Holidays in Phuket with children - hotels, beaches, entertainment. Entertainment for children in Phuket Thailand Phuket holidays with children
There are a huge number of beaches on the Thai island of Phuket, but not all of them are suitable for families and children. We included in the top 10 the best beaches in Phuket for families with children.
Discovers the top ten beaches in Phuket suitable for families with children. This is one of the longest beaches, the length of which is about 11 km. Mai Khao meets the requirements of privacy and almost complete absence of infrastructure. It belongs to the Sirinath National Park, so there are no buildings on the shore, and noisy water activities are prohibited. A few hotels are located at least 50 m from the shore. This beach is often called the “airport” beach, because from it you can clearly see how planes take off and land at Phuket International Airport.
The beach is perfect for families with children. Comfortable, calm and even a little wild, Nai Yang is located thirty kilometers from Phuket, to the north of the island. For those who like to relax “savage”, perhaps even in a tent, this is the most suitable place. Nai Yang Bay, fenced off from the sea by a coral reef, will help you feel unity with nature and enjoy the beauty to the fullest. A holiday on this Phuket beach is a holiday in a national park with an area of ninety kilometers. And all this is mangrove forests, which is a unique ecosystem. Mangroves, the wonderful smell of the sea, unique views - all this awaits visitors here.
Also quite suitable for families with children. Considering that Bang Tao Beach is located in a bay, the sea here is always calm. The width of the beach, as well as the length, is impressive, especially during low tides. The sand deserves special mention - it is golden and fine. The sea near the beach is mostly shallow. However, in some places the depth is considerable, so you need to be careful. The entry into the sea is long, about 15 m. In the morning, Bang Tao is in the shade - it is created by casuarina trees growing along the entire beach. This continues until about 11 o'clock, after which the hot sun begins to reign here.
Included in the list of the best beaches in Phuket for families with children. It is small and cozy. There are relatively few people compared to Kata. The coastline is wide. There is very little natural shade, in the central part literally a couple of places from the trees and on the left side near the mountain. The length is about 700 meters. Along the edges of the beach, the sand imperceptibly flows into the chain of reefs, becoming a favorite place for divers. In rare coastal rock formations you can see the life of crabs. Due to the small size of the bay, there is no heavy shipping in the beach area, which is also a plus for tourists. Covered with very fine white, clean sand, the water is azure and clear. Kata Noi is further south from the other beaches, therefore less crowded. Since it is more remote, you can see people sunbathing topless. Since it is located in a dead end, there is no noise from the streets or the city.
One of the best beaches in Phuket is perfect for families with children. Knighton is located on the territory of a National Nature Reserve, so everything is good with the ecology here: there is a lot of greenery and trees around, you can take a walk in the forest. There are no water activities on the coast itself. There are sun loungers and sun umbrellas along the entire length, but they are located in only 1-2 rows at a fairly large distance from each other.
It is considered one of the best beaches in Phuket, which is ideal for families with children. The coastline is flat and is just under 700 m long, while not much more than 50 m wide. During the daytime, there are sun loungers on the beach, but there are not many of them. The fact is that Nai Harn is a favorite place for family picnics not only for tourists, but also for the Thais themselves. However, even in high season, the abundance of vacationers is not an eyesore. The beach area is ideal for relaxation. There is the whole standard set of establishments: cafes, restaurants, bars, sports grounds, souvenir shops, but they do not spoil the view much. After all, Nai Harn is surrounded on both sides by palm groves, creating the feeling of a dreamy lagoon paradise.
Great for a relaxing holiday with children. This beach is not small, its length is about 2 km, while its width is very narrow (20 - 30 m). For a long time, Kamala was a quiet and peaceful place. It served as a pier for fishing boats and for Thai people to relax. There were very few tourists there. However, in recent years, you can increasingly meet older people who have chosen this quiet and peaceful place as a second home. This is understandable, all the benefits of civilization are at hand, and at the same time the sea is just a stone's throw away. In addition to those who moved here, there are now many package tourists here. The sand on Kamala is white, similar to grains of salt. There are many hotels along the beach line, and the beach area next to them belongs to them. Accordingly, sand quality and purity can vary significantly.
Discovers the top three beaches for families with children. Patong with a wide white-yellow strip of sand is located on the western side of the island. Phuket and has a length of 4 km. The arched strip of beach is framed on both sides by rocky outcroppings, which makes the fairytale-like landscape more comfortable. Immediately behind the sandy strip, various buildings are buried in lush vegetation: private houses, markets, entertainment venues, hotels and much more.
It ranks second in the list of the best beaches in Phuket for families with children. Surin is less than a kilometer long, with impressive stones in the water along the edges. Wide, but during the season it is densely packed with sun loungers under umbrellas, up to five rows, they do not add space to the beach. The ebb and flow of the tides are not as pronounced as in neighboring Bang Tao; the water does not go tens of meters away. The sand is fine, light, yellow or almost white, depending on the lighting. There is no silt, the water is clear, the color is very beautiful, azure. Combined with white umbrellas with frills fluttering in the wind, it creates a festive atmosphere. During the season, cleaners with brooms are constantly walking around Surin, and there are trash baskets. It's very neat and clean here.
