We hired bikes and rode the winding coast roads of Phuket out to the Big Buddha. The statue is 45m tall and covered in white Burmese marble. From there we wandered the pastel-coloured old streets of Phuket Old Town, where Thalang Road is lined with old Sino-Portuguese shophouses.
On day 11 we went to the famous “Plane Beach” at Mai Khao. Standing on the sand while incoming planes roared in just metres above our heads was a real thrill, and it gave us some of the most dramatic photos of the whole trip.
Good to know
- Big Buddha: the statue is 45m tall and covered in white Burmese marble. Entry is free, and shoulders and knees must be covered. It closed after a landslide in August 2024 and reopened in March 2026.
- Phuket Old Town: on Sundays, Thalang Road becomes a walking street market from 4pm to 9pm, among the old Sino-Portuguese shophouses.
- Plane Beach: signs warn that jet blast can cause serious injury, and standing directly in the landing path isn’t allowed. Watch from the side.
We checked these details in October 2026. Times, prices and rules do change, so it’s worth a quick look at the official sites before you go.