Best area to stay in Phuket for families

Phuket is a great place to visit in Thailand with kids. It has loads of family friendly things to do and some fabulous resorts for families. It’s pretty big and the type of holiday you’ll have very much depends on where you decide to base yourselves. So if you’re wondering where is the best area to stay in Phuket for families, check out this list of the popular spots and why they are so great for kids.

If you’re looking for specific hotel recommendations then have a look at my post on the Best Family Resorts in Phuket.

Phuket is the largest of all the Thai Islands. It’s just under 50km long which doesn’t sound all that big but getting around can take time due to the horrific traffic around the towns. Have a look at the map of Phuket below to get an idea of where the main areas are located.

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Kata

Kata is widely thought to be the best area to stay in Phuket for families and it definitely has plenty to keep the whole family entertained. It’s home to an absolutely gorgeous beach with soft white sand and calm waves. Between May and October kids can try surfing on Kata Beach.

There are plenty of bars and restaurants bordering the sand which are the perfect places to take in the breathtaking sunsets.

Kata Town is home to plenty of small shops and restaurants plus some fun family friendly activities like Dino Park mini golf.

Family friendly hotel in Kata

The Novotel Kata Avista Resort is a great option if you’re looking for somewhere to stay in Kata with kids. It has a fabulous splash play area and a welcoming kids club. Plus spacious family sized rooms with plenty of special features for kids.

Bangtao

Bang Tao is another great place for families and the best option if you’re after a stunning beach holiday. It feels neither too busy or too quiet. Kids can take part in watersports right on the beach.

Bangtao is home to Blue Tree Phuket, a fantastic waterpark with rides and attractions for the whole family. And a brilliant night market for great value street food and toys and clothes.

The area is home to plenty of luxury family friendly resorts and also some stunning beach front villa rentals if you are looking for something for a large family.

Bangtao is less than 10km from the airport so it’s a fairly easy area in Phuket to reach. However you will be a bit far from the busier parts of the island like Patong and Kata.

Best hotel in Bang Tao for kids

The Anantara Layan Resort is a lovely property located at the Northern end of Bangtao beach. It’s pool villas and family friendly suites are huge and modern Thai by design and the service is always exceptional. They also offer babysitting, a play area and excellent kids club.

Kamala

Kamala is a gorgeous spot just North of Patong. It’s home to another gorgeous beach with plenty of walk in spas, restaurants and bars right on the sand. There are several play areas on the beach so you can relax in the sand while the kids burn off some extra energy. You could even book them horseriding on the sand.

Kamala is nice and quiet and there’s not heaps of organised activities for little ones but it is fairly centrally located to head out on day trips to find other things to do. It’s a good spot for relaxing and enjoying time at the beach or in your resort.

Kamala is also home to the Phuket Fantasea theme park and Carnival Magic which is a great kid friendly attraction.

Family friendly hotel in Kamala

The Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort is located just South of Kamala. It has a gorgeous infinity pool offering uninterrupted views of the Andaman Sea. The hotel has a brilliant kids club which offers little ones various organised activities including lessons on the ecology of the area. Plus the onsite restaurants are super family friendly.

Mai Khao

If you’re just in Phuket for a short stay or fancy getting away from it all, Mai Khao is a great choice. It’s located right next to the airport, only ten minutes by taxi and home to some absolutely gorgeous resorts.

There’s not much to do apart from head to the beach which is always very quiet with soft white sand and fabulous views. Much of the beach is part of Sirinat National Park meaning it is very well looked after. Just South of Mai Khao is Nai Yang Beach, one of my favourites on the island.

If you get tired of the beach, you can visit Splash Jungle, Phukets largest water park. But there isn’t that much else to do and you’re quiet far away from anything else.

Family friendly hotel in Mai Khao

We loved our stay at the Anantara Mai Khao. It’s the ultimate in luxury hotels and has a fantastic kids club to keep the little ones entertained. The rooms and villas are absolutely huge and beautifully designed.

Patong

Patong is the tourist capital of Phuket and for that reason you’ll either love it or hate it. This is the best area to stay in Phuket for families looking for lots of nightlife. It’s super busy year round and popular with the party crowd and bar crawlers. Patong where Bangla Walking street is located which is probably the seediest part of Phuket – but that’s fairly easy to avoid if you’re in Patong with kids.

Don’t let this put you off, it’s still got plenty of family friendly activities and some cracking resorts for kids. Little ones will love the play areas, arcades and cinema is Jungceylon, Phukets largest mall whilst older kids can try Wakeboarding at Phuket Wake Park.

Patong is home to several excellent markets making it a great value place to try street food or to pick up your souvenirs to take home. You’ll find heaps of replica sporting goods stalls so little fashionistas will be in their element. Or if you fancy treating the kids to a bit of luxury, spend the afternoon at Fuga Beach club where you’ll find some great food, fancy mocktails (or cocktails for the grown ups) and great tunes after dark.

Family friendly hotel in Patong

We stayed at the Diamond Cliff Resort and Spa which was the perfect spot for us a family. It’s a luxury hotel located on the outskirts of town meaning we could easily escape the madness but still walk into the centre if we wanted.

The South – Rawai and Panwa

The South of Phuket is probably the best area to stay in Phuket for families looking to simply relax. It’s a lot quieter than the central western stretch of bustling tourist towns. I actually love the peninsulas of Rawai and Panwa.

The beaches aren’t as big but the sand tends to be soft and white and the resorts are super luxurious. If you’re looking to escape it all, this is your place. Just remember it’s a long way from all other attractions on the island.

My family friendly hotel recomendation

We really enjoyed our stay at the Cape Panwa Hotel. It has its own private stretch of beach and a really cute funicular that takes you from the main hotel to the sand. It’s a definite child pleaser.

Phuket Town

Phuket Town probably has the most authentic feel in all of Phuket. It’s popular with backpackers and long term visitors as accommodation options can be very cheap. It’s home to several shopping centres and markets, an aquarium plus some pretty temples but it’s not on the beach which seems a bit counter intuitive when visiting Thai islands.

Phuket Town is fairly close to a busy pier so a good option if you plan on going on lots of boat trips to the islands or will be arriving to Phuket by boat.

Family friendly hotel in Phuket Town

The Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town is located right in the heart of the action in Phuket Town. It has a lovely pool with a separate kids area and a bar which is the perfect place to cool off after a day of exploring and plenty of spacious, family sized rooms.

Phuket multi location trips

Remember, the best area in Phuket for families could actually be more than one! We often opt for a few different hotels, staying in each for a couple of nights. That way we get to really experience several different areas and hiring a car means we can travel around easily. Obviously you can also explore all over the island by booking day trips with transport included.

I recommend starting your stay somewhere fairly busy like Kata or Bangtao and finishing at Mai Khao for some peace and quiet (and easy access to the airport!).

Where else is family friendly near Phuket?

If none of these areas sound right for you or you’re looking for somewhere a little more traditionally Thai you might want to consider Khao Lak. Located across the Sarasin bridge on the North of the island this town feels a lot calmer than most places on Phuket. It’s home to some stunning beaches, gorgeous family resorts and is only an hours drive from Phuket Airport.

Basically I don’t think there is a “best area to stay in Phuket for families”, all of it has its charm and it really will depend on your interests and ages of your kids. As a rule if you’re looking for peace and quiet head to either the far North or South, for an activity packed holiday then you’ll want to be on the central West coast. Don’t worry too much about where you base yourselves, tuk tuks and taxi are very cheap although it can take quite a while to get around the island due to traffic.

Check out these other posts on visiting Phuket with kids