10 Awesome Places Near Phuket You Have Never Heard Of

When most people think of Phuket, they think of big beach resorts, massive parties, and overpriced tuk tuks.

But what if I told you that just beyond the crowds and neon signs, there’s a completely different side of Phuket. One that most travelers completely miss.

Now, let’s start with one of the most jaw-dropping views you can find anywhere in the country.

Samet Nangshe Viewpoint and Koh Panyee

If you’re looking for one of the most striking views in southern Thailand, and you don’t mind an early start, there’s a spot just outside of Phuket that’s well worth the drive. From the top, you get a wide, unobstructed view across Phang Nga Bay. Dozens of limestone islands rise out of the water, mangroves stretch across the coastline, and on clear mornings, it’s one of the best sunrise spots in Thailand.

It’s easily one of the best panoramic views you’ll find anywhere near Phuket. And yet, most tourists never make it here. It takes about 90 minutes to reach from the main beaches, and the final stretch is a short uphill walk, or you can ride in the back of a pickup truck for a small fee.

At the top, there’s a wooden viewing deck, a small cafe, and even a few bungalows if you want to stay the night and catch the sunrise without the early wakeup call. This place is called Samet Nangshe Viewpoint, and even though it’s just across the bridge from Phang Nga Province, it feels like a completely different part of the country.

Most tourists at this point have heard of the famous James Bond Island, the iconic limestone spire made famous by The Man with the Golden Gun. It’s one of the most photographed spots in Phang Nga Bay. And while it’s beautiful, it’s better to get there early to avoid the crowds.

But just a short ride away, there’s a place that offers something completely different and a bit more authentic. In the middle of the bay, there’s a small island where the entire village is built on stilts above the water. There are wooden walkways connecting homes, schools, shops, and the village.

The people here are part of a community often referred to as sea gypsies. Groups have traditionally lived on the water, building homes on stilts and relying on the sea for survival. This particular village was founded by Muslim fishermen from Indonesia over 200 years ago, and today it remains predominantly Muslim with a mosque at its center and a way of life that still revolves around the ocean. One of the most iconic features is a floating football pitch built by local kids from scrap wood and fishing nets, and it’s still in use today. This is Koh Panyee, and while it doesn’t have the movie fame of its neighbor, it offers a far more interesting glimpse into local life and a completely different reason to head out into the bay.

Freedom Beach and Paradise Beach

Some people complain that Phuket’s beaches are too crowded. And honestly, if you only visit Patong, it’s easy to see why. But what most travelers don’t realize is that just a short ride away from the busiest parts of the island, there are quiet stretches of coastline that feel completely different.

The first spot is set in a sheltered bay surrounded by steep, jungle-covered hills. It’s not accessible by road. You either have to take a longtail boat from one of the beaches or follow a steep walking path down from the trees. Because it’s a little tricky to get to, it keeps the crowds away. On most days, you won’t find big crowds here.

This is Freedom Beach, and it is one of the most natural-feeling beaches on the island. And despite being just minutes from Phuket’s busiest areas, it feels surprisingly untouched.

And just around the corner, the second beach is slightly easier to reach. You can drive most of the way and walk the final few steps down a paved path. It’s a little livelier, with a relaxed beach club, a small restaurant, and a few kayaks and paddleboards for rent, but it still manages to avoid the chaos of the bigger beaches nearby.

It’s called Paradise Beach, and while it has a few more facilities, it still feels far removed from the more commercialized parts of Phuket. Both beaches are easy half-day trips from Patong or Kata Beach, and together they offer a much calmer way to enjoy Phuket’s coastline without having to travel too far.

Wat Chalong and Phuket Old Town

One thing that makes Phuket stand out when compared to other areas of southern Thailand is its culture and history. Generally, Bangkok and the north of Thailand are the places to visit if you’re looking for stunning temples and historical landmarks, but Phuket has some amazing landmarks to compete with them.

One of the most iconic has to be the Big Buddha statue that overlooks the island, perched on top of a mountain at its highest point. But if you’re looking for something more traditional, there’s another temple that really stands out.

Set on spacious grounds with golden statues, a tower, and a stupa, this is the island’s most important spiritual site. Locals come here to pray, meditate, and celebrate local traditions. This is Wat Chalong, and it’s a working temple that holds real significance for Thai people.

So, if you want to understand Phuket beyond the beaches, this is one of the best places to start. But there’s also a historic aspect of Phuket that you don’t really get anywhere else in southern Thailand.

Phuket Old Town is a small but vibrant area filled with colorful colonial buildings, shaded streets, and a mix of Chinese, Thai, and Portuguese influence that reflects the island’s trading history. It’s one of the most picturesque places on the island.

Tucked in the heart of this district is a particularly fascinating street. It’s one of the most colorful on the island, and during the day, the street is dotted with small cafes and local boutiques.

Soi Romanee and Chalong Bay Rum Distillery

Whereas the rest of the old town generally closes down in the evening, this street used to be the city’s red light district in its old colonial days. So, it’s used to late nights. As the sun goes down here, some of the city’s best cocktail bars and jazz bars begin to open, offering a much more stylish alternative to Bangla Road in Patong.

