Best Places To Stay In Phuket

What comes to travelers’ minds when we talk about sea, sun and sand? Phuket must be one of the answers to that question. There are lots of best places to stay in Phuket, but do remember during high season (Nov-April) you need to book at least a few months in advance for the more popular hotels and resorts in the better locations especially in Patong Beach.

You could probably get the cheapest air-conditioned room rates start at about 1,000 baht for those hotels near to the beach or 500 baht that away from the beach. Whereas, the proper resorts will cost from 100 USD and above depending on the location. Best rates are usually found by searching online and many hotels offer best rate guarantees. The walk in price usually higher than booking online.

10 Best Places To Stay in Phuket

Table of Contents

01 Mai Khao Beach – Best Place to Stay in Phuket for Honeymooners

Mai Khao Beach, is at the North of West coast Phuket & the beach is just within 10 km from Phuket International Airport. It was once a breeding place for the endangered Giant Leather-back tortoise but unfortunately, they no longer there because of egg poaching and resort development. It has 11 km long sandy shoreline & a perfect place for sunset view.

There are many resorts / hotels & restaurants along the coastline. Most of them have their own restaurants but the price tends to be higher. Local restaurants outside are the best choice for great value for money and tasty foods that should not be missed.

Where To Stay in Mai Khao Beach, Phuket

Luxury Hotels in Mai Khao Beach, Phuket

Mid-Range Hotels in Mai Khao Beach, Phuket

Budget Hotels in Mai Khao Beach, Phuket

02 Nai Thon and Naiyang Beach – Best Place to Stay in Phuket for Families

Nai Thon and Naiyang are two peaceful beaches next to each other in the South of Mai Khao Beach & Phuket airport. Naiyang has quite a variety of hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants. Generally, the environment is quite laid back and quiet. It has beautiful beaches that well shaded and there are many small scale fun bars nearby.

Nai Thon has a fine strip of sand nestled at the foot of high hills. This quiet bay is an ideal place to swim. Basically this is a chill-on-the-beach sort of place & the most popular thing to do here seems to be getting a massage.

Nai Thon Beach

Naiyang Beach

Where To Stay in Nai Thon and Naiyang Beach, Phuket

Luxury Hotels in Nai Thon & Naiyang Beach, Phuket

Mid-Range Hotels in Nai Thon & Naiyang Beach, Phuket

Budget Hotels in Nai Thon & Naiyang Beach, Phuket

03 Bang Thao Beach (Laguna Beach) – Best Place to Stay in Phuket for Wealthy Travelers

Bang Thao Beach, is a large open bay about 17 km South of Phuket airport. It is the second longest beach of Phuket. This area has been developed into a luxury resort The Laguna complex, a massive 5 star hotel with golf course, occupies most of it. Nevertheless, there are still some mid-range & budget hotels at the South end of the bay outside of Laguna. There are plenty of places to eat, tour companies and other tourist facilities available either at Laguna or in Cheong Thale Town.

Where To Stay in Bang Thao Beach, Phuket

Luxury Hotels in Bang Thao Beach, Phuket

Mid-Range Hotels in Bang Thao Beach, Phuket

Budget Hotels in Bang Thao Beach, Phuket

04 Surin Beach – Best Place to Stay in Phuket for Luxurious Resorts

Surin Beach, is just within 6 km South of Bang Thao. It is small village with vast housing & hotels development in the recent years and accommodation is not cheap also even in the low season. Thanks to the high-end villas on hills overlooking the bay, Surin is often called “millionaire’s row” and movie stars or VIPs prefer to live there, as they can get away from the crowds. The beach itself has clear water and lovely white sand, and is lined with tall casuarina trees and small restaurants in Thai style.

