Thailand, Asia
Phi Phi and Phang Nga are the two main boat trips from Phuket. A separate day by car can cover Wat Chalong, Big Buddha, Old Phuket Town, and the viewpoints in the south.
| Where | Getting there | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Phi Phi Islands | About 1 hr each way by speedboat tour | The Maya Bay limestone scenery and snorkeling at Bamboo Island and Pileh Lagoon. Crowded with boats. Smaller-boat operators help, while local lodging on Phi Phi Don avoids the morning tour-boat arrival window. |
| Phang Nga Bay (James Bond Island) | Half-day or full-day boat tour from Phuket marinas | The karst landscape and James Bond Island, with kayak through caves on the better tours. The kayak portion is what makes it work over a pure boat circuit. |
| South Phuket and Old Town by car | Hired driver for the day, roughly 6 hr door-to-door | Combine Wat Chalong, Big Buddha, Old Phuket Town, and Promthep Cape. Confirm Big Buddha access before leaving because the site had a long landslide-related closure before reopening in 2026. |
| Khao Sok National Park | About 3 hr each way; local lodging available | The rainforest reserve on the mainland with the Cheow Lan lake floating bungalows. The six-hour round-trip drive is the key planning constraint. |
| Krabi and Railay | About 2 hr by speedboat | The mainland coast with the limestone cliffs at Railay Beach and the four-island tour. Krabi has its own guide and local hotel base. |