5 Days in Phuket: Street Food, Beach Vibes, Massages & Tattoos
Listen…
If you’ve been considering spending at least 5 days in Phuket, Thailand, I’ve got you… Read on!
This isn’t one of those 17-cities-in-3-days travel plans. This is a relaxed but fulfilling 5-day Phuket itinerary where the goal is simple: explore, eat, and enjoy. There is so much more that could be on this itinerary, so consider this a start. Honestly, I don’t know if 5 days in Phuket was enough! I probably needed another 5 days to explore nearby islands and a few other amazing spots
Disclaimer: I do not mention visiting any of the activities that encourage animal encounters (ie. Tiger Petting, Elephant riding, etc.) Those animals are angry with their captors and I don’t have time for them to take it out on me. Real talk, I’d advise skipping those kind of activities… as exciting as it may seem.
Check out my posts on Kenya for a more conscious way of engaging with wild animals.
Day 1: Touchdown + Bangla Road Shenanigans
We landed in Phuket after a long haul from Zanzibar. (Yes, it’s as extra as it sounds—Oman Air + Salam Air with a layover in the Middle East, all booked through discount websites because…budget life.)
Our home base? A vacation rental right on Bangla Road. If you’ve never heard of it, imagine Bourbon Street met South Beach, added LED lights, a few dispensaries and sex workers, and called it a night. It’s loud, wild, and full of life… and honestly, we loved it. The action starts at 12PM and doesn’t subside until 4AM.
When we arrived, we took Grab (Thailand’s version of Uber) from the airport (about an hour ride) to the Patong Beach area.
Pro tip: You’ll need cash, and sometimes Grab drivers will ghost you if they find another fare on the way, so have a little patience and be prepared to flag down a driver.
Outside of making it to our rental, we had no real agenda on Day 1. We just checked in, unpacked our luggage, and hit Bangla Street Market for to wander, experience fresh street food and people watch.
Day 2: Patong Beach & Market Wandering
This was our chill day. We took our time waking up, then strolled to Patong Beach. The beach was bustling but beautiful, and just what we needed to continue the relaxing vibe we began during our week in Zanzibar.
After leaving the beach and freshening up, we wandered through local markets—Jung Ceylon, Banzaan Market (right across from the Thai Boxing Arena), and the Patong Street Market. I tried a PLETHORA of street food that I still don’t know the name of… All I know is: it was GOOD. So good that since I’ve been back in Atlanta, I have random cravings for “the thing I ate on the street in Thailand.”
Day 3: Yona Beach Club + More Beach + More Market
This was our “soft life” day! We booked a morning at Yona Beach Club, a floating paradise you access by speedboat. It’s giving luxury… without being too stush. We selected the morning ticket (9:30AM – 2:00PM), because it was described as more laid back. Staying on Bangla Road gave us all the excitement we needed, so a chill morning on the water sounded amazing!
After Yona, we grabbed a beach towel, found a quiet spot back on Patong Beach, and just… relaxed. It was a vibe. We really embraced the joy of doing nothing.
That evening, we went back to the room to freshen up and hit the markets again because, listen: Thailand’s markets are everything. Clothes, souvenirs, snacks, and stuff you didn’t even know you needed. Phuket is one of those places where you can do the same thing every night and it feel like something different.
Day 4: Blue Elephant Cooking Class, Phuket Old Town & Chillva Market
We booked the Blue Elephant Cooking Class. The experience includes a market tour and hands-on cooking at their colonial-style mansion in Phuket Old Town.
After class, we explored Old Town, popped into random shops, got personalized passport covers, and soaked in the slower pace compared to Patong. From there we took a tuk tuk to Chillva Night Market and explored more. Think more local, more vintage, and perfect thrifty girls who love a deal. They even had a few stalls where ladies were doing nails!
We ended the night with a Thai foot massage. We thought we were avoiding having them twist and turn us every which way as with the regular Thai massages, but even with a foot massage, expect to tussle a bit.
Day 5: Street Food Tour & Tattoos Before Takeoff
We wrapped the trip with a Southern Thai Food Tour we booked on Viator. It was legit one of the highlights of the whole trip. More than 15 tastings, a comfortable small group vibe, and an incredible way to understand what we had been eating all week.
Pro tip: Do this tour early in your trip! It’ll help you navigate the food scene with confidence. I tried so much food that I didn’t even know the name of!
We took the public bus back to Patong Beach. It was pretty much a packed school bus, BUT it was giving, an “if I lived here I would” type of experience I’d definitely recommend for the fun of it!
When we returned to Patong Beach, we walked around in search for a tattoo shop. We purposely waited until the last day, so we didn’t have to worry about beaches or direct sun. I’d definitely recommend popping into a few shops to get quotes and the vibe before settling on a shop.
After the tattoos, we packed, put on our “I’m about to be traveling for 20+ hours” gear and made it to the airport in time for our midnight flight.
🧳 Final Thoughts:
5 days in Phuket was simply not enough! But!! I still think Phuket gave everything it was supposed to give for the time that I was there. Whether you’re flying solo, traveling with your day-ones, or claiming your well-deserved soft life era… this trip has the potential to be the perfect reset!
Food, Shenanigans, Sunshine, and Good Vibes? You can’t go wrong. You don’t have to see every single temple or ride every elephant (again, please don’t actually ride the elephants). Just slow down, explore what speaks to you, and remember: other people’s itineraries are suggestions to get you started, but not a rulebook!
And if you walk away with a full belly, a sun-kissed selfie, and a lil tattoo you swore you weren’t getting… that’s called balance.
✨ Ready to plan your trip?
Check out our 5 Day in Phuket Itinerary video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qh7pDS9fQ4s
Save this post, share it with your travel crew, and pack your bags, sis!
Thailand is waiting!!
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