The best beach in Phuket for families with children. This is a fairly large Phuket beach with a length of about four kilometers, with a wide coastline, where in the high season you can find your own corner for relaxation, among a large number of tourists. This is one of the most popular beaches among tourists from around the world. Karon, Thailand offers tranquility, entertainment and well-deserved relaxation. It is also famous for its quartz sand. The same sand that is used in hourglasses. It crunches very interestingly underfoot and in terms of noise perception it resembles the sound that is made when walking on creaky, dry snow.
What to see with children in Phuket.
4.8 (96.67%) 6 votesSomehow it happened that lately I have been actively involved in organizing frequenttours around the island. By the way, I’m still working on it, if you have anything, write me. But that's not what this is about. There have been many requests for holidays with children. Therefore, from time to time I had to rack my brains about what interesting things to show, how to do it better, and what children generally like. Of course, I didn’t rack my brains on my own, but together with my parents. We discussed by mail, during personal meetings and during discussions, the same picture of interests emerged.
And the other day, quite by chance, I heard a speech from a mother who, either with a friend or with her mother, was discussing what she should watch with her children. I will again omit the details of where I heard this and how it happened. But after this conversation, I had a clear opinion that neither vacationers nor most guides have a clear idea of how to more correctly spend a vacation with children on the island and what to show them.
Well, if there is a demand, then you need to write about it. Moreover, there is experience and some developments.
I immediately checked the availability of reviews on the Internet, but I didn’t find anything sensible. Some in the reviews sent their children to the museum, others to a monkey farm, which is not here at all. And someone suggested going to...
If you have questions, remarks or comments, please write, you are not the only one reading this article and if you have interesting thoughts, be sure to write below.
Dolphinarium in Phuket. Here you can watch a dolphin show and swim with them. It’s hard to say who gets more pleasure from the performance, children or adults, but no one is left dissatisfied.
Show time: Three times a day 11.00, 14.00 and 17.00
Price:
3 - 5 rows 800 baht per adult and 500 baht per child.
6 – 7 rows 600 baht per adult and 400 baht per child
children under 4 years old are free.
You may also be interested in the following notes on similar topics:
Anyone who goes on holiday to Phuket with children has many questions, because holidays with children in Phuket are associated with various aspects that are worth paying attention to.
What season is best to travel with children?
Not in the highest period - December-January, during this period there are a lot of tourists. Many families like to come between February and July, when Phuket is no longer as crowded with tourists. Until May, as a rule, the water is calm, and starting from May the monsoon wind changes its direction and begins to blow from the sea, thereby bringing moisture. At this time, waves appear and the amount of precipitation increases. It’s worth immediately reassuring those who think that precipitation in Phuket means continuous rain. This is wrong. Yes, there is more precipitation, but not critically; at the same time, it is not as hot as in March-April and many people like it. The heaviest rains usually occur in August-September. Of course, nature can present surprises and shifts in periods are possible, but in general, year after year, the climate picture is close to that described above.
Which beach to stay at?
To Phuket with children: Koh Samui
A beach with clean and calm water (not as busy as Patong) is suitable for families with children. In this matter, much depends on the age of the child. Mothers believe that: “With kids, beaches like Kata or Karon are better, but with children 6 years old and older, you can relax in Patong.” It is also worth noting Naiharn Beach in the south of the island, where almost all year round, a natural tidal pool forms next to the beach.
Hotel selection
The main thing is the availability of infrastructure in the area of the hotel (cafes, restaurants). Below we will publish a list of hotels about which we receive positive feedback from our clients and readers.
Choosing a hotel in Phuket if you are traveling with children:
Casadel Sol Kata, Sunwing Bangtao, Sunwing Kamala, JW Marriott, Angsana.
Selection of excursions
With children, on the one hand, you can go on excursions to the islands and attend various shows. Quite often you can see Europeans who, with 5-6 month old children, calmly travel around the islands. But, in this case, you need to pay attention to weather conditions: if there is a big wave at sea, then the choice of sea excursions will, of course, be limited. Many sea trips, such as to PhiPi, Krabi, James Bond, take about an hour by boat. The boat ride to Similan, Tachai and Surin will take 1.5-2 hours, which is quite tiring for a small child. At the same time, there are also closer islands with an easy and not tiring program, such as Coral Island. Please also keep in mind that before you get to the pier from where the boat departs, you will be collected from your hotels and this takes approximately 30-60 minutes.
You can ride the elephants separately, or you can go on an excursion that takes the whole day and includes an elephant ride. It is worth considering that the trip is organized for a group of tourists and, most often, it is impossible to separate from the group and return to the hotel if the child suddenly becomes capricious or tired.
