Can’t decide what to pack for your trip to Phuket? As Thailand’s largest and most popular island, Phuket has a long list of things to do, ranging from short but scenic hikes to some of the world’s most impressive beaches.
Phuket © Luke Ma
Our Phuket packing list covers everything you’ll need to enjoy your time in Phuket, from clothes and accessories to personal hygiene products, gadgets, important documents and more.
Before You Pack Your Bags
From scans of your travel documents to tickets, hotel bookings and other items, most of your preparation for visiting Phuket won’t actually involve physical items. Before you start packing your suitcase, make sure you’ve got these administrative and logistical items covered.
- Visa – Depending on where you’re from, you might need a visa to enter Thailand. Most Western countries receive visa-free access to Thailand, but it’s still worth checking the requirements online and, if required, applying for a visa before you book your trip.
- Passport – By law, your passport needs to have at least six months of validity for you to enter Thailand. It’s also worth checking that you have enough blank pages for the entry stamp and visa (if required).
Since you’re going to need a place to hold your passport and travel documents while in Phuket, it’s worth picking up a passport holder before your trip. - Travel Document Scans – Before you travel, scan your passport, visa, driving license, insurance policy and other essential information. You can back up this data by sending yourself an email with these photos as attachments.
This way, you can quickly print out copies of your passport and other documents when you need them. It’s also worth keeping a list of phone numbers for your banks, credit card providers, travel insurance company and other important services. - Flights – Phuket has its own international airport, meaning you can fly in without having to go via Bangkok.
As a general rule, it’s always better to book early for trips to Phuket. Flights can go up in price rapidly as the high season approaches, meaning you can usually save quite a lot of money by booking ahead online. You can compare flights here using SkyScanner. - Ferry Tickets – Although you don’t need to take a ferry to get to Phuket, you will need to if you’re travelling to Koh Lanta or other nearby islands. You can check ferry times and prices online at 12go.asia and book ahead of time to avoid the queues once you arrive.
- Credit and Debit Cards – There are international ATMs in Phuket Airport and in all of the island’s main areas, making it easy to withdraw Thai baht if you have a Visa, MasterCard or other common credit card. Retailers and large restaurants also accept credit cards.
Before you travel to Phuket, make sure you let your bank know that you’ll be in Thailand, as some credit card providers will block international transactions if they aren’t warned of your travel plans ahead of time. - Face mask – COVID is still very active in many countries and you may be required to wear an SFP2 facemask on the plane and in some indoor spaces. It’s also a good idea to carry a small bottle of hand sanitiser when you travel.
Travel Insurance For Phuket
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Daypacks and Other Essentials
Phuket is a big island, meaning you’ll want to carry quite a few items with you while you’re out and about. A good backpack, travel cubes, waterproof packing organisers and other items will make your life easier while in Phuket.
- Travel Daypack – Unless you’re backpacking around Thailand, there’s no need to bring a huge backpack to Phuket. A good 15-20L travel daypack offers the best mix of storage and portability for carrying your day-to-day items around Phuket.
- Travel Cubes – A good set of travel cubes makes separating and packing your clothes and other items a breeze. A huge time-saver for when you need to pack or unpack at your hotel or quickly grab specific items from your suitcase while on the go.
- Waterproof Organisers – These make it easy to store wet swimming trunks after a trip to the beach. Keep one in your backpack and you’ll have a place to keep wet swimsuits or towels without making your other items damp and smelly.
- Travel Wallet – While Phuket isn’t a dangerous destination, it’s always worth keeping your cash and travel documents safe. A travel wallet fits neatly around your neck or in the hotel room safe and makes storing and securing your documents and cash easier.
- Toiletry Bag – A good toiletry bag is an invaluable travel accessory, especially if you’re moving around a lot while in Thailand and need a place to keep your toothbrush, razor and other small items clean and safe.
- Laundry Bag – Phuket is a hot and humid island, meaning you’ll probably go through more clothes than you would at home. A good set of laundry bags will help you keep your dirty laundry separate from fresh, clean clothes.
- Phuket Guidebook – Phuket is a big island, and a guidebook can come in very handy for finding restaurants, cafés, activities and other things to do. Lonely Planet Phuket is the most popular of the Phuket guidebooks, with pocket and full length options available.
- Phuket Map – A reliable map makes getting around Phuket much easier. There are two options here – either pick up a local SIM card at Phuket Airport and use Google Maps to navigate, or keep a portable Phuket map inside your daypack.
Clothes, Accessories and Other Useful Items
- T-Shirts, Shorts and Summer Clothing – Phuket is a hot, humid tropical island. Bring a good selection of cotton t-shirts, shorts, summer dresses and other lightweight clothing and you’ll have a comfortable experience.
