Phuket 7-Day Itinerary — Quick Answer
As of 2026- Trip length
- 7 days
- Est. cost / person (mid, ex-flights)
- $1,460
- Budget–luxury
- $680–$3,730
As of 2026, the recommended Phuket 7-day route runs Day1 Patong + Bangla Road · Day2 Phi Phi Islands Day Tour · Day3 Big Buddha + Old Phuket Town + Promthep · Day4 James Bond + Phang Nga Bay · Day5 Karon/Kata + Spa + Farewell · Day6 Similan Islands day tour (Nov-Apr only) · Day7 Khao Sok Jungle + Departure, grouping the must-see sights with minimal backtracking. Estimated cost per person (excluding flights) is around $1,460 on a mid-range budget. Days 1-5 same as 5-day. Day 6: Similan Islands day tour (Nov-Apr only — world-class snorkel + dive) OR Krabi mainland day trip. Day 7: Khao Sok National Park jungle overnight + Cheow Lan Lake floating bungalow + departure.
7-Day Total Budget at a Glance
Budget
$680
Per person, flights excl.
Mid-Range
$1,460
Per person, flights excl.
Luxury
$3,730
Per person, flights excl.
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Day-by-Day Detailed Schedule
Patong + Bangla Road
Arrival + nightlifeActivities
- 10:00 Patong Beach arrival 3 hours
3km golden sand. Grab from airport ($25-30).
Cost: Free; lounger $6 TIP: Avoid jet skis (fake-damage scams). Use Grab not tuk-tuks. - 13:00 Lunch — Banzaan Market 1.5 hours
Patong's cleaner street food market.
Cost: $5-15 TIP: Walking from Patong Beach. - 15:00 Patong spa + massage 2 hours
1-2 hour traditional Thai massage.
Cost: $10-20 TIP: Cash tipping $2-5. - 17:30 Sunset Patong + cocktails 1.5 hours
Beachfront bars happy hour.
Cost: $6-15 TIP: Sunset 17:30-18:30. - 19:30 Dinner — Tu Kab Khao heritage Thai 2 hours
Iconic Old Phuket Town heritage Thai.
Cost: $15-25 TIP: Reservation. Mee Hokkien + Khanom Jeen + Moo Hong. - 22:00 Bangla Road Nightlife (once-and-done) 2 hours
400m pedestrianized nightlife strip.
Cost: $15-40 TIP: Confirm prices before ordering.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel + arrival
Patong · $5-15
Hotel.
Lunch
Banzaan Market
Patong · $5-15
Cleaner street food.
Dinner
Tu Kab Khao
Old Phuket Town · $15-25
Phuket heritage Thai.
Airport-Patong Grab $25-30. Grab to Old Town $5-7.
DAY 1 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Phi Phi Islands Day Tour
Maya Bay + Bamboo IslandActivities
- 07:30 Phi Phi day tour pickup 10 hours
Speedboat to Phi Phi + Maya Bay + Bamboo + Monkey Beach.
Cost: $80-100 TIP: Pre-book Klook. - 09:00 Maya Bay (The Beach) 1 hour
Iconic Maya Bay — reopened 2022.
Cost: Included TIP: Photo only — swimming banned. - 11:00 Bamboo Island snorkeling 2 hours
Crystal-clear water + tropical fish.
Cost: Included TIP: Reef-safe sunscreen mandatory. - 13:30 Lunch Phi Phi Don Tonsai Bay 1.5 hours
Thai buffet on main island.
Cost: Included TIP: Iconic Phi Phi experience. - 15:00 Monkey Beach + return 2 hours
Monkey Beach macaques + Phi Phi Leh + speedboat return.
Cost: Included TIP: Don't feed monkeys. - 20:00 Dinner — Raya Old Phuket Town 2 hours
Michelin Bib Gourmand heritage Thai.
Cost: $12-22 TIP: Reservation Fri-Sat.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Tour pickup hotel
Patong/Karon · $5-15
Early start.
Lunch
Phi Phi Don Tonsai
Phi Phi Don · Included
Thai buffet.
Dinner
Raya heritage
Old Phuket Town · $12-22
Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Phi Phi speedboat (included).
DAY 2 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Big Buddha + Old Phuket Town + Promthep
Cultural sunsetActivities
- 09:00 Big Buddha Phuket 1.5 hours
45m white marble Buddha + 360° panorama. Free.