To Phuket with children: on a Rafting excursion to Phang Nga province
To Phuket with children: Phi Phi Island
In the first days of rest, until adaptation takes place, it is advisable not to go on any excursions. Adult tourists should heed this advice, and even more so when traveling with children. After a couple of days, when you get used to the climate and food, and if everything goes well, you can choose any excursion or show to your liking, but do not forget about the tips given above.
What to feed your baby in Phuket?
Feeding a child, as a rule, does not cause any difficulties. Fish, meat, rice, fruits, soups - everything is there. People come with one-year-old children and there are usually no problems with feeding. There is a children's menu. Purees and baby food are not sold in hotels, but they can be bought in stores and shopping centers.
Examples of some Thai dishes that children can eat (name in Thai in brackets):
Chicken soup with coconut milk - Tom ka gai (ต้มข่าไก่);
Chicken with cashew nuts - Gai pad met mamuang (ไก่ผัดเม็ดมะม่วง);
Fried vegetables - Pad pak ruam (ผัดผักรวม);
Fried rice with shrimp/chicken/pork - Khao pad goong/gai/muu (ข้าวผัด ไก่/กุ้ง/หมู);
Omelette - Kai tiyao (ไข่เจี้ยว).
First aid kit
We will not list what medical supplies you need to take with you, we only want to remind you so that you do not forget to pack a first aid kit. Of course, it is possible that all medicines are sold in Phuket, but they may be called differently and you will be calmer if you take your proven medicines. What can often happen to a child in Phuket: sun allergy, salt water allergy, diarrhea, sun burn, abrasions.
Buying children's clothing in Phuket
There are many stores in Phuket where you can buy children's clothing: Cenral Festival, Tesco Lotus, Big C. It is worth considering that the stores are not in the resort area and you need to take a taxi to them, which can take 30-50 minutes depending on the your location and traffic on the road. Cenral Festival sells branded clothing from famous brands at the same prices as in Russia. In such “folk” stores as BigC and Tesco Lotus they sell children's clothing made from high-quality materials from Thai manufacturers, which is exactly what mothers most often need.
Shops where you can buy something for a child on the map of Phuket (click on the name to open the store on the map in close-up):
Near the Laguna area - ,
Near the beaches of Patong, Kamala - ,
Near the beaches of Kata, Karon -
Center of the island - , , ,
Should I take toys and a swimming vest with me?
We recommend taking a couple of books on the plane. You can also bring buckets and scoops to keep the kids occupied on the beach - they love it. If it is inconvenient to carry, many toys can be bought in shopping centers, as well as in stalls on the street or in small beach shops.
To Phuket with children: Kai Nok Island
What should a child wear on the flight, what clothes and shoes should he take?
To prevent your child from getting cold and hot, dress him in light casual clothes on the plane, for example, denim overalls with a T-shirt and sandals with socks, and on the bus, so as not to freeze and not get blown by the air conditioner, take a light blouse. As a rule, it can be quite cool on the plane, especially if you are flying domestically within Thailand. Therefore, we recommend taking a warm blouse or small blanket for children.
Are there dairy products on the island?
Yes, there is good milk in stores, as well as yoghurts. Products such as kefir and cottage cheese are very difficult to find, almost impossible.
Should I take diapers with me?
You need to take it for the first time, then you can buy more in the store.
Where are the playgrounds?
Closed
Shopping center Patong Promenade, children's zone (Patong Promenade, kids zone);
Shopping center Jung Ceylon, 3rd floor (Jung Ceylon)
In the Central Festival shopping center there is a children's area on the 4th floor. It's not very interesting, but you can leave the child if he's 4 and go shopping.
Children's center Gymboree (Gymboree) on the first floor in the Central Festival, where children make various crafts, but this is also for children from 4-x.
In the Laguna area at the Angsana hotel.
Street
Frame Park 9, in Phuket
Naiharn, near the lake, opposite the temple, there is an entrance to the island, parking near the site.
Children's Center "KIDS PLANET"
Stroller- some say “definitely TAKE IT, it will be very useful.” If you all decide to buy a stroller in Phuket, then you will need to go to the above-mentioned stores.
Children's sun cream— you can buy it in Thailand, but after checking into the hotel you don’t want to run around looking for cream - it’s better to go straight to the beach, so take it with you. It is recommended for a child to take a cream with a protection level of at least 50.
Pot— We’ll still have to look for it in Phuket.
Laundry soap— children often get their clothes dirty, and it’s not advisable to hand over one dress or T-shirt for washing. In this regard, take soap and another rope so that you can stretch it on the balcony and quickly dry your clothes (it can take a long time to dry in the room).
If the child is a girl, then more rubber bands and bobby pins to collect hair, otherwise it will make the child hot.
Headdress for a child, it is necessary to have a brim so that the ears do not get burned (no caps) and light, loose clothing with long sleeves, such as a tunic, T-shirt or shirt, so as not to get a sunburn. As a rule, the upper part of the body burns, and the legs are much less common.
