What to see : Attractions

Phuket has a tropical monsoon climate, and is warm all year long averaging temperatures of around 29C (88F). The climate is hot and humid throughout the year.

The high season is generally considered to be from November to May. During the summer monsoon season, mornings and afternoons are still sunny and clear, but it tends to rain in the evenings and water clarity goes down. Locals consider May to October the "cool" season, and the weather is quite tolerable, much more so than in the tourism centers around the Gulf coast. It's comparable to Florida's summer weather in temperature and intensity of rain storms: 25-33 deg C, flying clouds, short and thunderous rainfalls in the afternoons and evenings. Surfing is possible off the western beaches.

Attractions

Beach

Few islands can boast of such an abundance of sandy beaches and clear waters as Phuket. The winding coastal roads along the west coast of this 540-square-km island offer stunning views and easy access to some of the world's finest beaches.

Whether one wants to sample the frenetic pace of Patong or find solitude on a remote stretch of sand in the north, Phuket's beaches have it all for the sun seeker. The monsoon rains of May-October can bring unpredictable swimming conditions, so heed the posted flag warnings.

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Island

Islands around Phuket Island hopping Racha Island Similans

Thailand Surin Islands further afield new's Islands around Phuket Phi Phi Island, Coral Island, Racha Islands While there's plenty to see on Phuket, several smaller surrounding islands, each offering unique sights of their own, are easily accessible To reach them, hire a long-tail boat or charter an island-hopping tour. is available on a number of the islands some of it rustic, some very exclusive. Part of a marine national park in province, the two stunning islands of Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Ley . » more destinations

Natural Park

Phuket's last significant virgin rain forest is a designated national park located in the northern part of the island.Spend a morning taking a leisurely walk up by the Tonsai waterfall, or, if you want to spend the day walking in the quiet majesty of a tropical forest, there's an eight-kilometre trek right through the park from Bang Pae waterfall to Ton Sai.

Guides are available at the park, and for 8 kilometres definitely advisable! Much of the forest's wildlife tends to stay out of sight, but stay still for a while and your guide will point out the telltale sounds of all sorts of animals. If you're lucky, you may even see some of the forest's unusual creatures. A small museum and information centre is located near the bottom of the waterfall.

To get there, take Route

****Visiting a national park in Thailand is not free. The rates is 200 Baht for tourists adults, 100 Baht for tourist kids. Thais adult 20 Baht and Thai kid 10 Baht. » more destinations

Art & History

Phuket has a long history of playing host to foreigners. Phuket Town was founded in the 1st century B.C. by colonists from India. Ptolemy, a Greek geographer in the third century A.D., referred to it as ‘Jang Si Lang' – which later became ‘Junk Ceylon' and this is the name you will see on ancient maps of Thailand, or Siam.

Phuket has long figured large in Thai history, from early times to tin mining to the present. Throughout the centuries Phuket has played host to many different nationalities.

Foreign influences may come and go but Phuket's temples represent a touchstone, both religiously and culturally. Locals frequent them to maintain ties with their past as each of the island's temples has a story to tell about Phuket's history. For visitors to the island, to learn more about Buddhism by visiting these places of worship is a positive, uplifting experience. » more destinations

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