Phuket

Currency

SuperRich and similar branded exchange booths give clearly better rates than hotels or the airport. Bring clean, unmarked notes — Thai exchangers reject damaged bills.

ATMs & cards

Every Thai ATM charges a flat 220 THB foreign card fee regardless of amount, so withdraw the maximum in one go. Decline conversion. Krungsri and Bangkok Bank are the standard choices.

The 220 THB flat fee applies here too. Withdraw once, large.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

Crime against visitors is rare and the island is comfortable to walk at night. The two serious risks are physical: scooter accidents, which are the leading cause of tourist injury in Thailand, and rip currents on the west coast beaches during monsoon (May to October) — red flags mean do not swim, and people drown every year ignoring them. Jet ski damage scams are common in Patong.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

No vaccinations are required for entry from Europe or North America.

Worth having

• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Tetanus up to date
• Rabies if you will be near animals or staying a while
• Japanese encephalitis for long rural stays

Getting treated

One of the best places in the world to have an accident. Private hospitals in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai are excellent, fast, English-speaking and cheap by Western standards — a consultation runs a few tens of euros. They expect payment or an insurance guarantee up front.

Dengue is present year-round and worse in the rainy season; there is no prophylaxis, so repellent is the defence. Rabies is present in street dogs and monkeys — any bite or scratch means a clinic the same day.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Phuket Town has the island’s best and cheapest food — the beach strips charge triple. Try the local Hokkien-influenced dishes: mee hokkien and o-aew dessert.

Getting around

• Rented scooter — cheap and common, but only with a valid motorcycle licence and a helmet, police check regularly
• Grab — works on the island and avoids the notorious taxi mafia pricing
• Songthaew — shared pickup trucks between beaches and Phuket Town, very cheap
• Private taxi — expensive by Thai standards, agree the fare first
• Airport: Smart Bus to Patong and Karon (1h, 170 THB) or Grab

Must-see

Things to do

• Explore Old Phuket Town’s Sino-Portuguese streets
• Longtail boat to Phang Nga Bay
• Watch sunset at Promthep Cape
• Visit the Big Buddha
• Day trip to the Similan or Phi Phi islands
• Learn to cook Thai food

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

Thai

• Helloสวัสดี — Sawatdeesa-wat-DEE khrap/kha
• Pleaseกรุณา — Karunaka-roo-NA
• Thank youขอบคุณ — Khop khunkop-KOON khrap/kha
• Yes / Noใช่ / ไม่ — Chai / Maichai / my
• Excuse meขอโทษ — Kho thotkor-TOAST
• How much is it?เท่าไหร่ — Tao rai?tow-RYE
• The bill, pleaseเช็คบิล — Check binchek bin
• Cheers!ไชโย — Chai yo!chai YO

End sentences with khrap if you are male and kha if female — it is what makes a sentence polite rather than blunt.

Religion

Theravada Buddhist

About 93% Buddhist, and it governs a lot of daily etiquette. Monks may not be touched by women. Never point your feet at a Buddha image or climb on one — people have been prosecuted for it.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Return the wai greeting — palms together, a slight bow — when someone offers it first
• Remove shoes before entering temples and homes
• Cover shoulders and knees at temples, including for men
• Keep your cool; visible anger loses you the argument and the respect

Don't

• Do not touch anyone’s head, including children — it is the most sacred part of the body
• Do not point your feet at people or at Buddha images, and never step over someone
• Do not say anything critical of the royal family; lèse-majesté carries prison sentences and is enforced
• Do not climb on Buddha statues for photographs