Beach shoes- can be bought in Thailand, there is a good selection here.
Swimsuit— take 1 for sure, you can also buy in Thailand as a replacement so that you don’t run around wet.
Personal hygiene items— take with you (toothbrush, special baby toothpaste, etc.). You don’t have to run around shopping for everything after you arrive.
Good day to all!
Phuket for me, this is the place where you can try a lot of exotic fruits, soak up the sun, swim in the warm sea, ride elephants, feed monkeys, find adventures and take a break from worries.
I decided to write this review for those who are planning to go to Phuket in the near future and want to find out something about it.
COST OF TRAVEL
We vacationed in Phuket a month ago in October 2017 as a family (me, husband and 3-year-old daughter) for 12 days / 11 nights. The trip cost us 117,000 rubles including breakfast: a direct flight with Aeroflot without transfers from Moscow to Phuket (almost 10 hours on the plane), tour operator Coral Travel. Before that, we flew to Thailand (Pattaya) with Biblio-Globus in January 2013, they greeted us with orchids and gave us backpacks as souvenirs, Corel didn’t have this, we liked Biblio-Globus more, although Coral Travel did not disappoint.
AIRPORT
The island of Phuket has its own new small airport; vacationers usually fly here, but in addition to it they also fly to Krabi Airport, from which it takes longer to get to Phuket hotels. At airports in other countries, greeting travel agencies are located in a building at the exit from the airport, but at Phuket airport, tour operators are waiting for tourists with signs on the street. We didn’t expect this, we first searched the entire building, and only then went outside and finally saw the coveted Coral Travel sign.
We lived in a hotel Kata Country house 3* near Kata beach, it took about 2.5 hours to get to the hotel by gazelle, there were traffic jams on the street during the day, we got back faster.
MOBILE CONNECTION
The tour operator gave us free local SIM cards (mini, micro, nano, regular) at the same time), initially there was some money to call Russia or Thailand if necessary. You can top up the balance on these SIM cards in 7-eleven stores, which are everywhere. We didn’t use SIM cards much, since there was free internet in the room, we communicated with loved ones via Skype, Viber and Vkontakte.
MONEY
I recommend going to Phuket with large bills of 100 and 50 dollars, the exchange rate in this case is higher. This does not apply to euros and rubles. How much money to take to Phuket? It all depends on how you want to plan your vacation, whether you will go on excursions or just stupidly lie on the beach. We took all our savings, since we spent it on a train to Spain in August; we didn’t have much money.
We changed money at exchange offices on the street, looked at where the rate was higher, and changed it there.
The local currency is baht. At the moment, 1 baht is approximately equal to 2 rubles. In 2013, 1 baht was equal to 1 ruble, that is, prices for Russians doubled, although in fact they did not change much.
TRAVEL WITH A CHILD TO PHUKET
- “To Phuket with a child? Yes, you are crazy, 10 hours on a plane, humid climate. Do you need it?”
This is what our friends and acquaintances told us before the trip; they also asked whether we would definitely take our daughter on vacation or fly together.
And my husband and I answered that the three of us had bought a ticket and were waiting for the flight.
My daughter survived the flight well, slept most of the time, she has already been to many places with us, and again asks to go to Thailand. We still live in St. Petersburg, and not in Moscow, we first got there by peregrine falcon, then took the metro in Moscow, got to the Aeroexpress, got to Sheremetyevo airport and only then flew to Phuket.
The climate suited my daughter, I felt great, there were no health problems, unlike in Spain (the snot did not come out the entire trip, and I also had a fever).
The only thing is that my daughter developed heat rash from the heat, but we have it all the time in hot countries, even in Russia in the heat in the summer.
WEATHER IN PHUKET
We arrived in Phuket at the end of the rainy season in mid-October. Dry season months are counted from November to March, A rain season officially from mid-April to October.
What is the rainy season? This does not mean at all that it will rain every day, all day long. During our holiday in Phuket it never rained; the weather was +30 both day and night. But when we were on holiday in Pattaya in January during the dry season, there were rains, but they were short-lived, it rained like a wall for 15 minutes and after a couple of minutes it felt like it had never rained.
You have to be afraid of someone else - the sea is stormy, and it’s so stormy that you could easily drown while swimming.
In October, a red flag hung every day, swimming was prohibited, but people swam anyway. The sea was very warm, but the waves were crazy. Every day I read on the Internet that people drown in Phuket, this is not surprising, beauty is only for surfers.
We also swam, but didn’t swim far. On the first day, the sea took my sunglasses and didn’t return them; it was difficult to find something with such waves. My daughter was afraid to swim when the sea was stormy; she preferred the pool. So if you are traveling out of season, at least choose a hotel with a pool.
By the end of October the sea had calmed down, there were almost no waves, and it was immediately clear that the dry season was coming.
