Phuket as a Group Vacation Destination

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While most travelers to Phuket are going solo or in small family-sized units, it is actually an ideal destination for larger groups, if you’re willing to invest a little effort into planning adequately.

First things first, when traveling with a group of eight or more persons, hotels may not give you the best value for your accommodation dollar. For this reason, it is definitely worth checking out Phuket villa rentals as an accommodation option.

At first glance the price to rent one of these villas may seem high, but when you break the cost down on a per person basis (and factor in the added value and pleasure you get from having exclusive use of the facilities), you’ll find it actually can be quite reasonable.

Exclusivity has its benefits

Phuket is a very popular destination. So, for example, if you choose a certain luxury hotel on the basis that it has a swimming pool and fitness facilities available, you may find those facilities to be practically unusable due to the sheer number of people who also had the same idea when booking. In that case, your enjoyment of the facilities would be less than you anticipated, leading to disappointment.

When you rent a villa, you already know in advance exactly what is included in the price, and you also know that all the facilities are exclusively available to your group, so you’ll get the full measure of enjoyment.

Another thing to consider is that managing a villa is much easier than managing a hotel, so the property and its facilities are likely to be maintained far better than even the most majestic of hotels. It really can make a world of difference to the quality of your experience.

Dining out as a group

Phuket offers a vast abundance of options, from hawker stalls to fine dining establishments with award-winning chefs. You’ll find all the various Thai regional cuisines represented here (each region has its own predominantly preferred style), and the many expat restaurant owners and chefs also contribute a wide range of international cuisines.

Dining out together as a group can pose some challenges, but with proper planning you can provide the best chance of a successful outcome.

The first thing to check is that the venue is up to the required standards. It’s quite easy these days to find online reviews and recommendations. Asking locals for advice can also be helpful. The important factor is that you need to get these recommendations as early as possible, so you can build a shortlist of potential candidates.

You also need to know about the food preferences and any allergies of the individuals in your group. Surprising your vegan friends with a visit to a steakhouse may not go over quite as well as you expected. So do remember to ask about anything you’re not completely sure of.

Finally, you also need to make sure the venue can accommodate a group of your size. Once all of these points have been met, you will be able to go ahead and make a reservation with confidence.

Group activities

Once again, knowledge and planning are the keys to ensuring a great day out for everyone in the group. It’s generally easier if everyone in the group is around the same age, has the same level of fitness and physical ability, etc.

When there’s considerable disparity in any of these factors, you may need to put a little more effort into choosing your activities. Some tried and tested that will have broad spectrum appeal include:

• Relaxing at the beach – this one is self-explanatory, and is the main activity on Phuket. Or inactivity, depending on how you look at things.

• Dolphin Bay Nemo – an excellent and ethically operated dolphin show that is truly enjoyable for almost anyone.

• Gibbon Rehabilitation Project – although a short hike through the National Park is required to participate in this activity, it’s accessible to most people.

Activities that may be a little more challenging for some include:

• Swimming at Bang Pae Waterfalls – to access this, participants would need to be able to climb some fairly steep and potentially slippery steps. The reward is definitely worth the effort if everyone is fit and able-bodied enough to get there. It’s located just a short trek from the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project mentioned above.

• Flying Hanuman zipline – zipping through the rain forest 40m (or 130ft) above the ground is an awesome experience, but it’s obviously not for everyone. Participants need to be medically fit and brave enough to complete the course.

• Snorkeling the reefs – this is another fun activity, but participants should be strong swimmers and have good situational awareness.

Group travel can be a highly rewarding experience

As you can see, group travel requires a bit of effort to be put into the planning, but ultimately it’s a great way to travel. Shared experiences are always more fun, and these kinds of adventures are a great way to strengthen bonds within the group while having a great time. Phuket is a natural choice due to the diversity it offers and the high quality on offer.