Phuket, the dazzling pearl on the Andaman coast of Thailand, is a heaven for photographers. Set amid sparkly beaches, happening culture and history, the island of Phuket is replete with locations that scream for beautiful shots and thus bestow a uniqueness of its own to your Instagram feed. Whether you’re an experienced shutterbug or a fledgling photographer, Phuket photo tours brandish a worthy appearance on the list of best ways to explore the island’s most charming spots and at the same time sharpen your acumen relating to photography.
In this guide, we take you through the best spots around Phuket from which to catch some great shots for the ‘gram, joining guided photo tours, and creating content that will appeal to your audience, upping both your online game.
The Best Instagram Spots in Phuket
Phuket is a tropical paradise framing innumerable opportunities to capture exotic shots to later upload on Instagram. So here we enlisted some must-visit spots that you can never miss:
Big Buddha
The Big Buddha is one of the most famous landmarks in Phuket, towering at 45 meters. Located in Nakkerd Hill, an open hill offers an excellent panoramic view of the island. And the place is so peaceful that it will be nice to take a shot of the statue and the surroundings when the weather is very fine, especially during sunrise and sunset period.
Promthep Cape
Promthep Cape is also recognized as one of the best viewpoints for Phuket sunsets, as it is dramatic with its steep cliffs and vast views of the Andaman Sea—an ideal setting to capture beautiful sunset photos. Come early to get a nice spot and enjoy the breathtaking view as the sun sets below the horizon.
Khao Rang Viewpoint
Khao Rang Viewpoint opens up to a view that sweeps over Phuket Town and the outlying islets. Being on top of the hill, this place is just right for taking panoramic photos, especially during the golden hour. Easy access to the viewpoint allows great opportunities to catch the beauty of the island from above.
Old Phuket Town
The flowery lanes are dressed in colorful Sino-Portuguese architecture, street art, and full of impulse of various cafes. You can just walk down the lanes and see how much you can find to take photos—the obvious historic buildings or the live street scenes. Key spots are the Soi Romanee, Chartered Bank, and unique architecture.
Windmill Viewpoint
Situated in Rawai, the Windmill Viewpoint takes one’s breath away with panoramic beautiful views over the Andaman Sea. With the giant white windmill, this place is unique in its shot and is, therefore, quite popular with tourists and locals. It sets itself apart during sunset.
Ma Doo Bua Cafe
Ma Doo Bua Cafe is located amidst gigantic Victoria lilies and has been a favorite haunt among Instagrammers. The setting is so unique that you can take creative photographs here; the cafe even offers several photo shoot packages for professionals. Whether you avail their services or capture special moments yourself, it is a lovely place with great images.
Freedom Beach
Freedom Beach is scenic and peaceful. Since it’s literally off the beaten path, this makes it less crowded than other beaches in Phuket, providing you with a chance to capture serene beach shots. The clear water and the stunning white sand provide you with an impressive viewpoint for your shots.
Baba Nest
For a class experience, head to the rooftop bar Baba Nest, from where you can get a view of the sea and the surrounding islands. In this sophisticated environment with a view, you can easily add to your collection of stunning sunset shots. Take in the view of Phuket from above with a cocktail in hand.
Soi Romanee
Located in Old Phuket Town, Soi Romanee is a pretty little street with its old Sino-colonial-style shophouses colorfully restored and full of colorful street art. The place is of a charming atmosphere and distinctive architecture—just perfect for great shots capturing the very spirit and uniqueness of Phuket culture.
Mai Khao Beach
Mai Khao Beach is famous for its plane-spotting opportunities, where you can capture stunning shots of large jets flying low over the beach. This unique perspective creates incredible photos, especially during landing times.
Ancient Buildings in Sino-European Style
Sino-Portuguese architecture defines the skyline of Phuket Town with colonial charm, providing a base of buildings that you can color and make your photographs pop. Not only the beauty, but the buildings are phenomenal, rich in history, therefore a great subject for photography.
Monkey Hill Viewpoint
Monkey Hill, the animal wilderness vantage point. Monkey Hill is an impossibly steep hill covered in tangled rainforest and crowded with furry opportunists. The hill is home to scattered bands of macaques that amble freely over the high-walled parking lot to sit and wait for an easy lunch. Here, you can snap some fun monkey photos with fantastic views around.
