Phuket

You'll spot Phuket's Big Buddha looming from all angles across the island, but taking in the sheer size of this 45m-high, Burmese-alabaster statue crowning the Nakkerd Hills up close is a more-than-worthwhile break from the beaches. Despite being one of the island's major attractions, it's a calming, scenic spot, where views cascade across jungled hills and banana plantations to Ao Chalong's islets, the sparkling-white west-coast beaches of Kata and Karon and the glinting Andaman Sea. For extra adventure, hike up through the steamy hills from Karon.

The sun slowly sinks into the glassy Andaman beyond a weathered, rocky headland, blazing the sky a deep-red orange or hot pink, as you clamber down a faint track. Behind, Phuketians mingle with holidaymakers, everyone keen to capture this dream-worthy Thai-isle sunset on camera. Welcome to Phuket's southernmost cape and most beloved viewpoint, Laem Phromthep. Soak up the buzzy atmosphere, before paying your respects at the garlanded hilltop elephant shrine and heading off to explore exquisite nearby beaches like Hat Nai Han and Ao Sane.

As varied as its spiced cuisine, Phuket's glorious beaches come in every size, shape and colour under the tropical sun. There are the headline-hitting sandy strands of Kata, Karon and Patong, thick with amenities, sugar-white sand and beachy fun. But you'll also meet mellower beauties such as Rawai's Hat Nai Han or, in the island's northwest, kitesurf-loving Hat Nai Yang; the odd secluded cove, perhaps northern Banana Beach or southern Ao Sane; and glitzy beach-club beaches like Ao Bang Thao. Take your pick – or savour them all.

Weaving together European merchants, Chinese tin-miners and local Thais, Phuket's long and fascinating history is often (unfairly) eclipsed by its bodacious beaches, raucous parties and ultra-luxurious resorts. Not so in architecture-rich Phuket Town – where the island's backstory unfolds along freshly revitalised Old Town streets peppered with original Sino-Portuguese architecture, culture-fusing restaurants and Taoist shrines that hide behind clouds of incense. Wander down pastel-painted Soi Romanee, flanked by some of the city's most beautiful shophouses, then get lost in the colourful architectural visions of Phuket's Baba people (also known as Peranakan).

Red-hot chilis, tender mangoes, sizzling roti, super-fresh seafood, always-polarising stink beans – Phuket's glorious culinary cupboard comes as one of its greatest surprises. Sample searing southern classics soothed by that typically Thai fusion of spicy, sweet, salty and sour, and dive into the world of Phuket's Chinese-influenced Peranakan cooking, whose signature sensations include mŏo hong (pepper-and-garlic-braised pork), mèe gaang pôo (crab-meat curry with noodles) and pàk miang, kale-like vegetables often scrambled. For the best of the island's local-style gastronomy, hit Phuket Town, perhaps One Chun, Raya, Tantitium or Lock Tien.

Float through some of Thailand's most spectacular landscapes – past craggy cliffs, peaceful hôrng (semi-submerged island lagoons), prehistoric rock art and neck-craning limestone karsts – as you paddle the rippling, shimmering waters of ridiculously beautiful Ao Phang-Nga aboard a sea kayak, in the silky quiet of an early morning or late evening. You'll sidestep most of the day-tripping speedboats that buzz by and, as night descends, bask in the glow of the bay's bioluminescence.

Whether you're a seasoned diver, a complete beginner or even more of a low-key snorkeller, the fabled national-park Similan Islands deliver some of Thailand's finest underwater wonders – within easy striking distance of Phuket. Uncover a majestic subsurface paradise that enchants with everything from perfect turquoise water to tiny plume worms and rare whale sharks. Environmental awareness is being ramped up to protect these jewel-like islands and overnight stays aren't permitted; explore on a day trip or a multiday diving liveaboard.

For many travellers, Phuket's allure is its full-blown island party. Hedonistic Patong is the sinful party epicentre, with pounding megaclubs jostling between go-go bars, fun-filled pubs and beach-shack drinking dens, as well as the local LGBT+ hub. Alternatively, hit Kata's laid-back, driftwood-clad bars, where soothing reggae beats accompany electrifying fire shows, or head north to slip into Phuket's glamorous beach-club scene, with sandy-blonde Ao Bang Thao at its core. Phuket Town, meanwhile, is a hotbed of cocktail creativity; don't miss the island's best artisan liquid mixes.

From cheap-and-cheerful parlours to swish boutique massage pods, Phuket's pampering floral-scented spa world feels blissfully endless. You could try a different spa every day of your trip and still fall miles short of uncovering them all. Glide between calming honey scrubs, aloe vera wraps and Ayurveda-inspired therapies, before getting thoroughly, satisfyingly clicked back into place with a classic Thai massage. Some of the most luxe local hotels conceal divine spas, especially in the northwest, while affordable traditional treatments pop up across Phuket.

With its lush cream-coloured beaches, glittering azure seas and tumbling green jungle, Ko Phi Phi's protected twin islands have long been irresistible Andaman destinations. Zipping across the waves from Phuket – to dive, hike, laze on bright-white sands or boat around spectacular karst crags – is an immensely popular day trip. It's far from perfect in Phi-Phi, however, though mounting environmental concerns are slowly being addressed with temporary closures. Whether you visit or not is a personal choice; tread as lightly as possible and seek out responsible tour operators.

Jamie’s Phuket (www.jamiesphuketblog.com) A fun, intelligent insider’s blog by a long-time Phuket expat, with excellent photos, travel tips and cultural insight.

Phuket News (www.thephuketnews.com) Up-to-the-moment island news, with additional cultural and tourism coverage.

Phuket 101 (www.phuket101.net) Photo-led blog with expat Willy Thuan's stellar Phuket tips, from transport to restaurants.

Go Phuket (www.gophuket.net) Travel guide and blog from long-term island expat Lana Willocks.

Phuket.com (www.phuket.com) A sophisticated compendium of island-wide information and recommendations, including accommodation.

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/thailand/phuket-province) Destination information, hotel bookings, traveller forum and more.