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 Located
approximately 862 kilometers south of Bangkok is Phuket,
Thailand's largest island, which is often dubbed as
the pearl of the Andaman, or the pearl of the south.
Its natural resources- rocky peninsular, limestone cliffs,
white powdery beaches, tranquil broad bays and tropical
in-land forests contribute to making it the South's
wealthiest, busiest, most visited and most popular island
and province. Nestled in the tropical zone off the west
coast of the southern part of Thailand in the Andaman
Sea and the Indian Ocean, the province covers an area
of approximately 543 square kilometers (excluding small
islets). It is estimated that Phuket Province covers
an area of approximately 590 square kilometers if its
39 other small islands are included. The islands total
length, from north to south, is estimated at 48.7 kilometers
and approximately 21.3 kilometers wide.
Phuket Beach
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
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North