BEACHES
They are sandy, we couldn’t even find a single pebble, there were almost no shells, perfect sand. And I’ll write right away that I don’t recommend choosing hotels for a holiday on Patong Beach - this is a very dirty beach, it will be expensive for you to travel to other beaches (400-800 rubles one way).
Our hotel was located between two exits to Kata Beach and Karon Beach could be reached on foot if desired. Karon and Kata beaches are beaches where there are many Russian tourists, so there will be no problems with the language barrier. And the beaches themselves are somehow divided, where there are many Russians and where there are few. I know that Kata Noi beach is also considered good; read reviews about other beaches.
I personally would again choose Kata Beach for a vacation and go again to the hotel where I vacationed.
A little about the beaches.
There are fewer waves during the rainy season at the exit to Kata Beach on the border with Karon. This is past the “stinky river” (tourists call it that behind their backs), you can find stories about it in other reviews about hotels, in the evening there may be a smell, so it’s better to swim at sunset in Karon, but in the morning Kata Beach is excellent.
There is also access to Kata Beach near the hotel with elephants (as a landmark), we liked it less here, the waves were bigger. We only went here once.
Karon- this is a beach where it is windy and waves, but there is such crisp sand that you will not forget and gorgeous sunsets. Almost every day we went to admire them. I remember these moments with bated breath.
LOCAL POPULATION
There should be no problems with him, since tourists for them are money, their earnings. We met positive guys or I’m just lucky with them, they love children very much, everyone will greet you and smile. My daughter later got used to it and waved and smiled at everyone. In Russia, only grannies pester people with conversations on the streets.
But I didn’t really like tourists. Not a single Russian helped or offered to help move the stroller over the top of the iron pins (in one place on the street there was no other way to get through), only a German helped once. It was easy to recognize Russians by their red, burnt faces and white clothes (they sell white shirts all around because of the sun).
I don’t recommend getting close to transvestites, they are easy to recognize - they are usually very beautiful girls in high heels with big eyelashes and in eye-catching clothes, the beauty is unreal, their appearance cannot be distinguished from the female gender. You can meet them in Patong, but we didn’t see any beautiful ones, we didn’t go to the show in Phuket. But in Pattaya we succeeded.
I'll tell you the story that the guide told us, he said it was true. Two Russian guys hung out with two transvestites all evening, at first they took them by the hand and walked along the beach, bought drinks for them, laughed, joked, nothing special. And then the transients presented them with a bill for services, so much so that the Russian guys could not pay it even if they wanted to. Then the transvestites beat a Russian tourist to death with their heels. Since then, transvestites have had a restriction on heel height. Instructive, I think.
FRUITS
I recommend eating them! We have never seen such an assortment of exotics anywhere, the prices were reasonable. We bought a lot of stuff. There was a refrigerator in the room, we ate every day and took it with us to Russia. Just don’t eat a lot at once, otherwise stomach problems may arise.
The most delicious fruits: mango!!!, I really liked it sapodilla, papaya(it's not for everyone, but be sure to try it too). If you haven't tried it coconuts, they sell a lot of them on the beach, buy them at least once. We tried again dragon heart, herring, annonu, longkong, longan, passion fruit, rambutan.
Prices for fruits in the photo are in baht. For example, mango costs 100-200 rubles per piece, sold by weight (70-100 baht per 1 kg), coconut 50 baht (100 rubles), dragon eye 80 baht per 1 kg.
We usually spent 2 thousand on purchasing fruit, then ate for 3-4 days.
MASSAGE
I liked the Thai massage so much when I went to Pattaya on the River Kwai, so I decided that I would definitely go for it in Phuket. In the end, things didn't work out as planned.
Upon arrival on the first evening, we went to massage parlors, compared prices, everything was about the same. I still have the price brochures.
Thai massage - 300 baht (600 rubles) per hour, foot massage - 300 baht (600 rubles) per hour, body and foot massage - 400 baht (800 rubles). There are a lot of different types of massage, you can click on the photo, enlarge it and take a closer look, there are various cosmetic procedures.
It seemed to me that everything around was so unsanitary. The most decent looking salon was this one in the photo with red sofas, located not far from our hotel. And it felt like there weren’t many people there, but it turned out to be the opposite. On the first floor there were foot massages and some facials, and on the second floor there were a huge number of people getting body massages. This salon has a very high traffic volume.
I decided to scrub my whole body and face, and come for a massage on other days. My husband had a Thai foot and body massage. The procedures were not bad, but the air conditioning there was so loud that after visiting the salon in the morning I developed a cold on my face (boil), which did not go away until the end of my stay due to the heat. And some dirt was brought under my husband’s nail during a foot massage, and the finger festered. After all this “happiness”, we did not dare to go to the massage parlor anymore.
I’m not dissuading anyone, I’m just telling you how it was with us.
