Phuket Province

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Introduction

Phang Nga Bay, Phuket

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Phuket is an island province of Thailand, and one of its most popular tourist attractions. The provincial capital is Phuket City, which is also where the main airport for the island is found.

There are 3 main beaches on Phuket: Kata Beach, Patong Beach and Karon Beach. The waters around Kata beach are a bit dangerous for swimming, due to high tides and the prevalence of surfers, who are attracted by strong winds.

Geography

Towns

• Phuket City
• Patong Beach

Sights and Activities

Patong Beach

Patong (Banana Forest) Beach has a host of activities which can be done by people of all ages and all tastes. Swimming, rides on the Banana boat, or more adventurous activities such as para-gliding, para-sailing and jet skiing are all on offer. You can even bungee jump.

The area around the corniche is a place full of energy. It has a night bazaar along the beach, where you can buy everything from Thai crafted tables and wooden souvenirs to shirts, women’s bags, shoes and watches. But don't fool yourself: nearly everything is a fake.

In the spring (normally around April) it is not uncommon that whalesharks visit the bay off Patong. The whaleshark is the biggest fish in the world and huge with a maximum length up to 15 metres. However, it is completely harmless since it is 100% vegetarian.

To get away from the beach, try renting a bike for a day to visit Phuket City.

Karon Beach

Karon Beach is quite long and restaurants and lodging are concentrated near the roundabout on the road to Patong Beach to the North and again along the road leading back to the beach to the south. There is also a beach road and along this is scattered restaurants, primarily Thai which are upper-scale priced but it can be a treat to pay some extra money for your dinner here since the food is normally good and in addition to this you have a nice sea-view and sea-breeze. Karon Beach also has a Hilton 5 star hotel for those who can afford that.

Kata Beach

Going further Sourth and you will find Kata Centre which also has accomodation and restaurants of different kinds and nationalities as well as tailors and other shops with goods. Kata Beach is actually divided into Kata Yai (Big Kata) and Kata Noi (small Kata) Beach. Continuing to Kata Yai Beach you will find that this is actually more relaxed than Patong Beach. Off the coast of Kata Beach is a coral reef which can be quite nice to snorkel at. Snorkelling equipment can be rented cheap on the beach. It is also possible to get a massage in the shade. Follow the beach road and you will find more restaurants, hotels, bungalows and lodges as well as bars and different shops. About 1 km South of Kata Yai Beach you will reach Kata Noi Beach which is actually fairly small in size.

Scuba diving

The scuba diving industry is very developed in Phuket, and more than 60 tour-operators can be found in Patong, Karon and Kata Beaches. It is possible to do all scuba diving courses from introduction dives and beginners level certificates to professional levels of almost all scuba diving organizations. If you do hold a certificate already you should consider the day trips offered by the diving schools since the scuba diving off Phuket offers some nice spots. The destinations are some distance from Phuket Island but it is worth the travelling distance. The different diving companies run trips to the same destinations but on different week-days. The price of a one-day diving trip including equipment, lunch and transportation are fixed on Phuket Island so don't expect to find it cheaper than in the first diving-company that you enter. However, it can be a good idea to ask about the boat that the company is using for the day trips: Big or small, slow or fast, many or few passengers, freshwater shower or not and so on. Since the prices are fixed you might as well choose the operator that uses the vessel you find coolest or most comfortable according to what you prefer.

Similan Islands

Similan Islands offers the most spectacular scuba diving in Thailand and is actually a world-class diving destination. It offers several diving spots with high visibility and an abundance of life. Whaleshark are very common and some tour operators actually give a whaleshark guarantee on their trips. Similan Islands can be reached from Phuket (Patong Beach and further north) with speedboats but many diving companies offers live-aboard trips to Similan Islands as well and it is probably worth it to spend the extra money and time on this diving destination.

Events and Festivals

Weather

The weather can be quite hot and humid, but it's rarely unmanageable. June and July see occasional showers, which make the weather somewhat more pleasant.

Getting There

By Plane

Phuket International Airport (HKT) has a wide range of international flights. International destinations include Kuala Lumpur, Berlin, Munich, Beijing, Seoul, Milan, Rome, Taipei, Guangzhou, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Penang, Sydney, Shanghai, Singapore, Perth, Moscow, Kaohsiung, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Domestic services are Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Pattaya.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

Buses leave for Bangkok quite regularly and there is no problem in finding seats, even at the last minute.

By Boat

Getting Around

There are a lot of islands around Phuket, the most famous being the Phi Phi Islands, and one can easily get a tour from the ubiquitous travel agents around the area. A good tactic for getting cheaper rates is to get one agent against the other and thus get a good deal.

By Car

By Public Transport

If you are coming to Phuket by bus, you will arrive at the main city bus terminus. You could be hustled into getting an expensive taxi for the Patong beach or wherever you want to go and there are people who have their private cars which double up as taxis, but these options are at best left alone and one just needs to find the open air taxis. The open air taxis are a treat to travel in (and cheap) but they have designated times.

By Foot

By Bike

Motor bikes are easily accessible and can be rented fairly cheap. Just be sure to wear your helmet (this should be included in the rental fee) as the drivers don't necessarily look out for you.

By Plane

By Train

By Bus

By Boat

Eat

The places around the small inns on Patong Street offer good value for money. The food at Dubai restaurant is irresistible and deserves mention. Other than that one can always get a boiled corn from the street vendors. There are other vendors who sell Thai food, but hygiene can be an issue. The banana pancakes are a treat: they are crispy and great with honey.

Drink

Sleep

There is little in the way of cheap accommodation around Kata and Karon, so Patong Beach is the best option if you're on a budget.

Patong Beach has a host of accommodation which ranges from the Holiday Inn to small Inns, most of which are on Patong Street. As you get closer to the beach, prices tend to become more expensive.

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale