Phuket in Thailand may sound like a city flooded with tourists all-year-round and has nothing to offer other than paid tour packages. Before you make the final judgment and decide not to visit Phuket, hear me out. Phuket has a lot of free and cheap things to do too. Surrounded by the Andaman sea, the views around Phuket are simply outstanding. Here are 10 best viewpoints in Phuket that you can do for FREE in literally one day!
And yes, you can finish them all in one day provided that you wake up in the early morning and stayed for the sunset at your final stop. This way, you’ll have more than enough time to appreciate what the viewpoint has to offer instead of just checking in.
So, what you need for this adventure? Well, a motorcycle, a big bottle of water, and an adventurous spirit.
The best viewpoints in Phuket below are arranged accordingly, which means I recommend visiting from the first one to the last one according to the list. You are, of course, welcome to change the arrangement.
Without further ado, let’s dive in and check out the best viewpoints in Phuket!
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Nai Yang Beach or Mai Khao Beach Airport Viewpoint
Located around an hour ride from Phuket town, Mai Khao Beach or Nai Yang Beach is the airport viewpoint in which you get to take photo with airplanes landing on the airport right behind you. The planes literally flew like 20m above your head before landing, and you get to see the planes approaching from far away.
This is the first viewpoint in Phuket I recommend visiting. There are several reasons for it.
First, this airport viewpoint located the furthest from the town so let’s leave the most tiring ride in the early morning before the sun gets blazing hot. This saves you from being sunburnt and ugly, uneven tan on your forearm.
Secondly, there are more planes landing and taking flight in the morning hours. The planes just keep coming non-stop, therefore promising you countless opportunities for a perfect photo.
I’ve heard that in the afternoon and evening, the planes no longer land in the same direction so you wouldn’t see them flying right above you.
One thing, when you’re there, never underestimate the jet blast when a plane is taking off. The harsh sand on the beach will leave scars on your glasses, camera lens and any glass materials. Be sure to protect the charging ports of your phone as well, as sand enters pretty easily. I recommend wearing a jacket as well, the sand hits the skin really hard.
The entrance is free but getting there is tricky. Don’t rely on Google Maps to bring you there straight away.
To navigate there correctly, set your destination on Google Maps to Coriacea Boutique Resort. And from there, you’ll see a walkway for bicycles and pedestrians. Ride your motorbike in anyway because that’s what everyone does. Keep going until you reach the parking lot, and enjoy the views!
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You might be interested in Samet Nangshe Viewpoint, located just an hour from Phuket town!
Laem Sing Viewpoint
Laem Sing Viewpoint has one of the highest ratings on Google Maps when it comes to the best viewpoints in Phuket. What this viewpoint has to offer is the magnificent and unobstructed view over the Andaman Sea and the pristine beach below, the Surin Beach.
This viewpoint is very easy to get to, there is no hiking or sweating involved. The viewpoint is located right by the highway, basically a sheltered hut with no amenities and facilities.
It’s a pretty great spot to stop by when you’re riding back from Mai Khao Beach since it’s located in between Mai Khao Beach and the other viewpoints at the southern part.
If you’re separating this viewpoint trip into 2 days, then Laem Sing Viewpoint is an excellent spot to watch the sunset before riding to Patong to enjoy the nightlife in the bars.
Rang Hill Viewpoint
Rang Hill Viewpoint, also known as Khao Rang Viewpoint is one of the two viewpoints located inside Phuket town. It is easily accessible since the road leading to the viewpoint is a well-paved gravel road. This viewpoint offers a 180-degree view of Phuket Town and a beach at a far distance.
Rang Hill Viewpoint is a very popular viewpoint in Phuket for the local people. In the morning, you’ll see locals hiking up to the viewpoint as a morning exercise to be rewarded with the city view.
At the viewpoint, you’ll see several stalls selling drinks like coconuts and a few restaurants. Since it’s Phuket we’re talking about, it’s not strange to see a couple souvenir shops there too!
Monkey Hill Viewpoint
Monkey Hill Viewpoint is the another viewpoint located inside Phuket Town. Despite the fact that it offers a similar view with the Rang Hill Viewpoint, what makes it unique is, as the name suggests, monkeys.
Now this is a phenomenon that I personally dislike, but who knows, maybe you’ll like it.
At the entrance, you’ll be able to buy a bunch of banana to feed the monkeys while hiking up to the viewpoint. There are spots where you’re allowed to feed the monkeys but nobody really cares.
Even if you want to care, the monkeys wouldn’t care. They would crawl all the way up to your hand and snatch it. This resulted in banana skins being thrown all over the walkway and plastic bags everywhere since plastic bags are used to contain the bananas for sale.
I really hate monkeys. Monkeys are not adorable at all for me, so aggressive and territorial. Duh.
The view from the viewpoint deck is so-so, you get to see Phuket Town from another angle. But again, why not try it out if you have spare time?
Kao Khad Viewpoint
Located in the southeastern part of Phuket, Kao Khad Viewpoint offers a 180-degree view on the Andaman Sea and a big piece of land of Phuket. Like Laem Sing Viewpoint, Kao Khad Viewpoint is made up of several covered huts along the highway without any facilities other than benches.