EXCURSIONS
Coral Travel and Biblio-Globus, most likely and all other tour operators, always include free review excursion. It included a visit to a snake farm, a honey factory, a latex factory, a jewelry factory, and a real estate agency (this may or may not have been included in ours). There, naturally, you will be offered to buy various Thai goods, as well as give you something to taste. I still advise you to go there, because the excursion does not last long and you will remember it; no one will force you to buy anything.
I tried Thai honey, pure propolis extract (I almost went crazy), delicious dried fruits, coconut oil, royal jelly (I wanted to buy it, but it was very expensive).
Paid excursions
Everywhere on the street they offer the same type of excursions; the tour operator has more choice.
My daughter really wanted to take a photo with a tiger, it was possible to go, but the prices are expensive, you have to pay for entry into the cage for each person (from 900 to 1300 baht), even if he himself will not be photographed. We didn't go.
The tour operator offered a lot of things, especially memorable: Show Fantasy, which was included in the Guinness Book of Records and the most common excursion to James Bond Islands, Krabi and Phi Phi.
We bought a tour to Phang Nga province. It included: riding elephants, visiting the Elephant Stomach cave, the monkey temple and other temples, tasting exotic fruits. It cost approximately 4,000 rubles per adult. It’s not bad, but if you compare it with an excursion in Pattaya to the River Kwai (there is something in common), then the Kwai is 1000 times better.
Almost all tourists come from Phuket with colored ribbons on their hands; the monks knit them for wishes during excursions and holidays. If you see it, know that the person was most likely in Phuket.
ATTRACTIONS
Few! The zoo is terrible too. Even the guides discouraged us from going there. There used to be one tiger there and he died.
I think the main attraction is big white buddha, it is visible from almost every point of the Phuket coast, as it is located on a hill. We visited it on our own and for free. I wrote a review about this.
If you want sightseeing, take excursions, but most often you will need to go outside of Phuket closer to Pattaya or to the islands.
TRANSPORT
Locals in Phuket do not walk; even the poorest family must have a motorbike. It is for this reason that there is almost no public transport in Phuket. Tuk-tuks here are the price of a taxi. There are only “buses” to Phuket Town, but what to do there? Workers travel from it to work to hotels and back. If you have a lot of days, then you can take a ride to Phuket Town, but we didn’t.
Taxi/tuk-tuk prices.
At the hotel, tourists negotiate among themselves to go to one or another cheaper beach or to Buddha in a tuk-tuk (about 10 people can fit there).
Prices are as follows: travel from Karon to Kata Beach 200 baht (400 rubles), from Karon to Patong 400 baht (800 rubles), from Karon to Phuket Town 550 baht (1100 rubles), from Karon to the airport in Phuket 1000 baht (2000 rub).
We drove at night from Patong to our hotel on Kata Beach in a normal taxi, even with Russian songs for 400 baht (we haggled a little and named our price).
Motorbike rental
Many tourists rent motorbikes, as it makes traveling cheaper. The price is 250 baht (500 rubles) per day, you still need to buy gasoline and return as much as was in the tank. On the street they ask for a deposit for a motorbike or a passport; at the hotel we were not asked for this.
DISEASES
What to watch out for in Phuket three troubles - food poisoning, which are not uncommon here, traffic accidents(motorbike and car rental), cold because of air conditioners.
We didn’t rent motorbikes or cars; we traveled on foot and once by taxi.
ADVICE ABOUT MEDICATIONS
Take your funds with you from food poisoning(smecta, enterol, rehydron), agents for allergies(fenistil gel, suprastin tablets), be sure to take iodine And patch, paracetamol on temperature, means for a cold due to air conditioners (nose drops, throat spray). I also took Miramistin, it came in handy.
In Thailand you can buy medicines, but they are expensive and will not always help, for example, iodine is terrible, but in Russia you already know exactly what you need to buy at the pharmacy.
Purchase in advance sunscreen, since the sun is scorching and you can’t do without protection.
Pharmacies in Phuket are not public, but private, I don’t trust any of them (and the guide said so). Prices are higher than in the markets, products may be counterfeit. There is only one state pharmacy in Phuket Town, there should be genuine products there, but I didn’t want to go there. And supposedly the farms don’t fake the products, but the prices are sky-high.
WHAT SHOULD YOU BRING FOR YOUR LOVED ONES?
Soap, cosmetics (coconut oil, face masks, scrubs, whitening toothpaste), fruits, souvenirs. But be careful about the tea that is sold on every corner. First, buy yourself a briquette, drink it yourself, and then take it home.
Regarding poisoning, Russian women approached me twice on the beach and asked one question: where do we go to eat with a small child, since they were poisoned and are afraid for the children. I’ll tell you the secret of how we avoided poisoning in Phuket - we took a small 2-liter multicooker with us and cooked for our daughter, we were calm about her stomach. In theory, cooking is prohibited in the hotel, but we did it secretly. After the food was cooked, we put the multicooker in the suitcase.
Guys with a small child lived nearby; they had a steamer and also cooked. We took rice, buckwheat, pasta with us, and other products could be purchased at wholesale supermarket Makro , including fresh meat, bread, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, mayonnaise, ketchup, rice in bags if necessary (buckwheat is difficult to find in Thailand).
