Travel Guide to Phuket

Location

Just over one hour’s flight south of Bangkok lies Phuket, ‘the pearl of the Andaman’. Its limestone cliffs, white powdery beaches, tranquil broad bays, tropical forests, and range of varied resorts contribute to making it the South’s busiest and most visited island.
It is now almost fully recovered from the tsunami although there are still scars on the landscape.

The island is 50 kilometres from north to south and about 21 kilometres wide. It borders the Phang-Nga province to the north and the Andaman Sea on the other three coasts. The island is connected to Phang-Nga province by the Sarasin and Thep Krasattri bridges.

Shopping

Phuket is a shopaholic’s paradise! The island has a great variety of shopping, from bustling open-air food markets, noisy night markets, street stalls and local shops, to western style department stores and upmarket specialist shops. With traditional handicrafts, beautifully designed clothing, jewellery, antiques, homeware and much more to choose from, the only thing you’ll regret about shopping in Phuket is that you didn’t bring a bigger suitcase!
Best buys include ceramics, bronzeware, pewter items, Thai silk, cotton, batiks, gems and pearls. There are also lots of ‘branded goods’ and pirate DVDs, videos and CDs.

Geography

Most geologists believe that the area known as Phuket today was once a peninsula that extended into the Andaman Sea. Geographical formations gradually changed the cape’s location, finally detaching it from the mainland.
70% of Phuket’s mainland is covered with mountains, which stretch from north to south, and the remaining 30% is covered by plains located in the central and eastern parts of the island. The island does not have any major rivers but does have nine brooks and creeks. There are also some wonderful beaches.

History

As a perfect stopover to shelter traders from the monsoons, “Jung Ceylon”, Phuket’s former name, welcomed merchants from India, Persia, Arabia, Burma, China and Siam. During the 16th century, the island was also a popular tin trading port with Portuguese, Dutch, English and French traders flocking to the island. This contribution aided the development of mining to an unprecedented degree. Chinese businessmen and miners later migrated to Phuket and soon enjoyed thriving business wealth.

Apart from serving as a meeting point for traders from Europe, Central Asia and China, Phuket also attracted ambitious immigrants, especially those from Portugal and China, to work in the tin mines. With its colourful history, visitors admire the Sino-Portuguese style architecture in the city especially those buildings located along the Thalang and Yaowarat Roads.
In the 18th century, Phuket was temporarily ruled by the Burmese before it returned to Thai control.
In 1902, Phraya Ratsada Korsimbi, a Sino-Thai businessman who contributed to developing the modern city of Phuket, was appointed Governor of Phuket. He also helped to improve the welfare of local residents and set up the market system in the countryside. In 1916, Phuket became a province
The island’s long history has shaped the distinctive Phuket of the present day, with its diverse ethnic groups, culture, architectural influence, and fine cuisine. With approximately 35% of the population comprising of Thai-Muslims, it is possible to see an equal number of Wats (Thai temples) located next to Mosques.

Climate

There are two seasons– the rainy season (May to October) and the hot season (November to April). Even in the rainy season you can get an excellent suntan and normally the showers are short and very sharp, The best period for a visit, however, is from November to February, when it is possible to see the clear blue sky, feel the fresh sea breeze and marvel at the crystal clear water while lying on powdery, palm-fringed beaches. Average temperatures ranges between 23°C and 33°C.

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Av Temp(F)	90	91	93	91	90	90	88	88	88	88	88	88
Av Temp (C)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
SunshineHours	9	9	9	8	6	5	6	6	5	6	6	8
Rain (inches)	1	1	2	5	13	11	11	11	16	12	7	2

What makes it so special?

Phuket has some vibrant resorts with raunchy nightlife, particularly around Patong Beach. It also has some idyllic beaches and a range of accommodation from small apartments to 5 star hotels. Phuket is usually home to a whole range of tourists on different budgets, which helps to give the area a cosmopolitan feel. Thai hospitality is ubiquitous and there are excellent, well-priced restaurants everywhere.

Where to visit?

The Beaches
Few islands can boast such an abundance of sandy beaches and clear waters as Phuket. The winding coastal roads, along the west coast of this 540-square-km island, offer stunning views and easy access to some of the world’s finest beaches.
Whether you want to sample the frenetic pace of Patong or find solitude on a remote stretch of sand in the north, Phuket’s beaches have it all for the sun seeker. The monsoon rains, between May and October, can bring unpredictable swimming conditions, so heed the posted flag warnings.

Further Afield
While there’s plenty to see in Phuket, several smaller surrounding islands, each offering unique sights of their own, are easily accessible within an hour or two by boat. Many have excellent snorkelling and diving sites, while others simply offer nice patches of sand on which to spend a quiet day. To reach them, hire a long-tail boat or buy a ticket on an island-hopping tour. Accommodation is available on a number of the islands - some of it rustic, some very exclusive. The best islands are Phi Phi, Coral, Similan and Phang Nga Bay.

Phuket City
The bustling, administrative centre of Phuket is often overlooked in favour of the beaches, but there’s a lot to see and do (and spend your money on!) in Phuket City. It features an exciting mix of old and new, simple and sophisticated, peaceful and pulsating.
Phuket rates among the top 10 scuba diving destinations in the world. Spectacular reefs, unusual underwater rock formations, and a huge variety of marine life provide great opportunities for divers at all levels.
There is a variety of evening entertainment including the transvestite show, which is ‘different’. There are lots of adult bars with girls, boys and “ladymen”, not to everyone’s taste, and a huge range of well-priced restaurants.

Most popular tours

Elephant Safari
The tour visits Siam Safari’s Conservation Project where you can learn about this magnificent animal before trekking over Phuket’s panoramic hills. Meet some of the elephants and see how they are trained. Have your camera ready for some great photo opportunities.

Travel by 4WD jeep to Siam Safari elephant camp and spend a day learning about the elephants, seeing how they are trained, and finding out about the Siam Safari conservation project. Take a half-hour elephant trek through the hills of Phuket for superb views over the island.

(Option) Canoe along a river between the mangroves and out into the sea. Life jackets are provided and a support boat stays close by. Afterwards, take a jeep safari into the Cha Long Highlands.

Boat trips to the islands and scuba or snorkelling trips are also popular.

Khao Lak – A new area to the north of Phuket and relatively tourist free, Khao Lak stretches across three national parks and offers nature lovers an unspoilt landscape of beaches, hills, mountains, forested valleys, mangroves and estuaries. Eco-tours operate daily and include elephant trekking and kayaking along the river.

Phang Nga Bay – Oddly shaped limestone cliffs rising sharply from the sea, mangroves, sea caves with crystalline interiors, and hundreds of tiny islands make up Phang Nga Bay, one of southern Thailand’s most fascinating areas. Located north of Phuket, Island tours operate daily, some combining a road/boat trip while others cruise up for the day. Prices can vary depending on the mode of transport, the lunch and the schedule. All tours visit Ko Ping Gan, or "James Bond Island", where Bond was served a bottle of Dom Perignon in ‘The Man With The Golden Gun’, and Ko Pannyi, an unusual sea-gypsy village perched on stilts above the water, against a backdrop of towering limestone cliffs.