Big Buddha Phuket
You must.
Plan much of the day around this mountainous area because there is a lot nearby: ATV tours, elephant sanctuaries, zoos, and likely more.
You can spend a few hours at Big Buddha alone.
Thailand - Phuket Bangkok
Phuket: Things to do
Phi Phi Islands
Make the day trip; beyond worth it.
One of the best days of our big Europe / Asia trip.
Phi Phi tour
Pre-book a tour online and spend as much time as possible island-hopping by speedboat.
Phi Phi snorkeling
We snorkeled and enjoyed it because the water was so clear.
Patong Beach
Great beach with lots of good eats and drinks.
Same idea as Patong Beach, maybe a little less crowded.
Thai massage
Get multiple massages while you visit.
Cheap, long, and pretty high-quality.
Bangla Road
Best nightlife street: bars, clubs, restaurants, and loud at night.
Phuket: Food
Tambu
Expensive Indian restaurant, but might have been the best food we had on our big trip.
We're all Indian and this was top-tier Indian food.
Mountain Breeze Phuket
Cafe / restaurant near Big Buddha.
Recommended by our driver.
We ordered a lot of the menu between five people and enjoyed almost everything for a good price.
Food safety
Stick to bottled water and avoid ice.
We mostly stayed away from fresh fruit / veggies unless we trusted the establishment.
Phuket: Where to stay
Patong Phuket
Felt like the best place to stay.
Lots going on and good access to various hotspots in Phuket, besides Phi Phi Islands since it was east of Phuket.
Mad Monkey Phuket
Best possible decision we could've made.
We switched off another hostel at the last second onto this one and it was well-worth.
Great party hostel with cheap drinks, solid rooms / service, and a helpful front desk for excursion planning.
Airbnbs
Should also be a good option.
We just wanted a place with more folks around at all hours.
Phuket: Transport
Grab / taxi
Super easy and cheap.
Driver day rate
We once paid $8 each for a driver who drove us around and helped build the itinerary around reservations and plans.
Airport shuttle
There is a place at the airport where you can easily book a shuttle wherever you are going.
Accommodation transport
Could be useful to pre-arrange transport with your accommodation if they offer it.
Bangkok: Things to do
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Easily my favorite place in Bangkok.
Great semi-indoor / indoor area to walk around, explore, and escape the heat.
Chatuchak shopping
Variety is endless.
Lots of fake popular items for cheap.
Mixt Mall
Right by Chatuchak with more variety and an extensive food court.
Flower area near Chatuchak
Gorgeous to walk through.
Iconsiam
Huge mall with hundreds of shops from low-end to high-end.
Indoor floating market below the main mall with many food and drink options for a good price.
River next to the mall is a great place to walk down.
Wat Pho Bangkok
Beautiful temple area with a lot to see and do.
You will likely need pants; vendors outside sell traditional pants.
Right next to Wat Pho and part of the same must-see temple cluster.
The Grand Palace Bangkok
Amazing area to walk around and explore.
Night markets
Plenty of them, all with great food and drink options.
Temples
There are many other temples to visit as well.
Bangkok: Food
Mixt Mall mango sticky rice
Stand near the swings sells the best mango sticky rice I've ever had.
Night markets / stalls
Feel free to get creative.
Bangkok: Where to stay
Bangkok stay
No real advice; we were lucky enough to be hosted by a friend's uncle.
Bangkok: Transport
Grab / taxi
Super easy and cheap.
Driver day rate
We once paid $8 each for a driver who drove us around and helped build the itinerary around reservations and plans.
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