Probably one of the most well known of Thailands many tourist destinations, it has so many different faces. The amazing attractions of Phuket Island took me completely by surprise. Being very honest, Thailand was never a country I had ever really wanted to visit. I had heard bad things about the drug scene and thought it was full of back packers going to full moon parties. How wrong I was! I take it all back, as I have fallen in love with the country, travelled north to south, east to west and still want more. I literally can’t get enough of this place; from Kanchanaburi, Bangkok, Koh Mak, Koh Kood, Koh Chang, Khao Lak and Phuket, it is so diverse! Here are my suggestions for things to do and see in Phuket.
Watch A Sunset
Oh my, this is a must and you won’t be able to go a day without being mesmerised by this spectacle in the skies above! Mr C moans every holiday about how long I sit and watch these, I just can’t get enough!
Big Buddha
Built up on a hill led to it by a windy steep road sits a white marble temple with a huge Buddha as the centre point. The views are outstanding of the local area from here and there are many interesting buildings at the top. Ensure shoulders and legs are covered ladies or you wont be permitted entry, this is a religious site. Situated right at the top of a hill, you could have a long climb for nothing!
Karon Viewpoint
The place where two bays meet provides a lovely viewpoint you can cycle to in the south of the island. We hired a local guide to take us around the Island to see a few of the sights, it was quite high up!
Wat Chalong
Wander around Wat Chalong , a temple complex made up of several beautiful buildings. Jump out of your skin at the fire crackers set off at random intervals! I was standing right next to what turned out to be the prime location for this! It very much resembled gun fire!
Book a tour around Phuket – there are so many to choose from!
Attend a Cookery School
This was a great way to spend a few hours and learn a bit about Thai cuisine. We each got to pick a dish to make, and let loose with a pan and the ingredients. Mr C always complains about my food not looking great (tastes good thankfully) but my dish looked loads better than his! I must have had a good teacher! Receive a free recipe book whilst you feast on your creations. Pums Cookery School, Wok the World is the venue we chose and I would highly recommend it. In the interest of fairness here is a link to other Cookery Classes in the Phuket area too.
Bangla Road Walking Street
This is a crazy pedestrian street at night where literally anything goes. Bars and clubs line the Main Street and there are a maze of side streets with more bars, restaurants, ping pong shows and who knows what else! Find a bar, grab a chair and a drink and ‘people watch’ your heart out! I thought I would hate it, its everything bad you hear about Thailand being, but it’s strangely enticing!
Cave Kayaking
One of the most amazing experiences of my life, sitting in a kayak, entering a cave and ending up in a lagoon with swimming monkeys! Need a say any more?
Phang Na Bay
Find yourself a boat trip around Phang Na Bay and see floating villages, James Bond Island, and snorkel with sharks. Rising out of nowhere are enormous limestone boulders forming islands, some of which had hotels on. This is a truly beautiful place.
Try Phuket Street Food
You have to try it! You know you want to! Some of it is extremely delicious and will make you go back for more!
Eat Local
There is nothing quite like supporting the local economy, and to be honest, this is where you will served the best tasting food you have ever had. We love to try the restaurants the locals eat at. Sometimes they will have the best views too. Little Tiger Restaurant was our favourite evening spot to have a beer and watch the sun set, it was only up the hill from our hotel!
Watch A Fire Show
When on holiday…….grab a beer at a beach bar on Phi Phi Island and watch the fire shows the locals put on. It was great free entertainment! Have a giggle at others expense as they are plucked out to take part!
Take a Boat Trip to a New Bay
You can literally beach hop on these local boats which go around the island. Why just stay on one beach when you can experience the many there are on offer. You can watch elephants having a bath of Tri Trang beach, see the sun set in the west and listen to music in bars on Paradise Beach. Which one is your favourite?
Visit the Similan Islands
Several miles off of the coast of Khao Lak you will find a group of islands known as the Similan Islands. People go here to enjoy snorkelling and diving in the crystal clear waters. Click here for my blog about them.
Visit Phi Phi Island
Not far from Phuket are the Islands of Phi Phi Ley & Phi Phi Don which are beautiful. We stayed on the larger of the two islands over night and were treated to fire shows, wild monkeys, beautiful beaches. We swam with sharks, only the small ones but it still made my heart pound! With mixed emotions about being here, knowing that most of the islands buildings were washed away and thousands of people died in the Tsunami. It was humbling to see how they had rebuilt their lives after such devastation.
Pad Thai
If you have read any of my other blogs from Thailand you will know that Pad Thai is my favourite! The dish is done slightly differently in each area and they are all delicious, it’s rude not to try it as often you can! Here is one from day one, ‘comfort food’ was necessary to help with jet lag! Super delicious!
Visit A Tsunami Memorial Sight
You may think ‘how morbid’, however I would disagree with you and believe it’s essential to learn even a little bit about a countries history when you visit. Thailands tsunami on Boxing Day is something I will always remember. So many people died, and much was destroyed, yet they have rebuilt and life very much goes on. This touching memorial was outside a restaurant we eat at, and the building behind it had been left destroyed as a reminder. If you are interested in seeing more, read my post about the tsunami memorials in Khao-Lak.
