50+ Exciting Things to Do in Phuket With Family

Ultimate list of things to do in Phuket with kids (that grown-ups will love too!)

Are you planning a family trip to Phuket and wondering how to make the most of your time? Look no further! Phuket is a paradise brimming with exciting activities and breathtaking sights that are perfect for creating unforgettable memories with your loved ones.

From pristine beaches and interactive wildlife experiences to vibrant cultural attractions, this tropical haven has something for everyone. Dive into our guide to uncover the best things to do in Phuket with your family, and get ready for an adventure that will leave you all spellbound!

Explore the Beaches

I mean, we can’t not start with the fabulous beaches of Phuket, right? They are magnificent draw cards of Thailand and are entirely free.

Some of the best spots for families are along the Andaman Sea coast, including Bangtao Beach, Surin Bach, Kamala Beach, Patong Beach, Karon Beach and Kata Beach, but there are plenty more quiet coves and hidden beaches to explore around the island.

We detail more about the best beaches in Phuket for families over here.

While you’re at the beach, you may want to track down some water sports and activities such as:

• Surfing lessons
• Snorkelling
• Bodyboard hire
• Jet ski hire
• Banana boat rides
• Parasailing

If you’ve forgotten your sunglasses, floaties or goggles, don’t fear; most beaches are well-served with vendors and beachside stalls for all your beach necessities.

It’s important to note that all beaches in Thailand are public land, despite what the deck chair teams may try to convince you. If you are being harassed into paying for chairs, move a little further on and pull up a patch of sand. The only charges you may pay are if you need to take a boat to some of the smaller, more secluded beaches or need to cross private or protected land to get to a public beach.

Discovering Thailand’s Marine Life

Dive into the enchanting underwater world of Phuket’s Andaman Sea, where a vibrant array of marine life awaits. Whether you’re snorkelling, scuba diving, or simply exploring the shorelines, you’ll be captivated by the beauty and wonder of Phuket’s marine treasures. Here are a few ways to best enjoy the marine surroundings of Phuket:

Go Island Hopping

There’s no better way to discover the marine life of Thailand than to go out on a boat. The most popular day trips are to Phi Phi Island and James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay, though you could choose from dozens of small nearby islands.

These are some of the most popular group day tours:

For Phi Phi Island, we recommend, if possible, that you go and spend a few nights there. This way, you can take a long boat to the most popular attractions around the islands early in the morning before the day trippers arrive from Phuket and Krabi (note Maya Beach closes for a few months in rainy season for rehabilitation)

If you are a keen snorkeller or want to try scuba diving, the Similan Islands should be your top choice (bear in mind these islands also close for rehabilitation during the rainy season). Again, you may prefer to spend a few nights in nearby Khao Lak to make for a shorter journey and an early start.

Other good snorkelling beach options closer to Phuket include Coral Island and Racha Island, both just a short hop away by boat. Some reputable charter companies we frequently see recommended for families and groups wanting to set their own island itinerary include:

• 5 Star Marine Phuket
• Offspray Leisure

We have a complete guide to Phuket Island hopping for families over here.

Aquaria

Found in the basement level of modern shopping centre Central Floresta, this world-class aquarium is home to over 25,000 marine creatures. If you’ve not got time to head out to the seas or the waters are too choppy, this is the next best thing.

The daily entertainment lineup includes feeding times and a mermaid show, whilst those with dive qualifications may be interested in learning more about their shark dive experiences.

• Open daily from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm
• Adults ฿1090 kids (91 to 140cm) ฿590 (or combine tickets with the Trick Eye Museum to save)
• Learn more at aquaria-phuket.com 📲 076 629 800

The Phuket Aquarium

Found at the southernmost point of the island of Cape Panwa, the aquarium has a variety of exhibits featuring different species of fish, sharks, sea turtles, and other marine animals found in the Andaman Sea. One of the main highlights is the large underwater tunnel, which allows visitors to walk through and see the marine life swimming around them.

In addition to the exhibits, the Phuket Aquarium has interactive displays and educational programs suitable for children of all ages. Kids can learn about the importance of conservation and protecting marine life and participate in hands-on activities and experiments to help them understand the marine ecosystem.

• Open daily 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
• Adults ฿300 Kids ฿150 (free under 108cm)
• Learn more at phuketaquarium.org 📲 076 391 126

Other Animal Experiences in Phuket

Animal experiences in Phuket can be hugely controversial due to historic – and present – inhumane practices that do not meet the highest ethical standards for animal tourism.

