✈️ TLV to Phuket (HKT)
Thailand
Phuket
CityHKT
IATA7036.7 km
Distance8h 53m
Flight TimeCoordinates: 8.1132, 98.3169
Airlines:
About Phuket
Weather in Phuket
Understand
Phuket lies in balmy Andaman Sea waters on Thailand's Indian Ocean coastline, 862 km south of Bangkok. The island-province enjoys great popularity as a travel destination. Most beaches are on the west coast, with Phuket Town to the southeast and the airport in the north. Its geography is suggested by its name, which is a Thai version of the Malay word bukit , which means "hill". Phuket used to derive its wealth from tin and rubber, and enjoys a rich and colourful history. The island was on one of the major trading routes between India and China, and was frequently mentioned in foreign traders' ship's logs. Phuket's top earner now is tourism, which has transformed the island into Thailand's wealthiest province. Expect prices to be a bit higher than on the mainland. The west coast of Phuket was hit severely by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, but almost no evidence of the damage remains.
Climate
Phuket is hot and humid throughout the year. The hot season is generally considered to be from Mar to early May. During the summer monsoon season from May-Oct, mornings and afternoons are sunny and clear, but it tends to rain in the evenings and water clarity goes down. Locals consider Nov-Feb the "cool" season, and the weather is quite tolerable. It's comparable to Florida's summer weather in temperature and intensity of rain storms: 25-33 degrees Celsius, scudding clouds, short and thunderous rainfalls in the afternoons and evenings. Surfing is possible off the western beaches.
Get around
Phuket is a large island and you need some form of transport to get around. Luckily, there are a variety of transport options for various budgets. Hotels generally offer shuttle bus services into Phuket Town, and also have taxi and car hire facilities.
Talk
Phuket is one of Thailand's premier tourist destinations and (basic) English is widely spoken, especially in the beach areas. That said, even a little Thai will draw smiles and can be useful in the less frequented areas of Phuket. There are also a number of Thai language courses on the island for those who wish to take their language skills to the next level.
See
Phuket is known the world over for its beaches . There is a wide variety of beaches, some calm, some totally ruined by millions of visitors each year. But you can explore the interior of Phuket, a fertile hilly expanse that consists of mangrove forests, fishing villages, rubber and pineapple plantations, small Muslim communities and shrimp farms.
Do
Swimming, snorkeling, diving, yachting, sailing, jet-skiing and parasailing are among the more popular activities on the island. Other activities include freediving, windsurfing, kite surfing, wakeboarding, and deep sea fishing. Popular kite surfing locations include Nai Yang in summer and Chalong Bay in winter season. Sea canoeing is a popular activity in Phang Nga Bay , as many grottoes are only accessible by canoe. Sailing Regattas include the Kings Cup in December, Pangna Bay Regatta normally in February and Phuket Raceweek in July.
Buy
Phuket Town is a source of cultured pearls, niello ware, pewter ware, ornaments and dried seafood. Specialist shops dealing in souvenir products can be found on Ratsada, Phang Nga, Montri, Yaowarat, and Tilok-U-Thit Rd, in Phuket Town , Thepkasattri Rd, north of town and at the beach centres of Patong , Kata , Karon , and Rawai . Phuket's larger beaches are ravaged by ravenous hordes of tailors , who are certainly cheap, but will screw you over if they can. For example, suits done in 24 hours are usually just glued together and will fall apart the first time you take them to a dry cleaner. Choose your own fabrics (you can buy them on Thalang Rd in Phuket Town), insist on multiple fittings and check the quality of work carefully. It makes little difference which tailor shop you choose, since they're all just sales fronts for a few central sweatshops. There are two giant shopping malls in Phuket: Central Festival , at the northwest edge of Phuket Town , and Jungceylon , in Patong . There is a night market that opens from Th-Su, a couple of traffic lights past the Central Festival shopping mall. You can buy many things from clothes to jewellery to sunglasses. A great place to visit during your stay. A small store without a name in Latin letters can be found on Ranong street opposite the market hall and 7-Eleven West of the small roundabout. Standard commodities can be bought there in large quantities (e.g. 12 pack of mosquito repellent, 3 pack of SPF50 sun screen, 5 pack of shower gel) for a discount.
