Phuket

It depends on the ship and the day. Smaller and mid-size ships usually tender passengers ashore at Patong Bay, landing you in the heart of Patong. Larger ships dock at Phuket Deep Sea Port near Cape Panwa, on the island's southeast side. Patong is more central; the deep sea port is quieter but further from everything. Check your cruise line's port schedule, because it can vary sailing to sailing.

Grab, Thailand's ride-hailing app, is the easiest and most transparent option — download it and set up payment before you sail. Metered taxis exist but drivers often prefer flat fares, so agree on the price before you get in. Tuk-tuks are everywhere and charge tourist rates; they're fine for short hops but not for crossing the island. There is no train or useful public bus for a cruise visitor.

If island scenery is why you're here, yes — but go in knowing it's a full-day commitment. Phi Phi and the James Bond Island area (Phang Nga Bay) are both an hour or more from where you land, plus boat time. That's the whole port day. The payoff is the limestone-and-turquoise scenery Thailand is famous for. If you'd rather not spend the day on a boat, skip it and do a land circuit instead.

A solid land day links Big Buddha (a 45-meter marble figure on a hilltop with island views), Wat Chalong (Phuket's most revered Buddhist temple), and Phuket Old Town with its restored Sino-Portuguese shophouses, cafes, and street art. Add Promthep Cape at the island's southern tip for the view, or a beach stop at Kata or Karon if you want sand. It's a comfortable half to full day by Grab.

Some are, many aren't. Phuket has shifted toward sanctuary-model parks where elephants are observed, fed, and bathed but not ridden or made to perform. If you want to visit one, look specifically for a no-riding, no-show sanctuary and read recent reviews. Avoid anything advertising elephant rides or trekking. When in doubt, skip it — it's an easy thing to get wrong.

By daylight, Bangla Road is mostly closed shutters and the smell of last night — not much to see. Its reputation is a nightlife reputation, and cruise ships rarely stay late enough for that. If you tender into Patong, the beach and the shopping are more useful daytime uses of the area. Treat Bangla Road as scenery you walk past, not a destination.