When we left Penang we were under the impression that it was a direct journey to Phuket, and as it was only our second bus trip we had no reason to think otherwise, but we ended up changing busses twice before we got to Phuket! Which is fine except that the bus just stops and you are told to get out and given your stuff, without warning - they literally don't tell you anything! If we didn't ask we wouldn't even know how long it was going to be until the next bus ...