Island Cruiser from Phuket

Sites & Bites: Phuket Old Town, night markets and street food

Shake up your Sunday with an evening out in Phuket. Surrounded by the elegance of a centuries-old Sino-Portuguese mansion, you'll first stop for tea and coffee inside the famous Blue Elephant Restaurant. Then, there's a walking tour of Phuket Old Town to hit the bustling night market, try typical street food, or pick-up a souvenir.

Phuket fisheries tour with kayaking and a seafood lunch

You'll find the focus of this tour floating out in the Andaman Sea, between Phuket and Coconut Island. You'll spend half a day at Intara Farm, a fishery and seafood restaurant with a focus on marine conservation. After arriving at the large pontoon-like structure by long-tail boat, you'll begin your tour with a masterclass on the local marine life, getting an up-close look in the fishery rafts. Local guide, Arinya, says “you can expect to see all kinds of rare marine life in these rafts, including painted spiny lobsters, archer fish and oysters. Learning about the different types of pearls and how the gems are formed is such a unique experience at Intara.”The team at Intara Farm are keen conservationists and regularly breed native fish, like clownfish, to support local populations. While you're here, you'll help release them into the wild, where they thrive among the coral reefs below.Leaving the floating fishery, you'll hop into a kayak and paddle your way to the nearby mangroves. Meander through these tangled forests and learn about the important role they play in the region, not only supporting the ecosystem, but helping to protect the coastline and the local fishery community. Glide back to Intara and prepare to get sticky as you try your hand at making a Phuket favourite, kanom kho, a sweet rice dumpling dessert. Save room though, as you'll be feasting on a seafood set menu for lunch. It doesn't get fresher than this, and the restaurant here gets rave reviews for their full-on flavours, and straight-off-the-line seafood.

Phuket full-day guided tour with fishery visit and seafood lunch

See the sights of Phuket on this activity-packed full-day guided tour. You'll set off bright and early towards Wat Chalong, the largest and oldest Buddhist temple in Phuket. Malee, our expert local guide, says “the complex of temples at Wat Chalong is a feast for the eyes with its intricate murals that tell the story of the life of Buddah, its pagodas with flashes of red, white and gold and the 60-meter-tall chedi as its centrepiece.”There's time to see one of Thailand's tastiest exports at a local cashew nut factory before your guide will take you into the heart of Phuket's Old Town, where you'll see the Sino-Portuguese architecture this place is known for, with rounded arches over the doorways and detailed woodcarvings with Chinese motifs.Afterwards, you'll hop onto a traditional longtail boat to sail to Intara Farm, an eco-tourism site, where you'll savour a seafood lunch before you get stuck into some activities. Here, it's all about marine life – you'll see how pearls are formed and hop onto the floating fishing raft to learn about the rare animals that can be caught here, like the painted spiny lobster, the archer fish and the black salmon. Next, you'll navigate the nearby mangrove forests in a kayak, and learn about how important these wetlands are for the ecosystem, before finishing the day with a baking session – you can try your hand at making kanom kho, a local dessert that's made with boiled rice dumplings stuffed with a sugar cube and rolled in shredded coconut.

Speedboat Tour of the Phi Phi Islands

A trip to the famous Phi Phi Islands is almost compulsory in Thailand, and an early start gives you the chance to discover their beauty without crowds of tourists. A speedboat ride takes you to the best beaches where you can swim, snorkel and relax. And with Monkey beach, Viking Cave and Pileh Lagoon on the itinerary it's sure to be a great day.

Phi Phi Islands Snorkelling Tour

Visiting the legendary Phi Phi Islands is a must-do when in Thailand. And there's no more stylish way to do so than this speedboat excursion. You'll zoom into the best beaches in the archipelago, and have free time to swim, snorkel and relax. Also on the itinerary are Monkey beach and Pileh Lagoon.

