Phuket pronounced "Poo-get",
is Thailand's largest island and also its second
smallest province. It is 48 km in length, 21 km
at its widest, and is located in Southern Thailand,
on the west-facing Andaman Sea coastline, suspended
from the southern tip of Phang Nga Province by
a pair of short but substantial road bridges.
Phuket Town is the administrative centre of Phuket
Province, and the island's main population centre.
Phuket enjoys great popularity as a travel destination.
Most beaches are on the west coast, with Phuket
Town to the south-east and the airport in the
north.
Climate
Phuket is hot and humid throughout the year. The
high season is generally considered to be from
November to May. During the summer monsoon season,
mornings and afternoons are still sunny and clear,
but it tends to rain in the evenings and water
clarity goes down. Locals consider May to October
the "cool" season, and the weather is
quite tolerable, much more so than in the tourism
centers around the Gulf coast. It's comparable
to Florida's summer weather in temperature and
intensity of rain storms: 25-33 deg C, flying
clouds, short and thunderous rainfalls in the
afternoons and evenings. Surfing is possible off
the western beaches.
Talk Phuket is one of Thailand's premier tourist
destinations and (basic) English is very widely
spoken, especially in the beach areas. That said,
even a little Thai will draw smiles and can be
useful in the less touristed areas of Phuket Town.
Particularly in the monsoon season, there are strong
currents on many of the beaches and drownings are
a depressingly common occurrence. Heed the warning
flags on popular beaches and play it safe if off
the beaten track. It is important to note that,
while many tourists who flock to the beaches of
Phuket are European, nudity is viewed as highly
offensive to Thais. It is very rude to go topless
to beaches. Thais are generally non-confrontational,
but it is always best to be respectful while treading
on another's home country.
Ao
Chalong - home to Phuket's most popular
yacht anchorage
Rawai
Beach - set off point for lots of local
islands, popular with locals for eating on the
beach
What to see & do
Phuket might not have the historical sites that
Bangkok and Chiang Mai have, but it does have
a few. Most visitors spend their time at the beaches
and in the bars. The most heavily-hyped attraction
is the Phuket Fantasea show at Kamala Beach, a
self-proclaimed "cultural theme park",
but comparisons to Disneyland are exaggerated
at best.
However, Wat Chalong is a beautiful Buddhist
temple located on the southern end of the island.
There is also the history to be seen in Phuket
Town and, of course, the sights and sounds of
the Vegetarian Festival
Elephant riding
This is a good way to support the remaining domesticated
elephants of Thailand and their mahout, is fairly
cheap, and can be an interesting new experience.
The elephants are well trained, and you can tip
the mahout by giving the money to the elephant
who will hand it to the mahout with its trunk.
Animal sanctuary
Visit the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project by the
beautiful Bang Pae waterfall. They have a visitor
centre manned by Western volunteers and English
speaking Thai staff who will talk to you about
the project. Talks are free, but please support
the project by buying a souvenir, sponsoring a
gibbon or giving a donation. Don't have your photo
taken with a captive gibbon in Phuket or on the
beaches.
Golf - see also: Golf in Thailand - Phuket section
and Golf
The golf courses of Phuket are of international
standard. Each one has its own particular challenges
and scenic splendour that only Phuket can offer.
Discount green fee are available by booking through
Phuket golf booking agencies.
Blue Canyon Country Club
Laguna Phuket Golf Club
Loch Palm Golf club Phuket
Mission Hills Phuket Resort and
spa
Phuket Country Club
Phuket Golf Courses Reservations
Thai Muang Beach Golf and Marina
Muay Thai training (Thai kick-boxing):
Suwit Muay Thai Boxing Camp
Chalong Chi Muay Thai and M.M.A. Training Camp
Watersports
Scuba diving, yachting, jet-skiing and parasailing
are the most popular activities on the island.
Most dive sites are off nearby islands, but distances
are fairly short and there are dozens of dive
shops and boats to cater to your needs, mostly
based near Chalong Pier.
Other Activities
In Phuket, where everything happens for fun and
adventure, you live life to the fullest with such
a great variety of activities the paradise has
to offer. Just besides the popular activities
such as diving and snorkeling, golfing, Muay Thai,
sailing and sport fishing, there are a bunch of
other "must do while in Phuket" activities.
Dining & Entertainment
Food in Phuket is surprisingly cosmopolitan,
as many foreigners have set up shop to cater to
their fellow travellers. All the usual Thai favorites
are of course still available, with a particular
emphasis on seafood.
Phuket has a busy nightlife, second only to Pattaya
among Thailand's beach resorts. Patong Beach is
by far the busiest, and seediest, of the lot,
but in addition to go-go bars there are also plenty
of other bars, discos and clubs.
About Phuket Thailand
