Phuket Tour DIY

You hire an air-conditioned minibus with an experienced driver for 8 hours from your Khao Lak hotel. The driver collects you at your chosen time, takes you to the destinations you pick across Phuket and the nearby area, and returns you at the end of the day. The price of ฿4,500 per vehicle covers the vehicle and driver for 8 hours; entrance fees, guided tours, meals and on-site activities are at your own expense.

The drive from Khao Lak to Phuket Old Town takes about 1 hour 15 minutes each way. With an 8-hour window you have roughly 5.5 hours on the island. Realistically you can fit in 3-4 stops - for example Phuket Old Town, the Big Buddha, a beach, and a market or shopping mall. Your driver knows the island well and can recommend the most efficient route.

The 8-hour window covers Phuket and the immediate Phang Nga coast. James Bond Island by longtail boat (from Ao Phang Nga) is doable if you leave Khao Lak around 7am. Phi Phi Island requires a ferry and isn't feasible by minibus in a day. For island tours we recommend a dedicated trip.

The minibus seats 9-12. This service is charged per vehicle, not per person - ideal for families or groups of 4 or more. Solo travellers and couples are welcome at the same price.

Free cancellation up to 48 hours before departure. Cancellations within 48 hours are non-refundable. If weather or road conditions make the drive to Phuket impossible on the day, we offer a reschedule or a credit.

DIY stands for "do it yourself" - you shape the day's itinerary entirely around your own wishes. KLLD provides a private driver and an air-conditioned minivan for the whole day from Khao Lak to Phuket and back. We'll suggest the highlights (Big Buddha, Phuket Old Town, Promthep Cape, Wat Chalong), but if you'd rather spend three hours at a street-food market and skip the temples, that's completely fine. No waiting on other guests, no fixed group schedule - the opposite of a standard group tour. Your day, your pace.

Our top picks: the Big Buddha (Mingmongkol) on Nakkerd Hill - best early before the coaches; Phuket Old Town (Sino-Portuguese shophouses, about an hour, excellent local coffee); Wat Chalong (Phuket's largest temple, about 30 minutes); Promthep Cape for the panoramic Andaman Sea view; and Rawai fishing market for a local lunch. If your group fancies Patong in the evening, choose a later departure from Khao Lak. Your KLLD driver knows the crowd levels at each spot at every time of day and adjusts the route accordingly.

Phuket Old Town is about 70 km south of Khao Lak - around 65-75 minutes by private car on Highway 4 in normal traffic. Patong Beach is about 100 km away and takes 90-100 minutes depending on traffic at the Phuket bridge and Patong Hill. The route is scenic along the Andaman coast. We recommend an 8:00am departure to maximise island time and avoid the morning queue at Sarasin Bridge.

They're two different formats. The Phuket Shopping & Sightseeing tour follows a fixed route with guided stops at set attractions - ideal for travellers who prefer a local guide. This DIY trip gives you a private driver and a blank itinerary - ideal for independent travellers who already know what they want to see, or who want to plan the day spontaneously. Both tours use the same comfortable minivan from Khao Lak.