Other good options for everyday wear include linen, which breathes well in the tropical weather and will help you stay cool, and breathable sports/gym clothes, which provide plenty of ventilation. - Underwear – Likewise, you’ll want to pack lightweight, breathable underwear for your time in Phuket. Anything cotton and lightweight will keep you comfortable, with brands like Under Armour providing a good mix of comfort and breathability.
- Footwear – A good pair of hiking sandals will keep you comfortable on the beaches or while out and about. If you’re planning to explore Phuket by scooter or hike to some of the island’s scenic spots or waterfalls, lightweight hiking shoes are also a good option.
Otherwise, sneakers will provide more than enough foot protection for Phuket. Flip-flops and other cheap sandals are readily available and extremely cheap in Thailand, meaning there’s no need to bring them from home. - Dressy Clothes – Phuket definitely isn’t a formal destination, but some upmarket bars and restaurants will expect you to dress well. A short-sleeved button down shirt and dress shorts will be fine for men, with a summer dress for women.
- Swimwear – Phuket’s beaches are its biggest attraction, making it important that you have good swimwear. Pack two swimsuits so you can hang one set out to dry while you’re at the beach or in the pool.
Thailand is quite a conservative country when it comes to beach attire, meaning you’ll want to pack a sarong or casual clothes to wear on top of your swimsuit for when you leave the beach. These items are inexpensive and easily available in Phuket. - Hats and Sunglasses – Phuket is hot and sunny, even during the rainy season. A good quality hat will shade your face while exploring the island or sunbathing, while a pair of sunglasses will keep your eyes protected during the daytime.
Good quality sunglasses in Thailand are very overpriced and the cheap pairs sold on the beach will break easily, making this something you’ll want to bring from home.
Electronics
- Travel Adapter – Thailand uses Type B/C and Type O power outlets, meaning you might need to bring a travel adapter. Your best bet is to bring a universal travel adapter, which will let you plug in and use your laptop and other portable electronic devices in Phuket.
- Smartphone – Tourist SIM cards are readily available in Phuket, making it easy to use your unlocked smartphone in Thailand.
- Power Bank – Since you’ll probably spend a lot of time outside your hotel room, it’s worth bringing a portable power bank for your smartphone. These are available in a variety of sizes to suit your needs – just make sure they’re under the airline capacity limit.
- Pocket Torch – This isn’t essential if your smartphone already has a built-in torch, but it’s worth bringing a small keychain torch if you’re staying in a dark area or plan on being out late at night.
- Amazon Kindle – Boat trips, bus tours and other activities can involve quite a lot of time spent in transit, making an Amazon Kindle a way to pass the time.
Toiletries and Small Items
- Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Mouthwash and Other Hygiene Products – These are all readily available in Thailand, often cheaper than at home, meaning there’s no reason to worry if you can’t bring your own supply with you.
- Tampons and Sanitary Pads – Sanitary pads are available in almost every pharmacy and convenience store in Phuket. However, tampons are not widely used in Thailand and are best brought from home if you need them during your visit.
- Deodorant – This is also easily available in Thailand, although there’s no harm in bringing your own supply from your home country.
- Mosquito Repellant – While bug spray is available in Thailand, it’s worth stocking up on DEET insect repellent before you fly. Mosquitos are numerous in the more remote areas of Phuket and bites can be a major annoyance during your visit.
- Sunscreen – Phuket is an extremely hot, sunny destination. Even if you’re visiting during the rainy season, it’s worth packing some SPF 30+ sunscreen.
- Moisturizer – The vast majority of facial moisturizers sold in Thailand contain whitening ingredients, which you probably don’t want. Bring your own moisturizer from home and you won’t have to search for a non-whitening version once you get to Phuket.
- Traveler Diarrhoea Treatment – Diarrhoea can and does happen in Phuket, especially if you enjoy foods your body might not be used to. While you can bring Imodium with you from home, it’s cheap and very easy to find in Phuket.
- Quick Dry Towel – Having a towel on hand makes visiting Phuket’s beaches much more convenient. A quick dry microfiber towel lets you dry off without carrying around a bulky cotton towel in your backpack, making it the best choice.
- Pens – You’ll need to fill in an immigration card when you enter Thailand, making it worth packing a ballpoint pen or two in your carry-on.
- Tissues – Tissues come in extremely handy while in Phuket, especially since many public toilets don’t contain toilet paper. Luckily, tissues are easy to find at 7/11 and very cheap to buy in Thailand.
- Luggage Locks – If your suitcase doesn’t have a built-in lock, a set of TSA luggage locks will keep your checked baggage safe from tampering while you travel.
It’s a long flight to Phuket from Europe, North America or Australia. Our guide to the Best Travel Comfort Accessories for Long Haul Flights covers some of the best items you can bring with you to make the flight more manageable.
