Scooter Rental in Phuket Town – Your Guide To Get Riding in 2024
Here’s your ultimate guide to scooter rental in Phuket Town. There are plenty of places around town to rent a scooter, but why not get the best deals from the most trustworthy places? And, importantly, do have the right licence to ride a scooter in Thailand?
Disclaimer: There are some affiliate links on this post. Meaning I may earn a (very) small commission if you buy something after clicking a link. This is at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclaimer here.
Phuket Town Scooter Rental – All You Need to Know
If you’re all about quick information, here’s the basic info you need to know about scooter rental in Phuket Town in 2024.
Best places to rent a scooter in Phuket Town
If I could only recommend two places to hire a motorbike in Phuket Town, they’d be these guys…
- Bikago – They’ve made scooter rental easy by doing it all online
- Som Motorbike Rental Phuket – The best bike hire shop in Phuket Town
How much does it cost?
It will cost you about 250 THB per day to rent a scooter in Phuket Town. You could get one cheaper, but not from anywhere I can recommend to you. If you plan to take out a monthly or weekly rental, the price will be a little bit cheaper.
Do you need a licence to rent a scooter in Thailand?
You don’t need a licence to rent a scooter in Phuket Town, but you do need one to ride it. Sound crazy? It’s because the rental company doesn’t care if you have a licence or not. The police do though, so to avoid getting fined and voiding your insurance you’ll need an International Driving Permit.
That’s all the basic info. I’ll go into more detail on everything now. Why not stick around? What else are you going to do? Doom scroll on Instagram?
The Ultimate Guide to Phuket Town Scooter Rental
Here’s the full guide to motorbike hire in Phuket Town. If you have any other questions drop me a line on Instagram.
Four Best Places to Rent a Scooter in Phuket Town
I’ve personally used three of these four scooter rental companies in Phuket Town. The other one was recommended to me and has great reviews, so I’m happy to mention them as an option. Albeit the fourth one.
Bikago – The easiest way to rent a scooter in Thailand
Bikago isn’t only my favourite place to rent a scooter in Phuket Town, it’s the best in the whole country.
That’s because it’s all sorted online. From getting a quote to adding extras like insurance and roadside cover, to getting it delivered to your accommodation. It’s so easy, and there’s no haggling and not even a need to talk to anyone.
It’s the modern way to hire a motorbike in Thailand. I like the shops on this list, but I’m all about Bikago nowadays. Check out what they can do for you in Phuket Town.
Som Motorbike Rental Phuket – The best rental shop in town
If you’d still like to do it the old-fashioned way and actually speak to another human, try Som Motorbike Rental Phuket Town before anywhere else.
It’s a great scooter rental shop in the heart of Phuket Town that offers a huge range of bikes at decent prices.
Opening hours: 09:00 to 19:00
Address: 54 17 Montri Rd, Talat Yai, เมือง Phuket 83000, Thailand
Koch Motorbike Rental
I always used to go to Som or Koch when I was in Phuket. They’re both as good as each other. It always used to depend on where I was staying in town. Koch is closer to Phuket Town Market, so if you’re staying near there, this is your closest recommended scooter hire shop.
Koch is a great guy and cares that you have a great time on one of his bikes.
If you rent a scooter from Koch or Som you’ll be getting the best service from any shop in Phuket Town. Yes, they’re usually about 10% more expensive than a bike you can get from a man at a shack, but if you do that, you’ll be renting from a man at a shack. And all the trouble that can come with that.
Address: 67/1 Takuapa Rd. Tambon Taladneua Mueang Phuket District, 83000, Thailand
Chai Motorbike Rental & Sea Expert Travel Service – Great for tours
If you plan on renting a scooter and booking some tours while in Phuket Town, you should have a word with Chai Motorbike Rental. That’s because they’re a very reliable bike hire shop and one of the best tour operators in Phuket Town.
Why I’m mentioning them, is that if you want to hire a bike and do a tour or two, you can haggle for a better price for the whole package.
Message them on Facebook or pop in to see them at their shop.
How to Legally Ride a Scooter in Phuket Town
Chances are, that with no licence, you can rent a scooter in Phuket Town and never have any problem. But, there is a real possibility that you’ll be stopped by the police and asked to show the correct documents. And the golden document they don’t want to see is an International Driving Permit. I say “don’t want to see” because when you flash one at them, they know they won’t be getting any money from you.
If you have an IDP you are riding your scooter legally in Thailand. If you don’t have one, the police will expect payment. How much they get is down to your negotiation skills.
If you want to avoid that situation, see how you can get an IDP emailed to you in seconds. Then you’ll be sorted for up to three years!
Use the code IDPSketchy10 at the checkout stage to get 10% off.
What deposit is needed to rent a scooter in Phuket Town?
Usually, you have a choice between your money and your passport. A cash deposit of about 3000 THB or your physical passport are your options when it comes to motorbike hire in Phuket Town.
This is where the scams come into play. If you rent from a cheap ‘too good to be true’ renter, it’s the deposit where they might try to make their living. I’m not saying that if you rent from one of my recommended sources above you’ll get a watertight deal, but you’re not likely to have any problems as long as you don’t cause them.
Do I need insurance to rent a scooter in Thailand?
No, you don’t need insurance to rent a scooter in Thailand, the renters don’t care. But if you want a hospital to help you out if you crash, then yes you do need insurance. Bikago offers insurance to give you peace of mind if you don’t already have scooter riding included in your travel insurance.
What to know where to watch the big match in Phuket Town?
A different topic I know, but along with scooter rental my other speciality is recommending the best sports bars from my travels. Here are the best places to watch live sport in Phuket Town.
Have you checked out Hostelword yet?
If you haven’t booked your hostel yet check out this gem on Hostelworld – Book a Bed Poshtel. It’s one of the best hostels I’ve ever stayed in.
If your Phuket Town accommodation is already sorted you should have a look at Hostelworld for your next stop. It is the best online platform for hostel booking anywhere online. Well, I reckon it is anyway.
Need a scooter elsewhere in Thailand?
I’ve got scooter rental guides for loads of places around Thailand, so if you’re travelling around, you can check out your next stop with one of the links below
Koh Lanta Scooter Rental – Your Quick Guide To Get Riding in 2023
Pattaya Scooter Rental – Ultimate 2023 Guide To Bike Hire
Scooter Rental In Kamala – Your Guide To Get Riding In 2023
Patong Scooter Rental – How To Get Riding in Phuket’s Party Town
Scooter Rental in Chiang Rai – Your Guide To Get Riding in 2023
If you’re working your way through Thailand, check out my Thailand page for more tips and advice to make the most of your travels.
About the author – The Sketchy Traveller
I’m not really a stickman, but it seems that I like portraying myself as one.
I’m an English guy who’s been travelling since 2017. I was never good at taking photos, sketching just seems to work better for me, and in my opinion, why do you want to see other people’s 4K videos and pictures of the world? Surely it’s better to see it for yourself. You can get in touch through the contact page or Instagram.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Happy travelling.