This viewpoint is, of course, very easy to get to, since they’re located right on the highway. No hiking, no sweating, and you get to enjoy one of the quietest viewpoints in Phuket.
Someone’s chilling in the hut? Never mind, just head over to the next hut. People usually don’t stay for long in this viewpoint since there is nothing much to do other than staring at the view and thinking about life at the same time.
Laem Panwa Viewpoint
Laem translates into ‘cape’ in English, and Laem Panwa means Panwa Cape. Laem Panwa Viewpoint is located right by the beach where you see several boats parked there.
The viewpoint is basically a long walkway along the beach where you get to enjoy the ocean view. The view, well, if you ask me, is so-so. Nothing special, the beach isn’t extraordinarily beautiful, and the views are certainly lacking compared to other viewpoints.
But what makes this viewpoint unique is that there are a lot of restaurants located by the viewpoint. This makes it the perfect stop to have your lunch before continuing to explore the other best viewpoints in Phuket.
There are also a handful of cafes where you can chill out to escape the noon heat.
Laem Panwa Viewpoint is located very close to Khao Khad Viewpoint, so it does you no harm to pay it a visit anyway!
Karon Viewpoint
Karon Viewpoint is probably the most touristy viewpoint among all the mentioned viewpoints in Phuket. The observation deck is huge, and there are a lot of spaces to accommodate tourists from the tour buses.
The viewpoint is crowded when it’s approaching sunset so if you’re not visiting at these hours, you’ll probably enjoy the view here. In short, the best time to visit Karon Viewpoint is any time before sunset if you want to avoid the crowds.
Karon Viewpoint offers a unique angle where you get to enjoy the view where the city meets the sea, bordered by the beautiful Kata Noi Beach, Kata Beach and Karon Beach. Over the hilltop far away, you’ll also get to see the Big Buddha statue.
This viewpoint is also very easy to get to. Again, it’s located by the highway, and the entrance is totally free. There are plenty of motorbike parking spaces too.
Windmill Viewpoint
Windmill Viewpoint is yet another very unpopular viewpoint in Phuket. Despite being very easy to get to, there are not many benches or spaces for one to enjoy the magnificent view of the beautiful Nai Harn Beach from the hilltop.
In Windmill Viewpoint, you’ll find, of course, a windmill inside the Promthep Alternative Energy Station. There is only one windmill, in case you wondered.
Also, there is also one sheltered hut for you to enjoy the view. Since it’s that small, don’t expect to be the only one there.
There is a small local stall right beside the hut selling canned drinks, fresh fruits, and coconuts.
There are no designated parking lot for motorbikes so feel free to park anywhere you like by the roadside.
Black Rock Viewpoint
Now, this is probably the best viewpoint in Phuket, better than all of those mentioned in this article. The viewpoint is located at a much higher elevation than other Phuket viewpoints, therefore promising a more panoramic view on the island and the sea.
Despite the transfer service, restaurants selling overpriced dishes and drinks stalls at the entrance, the hike to the viewpoint itself is free. Park your motorbike at the parking lot at the entrance and hike all the way up to the viewpoint which takes around 30 minutes (1.3 kilometers).
The best thing about hiking to Black Rock Viewpoint is that your GPS actually works here. Just open up Google Maps, navigate to Black Rock Viewpoint, and follow all the way up. The last 5 minutes is a steep hike in the jungle trail, and the first 25 minutes are dirt road.
The transfer service brings visitors to Nui Beach, which is one of the most popular beaches in Phuket for 500 Baht. You do not need the transfer service to visit the viewpoint.
Before you attempt this hike, make sure you have plenty of water with you since the trail is very exposed to the sunlight. Be hydrated, guys!
If you’re lucky like I was, you might be able to catch some adrenaline junkies paragliding here!
Promthep Cape Viewpoint
Promthep Cape Viewpoint is my suggested last stop because it’s facing the west and therefore guarantees a satisfying sunset view to end your tiring day.
While there are facilities, decorations, and a lighthouse at the cape, the visitors aren’t as many. Or maybe there are many, but since the space is so big, you won’t feel crowded at all.
The Phromthep Cape is a pretty good subject to use for your sunset photo too.
Getting there is very straightforward, the entrance is located right by the highway. Park your motorbike at the entrance and walk in, find a spot, and enjoy!
Yes, there are in fact many amazing viewpoints in Phuket facing the west. The reason I chose this as the last stop is that it’s located at the very southern end of Phuket island. This makes your journey smoother and less riding time. But of course, it all comes down to you to decide whether you want to change the route or not.
Ready For These Best Viewpoints in Phuket?
Hope you enjoyed reading about these best viewpoints in Phuket. Before I travel to Phuket, I didn’t know there were so many free things to do and see. My initial thought was that Phuket is just another tourist town where everyone’s trying the squeeze all the cents from foreigners’ pockets through tours. I never planned to stay for long because I stopped here to visit Samet Nangshe Viewpoint in Phang-nga National Park. Well, part of that is correct, but these free viewpoints proved me wrong. Check out my other blog posts on Thailand and travel safe!
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