We cannot provide a first-hand review of some experiences as the overwhelming reviews point to these attractions being grossly unethical – we’ll point you here to the few we think are doing the right thing:

Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries

There are several different elephant sanctuaries in Phuket, so it can be challenging to choose which one is genuinely ‘ethical’. Although most elephant riding has been stopped, some places purporting to be sanctuaries still permit animal bathing and allow other animal interactions that do not meet today’s ethical tourism standards.

We have spent a long time studying this area of tourism in Phuket and have put together this guide to help you choose the most ethical elephant sanctuary options in Phuket (NB, there are no options for seeing elephants in the wild in southern Thailand). In brief, these are:

• Phuket Elephant Sanctuary – the original and, we’d argue, still the best to witness a herd of over a dozen rescues roaming freely on a 30-acre property in Paklok, to the islands north neighbouring Khao Pra Thaeo Wildlife sanctuary. The main highlight here is the skywalk, allowing birds-eye observations. Learn more at phuketelephantsanctuary.com 📲 076 529 099

• Bukit Elephant Park – Situated next to Khlong Kata Reservoir, new ownership since 2022 has transformed this into a no-ride, no-bathing sanctuary, home to 6 elephants. Learn more at bukitelephantpark.com 📲 093 016 5888

• Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve – found in the lush hills at the centre of Phuket island, this small sanctuary is home to 3 rescues and runs half daily and shorter 90-minute kid-friendly tour experiences. Learn more at phuketelephantnaturereserve.com 📲 095 675 3718

• Hidden Forest Elephant Reserve – the newest sanctuary in Phuket; here, you’ll find half a dozen beautiful rescues that you can tour and visit from observation huts and enjoy the onsite vegetation restaurant. Learn more at hiddenforestelephantreserve.com 📲 095 256 6912  

Most tours are normally half-days and cost around ฿3000 adults / ฿1500 kids, but there are many different options for taking younger children with shorter attention spans or more in-depth programs.

Gibbon Rehabilitation Project

The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project is not open to the public for general visits, but they offer limited tours for small groups by appointment only. During these tours, visitors can learn about the project’s work and see the gibbons up close in their natural habitat.

The proceeds from the tours support the project’s efforts to rescue and rehabilitate gibbons. Note that the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project’s opening hours vary depending on the time of year and staff availability. It is recommended that you contact the project in advance to schedule a tour and confirm the opening hours.

• 1-hour ฿900
• 2.5 hours ฿4500 (Book via AirBnB experiences)
• Learn more at gibbonproject.org 📲 088 590 9714

Phuket Bird Park

We’ve included this one in our list but haven’t visited yet as reviews seem mixed; it will likely have appeal with younger children but has not sparked any interest with our tweens/teens to visit (OK, and I’m a little bird-phobic, growing up with swooping magpies!)

They have over 1000 birds covering over 100 different species with daily bird shows.

• Open daily 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, shows at 10:30 am, 1:30 pm, 3:30 pm
• See tickets on Klook
• Learn more on their Facebook page 📲 076 367 576

Animal Welfare Concerns – Places We Would Avoid in Phuket

A few attractions you will consistently see advertised, but we suggest you avoid, given consistent reviews of cruel training methods to drugging animals to keep them docile for photo opportunities, include:

• Fantasea
• Tiger Kingdom
• Dolphins Bay Phuket
• Kinnaree Elephant Trekking
• Phuket Elephant Trails

Many ticketing platforms have removed the tickets for these attractions on welfare grounds as well. Phuket Zoo has thankfully been permanently closed.

While we’re at it, avoid taking photos with those carrying monkeys, iguanas, and other such creatures at the beach; this only perpetuates many problems for those advocating for proper animal welfare in Thailand. Lecture over!

Splash into a Water Park

Whatever the time of year, though we find particularly handy in the rainy season when the seas may be too rough, water parks and splash parks can be the ideal escape while still getting the opportunity to enjoy the tropical weather.

Andamanda

This is the newest and biggest of Phuket’s water parks, close to Phuket Town in Kathu. The park is zoned into five themes, with the highlight by far is the Andaman Bay Wave Pool—compared to others we’ve been to internationally, this is honestly the best, with a 3-metre swell—it’s definitely thrilling!

There are tonnes of water slides to choose from, but do be warned, the park can be busy at peak times, and you’ll spend more time lining up than riding. This is the main factor that stops us from highly recommending this park.

Coral World’s activities are extensive and worth visiting for those with little kids. Atoll Adventures is a giant 3-story play structure with plenty of mini slides and splash buckets without the lines you find elsewhere in the park.

