Phuket International Airport (HKT)
Phuket's airport, at the far north of the island, about 32 km from Phuket Town: where most trips begin, and where you choose between taxi, Grab and bus.
5 places
Phuket's airport and piers: which one for what
The airport at the northern tip and the piers for the islands side by side: where each one is and what leaves from it, before you take a taxi.
Phuket International Airport is at Mai Khao, at the northern tip of the island, about 32 km from Phuket Town; Patong is about 40 to 50 minutes away by road outside rush hour. The piers are spread around the coast, and the one on your ticket depends on where you are going.
Rassada, near Phuket Town, is the port for the public ferries to Phi Phi and the boats to Krabi. Chalong, in the south, is the busiest pier for boat trips: Racha, Coral Island and the dive boats. On the north-east coast, Ao Po is the starting point for most sea-canoe trips into Phang Nga Bay, and Bang Rong the pier for Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai. Many tours include a pick-up from your hotel; if you book a boat yourself, check the pier name before you take a taxi. Our travel information guide covers the airport, getting around and the boats in detail.
Compare at a glance
| Places | Access | Entry | Time to allow | Best time | Distance (from Patong) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phuket International Airport (HKT) | By road | Only to arrive or leave | 24 km | ||
| Rassada Pier | By road | Only to catch a boat | 13 km | ||
| Chalong Pier | By road | Only to catch a boat | 11 km | ||
| Ao Po Pier | By road | Only to catch a boat | 24 km | ||
| Bang Rong Pier | By road | Only to catch a boat | Before the last boat, around 5 pm | 22 km |
Rassada Pier
Phuket's main ferry port, on the east coast near Phuket Town: the public ferries to Phi Phi leave from here, and the boats to Krabi.
Chalong Pier
Phuket's busiest pier for boat trips, on Chalong Bay: speedboats to Racha and Coral Island, dive boats, and some Phi Phi trips.
Ao Po Pier
A pier on the north-east coast, facing Phang Nga Bay: the starting point for most sea-canoe trips into the bay from Phuket.
Bang Rong Pier
The pier on Phuket's north-east coast for Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai, with public speedboats roughly every hour until about 5 pm.
See these places with us
Travel info
Travel info
The practical side of a trip to Phuket: entry rules that changed in September 2026, an airport at the far north of the island, blue buses that run from Phuket Town to one beach and back but never between beaches, scooters that put many riders in hospital, and a few habits that save money.
Things to do · the islands
Islands
From Phuket you can reach many islands in a day: Phi Phi and Maya Bay, the Racha islands to the south, small Coral Island, the Khai islands, the Similan far to the north-west, and the quiet Koh Yao islands in Phang Nga Bay. They are not reached from the same pier, and they are not all open all year.
Where to stay · Mai Khao and Nai Yang
Mai Khao and Nai Yang
The quiet north of the island, inside a national park and next to the airport. What each beach is like to sleep at, what the sea does, and who would be happier somewhere else.
Where to stay · Patong
Patong
The busiest base on the island, with everything on foot. Which part of the bay to sleep in, what the nights sound like, and who would be happier somewhere else.
Common questions
Which pier is the ferry to Phi Phi from?
The public ferries leave from Rassada, on the east coast near Phuket Town, and arrive at Ton Sai pier on Phi Phi Don. Most Phi Phi day trips by speedboat leave from the east-coast marinas instead, and some from Chalong: check the pier on your booking.
Can I land at Phuket airport and reach Koh Yao Noi the same day?
Only if you land early enough. The last boat from Bang Rong to Koh Yao Noi leaves around 5 pm: if your flight lands after about 3.30 pm, you may miss it and spend the night on Phuket.