Phuket, also known as “The pearl of the Andaman” is Thailand’s largest island, and is located almost 900 kilometers south of Bangkok.
The islands interior is mostly mountainous, while its west coast has a number of magnificent long sandy beaches and lots of nightlife. For centuries, the main source of income for the island was tin mining.
Now, tourism and rubber have made Phuket the wealthiest province of the country. The 2004 tsunami badly damaged Phuket, mainly the beach resorts on the west side of the island. Since then, Phuket has fully recovered and a tsunami warning system has been put in place.
Phuket’s beaches
Phuket’s most famous and developed beach is Patong beach that has a more than 2 kilometers long sandy beach located in a bay with warm waters, ideal for swimming and relaxing in the sun. The beach is lined up with beach chairs and umbrellas, that can be rented for a small daily fee. Vendors selling ice cream, fresh fruits and drinks walk the beach all day, offering their goods. Besides swimming and relaxing in the sun there are plenty of things to do like parasailing and jet skiing. For complete relaxation, try a Thai massage available on the beach.
Patong is also Phuket’s center of nightlife. The area around Soi Bangla has more than 200 pubs, bars, go-go bars and discothèques where the action does not stop until very late at night. Patong offers a countless number of accommodation options, from basic bungalows to international 5-star resorts. There is plenty of choice of restaurants, both Thai and Western, some of which serve some of the best sea food in the country.
Longtail boats on the beach