If you get in early, pre-book your tickets to beat the crowds at opening time. Then, head straight to Naga Jungle and Emerald Forest for the best thrill-seeker rides.

• Cost – Adults ฿1500 Kids ฿1000 (varies with seasonal offers)
• You can read our full review of Andamanda here
• Learn more at andamandaphuket.com 📲 076 646 777
• Check Current Offers and get your tickets online in advance to save queuing here

Splash Jungle

Located next to Centara Grand West Sands Resort near Mai Khao Beach, this slightly older and smaller water park features a variety of slides, pools, and other attractions suitable for all ages.

Some of the most popular attractions include the Boomerango (a water slide that sends riders on a thrilling ride down a steep slope and into a giant bowl), the Whizzards and the Super Bowl, which is a high-speed water slide that sends riders spiralling down a series of twists and turns. There’s also a lazy river.

In addition to the water attractions, Splash Jungle Water Park has several restaurants, cafes, and snack bars, as well as locker and changing facilities.

• Open daily from 10:00 am to 5:45 pm
• 12+ and adults ฿950 / Kids 5 to 11 ฿650 (rainy season prices until end Oct; regular prices TBC, but we understand around double)
• Under 4 and over 65, free
• Learn more at splashjungle.com 📲 076 372 111

Phuket Wake Park

This park is located in Kathu and offers wakeboarding and other water sports activities in addition to its water park attractions. The park has a range of difficulty levels, making it suitable for all ages and skill levels.

• Open daily 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
• Prices start from ฿2500 for a beginner package, 30 mins on the training cable ฿900, or experienced riders can pay ฿2150 for a day pass
• Learn more at phuketwakepark.com 📲 089 873 0187

Rawai Park

This is a smaller park suitable for families with younger children. It includes plenty of splash-play structures and indoor play and a trampoline park.

• Open daily 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
• Weekdays kids are ฿250/ Accompanying adult ฿100
• Weekends ฿350/฿200
• Under 70cm is free for infants
• trampoline park priced separately
• Learn more at rawaipark.com 📲 098 396 5369 

Aqua Kingdom

Located in Cherngtalay, pretty much next door to Blue Tree, this small splash park is suitable for younger children. Don’t miss a visit to the attached Kindee Bistro cafe with wood-fired pizzas!

• Open daily
• Entry is ฿100
• Learn more here 📲 064 159 7928

Aqualito Kids Waterpark Rawai

Bouncy castles meet refreshing pools and slides at this inflatable waterpark venue in the island’s south.

• Open daily 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
• Entry is ฿450 for a day or ฿4000 for a day visit pass
• Learn more at aqualitokids.com 📲 093 948 6907

Surf House

If you want to practice your moves without the unpredictable waves in the rainy season, try one of the surf house locations on the island, found on Patong Beach (Phuket Surf House) or Kata Beach (Surf House Phuket).

• Open daily 10:00 am to 22:30 pm / 9:00 am to 22:00 pm
• Book tickets for Patong Beach here or Book tickets for Kata Beach here

Adventure Parks & Outdoor Activity Venues in Phuket

Aside from water parks, there is a growing range of outdoor adventure parks for family activities. We’ll start with a few more sedate activities through to thrilling ways to experience the Phuket rainforests!

Adventure Mini Golf

Situated at the southern end of Bang Tao Beach, Phuket Adventure Mini Golf is great fun for the entire family. You can pay for an 18-hole round or enjoy unlimited golf plus a drink and meal for a very reasonable price.

There are also billiards and darts afterwards and a small kids’ soft play area.

• Adults ฿750 / Kids ฿400 (with meal and drink, unlimited golf)
• Open daily 12 noon to 9:00 pm (floodlit for evening play)
• Learn more about Aventure Mini Golf here or see our full review.

Dino Park Mini Golf

Found on the hill between Kata Beach and Karon, it’s a little more pricey and a lot smaller than the set-up in Bang Tao, but nonetheless can be a fun non-beach pit stop for the kids with some pretty realistic animations (be warned if you have small kids who scare easy!)

If you’re not keen on golf, you can take the cheaper option to tour Dino Park, but it’ll be over in minutes! (Just be mindful of golfers mid-shot, too.) They also have a ‘Dino Kitchen’ restaurant and frequent live entertainment.

You can buy tickets online, but buying them at the park is just as easy.

