Car Rental

There are a bunch of car rental agencies right outside the Phuket International Airport that you can stop by after arriving. You will be much better off if you are able to make a reservation before you arrive. In the high-season from November to May, it’s essential because millions of visitors arrive in Phuket each year and a good number of them rent cars to get around.

Car rental in Phuket usually consists of Toyota sub compacts like Vios and Yaris, or trucks like their Hilux line. Toyota Fortuner is a sport utility vehicle which many foreigners prefer to rent for their Phuket vacations, so you might have a look at those when you get a chance.

Honda has a few models – Jazz, Click, and we’ve even seen some CR-V rental on the road. Any of the Honda or Toyota cars can be considered great rental cars. Do be careful to take photos of any damage you find up front – and point it out to the rental agent so they can put it down on the paperwork. You don’t want to be charged for damage you didn’t do.

Many automobile rental agencies in Phuket also rent motorbikes and scooters. If you’re skilled at riding a motorcycle or scooter in your home country, you might just opt for a 125cc automatic scooter to get around. Sure, it’s dangerous and we’d never recommend it if you’re not a good driver on 2-wheels already, but it’s something to consider because it can be much more convenient getting through traffic on a scooter than in a car. Motorbike rentals are typically Honda Clicks, or Yamaha Mio or Nouvo models. There are ‘big bikes’ for rent also, but please be an expert rider before renting one. The roads in Phuket, like all over Thailand are rather unforgiving.

If you don’t feel like renting a vehicle in Phuket, you can rely on the taxis, tuk-tuks and songthaews in the city. They’re rather expensive, but there’s something to be said for the convenience of not driving on your own!

Read Less