Phuket Tour Reviews

There are many things to see and do off the island and you can choose which tour to go on through our monthly tour reviews. Is Phang Nga better than Krabi? What’s it like to be in a sea cave? Is dining under the stars aboard a Chinese Junk romantic? Find out through our reviews.

Latest Phuket Tour Review:

Phuket Discovery Tour

If you'd like to get back to the basics and discover the simpler, more down-to-earth side of Phuket, there is nothing that can beat the Phuket Discovery Tour.
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Past month's Tour Reviews:

Snorkeling - Speedboat	Sea Kayaking	Eco Tours
Cruises	First Time in Phuket	Sports

Speedboat & Snorkeling Tours

Phang Nga Bay by Speedboat

In order to fully appreciate Phang Nga Bay it's really best to go organised with a tour that anticipates tide levels (very important in this area) and weather conditions along with a fully equipped boat and competent crew. Welcome to the Laguna Phang Nga Bay Tour.
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Krabi Tour - 4 Islands by Speedboat

Many visitors to Thailand are surprised at just how hot it can get by eight o'clock in the morning here. So it is that as we wait in the foyer of the Sofitel for our tour minibus we spray on the factor 20 to make sure we won't come back from our Half-Day, Four-Island Krabi Trip looking like two-legged tomatoes.
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Note: this tour is available from Krabi only

Surin Islands by Speedboat

It seems that everybody has a dream of getting away from it all. Perhaps an escape to a mountain hideaway up in the clouds with eagles as companions; or perhaps a camping adventure in a northern wilderness… everybody has the same sort of escapist dream. Way more popular than any of its competitors, however, is a visit to a tropical island and so when the opportunity turned up to visit Surin Island in the Andaman Sea on a snorkeling day trip we leapt at it. Read more...

Khai Islands Tour by Speedboat

Koh Khai Nok is a small island tucked away in Phang Nga Bay. It's only 30 minutes or so away from the east coast of Phuket but ask anyone on the island if they've been there and you will probably draw a blank stare. Still, a hidden gem is sometimes all the more precious for being so and when we discovered a half day tour was going there we leapt at the opportunity to try it out. Read more...

Romantic Snorkeling Tour

Our Phuket Romantic Snorkeling Trip promises to be a day of love in the sun and personally, I'm totally looking forward to swim among tropical fish with my wife Suzie, as she's never done it before. Roll on the clown fish! Bring on the coral! We're more than ready for it.
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Phuket Pearl Farm - Rang Yai island

Phuket is often called 'The Pearl of the Andaman' but did you know that pearls are actually cultivated here? We decided to find out more through booking a tour that took in two islands and a pearl farm. The waters to the east of Phuket are sanctuaries of peace.
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Phi Phi Stopover Tour

Phi Phi Island is one of the most beautiful in the world. It’s a place that you have to see to believe as the ‘colourometer’ has gone off the scale there, with its fabulously turquoise-and-blue waters, its rugged limestone cliffs and the luscious green of its jungle and flora. Daily tours operate from Phuket, with swimming, kayaking and snorkeling activities and one-night stopover. Read more...

Krabi by Speedboat

I’m not sure there’s a better way to start the day than among the floating palaces at Phuket Boat Lagoon. Boat workers busy themselves doing whatever boat workers do, ferrying supplies up and down thedocks in push carts. Their dress code is ‘sailor casual’ – polo shirts, shorts, sandals. Read more...

One Night in Similan Islands (by Speed Boat)

I hiked to a sturdy slab of granite near the peak of Miang Island for a better view of the beach. Below me, yachts, dive boats, and people float in an aquamarine sea. They didn’t look anything like ants, unless ants have taken up recreational swimming. A string of islands stretched out in the distance, disappearing over the horizon. I was dying to be back in the clown suit that is my snorkelling gear, floating with the fishies. Read more...

