Practical trip planning
None of this is the fun part of a Phuket trip, and all of it is the part that ruins a trip when skipped. The honest version, kept general on purpose because the specifics — visa rules, exact costs, exact days — change more often than any static guide can track.
Entry & documents
Thailand's entry requirements — who needs a visa in advance, who gets visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry, and for how long — vary by nationality and change periodically. Don't plan around what a friend did last year or what a forum said two years ago: check your own country's current requirements against official Thai immigration or embassy sources close to your travel date, and make sure your passport meets the validity window they specify.
Money
The Thai Baht is the only currency that matters day to day. ATMs are widely available across the island but typically charge a foreign-transaction fee on top of your own bank's charges — worth checking before you arrive. Markets, small local restaurants, songthaews and longtail boats still run largely on cash; malls, chain stores and larger hotels increasingly take cards and mobile payments. Carrying a mix, with small notes for markets and tuk-tuks, avoids most friction (markets & shopping has more on the haggling side of this).
Staying connected
Prepaid tourist SIM cards and eSIMs are widely available on arrival and from convenience stores and malls island-wide, and are generally the easiest way to get data quickly. Wifi is standard in hotels, cafés and many restaurants.
Health & insurance
- Travel insurance is worth buying deliberately rather than defaulting to a card's built-in cover — check explicitly that it includes scooter/motorbike use if you plan to ride (transport honesty), and diving if you plan to dive (diving), since both are common exclusions;
- Pharmacies are widespread for minor ailments and sunburn remedies; private hospitals, concentrated around the main towns, are generally high-standard and used to treating international visitors, though care outside standard insurance can be costly without cover;
- Water: stick to bottled or filtered water rather than tap;
- Sun and heat: the tropical midday sun is stronger than most temperate-climate habits account for — shade, hydration and timing matter as much as sunscreen (beach craft).
What to pack
Light, breathable clothing for the heat; a modest cover-up for temples and shrines (dress expectations); a light rain layer if travelling in green season (seasons); reef shoes and a dry bag for boat days (day trips); and a universal plug adapter — Thailand's sockets and voltage differ from many visitors' home standards.
Language basics
Thai is the official language, and English is widely spoken in tourist zones, hotels and most restaurants — though far less so once you're off the main routes. A handful of Thai greetings and courtesy phrases go a long way and are consistently well received.