With so many tourists visiting the island, it can be hard to find your own piece of paradise away from the crowds. But with incredible holiday villas built into the cliffs on some of Phuket’s most exclusive coastline, you can stay close to the action and still feel a million miles away.

Forget rushing down to the hotel pool early to get a sun lounge or waiting in line for your omelette at the breakfast buffet. With the entire villa and its services at your disposal, you can eat your breakfast from your inflatable lounge in the pool if you like.

We were lucky enough to experience two of Villa Getaways’ best villas in Phuket, as well as an incredible super yacht that we took island hopping around Phang Nga Bay.

So take a look at how we spent seven days on the tropical island of Phuket.

Head to our Featured Homes page to read Laura’s individual reviews on Baan Santisuk Villa 4186,  Kamala Villa 4573 & Super Yacht 4559 

Surrounded by the emerald waters of the Andaman Sea, Phuket is an island with the best of both worlds, where you can dive straight into the party scene, or take it easy on a private beach. If the later is more your thing, and you can tear yourself away from the luxurious sanctuary of your villa, then you’re going to spend your time on the quieter side of the island. With private beaches, cool beach clubs and chilled out dining, it’s a million miles away from its party island reputation.

Start planning your itinerary with our four top places to visit that will be worth slipping out of your fluffy villa robe for:

For a different look at the island, visit Old Phuket Town to appreciate the unique Sino-Portuguese architecture along Dibuk, Thalang and Phang Nga roads. Make sure you stop in at Raya Restaurant – it’s so good Bangkok locals fly meals over! Home to some of the best seafood on the island, after you’ve worked up an appetite exploring the town, try their crab-packed yellow curry with noodles or the whole fried barramundi covered in crisp chips of fried turmeric and garlic.

Just north of Phuket lies Phang Nga Bay – a national park where hundreds of limestone cliffs rise out of the ocean. There are caves to kayak through and sea gypsy villages to visit, but the main drawcard is ‘James Bond Island’ (Khao Phingkan) – an island that was famously featured in the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun. Take a day trip out to Phang Nga Bay for some serious island time where you can spend the day diving off your yacht or getting active on a kayaking tour where you can make a pit stop for fresh coconut refreshments.

No trip to Phuket is complete without paying a visit to the magnificent Big Buddha. It’s hard to tell just how big it is from the photos, but it’s a 45-metre-tall white marble statue, that sits on top of the highest peak of the Nakkerd Hills in Ao Chalong. You can see the Big Buddha perched up there from most of the southern side of Phuket – it’s like he’s watching over the island.

Just north of Phuket lies Phang Nga Bay – a national park where hundreds of limestone cliffs rise out of the ocean. There are caves to kayak through and sea gypsy villages to visit, but the main drawcard is ‘James Bond Island’ (Khao Phingkan) – an island that was famously featured in the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun. Take a day trip out to Phang Nga Bay for some serious island time where you can spend the day diving off your yacht or getting active on a kayaking tour where you can make a pit stop for fresh coconut refreshments.