Phuket

THE CITY OF PHUKET

Phuket is usually called the ‘Pearl of the South’ and is the largest island in Thailand. It forms one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Phang Nga and Krabi, but as Phuket is an island there are no land boundaries. Phuket, which is approximately the size of Singapore, is Thailand’s largest island. Phuket is situated in the Andaman Sea off the western coast of southern Thailand’s. The island’s landscape is very varied. There are rocky headlands, long broad sandy beaches, limestone cliffs, forested hills, small estuaries, lagoons, and tropical vegetation of all kinds. The large size of the island has allowed microclimates to develop in different areas.

The island is connected to mainland Thailand by a bridge. It is situated off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. The region has an area of approximately 570sq. km. and is made up of 1 large and 39 small islands. Phuket formerly derived its wealth from tin and rubber. The island was on one of the major trading routes between India and China, and was frequently mentioned in foreign trader’s ship logs.

Phuket now derives much of its income from tourism. The island offers many different looks and feels to discover and enjoy. Phuket is known best for its great beaches and hospitality, but there are also other features that bear witness to this island’s unique character. Kata Beach with its spectacular tropical scenery compared with the stately cassurina trees that are found on Nai Yang Beach just a few kilometres north. Other natural beauties are: the triple canopy rainforest of Khao Phra Thaeo National Park, the mud flats and mangrove swamps of Koh Siray.

THE PORT OF PHUKET

The Port of Phuket is located on the western seaboard of Thailand. The port is in Ao Makham Bay at the south-eastern corner of the island. The port has facilities for cargo transfers, and is also a frequent stop of cruise ships both from Thailand and from abroad.

TRANSPORT IN PHUKET

Phuket is a large island and some form of transport is necessary to get around. Public transport is very limited and taxis and tuk-tuks are in controlled by a local mafia with high prices as a result.
Hotels generally offer shuttle bus services into Phuket Town, and also have taxi and car hire facilities.
Jeeps and motorbikes can be hired from various shops in Phuket and at the main beaches.

In Town: No public buses, but there are mini-buses which operate a communal service.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN PHUKET

Phuket Town has preserved its old traditional Thai character and is fascinating because of the old buildings in a Sino-Portuguese architecture. Also typical and worth a visit are the quite lanes with century-old Chinese herbalists shops.

From above Kata Bay and at Promthep cape great views over the island can be had. Great to see the sun set.

Phuket is mostly renowned for its splendid beaches that can each nicely be viewed from the hilly capes that separate them. Patong and Karon are the most central and most visited beaches.  More to the north are the sweeping Kamala or small and quiet Surin beaches and the pretty lagoons behind Bang Tao Beach. Kata and Kata Noi might well be the nicest beaches, while Rawai and Nai Harn are delightfully unspoilt by over development.

Some other monuments and sites are:

The Two Heroines Monument. Phuket’s most famous monument in Amphoe Thalang is the memorial statue of the heroines Thao Thepkasattri and Thao Sisunthon, who rallied islanders in 1785 to repel Burmese invaders.

The Thalang National Museum is located near the Two Heroines Monument. The museum contain permanent exhibition of life in old Phuket, ancient artefacts and remains discovered on the coast and, materials used during war with Burma (Myanmar

The temple of Wat Phranang Sang is located 20km from town on the Thepkasattri Road at Thalang district. An old and historical landmark of Phuket, the temple was once a fort resisting Burmese invasion around 1785. Inside the old chapel are enshrined the three oldest and largest Buddha statues made of tin. Called the Three Kings, they are positioned in the midsections of another three large statues.

Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Conservation Development and Extension Centre) Its duty is to promote, distribute and wildlife within Khao Phra Thaeo wildlife park. The park is located near Thalang district, 22 kilometres from Phuket Town. 22.28 square kilometers of virgin forest are coverd by this park, which also actively conserves a number of wild animals; they would otherwise be extinct in fast-growing Phuket. It is a center for study of the environment and the forest vegetation is spectacular. Giant trees supported by huge buttresses are thick with creepers and climbers of every description.

Ton Sai Waterfall is a small falls, over which pours a great volume of water during the rainy season. The trees, watercourses, and pools nearby provide one of Phuket's loveliest scenes. The park headquarters with an excellent view are also at Ton Sai.

Bang Pae Waterfall is another waterfall in the sanctuary which is located at Tambon Pa Khlok past the Two Heroines Monument. There is an arboretum and a nursery to rehabilitate captured gibbons before returning them to the wild.

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.

The Big Buddha of Phuket Formerly, officially known as “Phra Puttamingmongkol Akenakkiri” and now called the Mingmongkol Buddha image, it is still referred to as the Big Buddha by everyone in Phuket. Sitting serenely in the meditating posture and on a dominant hilltop between Karon and Chalong it overlooks Chalong Bay and far beyond. So dominant is the Big Buddha that it can be seen from many of the southern parts of Phuket Island as well as nearby islands.