Phi Phi by Speed Boat

I'm now a believer in the goodness of speedboats; they're speedy. Having made far too many trips between Phuket and Phi Phi by ferry, I feel qualified to claim that this is the best way to travel between islands - at least until I can afford a helicopter. With the wind on your face and three throaty engines rocketing you over the water, it's like being in an Italian convertible that floats. Classy. Read more...

Island Hopping by Private Speedboat

We arrive in the east of Phuket at a stunning beach called Ao Yon. There are pearl farms out on the calm waters of the bay and king palms lean over the strand, lending shade and a stereotypical but nevertheless gorgeous tropical vista. Coral Seekers have set up a new reception area right on the beach and it’s not long before we’re clambering aboard a single-engine speedboat and skimming along due south. Read more...

Sea Kayaking in Phang Nga Bay

Hong by Starlight

When other sea cave-kayak tour operators are winding down for the day, the John Gray Sea Canoe crew is just getting started. John Gray is the godfather of sea kayaking in Thailand. He developed the ‘Hong by Starlight’ tour as a way to avoid crowds. A hong, in case you were wondering, is a sea cave.
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James Bond Canoe Day Tour

Phang Nga Bay covers an area of 400 square kilometres and is home to some 100 islands, many of which could be entered for The Guinness Book of Records either for their beauty or for their freakish shapes. The bizarre, why-doesn’t-it-fall-over outline of Koh Tapu, next to James Bond Island or Koh Ping Ghan, has been a major draw ever since it featured in 1974’s Bond movie, The Man with the Golden Gun in which it was a fiendish ‘solar harvester’. Read more...

Kayaking in Phang Nga Bay

It's the late afternoon, and from the small plot of white sand I've laid claim to, I can see Phuket Island, the mainland province of Phang Nga, and a couple small, uninhabited islands - both inspiring Gilliganesque fantasies. Another boat arrives, an armada of inflatable canoes storms the beach, and tour guides do battle in a game of beach football while their charge flop on mats in the shade and reflect on the day. Read more...

Eco Tours - Phuket - Khao Lak - Khao Sok

Bamboo Rafting & Elephant Trekking

It’s nine o’clock on a sunny morning and here comes the minivan to take us bamboo rafting at Khao Lak. Apart from the bamboo rafting today is all about animals. Hawksbill and Ridley Turtles, elephants, crocodiles, lots of fish, gibbons and of course, Thailand’s wonderful birdlife.
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Safari Tour in Khao Sok National Park

Khao Sok National Park is home to the world’s oldest rainforest and its flora and fauna are even more diverse than the Amazon Forest. At 740sq km, the park is the largest area of virgin forest in Southern Thailand yet it is relatively little known outside the kingdom. Just why this should be so is one of the world’s greatest mysteries because within Khao Sok’s boundaries there is a veritable cornucopia of wildlife and scenic beauty to rival absolutely anywhere in the world. Read more...

Siam Safari 4-in-1

Siam Safari’s 4-in-1 half-day trip is like a speed dating session with the natural world. Elephants, monkeys, and water buffalo are all on the dance card, as are demonstrations of Thai resourcefulness. Five bamboo stations dot the hill top, and small groups rotate from one to the next. The presentations are hands-on, educational, and always punctuated with a good dose of laughter.
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Whitewater Rafting & Elephant Trekking

Beaches are great, don’t get me wrong. But there is plenty more to do and see in southern Thailand. The three-in-a-day trip to Phang Nga Province is a miniature activity buffet that combines elephant trekking, river rafting, and a waterfall excursion in green mountain forests, where there’s not a beach umbrella in sight. Consider it part of a well-balanced holiday diet.
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Cruises

Phang Nga Bay Cruise on June Bahtra

It's early morning. All around us verdant 'karsts' – limestone islands with hollow interiors – rise vertically out of the emerald waters of Phang Nga Bay. A Pacific Reef Egret swoops out from under a craggy overhang and sails past us, masterfully gliding on the tropical breezes. The light wind catches and teases the red sails above us and the still-low sun glints off the waves. Welcome to the ultimate in laid-back tours; the June Bahtra Day Tour. Read more...

