Phuket for the first time visitor

Phuket offers a rainbow spectrum of spectacular holiday sights from blue lagoons to pink sunsets !!

What comes into the mind of travellers when we talk about sea, sun and sand? Phuket must definitely be one of the answers. Phuket is located approximately 862 kilometres south of Bangkok and is easily accessible by air. Frequent busses are also available from Bangkok but it takes around 12 hours.

The airport plays a major role in Thailand's tourism industry, as Phuket is a popular beach destination. It is the third busiest airport in Thailand in terms of passengers, after Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok. There are various options to reach your hotel from the airport. One can avail the Airport Limousine, meter taxi or even rent a car. More budget options would be the shared mini-van service or the airport bus. There are two inexpensive hourly bus services from Phuket Airport. The bright orange buses go to Phuket Town. Tickets are available from the counter by the airport exit and cost 90 baht for the larger bus and 100 baht for a mini-bus. One has to avail the local bus from Phuket town to reach your final destination. The other bus, cream-coloured with the blue strip service, travels to Patong, Kata and Karon beaches and cost 180 baht to reach Patong and 200 baht for Kata or Karon. Tickets are bought from the driver.

Phuket is a big island so you need to choose your accommodation wisely or else you may end up booking a hotel that is far away from the places you like best. Different locations suit different people and thankfully there are plenty of options for all - from luxurious beach resorts to mid prices hotels and resorts to budget hostels. Some prefer to stay near the nightlife action of touristy Patong while others prefer the more relaxed atmosphere of smaller towns such as Karon and Kata.

A lot of tourists find it cheaper and more convenient to rent their own vehicle. Motorbikes start at 150-200 baht a day for the basic models while car rentals start at around 800 baht a day. The island’s tuk-tuks at present are a lot more expensive than Bangkok’s three-wheeled icons. Motorbike taxis are great for short distances and available at virtually all hours of the day and night. However, travelling around the island is not as convenient or cheap as you might expect.

If you love food, you will love Phuket. There are restaurants to suit every pocket and taste, serving a variety of western and Asian food. One of the major attractions here is the variety of dishes and dining experiences. Have breakfast at your hotel, lunch at a local stall and dinner at a sophisticated air-conditioned restaurant. Phuket is especially known for its seafood and you don't have to empty your pocket to enjoy the most sumptuous of dishes. There are plenty of food courts in Phuket, at the Tesco Lotus supermarket, Jungceylon, Central Festival and Limelight Avenue Mall, and many others that give you a choice of places to enjoy extremely cheap but safe and tasty food.

Phuket has a great variety of shopping options, from western-style department stores and upmarket specialist shops (Central Festival, Jungceylon, Banana Walk) to bustling open-air village food markets, noisy night markets, street stalls and local shops (Chillva Night Market , Phuket Old Town Handicraft shops, Karon Bazar, Phuket Walking Street). Prices naturally vary, going from amazing bargains to credit card-melting designer labels. With traditional handicrafts, beautifully-designed clothing, jewellery, antiques, housewares and much more to choose from, the only thing you'll regret about shopping in Phuket is that you didn't bring a bigger suitcase! And you can buy a new one, while you're here, too.

Phuket is an ocean lover’s paradise and most of the popular Phuket activities revolve around the sea. Scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing, boating, fishing, swimming, sea kayaking, jet skiing and parasailing are some of the many water activities to be enjoyed on the island. But water sports aren’t all that there is on offer in Phuket. Activities on land include Thai kick boxing, ATV trips, elephant trekking, cycling and also golfing.

In Phuket you will find almost unlimited choice of sight-seeing tours. For land based tours you can elect to take one of the scheduled island trips in an air-conditioned mini bus or visit the Phuket Fantasea Show. It's hot, it's wild, it's the ultimate in a family evening out with one of Asia's biggest buffets which can seat 4,000 diners. Phuket has many small islands within easy reach by boat including the world famous Phi Phi island, James Bond island, Similan island, Phang Nga bay, Maya bay, Bamboo island, Khai island, and the list goes on and on. ‘The Beach’ starring Leonardo DiCaprio was shot at Maya bay. James Bond Movie ‘Man with the Golden Gun’ was shot at James Bond Island.

A day trip to a number of islands in Krabi is also possible from Phuket. Krabi is an area of outstanding naturall beauty, golden sandy beaches and crystal clear waters with excellent marine life.

Patong is the undisputed nightlife centre of Phuket. From late evening the town is buzzing and doesn’t stop until the wee hours. Bangla Road in Patong is the epicentre of the action and where you will find the biggest clubs, the craziest beer bars and the happiest shows. However, other areas such as Rat-U-Thit Road and Beach Road have lively night venues with good bands as well. For those staying in the smaller towns of Karon, Kata, Kamala and Rawai there's the same sort of entertainment as in Patong but on a much smaller scale with a more relaxed atmosphere that some people prefer.

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