Phuket is a beautiful spot to chill out at for a few days. It has the full range of accommodation and eating options, some good opportunities for partying / lash, diving to the south and enough scale to head off on trips all around the peninsular
Yes, its touristy, but it ticks the chill out vibe after a few weeks of travelling or as a simple break from any of the nearby Asian cities
Only a very brief travel entry, so a few high level tips:
- Even if there for full on partying/ lash – try not to stay in Patong. It’s great for the nights out, but there are just so many wonderful options slightly further away in the hills and on the beaches for the same prices
- When in Patong, even if not there for a giant night out, make sure to head to Tiger Bar. It kind of sums up the Patong vibe with something like 50 different mini bars each with their own theme
- There are a bunch of islands off the east coast of Phuket that you can visit as part of day tour with a variety of operators leaving from Yamu Pier. The islands are great, but you just need to be careful who you book with because it is very easy to get rammed into a full tourist boat that won’t quite hit the paradise vibe you’re looking for
- There are some great spots for scuba diving all around Phuket, in particular the ferry reef dive off Raja Yai in the south is superb, with heaps of large cleaner fish that come up very close