- Thailand Destination Guide - CBS Travel Asia

THE ‘PEARL OF THE ANDAMAN’ IS THE IDEAL PLACE TO ENJOY WARM
WEATHER, LUXURIOUS BEACHES AND ENTICING ATTRACTIONS
Phuket is one of the most popular
tourist areas in Thailand, it is an island
– the country’s largest, in the Andaman
Sea, though the term Koh, designating
islands, has been dropped from its name
as due to the size of the island and the
bridge from the mainland, it does not
really feel like an island. The province
is connected to Phang Nga Province to
the north by a bridge and is also a good
base for exploration of the islands of
Krabi province, to the east across the
Phang Nga Bay. It is an up-market tourist
destination, with a wealth of enticing
attractions.
Phuket suffered extreme damage in the
2004 Tsunami. Though many lives were
lost and much infrastructure utterly
destroyed, the clear up and rebuild was
remarkably swift and visitors today will
see little to no evidence remaining of the
tragic events. This is one of the wealthiest
parts of Thailand, largely due to the
booming tourism industry and resorts
reopened as early as the year after the
Tsunami occurred. Phuket is a place
always moving – moving forward and
swiftly moving on. It is an exciting place
to visit.
The climate of the island is classified
as a tropical monsoon climate. It has a
dry season, which runs from December
to March and a wet season that lasts
throughout the other eight months.
Phuket averages roughly 87 inches of
rain, 2,200mm, each year and you should
be aware that there is some rain here
even during the dry season. Since Phuket
is close to the equator, there is little
variation in temperature throughout the
year – temperatures are consistently
between 24 and 34 degrees year round.
Lovely for those who enjoy warm
weather, luxuriating on beaches and
enjoying other pursuits.
Phuket has a very beautiful landscape.
Over two thirds of the island is a
mountainous landscape, there are
forests of rubber trees across the island
and some plains to the centre and east
of the island. The coastline is strung
with sandy beaches to the west while
beaches on the east coast are usually
muddy. There are no major rivers on
the island, merely some small brooks
CBS TRAVEL ASIA - THAILAND DESTINATION GUIDE
that could be counted on the fingers of
both hands. There are some important
habitats throughout the landscape of
the island that are crucial to a number
of wildlife species.
Thai culture is largely Buddhist and this
is the same here, but one of the things
that sets Phuket apart is that there is
a high percentage of people who live
here who are Muslim. Around 20% of
the population share this religion. There
are also a large number of people here
of Chinese descent, many of whom are
descended from tin miners who came
here in the 19th Century. You will find
the people here to be friendly, smiling
and welcoming but should be sure
to show modesty and respect in your
dress, especially when visiting religious
buildings and never go topless on any of
the island’s beaches as this would not go
down well with many locals. Thousands
of ex-pats also live on Phuket and this is a
popular place to which to retire as well as
a popular tourist destination.
Phuket town is the historic town of
the island, standing distinct from busy
settlements along the coast. It has
a tangible history and culture that is
evident in the Sino-Portuguese 19th
Century architecture and in the local
handicrafts on sale around the old town.
At the beaches of the west coast you will
find the very busy beach at Patong along
with a bustling tourist resort with all the
facilities that implies. There is a string
of beaches backed by hotels and other
tourist infrastructure all along the west
coast. To the south-east of the island is
Chalong Bay, Phuket’s most popular yacht
anchorage and the gateway to islands like
Phi Phi.
Aside from the islands which are
extremely popular to visit from Phuket,
there are also many other offshore
attractions and taking excursions and
adventuring on and underneath the
water account for much of the immense
popularity of the island. Here you can
do some world-class scuba diving,
snorkelling or swimming, go in a canoe or
a yacht or take part in some watersports
or adrenaline fuelled activities. There is
so much to do on and under the water
continue on page 129...
GETTING THERE
You can fly direct to Phuket
from Bangkok, which is
the easiest option and
takes only around an hour.
You also can go for the
cheapest option, which
is to take the bus for the
12-14 hour ride, or the
overnight train to Surat
Thani, where you will have
to disembark and complete
the journey to Phuket by
bus. Another option is to
travel from Bangkok by
car, which could turn the
whole thing into a road trip
adventure.
PLACES TO VISIT
PHUKET
Patong Beach
The most famous and welldeveloped
beach on Phuket.
Patong Beach is considered
the ideal place for variety
of activities, ranging from
hundreds of restaurants and a
glimpse of bustling nightlife.
Kata Ni Beach
This is a beautiful white beach
with soft sand and crystal clear
waters that are perfect for a
swim. This is a family favourite
and yet less crowded than some
other beaches on the island.
Gibbon Rehabilitation Project
This wonderful and informative
Gibbon sanctuary is a great
project and a fascinating
and beautiful place to visit,
within the Bang Pae Waterfall
nature conservation area.
Conservationists here rescue
Gibbons harmed by humans
and their environment.
Karon View Point
This place has wonderful views
down over the forested slopes
to Kata and Karon beaches and
the Andaman Sea beyond.
Other places to visit:
Phuket Big Buddha, Hai Harn
Beach, Wat Chalong, Chalong
Bay Rum Distillery, Phuket
Trick Eye Museum, Kata Beach,
Phrompthep Cape
127