An archetypal island paradise with the added bonus of cultural wonder and culinary delights
The island
of Phuket is in the southwest of Thailand in Phuket Province to the south of
Bangkok and has its own airport, Phuket Airport (HKT). All the resorts
are coastal and are mainly in the west with Patong, Karon, and Kata amongst the
most popular.
Dubbed the ‘Pearl
of the South', Phuket is the largest, most celebrated and most popular of
Thailand's resort islands. It is easily accessible from the mainland via the
Sarasin Bridge and with its year-round warm weather, choice of resorts, diverse
landscape and stunning beaches lapped by the warm Andaman Sea, Phuket attracts
all types of holidaymakers.
The island
is 48 km (34 miles) by 21 km (16 miles). It is home to a chain of mountains and
valleys mainly from a north-south range running down the west coast. The
tallest peak, Mai Tao Sip Song (12 Cane Peak) is 529m high. The rest of the
island is flat. This provides a stunning contrast of rocky headlands, long
broad sandy beaches, limestone cliffs, forested hills, small estuaries,
lagoons, and tropical vegetation of all kinds.
You can
enjoy stunning beaches such as Kata Beach with its spectacular tropical scenery,
Nai Yang Beach edged by the stately casuarina trees, the triple canopy rainforest
of Khao Phra Thaeo National Park or the mudflats and mangrove swamps of Koh
Siray. Phuket is truly a tropical wonderland and offers something for just
about everyone.
But there is also beauty below the
sea with some stunning coral reefs that mustn’t be missed. This provides an
excellent snorkeling and diving opportunity to watch the beautiful tropical
fish in their own environment.
Phuket has plenty of great beaches;
the busiest is in the main resort town of Patong. Hat Patong has everything you
need for a beach break - sun loungers, sun umbrellas, water sports, beach bars, and restaurants. If you want a quieter spot try the beaches at Kata and Karon but
when the surf is good they are very popular with windsurfers and surfers.
However, if you are prepared to drive, you will find some superb remote beaches
perfect for a spot of R and R.
But Phuket
isn’t all about sun, sea, and sand. It also has some fascinating temples and attractive Chinese
colonial buildings, lively markets, and interesting shops. Plus there is the
amazing rainforest in Khao Phra Thaeo National Park.
Phuket enjoys
a tropical climate, with the temperatures rarely dropping below 29°C. There are
two main seasons; high season from November to April when the weather is hot
and dry, attracting most amount of visitors and low season from May to October
when it is cool and wet.
The monthly average temperatures are:
|
°C |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Day |
32 |
33 |
33 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
31 |
31 |
31 |
31 |
31 |
31 |
|
Night |
23 |
23 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
Although
not up to Bangkok’s standards, Phuket still provides plenty of shopping opportunities.
The best shopping is in Phuket Town and Patong.
Along
Patong Beach there are numerous stalls and shops selling items such as wooden
handicrafts, leather goods, jewelry, clothing, and bootleg CDs. The Old
Chinese shops in Phuket Town (around Talang and Ranong Roads) have a great atmosphere and sell wonderful furniture, antiques, art, and traditional
medicines.
To getaway
from the heat of the day, the night markets are a must. On Patong Beach Road
the market gets underway at 6.30pm and haggling is a must. You will find
anything from CDs, silk scarves and sarongs to leather goods. The night market
in Phuket Town is a wonderful place to sample authentic Thai, Muslim and
Chinese food.
There are
also village markets in Kamala (Wednesday and Saturday afternoons) selling
fresh produce and also at Bang Tao Village (Friday and Tuesday afternoons).
To getaway
from the heat of the day, you can spend a bit more money in the air-conditioned
Ocean Plaza department stores which offer a wide range of shops.
Popular
items to buy are silk, tailor-made clothing, gems, pearls, gold, and jewelry,
antiques, leather goods, and cashews.
Baan Rim Pa Restaurant
The Boathouse Restaurant
Ruen Thong Restaurant
Thai Nann Restaurant
Phuket Thai Village and Orchid Garden
Bang Tao Beach Bar & Cafe
The Royal Kitchen-Chinese Restaurant
Toto Restaurant & Piano Bar
Viva Mexico Restaurant
There are
numerous bars, pubs, clubs and go-go joints to keep you occupied during your
stay. The main street in Phuket Town has a variety of discos, but there are
only 3 nightclubs which are in Patong Beach and generally get going after 10 pm:
For
something a bit different there is always Simon Cabaret in Patong which offers
a drag queen spectacular. Of course, a trip to Thailand wouldn’t be complete
without catching a bout of kickboxing (Muay Thai). But if you want something
that will appeal to the whole family there is always the Phuket Fantasea night
time cultural theme park (Kathu) or Phuket Orchid Garden and Thai Village for
displays of Thai dancing and elephant shows.
Patong
Beach is where probably the highest concentration of bars is. Below are just A few of the names to look out for.
March
April
May
August
October
November
December
Phuket is
ideally located for several excursions, many of which will involve a boat trip
which can be quite an adventure on their own. Of course, this isn’t so great if
you suffer from seasickness. Your hotel will be able to provide you with
details of possible excursions along with details of local tour companies.
But just to
get you started, here are a few suggestions.
Do not
drink the local water as it can often cause diarrhoea. To avoid this always drink bottled water which is
inexpensive and widely available and make sure you drink plenty to avoid
dehydration. You should also avoid having ice in your drinks and always brush
your teeth with bottled water.
Avoid
eating fruit and vegetables that are unwashed or sold unpeeled. Also
unpasteurised milk should be boiled before drinking and avoid any dairy product
that contains unpasteurised milk.
Always
check with your GP before travelling to ensure you have any necessary
vaccinations before your holiday. You should also ensure you have sufficient
medical insurance in place before travelling.
When
swimming, beware of strong riptides which can be dangerous. If you are taking
part in water sports make sure you are with a reputable company and preferably
one that is affiliated to an international training company.
Take care
of your valuables as pickpockets have been known to operate in crowded tourist
areas. Avoid taking your valuables to the beach and never them your bags
unattended.
