Phuket: The Best Viewpoints - Complete Guide
Phuket is a hilly island offering amazing viewpoints which provide a better sense of the geography of the island. Here we unveil Phuket’s best viewpoints that promise breath-taking panoramas, from beautiful landscapes to golden sunsets over the Andaman Sea. These places should be on every Instagrammers bucket list to visit and enjoy the views.
THAILAND: PHUKET
Phuket is an enchanting destination and has spectacular views that showcase its natural beauty. Phuket is a hilly island and the viewpoints allow you to see stunning panoramas that boast beautiful landscapes and natural wonders.
Whether it's a sunset-watching spot, a 360-degree panorama of the south of the island, a vista from the top of Phuket Town or a glimpse of swathes of tropical lushness, it's all within your grasp in minutes.
All of the viewpoints below are completely free to visit and most are easy to reach with your own transport. You may chose to take a guided tour which also includes Phuket Old Town, find out more here.
A few viewpoints are more challenging to access and will require a degree of physical fitness.
Here are some of the best places to enjoy fantastic views of Phuket.
On any hillside or cliff in Phuket you can find a bar or restaurant offering amazing food and drinks with the most stunning views.
Black Rock Viewpoint - Pa Hin Dum (Black Rock Forest)
This is our favourite viewpoint in Phuket. You can drive almost all the way there on a rough dirt road however, the last 300m is a steep clamber through the jungle to reach the stunning clearing and viewpoint over Nai Harn Beach, Promthep Cape and Koh Man.
To find Black Rock Viewpoint, travel from Karon Viewpoint towards Nai Harn Beach. The entrance to the dirt road leading to Black Rock Viewpoint is on the right marked by the sign for Nui Beach. Drive along the bumpy dirt road for approximately 1km until you reach a large stone with ‘Pa Hin Dum’ written on it. Park here and take the trail on the left up to the viewpoint which is a large plateaux featuring huge black granite stones. You will be rewarded with spectacular views over Nai Harn Beach, Promthep Cape and Koh Man.
Phuket’s iconic Big Buddha is not only known for the 45m statue but also for the breath-taking 360 degree views over the south of the island. From the top of Mount Nakkerd, enjoy the views over Chalong Bay, Kata Noi Bay and Kata Bay. If you are lucky and the skies are clear, you can spot Phang Nga Bay, just beyond Chalong Bay and possibly the Windmill at Promthep Cape.
Read our Complete Guide to visiting Big Buddha here
Big Buddha
This tour offers a unique blend of adventure and spirituality making it a must-do experience for adventurers seeking an exhilarating way to explore Phuket’s natural beauty and cultural significance.
Find out more here
Big Buddha closed on 2nd September 2024 for inspections following the landslide
Check back for updates and reopening
On the same southern tip as the Black Rock Viewpoint you will also find the Laem Krating Bluff which is a very remote peninsula with a wild untamed beauty that is hard to find anywhere else on Phuket Island.
This viewpoint is more remote and will require a short hike to get there. You have two options: You can park at Black Rock Viewpoint then continue down the dirt path following signs for Dragon Camping. Keep left when you reach the campsite and follow the path out onto the bluff. From here it is an extremely steep climb down to the coastline.
Cape Krating - Laem Krating
Alternatively, you can go along the coastline from The Nai Harn Hotel. Follow the road until you reach the Baan Krating Resort where there is a sign sign for the beach to the left before the resort. Follow the coast along and you will eventually reach the point.
Laem Krating and Black Rock Viewpoint can be combined into a 7km loop hike.
This is one of the most famous panoramas in Phuket and is also referred to as ‘Kata Viewpoint’.
From here you will see three beautiful bays: The closest and smallest one is Kata Noi Beach, then a bit further is the beautiful Kata Beach and its island ‘Koh Poo’ and the furthest away is Karon Beach.
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Karon Viewpoint – Kho Sam Head (The Hill With The Three Beaches)
This viewpoint is easily located and most visitors stop here for a few minutes to enjoy the spectacular view and take a few photographs.