My daughter only ate in a cafe once during the entire vacation; in Patong we ordered pilaf for her, and she did not get poisoned. My husband and I went to restaurants several times, took food from shops on the street, and didn’t have any stomach problems.
I’m not trying to scare you, it’s just that if you’re traveling without children, then of course there’s no point in taking a slow cooker, but with children you have to be afraid of poisoning.
Delicious local and very popular beer - Chang.
The tour operator praised the Russian cafe Chekhov, I think he gets paid extra for this. If you read reviews about it on the Internet, there will be a lot of positive ones, since this cafe gives a discount for a positive review, there is a bonus discount system, they attract customers to come regularly.
We came there one evening at about 21.00, there were a million people, there was nowhere to sit, the cafe was small, the tables were occupied, we waited 30 minutes, the tables were not free, so we went to another cafe.
It was called Brillit, we ate it and didn’t get poisoned, everything was fine with our stomach. There was a cafe not far from the hotel. Pizza cost 350 baht (700 rubles), national tom yum soup - 150 baht (300 rubles), they also took beer, 1 bottle - 140 baht (280 rubles), an additional 1 beer and salads were free (promotion).
Prices for food in other eateries are preserved in the photo.
MARKETS
There are many night markets in Phuket, there are those that usually work 2 times a week, and there are those that work every day. There were 2 places near our hotel on Kata, but we also went to Karon for a night and a regular one, and we also went to Patong. I recommend going to everything within walking distance; I really liked the night market in Karon.
3 magnets for 100 baht (200 rubles).
SMALL STORES
Everywhere 7 Eleven And Family Mart- good shops where you can buy water, cosmetics, sunscreen, washing powder, band-aids, some food: chocolate, dried fruit, bread, yoghurt, sausage briquettes, chips, beer and the prices are normal. I completely trust these shops, my dears: 7 Eleven and Macro.
There was also a store not far from our hotel Tesco Lotus, the assortment is somewhat similar to Macro, there are vegetables and fruits.
PATONG
I would like to tell you about him separately. Patong is an area near the beach of the same name (areas in Phuket are named depending on the beaches on which they are located).
I'll dispel the myth about Is it possible to walk from Kata Beach and Karon Beach to Patong?!
This can only be done the most headless people, since the traffic between Karon and Patong on the highway is crazy, there are no sidewalks. I don't advise anyone to do this.
You can skip this part of the review if you are in a hurry.
We tried to walk to Patong from Kata Beach once. It was at 17.00, we left the hotel when it was still light with stroller. The distance from our hotel to Patong was approximately 10 km. We reached Karon around 18.00 and it was already dark. We asked tourists who live on Karon if it was possible to walk to Patong, everyone answered categorically NO.
We decided to take a chance. We walked around the lake, there were sidewalks, we even laughed that we would get there anyway. As a result, the sidewalk suddenly ended, they wanted to turn back, but they saw that people were walking. We asked them if it was possible to go further, they replied that they could and should use flashlights on their phones, otherwise they might get hit by cars and motorbikes. So we did, armed ourselves with flashlights and moved on. It turned out that people were coming from the hotel, it was located on a mountain, and every time they had to get to Karon this way (horror). There's not a single living soul anymore on foot didn't meet.
The fuel truck driver shouted after us: "Taxi?". I have never received such an amount of adrenaline, cars could hit us every minute, it was very scary, but there was no turning back, turning around was even more scary, on one side there was a frantic flow of traffic, and on the other there were some thorny bushes and iron sides. The daughter slept in the stroller all this time and did not suspect anything that her parents were peek-a-boo. It’s a pity that I didn’t record the video, I didn’t have time for it.
We walked 3/4 of the way, there was still a little time left and local Thai girls drove up to us on two motorbikes, taking dirty laundry to the hotel. They asked where we were from and where we were going in English. Our conversation didn’t go any further; we didn’t understand each other. We said goodbye to them and moved on, but suddenly they returned without underwear and said that they would give us a ride. My daughter and I got on one motorbike, and my husband got on another along with a stroller, and off we went. We drove around Patong for an hour, looked at everything, I asked the Thai woman if we had already arrived, it was time to drop us off, and she answered that no. An hour later they brought us to some other beach and dropped us off. We told them to take us back to Patong, got back in and drove off. These girls were not local, apparently they didn’t know where we needed to go, they didn’t understand us well, but they really wanted to help. Finally they brought us to Patong, I already thought that they would now ask us for a lot of money, but no, they said “Free”.
I took a souvenir photo with these beauties. I say hi to them, but they are unlikely to read my review. This is Thai hospitality. Nice guys - Thais!
ABOUT PATONG
I am less impressed by the arbitrariness than by how we got there. You can go once for fun in the evening.
