Phuket

The most spectacular island group in Southeast Asia — dramatic limestone karsts rising vertically from turquoise water, Maya Bay (The Beach filming location), and snorkelling among tropical fish and blacktip reef sharks.

The 45m white marble seated Buddha visible from across the island — sitting on a hilltop at 395m, it overlooks both the Andaman Sea and Phuket's east coast simultaneously. The surrounding terrace has the finest panorama on the island.

Phuket Town's Sino-Portuguese shophouse district — rows of colourful 19th-century facades with ornate shutters and first-floor arcades, built by Chinese tin merchants. Excellent street food and the best coffee on the island.

The classic three-bay Phuket panorama — Kata Noi, Kata and Karon beaches visible simultaneously from one hilltop viewpoint, with the Andaman Sea stretching to the horizon.

The finest Thai restaurant in Phuket town — serving Phuket-Chinese-Malay Peranakan cuisine in a century-old shophouse. The mussaman curry, crab curry and khao yam (rice salad) are extraordinary.

The night market on Phuket's most famous street — grilled seafood, pad thai, satay and fresh papaya salad from dozens of vendors along the main entertainment strip.

The most beloved local restaurant on Kata Beach — serving Thai food at genuine local prices to a mixed crowd of divers, backpackers and returning visitors who've been coming here for 20 years.

Phuket's most celebrated fine dining Thai restaurant — chef Noi Tammasak reinterprets Southern Thai cuisine using heirloom ingredients and traditional cooking methods with impeccable plating.

The working market where Phuket residents buy their daily food — fresh tropical fruit, pre-cooked Thai breakfast dishes, fresh coconut milk and the best kanom (Thai sweets) on the island.

Patong's most atmospheric beachfront bar — live reggae and ska music from 8pm, buckets of Thai rum with Red Bull and fruit juice, fire shows on the beach.

Phuket Town's best craft beer bar in a converted Sino-Portuguese shophouse — Thai and international craft beers, natural wines and excellent small plates of Peranakan snacks.

Patong's legendary biker bar — live rock music, imported whisky, Harley-Davidson memorabilia and a genuinely international crowd of travellers passing through.

Phuket Town's beloved specialty coffee shop in a restored Sino-Portuguese shophouse — single-origin Thai coffee from Chiang Rai, and the best local pastries in town.

Phuket-Malay fusion café serving roti canai, traditional Phuket tea (Thai tea mixed with condensed milk) and local kanom buang (crispy crepe with coconut cream).

The most beautiful small beach in Phuket — a sheltered crescent of fine white sand framed by green hills, with calmer water than neighbouring Kata and far fewer visitors.

Phuket's most beautiful hidden beach — accessible only by longtail boat (10 min from Patong pier, €5 return) and genuinely pristine, with coral directly off the beach.

The dramatic limestone karst bay featured in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) — towering rock pillars rise from mirror-calm water, with sea caves, a Muslim floating village and the iconic Ko Tapu pinnacle.

The Similan Islands are rated among the top 10 dive and snorkel destinations in the world — crystal visibility, granite boulder fields, and the most diverse reef fish population in the Andaman Sea.

Phuket's first ethical elephant sanctuary — rescued working elephants roam freely on 30 acres of forest, with no riding or performances. Visitors feed, bathe and walk alongside them.