Phuket Things to Do Tips by Myndo

Patong is Phukets most known Beach.

It has a wide and long curved sandy beach.

Behind the Beach is the main Road and on that road the Hotels (also higher ones), the numerous Shops and Tailors and Restaurants.

Patong is the place you go, if you want to be in the middle of things. Here is the Center for watersports (of course you can also go elsewhere), here is the place for Nightlife, the biggest selection of restaurants (Japanese, Thai, French, Italian, German, Indian, ..) and so many tailors you will never find out who is the best (though they all claim its them).

Tuk Tuks bring you from one end of the Beach to the other (well, you can also walk the 3 km)....(very important: do not forget to set the price befor driving)

The "other side" you see in my picture. This may not be your place if you are here for a little quiet ...
but of course you can also go to one of the many other beaches- they are quieter. And not soo far away, either.

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Directions: Patong beach, west of Phuket town.
Website: http://www.gothailand.com/phuket/island/frameme.php?page=beaches.htm

There is a place on a hill at the south west end of the island:
Laem Promthrep Cape: a good viewing point on several Beaches - (also see the 3 beaches point).

In the evening there are a lot of tourists here to see the sunset.

Because this is a common touristic spot here, you also have little shops and stands for food and drink.
If you have never seen the stink fruit, this is the place you get it.

There is also a small religious site here. It is surrounded by many statuettes of elefants. (see pic)

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Address: south western end of Phuket island

The "Three Beaches View Point" is located in the almost southest point of Phuket Island.

From here you have a good look over the three beaches north of you:

first one is Kata Noi Beach,
then Karon Beach
and the one with the high tower is Patong Beach.

BTW this Patong Tower is built on sand - and the problem is, that it is slightly tilted now - and getting worse.
If you are looking for a (cheap?) flat to buy: they still have some in the upper levels....

All three beaches have hotels and accomodations for the Tourists. You can see, that even if you are not located in Patong, you can go there easy enough if you want.

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A Wat is a Buddhist Temple. There are quite a few on Phuket island.
Examples are Wat Phra Tong, Wat Naka, Wat Chalong and many more.

In Wat Chalong southwest of Phuket Town they worship the statues of Monks that were doing special under Rama V.

In Wat Phra Tong I took this picture of a stone roof.
I like the fine ornaments of the stile here.
On other places the have wood roofs -mostly red with golden edges.

It also pays to look for those Wats that are not named on the maps. There are real treasures out there!
Show some respect when visiting them. They are free to visit when they are not celebrating. Take off your shoes before entering a building.

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Directions: Wat Chalong: south west of Phuket Town
Wat Phra Tong: north of Phuket Town
Website: http://www.phuket.com/island/temples.htm

Wat Chalong is maybe the most well known temple on Phuket. It is a big complex, many colorful buildings.

We had the luck to come there when they had market. A big market, more for the Thais than the tourists.
If you ever have the chance to visit a market in Thailand (especially one that is NOT made up just for the tourists), do so.

Shop through the many shops, haggle.
Eat through all the tiny stands that offer food. Don?t be afraid to try this. In all the weeks I was in Thailand I have never had stomach trouble. Not even with the oysters here, or the rice in the bamboo or the grilled chicken or.... you get what I want to say.

Also stay long enough to view some of the Thai Culture: The traditional dances and the shadow plays.

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Chalong Bay is one of the touristic not so overcrowded beaches in Phuket. There are accomodations here also - if you choose to have it a little more quiet.

Fishers are living and working here.
The beach (if I remember right) is also less sand and more stone.

But there are a lot of very nice places and sights here - and fish - you will never get any that is fresher!

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Directions: Chalong Bay

The Phuket Aquarium is a newer attraction.
It is located on a land arm in the south east of Phuket Town. Follow the road until you come to the farthest end.

The Aquarium is well done, and offers several tanks with fresh water and salt water fish.
They also have a tunnel where you can walk through a big tank, filled with sharks and mantas - something I have until now only seen in very big Aquariums.
This Aquarium is actually more on the smaller side, but made with much view on the details, definitely worth a visit.

In the entrance hall you also find a "Touch Pool". Much fun for the younger - and those who stayed young in the heart, because in here you can find sea life to touch. Unpoisonous of course. I would not dare touch anything when diving and snorkeling, because you never know. Well, here you do, so go ahead and take that sea star in the hand...

Also interesting is the exhibition about endangered sea turtels. They hatch them from eggs and let them free when ready.

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Phone: +66 76 39 1126
Address: Sakdidet Road (extreme south-east)
Directions: Sakdidet Road (extreme south-east)
Makham Bay, Panwa Cape
Phuket
83000

Orchids are wonderful and delicate - and where I come from, mostly too pricey to buy...

If you are flying with Thai Air you get at least one flower as a present.... so this must be the typical Thai flower...

Phuket has a big Orchid farm with lots of different species. They make quite a view. And through them there are butterflies torkeling from flower to flower.

You can also buy them here or let them ship home. The last chance to do that is at the airport BTW. I think they also have a shop there.

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Address: close to Chalong Bay, South of Phuket Town
Directions: Soi Suskan 1, Viset Road, Rawai, Phuket
Website: http://www.allmyanmar.com/phuketorchids%201/

There are different places in Thailand (also on Phuket), where you can visit these Snake shows,

Mostly they are showing you how agile they are - in front of a Cobra (see pic) or another of the poisonous snakes that they have here.

Next to the show you can also have a look at several of the snakes in the area (and some from around the world) that are exhibited in different cages.

Seeing the many (and poisonous) species here, you will understand, why there are places where not even the Thai will walk into the scrub.

We got to this show thanks to our driver whom we hired (together with car and airconditioning) to show us around the island one day.

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Directions: Phuket Shooting Range (300 Baht; Tel: 076-280130) in Chalong, just west of the Chalong circle on Route 4028,
(there are other places as well)

The Crocodile Farm is also on Phuket island and close to Phuket Town.
Our driver (that we hired with car for one day) brought us here.

Crocodiles are grown here for their skin and for their meat (which I think is nothing special, really).

They are hold in bigger groups of about the same size together - so they won't eat each other, I think.
Also: they smell quite bad, I have to say.

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Directions: It is located on Chana Charoen Road, containing an aquarium, estuarine crocodile, alligators