Phuket: An Island Bigger Than It Seems

Phuket isn't just a beach resort. It's an entire world packed into one island roughly the size of Singapore. In a single day, you can have breakfast at a hipster café in Old Town, lounge on pristine white sand, lunch on seafood watching the sunset, and by evening find yourself in the heart of Patong's nightlife — or, alternatively, meditating at Big Buddha in complete silence.

The biggest rookie mistake is thinking Phuket is "one big beach." In reality, the island is incredibly diverse. The west coast is a string of beaches from party-central Patong...