Phuket: The Best Beaches Like You will Never See Them Again

Most visitors come to Phuket for a “beach holiday”. And nd it is definitely true: the biggest island of Thailand has a lot of very nice stretches of sand! We were lucky to visit Phuket during 2021 and saw the beaches like they were probably 30 years ago – clean, empty, and beautiful!

There are 2 types of beaches in Phuket: where the tourists book their hotel (Patong, Kata, Karon) and where the tourist spend their day (Surin, Naithon, Freedom).  All the good beaches in Phuket are located on the west coast, stretching from Mai Khao Beach in the South to the Airport Beach in the North of the Island. The 3 main locations where most people book their accommodation are near Patong, Karon, and Kata beach, all three located in the southern half of the island. Away from these main beaches, there are some more secluded spots that are largely undeveloped. Some have just a few hotels or resorts, most have long stretches of uncrowded sand (you can find these beaches in the North part of Phuket)

After staying in Bangkok for some days, we decided to fly to Phuket as it is the biggest island in Thailand and we have never been there before. During Covid-19 there are many empty spaces where traveling to is very difficult due to not operating transportation, therefore we chose to start our journey in Phuket. We flew by Vietjet from Bangkok to Phuket International Airport. Different to the domestic flights in Indonesia, there is no need of a PCR test to fly in Thailand.

THAILAND IS OPEN FOR TOURISM BUT REQUIRES SPECIAL VISA, TEST AND QUARANTINE. Thailand is open to tourists from all countries. PCR test and mandatory 14-day quarantine are required on arrival and all visitors must apply for a travel visa. Additionally, all non-Thai arrivals will need to prove they are covered by private health insurance in case they get sick when in the country. Thailand ASQ, is a period of mandatory quarantine accommodation for arriving international visitors at government-accredited hotels. All ASQ bookings are paid by the traveler. Properties that have been approved for ASQ by Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health are now offering packages that can be easily booked online.

Furthermore, Thailand authority CESA has given the green light to reopen Phuket, which will allow international tourists who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 to visit the island with no quarantine, starting from 01.06.2021, Phuket is the first destination to reopen for international tourists.

For all arriving to Bangkok, the quarantine will be reduced to seven days starting from 01.04.2021 for foreigners who have received two doses of vaccine at least 14 days before arrival.