The first breath of Phuket arrives through the van window: humid air, a string of palms, and the slow geometry of limestone hills receding behind the runway. A private minivan pulls up, driver holding a sign with your name; inside, air conditioning hums and luggage straps await. The ride from Phuket International Airport to Royal Phuket Marina is short in minutes but generous in coastal character — a 20–30 minute stretch that moves from airport flats through Laguna’s golf greens and onto the quiet inlet where yachts rock at their berths.