Phuket: a car and an eSIM for your apartment viewing trip

By WSE.AM editorial team, edited by Mark Muzyka · Updated 22 October 2026

How to plan a trip to Phuket to see new developments: car rental, the licence you need, an eSIM for Thailand and prices as of October 2026.

Phuket's new developments are spread across the whole island: Bang Tao and Layan in the west, Rawai in the south, Kamala and Kata in between. Covering them in a couple of days by taxi is expensive and slow, so buyers who fly in to view apartments usually rent a car. Here is what you need for the trip. Figures are as of 22 October 2026.

Licence: not without an International Driving Permit

Thailand recognises the International Driving Permit under the 1949 Geneva Convention. A Russian national licence without an IDP is not considered valid in Thailand. Bring both: the IDP is only valid together with your national licence.

Two more things people forget:

Traffic drives on the left. The steering wheel is on the right; keep it in mind at every junction for the first half hour.
A scooter is not simpler than a car. You need a motorcycle category on your licence and a helmet.

Advertisement. A car while you look for a home. GetRentacar: cars from local owners and rental companies, 15% online, the rest at pickup, free cancellation. Choose a car
Реклама. GETRENTACAR, INC. ИНН 61-1951906. erid: 2VtzqvfXXoK

What a car in Phuket costs

On GetRentacar there were 1,634 cars in Phuket on 22.10.2026 from local owners and rental companies, from 1,307 roubles per day. The cheapest in the results: Mazda 2, Toyota Yaris, Nissan Almera, Honda City. For hilly roads with family, a crossover or a Toyota Fortuner is more comfortable.

How to pay: 15% online, 85% to the owner on pickup. The service accepts Visa and Mastercard debit cards; if the owner allows, you can pay 100% upfront. Free cancellation. Minimum age 18, more expensive under 25.

eSIM for Thailand

You need internet from the first minute: navigation, chatting with your agent, apartment videos. Yesim prices for Thailand on 22.10.2026, 30-day plans:

1 GB: $3.12
5 GB: $8.40
10 GB: $13.20
20 GB: $20.40

Data only, no calls and no local number. Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi and switch it on after landing. The plan must be activated within 180 days of purchase; validity starts when it connects to a network.

How to plan the trip

1. Shortlist 5-8 projects before you fly. Browse new developments in Phuket. 2. Group viewings by area. One day for the west coast, another for the south. Less time goes on driving between viewings. 3. Ask an agent to arrange the viewings. Developer offices keep their own hours and show apartments are not always open. Message us in advance and we will agree the times. 4. Check the road to the beach yourself. "5 minutes to the sea" in an ad and the real road over a hill can differ a lot. By car you see it straight away.

In short

You need your national licence plus an IDP; traffic drives on the left.
A car in Phuket on GetRentacar from 1,307 roubles per day, 1,634 offers (22.10.2026), 15% paid online.
eSIM for Thailand: from $3.12 for 1 GB to $20.40 for 20 GB, 30 days.
Two days grouped by area are usually enough for viewings.

New developments in Phuket

Advertisement. Internet from the moment you land. Yesim eSIM: buy online without documents, install by QR code before you fly. Choose an eSIM
Реклама. Genesis Group AG. ИНН CHE-135.623.633 MWST. erid: 2VtzqvZbafw