Where your ship comes in
Phuket has two places cruise passengers come ashore. Phuket Deep Sea Port sits at Ao Makham, a working bay on the south-east coast past Phuket Town. In the November–April high season, many large ships anchor in Patong Bay on the west coast instead and bring passengers ashore by tender boat; from May to October they more often dock at Ao Makham. Your cruise line's port information will say which applies on your date.
| Destination | By car |
|---|---|
| Phuket Old Town | About 20 minutes |
| Wat Chalong | About 25–30 minutes |
| Big Buddha | About 35–40 minutes |
| Patong Beach | About 40–60 minutes |
| Kata and Karon | About 35–45 minutes |
| Phuket Airport | About 55 minutes |
Meeting your driver
- Docked at the Deep Sea Port: IslandTransfer is licensed to pick up inside the port. Your driver waits at the passenger terminal exit with your name on a sign.
- Tendered ashore at Patong: there is no parking at the landing and the beach road is often jammed, so your driver messages you on WhatsApp and you meet at a nearby spot where a car can stop.
- Crew on shore leave or any other vessel: landing points vary, so your driver contacts you on WhatsApp to agree where to meet.
Plan your own day
A private hourly booking is your car and your driver, not a coach tour with fixed stops. We recommend planning the day yourself around what your group actually wants — or simply talking it through with your driver, who knows how long each stop really takes. These are the things our cruise guests ask for most:
- Phuket Old Town — colourful Sino-Portuguese shophouses, cafés and street art.
- Souvenir shopping — Phuket cashew nuts, local snacks and gifts to take home.
- A Thai massage or spa treatment.
- Lunch — fresh seafood or Southern Thai food.
- A famous beach: Patong, Kata or Karon.
- Big Buddha, Wat Chalong and the Promthep Cape viewpoint.
- An elephant sanctuary, where you feed and walk with the elephants.
Two sample days — examples only
Use these as a starting point, not a script. Change anything — your driver adjusts on the day.
| About 4 hours | About 8 hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Pickup at the port | Pickup at the port |
| Morning | Phuket Old Town walk and coffee | Big Buddha and Wat Chalong |
| Midday | Souvenir shopping, then a Thai massage | Seafood lunch, then a beach — Kata, Karon or Patong |
| Afternoon | Back to the ship | Phuket Old Town and souvenir shopping, or a spa |
| Finish | With time to spare before all-aboard | With time to spare before all-aboard |
Frequently asked
Do cruise ships dock or tender in Phuket?＋
Both. Ships either dock at Phuket Deep Sea Port at Ao Makham or anchor in Patong Bay and tender passengers ashore — large ships usually tender at Patong in the November–April high season. IslandTransfer picks up at both.
What is the best way to see Phuket on a cruise stop?＋
A private car and driver by the hour. The port is far from the sights and a day ashore is short, so having the car wait at every stop saves the most time. IslandTransfer offers hourly bookings from 4 hours and is licensed to pick up at Phuket Deep Sea Port.
How far is Phuket Old Town from the cruise port?＋
About 20 minutes by car from Phuket Deep Sea Port at Ao Makham. Patong Beach is about 40–60 minutes depending on traffic.
Can my driver make sure I am back before the ship leaves?＋
Yes. Give IslandTransfer your all-aboard time when you book and your driver plans the day around it, keeping a buffer for traffic.
Is there a fee to be picked up at Phuket Deep Sea Port?＋
The port charges cars ฿200 to enter for a pick-up. IslandTransfer shows it in your fixed price before you book: it is added to bookings under 6 hours, and we cover it when you book 6 hours or more. Nothing extra is paid at the gate.
Keep reading
Written by the IslandTransfer team in Phuket and last reviewed on 4 October 2026. Things change here — if you spot something out of date, tell us and we will fix it.