Author: Douglas Scott
Phuket, is the largest island in Thailand. Its old name was Ta-lanf the word is derived from the old Malay Telong which means Cape. Phuket Island runs 48 kilometers north to south and 21 kilometers east to west. It is broken by a chain of mountains and valleys. The tallest peak, Mai Tao Sip Song is 529 meters. And 30 percent of the island is flat land located mainly in the central and eastern.
Everywhere is beautiful on Phuket Island but the south part of the island is straight out of a tropical daydream. The southern beaches offer some of the most glorious sun sets in the world
Phuket's beaches have the powdery sand, blue-green water, casuarinas trees, palm trees and strutting mynah birds, yet each is unique and each satisfies a different kind of traveller. Most of the beaches are located on the west coast of the island. The greatest concentration of shops, hotels, and restaurants are located around Patong.
The night market offers products such as silk, sarongs, handicrafts scarves, beach and leisure wear, leather goods and luggage, computer games CD's, and electronic gadgets. The main night market is easily found, it extends all the way down the Beach Road and is on all nights of the week. Every thing that is available lines the streets in brightly lit stalls. Another night markets is Along Raj-Uthid Road, merchandise includes recycled jeans, clothes, funky shoes, Thai sweets, orchids, ornaments and hair accessories.
Patong is the centre of the island's night life scene. Bars in Patong can be divided into go-go, beer bars, bars and regular bars. The road around Bangla road is only about half a kilometre and is pedestrianised in the evening making it easy to walk around and bar hop.
Pool and Sports Bars will show live sports matches from around the world. Go-go Bars are where girls dance on stage wearing nothing more than a bikini, or even less. The girls can spend time with the customers when they are not on stage and, the girls can have lady drinks bought for them and are available for take-out. Prices for bar fines and drinks are higher than in beer bars. Beer Bars are usually a small bar with a few stools. You can have a beer and play games or chat with the ladies working in the bar. If you like the girl and enjoy her company you can buy her a drink for which she earns some commission.
Showing posts with label Patong. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Patong. Show all posts
2007/09/02
2007/08/18
Phuket as a tourist destination
Phuket the biggest island of Thailand, is approximately as big as Singapore and lies exactly 867 kilometres south of Bangkok surrounded by the Andaman sea in the Indian ocean.
The wealth of Phuket comes originally from its tinmines and its kautschuk. The island lies on a traditional trade route between India and China and is displayed often the logbooks of old foreign ships . The historical influences on Thailand are numerous. Even today houses built at the end of the 19th century bear witness to Chinese and Portuguese influence.
The Portuguese, French, Dutch and English traded peacefully with Phuket / Thailand.
Other visitors came with less peaceful intention. The most famous monument in Phuket is from the heroines Thao Thepkasattri and Thao Sisunthon, who led the islanders successfully against an invasion by the Burmese in 1785.
Phuket has wonderful bays and sandy beaches with palm trees. Towards the interior of the island you will find jungle, waterfalls and lakes. The gastronomy and hotels are exquisite. All possibilities for sports and leisure are available.
On Phuket you can find everything to make your holiday an unforgetable experience.
Probably the main attraction of Phuket is its stunningly beautiful coastline. There are soflty rising sandy beaches with calm water and rocky cliffs with wild surge. From the northern tip of Phuket, where the Sarasin-Bridge connects the island with the mainland, range the following beaches and places of interest:
Phuket-Town:
The provincial town is a sleepy town, but also a popular aim for shopping bargains. Neat colonial style residences and tradehouses, which were built in the 19th century from the tin and kautschuk barons, as well as shady arcades give it this very special character.
Rang Hill:
Located on the hill top adjacent to Phuket town. Enjoy a meal or a drink whilst enjoying a birds eye view of the hustle and bustle below. There is also a fitness-park.
The Thai Village:
In this thai village at the Thepkasattri Road you can have a typical southern Thai lunch. There is also a cultural show with Thai dancing, sword fighting, Thai kickboxing, a performance of local customs and a elefant show. You also can buy typical handycrafts.
Thalang National Museum:
Not far away from the monument of the two heroines is the Thalang National Museum. Within the museum is a permanent exhibition about the life on Phuket/Thailand. There are also artefacts and excavations exposed, which have been found at the coast, as well as souvenirs of the war with the burmese.
Mai Khao Beach (40 kilometers from Town):
This sandy beach lined by pines is the largest beach on phuket. From November to February giant turtles come onto shore to lay their eggs.
