Island Guide & News
Stories from the island
Where to stay, eat and explore in Phuket, written by the concierge team that looks after our villas in Bang Tao, Layan, Cherng Talay and Nai Thon.
Bang Tao Beach, Phuket: The Complete Guide to the Bay, Its Markets and Where to Stay
Phuket's longest beach, section by section: where the water is calm, when the markets run, which beach clubs are which, and why it is the best base on the island.
Read the guide- Island Guide
Boat Avenue, Phuket: Friday Market, Restaurants, Supermarkets and Everything Else You Need
The ten-minute-from-your-villa hub: what to eat, where to shop, when the Friday market runs, and why it is the reason Bang Tao works.
- Events
Christmas and New Year in a Phuket Villa: What to Book by When
Peak weather, peak demand: how the festive fortnight works in Phuket, when to book a villa, and where the fireworks and Christmas dinners are.
- Island Guide
Day Trips From Bang Tao: Phi Phi, Phang Nga Bay, Similan, Khao Sok and Which One Is for You
Six day trips compared by price, pier, season and who they suit, so you book the right boat instead of the first one.
- Island Guide
Golf Near Bang Tao and Laguna: Phuket's Courses, Green Fees and How to Book
Five courses within 45 minutes of the villas, what each costs with caddie and cart, and when to play them.
- Planning
How Many Days in Phuket Is Enough? Three Sample Plans From a Villa
The straight answer (five to seven nights), what you can fit into three, and how to stretch to ten with Phi Phi or Krabi.
- Island Guide
Layan Beach, Phuket: The Quiet End of Bang Tao
Casuarina shade, calm water and almost nobody: why the north end of Bang Tao is where we send people who want the beach to themselves.
- Planning
Phuket Airport to Bang Tao, Layan and Nai Thon: Taxi, Grab, Bus and Private Transfer Prices
Every way from HKT to the north-west coast with current prices: taxi counter, Grab, Bolt, the 100-baht bus and a pre-booked car with your name on a sign.
- Island Guide
Things to Do in Phuket at Night That Are Not Patong
A night-by-night guide to the island after dark, from markets and sunsets to beach clubs and cabaret, none of it on Bangla Road.
- Planning
Phuket for Digital Nomads: Working From Bang Tao and Cherng Talay
Wifi, coworking, cafés, the DTV visa and what a month in a villa costs: how the north-west coast works for people who work.
- Planning
Honeymoon in Phuket: Why a Private Pool Villa Beats a Resort, and a Five-Day Plan
The best months, the villa-versus-resort question answered, and a five-day plan built around privacy, one boat and one great sunset.
- Planning
Phuket or Koh Samui? An Honest Comparison by Month, Traveller and Budget
We started on Samui and moved to Phuket. Here is the month-by-month, family-by-family answer to which island to choose.
- Planning
Phuket's Rainy Season Month by Month: What It Is Really Like, and What You Save
A month-by-month table of Phuket's weather, what rainy season actually feels like on the north-west coast, and how much a villa costs less.
- Owners
Short-Term or Long-Term: Which Way Should You Rent Out Your Phuket Villa?
Higher income with more work and rules, or steadier money with less: the honest comparison for villa owners, and how to decide.
- Events
Songkran in Phuket 2027: Dates, Where It Is Wild, Where It Is Calm
Thai New Year falls on 13 to 15 April 2027. Here is what the water festival looks like across Phuket and how to pick your level of wet.
- Owners
Getting Your Phuket Villa Rental-Ready: The Checklist We Use
From district-office registration to the second set of linen: everything a villa needs before the first booking, in the order we do it.
- Planning
What to Pack for a Phuket Villa Holiday, and What the Villa Already Has
Pack less: the villa has towels, toiletries and a kitchen. Bring these twelve things, buy the rest at Boat Avenue, and leave the hairdryer at home.
- Island Guide
Where to Stay in Phuket: An Honest Area Guide for First-Timers, Couples and Families
Ten Phuket areas compared by vibe, drive time and who they suit, with a straight answer for first-timers, couples and families.
- Lifestyle
Pru Champa, Phuket: Quiet Living, Local Lifestyle and a New Generation of Villas
Inside Pru Champa: how a new wave of Phuket villas blends design, nature and a slower way of life, minutes from the north-west beaches.
- Perspectives
Luxury Reimagined: Why a Private Pool Villa Is Better Than a Hotel in 2026
Space, privacy and personal service: the case for choosing a private pool villa over a resort room.
- Island Guide
The Ultimate Guide to Phuket's Best Villa Areas: Bang Tao, Layan and Beyond
Where to stay on the island: a neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood guide to Phuket's most coveted villa enclaves on the north-west coast.
- Offers
Exclusive Offers and Our Best Rate Guarantee for Phuket Villa Holidays
Early-bird specials, last-minute deals, promo codes and a best rate guarantee: what you get when you book your Phuket villa directly with us.
- Concierge
Discover Phuket: Markets, Island Tours and Activities Arranged by Our Concierge
Night markets, speedboat days to Phi Phi, car rental and private drivers: the experiences our concierge team arranges before or during your stay.
- Island Guide
Best Restaurants and Beach Clubs Near Escape Villas in Bang Tao
Where to eat near your villa: the breakfast cafés, restaurants and beach clubs our concierge team recommends around Bang Tao, Layan and Boat Avenue.