Phuket travel guide for Indians
Thailand — visa, money, eSIM, food and safetyCountry-wide essentials live on the Thailand guide — visa, money, customs and language. Last reviewed .
Visa & entryThailand
- Type
- Visa-free entry
- Fee
- ₹0
- Validity days
- 30
- Processing days
- 0 (on arrival)
Documents
- Passport (6 months validity)
- Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) — fill online within 72h before arrival
- Confirmed return/onward ticket within 30 days
- Proof of funds ~THB 20,000 per person (rarely checked, keep a statement)
- First night's hotel booking
Steps
- No visa application needed — from 15 Sep 2026 Indians get a free 30-day visa-exempt stamp (it was 60 days until 14 Sep)
- Entered before 15 Sep 2026? You keep the full 60 days stamped at entry
- Complete the TDAC at tdac.immigration.go.th before flying (replaces the paper TM6)
- Carry printed return ticket + hotel booking for immigration
- Staying longer: one-time extension of up to 30 days at an immigration office (not guaranteed), or get the 60-day Tourist e-Visa before you fly
- Land borders: visa-exempt entry is capped at twice per calendar year — no cap by air
Alternatives
- Tourist e-Visa (60 days, extendable) — ₹3,000 · The route for any trip over 30 days — apply at thaievisa.go.th before flying
- 30-day extension at immigration — One time only, subject to approval; the standard extension fee is THB 1,900 — confirm at the office
MoneyThailand
- Currency
- THB (Thai Baht)
Forex cards
- Niyo Global — Zero forex markup; wide ATM support (ATMs charge ~THB 220/withdrawal)
- Scapia — No forex markup; good for card payments at malls
- BookMyForex card — Load THB directly to dodge dynamic conversion
- Upi supported
- No
- Upi note
- Not yet. UPI does not work in Thailand — NPCI's live list (Lok Sabha reply, July 2026) has no Thai partner and the Bank of Thailand lists no QR linkage with India. A UPI–PromptPay link is under discussion; until it launches, UPI apps will not scan Thai QR codes. Carry a forex card and cash.
- Cash vs card
- Thailand runs on cash outside malls. Street food, tuk-tuks, markets = THB cash. Withdraw larger amounts to amortise the flat ATM fee.
CustomsThailand
Into india
- Duty-free allowance ₹75,000 (returning resident, Baggage Rules 2026); one new laptop is duty-free on top
- 2L alcohol duty-free (Baggage Rules 2016) + 100 cigarettes; Thai fruit like durian is banned on most airlines
- Buddha images/antiques need an export permit from Thailand — don't buy without one
Into destination
- 1L alcohol + 200 cigarettes per adult; heavy fines for excess cigarettes
- E-cigarettes/vapes are ILLEGAL in Thailand — fines and confiscation, do not carry
- Drones must be registered with NBTC before flying
LanguageThailand
Official
- Thai
- English prevalence
- Good in Bangkok/Phuket tourist areas; thin elsewhere. Menus in tourist zones have English.
Key phrases
- Sawasdee khrap/kha — Hello (male/female speaker)
- Khop khun khrap/kha — Thank you
- Mai phet — Not spicy
- Mangsawirat — Vegetarian
- Tao rai? — How much?
Staying connected
Recommended
- Type
- eSIM
- Partner
- Airalo
- Plan
- Thailand 15GB / 15 days
- Price
- ₹450
Alternatives
- AIS Traveller SIM — Local SIM · THB 299 · HKT arrivals
- TrueMove Tourist — Local SIM · THB 299 · Airport & 7-Eleven
- Whatsapp text
- Works normally
- Whatsapp calls
- Works normally
Free wifi
- Hotels & beach cafés
- Central Phuket mall
Airport to city
Options
- Shared minibus — ₹450 · 60 · THB 180–200 to Patong; waits to fill up
- Metered taxi / Grab — ₹2,000 · 45 · THB 700–900 to Patong — distances are real here · Skip 'limousine' counters quoting THB 1,200+
- Smart Bus (airport→Rawai) — ₹250 · 90 · THB 100 flat along the west beaches; hourly
Getting around
- System
- No metro — Grab, scooter rentals, and pricey tuk-tuks
Card
- Name
- None
- Note
- Tuk-tuks are fixed-price cartel (THB 300+ between beaches) — agree before boarding
Ride hailing
- Grab
- Bolt
- Daily budget
- ₹1,200
Weather & packing
Best months
- December
- January
- February
- March
Monthly
- Nov–Mar — Dry season — calm Andaman seas, all islands accessible
- Apr — Hot; Songkran water fights April 13–15
- May–Oct — Monsoon — red-flag swimming days, Phi Phi trips often cancelled; big hotel discounts
What to pack
- Reef-safe sunscreen
- Waterproof phone pouch
- Motion-sickness tablets for speedboats
- Sandals + one pair of walking shoes
Food
Veg friendly
- 'Jay' (เจ) yellow-flag stalls are strictly vegan
- Roti pancake stalls
- Indian restaurants dense in Patong
Indian restaurants
- Tandoori Flames — Patong · North Indian, Jain-friendly on request
- Shri Ganesh — Patong · Budget pure veg thalis
- Royal Tandoor — Karon · Family-run, good dal
- Typical meal cost
- ₹350
Safety
Scams
- Jet-ski 'damage' claims — video the machine before renting, or skip
- Scooter rental passport-hostage disputes — never leave your passport as deposit
- Tuk-tuk overcharging — agree price first
- Rip currents May–Oct: red flag = do not swim, drownings are real
Areas to avoid
- Bangla Road late-night touts (fine to walk, just firm 'no')
Emergency numbers
- Tourist Police — 1155
- Emergency — 191
- Marine rescue — 1196
Culture & etiquette
- Dress
- Beachwear on the beach only; cover up in temples and Old Town. Topless sunbathing is illegal.
- Tipping
- Round up; THB 50 for tour guides/drivers appreciated.
Dos
- Respect red flags on beaches
- Wear helmets on scooters (police fine tourists)
- Carry an IDP if riding
Donts
- Don't touch corals or feed fish on island trips
- No beach parties with glass bottles
- Don't ride without a licence — insurance won't cover you
Top experiences
- Phi Phi Islands Day Trip — phi-phi.jpg · Maya Bay, lagoons and snorkel stops by speedboat · ₹2,800 · 9 · Klook · phi-phi-islands
- Big Buddha — big-buddha.jpg · 45m marble Buddha with island-wide views — free · ₹0 · 2 · big-buddha-phuket
- Old Phuket Town — old-town.jpg · Sino-Portuguese streets, Sunday walking market · ₹0 · 3 · old-phuket-town