• Mini Golf Adults ฿550/Kids ฿450
• Park only ฿350/Kids ฿250
• Learn more at dinopark.com 📲 061 176 4226

Patong Go Kart Speedway

Go-kart Speedway in Kathu is the original go-kart track on the island, with an off-road fun park next door. Their karts range from 140cc to 400cc and can reach an incredible 11o km/hr! Kids events: Your children must be over 8 and 125cm, and adult events should be over 16. (Must wear closed-toe shoes; safety equipment provided).

• Open 9:00 am to 7:00 pm daily
• Enquire for current pricing
• Learn more at gokartthailand.com 📲 076 321949

Phuket Kart Speedway

Just across the road is another speedway track. This one has kids’ karts, double karts to ride with an adult and everything up to 2-stroke 125 cc karts that go at 125km/hr to unleash your inner Mario Bros!

• Open 9:00 am to 7:00 pm daily
• Enquire for current pricing
• Learn more at phuketkartspeedway 📲 076 604 162

Football Crazy Golf Phuket 

A unique and fun activity to try in Phuket, Football Crazy Golf in Kathu (near the speedways if you want to combine activities) includes an 18-hole course. Instead of clubs and golf balls, you’ll use a soccer ball with bunkers, tunnels and your usual mini-course obstacles.

• Open daily 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
• (TBC if still open; we’re not getting a response from them when we enquired about current prices)
• Learn more on their Facebook page 📲 088 665 6414

White Water Rafting

This can be a great one for the teens, especially during the wet season, though you’ll need to head north of Phuket to Ton Pariwat Sanctuary Station in Phang Nga. From May to October, you’ll get some serious rapids.

• Price approximately ฿2500 pp
• Learn more and book tickets here

Hanuman World Phuket

Offering a number of different adrenaline activities in the rainforest, Hanuman World Phuket is a great place to spend half a day. You can opt for one of their inclusive packages, including the most popular Roller zipline and various ziplining and abseiling platforms, along with a meal and transfers, or pick and choose from a menu of activities on offer.

See our detailed review here!

They have also introduced a luge activity and you’ll find the very popular Three Monkey’s Cafe on-site.

• Open daily 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Package prices start from ฿2490, which includes 10 platforms, 3 ziplines, 2 abseil points + the skywalk and roller zipline
• 3-hour tours ฿3490 including 32 platforms, 16 ziplines, 3 sky bridges + skywalk, and roller zipline
• Learn more at hanumanworldphuket.com 📲 062 979 5533
• Book online with Viator

Jungle Xtreme Adventutres

This is a great outdoor adventure challenge with 69 nice tree-top stations joined by a suspension bridge, flying foxes tightrope walks, and bridges. It does require a fair bit of fitness to drag your way around, but it is a worthy challenge for families who love a little more adventure.

• Open Daily 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Starting from ฿1900 for beginners with 14 ziplines (from 130cm) through to their advanced course ฿3900 (from 150cm/30kg)
• Learn more at junglextreme.com 📲 062 767 2777

Sea Monster Fishing Park

One for you keen anglers: how would you like to try saltwater lake fishing during your time in Phuket? Much less weather-reliant than deep-sea fishing, you’ll find seven predator species here, including Grouper, Barramundi, Milkfish, Cobia, Giant Trevally, and Red and White Snapper.

• Open daily 9:00 am to 5:30 pm
• 2 hours ฿1700 / Half Day ฿2700 / Full Day ฿3700
• Non-fishers don’t pay
• Learn more at sea-monster-fishing-park-phuket.com  📲 061 178 5929

Indoor Rock Climbing

For some indoor adrenaline and adventure, try Rebel Rock Climbing in Thalang. It offers over 700 sqm of wall space, including a boulder wall, top-out boulder wall, boulder cave, top-rope wall, lead climb wall, and deep-water solo wall.

• Tuesday-Sunday 10:00 am to 8:00 pm (closed Mondays)
• 2-hour pass with equipment ฿850; you can also BYO equipment and take training courses
• Learn more at Rebel Rock Climbing 📲 076 608 734

Flyboard Training Centre

Another unique place to try new skills is the Flyboard training centre, adjacent to Rock Republic. We understand the same company also runs the flyboarding sessions at Bluetree and on Patong Beach.

• Learn more on Facebook/ Phuketwatersports.com 📲 082 393 2970

Horse Riding

There are several horse riding clubs in Phuket that offer tourist services. Here are a few options to consider:

• Phuket International Horse Club – offers you the unique opportunity of beach rides. 1 hour ฿1400, sunset rodes ฿1600. Your fee includes a guide, riding equipment, water and insurance. Experienced riders could also take longer beach rides, explore Layan National Park, swim, and feed their horses at the riding stables. 📲 066 146 3244

• Phuket Andaman Horse Riding School, near the Heroine Monument, offers professional riding lessons in partnership with the British International School. Lessons are in English, Thai and French. Prices vary by age and lesson length.

