Travel Cheaply by Bus to and From Phuket
Written by Zarin Tasnim
In case you’ve yet to discover Southeast Asia and the best ways to get around, let me start out by saying that buses are an excellent and cheap way to get from point A to point B while saving the most amount of money. In fact, even if you’re traveling from country to country you still have incredibly affordable options that offer clean buses and often times take care of border crossings for you.
Travel to Phuket
Some popular routes include going from Penang, Malaysia to Phuket, or if you’re in Northern Thailand, Bangkok to Phuket. Either route gives you the perfect opportunity to take sleeper buses that allow you to get a full night’s rest. On sleeper buses, you’re usually assigned a personal seat that lays almost entirely back or a two-person cabin where you can sleep completely horizontal, which is the ideal option for couples. In my experience, you’re usually given some snacks to munch on as well.
I personally found that sleeper buses are a great way to save money on accommodations as well. Especially if you’re traveling to Phuket, which can be expensive, you can save at least one night on paying for a room. That allows you to arrive first thing in the morning with a full day of activities in front of you, and not only did you not have to pay for a night’s stay, but you also took a cheap form of transportation. That gives you extra money to splurge on that boat ride out to Phang Nga Bay or that snorkel trip you’ve been dying to go on.
Penang to Phuket
From Penang you’re looking at about a 12-hour bus ride. Not necessarily a walk in the park, but for a night bus where you’ll be sleeping for at least 8 hours of the trip, certainly not terrible. You have a couple of options depending on how much you want to spend. You can take a shuttle van that will get you directly to Phuket, or you can take a bus that will have a few stops along the way, obviously the more affordable option.
Bangkok to Phuket
To travel the 12-13 hours by bus to Phuket from Bangkok, it’s advisable to spend a little bit extra to book a seat in advance with a private bus company. This way you’re guaranteed a faster trip, as opposed to public buses, but you’ll still be saving much more by avoiding a flight or the train.
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