Karon Viewpoint is included in the highly rated Half- Day City Highlights and Viewpoints Group Tour - Click here to reserve now and pay later
Promthep Cape is the southernmost point of Phuket and is most famous for the stunning sunsets and views over the sea dotted with islands. This is where you will find the iconic palm trees.
Promthep Cape Viewpoint – Laem Promthep
There’s a line of colourful shops opposite the car park with reasonably priced clothing and souvenirs. You can also get cold drinks, coffee and snacks from here.
If you have the time you can take the short hike down to the end of the Cape.
Promthep Viewpoint is included in the highly rated Half- Day City Highlights and Viewpoints Group Tour - Click here to reserve now and pay later
This viewpoint also has a shrine surrounded by hundreds of elephant statues and carvings in all sizes and colours and the Lighthouse which is also a mini-museum.
Windmill Viewpoint is an excellent vantage point to take photographs of both Nai Harn Beach and Ya Nui Beach with its small island Koh Man. This is an extremely popular spot for watching the sunset in Phuket.
Windmill Viewpoint very easy to find, you can’t miss the enormous wind turbine. It is located on the road between Nai Harn Beach and Ya Nui Beach and there is a small amount of parking available.
There’s nothing else to do here apart from enjoy the views and have cold drink or ice cream from the kiosk.
Windmill Viewpoint is included in the highly rated Half- Day City Highlights and Viewpoints Group Tour - Click here to reserve now and pay later
Windmill Viewpoint
Kao Khad Tower is a purpose-built viewpoint with breath-taking 360 degree views from the top. On a clear day, you can see Phang Nga Bay.
The tower is easily located using google maps and you can drive right up to it. There is ample parking, toilets, a small kiosk and a café.
Kao Khad Viewpoint Tower – Cape Panwa
North: Phuket Town, Rang Hill and Kathu.
South: Koh Sirey, Makham Cape and Taphao Island.
East: Ao Yon Bay, Ell Island, Lone Island and Tanan Island.
West: Palai Bay and the Mangrove of Mudong Canal, Wat Chalong and the Big Buddha.
This sea level viewpoint is close to the Kao Khad Tower and can be combined in the same trip. It is one of the few viewpoints which is not on top of a hill but affords amazing views over the coastline of Cape Panwa with Big Buddha visible in the distance.
Kao Khad Viewpoint – Cape Panwa
This is a good spot for bird watching due to the abundance of mangroves in the area.
It is easily accessible as it is roadside with several pagodas for shade.
This spot offers you a bird’s eye view of Phuket Town with the bays of Chalong and Panwa in the distance and a glimpse of the Big Buddha. Rang Hill is easily located using Google Maps and is included on some tours. There are monkeys here with their own feeding station at the side of the car park. You can rest here for a drink or meal at the Tunk Ka Café.
Rang Hill – Phuket Town
Monkey Hill – Phuket Town
This viewpoint is most famous for its abundance of monkeys! The views are not as good as Rang Hill but if you want to see monkeys up close this is the place to be!
However, be aware that these monkeys are wild animals and can be unpredictable. They are used to being provided with food by tourists and are only interested in you for food. They will snatch any loose items such as sunglasses or bags and will attempt to search your pockets and grab bags of food from you. If they show you their teeth, they are not smiling this is a warning. Whilst the baby monkeys are cute, the mothers are fiercely protective.
Monkey Hill is located at the north of Phuket Town, the hill with the large red and white antennas on the top. You can drive most of the way up and you will be directed to park at a small Chinese Shrine where the road has now been closed off. There are a few car parking spaces and plenty of room for motorcycle parking. From there you will need to walk for 1.7km to reach the viewpoint at the top of the hill.
Watching the sunrise at Samet Nangshe viewpoint in Phang Nga is a stunning experience. The viewpoint offers a breathtaking panoramic view of Phang Nga Bay, with limestone karsts rising from the water and mangrove forests, creating a picturesque scene.
Samet Nangshe Viewpoint is just north of Phuket over the Sarasin Bridge. You can get there from Phuket by motorbike, rental car or taxi.
Sunrise is the best time for photographs although at any time of day the view is spectacular.
Read our complete guide everything about Samet Nangshe viewpoint
Samet Nangshe Viewpoint
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