Our Transportation Guide to Getting Around Phuket

A transportation guide is useful when you want to make the most of your trip to Phuket and ensure you can visit all the destinations on your itinerary.

A building in Old Phuket Town with a minibus or songthaew on the road

While some areas, such as Old Phuket Town or Talat Yai, are walkable (in fact, we recommend you go around on foot as much as possible), there are many transportation options for when it’s more convenient to take a ride to your destination.

There are various modes of transportation available to and from your Karon Beach resort in Phuket:

Ride For Hire

You can hail a metered taxi, a motorcycle, or a tuk-tuk to get to your destination - while some may already have a set rate, others may need a bit of negotiation. You can use the Grab Taxi mobile app to hire a taxi conveniently; you simply download the app, enter your pick-up location and destination, and it will find a taxi for you.

Rental cars or motorcycles are available if you feel comfortable driving around by yourself using a GPS app for directions. Make sure you’re familiar with the rules and regulations on Thai roads - the most basic being that vehicles drive on the left side.

If you want more relaxed travel, consider hiring a car or van with a driver. They can also serve as tour guides as they know the best spots to take tourists and can recommend places to eat as well.

Public Transportation

The Phuket Smart Bus can take you from beach to beach, from Phuket Airport to popular beaches such as Patong, Kamala, Karon, and Kata, and all the way down to Rawai Beach on scheduled trips. You can pay by tapping a refillable card called a Rabbit Card at the entrance and reloading the card for use throughout your stay.

Meanwhile, the local blue minibuses or songthaew have specific routes from selected beaches to and from its main terminal in front of Central Market in Phuket Town. The pink buses run various routes only within Phuket Town. There are no designated stops for this type of bus, you simply stand beside the road and wave one down when you see it approaching and press a buzzer when you want to get off.

Water Travel

To get to other islands around Phuket, you can hire a boat, join a tour group, or ride a ferry. Several companies offer ferry rides to Phi Phi Island as well as other islands such as Langkawi, Koh Lanta, Krabi, Ao Nang, Trang Islands, and more.

The piers for different ferry companies and destinations vary, but you can ride a ferry to popular destinations such as Phi Phi Islands and Krabi from Rassada Pier in Old Phuket Town. Make sure to check travel advisories, especially during bad weather conditions.

Helpful Tips

Old Phuket Town with tuk-tuk, cars, and pedestrians on the street

Whenever you travel to a new place, it’s always good to be alert and prepared. Here are some useful tips when traveling around Phuket:

Have your hotel address and contact information handy in case you need assistance.
Follow safety precautions, such as wearing a seatbelt or a helmet.
Practice defensive driving and follow traffic rules and road regulations.
Take extra care when driving or riding a motor vehicle when it’s raining, as the roads may be slippery.
Don’t drink and drive, and never ride with a drunk driver.
Get travel insurance with adequate coverage for travel-related eventualities.

It would help to speak some of the local language, so we’ve included a few useful phrases in this Phuket transportation guide:

Turn left เลี้ยวซ้าย (leaw sai)

Turn right เลี้ยวขวา (leaw kwa)

Go straight ตรงไป (trong pay)

Stop here หยุดตรงนี้ (yut trong ni)

Get off here ลงที่นี่ (long ti ni)

Go to ไปที่ (pay ti)

Getting around a new place can be challenging, so it pays to plan ahead of time. Thavorn Palm Beach Resort's accommodating service staff are more than willing to guide you in finding the best transportation options in Phuket. We also offer free roundtrip airport transfers to our guests and packages such as beach day trips and island tours.

Thavorn Palm Beach Resort is a leading family-friendly resort in Karon Beach, offering luxury accommodations, world-class amenities, and excellent service in a convenient location near many Phuket attractions and activities. Our beachfront location on Karon Beach makes us an ideal place to stay, as we’re easily accessible via various modes of transportation.