What is Phuket like? 

Famous for its sandy beaches, cultural attractions, and unique cuisine, Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and arguably our biggest tourist destination. Located in the Andaman Sea in southern Thailand, Phuket is surrounded by beautiful beaches and numerous tourist attractions.

When you visit Phuket you’re exposed to the opportunity to immerse yourself in a wide range of activities, from diving to windsurfing, and, once a year, a Chinese Vegetarian Festival is held on the island.

Places to visit in Phuket

Interested in visiting the island or just curious? Here are a few places to go in Phuket, Thailand:

• Phuket Town: From its famous Weekend Market to the Phuket Walking Street Fair to Phuket Old Town and its history, the capital of Phuket province is full of wonderful attractions to visit and is the perfect place for learning, shopping and a fun weekend out.
• Patong Beach: Stretching 1.77 miles along the west coast of Phuket, the island’s longest beach is most famous for its nightlife. Patong Beach is also great for a relaxing day near the ocean and out in the sun.   
• Phuket Big Buddah: Also known as The Great Buddha of Phuket, the 45-meter-high giant Buddah statue sits atop Nakkerd Hill northwest of Chalong Circle and offers an amazing view of the island from the summit.   
• Karon Viewpoint: This panoramic viewpoint is located south of Kata Noi Beach and looks out directly to the Andaman Sea. It offers picturesque views of the three famous beaches: Kata Noi, Kata Beach, and Karon Beach. Locally known as Khao Saam Haad, Karon Viewpoint is famous for its landscape scenery of the ocean, beaches, and tropical island surroundings.      
• Wat Chalong: One of Phuket’s twenty-nine temples and arguably its most famous, this Buddhist temple serves as a historical landmark located in Chalong Subdistrict. Officially named Wat Chaithararam, the temple and its surrounding areas are famous for being peaceful, and the architecture of the temple is famous for being stunning. 
• Karon Beach: Located on the west coast of Phuket, Karon Beach is one of the longest beaches on the island and is famous for its pristine white sand. Karon Beach is a popular attraction for couples and families, and its restaurants, bars, and shops are the perfect places for a nice cool down after a day on the beach.          

How safe is Phuket?

Is Phuket dangerous?

Generally speaking, Phuket is quite safe to visit, displaying low rates of violent crimes over the years—you’re more at risk of the chance of a natural disaster occurring than of being mugged!

Although Phuket’s general crime rate sits at 46.71%, residents stand by the claim that the island is safe and tourists usually have little to no complaints.

However, like any other city in the world, the island isn’t a total paradise and tourists must remain cautious and vigilant while visiting Phuket.

Safety tips for travelers in Phuket

While on a trip to the island, travellers should take note of the following Phuket travel advice

• Watch out for scams: Although it’s typically safe in Phuket, it is important you stay vigilant at all times. Phuket may be low on violent crimes, but, as a big tourist destination, there are always people around offering tours of the island with the intention of ripping off tourists. Booking tours through legitimate tour agencies is a great way to lower the risk of being scammed. If you don’t know any such agencies, your best bet would be to book tours through the activities desk of a large hotel. Such hotels can’t risk a reputation slump so they work with legitimate tour agencies.
• When in a crowd, keep your belongings close: Pickpocketing isn’t uncommon in large crowds—especially at tourist attractions. When at a festival or a temple or even simply standing in a long line at a popsicle stand, as long as there’s a crowd, you’re safer being vigilant and keeping your valuables really close to yourself. 
• Bikes may be fast—but they’re also deadly. Motorbikes may be the cheapest and even fastest way to get around the island, but if you want to live a few more years, it’s best to avoid them. The primary cause of death for Phuket visitors is the motorbike accidents that occur on the twisty, mountainous roads of the island. To be safe, organize all your transportation through your hotel. Taxis may be expensive but it beats being dead, right?
• Stay in sight and under the light: The risk of violent crimes may be rare, but they’re not non-existent, and no one wants to get kidnapped on a vacation. As beautiful as Phuket may be, who knows what lurks in the dark? Avoid deserted beaches at night as well as lonely and poorly lit areas.
• Better on land than in the sea: Due to its numerous beaches, Phuket offers a lot of water-based activities—from diving to snorkeling to jet skiing. However, faulty equipment and scam vendors make such activities dangerous or just downright frustrating. Also, the island is at risk of natural disasters and storms, so a boat may not be the best thing to get into. Again, book all activities through a hotel’s activities desk and, if you want to get onto a boat, try a luxury one. They may be expensive, but your safety is definitely worth the money. 
• Phuket safety for female travellers: Female travellers are unlikely to get harassed in Phuket, but no major terrorist destination comes without its drawbacks. Although rare, female tourists are at risk of having their drinks spiked. As is the rule when it comes to parties and clubs, always have your drink with you and if you lose sight of it then lose it and get another.

Despite the nature of this paradise, Phuket doesn’t come without its dangers. It is important that tourists take safety measures and remain cautious during their stay on the island. 

Regardless, Phuket remains a beautiful island that opens tourists to a wide range of new experiences and invites them to make new memories.