When the family comes to town! It might sound scary, but when some of my cousins told me last year that they, along with two other families, were about to book tickets to Phuket to come and see me, I knew it would be an amazing time. That being said, I was a little bit nervous as well. How does one keep 10 people happy and entertained? How should I plan a schedule for such a large group staying for 12 days in Phuket? What are the best activities to do without spending too much money on tour guides? I had to organise a few logistics.
Well, here is what we did..
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Big Buddha
Of course visiting the Big Buddha was on top of the list to do.
I have been in Phuket for three years and still haven’t had the chance to visit the famous and popular Big Buddha. So, I seized the opportunity to go there with my family. Despite the easy option of reaching the mountain top via the road with the assistance of a tuk-tuk driver, we collectively opted to hike through the jungle to reach the summit. Did you know there is a hidden path that begins from Kata/Karon? It ascends directly through a very steep path, ultimately leading you almost to the top and to the Big Buddha.
Travel tip: Remember to pack appropriate clothing when you plan to hike first and visit the Big Buddha after. You need to cover up! Also, good to know, the Big Buddha is totally free to enter.
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Boat Trips
Taking a boat trip is a significant part of visiting Phuket and definitely one of the best activities to do. After all, there are numerous islands to explore. I have had the pleasure to enjoy a few boat trips already, due to some amazing friends here (see my blog post here), and so I couldn’t wait to share the experience with my family. We all had a blast!
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Nui Beach
In my opinion, Nui Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Phuket. It is a small and private beach that can only be accessed via a 4WD due to its steep road or by boat. Of course, you could also attempt to walk there, which I did during the pandemic (read here) but we were lucky enough to arrive by boat. I haven’t been back again, and I was amazed at how lively Nui Beach was. It was very quiet and run down during the pandemic.
It is certainly the ultimate Instagram beach. From amazing swings to gorgeous lounge chairs, there are numerous spots to take photos from. And we definitely did that.. we spent hours posing, laughing, and enjoying Nui Beach .
This beach is a must in Phuket and one of the best activities to do!
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Coral Island (Koh Hey)
Taking a long-tail boat ride is another adventure that you absolutely shouldn’t miss. It’s actually quite inexpensive to hire a long-tail boat from Rawai beach, with prices ranging from 1500-3000 THB per boat. You shouldn’t pay more than that, so be cautious of tour guides attempting to sell it to you on a ‘per person’ basis. Simply walk up to any of the boat operators in Rawai and hop in.
Given our big group, I had my friend organise us a VIP boat. We were 11 people after all. The weather wasn’t perfect and the ride was quite choppy, but once we arrived at Coral Island, it was all forgotten. There is Banana Beach and Long Beach, which is a long and superb beach with beautiful white sand and water so blue you’ll need sunglasses to look at it. It was stunning! And another perfect backdrop for some fun photos.
P.S. you have to pay 100 THB entry to enter the beaches but it is really worth it.
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Other Activities
What are the other activities best to do in Phuket? Well, you can explore the amazing Sunday afternoon markets in Phuket town, go kayaking and snorkeling at Yanui Beach, indulge in Thai dining, experience tuk tuk driving, visit Kata Beach, and last but not least, go hiking.
I’ve already mentioned the hike to the Big Buddha, which is definitely the best thing to do here. However, we also hiked up to Black Rock in Nai Harn. Finding the entry to this hike is quite tricky, and you definitely have to watch your steps, but I convinced my family to get up early and watch the sunrise as we hiked. And it was stunning!
Especially since I made some coffee that we all enjoyed at the top of the hill.
And so, as their trip came to an end, we all found that the adventures in Phuket, Rawai and Nai Harn, were all extraordinary, unique, special and amazing. I had the best time with my family here. But I always knew I would. And I am glad they enjoyed it too!
I couldn’t have wished for better 12 days with them! I can’t wait for them to come back. They said they would. And I don’t blame them.. we all come back!
P.S. Thank you family for contributing to this blog post with all the amazing photos! It was hard to choose, we had soo many… xx
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