Situated off the
southwest coast of
Thailand and surrounded by the waters of the
Andaman Sea, this tourist center attracts visitors from all over the world.
Phuket is equally interesting to those who want to get to know the
culture of the island, those who seek
calmness and contemplation, as well as to visitors who are looking forward to
tourist attractions, loud
nightlife and beach parties.
People who are not on their sailing vacation can enjoy Phuket’s numerous
beaches, swimming and snorkeling areas, and pleasant shades of palm trees, whereas sailors should charter a yacht and make a cruise around almost
30 neighboring islands, including the popular
Phi Phi Islands. My suggestion is to do both – take a week aboard a sailing yacht and then spend the other one ashore.
Before you make a detailed plan to visit Phuket, you should know that there are two seasons,
wet and
dry, and the temperatures are summer-like throughout the year. Southwest monsoons bring
heavy storms from
April to
October, which is why
European wintertime would be the perfect period to visit Phuket.
[caption id="attachment_6119" align="alignnone" width="1690"]
Phuket[/caption]
Once you have arrived there, you will discover that local
food is much
spicier that the one served in Thai-restaurants all over the world. Phuket has a very
rich nightlife, often described as “nothing like home”. This depends on where your home is, I guess... A walk along
Bangla Road on
Patong Beach, however, will satisfy all visitors looking for a good time. All the bars are set outside, the road is closed to traffic, and neon lights combined with loud music invite you to spend a crazy night outside.
Those who want to broaden their cultural horizons should visit the
town of Phuket and explore its beautiful
town core, where you can spend the afternoons walking the streets and discover funky shops, all built in colonial and Chinese architectural style, even in the most unlikely places. There will be a lot of photo opportunities. You definitely have to take a photo of
Big Buddha, erected on the top of
Nakkerd Hills, and overlooking
Chalong Bay,
Kata and
Rawai beaches. Do not worry, you do not have to climb the hill to take a photo, because the statue is 45 meters high. Chalong is also home to
Wat Chalong, Phuket’s most important temple and the spiritual center of the island.
In one of my
posts about Thailand, I talk about what you can visit in Phuket area aboard your sailing yacht. Learn more about
chartering a yacht on Phuket!
I wish you a calm sea, a fine wind and a strong mast!