Rok & Haa Islands Snorkelling Tour by Speedboat

Getting away from the crowds is just what this tour promises. You'll jet off to the islands of Ko Rok and Ko Haa in search of some of the best-visibility snorkelling spots. Spend the day swimming, snorkelling and speeding through the Andaman Sea on this speedboat cruise from Phuket.You'll kick off this tour in style as we zoom towards Ko Rok. But first, we'll make a quick detour. It's only accessible during high tide, but the emerald green lagoon at Pileh Cove will take your breath away. Jump off the boat and grab a few pics from the water. Next, we'll speed off to Lonely Beach on Ko Rok.Here, you'll be greeted by powder-white beaches, turquoise waters, banyan tree forests and nothing but your own footprints in the sand. It's all coral reef around here, so snorkelling is a treat. Enjoy a Thai lunch here, and before you know it you'll be gliding over the corals in the protected lagoons of Ko Haa.

Surin Islands Snorkelling Tour by Speedboat

Surin Islands National Park is where snorkellers go for their fix of rainbow-coloured corals and white sandy beaches straight out of a catalogue. This full day tour features a speedboat ride from Phuket and a day of snorkelling at some of the finest spots in Thailand, as well as lunch on the beach. Escape to another world.Cue knee-deep shallow bays, clear water that glitters and Thailand's best snorkelling areas – it's the Surin Islands. You'll zoom over by speedboat in the morning to this picture-perfect archipelago, where with the help of your guide, you'll search out the best places to snorkel. You'll also stop by Moken, a floating village built entirely on stilts. After meeting the sea gypsy community, you'll get to sink into white sands and have lunch at a local beach ranger station. And with tropical rainforest right behind you, there's no better setting to sleep it all off under the sun.

Ko Yao Noi Cycling Tour

Peaceful Ko Yao Noi is the star of the show on this full-day cycling tour. You'll hop on board a speedboat to take you across, and once you've donned your helmet, freewheel through plantations, rice paddies and mangrove forests. Then, you'll stop by a quiet beach for lunch and swimming time, before rounding the day off pedalling back along the east coast to take in impressive views of Phang Nga Bay.

Western Phuket Boat Cruise

This cruise off the west coast of Phuket is all about getting away from it all. With refreshments on board and three stops for snorkelling, this is as laidback as it gets. Take in the impressive scenery as you sail past palm-fringed beaches and tiny isletsWith more than 70km of coastline, sailing along western Phuket is a treat for the eye. Long sandy beaches, densely forested headlands, remote villages and luxury resorts – they all make for a great backdrop. Your captain will find the best spots to drop anchor and then you can dive in for a swim or snorkel – three times.Visibility is this section of the Andaman Sea is usually incredible, making it one of the best places to see vibrant coral and colourful fish. There are few better places to snorkel.

Phuket guided tour including Wat Chalong temple and town

Peek past Phuket's dreamy beaches and you'll discover another side to the island. You'll visit Wat Chalong temple, visit a cashew nut factory, soak up views of Thalong Road and Rang Hill. Anchali, a local expert guide, says, “this tour shares the best of Phuket's culture in just one action-packed day. My personal highlight is Wat Chalong, the biggest Buddhist temple on the island. Its impressive red, white and gold facade never fails to inspire me.” Kick off the tour at Wat Chalong, the island's most revered temple. The jewel in the crown of the complex is the richly decorated Grand Pagoda, which contains a bone splinter said to be from the Buddha. Next, you'll head to a nut factory to see how locally grown cashew nuts are plucked from yellow cashew apples, roasted, and peeled to become the moreish snack we know and love. Stroll along the famous Thalong Road – look out for vibrant Chinese-Portuguese architecture and the early 20th-century mansion featured in the film, Good Morning Vietnam. After taking in the views over Phuket Town at Khao Rang Hill Viewpoint, you'll head to a pearl farm for the inside scoop into one of Phuket's most important industries. You'll wrap things up with a tasty Thai lunch, and visit a typical home where you'll see a rubber tapping demo, plus a quick lesson on how to whip up the perfect Thai curry.