Coming from Bangkok, we will be in Phuket for a week in April and am wanting to know about the local taxi fares.

Can we get a metered taxi from the airport to Mai Kao Beach, and from Mai Kao Beach to Tesco/restuarants/etc.?

Or is still the same 'no-meter' inflated fixed price' scam for out-of-towners?

We don't plan on going out everyday, and so the need for a rental car @ 850 THB a day may seem to be a waste(?)

 

What's the local 'haps' on the island...

You can get a meter-taxi at the airport.

Other locations are also covered by grabtaxi.

 

Sounds good...thanks!

You've picked an area adjacent to the airport in which to stay. Beautiful, uncrowded beaches are the plus for the area, but distance from the main tourist areas and facilities may be a minus, depending on your requirements.

Taxi to your hotel should be cheap, you could almost walk up the beach to your hotel depending on which one you're in.!  A taxi to the southern part of Phuket from there would be expensive. Perhaps your hotel has curtesy cars?

Some northern Phuket  expats may be able to help as far as restaurants and shopping in the area is concerned. They should be along shortly.

Edited January 23, 20179 yr by Old Croc

Get a metered taxi from the airport to your hotel,  and then rent a car from a multinational rental company on the days that you do with to explore the island. 

tried  3 times in past to get a roving meter cab to turn his meter on, was not successful once,

Rent a car from Davids car rent....

Plenty of good restaurants in Laguna, Chen talay

Edited January 25, 20179 yr by phuketrichard

I've been using Grab taxi (you'll have to download the app) and found them to be cheaper than the other transport options - plus no haggling about the price. 

Renting a car is probably the cheapest way if you intend to go out and look around at everything while here especially at 850 baht a day

Just do not have a accident as this will make the rental very expensive, small rental businesses keep your passport for security and want cash payment and generally have no insurance, large rental businesses want  credit card payment only and you can get full insurance cover with them and they do not keep your passport, Avis, Budget etc

DO NOT RENT a car without insurance!!!