Eat
Food in Phuket is surprisingly cosmopolitan, especially in Patong, as many foreigners have set up shop to cater to their fellow travellers. All the usual Thai favourites are of course still available, with a particular emphasis on seafood. See the individual town articles for detailed listings. Phuket has its own style of preparation and cooking. Some interesting local dishes include: Fried or boiled noodle dishes (หมี่ผัดหรือหมี่น้ำแบบต่าง ๆ) , usually with pork or chicken, are available at many noodle shops in Phuket Town such as Mi Ton Pho, Mi Sapam, Mi Ao Ke, Mi Hun Pa Chang. Khanom Jin (ขนมจีน), a version of noodles eaten at breakfast, usually served with a spicy curry sauce and fresh vegetables. Nam Phrik Kung Siap (น้ำพริกกุ้งเสียบ) is a mixture of dried chili and smoked shrimp eaten with various fresh vegetables. Cashew nuts and pineapples are grown in Phuket and available all year round. The nuts are available dried, fried, or coated. Phuket pineapples are some of the most delectable, sweet and firm available.
Drink
Phuket has a vibrant nightlife, second only to Pattaya among Thailand's beach resorts. Patong 's is by far the busiest of the lot. There are plenty of other bars, discos, clubs and activities catering to every taste, from pastor to sex-tourist.
Sleep
There are lots of options available in Phuket. But for the more popular hotels and resorts in the better locations you should book at least a couple months in advance during high season (Nov-May). The best rates are usually found on-line and many hotels offer best rate guarantees when you book direct. Most of the time you will pay more if you walk in and take the rack-rate. There are 5 main areas for tourists to stay in Phuket. Patong is the most popular due to its active nightlife, street markets and calm water beaches however this area isn’t for everyone (especially people with families). The quieter areas include Kata, Karon, Rawai and Nai Yang, all with great markets and quieter beach areas.
Cope
There is a wide array of international newspapers and magazines at some bookstores in Phuket Town and Patong . You can also follow local English radio through the website of Phuket FM Radio and on 91.5 FM.
Stay safe
Particularly in the summer monsoon season, there are strong currents on many of the beaches and drownings are a depressingly common occurrence. Four tourists died during a single 3-day stretch in June 2009. Heed the warning flags on popular beaches and play it safe if off the beaten track. Crime as of late has definitely increased in the Phuket area among farangs (Westerners) and you should keep this in mind and be vigilant of anyone who wants to befriend you or trick you into gambling (which is illegal) or anything else you consider out of the ordinary. Katoeys (ladyboys) are notorious for pick-pocketing as you walk around the tourist areas at night. Also muggings take place on a regular basis. Avoid walking down unlit sois; stick to the main roads. If something looks/sounds too good to be true, it surely is. Tourist police can be contacted locally by dialing 1155. They have a good basic understanding of English (many are farangs), so if you're in trouble these people should be contacted first. Thai police speak hardly any English and normally take the side of the locals even if at fault. Always insist on the Tourist Police if you have any run-in with the Thai Police. Use only metered taxis and ask hotels to call, take down driver license plate and taxi license number before you get in. You can use the receipt from a taxi to complain to police or find lost property, so take a receipt and license numbers. Don't overstay your visa! Two offices in Phuket can extend your visa: one in Phuket Town and one in Patong. The extension is valid for extra 30 days of the departure date stamped in your passport. The cost is 1900 baht. You'll need to provide a passport-sized photo. The Immigration Office in Phuket Town is at the end of Phuket Road near the pier.
Go next
Ao Nang — 3 hours by ferry, the top beach destination in Krabi province Ao Phang Nga National Park — famous for its limestone cliffs, caves, mangroves, fishing villages and James Bond Island Khao Lak — family-oriented resort region for those looking for peace, quiet, and nature Khao Sok National Park — one of the most beautiful wildlife reserves in Thailand Ko Phi Phi — parts of The Beach were filmed at this stunningly beautiful location Ko Lanta — another laid-back island destination that is gaining more popularity Ko Phayam — one of Thailand's most beautiful small islands, 20 min by boat from Ranong Ko Yao — one of the last islands in the region that is not over-developed Similan Islands — national park consisting of nine small islands, hugely popular among divers due to its outstanding beauty. Dive trips leave from Khao Lak.