5 days on Phuket west coast: swim-bay itinerary
Swim first, boat second. Patong is the night strip, not the first swim base, and November to April is the Andaman dry window.
West-coast swim bays are the five-night Phuket stay, not a Patong default. Use where to stay. Kata and Karon and Kamala and Surin are the swim defaults. Fly Bangkok to Phuket in about 80 minutes (often 1,200 to 4,500 THB). No boat on landing day.
Add one Phang Nga sunrise or a Phi Phi day (400 THB, no swim). Rawai and Nai Harn is the far-south hour. Keep Samui off this page.
Day by day
1 Land HKT
West-coast hotel. Airport car beats a late Smart Bus.
2 Swim bay
Kata, Kamala, or Bang Tao. Old Town only in the cooler hours.
3 Phang Nga or rest
Sunrise bay boat, or a second swim if you hate dawn alarms.
4 South peninsula or Phi Phi
Nai Harn hour, or Maya Bay 400 THB with no swim.
5 Exit HKT
Buffer morning. Same-day long-haul after a boat is tight.
One island, one boat, west-coast sleep
Patong is a night strip. For a family mainland version use 10 days Khao Lak.
| Block | Sleep | Move |
|---|---|---|
| Nights 1 to 5 | Kata, Kamala, Surin, or Bang Tao | HKT car |
| Day 3 or 4 | One boat | Phang Nga or Phi Phi, not both |
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Search flights Chiang Mai to HanoiCommon questions
- Patong for five nights?
- No as a first swim base. Use it for one night out, then sleep on the west coast.
- Phi Phi and Phang Nga?
- Not on five days. Pick one dawn boat.
- May to October?
- Wrong Andaman window. Use a Gulf beach week instead.