Phuket refers to an island just off Thailand, connected by a bridge, that is made up of beautiful mountains coursing down majestically into the Southeast Asian seas of Andaman and the Phang Nga Bay. And what makes this place so out of this world breathtaking is that this bold, green range juts in a picturesque way right into bright white sandy beaches. It’s little wonder people flock here from all over the world just as they do where this occurs in South America, around Rio de Janeiro. The same effect - mountains meeting the ocean in a spectacle which must have taken early explorers by surprise.
Bounded by some 23 beaches, the island is blessed with natural resources and an infrastructure that totally supports tourism. Initially, when trade ships came this way in search of anything that would make money back home, they found tin. And tin was the largest export in the 1600′s from Phuket. People did not come to the beach to enjoy it as we do. But I bet some native kids played here since humans first arrived.
Remember that Phuket was our focus during the Tsunami of 2004, where tourism is most concentrated, even though thousands of beaches and islands were affected hundreds of miles in every direction.
But it was the videos from tourists here that we saw on CNN first. Today you’d never know a tsunami visited the place. Good job, Thailand - you’re back on your feet.
With that many Phuket beaches, it’s hard to know where to start. Most tourists initially start with Patong Beach which is opposite Phuket City and easy to get to. It’s about 2 km long and bounded by hills. You’ll find everything here, but because of its close proximity to the major resorts, it gets crowded.
This isn’t South Beach. You’ll be exposed to an entirely different culture which means you’ll see a lot of different things going on at the beach, mainly merchandising - everything from sarongs to Popsicles. And if you’re brave, you can eat your lunch here as well, fully catered by some local with everything but the kitchen sink. But my advice is to become fully involved with the culture and embrace it.
Full facilities at almost all the beaches on Phuket. Again, when people refer to Phuket Beach, they are referring to one of the 23 beaches on the island. Right off of Phuket City there is really no beach, but mainly shallows and runoff from the city.
The bay is interesting and worth a drive by, but the real beaches are in the coves and crescents left by the creation of the mountains which formed the island. Make sure you visit as many of those as possible. And for information on facilities there, you can snag a beach guide at any hotel, or look up the beach name right here on Three Best Beaches.
Phuket is what you may think it is, semi-wild and crazy; Thailand. There are a lot of nightclubs and bars on the island and the whole idea is to treat the visitor with pleasure. All of the major hotel chains are here so there is good choices to stay. Please check out our advertisers as well to find up to the minute specials that may be available to you.
If you can visit, this is recommended, mostly because of the stunning views, but also to dive into the culture which is life-changing.
