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Phuket Vacation Guide
Phuket is a provincial tropical paradise. From the beautiful lagoon where Leonardo Di Caprio starred in ‘The Beach’, to the striking sunsets, palm strewn beaches and extraordinarily clear waters, Phuket is an anti-thesis to Bangkok’s insanity: calm, eye-catching, and quite incredibly difficult to leave.
There are plenty of hedonistic vices to enjoy here, though. Most of them revolve around nature, and you can make the best of them at a decent price, too, if you’re prepared to avoid the (highly luxurious) package tour trail. Scuba diving, sailing, and snorkeling are all essential, while windsurfing, canoeing around the towering island cliffs that spot the picture-postcard bays, or shooting along on a speed boat and try to catch game fish far offshore keep the intrepid busy.
Turquoise water, cocktails and green curries in beachfront restaurants are all well and good, but head deep inland and Phuket offers plenty more: lush, near-untouched rainforests, aging rubber plantations and seafood festivals, yacht racing and rural Muslim temples. There are waterfalls to swim in, the mammoth Buddha statue that features on most of Phuket’s tourist literature to explore (invariably alongside a beach sunset), and the tiny river-side villages that make you feel like you’re the first foreign ever to stopover. Phuket is by far Thailand’s most pricey and least backpacker-focused travel destination, but that doesn’t mean there’s any shortage of off-the-beaten-track escapes, which even incorporate some stunning volunteer travel experiences.
Back in the island’s towns, even Phuket’s tuk-tuks have gone up market, red and high-powered next the rest of the countries shambolic, paper-roofed version. Sometimes you’ll find yourself disappointed that such an idyllic destination has become home to such a spate of landscape-spoiling luxury, but then you’ll stare out to sea, enjoy a cocktail in your infinity pool, and wonder why the rest of the world can’t be like this.
If you’re here for the swanky resorts or to bum around on a white-sand beach slurping thrift store spirits, Phuket engraves itself on your soul. Don’t forget your goggles, as the underwater scenery’s every bit as spectacular as what you’ll find above the meniscus.
There are plenty of hedonistic vices to enjoy here, though. Most of them revolve around nature, and you can make the best of them at a decent price, too, if you’re prepared to avoid the (highly luxurious) package tour trail. Scuba diving, sailing, and snorkeling are all essential, while windsurfing, canoeing around the towering island cliffs that spot the picture-postcard bays, or shooting along on a speed boat and try to catch game fish far offshore keep the intrepid busy.
Turquoise water, cocktails and green curries in beachfront restaurants are all well and good, but head deep inland and Phuket offers plenty more: lush, near-untouched rainforests, aging rubber plantations and seafood festivals, yacht racing and rural Muslim temples. There are waterfalls to swim in, the mammoth Buddha statue that features on most of Phuket’s tourist literature to explore (invariably alongside a beach sunset), and the tiny river-side villages that make you feel like you’re the first foreign ever to stopover. Phuket is by far Thailand’s most pricey and least backpacker-focused travel destination, but that doesn’t mean there’s any shortage of off-the-beaten-track escapes, which even incorporate some stunning volunteer travel experiences.
Back in the island’s towns, even Phuket’s tuk-tuks have gone up market, red and high-powered next the rest of the countries shambolic, paper-roofed version. Sometimes you’ll find yourself disappointed that such an idyllic destination has become home to such a spate of landscape-spoiling luxury, but then you’ll stare out to sea, enjoy a cocktail in your infinity pool, and wonder why the rest of the world can’t be like this.
If you’re here for the swanky resorts or to bum around on a white-sand beach slurping thrift store spirits, Phuket engraves itself on your soul. Don’t forget your goggles, as the underwater scenery’s every bit as spectacular as what you’ll find above the meniscus.
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Phuket Travel Blogs
Jan 21, 2008 – Sep 30, 2008
Chicago, Illinois, USA -› Osaka, Japan -› …
Bear with me as I poke fun at the overtly aggressive selling efforts of the tailors on Phuket. No matter we went in Phuket, someone tried to sell Steve a suit and me a gown. There was a tailor on every block! It got to be a bit much, and we went from politely declining, to ignoring them, to t…
Sep 06, 2006 – Oct 11, 2006
Phuket, Thailand -› Krabi, Thailand -› …
I have hobby to look and take pictures at hotel and apartment. This is an apartment in Phuket call ‘Ocean View Ao Po’ It is a simple apartment with minimum architectural value. However, with some plants and grass, the complex looks much better. I happened to come across while I was working in A…
Sep 10, 2007 – Sep 20, 2007
The last day in Phuket we decided to get massages at a local place outside the hotel complex. Boy, was it worth it! After a relaxing morning and afternoon, it was time to head to the airport. It was to reopen at 17:00. Tons of folks were trying to get out for their connections home including me…
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