Nai Yang Beach (30 kilometers from Phuket Town):
is part of the Sirinath National Park. The biggest part of the woody beach contains of Casurina-pine-trees. There are also wide mangrove woods. The quiet surrounding makes it the perfect beach to relax, have a picnic, swim and snorkel.
Wat Phra Thong:
This temple is situated inland from Nai Yang beach and shelters a Buddha statue, which is partly buried underground. The legend says, that once a boy tied his waterbufflo to a protrusion from the ground. At this place both, the boy and the water buffalo became sick. The villagers started to dig and discovered, the pile was the golden tuft of hair of a Buddha statue. Nevertheless they weren't able to free more than the upper part of the statue. Thereupon they built a temple above. In the year 1785 burmese aggressores tried again, to fully excavate the statue, but they also failed, being attacked by a swarm of hornets.
Ton Sai Waterfall Forest Park & Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Park (22 kilometers from Phuket Town):
This 22 square kilometre national park teems with bears, porcupines, gibbons and makak-monkeys, lizards and more than 100 different kind of birds.
Roaring waterfalls provide the perfect resting place to cool down.
Pansea Bay, Surin Beach, Sing Cape & Kamala Beach (24 kilometers from Phuket Town):
These beaches lie very close together. Due to the high waves and the undertow it isn't recomended to swim at Surin beach. But there are beautyful sunsets to be seen. On the other hand the north end of Kamala beach is relatively safe for swimming.
Patong Beach (15 kilometers from Phuket Town):
The most developed beach of Phuket offers a huge variety of Leisure possibilities. Three kilometres of shopping, windsurfing, snorkeling, sailing, swimming and sunbathing. The nummerous restaurants invite you to sample cuisine from around the globe. There are a number of excellent seafood restaurants.
Karon and Kata Beach (20 - 17 kilometers from Phuket Town):
Both beaches are very long, relatively quiet and perfect for swimming, snorkeling, sailing and sunbathing.
Nai Harn Beach (18 kilometers from Phuket Town):
A white sandy beach with a shallow lagoon in between two rocky cliffs. Home to the royal meridien yacht club, Nai Harn provides for good swimming, sailing, sunbathing.
Phromthep Cape:
This cape, the southern tip of Phuket, directly follows Nai Harn Beach. The best place on the island to view the sunset. Although, can get crowded at weekends.
Rawai Beach (17 kilometers from Phuket Town):
This beach, lined by palm trees is famous because of the sea gipsies, who live there. This is a pebble rather than sandy beach. The best place to charter a longtail boat to one of the many islands surrounding Phuket.
Chalong Bay (11 kilometers from Phuket Town):
The restaurants here serve the best seafood all over Phuket.
Wat Chalong:
Inside the buddhist temple some kilometres up-country from Chalong beach are the statues of the most worshiped buddhist monks: Luang Pho Chaem and Luang Pho Chuang.
Phanwa Cape (10 kilometers from Phuket Town):
On the southern tip of this peninsula is the oceanographic institut and the Phuket aquarium, where you can see hundrets of exotic marine inhabitants of the waters around Phuket.
Pearl Farms:
On the neighbouring islands of Nakha, Rang Noi, Rang Yai and Bon are pearl farms. Special permission is required to survey them.
http://mellow-phuket.com/phuket.htm
The wealth of Phuket comes originally from its tinmines and its kautschuk. The island lies on a traditional trade route between India and China and is displayed often the logbooks of old foreign ships . The historical influences on Thailand are numerous. Even today houses built at the end of the 19th century bear witness to Chinese and Portuguese influence.
The Portuguese, French, Dutch and English traded peacefully with Phuket / Thailand.
Other visitors came with less peaceful intention. The most famous monument in Phuket is from the heroines Thao Thepkasattri and Thao Sisunthon, who led the islanders successfully against an invasion by the Burmese in 1785.
Phuket has wonderful bays and sandy beaches with palm trees. Towards the interior of the island you will find jungle, waterfalls and lakes. The gastronomy and hotels are exquisite. All possibilities for sports and leisure are available.
On Phuket you can find everything to make your holiday an unforgetable experience.
