Phuket Guides 2026
Practical Phuket guides for 2026: eSIM and connectivity, airport transfers, visas and paperwork, vehicle rental, long-term housing and moving to the island.
Transport
- Bangkok to Phuket and back: flights, bus or train — Bangkok to Phuket and back: a 1.5-hour flight via DMK or BKK, a 12–13 hour night bus or the train via Surat Thani. Fares, airports and connection times.
- Phuket airport transfer in 2026: prices, routes, tips — How much a transfer from HKT airport to Patong, Kata, Bang Tao and Phuket Town costs in 2026. Which car to pick, when VIP is worth it and how to avoid overpaying.
- Scooter rental in Phuket 2026: prices, licence, insurance, fines — What scooter rental costs in Phuket in 2026, which licence you need, deposits and insurance, where police check, and how to avoid repair bills. A pre-ride checklist.
- Phuket car rental 2026: prices, licence, deposit — What car rental in Phuket costs in 2026, which licence Russians need, cash deposits without a credit card, insurance excess and what to do after an accident.
- Phuket taxis 2026: Grab, Bolt, tuk-tuks and fares — Which taxi app to use in Phuket: Grab, Bolt or InDrive, fares on popular routes, tuk-tuk bargaining, the 100 ฿ Smart Bus and how to pay without a card.
- Phuket Airport (HKT): terminals, arrival and departure — Phuket Airport step by step: terminals, TDAC and passport control, customs, SIM cards, money exchange, taxis without touts and how early to arrive.
- Phuket to Koh Samui: flights, ferries and transfers — Phuket to Koh Samui: the nonstop Bangkok Airways flight, bus and ferry via Don Sak, Lomprayah and budget options. Journey times, fare guide and seasons.
- Flights to Phuket from Russia: direct and connecting 2026 — How long the flight to Phuket from Moscow takes, direct routes for winter 2026/27, connections via China, the UAE and Kazakhstan, luggage and night arrivals.
Finance
- Currency exchange in Phuket 2026: where and what to bring — Which currency to bring to Thailand, why large US notes get a better rate, where to exchange in Phuket, how to check a licence and why you need a passport.
- Roubles to baht in Phuket 2026: every way to exchange — How to change roubles into baht in Phuket in 2026: SBP card exchange paid out at an ATM, to an account or by courier, rouble cash, a comparison and a checklist.
- Russian cards in Thailand 2026: how to pay — Do Mir and UnionPay work in Thailand, how QR payments via Sber, VTB and MTS work, and when you need cash or a Thai account. The situation as of October 2026.
- ATMs in Thailand 2026: fees, limits and tips — What Thai ATMs charge foreign cards, how much to withdraw at once, why to decline currency conversion, how not to lose your card and what to use instead.
- How to send money from Russia to Thailand in 2026 — Every working way to send money from Russia to Thailand in 2026: SBP exchange with a baht payout, SWIFT, transfer systems, crypto. Timings, risks, paying a person.
- USDT to baht in Phuket 2026: legality and options — How to exchange USDT for baht in Phuket in 2026: SEC-licensed exchanges, TouristDigiPay, P2P risks, Thailand’s crypto payment ban, property and tax basics.
- How to send money from Thailand to Russia in 2026 — How to send money from Thailand to Russia: baht-to-ruble exchange services, SWIFT from a Thai account, cash limits and the risks of crypto and P2P, compared.
- UnionPay in Thailand 2026: which Russian cards work — Which Russian UnionPay cards work in Thailand in 2026: RSHB, ATB and new issuers, where they are accepted, what ATM withdrawals cost and what to carry as backup.
- PromptPay and QR payments in Thailand 2026: how to pay — What PromptPay and Thai QR are, where Thailand pays by QR, how to pay a code without a Thai account, how Sber and VTB QR payments work and how to avoid fakes.
- How much cash can you bring to Thailand: 2026 limits — Thailand cash rules for 2026: declare over USD 15,000 or 450,000 ฿, baht export up to 50,000 ฿, proof of funds on entry, Russian exit limits and penalties.
- How much money to take to Phuket: 2026 plan — How much money to take to Phuket and how Russians can bring it in 2026: cash, ruble exchange via SBP, reserve, export limits and what to do if you run out.