Romantic Sunset Cruise

What if you could take Phuket's most romantic aspects, weave them all together and set sail with them? The result, I'm sure you can imagine, would be something close to sensational. Happily enough this is a dream that is possible to attain.Sunset, romance, good food, wine and adventure; they're all here on the Ayodhaya dinner sunset cruise. Read more...

June Bahtra Sunset Cruise

There’s a pastel-like touch to the Yacht Haven at four o’clock on a sunny afternoon. The dipping sun slants through the white of the yachts’ masts, creating a pleasing optical effect – ‘splintered sunlight’ so the poet had it.
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Phuket Luxury Sailing Cruise - Yacht Charter

Luxury is going slow and enjoying the scenery, taking time to bask in the finer aspects of life. Sailboats silently scream luxury. Onboard, time slows down. Life on land is suspended. With no particular place to go and no particular time to be there – wherever ‘there’ turns out to be – the sea breeze whisks worries away. Relaxation has never been so, well, relaxing.
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Phi Phi Day Tour by Express Boat

The waters surrounding Phi Phi are the most luscious turquoise imaginable and teem with thousands of exotically coloured fish. The islands lie 48kms Southeast of Phuket and this translates as roughly one hour 20 minutes, in ferry-speak.
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Bleu Blanc Dinner Cruise

There is a generous selection of dinner cruises in Phuket that head out into Phang Nga Bay or out in the Andaman Sea when the weather is clement enough. Each is distinctive and worth checking out in its own way but none has placed the emphasis on the food dished up until the Bleu Blanc Dinner Cruise recently arrived.
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First Time in Phuket

Simon Cabaret

Walking into the Simon Cabaret show theatre in Patong is just like entering a movie house. There's the same Kenny G saxophone music, the same plush seats and the same dimmed lights. It's only when a basso profundo voice announces the show and the curtain rises on live performers glistening with sequins and shimmering with feathers that things are different. Yes, this is real live showtime and the flash and flesh are pure Vegas except for one thing – the 'girls' on stage are actually men. Read more...

Thai Boxing in Phuket

Basically, there are two types of Thai boxing in Patong: the staged stuff and the real McCoy. For the real article look no further than Patong Boxing Stadium on Sai Namyen Road. Talk about an atmosphere. The stadium is filling up with macho-looking types with their Thai girlfriends, middle-aged, broad-shouldered Thai guys and a large contingent of Muslims from neighbouring province Phang Nga, there to cheer on their relatives. Surrounding the ring are the more expensive seats and further out are blue-painted bleachers providing a bird's eye view of the proceedings. Read more...

Phuket Island & City Tour

There's a lot to see and do in Phuket and the island is big enough to offer many options when it comes to sightseeing. Phuket also has a vibrant history that is written large in its architecture and culture, resulting in a unique and sometimes mysterious mixture of modern and ancient, foreign and local. Read more...

Phuket Tour Mini Guide for 1st Time Visitors

It’s your first time to Phuket. You’re confused. You’ve got more tour brochures in your hotel room than you know what to do with and time is running out. What to do? Where to go? What to see? Obviously, you’re going to have to plan your itinerary around a time frame, so here are four options – a three-day, five-day and a seven-day stay and longer. Read more...

Phuket FantaSea

Paris has a tower, London has an eye, and Thailand has Phuket FantaSea. It’s packed with tourists, cameras are a required accessory, there are an untold number of souvenir shops to spend money in, and it has all the subtlety of Thai chillies. But everyone should go once.
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Thai Cooking Class

Near the giant Jungceylon shopping complex on Rat-U-Thit Rd, Patong, Pum’s Cooking School is in a bright orange-coloured shop-house, and also operates as a bar and restaurant. It has an open space on one side which is used as a dining area and a small open bar at one end. The kitchen is big and open, and occupies much of the restaurant. This is where students do the actual cooking after learning all the techniques from the teacher. At Pum’s Cooking School there is no hiding in a closed kitchen.
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Sukko Cultural Spa & Wellness