Probably the main attraction of Phuket is its stunningly beautiful coastline. There are soflty rising sandy beaches with calm water and rocky cliffs with wild surge. From the northern tip of Phuket, where the Sarasin-Bridge connects the island with the mainland, range the following beaches and places of interest:
Phuket-Town:
The provincial town is a sleepy town, but also a popular aim for shopping bargains. Neat colonial style residences and tradehouses, which were built in the 19th century from the tin and kautschuk barons, as well as shady arcades give it this very special character.
Rang Hill:
Located on the hill top adjacent to Phuket town. Enjoy a meal or a drink whilst enjoying a birds eye view of the hustle and bustle below. There is also a fitness-park.
The Thai Village:
In this thai village at the Thepkasattri Road you can have a typical southern Thai lunch. There is also a cultural show with Thai dancing, sword fighting, Thai kickboxing, a performance of local customs and a elefant show. You also can buy typical handycrafts.
Thalang National Museum:
Not far away from the monument of the two heroines is the Thalang National Museum. Within the museum is a permanent exhibition about the life on Phuket/Thailand. There are also artefacts and excavations exposed, which have been found at the coast, as well as souvenirs of the war with the burmese.
Mai Khao Beach (40 kilometers from Town):
This sandy beach lined by pines is the largest beach on phuket. From November to February giant turtles come onto shore to lay their eggs.
Nai Yang Beach (30 kilometers from Phuket Town):
is part of the Sirinath National Park. The biggest part of the woody beach contains of Casurina-pine-trees. There are also wide mangrove woods. The quiet surrounding makes it the perfect beach to relax, have a picnic, swim and snorkel.
Wat Phra Thong:
This temple is situated inland from Nai Yang beach and shelters a Buddha statue, which is partly buried underground. The legend says, that once a boy tied his waterbufflo to a protrusion from the ground. At this place both, the boy and the water buffalo became sick. The villagers started to dig and discovered, the pile was the golden tuft of hair of a Buddha statue. Nevertheless they weren't able to free more than the upper part of the statue. Thereupon they built a temple above. In the year 1785 burmese aggressores tried again, to fully excavate the statue, but they also failed, being attacked by a swarm of hornets.
Ton Sai Waterfall Forest Park & Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Park (22 kilometers from Phuket Town):
This 22 square kilometre national park teems with bears, porcupines, gibbons and makak-monkeys, lizards and more than 100 different kind of birds.
Roaring waterfalls provide the perfect resting place to cool down.
Pansea Bay, Surin Beach, Sing Cape & Kamala Beach (24 kilometers from Phuket Town):
These beaches lie very close together. Due to the high waves and the undertow it isn't recomended to swim at Surin beach. But there are beautyful sunsets to be seen. On the other hand the north end of Kamala beach is relatively safe for swimming.
Patong Beach (15 kilometers from Phuket Town):
The most developed beach of Phuket offers a huge variety of Leisure possibilities. Three kilometres of shopping, windsurfing, snorkeling, sailing, swimming and sunbathing. The nummerous restaurants invite you to sample cuisine from around the globe. There are a number of excellent seafood restaurants.
Karon and Kata Beach (20 - 17 kilometers from Phuket Town):
Both beaches are very long, relatively quiet and perfect for swimming, snorkeling, sailing and sunbathing.
Nai Harn Beach (18 kilometers from Phuket Town):
A white sandy beach with a shallow lagoon in between two rocky cliffs. Home to the royal meridien yacht club, Nai Harn provides for good swimming, sailing, sunbathing.
Phromthep Cape:
This cape, the southern tip of Phuket, directly follows Nai Harn Beach. The best place on the island to view the sunset. Although, can get crowded at weekends.
Rawai Beach (17 kilometers from Phuket Town):
This beach, lined by palm trees is famous because of the sea gipsies, who live there. This is a pebble rather than sandy beach. The best place to charter a longtail boat to one of the many islands surrounding Phuket.
Chalong Bay (11 kilometers from Phuket Town):
The restaurants here serve the best seafood all over Phuket.
Wat Chalong:
Inside the buddhist temple some kilometres up-country from Chalong beach are the statues of the most worshiped buddhist monks: Luang Pho Chaem and Luang Pho Chuang.
Phanwa Cape (10 kilometers from Phuket Town):
On the southern tip of this peninsula is the oceanographic institut and the Phuket aquarium, where you can see hundrets of exotic marine inhabitants of the waters around Phuket.
Pearl Farms:
On the neighbouring islands of Nakha, Rang Noi, Rang Yai and Bon are pearl farms. Special permission is required to survey them.
http://mellow-phuket.com/phuket.htm
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