Phuket is one of the most popular paradises. In the reviews of tourists left in social networks and on thematic sites, they often talk about the beautiful nature that can be found here and about possible entertainment. In addition, travelers very often note excellent conditions for recreation in local hotels. There are also two of the most famous beaches in the world: Karon and Patong, where various tour operators recommend to go on vacation.
What are the features of holidays on the island? Where is the best place to relax and what is worth seeing? More on that later.
General information
Phuket is an island that belongs to the territory of the exotic state of Thailand. It is here that a huge number of travelers come every year who purchase tickets in advance from tour operators.
Among all the islands thatadministered by Thailand, Phuket is the largest and most colorful. It has a small connection with the mainland in the form of a bridge, which allows tourists to get to it using only land transport. This, according to many vacationers, is very convenient, since you do not have to adapt to the flights of passenger ships that ply between the islands.
This island is washed by the warm and incredibly clean Andaman Sea, which pleases vacationers with its blue waters. Many tourists in their reviews of Phuket and holidays on this island say that the water in the sea is constantly warm, as the air temperature is especially pleasing at any time of the year - even in winter it reaches 30 degrees here.
Climate
Climatic conditions that prevail on the island, of course, delight tourists. This geographical feature is located in a humid tropical climate, within which abundant rainfall occurs in a certain season - this period occurs from May to early autumn. Many reviews of holidays in Phuket say that fans of the bright sun and mild heat should fly here in the winter, when the air temperature does not rise above 30 degrees, and sunny weather can be observed almost daily.
Popular cities in Phuket
The territory of the island is quite large, which is why it is divided into several administrative units - small towns. Which of them are the most beautiful? Many tourists in their reviews of Phuket talk about the unusual Phuket time. This localityis a kind of capital, within which a huge amount of entertainment is concentrated for different categories of tourists. This city has a large population - more than 70,000 people. In many comments, travelers recommend visiting the local historical center, where you can get acquainted with the culture of the people, as well as admire the Sino-Portuguese buildings, as well as oriental temples.
Another popular city in Phuket is Patong. This settlement is very popular due to the beach of the same name, which is located on its territory. Many travelers prefer to visit it, because they know about the clean and warm water that washes it, as well as the incredible nature surrounding this place. It is also home to a large number of holiday destinations and hotels, which tend to be fully booked during the high holiday season.
Among the popular cities of Phuket, Chalong is often mentioned - a settlement that is located not far from the capital of the island, as well as at a relatively short distance from the international airport - literally 40 kilometers. Tourists in their reviews of Phuket often talk about the favorable location of this city, which makes its resort hotels very popular among vacationers. In some reviews, travelers notice that there are not the best beaches on the coast of Chalong. However, resting on them is also pleasant.
Patong
Patong is the most famous beach of all those that are available on the territory of not only Phuket, but also Thailand. In reviews of Phuket left bytourists often talk about the beauty of the local nature. Fans of an active nightlife are attracted by noisy parties that take place here every day and last until the morning. In hotels that are located near this place, mainly groups of friends stay - almost all of them are designed for youth holidays.
The total length of this beach is quite large - 3 kilometers, and its width is 30 m. Along the coastline you can find a large number of restaurants, cafes, bars, nightclubs, as well as great spas where you can really relax.
Reviews about Patong (Phuket) say about the cleanliness of the coastline, that the beach has all the conditions for recreation for representatives of different categories of tourists, as well as a large number of entertainment. Also, many of them recommend that when visiting this beach, rent a large umbrella for yourself, which will save you from the harmful effects of direct sunlight, since there is practically no natural shade here.
There are a considerable number of hotels on the shore of such a beach, the cost of living in which varies from 300 (550 rubles) to 5,000 (9,000 rubles) baht per day.
Karon
Another huge and famous beach in Phuket is Karon. It captivates tourists not only with its size (the length of the coastline is 5 km), but also with perfectly clean white sand. Reviews about Karon (Phuket) say that its shores are washed by clean sea water, the state of which is monitored by a special service here. The beach hasits small feature - the sand with which it is covered, makes an unusual creaky sound when walking. This is due to the high content of quartz in its composition. For this, Karon is often called the "singing beach".
On the southern part of the beach there are several points that offer a favorite entertainment of many - scuba diving. It is here that the picturesque coral reef is located, which attracts the attention of tourists.
Other beaches in Phuket
In vacation reviews, you can often find comments from tourists about other beaches that are also available on the outskirts of the island. Many travelers enjoy visiting coastlines with names such as Nai Harn, Kata Noi, Kamala, Liberty, Yanui, Laem Singh and Panwa.
In reviews of the beaches of Phuket, Kata is often noted with a large number of positive comments - a coastline with white and very soft sand, located near Karon. Its length is relatively small, only 1 km, but the immaculately clear water that washes this coast attracts many.
Entertainment
Reviews about Phuket very often say that this place is ideal for relaxing, if only because there is a large number of entertainment, including mainly water.
Many tourists who stay here do not refuse the opportunity to master the skill of surfing, which is taught by an instructor here for an additional fee. At certain times off the coast of the beachessurfer competitions are held. The best of them can be seen on the beaches of Patong and Kata, as well as Kalim and Kamala.