There is absolutely nothing that compares with a genuine 'after-spa' feeling; the sensation of walking on air – of complete bodily awareness and satisfaction in life. But first a lot of hard work went into getting me into that state of mind and all credit goes to Sukko Cultural Spa & Wellness.
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Khao Lak's Best Tours

Because of its location, Khao Lak is a wonderful 'springing board' for day tours, Safari adventures, island visits and snorkeling as well as for exploring the sensational national parks in the area. Here are some of the best and they are as diverse as a camping expedition, elephant trekking to diving in the world-famous Similan Islands. Enjoy! Read more...

Phang Nga Daytrip by Car

Phang Nga’s official slogan goes something like this: “A town of valuable minerals, amidst water-village, fantastic caves, peculiar mountains, Champoon flowering plants and fertile natural resources.” Well said – though if they were interested in increasing tourism they might consider adding, “and only an hour from Phuket.”
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Phuket Seaplane

You've found the perfect resort. Peaceful and quiet, a soothing spa, deserted sandy beach, beautiful daily sunsets and the pool villa you want is available at the right price. It's even close to some of the best scuba diving sites in Thailand. Perfect all round except for one thing, it's on Koh Lanta and there's no frequent flights to Krabi Airport so the only option is Phuket Airport – at least half a day's travelling from the resort which is too much after the long flights. Read more...

Phuket Attractions

Fish and monkeys go to together like, well, they don’t. But they are two great options for family fun. At the Phuket Aquarium, the names tell the story: Blanc’s Striped Featherback. Fan-bellied Leatherjacket. Powder-blue Surgeonfish. Not only is the experience educational, but the trip allows you to see a beautiful location that few tourists visit. As for Phuket Monkey School, you can’t help but laugh.
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4D/3N Family Adventure Package

What a great idea! It's a wonder that not many people have thought about hotel-and-tour packages – they're something that makes life easier and more attractive for every party involved.
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Sports

ATV & White Water Rafting in Phang Nga

Phang Nga Province – right next door to Phuket – is a veritable cornucopia of wildlife, stunning scenery and adventure opportunities. Visitors to Phuket are lucky in that they can have the luxury of a beachside hotel along with easy and swift access to Phang Nga. One tour that takes in the thrills and spills of the provinces rugged terrain offers whitewater rafting in the morning and an ATV tour in the afternoon; the best of both worlds? We went along to check it out.
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Phuket Golf Overview

Phuket's six (soon to be seven) golf courses may all have 18 holes but apart from that they're very different from each other. Find out how and why, along with their three major attributes in our golfing overview.
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ATV Tour in Phuket

Today, we're discovering what it's like to ride an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) and to be honest I'm not quite sure what to expect. The brochure looks pretty wild – lots of mud and splashing around in the jungle and on the beach so I'm wearing shorts and factor 50 sun block just in case. Read more...

Phuket Horse Riding

Phuket is better known for its elephant treks than for horse riding but you'd be surprised at how popular an hour or two's clip-clopping through the rubber plantations, back streets and along the beach is.
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Diving in Phi Phi

The Phi Phi islands marine park is an area of truly outstanding natural beauty. Below the water the scenery is just as dramatic… Phi Phi is a leading worldwide scuba diving destination with visitors flocking all year round to see the islands’ underwater beauty. There are approximately 50 dive sites located within 30 minutes of Phi Phi and on any given day conditions are suitable for a visit to around two third of the sites. I’m relishing my first dive in this wonderland. Read more...

Tour from Samui

Koh Tao Tour by Speedboat

Samui is surrounded by some 40 islands. Some of them have only recently been inhabited and some still aren't. Even though the movie version of Alex Gardner's 'The Beach' was filmed in Koh Phi Phi it was here in the lower Gulf of Thailand that the author imagined his idyllic islet to be. There are many day trips heading out to explore this wonderworld. We chose to head to Koh Tao and Nang Yuan – two neighbouring islands 90 minutes from Samui. Read more...

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