Phuket Without a Scooter: Which Guided Day Trip Solves the Transport Problem?
6 min read
If you do not want to ride a scooter on Phuket, book the Guided Tour of Phuket City with Hotel Transfers for your first day: from €31.89, 4.8 stars from 3,191 reviews, with hotel pickup and drop-off in the description. More programme is on offer in the Full-Day City Tour with Night Market from €33.22, though it takes nine hours. If you want to choose the stops yourself, take the Private Guided Tour with Choice of Locations at €119.59 per group up to 9 people.
Who this is for
Guests who skip the scooter because they have never ridden one, do not trust the traffic or lack the right licence, and who still want to see more than their beach.
What a scooter would otherwise have to do
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating / reviews | How the day runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Tour of Phuket City with Hotel Transfers | 1 day | €31.89 | 4.8 / 3,053 | Guided tour, hotel pickup stated |
| Full-Day City Tour with Night Market | 9 hours | €33.22 | 4.5 / 3,161 | Group tour by van, pickup not stated |
| Private Guided Tour with Choice of Locations | 4 hours | €119.59 per group up to 9 | 4.7 / 233 | 3 to 7 of 30 places, your choice |
City tour: the transfer is the point
Viewpoints, the Big Buddha Viewpoint and the old town are not next to each other. On a scooter that would mean several rides on roads you do not know; here the transfer takes care of it. How long you stay at each stop is not stated, so expect an overview, not a day for every lane of the old town.
Check availability and prices for the city tour
Night-market tour: cheaper, but long
The starting price is below the city tour’s, but you spend nine hours in a group. The programme: viewpoints, Chalong Temple, the Big Buddha, the old town and shopping at the night market. The description does not mention hotel pickup, and anyone who dislikes markets pays for a part of the programme they do not need.
Check availability and prices for the night-market tour
Private tour: when the group cannot agree
Four hours, one guide, your selection. That pays off when part of the group wants viewpoints and the rest wants temples. The price covers the whole group of up to 9 and is out of proportion for solo travellers next to the other two tours. Whether your hotel is collected is not in the description; ask.
Check availability and prices for the private tour
Our recommendation
For a first visit without a scooter: the Guided Tour of Phuket City with Hotel Transfers. It solves transport without a private-tour budget. The night-market tour suits a second, longer day, and the private tour suits groups with opposing wishes.
