One Day in Phuket, Thailand: Phuket Itinerary By Car Hire
Now Go See It is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Where is Phuket?
Phuket is Thailand’s largest island, located in the Andaman Sea, and connected to the mainland by bridge. It’s the launch point for island hopping, beach days, and any Phuket travel itinerary built around both nature and nightlife.
The main island and smaller surrounding islands make up the southern province of Thailand. The island is a very popular tourist destination with world-famous beaches. We figured it would be a great relaxing end to our trip. We were staying in Patong, a notorious party beach town on the west coast of the island.
Our hotel, the Sawaddi Patong Resort & Spa, was up the hill from the beach, about 10 minutes by foot. They recently added a second building to the hotel. It seemed like we may have been the first guests to stay in the new rooms. The first-floor common area and poolside bar in the new building were beautiful. If you only plan to go to the beach, I would recommend a hotel closer to the sand. Other than that, the stay was perfect.
Phuket One Day By Car Itinerary
With a rental car and a map, you can cover a lot in one day in Phuket, hitting viewpoints, temples, and food spots without relying on tour groups. This itinerary for Phuket is designed for drivers who want a flexible loop with real stops, not just photo ops.
On our first full day on the island, we booked a car and driver for the day using Klook. The cost for the 12-hour day was US$103.45. There really isn’t a good public transportation option to see the sights on the island, so for less than $10 an hour, we could see everything we wanted with zero hassle.
We used Klook throughout Southeast Asia for all our transport needs and were happy with every trip we took. You could absolutely book a local guide on the ground in Thailand for less money, but I like to have a plan in place before leaving home.
We gave our driver our travel itinerary for the day and encouraged him to make any changes or suggestions along the way.
Stop 1: Bang Pae Falls
Start the morning at Bang Pae Falls, a short, shaded walk to a low-key waterfall inside Khao Phra Thaeo National Park. It’s a good nature stop and worth adding to a Phuket itinerary if you’re looking for something besides beaches.
Our first stop was Bang Pae Falls located about 30 minutes north. There is a small national park entrance fee. Our driver parked and waited as we took a short easy hike to the largest waterfall in Phuket. It’s a gorgeous lush walk to a pretty, yet unimpressively sized waterfall. A small pool at the base of the waterfall looked like a popular place for a swim.
Hotel Points and Airline Miles 101
We share credit card points and miles tips and tricks. These tools help us save money on our trips around the world by allowing us to accumulate airline and hotel points.
Stop 2: Phuket Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre
Right next to the falls, the Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre lets you learn about rescued primates without the usual tourist circus. It's a quick but meaningful stop on any day in Phuket with a focus on ethical animal experiences.
The Phuket Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre shares the parking lot. The small complex is home to a group of gibbons rescued from the illegal pet trade market. Gibbons were once commonplace, but poaching led to the extinction of the species on the island. The center works to re-introduce Gibbons to the wild and as a home for animals unable to live in the wild.
Stop 3: Tha Rua Shrine
Tha Rua Shrine is a striking red and gold Chinese shrine near the main road, and easy to swing by during your own Phuket tour itinerary. It's not crowded, and the architecture adds a different angle to your Phuket travel itinerary.
On the way, we passed Tha Rua Shrine, a colorful roadside Buddhist shrine. Our driver suggested we stop in for a quick visit. We entered the shrine between two carved wooden dragons. Inside a nice man told us the history of the shrine while we viewed the numerous statues and carvings.
Stop 4: Rang Hill Monkeys and Viewpoint
Head to Rang Hill for city views and a group of bold monkeys that have zero fear of tourists. It's one of the better stops on a half day trip Phuket route (or a full day like ours) and pairs well with a snack or coffee at the viewpoint café.
Our next stop was the Rang Hill viewpoint. A hilltop park with a view of the east coast of the island. The real star of the visit was the mischievous wild monkeys living on the hill. The monkeys are very tame and have nothing to do other than eat corn and harass tourists. We saw a monkey steal a glass water bottle from a woman, climb to the top of a lamppost, and smash it on the pavement below. We also saw a monkey steal an ice cream cone from a small child. These monkeys need a show on Bravo.
Stop 5: Old Phuket Town
Old Phuket Town is full of Sino-Portuguese buildings, art-lined alleys, and local cafes. If you're looking for the best things to do in Phuket beyond the beach, this is one of the top cultural picks.
Our driver dropped us off in Old Phuket Town for a few hours for lunch and to explore the area. Sino-Portuguese buildings fill the small charming neighborhood. Inside the colorful pastel buildings, we found numerous artistically inspired shops. There are a few walking alleys that cut through the streets that are filled with tiny vendors. We decided on lunch at Eleven Two & Co., a cafe with sandwiches, pizza, and Thai dishes.
Stop 6: Wat Chalong
Wat Chalong is Phuket’s largest and most visited Buddhist temple, and it’s still worth seeing even if you've visited others. It's a core stop in any Phuket itinerary 2 days or less, especially if you’re sticking to mainland highlights.
We messaged our driver via WhatsApp letting him know we were ready to go to our next stop Wat Chalong. Considered one of the most important temples in Phuket, the complex consists of several interesting buildings.
A three-story chedi tells the story of the life of Buddha as you climb each floor. Numerous gold statues fill the polished marble floors. A carved dragon serves as the staircase banister running past giant painted wall murals. At the top, there is a balcony with a view.
Nearby are numerous other buildings with steep golden roofs and ornate decorations. There are quite a few elephant statues on the grounds as well. At the center crossroads, there is a large fire barrel. For a donation, a man will light firecrackers and throw them into the barrel. The startling sound of exploding fireworks amuses onlookers as the smell of gunpowder lingers in the air.
We spent about an hour at the temple before heading to the nearby hilltop Big Buddha. I planned to be there shortly before sunset. My timing was pretty good.
Stop 7: Big Buddha
The Big Buddha is massive, visible from all over southern Phuket, and still being finished. It’s touristy but belongs in almost all Phuket itineraries just for the size and the view.
At the top of the hill, an enormous white marble seated Buddha statue sits as though watching over the island. The statue is accessed via a winding road up the hill. The parking lot is behind the statue. Construction is still underway for the base and much of the surrounding platform of the Big Buddha. The statue was built mostly with small donations. As money comes in, construction slowly continues.
To be honest, there’s not much to do up there once you see the statue and take in the ocean view. We watched some wild monkeys for a little while and walked through a few shops along the path, but we were more than ready to go in 30 minutes.
Stop 8: Chaofa Weekend Market
End your one day in Phuket at the Chaofa Weekend Market, a massive sprawl of street food, souvenirs, and clothes. If you're planning day tours in Phuket that end near town, this is a solid night stop before heading back to your hotel.
The Big Buddha was our last planned stop for the day, but we had almost 5 hours left with our driver. He suggested we visit the Chaofa Weekend Market. We spent almost three hours there. It is a huge indoor/outdoor market with countless food stalls selling traditional Thai street food and cheap drinks. Inside the vendors sell everything under the sun. There was clothing, personal electronics, toys, art, home furnishings, and more. It seemed to be an endless collection of food and commerce.
It was a great finish to the circle tour of the island, thanks to the recommendation of our wonderful driver. The day included so many things that we could have never worked into a group tour or managed to visit navigating between places on our own. We took our final ride back to the hotel and sent our driver home two hours early with a well-deserved tip.
If Bangkok is on your Thailand journey, be sure to read our Two Days in Bangkok Itinerary.