With coral reefs of incredible beauty along the coastlines of some of Phuket's beaches, the sport of diving is very developed in Phuket. Many of his fans come here just to admire the beauty of the underwater world, diving in the best points: Koh Dok Mai, Anemone Reef, and Shark Point.
Fishing is also one of the favorite activities of tourists who visit Phuket. The thing is that in the sea waters here you can catch the most unusual species of fish that you definitely cannot find, for example, in Russia. Everyone can rent the equipment necessary for such an activity, but the pleasure is not cheap, as vacationers have noticed.
Tours
Many tourists, staying in Phuket, prefer to go on excursions in order to get acquainted with the sights of the island and take a photo as a keepsake. In reviews of Phuket, they talk about unusual things that they were lucky to see.
One of the most popular entertainment here is bungee jumping, which is a huge bungee, the length of which is 50 meters. The school of Thai cuisine attracts a lot of attention of vacationers, where travelers also often go. Many admit that having been here, they discover the secrets of cooking many original dishes. Here you can also sign up for a paid training program, whichlasts five days.
Many fans of sea travel prefer to go to the picturesque Similans, the nature of which is truly captivating. You need to get to them by swimming, on a ship that runs on schedule. Fans of island travel can also take advantage of the economy offer of a trip to Phi Phi, which is carried out by speed boat. The price of such a trip is no more than 1,500 baht / 2,700 rubles, when you can get to the Similans for no less than 3,000 / 5,400.
Tourists who have visited Phuket often recommend visiting the local dolphinarium and the Khao Sok National Park in reviews of excursions.
Shopping
Practically not a single tourist, vacationing in Phuket, leaves here empty-handed. This is due to the fact that trade is well developed on the island. Here they sell various souvenirs, locally produced clothes, and for shopping, you can visit both small shops organized in private homes and large stores where unique designer products are presented.
The list of Phuket malls lists a huge number of points of sale. Among them, the most popular are: Phuthai Souvenir Market, Turtle Village, Tesco Lotus, and Big C. As for the markets, you can find cheaper, but no less original goods. Among those, especially famous among tourists are: Market Expo, Phuket Indy Market, Weekend Market and Downtown Market.
Hotels
Almost all vacationers in their reviews of Phuket (Thailand) recommendtravelers to come here to rest only on a ticket purchased from a trusted tour operator. As practice shows, at any time of the year, all the hotels on the island are occupied by tourists and, without knowing the language, it will be quite difficult to find a room for yourself.
Which are the best places to stay? In reviews of Phuket hotels, tourists very often share their impressions of the service, as well as the conditions provided for living. So, judging by the ratings based on the comments of vacationers, the best among them are: Double Pool Villas, Eden Villa Phuket, Andara Resort Villas. Many of the most expensive holiday destinations offer stand-alone villa rentals that include a private spa, pool and garden.
As for cheaper, but no less worthy options, a quite decent price for accommodation is set in such hotels as: Dwell At Chalong Hill, The Cove, The Beach by Glitter House, as well as Baan Prayong Villa.
Restaurants
A large number of tourists prefer to visit local catering establishments, the variety of which in Phuket is simply amazing. Reviews about Phuket say that in local establishments you can find dishes cooked in the best traditions of Italian, European, Russian and Asian cuisines. However, the most popular are those that offer food created in Thai style. Many tourists in their reviews recommend travelers to taste fish cooked by the mostoriginal ways.
The most famous restaurants in Phuket are Blue Elephant, Savoey Seafood, Tung Ka, Rockfish and The Cliff.
As for simple cafes, they can be found at almost every step. As tourists note, the price of the dishes indicated on the menu is quite low - the average bill per person here is about 400 rubles (in terms of local currency).
Phuket Attractions
In any country, local attractions attract a lot of attention of tourists. Phuket is no exception, especially since there is something to see here. Looking around many of them, you can learn about some of the intricacies of the culture and life of the population, as well as study the features of oriental architecture.
Architectural and cultural sites such as the Thalang National Museum, Chalong Temple, and the Big Buddha are widely popular among visitors to the island.
Nature fans prefer to go to the local botanical garden, which presents a wide variety of tropical plants, unusual for the eye of a Russian tourist, as well as to the orchid garden. A huge number of photographs taken by tourists cannot convey all the beauty that reigns here.
Animal lovers prefer to visit local nature parks and zoos. It is in Phuket that you can admire rare species of snakes, which are presented at the large Chalong farm, as well as visit the Butterfly and Insect Garden, which also presents the mostbright exhibits from the world of fauna. Park "Kingdom of Tigers" attracts vacationers with the opportunity to view wild animals within walking distance, and visiting the mountain of monkeys, you can get acquainted with some primates.
What other places have been and remain popular on the island? Many travelers are recommended to visit the Palace of Arts, which presents cultural exhibits. Together with children, you can go to a large oceanarium or a dolphinarium, where interesting performances are shown every day. It will also be very interesting for a child to visit the Dino Park, where an exhibition of dinosaurs is presented in real sizes, as well as the flora of the primitive period is recreated.
During your trip to the island, be sure to schedule a visit to Bang Pae Waterfall.
