Phuket Travel Guide

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 230
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A tropical paradise on earth is how most people describe Thailand. It has been captivating tourists ever since the hippies of the 1960s first went their in search of enlightenment. There are now less hippies and more hip hotels, five-star retreats, modern-glass skyscrapers and fancy cars, but the warm welcome remains the same.

The appeal to Thailand is very tangible. The people you meet will make you feel as though you belong, the sand is the colour of fair-weather clouds, the water the colour of pastels and the greens of the fertile, rich rainforests are so vivid you will think you''re drunk.

Phuket, the largest island of Thailand, skirts the western coast. Tourism, therefore local life, revolves around the beach. There are myriad watersports to choose from, from the more action-fuelled wakeboarding and jetskiing to windsurfing and sailing.

Thailand is also famous for what goes on under the water. It has some of the world''s best dive sites and Phuket boasts a few decent spots of its own. The best thing, aside from the abundance of marine life on offer, is the price. Thailand is one of the cheapest places ...
... in the world to learn how to scuba dive.

If it''s more than water sports and relaxation that you''re after, there is of course a huge variety of activities to get stuck into other than these things. Hire a moped and drive into the interior of the island. Here you can trek through lush rainforest, hanging out with monkeys and birds and go looking for waterfalls and emerald green, purer-than-pure rock pools.

The national park, Khao Phra Thaeo is breathtaking and a visit to Thailand is not complete with a trip through one of the country''s numerous and bountiful national parks.

On the coast, there is yet another national park, Sirinat. It is a protected marine area, so the landscape, or should that be seascape, includes mangroves and reefs.

Hop off the mainland and over to tiny but mesmerising Coral Island. There is not much here other than sand and palm trees and therefore it has the quintessential desert island feel. Robinson Crusoe comes to mind.

The larger island of Ko Yao is also definitely worth a bumpy longboat ride. The island and its nearby neighbours are part of the Ao Phang-Nga Marine National Park. Also known as James Bond Island, this place is characterised by the immense rock formations which, like natural skyscrapers, reach into the stunning blue of the sky.

Phuket is a dream-come-true. Even though, thanks to reduced fight prices, it is no longer confined to being a once-in-a-lifetime destination, it still feels that way when you are there. Bonny Kominek is a travel expert and freelance writer. They recommend Octopus Travel for Phuket hotels.