Photos of Phuket, Thailand

This is my collection of photos from Phuket, Thailand, taken on my family’s visit in 2023. 

At the end of two weeks in Thailand, Phuket was supposed to be the “relaxing beach vacation” that would let us wind down from our hard travel lifestyle.

It didn’t quite work out that way.

After exploring Khao Sok National Park, Chiang Mai and the Karen Hill Tribes, and Kanchanaburi, we knew that slowing down wasn’t an option.

Phuket is beautiful, and as soon as we got a glimpse of the beautiful oceanfront landscapes, we wanted to see more. We booked as many tours as possible to get a glimpse of this famous region of the country. We visited the popular “James Bond Island, known locally as Khao Phing Kan. A photo I snapped there actually won second place in the Travel Media Association of Canada 2023 awards.

So, if you’re looking for some photographs of Phuket, Thailand, to inspire your next visit, here are a few of my favorites.

Saratthani was one of the most unique places that we visited in Thailand. This floating village was established in the 1800s by Muslim immigrants who were not allowed land in Thailand. In defiance, they set up a floating village in Phang Nga Bay. It not only survived but thrived and is now one of the country’s most unique destinations.

Maya Bay had only recently re-opened to the public after being closed for years for rehabilitation of the natural environment and to build proper facilities to handle the massive influx of visitors caused by its rise to fame after the Leonardo di Caprio movie “The Beach.”

The beach had the softest sand that I’ve ever had the pleasure of dipping my toes into.

Monkey Beach on Koh Phi Phi was a bit of a sad stop. This beautiful island is very developed, and a tourist craze has expanded over the island’s monkey population, who have taken to swimming in order to get food tossed overboard by passing tour boats.

I don’t like the idea of feeding wild animals, especially for the entertainment of tourists. If the government was able to curtail the way the animals are exploited, I think this could be a very cool stop in Phuket.

Phuket gave us a chance to get back in the water and enjoy a little bit of snorkeling. The coral was all in pretty rough shape, but we found some awesome items, including a giant clam shell and heart-shaped coral.