PHUKET ISLAND

The country’s largest island, most populous, most visited island, a whirl of color and cosmopolitanism that’s a province into itself, Phuket Island is dubbed by the tourist industry. The coastal terrain of the 810 sq.km island encompasses broad, sandy bays, rocky peninsulas, limestone cliffs, forested hills and tropical vegetation while the interior has rice paddies, rubber, cashew nut, cacao, pineapple and coconut plantations, as well as Phuket Island’s last bit of island rainforest. Although Phuket Island is connected to Phang Nga province by a causeway, most visitors arrive via the island’s international airport located near its northern tip.

There is a lot to do in Phuket Island, and consequently, a lot to spend your money on. There are also more tourists in Phuket Island than on any other Thai Island, though most flock to three beaches on the south-west side – Patong beach, Karon beach and Kata beach. The beach towns themselves are quite built up, and have all the amenities and entertainment one could wish for. This is the area to visit if you’re looking for a lively, action-filled vacation.

Nai Han beach, near the southern tip, and Kamala beach, on the western coast are relatively quiet, in spite of major tourist development at both, while Nai Thon beach, Nai Yang beach and Mai Khao beach to the north remain mostly untouched. In general the northern half of the island, both along the shore and in the interior, has not been swept up in the development wave, and thus offers quiet beach retreats and chances to explore rural inland areas.

Development on Phuket Island has been influenced by the fact that it is connected to the mainland by a bridge, and hence it receives much more vehicular traffic than any other island in the country. Phuket Island’s high per-capita wealth also means there’s plenty of money available for investment. A turning point was reached when a Club Med was established at Hat Kata beach, followed by the construction of the more lavish Phuket Yacht Club on Hat Nai Han beach and Le Meridien on Karon Noi beac (Relax Bay). This marked an end to the decade-long cheap bungalow era, which started in the early 1970s when a 10B guesthouse was attached to a laundry on Hat Patong beach. The cheapest have long since been bought out and replaced by all manner of hotel and bungalow developments, some ill-conceived, others quite appealing.

The era of going for quick money regardless of the cost to the environment has passed. Most beach resorts are now looking towards long-term, sustainable practices – not all of them, but a far greater percentage than on Samui Island, Pha Ngan Island, Tao Island, and even Chang Island. For the long term outlook, the Phuket Island visitor pays a premium in terms of somewhat higher prices.

Beach Around Phuket island
Getting to Phuket Island