Cost: Free TIP: Modest dress required. - 11:00 Wat Chalong largest temple 1 hour
60m Grand Pagoda + Buddha relic.
Cost: Free TIP: Modest dress. - 12:30 Lunch Sutil Phuket Rawai 1.5 hours
Mid-range Rawai seafood.
Cost: $20-50 TIP: Phuket lobster signature. - 14:30 Old Phuket Town walking 2.5 hours
Sino-Portuguese architecture + Soi Romanee + One Chun Cafe.
Cost: Free + $5 TIP: Most photogenic 100m lane in southern Thailand. - 17:00 Promthep Cape Sunset 1.5 hours
Iconic sunset viewpoint + Andaman panorama.
Cost: Free TIP: Arrive 1h before. Blue hour after. - 19:30 Dinner Mom Tri's Kitchen Kata cliffside 2.5 hours
Honeymoon centerpiece sunset terrace dining.
Cost: $40-100 TIP: Reservation 1-2 weeks.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel
Phuket · Included or $5
Hotel.
Lunch
Sutil Phuket Rawai
Rawai · $20-50
Rawai seafood.
Dinner
Mom Tri's Kitchen Kata
Kata cliffside · $40-100
Honeymoon centerpiece.
Grab between sites.
DAY 3 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
James Bond + Phang Nga Bay
Day trip highlightActivities
- 07:00 James Bond Island day tour 10 hours
Phang Nga Bay + hong kayaking + James Bond Island + Koh Panyee lunch.
Cost: $70-95 TIP: Pre-book. Calmer than Phi Phi. - 09:30 Hong Island sea kayaking 1.5 hours
Cave lagoon kayaking inside limestone — actual tour highlight.
Cost: Included TIP: Most photogenic moment. - 11:30 James Bond Island photo stop 30 min
Ko Tapu from Man with the Golden Gun (1974).
Cost: Included TIP: Crowded — get photo and move. - 12:30 Koh Panyee floating village lunch 1.5 hours
Stilt-house Muslim village of 1,500 people. Halal buffet.
Cost: Included TIP: 200-year-old village. Walk around after lunch. - 16:00 Return + spa 2.5 hours
Hotel return + 1h Thai massage.
Cost: $10-50 TIP: Patong + Rawai abundant. - 19:30 Catch Beach Club Bang Tao sunset 3 hours
Luxury beachfront day beds + sunset DJ + Thai-Mediterranean.
Cost: $30-80 TIP: Reservation 1 week. ฿2,000 minimum spend per day bed.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Tour pickup hotel
Patong/Karon · $5-15
Early.
Lunch
Koh Panyee floating village
Phang Nga Bay · Included
Muslim village halal buffet.
Dinner
Catch Beach Club
Bang Tao Beach · $30-80
Honeymoon luxury beachfront.
Day tour boat (included). Grab to Bang Tao $10.
DAY 4 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Karon/Kata + Spa + Farewell
RelaxationActivities
- 09:00 Karon or Kata Beach morning 4 hours
Karon (family + calm) OR Kata (surfer + Mom Tri's nearby).
Cost: Free TIP: Karon for relaxation. Kata for surf Nov-Mar. - 13:00 Lunch Suay Restaurant modern Thai 2 hours
Chef Tammasak Chootong Thai-international fusion tasting.
Cost: $25-60 TIP: Reservation 1 week. Smart casual. - 15:00 2-hour traditional Thai spa massage 2.5 hours
Full body + facial.
Cost: $20-100 TIP: Cash tipping $5-10. Banyan Tree + Trisara luxury. - 18:00 Karon Viewpoint sunset 1 hour
3-beach panorama (Kata Noi + Kata + Karon).
Cost: Free TIP: Golden hour 17:00-18:30. - 19:30 Final dinner — heritage Thai or sunset cliffside 2 hours
Tu Kab Khao OR Mom Tri's Kitchen final dinner.
Cost: $15-100 TIP: Reservation. Khanom Jeen Nam Ya farewell.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel
Karon/Kata · $5-15
Hotel.
Lunch
Suay modern Thai
Phuket Town · $25-60
Modern Thai tasting.
Dinner
Tu Kab Khao or Mom Tri's
Old Town / Kata · $15-100
Phuket farewell.
Grab between sites.
DAY 5 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Similan Islands day tour (Nov-Apr only)
World-class snorkel + diveActivities
- 05:30 Similan Islands day tour pickup 12 hours total
9-island archipelago 70km offshore northwest of Phuket. World-class snorkeling — 25-30m visibility, healthy coral, sea turtles, occasional manta + whale shark. 3.5-hour speedboat each way. CLOSED May 15 to October 15 for marine recovery.
