Phuket Travel Tips: Money and Safety

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Phuket Travel Tips: Money, Safety, and Etiquette

  1. Entry: every foreign arrival now needs the free TDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card) , submitted online within 72 hours of landing. Fake paid copycat sites exist, so use the government link and nothing else. Around 93 nationalities also get a 60-day visa exemption as of mid-2026, but Thailand’s cabinet has approved cutting that to 30 days, so verify the current length before you fly. Keep your passport valid at least 6 months.
  2. Money: Thai baht (THB), roughly 33 to the US dollar. Cards work in hotels and malls; carry cash for markets, street food, and island entry fees. Most foreign ATM cards pay a 250 to 350 THB fee per withdrawal, so pull out more at once rather than less often. Phuket runs pricier than mainland Thailand.
  3. Transport: Phuket International Airport (HKT) sits at the island’s north end, about 40 to 42km and 45 to 60 minutes from Patong. Use Grab or Bolt, not Uber, which does not operate here; only Grab can pick up inside the airport itself. Metered taxis are rare, and tuk-tuks routinely overcharge.
  4. Motorbikes are the number one cause of tourist injury and death on Phuket. Always wear a helmet and carry a valid license plus an International Driving Permit. Never hand over your passport as a rental deposit; the passport-hold-plus-“pre-existing-damage” shakedown is a known scam, so pay cash instead.
  5. Monsoon rip currents, May to October, hit every west-coast beach: Patong, Karon, Kata, Surin, Nai Harn. A red flag means no swimming, full stop. Around 30 to 40 people drown on Phuket most years, often on days that look calm. If caught in a rip, swim parallel to shore, not against it.
  6. Scams to know: jet-ski “damage” claims, taxi-mafia overcharging (use Grab), gem and timeshare touts, and occasional Bangla Road drink-spiking. None of this is unique to Phuket, but all of it is common enough to plan around.
  7. Lèse-majesté is a real, enforced law. Never criticize the monarchy, in person or online; penalties run 3 to 15 years per count. Cannabis is medical-use only under Thailand’s 2026 law, not tolerated or legal for casual tourist use, so treat it as off-limits. Pair both with basic temple etiquette: cover shoulders and knees, remove your shoes, and never treat a Buddha image or statue casually.
  8. The wai (a slight bow, palms pressed together) is the standard greeting; return one if it is offered to you. Feet are the lowest-status body part in Thai custom, so don’t point them at people, Buddha images, or food.
  9. Tipping is not mandatory but appreciated; rounding up or leaving 10% at a sit-down restaurant is standard.
  10. When to go: dry season November to April is the calmest sea and best weather, with December to February the peak. May to October is monsoon, cheaper, and usually short intense downpours rather than all-day rain. The island runs about 48km north to south, so pick one beach base like Kata and day-trip out rather than moving hotels every night.
  11. LGBTQ+ travelers: Thailand’s marriage equality law took effect on January 23, 2025, the first in Southeast Asia, and Phuket has a visible, welcoming scene, especially around Patong.

Book a Phuket airport transfer or day tour in advance during peak season, and check Thailand’s national parks department for current closures at Similan and Maya Bay before you lock in island-trip dates.

See the things to do guide and a 2-day itinerary for how these tips play out on the ground.