Most people skip Phuket town for the beaches. A night in Phuket Old Town on the way to Ko Phi Phi turned out to be one of the most authentic stops of the trip.
Editor's note (November 2026): This trip report is from January 2012. The places are still well worth visiting, but hotel prices, phone numbers and some of the restaurants and bars mentioned may have changed or closed, so check before you book.
We spent two days and one night in Phuket as we transitioned to and from the beaches and islands further away.
Accommodation: Phuket Old Town Hostel
To make reservations: +66 076258 27
When I had told people that we would be going to Phuket, many people questioned why, as the beaches in Patong and the islands off the coast are much more well-known as tourist destinations. Although Phuket was not our final destination, we found our stay to be a cultural experience that we did not get in the more touristy areas.
We spent the night at a great backpacker: Phuket Old Town Hostel in – you guessed it – Old
Town Phuket. It cost 580 THB ($19) for a standard twin with A/C. This was a steal for being in peak season – clean, big, hot water, complimentary breakfast. We came after hours, and the staff was very accommodating in getting us set up. The women who work there were very friendly and helpful despite a small language barrier. At one point, they went out of their way to help us call the travel agency that we booked our boat transportation with. Phuket Old Town Hostel sits in the best part of Phuket for exploring and eating at nearby Thai restaurants.
We had booked our bus and boat transportation out of Phuket to Ko Phi Phi through a travel agency that we got in contact with through our taxi driver from the airport when we arrived. It seems that there are many companies who offer services like this making it very easy to find transportation to any of the nearby destinations. If you do end up using a travel agent to very painlessly book transportation, we recommend making sure the people you are speaking with are registered as a company as a means of insuring you’re not getting ripped off. We found Thailand to be a very fair and honest place, but it’s always good to check. A large van full of other foreigners picked us up at the hostel the next morning (also a common scene in Phuket), and it was a seamless 2 hour boat ride to Ko Phi Phi.
We did get an opportunity to explore the town on the back end of our trip when we returned to
Phuket. We walked up and down the streets perusing through shops getting a different, less touristy glimpse into urban southern Thai culture. Keep your eyes peeled for lady-men, Thai pancakes, and souvenirs. Food seems to be much cheaper in Phuket than in the resort areas. A big lunch with multiple drinks cost us 200 THB. There are plenty of markets to explore and scooters to rent. I would have wanted to spend one more day in Phuket (2 nights, 2 nights seems perfect) to get a good feel for it. I
think there is a lot here culturally we did not have time to see. I'm glad we got a more realistic view of what less touristy Thailand is like.
