When you close your eyes and picture Phuket, you see turquoise water and white sand. And while the beaches are a world-class attraction, they are only half the story. The island’s interior—a lush, hilly landscape of jungles, farms, and rich culture—is where you’ll find some of the most memorable experiences.
If you’re wondering what to do in Phuket besides beaches, you’re in for a treat. The island is packed with adventure, history, and wonder. These Phuket inland tours offer a perfect way to spend a day (or three!) exploring the heart of the island.
Based on what our guests love the most, here are the 5 best types of Phuket land tours for your 2025 holiday.
1. Ethical Wildlife Encounters
This has become one of the most popular and rewarding experiences in all of Thailand. In recent years, Phuket has shifted away from unethical animal tourism towards a model of care and conservation.
The best experiences are at ethical elephant sanctuaries. These are retirement homes for elephants that have been rescued from the logging or entertainment industries. A tour here isn’t about watching animals perform; it’s about helping them. You’ll spend a half-day preparing their food, feeding them, walking with them through the jungle, and helping them bathe in a mud spa and river.
It’s a joyful, educational, and deeply moving experience for all ages, and it’s one of our ethical elephant sanctuary tours that we recommend most highly.
2. High-Adrenaline Adventure Tours
Ready to get your heart pumping? Phuket’s hilly, jungle-covered terrain is a natural adventure park. If you’re a thrill-seeker, you have plenty of options.
- ATV / Buggy Tours: This is the most popular of all Phuket adventure tours. You’ll power a quad bike or buggy through jungle trails, across rubber plantations, and up to stunning, hard-to-reach viewpoints.
- Ziplining: Soar through the rainforest canopy and get a bird’s-eye view of the jungle. It’s an incredible rush and a great way to see the island’s dense greenery.
- White Water Rafting: While technically in the neighbouring Phang Nga province, these full-day trips are an action-packed adventure, often combined with a visit to a waterfall and an ATV ride.
If you’re looking for an adrenaline-filled day, check out our full range of Phuket adventure tours.
3. Cultural & Historical Tours
To truly understand Phuket, you have to explore its history and spiritual heart. The island has a unique “Peranakan” culture, a blend of Chinese and Thai, which is most visible in its food and architecture.
The two “must-do” cultural sights are:
- Big Buddha & Chalong Temple: The 45-meter-tall Big Buddha sits on a hill with breathtaking 360-degree views of the island. Nearby, Wat Chalong is the largest and most important Buddhist temple in Phuket, a beautiful and serene complex.
- Phuket Old Town: This is the historical heart of the island. The streets are lined with colourful Sino-Portuguese shophouses, now home to quirky cafes, art galleries, and boutiques.
You can explore these on our guided Phuket city & temple tours to get the full story from a local expert.
4. Viewpoints & “Wow” Moments
Phuket is a very hilly island, which means it has no shortage of staggering viewpoints for that perfect holiday photo. While you can rent a scooter and find them yourself, a guided tour is the most efficient and relaxed way to see the best of them.
These tours will typically take you to the “big three”:
- Karon Viewpoint: The famous spot where you can see the three bays of Kata Noi, Kata, and Karon.
- Promthep Cape: The southernmost tip of the island, this is the classic, iconic spot for watching the sunset.
- Big Buddha: As mentioned above, the platform here offers perhaps the single best panoramic view on the island.
5. Entertainment & Shows
When the sun goes down, the adventure doesn’t have to stop. Phuket is home to several world-class stage shows and theme parks that are perfect for families and couples.
These are not just “shows”; they are massive, high-budget productions that blend Thai culture, myth, and Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatics. Phuket’s best evening shows and theme parks (like Phuket FantaSea and Carnival Magic) are an explosion of light, sound, and entertainment, often including a huge buffet dinner, making for a perfect all-in-one evening.
Conclusion: Discover the “Other” Side of Phuket
As you can see, there is so much more to Phuket than its (admittedly gorgeous) coastline. You could spend a week just on Phuket land tours and never get bored.
From the spiritual calm of a temple to the jungle roar of an ATV, the island’s inland tours offer a different kind of magic. We highly recommend you take at least one day away from the sea to discover the incredible, vibrant heart of Phuket.