Samet Nangshe Viewpoint
Located further from Phuket, Samet Nangshe Viewpoint is where you can get beautiful views over Phang Nga Bay. Beautiful scenery with dramatically shaped limestone cliffs and rich vegetation can be captured as an ideal location for taking sunrise and sunset photos.
James Bond Island
The famous ones are James Bond Island, seen in the movie “The Man with the Golden Gun.” Being famous, it’s understandably a key place for tourism. The unique rock formations and brilliant scenery give the ideal ambience for creating memorable shots.
Naithon Beach
Less crowded compared to the other beaches in Phuket, Naithon Beach provides clean sand and transparent waters, which make a nice background for beach photos, preferably taken during sunrise or sunset.
Stairs Phuket
This is a vibrant staircase, but it is beautiful unusual because staircases of the same design are generally done with this feature in white. Go see for yourself at Phuket Town.
Phuket Sign at Patong Beach
The colorful Phuket Sign, located in Patong Beach, is a relative newcomer in this area and very quickly it has become one of the popular photo spots. A photo taken here is especially nice during sunset, which you should not miss.
Wat Chalong
Of all the Buddhist temples in Phuket, Wat Chalong is the largest and most important. Elaborate architecture and a serene ambiance give an opening for a photographer to preserve in clicks the beauty of Thai culture and spirituality.
Three Monkeys Restaurant
It’s a small and cozy restaurant distinguished for its fine tastes of Thai cuisine and very cozy environment. Lots of décor and theme setting offer the best opportunity to click the essence of local eating experiences.
Phuket Elephant Sanctuary
A more overtly ethical nature experience, the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary allows one to get touching moments with the rescued elephants in a more natural surrounding. In addition, its charity mission is an animal-supported area.
Karon Viewpoint
Situated on the hill known as Three Beaches Hill, Karon Viewpoint offers some of the best and most spectacular views of the bays; one can take some great pictures. It is easily accessible, and one can get the best shots on the island from a nice, high spot.
Ao Sane Beach
Ao Sane Beach is special in its way since it boasts a rocky coastline and some of the clearest waters. It is a quiet place and helps one capture very different coastal photographs with a retreat from the crowd.
Laem Singh Viewpoint
Laem Singh Viewpoint provides you with a panoramic view over the coastline and offers a great site to shoot your sunsets. The limestone cliffs combined with the greenery present a great setting for your photographs.
Phuket Butterfly Garden and Insect World
Capture some of nature’s best photos at Phuket Butterfly Garden, where the vibrancy of each of their numerous species flying around you in a fresh tropical haven creates a riot of colors. So colorful, with that dusky setting, it will be a special session of taking photos.
Kata Noi Beach at Sunset
Kata Noi Beach is famous for its spectacular views of the setting sun. Capture the full blaze of the setting sun, as it projects a glow across the sky to serve as a magical backdrop in your photos.
Why Join a Guided Photo Tour?
Surely, you won’t have to prepare anything if you explore these destinations on your own. Still, going on a guided photo tour has its advantages:
- Expert Guidance: These guides are aware of the best times and angles to take pictures for places in the locations. They will aid in improving your skills as a photographer and make sure you do not miss out on any beauty hidden.
- Time Management: It will help you in managing your time wisely and visiting every top spot without getting involved in the hassle of planning by yourself.
- Local Insights: There will be a lot of interesting stories by guides about the places and historical facts, thereby enriching the experience and contextualizing the pictures there.
- Meet Like-Minded People: Photo tours are a great way to connect with other photography enthusiasts, exchange tips, and enjoy the experience together.
Final Thoughts
From the dramatic views of the landscape to the cultural attraction, Phuket offers endless picture-perfect locations for Instagram. This island offers everything to gain your perfect shot of the cool sunset, historical architecture, or unique dining scene. And, by taking part in their guided photo tour, work on making interesting content that gets your name out there for the Instagram following to help build a larger following. Take out your camera and capture these fantastic locations as you create those moments that will last forever!