Part of the Phuket Province, which also includes 32 smaller islands off its coast, the island of Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and one of the world’s finest beach destinations. Offering over 30 stunning beaches, beautiful scenery, vibrant towns and nightlife plus great island infrastructure and amenities, backed up by excellent transport links, Phuket caters for a wide variety of tastes. Phuket Island is connected by the Sarasin Bridge to Phang Nga Province to the north.
Getting There: Phuket International Airport, located 30 km to Phuket Town, is an international airport serving the Phuket Province. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, a wide array of international airlines were flying regularly to Phuket connecting with partner airlines at neighbouring cities such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. As the world moves out of the pandemic this transport connectivity will resume. You can also travel direct to Phuket over Sarasin Bridge from Bangkok by road. By car or bus, Phuket is about 867km (539 miles) from Bangkok, with a travelling time of approximately 10 hours.
Climate: Phuket has tropical monsoon climate. Due to its close proximity to the equator, there is only a marginal variation in seasonal temperature. Monthly average temperatures only vary between 30-32 °C. In terms of rainfall, the island has a dry season from December to March with an average monthly rainfall of 50 millimetres. During the wet season, from April to November, monthly rainfall averages approx. 280 millimetres, the wettest month typically being September with an average 400 millimetres. Mainly due to the levels of rainfall, the preferred time to visit Phuket generally the dry season.
Demographics: Excluding expatriates, a vast majority of the population of Phuket are Buddhist, through there is a significant Muslim population. There are approximately 600,000 residents on Phuket though the number people on the island can rise to more than one million at high season.
Geography: Located approx. 860km (534 miles) south of Bangkok, Phuket covers an area of 543 km². From north to south, the length of Phuket is 48km (30 miles) and from east to west, its width is 21km (13 miles). The island is mostly mountainous with the mountain range running north to south and covering approx. 70 percent of the land. The remaining area is plains in the central and eastern regions.
Towns and Beaches: The most popular (and overcrowded) tourist area on Phuket is Patong Beach on the central west coast, perhaps owing to the easy access to its wide and long beach. Most of Phuket’s nightlife and its shopping is in Patong, and the area has become increasingly developed. Patong means “the forest filled with banana leaves” in Thai. South of Patong lie Karon Beach, Kata Beach, Kata Noi Beach, and around the southern tip of the island, Nai Han Beach and Rawai. To the north of Patong, where some of the most exclusive homes are found, are Kamala Beach, Surin Beach, and Bang Tao Beach. These areas are generally much less developed than Patong. To the southeast is Bon Island and to the south are several coral islands. The Similan Islands lie to the northwest and the Phi Phi Islands which are part of Krabi Province, to the southeast.
Amenities: Complementing the stunning beaches and tropical setting, a key driver making Phuket Island a leading resort destination, and choice for property investors, is the quality of infrastructure, range of luxury amenities and conveniences. There is large selection of shopping malls, international schools, golf courses/country clubs, leisure facilities, including 4 world class marinas, hospitals and medical centres. Phuket is in fact also a major destination for medical tourism.
Property Market: Phuket Island has the largest selection of exclusive high-end villas and condominiums and is particularly sought after by wealthy foreign investors. There is however a broad range of property types available, such as affordable apartments, townhouses and garden view estate villas, appealing to both international and Thai investors. According to Thailand Property, as of 1st March 2023, their mean condominium and villa listing prices were approx. 14M THB (avg price per sqm of 85K) and 18M THB respectively. Though entry level 2-bed villas in Phuket can be acquired for as little as 4M THB, at the super luxury end of the market, often priced in American dollars for the international market, villas can fetch up to 18M USD and beyond.