Cost: $95-120 day tour TIP: CLOSED May 15-Oct 15 — only book Nov-Apr. Pre-book 1-2 weeks ahead. Dramamine essential (3.5h boat each way). Snorkel gear provided. Reef-safe sunscreen mandatory. - 10:00 Donald Duck Bay (Island 8) viewpoint 1 hour
Iconic Similan viewpoint — climb to the top of the granite boulder pile for the panoramic shot of the bay and outer islands.
Cost: Included TIP: Short climb (10 min) but rocks slippery — sneakers help. - 12:00 Princess Bay (Island 4) snorkel + lunch 2 hours
Snorkel reef + Thai buffet lunch on Island 4 (Ko Miang) — Similan's headquarters island with restrooms + small museum.
Cost: Included TIP: Best snorkel reef of the tour. Manta rays possible (Feb-Mar peak). - 14:30 Powdery beach (Island 7) + final snorkel 1.5 hours
Bangu Island powdery white-sand beach + final snorkel reef before the long boat ride back.
Cost: Included TIP: Most photogenic beach of the Similans. - 19:30 Late Phuket Town dinner 2 hours
Late Thai dinner — most travelers are exhausted from the 12-hour tour.
Cost: $15-30 TIP: Most heritage restaurants close by 22:00 — Roti Chao Fa (24-hour) for late-night roti $1-4.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Tour pickup
Patong/Karon · Included
5 AM start.
Lunch
Similan Island 4 buffet
Similan · Included
Thai boat buffet.
Dinner
Late Phuket Thai
Phuket Town · $15-30
Late tired dinner.
Similan day tour speedboat 3.5h each way (included).
DAY 6 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Khao Sok Jungle + Departure
Jungle overnightActivities
- 08:00 Khao Sok day trip OR overnight floating bungalow 10h day trip OR 2 days overnight
Thailand's oldest rainforest 3 hours north of Phuket. Signature experience: overnight stay in a floating bamboo bungalow on Cheow Lan Lake (emerald reservoir surrounded by limestone karsts like Phang Nga Bay without boats or tourists). 2-day-1-night package includes hotel pickup, longtail boat, floating bungalow accommodation, all meals, guided jungle treks, kayaking, and night safari boat ride.
Cost: $80-100 day trip; $140-220 overnight TIP: Overnight floating bungalow is the iconic experience (cold bucket showers, no Wi-Fi, no AC — embrace it). Day trip skips the floating bungalow but covers jungle hike + lake boat. Best Nov-Apr dry season. - 18:00 Return + final Phuket farewell 4 hours
Return to Phuket + final Patong walking + souvenir shopping + last Thai meal.
Cost: $25-60 TIP: Final shopping at Patong Beach Road + Jungceylon mall. Souvenir bargaining 20-30% off. - 23:00 Phuket Airport (HKT) departure 45 min
Late-night international flights common.
Cost: $20-30 Grab TIP: Pre-book Klook airport transfer. Allow 2h check-in international.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Tour pickup
Phuket · Included
Early start.
Lunch
Khao Sok floating restaurant
Cheow Lan Lake · Included
Jungle floating restaurant.
Dinner
Final Phuket Thai farewell
Patong/Old Town · $15-30
Phuket farewell heritage.
Khao Sok tour van pickup + Grab to airport $25-30.
DAY 7 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Book Phuket Tours & Tickets
Packing Checklist
- ✓ Reef-safe sunscreen mandatory (Phi Phi + Similan ban chemical sunscreens)
- ✓ Dry bag + waterproof phone case (boat tours)
- ✓ Modest cover-up for temples (Big Buddha + Wat Chalong)
- ✓ Cash Baht for tuk-tuks + markets + night markets
- ✓ Insect repellent with DEET (Khao Sok jungle especially)
- ✓ Quick-dry clothes for boat tours and monsoon visits
- ✓ Smart casual for Mom Tri's Kitchen + Catch Beach Club + Suay + PRU
- ✓ Hiking shoes for Khao Sok jungle treks
- ✓ Hat + sunglasses (UV 10-11 year-round)
- ✓ Travel insurance with medical + cancellation coverage (boat tours cancel)
Phuket 7-Day Itinerary FAQ
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Why you can trust 7-day itinerary
Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.
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