1. It is very touristy
Phuket is one of the most popular islands in the world and expect that there are a lot of expats living here. Every time I went out, I saw “farangs” (foreigners) left and right. But majority of the tourists are in the beach area of Patong, Kata and Karon. If you walk around Phuket town, you’ll meet a lot more locals than foreigners. This is especially true if you explore the whole island. As one of the largest cities in Thailand, I met a lot more locals here and got a really good taste of the Thai culture. I actually find Ko Phi Phi a lot more touristy than Phuket.