Phuket is one of Thailand’s most popular and exciting holiday destinations. Every year, Phuket welcomes anything up to five million visitors who travel from all around the world in search of the island’s renowned beaches, restaurants and nightlife.
The main draw of a holiday in Phuket is that it’s a large, tropical island with all the amenities and features you could wish for in a holiday destination. To start with, there are more a dozen beaches in Phuket, all vying for your attention.
The beaches range from the rather overcrowded and overdeveloped Patong Beach to the near-deserted and postcard-like Mai Khao Beach. In between there are all sorts of other beaches in Phuket just waiting to be explored.
As well as beaches, there are a number of islands around the coast of Phuket that can be visited on day tours or else stay on overnight.
Phuket also has activities by the bucketload. On the island, you’ll find everything from go-karting and paintballing to bungee jumping and kite surfing.
Being an island and all, Phuket has its fair share of watersports. The area is well known as one of the regions best destinations and diving and snorkeling. Day trips can be organized through any one of the dozens of tour operators on the island.
Another side of Phuket life that can’t be ignored is the nightlife. At one point, Phuket’s nightlife was a toss up between beer bars, go-go bars and local clubs playing very loud live music. Now there are all sorts of bars, clubs, discos and nighttime venues to chose from.
Phuket is also home to some of the best and most interesting restaurants in all of Thailand. All the bases are covered in Phuket, from delicious local Thai food to gourmet international fare.
If you want to go shopping, you’ll find lots of places to visit in Phuket. There are a number of malls and markets, as well as street vendors peddling everything from knock-off DVDs to cheap T-shirts.
Phuket is certainly worth considering for your next holiday and the island has never been easier to get to. For a start, Phuket has its own international airport with daily flights to and from many of the world’s busiest airports.
There’s no doubt that the backpacker vibe in Phuket has evolved, but you can still find hostels and guesthouses and bars serving cheap bottles of beer if you’re one of those people who enjoys living life on a shoestring budget.
If you have a bit of time to spend in Phuket, there is nothing better than hiring a motorcycle and crusing around the island at your own leisure. Phuket has so much to offer, including everything from luxury spas to an aquarium and zoo.
As a general rule of thumb, when you visit Phuket, you might want to avoid the island’s most popular spots, such as Patong and Kata, and opt to stay in one of the quieter areas. You’ll have a much better stay and you won’t find yourself becoming annoyed with your neighbours.