• If you’d like to ride along a beach, try the Phuket Riding School on Mai Khao Beach, at the northern end of the island. Prices are ฿2,200 for a beach ride, or you can take part in their horse care program. 📲 081 7872455

Capture a Beautiful Sunset

On a sunny day, of course anywhere along the Andaman Sea coast can make a beautiful place to watch the sunset. However, if you’d like to seek out somewhere special, there are a few sensational points worth the short hike to capture Phuket sunsets at their best.

• Promthep Cape
• Khao Rang

A couple of easy-to-reach popular viewpoints in Phuket include:

• Laem Sing Viewpoint
• Big Buddha
• Viewpoint Jungle VIP (bar overlooking Karon)

See our detailed guide to Phuket viewpoints here

Expand the Taste Buds

While granted, we are always travelling with a fussy eater, if your family has more adventurous taste buds, Phuket can deliver a treasure trove of tasting experiences from classic Thai dishes to far more exciting delicacies!

Food markets are one of our favourite ways to explore new foods; you’ll find some excellent choices at:

• Sunday Street Market, Phuket Old Town (Sunday)
• Naka Market (Friday & Saturday)
• Chillva Market (Monday to Saturday)
• Rawai Seafood Market

Find our complete guide to the best markets in Phuket here!

Take a Thai Cooking Class

To take things to the next level, why not learn to cook some of your favourite Thai dishes? Classes are offered in the leisure program for many hotels, or you can seek out more exotic options.

• Close to Patong, Pum Thai Restuarant and Cooking School hold 2 classes daily, not far from Jungceylon.
• Try a Southern Flavors Phuket Food Tour with host Narumon taking you on a tasting tour from Phuket Central Market
• Got any more to suggest? We’re adding to this list!

Experience the Thai Culture

We always recommend setting aside at least one day on your family itinerary in Phuket to learn more about Thai culture and the Buddhist religion.

Go Temple Hunting & See Big Buddha

The island’s most stunning landmark is the 45-metre-high Big Buddha Statue on Nakkerd Hill in southern Phuket. This modern wonder is impressively beautiful, both as a tourist attraction and a place of worship.

Nearby, you’ll find Wat Chalong temple (Wat Chaiyathararam), the island’s largest and most visited temple.

Make sure you’re appropriate dressed for Big Buddha and any sacred/religious sites in Thailand. You should look to wear something that covers the knees and shoulders and ensure everyone in your group is behaving in a respectful way.

Note that visiting both of these sites is free; the only cost is to hire a tour guide or driver (recommended), or donations can be made.

Visit Museums

There are a few museums on Phuket Island, most small but interesting if you’d like to delve deeper into the local culture.

If you’re keen to take in a little more local culture, try Phuket Mining Museum. It’s relatively cheap to enter, and you can learn more about the tin industry that helped establish Phuket Town with signage in English & Thai.

Take a Phuket Old Town Tour

Originally settled in the 16th century by Chinese, Indian and Portuguese traders, you can certainly enjoy strolling the colourful Sino-Portugese buildings on your own. However, undertaking a walking tour through Old Town Phuket with a knowledgeable local guide will be a far more enriching experience.

You will learn more about cultural diversity, architecture, and cuisine. Many tours include all of these cultural sites on a full-day tour.

Indoor Adventures For Rainy Days

We cover many of these venues in more detail in our Phuket rainy-day guide, but including a quick list here for reference:

• Naan Teelanka – The Upside Down House and maze, Kathu
• Kidzoona – in Central shopping mall and Jungceylon, Patong
• Tribhum “The Mystical Three Worlds” theme park, Central Floresta
• Froggys Fun Park is a popular indoor play park for kids, Juncelyon
• SF Cinema in Botanica, Jungceylon SPX Ci
• Bowling alleys at Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa in Patong
• Kids Planet at Blue Tree (small kids)
• Adventure Village at Blue Tree (bigger kids)
• Game Space Laser Battle, Patong
• Fickle Lifestyle indoor arts and crafts
• K Park Phuket – indoor and outdoor playgrounds for younger kids, Phuket Old Town
• Take the opportunity for a family spa day – we’re sure you won’t need to wonder far to find a massage parlour in Phuket!