This is Soi Romanee. And while it’s just one small street, it captures a side of Phuket that most beach-focused visitors never visit.

But that’s not the only nightlife alternative to Bangla Road. Tucked away in the southeast of the island, there’s a small distillery doing something a bit different, producing high-quality Thai rum made entirely from locally grown sugarcane. They’ve also recently started making both gin and vodka as well.

The setting is low-key and tropical, surrounded by green fields and palm trees. It’s one of the best places on the island to grab a few drinks. To best explore this place, sign up to one of the cocktail-making classes where you’ll learn how to make some of their delicious cocktails.

But you’ll also get to explore the distillery and see how the rum is made. Oh, and you also get booze. Lots and lots of booze. This is Chalong Bay Rum Distillery.

And whether you’re into a craft spirit or you’re looking for a chilled-out afternoon with a good drink, it’s one of the most unique experiences you can have anywhere on the island, especially if the weather’s not beach-friendly.

Three Monkeys Restaurant and Khao Phra Thaeo National Park

But if you’re looking for something truly unique, you need to head to one of the most fascinating restaurants in the city. There are plenty of restaurants in Phuket with a sea view. But there’s one place that swaps the beach for the treetops.

Set on a hillside near the edge of a national park, this restaurant is built in the jungle itself. This is Three Monkeys Restaurant, and it’s one of the biggest tree houses in Southeast Asia.

Here, wooden walkways connect treehouse-style dining platforms. And from the upper levels, you get wide views across the forest canopy out toward the bay in the distance.

The food is supposed to be good, but really, that’s kind of secondary because this restaurant is all about the amazing views from the treehouse experience.

And if you’re willing to delve deeper into the jungle, you don’t have to go much further. Most people think that if you want to have a real jungle experience, you have to travel all the way to Khao Sok, which is over a three-hour drive away.

But what they don’t realize is that tucked into the northeastern part of the island is a stunning rainforest where you have the chance to spot exotic birds, wild monkeys, and even a snake or two. There are a few short hiking trails here, including a popular path that winds past a small waterfall and deeper into the forest. It’s called Khao Phra Thaeo National Park, and it’s one of the last remaining areas of virgin rainforest on the island.

Gibbon Rehabilitation Project

But if you want to guarantee a monkey sighting in Phuket, there’s one place in the national park that is home to the island’s rarest primates. Unlike macaques, which are seen all around Thailand and are common in areas around temples and roads, gibbons are almost never seen out in the wild.

They’re elusive apes that once thrived in Phuket’s forests, but years of deforestation and the illegal pet trade have pushed them to the edge of local extinction. The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project is trying to change that.

Most of the gibbons here were rescued from captivity, and now they’re being rehabilitated with a goal of returning them to the wild. You’ll be able to touch them, feed them, or pose for selfies, and that’s exactly the point.

It’s not a zoo. It’s a conservation project and one of the few in Thailand focused entirely on helping these apes return to their natural habitat.

Cape Panwa and Mai Khao Beach

But you came to Phuket for the beaches, right? And whilst Phuket is one of the busiest islands in Thailand, there are still some hidden gem beaches to explore. So where are the best beaches on the island?

If you head to the southeastern tip of the island, you’ll find an area that feels like it’s in no rush at all. This part of Phuket is far less built up than the West Coast, and there are no big beach clubs or shopping malls, just long stretches of beach with small seafood restaurants and amazing views of the nearby islands.

This is Cape Panwa, and it feels a lot more like Thailand’s less explored islands like Koh Lanta or Koh Lipe. This area is home to a small handful of fine resorts like Sri Panwa Pool Villas. So, if you’re looking for a touch of class away from the crowds, this is a good place to stay.

But the thing is, when people do complain about Phuket being overcrowded, what they’re really talking about is the strip from Kamala down to Kata on the West Coast. While these beaches are beautiful, they’re also lined with resorts and large amounts of crowds.

But if you head north instead, you’ll find a very different side of the island. And if you visit between November and February, there’s a chance you might spot sea turtle tracks in the sand because this beach is a nesting site for leatherback turtles, and some areas are roped off during the season to protect the nests.

It’s one of the few places in Thailand where this still happens naturally. And while most of the beach is peaceful, the southern end has one surprising feature. It sits directly next to Phuket International Airport. That means planes come in incredibly low as they land, just a few meters above the sand. And it’s become a unique photo opportunity. And if you time it right, you can stand directly under the landing aircraft as it flies over the sea. This is Mai Khao Beach. And whether you’re here for wildlife photography or just some space to yourself, it’s one of the most unique and least crowded parts of Phuket.

Coral Island

But what about the less explored nearby islands? Most island-hopping tours will take you on all-day trips to far-flung places like the Phi Phi Islands, Similan Islands, or James Bond Island. But if you’re looking for a perfect beach, there’s actually one option that is much closer.

And in fact, it’s only about a 15-minute boat ride from the island. It’s got a beautiful beach, and it’s easy to get to, with boats leaving regularly from Rawai or Chalong Pier.

There are a few simple restaurants and beach chairs, and it’s a great place to grab a few beers and watch the sunset. This is Coral Island, also known as Koh Hae, and it’s also one of the most accessible island getaways from Phuket. Perfect for a slow beach day.