own international airport with excellent national and international connections. Thanks to the Sarasin Bridge, Phuket is the only island of Kingdom connected to the mainland, so you can reach the island also with the Thai bus network. Phuket International Airport is located in the north of the island, 32 km from the centre of Phuket Town, the provincial capital, and 50 km from Nai Harn Beach, the southernmost beach of Phuket, which can be reached by taxi in 45 minutes. Outside the airport there are buses, taxis, limousines and minivans that will carry you to your final destination. Government buses start from the Arrivals Terminal of the airport and arrive at the old Bus Teminal 1 in Phuket Town, on the Phang Nga Road. Note that they do not stop at the new Bus Terminal 2, on the Thepkasatri Road. The fare is 100 baht for a journey of about an hour and twenty minutes. The timetable is: from the airport at 09:00, 10:30, 12:00, 14:30, 16:00, 18:30, 20:00, to the airport at 07:00, 08:00, 10:30, 13:00, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30. The cost of taxi, limousine and minivan service vary according to the distance and the time of the year. Taxi Meter, usually Toyota Vios, from the airport to Patong costs approximately 600-800 THB, 700-900 THB for furthest Kata or Karon. The taxi kiosk is located immediately outside the arrivals terminal. Limousines, which in practice are just slightly more modern cars with greater cubic capacity, cost a couple of hundred THB more than a taxi. Limousines can be booked inside the terminals, near the baggage claim. Expressly ask for limousine service and take the receipt, to move it to the driver. Minivans, or minibuses, have a cost ranging from 200 to 300 THB, depending on destination and season.
Despite the long distance between Phuket and Bangkok many tourists choose buses to get to the main seaside resort of southern Thailand. Buses are much cheaper of flights, two or three times less, and are a good alternative in high season, when flights to Phuket are full and hard to find if not booked in advance, and traveling during the night allow recovering the excess time respect to flights. The VIP buses, with few comfortable seats, toilet and air conditioning, and first-class buses connect Phuket to Bangkok and the other main seaside resorts of southern Thailand. Buses to Phuket depart from Bangkok's Mo Chit and Southern bus terminals, both are in the centre of capital. The most frequent departures are from Southern Bus Terminal, also named Sai Tai Mai Taling Chan or more simply Sai Tai Mai. The journey to travel the 867 km lasts an average of 12 hours and costs between 700 and 1,000 THB depending on bus classes. You can buy tickets directly at the departure terminal or at any travel agency, prices are not negotiable. Phuket has two bus terminal, the old Terminal 1, with local bus departures, and the new Terminal 2, from which depart most of the buses useful for tourists, other seaside resorts and cities of all Thailand. The Bus Terminal 2 is located on Thepkasatri Road, the main road leading out of Phuket Town, between Mission Hospital and Supercheap shop. It is a station recently built, and manages all passengers coming to and leaving from the island. Outside the terminal there are taxis, tuk-tuks and motorbike-taxis that will carry you to your final destination.
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