How to spend your weekend in Phuket

If you are looking to go Phuket over the weekend for a short getaway 3 Days/2 Nights, you have make the right choice! There are mainly 3 areas to stay in Phuket , namely Patong (Cheaper and Nightlife area), Karon & Kata (High Class resorts), Bang Tao Bay (Slightly quieter).

Here is a guide on maxmising your weekend short getaway and come back to home fully recharge.

I have summarised total expenses spent for 3 days:

Day 1: Singapore – Patong 

Taking the early flight out from Singapore, I choose flying with TigerAir taking advantage of their promotion which often falls on Thursday. My TigerAir flight costs me SGD$88 (All-in for return trip). The key is to act fast once you have identfied your date. Tips on saving money when booking budget airline can be found in this link.

0910H: TigerAir depart from Singapore (SIN Time)

1000H: Arrive Phuket (Note: Thailand is 1 hour behind Singapore)

1130H: An hour ride from Phuket Airport to Patong Beach

There are airport limousines (simply means taxi thou), minibus/van. Minibus/van is the best option going to Patong area which can easily sit up to 12 people. Costs: 180Baht (SGD$7.50) One can buythe tickets in the arrival hall at the airport. Taxi on the other hand costs around 800 Baht per vehicle.

1230H: Arrive Hotel @ Patong beach area

1300H: Lunch and look for day tours. There are simply so many outlets selling day tours in and around Phuket. With so many activities, make sure you shop and bargain for the best price on offer. For instance, I was quoted 1,800 Baht for 1.5 hour ATV adventrue ride and visit of the Big Buddha tourist attraction. I had it bargained down to 1,000 Baht.

1430H-1800H: Tour pick up from hotel and we begin our first day adventure! It started off with a 30 minutes ride to ATV area where we challenged ourselves to drive in the rough terrain.

Along the ride up on the ATV, we stopped at Karon View Point to take a moment admiring the beautiful Andaman Sea. 

A trip without touring the famous Big Buddha in Phuket would not be complete. Some shots of the Big Buddha in Phuket over looking the sea.

1900H: Back to hotel for a wash up before we head out for dinner! BBQ seafood dinner to be exact! Simply delicious.

However, the food in Patong Beach area is not that cheap as compare to most other places in South East Asia as this is a tourist belt. Thus, expect to spend a little more although it’s overall still relatively cheaper than in expensive cities like Singapore.

Day 2: Patong 

The day started off with a leisurely stroll along Patong Beach area. After which, one may join the many island hopping tours that includes snorkelling trips.

1200H: Pick up from Hotel to Jetty area

1300H: 30 minutes boat ride from Phuket to Raya Island

1330H-1700H: There is a choice if you would prefer sun tanning along beautiful coast line beaches or opt for a snorkeling trip out in the sea.

We decide to take some lifestyle shots in Raya Island, enjoy swimming in the crystal clear water and bask under the sun.

Day 3: Patong- Phuket- Singapore

0800H- 1300H: Half Day Zipline tour with pick up from your hotel.  There are 2 choices to choose from as seen below:

This is absolutely worth a ride as one zips around the tropical rainforest trees. It’s certainly an adventure not to be missed!

The flight on TigerAir only departs at 9pm, Thailand time. It gives us plenty of time to head down to Phuket town. Using the mobile application “Grab” to hire vehicles, it is at time cheaper than hailing cabs on the streets. It costs around 440Baht (SGD$18) per vehicle and takes 1 hour to get to Phuket from Patong.

1700H: Departs from Phuket town, an hour ride to Airport

That is how we spend our weekend getaway in Phuket.

Best time to go Phuket is during the dry season between November to February when it’s cool and dry. What are you waiting for? Pack your bag and head off to the island resort!

Catch the video below:

Categories: Asia Region