Patong is a big area, it seemed to me. The main part of the entertainment is located on the main street Bangla Road next to the Jang Ceylon shopping center. There is also a market, but the prices are not lower at all and they sell similar goods.
Bangla Road- this is a parody of Volkin Street in Pattaya, only it is smaller in size, they sell all sorts of rubbish, there are few discos, sports bars, there are girls of easy virtue, I didn’t see any beautiful transvestites and they didn’t sell cockroaches (maybe it was not the season yet).
together. For a holiday with children and for a lazy holiday, Phuket is the right place (Samui, other islands). Although you can find your own adventures everywhere. The disadvantage of Pattaya is the dirty beaches and sea, you have to go to the islands to swim (this is inconvenient with a child), but there is cheap public transport, you can see a lot of things on your own.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PHUKET?
Phuket is an island that has different beaches: good and bad for relaxation.
Phuket is a big village. Compared to Pattaya, there are almost no attractions in Phuket, there is only the sea, the sun, expensive cafes, expensive transport (tuk-tuks for the price of a taxi), massage parlors, markets, a couple of large shops and a large selection of various fruits.
Phuket is a tourist paradise where money flows like a river. For Russians, Thailand has become an expensive pleasure in recent years due to the rise of the dollar and the fall of the ruble.
RESULTS regarding the island of Phuket in Thailand
Advantages:
1) Wonderful weather, warm day and night;
2) Clean warm sea, if you choose a normal beach;
3) Large selection of exotic fruits at the best price;
4) Exotic;
5) A good place to relax with children;
6) If you have money, you can go on many excursions.
Flaws:
1) There is no normal budget public transport (tuk-tuks for the price of a taxi);
2) The high cost of excursions and eating in a cafe will not be cheap;
3) There are few attractions in Phuket itself, you need to travel outside or to the islands;
4) Very frequent poisonings;
5) There are no pedestrian crossings, and the driver of the vehicle is always right (his advantage).
Conclusion. Not even a day has passed since I haven’t remembered Phuket and Thailand, I want to go there again, I would gladly move for permanent residence, but my income just doesn’t allow it.
It was more interesting for me to relax in Pattaya than in Phuket, but I would gladly go to Phuket again on vacation with a child, I’m even ready right now and without hesitation.
If you have any questions, ask, I will try to answer them.
All the best and happy travels closer to the sea!
Holidays in Phuket with children are easy and safe, since right on the island you can find all the necessary children's accessories, including baby food and toys. If necessary, you can buy medicine or consult a professional doctor - there are pharmacy kiosks and clinics near each beach. Add to this a well-developed road network and a wide choice of transport.
Ecology
Industrial activity on the island stopped in the middle of the last century. Nature has fully recovered both at sea and on land. Lots of greenery, clean air. There are several parks with asphalt paths. They are convenient for walking with strollers. Most noise and cars in . But there is absolutely no need to go there.
Entertainment
You won't have any problems choosing where to spend your time. You can go to and, go boating, watch the life of underwater inhabitants in. Or take part in various shows. For example, visiting an amusement park.
Minuses
Prices
At the peak of the tourist season, prices in Phuket are steep (read about prices, weather and beaches). They are higher than in Bangkok or Pattaya. But significantly lower than during the winter holidays in both capitals of Russia - St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Swimming season
From May to November, the swimming season in Phuket practically stops. It's all about frequent storms that disperse high waves. All beaches have signs prohibiting entry into the water. Naturally, various water attractions - jet skis, banana boats and other beach activities are excluded from the program.
The best beaches in Phuket for families with children
Only the western coast of Phuket is accessible for recreation, but there are also quite a few places where the rocks approach the water itself. Between them there are strips of sand with convenient entry into the sea, around which the entire tourist infrastructure is concentrated. Now we will briefly describe the most famous of them, and you can decide for yourself which ones fit the definition of “for holidays with children”, based on your own preferences.
Patong Beach
Entertainment for children in Phuket
There is entertainment for children in Phuket for every taste and budget, here are just a few of them:
- here is the answer to the popular question: “Where to go with children in Phuket?” Divided into five thematic zones - Asia, America, Antarctica, Africa, Ancient World. On an area of 22 thousand square meters. meters there are more than fifteen attractions of varying extremes.
- this is what else you should definitely see with your children in Phuket. It is best to visit it in the evening, when all the dinosaur figures and the fake volcano are effectively illuminated.
- also an ideal place where else you can go with a small child in Phuket. It is small, and most of its inhabitants are large and brightly colored. Therefore, an excursion with a child will be tireless and interesting.
– an amusement park with a full-day excursion. There are attractions for both little ones and teenagers. You can chat with the inhabitants of the petting zoo. Particularly interesting are the Tiger Show and the Elephant Palace, where performances with trained animals are performed every day.
Riding – organized by most travel agencies in Phuket. But this is entertainment for everyone. Not only children, but also some adults are afraid of being on the back of these giants, since these cute animals can be very unpredictable during the mating season or if they are treated cruelly by the driver.