Travel Guide -Thailand.com

Phuket, pronounced "poo-get",(most K words are pronounced as a G) is Thailand's largest island ahead of Koh (goh) Chang. It is 48 km in length, 21 km at its widest, and is located in Southern Thailand, on the west-facing Andaman Sea coastline, suspended from the southern tip of Phang Nga Province by a pair of short but substantial road bridges.

" Pearl of the Andaman, southern paradise, golden beaches, land of the duo of heroines and highly revered Laung Pho Chaem "

Phuket enjoys great popularity as a travel destination. Most beaches are on the west coast, with Phuket Town to the south-east and the airport in the north. Phuket nestles in balmy Andaman Sea waters on Thailand’s Indian Ocean coastline 862 kilometres south of Bangkok.

Phuket formerly derives its wealth from tin and rubber, and enjoyed a rich and colourful history. The island was on one of the major trading routes between India and China, and was frequently mentioned in foreign trader’s ship logs.

Climate

Phuket is hot and humid throughout the year. The high season is generally considered to be from November to May. During the summer monsoon season, mornings and afternoons are still sunny and clear, but it tends to rain in the evenings and water clarity goes down. Locals consider May to October the "cool" season, and the weather is quite tolerable, much more so than in the tourism centers around the Gulf coast. It's comparable to Florida's summer weather in temperature and intensity of rain storms: 25-33 deg C, flying clouds, short and thunderous rainfalls in the afternoons and evenings. Surfing is possible off the western beaches.

Geography

Phuket is one stunning island. It is situated off the west coast of Thailand in the delightful Andaman Sea. It has an area of approximately 570sqm and it’s made up of 1 large and 39 small islands. The north of Phuket borders with Phang-nga province. Even though it is theoretically an island, it is connected to the mainland by bridge.

Beaches

Particularly in the monsoon season, there are strong currents on many of the beaches and drownings are a depressingly common occurrence. Heed the warning flags on popular beaches and play it safe if off the beaten track. It is important to note that, while many tourists who flock to the beaches of Phuket are European, nudity is viewed as highly offensive to Thais. It is very rude to go topless to beaches. Thais are generally non-confrontational, but it is always best to be respectful while treading on another's home country. The major beaches from north to south are:

* Bang Tao - long, very quiet beach

* Surin Beach - an up-and-coming destination

* Laem Singh Beach - small bay with stunning views, between Kamala Beach and Surin Beach

* Kamala Beach - a quieter beach to the north of Patong

* Patong Beach - the largest beach resort, known for its nightlife

* Karon Beach - a quieter beach to the south of Patong

* Kata Yai Beach - busy, clean tourist beach with good surf

* Kata Noi Beach - quieter sister of Kata Yai

* Ao Chalong - home to Phuket's most popular yacht anchorage

* Rawai Beach - set off point for lots of local islands, popular with locals for eating on the beach

* Nai Harn - a quiet beach (probably the best) in the south near Phrom Thep Cape view point

Islands

* Ko Yao — two islands halfway to Krabi, with four upmarket resorts

* Kho Hae (also known as Coral Island) — Located on the Southeast of Phuket Island. Only 15 minutes by speedboat from Chalong Bay. Visitors can travel to the island whole year round. They can either visit for a day or stay overnight at the resort.

* Kho Bon or Bon Island can be reached by longtail or speed boat from Phuket's major beaches. An ideal island for a day of snorkeling, relaxing and enjoy a good lunch at the English run restaurant. Stay for cocktails in the late afternoon and watch the sun go down at Laem Phrom Thep.