Bangjo

This was plantation and smallholding land until the growth of Laguna and Cherngtalay in the 1990s and 2000s created demand for somewhere for people to actually live. Developers bought inland parcels and built estates, and the area grew steadily into the residential hinterland of the west coast.

The arrival of international schools nearby accelerated it. What had been a value alternative to the beach became a first choice for families in its own right.

Low-rise, green and residential throughout. Most homes sit within gated or semi-gated estates with shared roads and security, which suits owners who are away for parts of the year. Streets are quiet enough that children cycle on them, which is rare on this island.

A handful of good local restaurants and cafes sit along the main roads, and Boat Avenue — with its full range of international dining, bars and the Friday market — is eight minutes away. Most residents treat it as their local strip.

Porto de Phuket and Villa Market cover the weekly shop, with Big C, HomePro and the larger stores clustered nearby on the Thep Krasattri road. Local markets handle produce. It is one of the better-served parts of the island for practical errands.

UWC Thailand is around five minutes away and is the single biggest reason families choose Bangjo. Clinics are close at hand and the major private hospitals are around thirty minutes in Phuket Town. Everything here assumes a car, though distances are short.