Arrival
- Phuket 2026: your first 48 hours after landing — A step-by-step 2026 guide: eSIM before you fly, HKT airport transfer, money, first beaches and how not to overpay. Practical, no fluff.
Documents
- Visas and documents in Phuket 2026: tourism, ED visa, licence — Updated for 2026: visa-free stay, extensions, the ED student visa, a Thai driving licence and the airport green corridor. Where to go.
Visa
- TDAC Thailand arrival card: how to fill it in (2026) — How to fill in TDAC on the official site: when to submit, which Phuket district to enter, how to spot copycat sites and what to do if you missed it.
- Visa-free Thailand for Russians 2026: 30 days, extension — Visa-free stays for Russians are 30 days since 15 September 2026: what changed, how to extend by 30 days for 1,900 baht, entry checks and longer-stay options.
- Thailand DTV visa 2026: requirements, cost, how to apply — DTV for Russian citizens: 5 years, 180 days per entry, 500,000 baht in funds, the Moscow fee, new documents since 31 August 2026, how to apply and the limits.
- Thailand retirement visa 2026: requirements for Russians — Thailand retirement visa for 50+: O-A vs Non-O, 800,000 baht or 65,000 a month, 3 million baht insurance, changing status on Phuket, fees and extensions.
- Phuket visa run 2026: border run to Satun, Ranong, flights — What a border run is, whether it is legal, the two land entries cap since 15.09.2026, the Satun trip, Ranong’s status, flying out and what to bring.
- Thailand Privilege 2026: 5 to 20-year visa and prices — Thailand Privilege (ex-Elite): Bronze, Gold, Platinum and Diamond prices for 2026, a year per entry, extensions, vetting, and how it compares with DTV.
Tips
- Thailand laws for tourists 2026: vapes, cannabis, fines — Vapes in Thailand, prescription-only cannabis, beach smoking bans, alcohol hours, drones and helmets: what tourists must not do in 2026 and the fines.
- What to pack for Phuket: a 2026 checklist — What to pack for Phuket and Thailand in 2026: documents and TDAC, temple clothes, medicines, adapters, what is banned at customs and what to buy locally.
- Phuket safety: tourist scams and how to avoid them — How safe Phuket is: real risks on the road and at sea, jet-ski, scooter, exchange and fake TDAC scams, the 1155 Tourist Police line and what to do.
Healthcare
- Phuket hospitals 2026: where to go and calling an ambulance — Phuket hospitals: Bangkok Hospital Phuket, Siriroj, Mission and Vachira. Ambulance 1669, Tourist Police 1155, guarantees of payment, deposits, interpreters.
- Thailand first aid kit: what to pack and health risks — What to pack in a first aid kit for Thailand, which medicines you can bring, what to buy in Phuket and how to avoid dengue, sunburn, jellyfish and rabies.
Property
- How to buy a condo in Phuket as a foreigner: step by step — How a foreigner buys a condo in Phuket: the 49% quota, reservation deposit, lawyer checks, wiring money with an FET form, documents and Land Office transfer.
- Thailand property taxes and transfer fees 2026 — The 2% transfer fee, 3.3% business tax or 0.5% stamp duty, withholding tax, leasehold costs, annual land and building tax and rental income tax, with examples.
- Paying for Thai property from Russia in 2026 — How to pay for a Thai condo from Russia: when you need an FET form, why rubles via an exchanger do not work for freehold, working channels and bank checks.
- FET form Thailand: what it is and how to get it (2026) — The FET form and credit advice in Thailand: the 50,000-dollar threshold, payment purpose wording, what to do if money arrived in baht, Land Office documents.
Island life
- Moving to Phuket in 2026: visa, housing, banking, schools, healthcare — A step-by-step 2026 relocation plan for Phuket expats: which visa to choose, monthly cost of living, opening a bank account, schools for children and how healthcare works.
Housing
- Long-term rental in Phuket 2026: prices by area and the contract — What renting an apartment or villa in Phuket costs monthly and yearly in 2026: prices by area, deposit, utilities, contract and landlord checks. For expats and long-stayers.
Connectivity
- Thailand eSIM or SIM card 2026: which is best for Phuket — eSIM vs physical SIM in Phuket 2026: coverage, 5G speed, price, activation and hotspot. When eSIM wins and how to set it up in 2 minutes.