Phuket for moms. Doctors, schools and things to do with kids.

Hospitals and children’s clinics

Two of Phuket’s larger private hospitals are in the same network.

• Bangkok Hospital Phuket. The children’s clinic is on the first floor and lists its hours as 8am to 11pm daily. The hospital’s Emergency and Trauma Center is open 24 hours a day.
• Bangkok Hospital Siriroj. For years it was known as Phuket International Hospital. Its children’s clinic sees kids up to age 15, and the hospital also runs an allergy center.
• Vachira Phuket Hospital. The province’s public referral hospital, run by the Ministry of Public Health.

In a medical emergency anywhere in Thailand, call 1669. It also helps to save your chosen hospital’s own emergency line in your phone and to know the drive to its emergency room from home.

Our guide to pediatricians in Bangkok covers vaccine records, insurance and choosing a doctor before you need one. The same questions apply on Phuket.

International schools and preschools

Phuket has international schools in several parts of the island. Some examples, with details taken from each school’s own website:

• British International School, Phuket. Day and boarding school for ages 2 to 18, with the IB Diploma in the final years.
• UWC Thailand. In Thalang, from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12, teaching the three IB programs (PYP, MYP and Diploma).
• QSI International School of Phuket. In Kathu, from preschool through secondary.
• BCIS International School Phuket. In Chalong, for ages 2 to 18, with a British (Cambridge) program and a French program.
• Life School Phuket. Ages 3 to 18, following the British curriculum for stages 1 to 9.
• Shining Stars. A progressive, English-intensive preschool and kindergarten in Kamala for ages 2 to 7.

Fees, waitlists, bus routes and start dates vary a lot between schools and from year to year, so ask each school directly. The International Schools Association of Thailand (ISAT) keeps a member directory on its website. The questions in our international schools in Bangkok guide work just as well for comparing schools here.

Classes and playgroups for little ones

Gymboree Play & Music has a Phuket branch at Central Festival Phuket, with classes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Beyond that, a lot of baby and toddler meetups on the island are informal: a regular morning at a cafe with a play area, a beach meetup, or a class run by a parent. These tend to be shared by word of mouth and in parent groups online, and they change from season to season.

Family days out

• Aquaria Phuket. An aquarium on the B1 floor of Central Phuket Floresta, open 10:30am to 7pm with last entry at 6pm. Air-conditioned and indoors, so it works on a wet afternoon.
• Splash Jungle. A water park in Mai Khao with a kids’ pool, an aqua play area and a spray park. It lists its hours as 10am to 6:30pm daily.
• Andamanda. A large water park with a Thai heritage theme.
• Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. An observation-only sanctuary next to Khao Phra Thaeo National Park. There’s no bathing or feeding, and visits are booked in advance. Its programs are listed as open to all ages.

Getting around with kids

Phuket is spread out and public transport is limited, so most families drive or use ride-hailing. Grab operates on the island. Thai law has required children under six to ride in a child car seat since September 2022. Ride-hailing cars don’t always have one, so ask when you book or bring your own.

Rainy season

Phuket is on the Andaman coast and gets most of its rain with the southwest monsoon, roughly May to October. The sea off the west-coast beaches can get rough in these months, and indoor places like Aquaria and the malls cover the wet afternoons.

Meeting other moms on the island

School communities, classes and parent groups online are the usual ways families meet on Phuket. The Village has a Phuket group for English-speaking moms on the island.