Phuket Island, Thailand – One of the World’s Best Island Holidays

Most people visit Phuket for the beaches and because it is one of those must-see tropical islands. For those who can get away from the usual tourist traps and cross the island, you can take a look at what the island offered before the growth of the tourism industry.

At the island’s main crossroads, Ban Tha Rua, stand bronze statues of Khunying Jan and his sister Mook, celebrating their heroic and successful resistance to the Burmese invasion in 1785. In Phuket Town, the ornate Chinese Jui Tai and Put Jaw wats are testament to the island’s economic history. Tin was once the island’s main source of wealth, and beginning in the 16th century, Hakka Chinese businessmen and their labor force came to the island to develop the mines.

When the price of tin fell, the island shifted its primary production to rubber and pineapple plantations and then, in the mid-1970s, turned its attention to maximizing the possibilities offered by an endless stream of tourists.

Between the headlands, particularly on Phuket’s west coast, are the sandy beaches that border the Andaman Sea against the backdrop of the little-explored hinterland of densely forested mountains. Chief among these beaches is Patong, the perpetually busy repository for most of Phuket’s hustle and bustle. This is where hawkers hawk, touts tout, and kathoey ladyboys fool beer-drenched tourists in the bars of Soi Bangla.

In the 2004 tsunami, many Patong hotel developments suffered badly, although Hat Kamala, slightly to the north, took the brunt of it.

If the pace of life in Patong is taking its toll, if the prospect of another karaoke night seems too demanding, there are plenty of alternatives. After all, Phuket is a considerably large island – nearly the size of Singapore, in fact – so your options aren’t restricted.

To find the quieter beaches, it is recommended to head to the northern tip of the island, where Phuket’s largest beach, Hat Mai Khao, remains relatively unspoiled and less crowded. Just around the corner from the southern tip of the island is Rawai Beach, which (thanks to its location on the east coast) offers fabulous sunset views.

Far from the water and the developments of the strip, visitors will find the national parks and reserves of the interior, along with the rubber and pineapple plantations. If the mind is soothed by this tranquil setting, the body can also enjoy its own vacation during the nine-day Vegetarian Festival held every October at the end of the cool season in Phuket, a true detox for body, mind and the spirit.

Among the myriad of Phuket delights is the fabulous local cuisine. Don’t be afraid to be adventurous and seek out the food houses where the locals dine for mass. This is a sure sign that the food is good and cheap. The experience alone is enough to satisfy you, but the quality of the meals will draw you back again and again.

Relax and enjoy this piece of paradise, an island so rich in offerings and yet so peaceful and rejuvenating. Speedboat day trips to Phi Phi Island are highly recommended. See James Bond Island and the location where the Hollywood movie ‘The Beach’ was filmed. It’s a wonderful day on the water and a visual delight.

For a wonderful vacation that won’t break the bank, the island of Phuket, Thailand has to be one of the most alluring destinations on the planet. Arrive, relax, enjoy and experience…