Living in Thalang and Bang Tao, Phuket: Schools and Beaches

North Phuket is Thalang district, with beach, school and airport close together. Choeng Thale holds Laem Singh, Surin, Bang Tao and Layan beaches, and Thep Krasattri lies 19 km from Phuket town. You get UWC Thailand, a HeadStart campus and Thalang Hospital, and a fixed airport car to Bang Tao costs 700 baht.

By Vincent Nguyen and team

North Phuket means Thalang district, and it suits you when you want a beach, an international school and the airport close together. Choeng Thale holds four beaches: Laem Singh, Surin, Bang Tao and Layan. Thep Krasattri, on the other hand, lies about 19 km from Phuket town and 1 km from Thalang district.

Who the north suits

The north fits you when the beach comes first. At Bang Tao you get length, as it is one of the longest beaches in Phuket, while Surin Beach is the quiet one, near a small hill.

It also fits when school and the airport matter to you. UWC Thailand and HeadStart’s Cherngtalay campus are both here, and the airport sits in Mai Khao, Thalang district.

Who should skip it

Look elsewhere if your plan is to swim at Surin in the monsoon, since the beach is not suitable for swimming then. The same goes if you rely on a bus: no Choeng Thale fare is posted, and the airport bus route listed here runs to Patong.

Location and boundaries

Choeng Thale covers about 37.1 sq km, with the Andaman Sea along its west side. Sakhu borders it to the north and Kamala, in Kathu district, to the south, while Thep Krasattri and Si Sunthon lie to the east.

You find the Choeng Thale office at 247 Moo 5, Srisoonthorn Road, Choeng Thale, Thalang district. To the east, Thep Krasattri is larger, at about 78.40 sq km, and it borders Si Sunthon to the south.

Beaches

Bang Tao is one of the longest beaches in Phuket. In the south of the bay, people swim and relax, while the coral reef in the north suits snorkelling and diving. The north of the bay also holds Laguna Phuket, one of Asia’s largest resort complexes.

Surin Beach is quiet and sits near a small hill. In the monsoon season, though, it is not suitable for swimming. Before a trip, check the month-by-month rain in Phuket rainy season and compare every beach in Phuket beaches compared.

Schools

At UWC Thailand, you find an IB continuum education from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12, with both day and boarding places. Visit at 115/15 Moo 7, Thepkasattri, Thalang, Phuket 83110, or call +66 (0) 76 540 871.

HeadStart teaches a British education for ages 2 to 18 across its Chaofah City and Cherngtalay campuses. Foundation is for ages 2 to 5, and Sixth Form is for 16 to 18. For the Cherngtalay campus, call +66-7651-0623.

Two other schools sit outside Thalang: British International School, Phuket in Koh Keaw, Muang and QSI in Kathu. For full fees and the wider list, see International school fees in Phuket and International schools in Phuket.

Health

In the north, Thalang Hospital is at 358 Moo 1, Thep Krasattri, Thalang, Phuket 83110. Its phone is 076-311034, and its internal phone list includes an accident and emergency unit.

The private hospitals are in Phuket Town. Bangkok Hospital Siriroj sits just outside the town on highway 402, with 24-hour Emergency and Trauma Services. Find more in English-speaking hospitals in Phuket.

Getting around, rent and nearby areas

Getting around

At the airport, the limousine counter has a fixed price: 700 baht to Bang Tao, Surin or Laguna in a Taxi car, or 1,000 baht in a Fortuner. The airport itself is at 222 Moo 6, Mai Khao, Thalang District, Phuket 83110.

Buses are a different story. The Smart Bus airport route stops at Surin and Kamala beaches, and its Airport-Rawai timetable runs Airport, Patong, Karon, Kata, Rawai. Bang Tao is not among the stops either one names.

The Airport Bus Express heads via Thalang and Kathu Intersection to Patong Beach. For the full picture, see Getting around Phuket.

Immigration offices in the north

You have two immigration offices in the north. Phuket Airport Immigration Office is at 224, Moo 6, Sakhu, Thalang District, Phuket 83110, and the Phuket Immigration Blue Tree Office is at 4, 2 Srisoonthorn Rd., Tumbon Srisoonthorn, Thalang.

Plan a Blue Tree visit around its two weekday windows, Mon-Fri 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. and 1.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.. It is closed Saturday - Sunday, and the main office is in town: Phuket Immigration Office.

Rent and costs

Treat these as a rough budget rather than Bang Tao prices, because they are contributor-reported Phuket-wide averages. They rest on 479 entries from 41 contributors.

Before you sign, read Rental contract in Phuket.

Nearby areas

Heading south, you reach Kathu. Its own guide is Living in Kathu.

Next in this journey

To weigh the north against the rest of the island, open Where to live in Phuket, which sets the areas side by side by situation. For the tables, see Phuket areas compared, and for the contract, Rent an apartment in Phuket.

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Not confirmed: Rents are Phuket-wide averages from contributor-reported prices, not Bang Tao or Thalang listings: ask the landlord for the monthly rate and the deposit before you view. Songthaew and Grab fares from the north are not posted: agree the price before you ride.

General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.

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