Where To Stay in Surin Beach, Phuket

Luxury Hotels in Surin Beach, Phuket

Mid- Range & Budget Hotels in Surin Beach, Phuket

05 Kamala Beach – Best Place to Stay in Phuket for Couples

Kamala Beach, is just immediate South of Surin Beach & the famous Phuket FantaSea is situated here. It provides a heaven for those who prefer the quieter holiday. Although in high season the Southern end of the beach can get busy, the Northern end is peaceful throughout the year. There are some small hotels here to cater for low / medium budget travelers. Friendly service and feeling of the village, and a variety of restaurants and small bars can be found along this small road. Cheaper food can be found on the main Kamala Road.

Where To Stay in Kamala Beach, Phuket

Luxury Hotels in Kamala Beach, Phuket

Mid-Range Hotels in Kamala Beach, Phuket

Budget Hotels in Kamala Beach, Phuket

06 Patong Beach – Best Place to Stay in Phuket for Nightlife

Patong Beach, is the largest beach resort on the island with a world famous nightlife and a great beach. Due to it’s popularity, budget hotels price are higher compare to the others. During peak season from Dec to Jan the prices are at least double for most of the hotels here. This may not be a good destination for the average backpacker, except in the rainy season when prices are far lower. However, Patong is still the most happening area for holidaymakers.

Where To Stay in Patong Beach, Phuket

Luxury Hotels in Patong Beach, Phuket

Mid-Range Hotels in Patong Beach, Phuket

Budget Hotels in Patong Beach, Phuket

07 Karon Beach – Best Place to Stay in Phuket for Beach Lovers

Karon Beach, is the second most popular area after Patong and has a 3 km length of beach. Not many hotels have direct frontage to the beach, most of them are across the road. Hence the beach is basically completely public. The sand is white & soft and there is a fine coral reef extending towards Kata and Bu Island at the South end. There is also a large pedestrian / bike path on the road’s beachside spanning the beach’s length.

Where To Stay in Karon Beach, Phuket

Luxury Hotels in Karon Beach, Phuket

Mid-Range Hotels in Karon Beach, Phuket

Budget Hotels in Karon Beach, Phuket

08 Kata Beach – Best Place to Stay in Phuket with Kids

Kata Beach, is a scenic gem with its clear water flanked by hills, and picturesque Pu Island sits offshore. At its Northern and Southern ends, Kata maintains a village feel and is even more family-oriented, its one-kilometer long beach more peaceful than Patong. Kata beach has safe swimming and does not have any drop-offs. It is safe for children and non-swimmers. In less than 1 km South of Kata Beach, there is a smaller beach name Kata Noi, it is a superb beach.

Where To Stay in Kata Beach, Phuket

Luxury Hotels in Kata Beach, Phuket

Mid-Range Hotels in Kata Beach, Phuket

Budget Hotels in Kata Beach, Phuket

09 Nai Harn Beach & Rawai Beach – Best Place to Stay in Phuket for Sunset View

Nai Harn, is a village and a beach South of Kata Beach & North of Phromthep Cape. Rawai Beach is just next to Nai Harn where this is an excellent place to experience a true Thai culture. Even though these are not the longest beach in Phuket but it borders on the island’s most beautiful lagoon. The Nai Han monastery dominates the middle of the beach, which has prevented excessive development and is the reason the beach is generally less crowded than other places on the island. Phromthep Cape nearby has a spectacular sunset view it’s often known as Sunset Point.

Nai Harn Beach

Rawai Beach

Where To Stay in Nai Harn & Rawai Beach, Phuket

Luxury Hotels in Nai Harn & Rawai Beach, Phuket

Mid-Range Hotels in Nai Harn & Rawai Beach, Phuket

Budget Hotels in Nai Harn & Rawai Beach, Phuket

10 Phuket Town – Best Place to Stay in Phuket for Backpakers

Phuket Town, is about 30 km away from airport & it is one of the oldest cities in Thailand. There are many old buildings in the town which were constructed when tin mining was an important industry on the island. Generally, it is not a favorite tourist destination, but the Chinatown area is worth a quick look and there are some great shopping opportunities in Thai style too. Overall, the town’s lodging and food is cheaper than near the beaches, and can offer a refreshing shift of pace.