Things to know before going to Phuket: the five mistakes of the first day
Arriving in Phuket goes smoothly for the vast majority of visitors. The few slip-ups we see every week all happen in the first hours: money, the ride from the airport, the first scooter. Here are five things to get right, in the order you'll meet them, from the plane to the road.
The five mistakes at a glance
None of them is serious on its own. Add them up, though, and they can cost a good chunk of a day's budget and a few hours of peace of mind.
| The mistake | What it costs | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Before you land01. Skipping the arrival card, or paying for it | Time lost at immigration, or a fee paid to a site that isn't the official one. | Fill in the TDAC in the three days before arrival, on the official site. It's free. |
| In the arrivals hall02. Changing all your money at the airport | A few percent less than in town, on every note you change. | Change just enough for the ride and a meal, then the rest at an exchange booth in town. |
| At the ATM and the till03. Accepting the conversion into your own currency | An extra exchange margin, often bigger than the ATM fee itself. | Always choose to be charged in Thai baht, at the ATM and on card terminals. |
| Outside the terminal04. Getting into the first car that offers | A price set when you're least able to negotiate. | An app that shows the fare upfront, or a transfer booked at a fixed price. |
| Your first days05. Renting a scooter without checking anything | A lost deposit, a fine, and above all travel insurance that won't pay out. | The right licence, a video of the bike before you ride off, a contract read before signing. |
Before you fly: the arrival card and the new 30-day rule
Two formalities that take ten minutes on your sofa and prevent the only genuinely unpleasant surprises at passport control.
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) has replaced the paper form you used to fill in on the plane. You complete it online in the three days before you arrive (the system won't accept it any earlier) and it's free. The only official site is tdac.immigration.go.th. Official-looking sites offer to do it for a fee: Thai authorities have warned travellers about them, and they collect your passport details along the way.
Your visa-free stay is shorter than it used to be. Since 15 September 2026, visa-exempt visitors, including travellers from the UK, the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the EU and India, get 30 days on arrival, not 60. A lot of travel blogs haven't caught up yet. If you plan to stay longer than a month, sort it out before you leave, not on day 30.
Should you exchange money at Phuket airport?
A little, yes: enough for the ride and your first meal. Everything else can wait for town, where the same note buys noticeably more baht.
The exchange counters in the arrivals hall serve a captive audience, and their rates show it. One operator based on the island puts the gap with specialist money changers in town at 3 to 5 percent, and other surveys put it higher still against the market rate. On a holiday budget changed in one go, that's a good dinner left on the counter, or more.
In town, specialist exchange booths are everywhere in Patong, Kata, Phuket Town and the shopping malls. SuperRich, known for its rates, has branches in Patong, inside the Jungceylon mall, and in Phuket Town.
One detail that matters at the counter: a note's value also depends on its condition and denomination. Large, recent notes with no folds or tears get the best rate; small denominations and worn notes are bought for less, and some booths refuse them. This is especially true for US dollars.
ATM fees in Thailand, and the conversion trap on screen
For most visitors, the ATM is the simplest way to get baht. Two things to know: what it charges, and which question on the screen to say no to.
The flat Thai ATM fee. Every withdrawal with a foreign card triggers a fee from the Thai bank that owns the machine: usually 220 baht, sometimes more depending on the bank and your card network. It comes on top of anything your own bank charges. Travel cards such as Wise or Revolut can save you on the exchange rate and on their own fees, but they can't remove this one, because it doesn't come from them. The amount appears on screen before you confirm: if you don't like it, cancel and try another machine.
Since the fee is fixed, the maths is simple: withdraw less often, in larger amounts. The limit per withdrawal is usually between 20,000 and 30,000 baht, depending on the bank that owns the ATM.
The “charge me in my own currency” offer. Before you confirm, many ATMs offer to debit you directly in pounds, dollars, euros or rupees, at a “guaranteed” rate. This is called dynamic currency conversion: the machine does the exchange with its own margin, typically 3 to 7 percent, which is often more than the withdrawal fee. The answer is always the same: decline, and be charged in baht. Your bank will apply its own rate, which is almost always better. The same question pops up on card terminals in restaurants and shops. Same answer.
Leaving the terminal: don't take the first car that offers
After a long-haul flight, all you want is to get there. That's exactly when you're worst at negotiating a price.
The airport is at the northern tip of the island, about 40 km from Patong, roughly 45 minutes by road. Over that distance, a price quoted on the fly among the suitcases can end up well above what you'd have paid knowing it in advance.
