Phuket
Just 300m inland from Hat Nai Yang – by the entrance to the glamorous Slate resort – friendly, efficiently operated Pensiri House is the area's best budget choice. It's popular with long-term travellers volunteering nearby, so book well ahead. Rooms, in a smart new block, are sizeable, contemporary and impeccably kept, with balcony, TV, fridge, safe and plenty of natural light.
The owners also run the nearby beachfront Phen's Restaurant.
6.48 MILES
Beautiful 8km-long Hat Bang Thao is one of the longest, dreamiest beaches on Phuket. This slice of pearlescent sand is just asking for you to laze around…
15.12 MILES
Branching off Th Thalang, in the heart of the Old Town, this small, vibrant street flaunts some of Phuket's most gorgeously revamped Sino-Portuguese…
19.24 MILES
Established in 1981, 400-sq-km Ao Phang-Nga National Park is famous for its classic karst scenery. Huge vertical cliffs dominate its 42 islands, some with…
17.87 MILES
High atop the Nakkerd Hills, northwest of Chalong Circle, and visible from half the island, the 45m-high, Burmese-alabaster Big Buddha sits grandly on…
22.3 MILES
Come here to the island’s southernmost point to see the glittering Andaman Sea wrapped around Phuket. The cape is crowned by a mod lighthouse shaped like…
21.3 MILES
Ask a Phuketian or a local expat for their favourite island beach and many will choose Hat Nai Harn. A beautifully curved golden-white crescent with…
15.05 MILES
Founded in 1934 and formerly a Chinese-language school, this flashy museum is filled with photos, videos and English-language exhibits on Phuket’s history…
15 MILES
Built in 1903 with tin-mining riches, this beautifully preserved Sino-Portuguese mansion should make any antique- or architecture-lover's must-visit list…
0.25 MILES
The liveliest and most developed of Phuket's three relaxed northern national park beaches, this sandy blonde casuarina-shaded bay, 3km south of the…
0.64 MILES
Comprising the exceptional northwestern beaches of Nai Thon, Nai Yang and Mai Khao, as well as the former Nai Yang National Park and Mai Khao Wildlife…
2.55 MILES
A lovely protected strip of fine, golden west-coast sand fringed by jungle, 7km south of the airport and blissfully removed from Phuket's busy buzz. The…
3.45 MILES
Though not quite the secret it once was, this silky little tucked-away beach, 2km south of Hat Nai Thon, makes a refreshingly rustic Phuket escape. From a…
3.96 MILES
Within the southern boundaries of Sirinat National Park, Hat Layan's beautiful white-gold sands make up the northernmost tip of Hat Bang Thao. Pines…
4.45 MILES
About 7km north of the Heroines Monument, Phuket’s tranquil, 250-year-old ‘Temple of the Golden Buddha’ revolves around a half-buried statue, with only…
4.78 MILES
Dotted with a few upmarket resorts, Phuket’s longest beach is a beautiful, secluded 10km stretch of pearl-white national park sand extending from just…
6.16 MILES
Best reached from the west side of Khao Phra Thaew Royal Wildlife & Forest Reserve, this small waterfall is at its best between June and November. A few…