Three options avoid any haggling. Grab, the only ride-hailing app with an official pick-up point inside the airport, shows the fare before you ride and takes cards. A taxi, as long as you agree the price before you get in, not on arrival. And a transfer booked in advance at a fixed price, with a driver waiting at the exit: the most relaxing choice for a night arrival, with children or with a lot of luggage.
Renting a scooter in Phuket: what to check before you ride off
A scooter is still the freest way to explore the island. Rent it properly, though, and not on the evening you land: after a long flight, your first day is better spent without handlebars.
The right licence
Thailand classes every two-wheeler as a motorcycle, even a 110 cc scooter. You need a motorcycle licence from home plus an International Driving Permit that covers motorcycles, issued in your own country before you travel. A car licence with an IDP isn't enough.
Your travel insurance
Read the small print before you fly. Most policies exclude motorbike accidents if you weren't licensed to ride that bike at home, or weren't wearing a helmet. It's the most common reason claims are refused in Thailand, and hospital bills are then entirely yours.
The bike's condition, on video
Brakes, tyres, lights and indicators first. Then one continuous video all the way round, panels, mirrors and wheels included, plus a shot of the dashboard and fuel gauge. That's what stops you being billed for a scratch that was already there.
The deposit, the contract, the helmet
A cash deposit of 3,000 to 5,000 baht is normal for a standard scooter, more for a big bike. Never leave your original passport: a photocopy is enough. Read what the insurance covers and the excess before signing. And wear a helmet that fits, you and your passenger: the fine has been 2,000 baht since 1 June 2025.
How much does it cost to rent a scooter in Phuket?
Price ranges published by rental shops on the island, checked in September 2026, in Thai baht. High season, from November to April, usually adds 50 to 100 baht a day. Renting by the month brings the daily cost right down.
| Model | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Honda Click 125 | 150–400 THB | 2,000–4,000 THB |
| Honda Click 160 | 300–500 THB | 3,500–6,000 THB |
| Yamaha NMAX 155 | 300–550 THB | 4,500–7,500 THB |
| Honda ADV 160 | 500–700 THB | 6,500–7,000 THB |
| Yamaha XMAX 300 | 1,000–1,500 THB | 12,000–15,000 THB |
| Honda ADV 350 | 1,000–1,500 THB | 12,000–15,000 THB |
A very low price in the window with a high deposit or thin insurance often ends up costing more than an honest rate. Always compare the three numbers together: price, deposit, excess.
First time in Phuket: common questions
- Should I exchange money at Phuket airport?
- Only a little: enough for the ride to your accommodation and a first meal. The exchange counters in the arrivals hall give less favourable rates than the specialist money changers in town, typically a few percent less. Change the rest in Patong, Phuket Town or a shopping mall, where exchange booths are everywhere.
- How much are ATM fees in Thailand?
- Thai banks charge a flat fee on every withdrawal made with a foreign card, usually 220 baht and sometimes more depending on the bank and your card. It comes on top of whatever your own bank charges, and a travel card with no foreign fees doesn't remove it, because it isn't your bank's fee. The exact amount is shown on screen before you confirm, so withdraw less often, in larger amounts.
- Should I pay in baht or in my own currency in Thailand?
- In baht, every time. When an ATM or a card terminal offers to charge you in pounds, dollars, euros or rupees at a guaranteed rate, the machine is doing the conversion with its own margin, typically 3 to 7 percent. Decline it and let your own bank convert: its rate is almost always better.
- How do I get from Phuket airport to my hotel?
- Three stress-free options: Grab, the only ride-hailing app with an official pick-up point inside the airport, which shows the fare before you ride; a taxi with the price agreed before you get in; or a transfer booked in advance at a fixed price, the easiest after a long flight, at night or with children. Patong is about 40 km away, roughly 45 minutes by road.
- Do I need a licence to rent a scooter in Phuket?
- Yes. Thailand treats every two-wheeler as a motorcycle, even a 110 cc scooter, so you need a motorcycle licence from home plus an International Driving Permit that covers motorcycles. A car licence isn't enough. Without it you risk a fine, and most travel insurance policies won't cover a scooter accident if you weren't licensed to ride it.
- Do I need to fill in a form before arriving in Thailand?
- Yes, the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, or TDAC. You complete it online in the three days before you arrive, on the official Thai immigration website, and it's free. Any site asking you to pay for it is not the official one.
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