Unique Places in Phuket

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Different Resorts have different policies on the time the swimming pools are closed for the guests and here in our resort, you can only swim from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm everyday ans they don't have bright lights around the swimming pools so that you can only do night swimming from 6:00 to 7:00 pm so the best thing to do is go to the beaches first then go back at 6:00 pm or 6:30 pm and then have a dip at the pool before it closes then shower at the room then have dinner and go to the bars afterwards. If you are staying in a resort type of hotel in Phuket, do try to use the swimming pool facilities of the resort specially if it is far away from the hustle and bustle of the beaches ad in here you can have privacy and some solitude and you can do some relaxation away from the maddening crowds. you can have some snacks or drinks or some brewskies while lounging around at the swimming pool.

This are pictures of us swimming at the swimming pool of our hotel at the Duangjitt Resort Hotel during the night

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This are pictures of us swimming at the swimming pool of our hotel at the Duangjitt Resort Hotel during the day.

If you are staying in a resort type of hotel in Phuket, do try to use the swimming pool facilities of the resort specially if it is far away from the hustle and bustle of the beaches ad in here you can have privacy and some solitude and you can do some relaxation away from the maddening crowds. you can have some snacks or drinks or some brewskies while lounging around at the swimming pool. we were fortunate to use 2 of the three swimming pools of our resort in Duangjitt Resort Hotel during our stay and also having some pictures taken in the pool, that is the advantage of having a water proofed camera and it is a must to have it when travelling and going to beaches. Do Some Time Management so that you can savor both the beaches and the swimming pools.

Khao Phing Kan (Thai: เขาพิงกัน) or Ko Khao Phing Kan (เกาะเขาพิงกัน) is a pair of islands on the west coast of Thailand, in the Phang Nga Bay, Andaman Sea.

Since 1974, when it was featured in the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun, it is popularly called James Bond Island.

Before 1974, the island was a rarely visited indigenous area. However, it was chosen as one of the locations for the 1974 James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun as the hideout for Bond's antagonist, Francisco Scaramanga. After the movie release it turned into a popular tourist destination that has gradually contaminated Khao Phing Kan with household litter.

In 1981, the island became the most famous part of the newly established Ao Phang Nga Marine National Park. Since 1998, it is forbidden for tourist boats to approach Ko Tapu. This measure aims to stop erosion of the limestone rocks on and near the islet that might eventually result in its collapse.

As u r on the boat from Phuket to Island(s), just in the middle of the sea surrounded by the high hill giant rocks, u r offered lunch on a floating restaurant w great seafood, shrimps, squids, fish, fresh fruits etc ... :) Thats amazing ...

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Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Public Park is a beautiful public park surround by Limestone Mountains that you can actually drive around and through a cave. It is extremely popular with locals having picnics and we did not see any tourists at all while we were there.

There are two adjoining caves called Tham Ruesi Sawan and Tham Luk Suea, where you will see lots of stalactites and a little stream flowing through.

This really is a beautiful place to visit and there is a lovely lake and good playgrounds for the children. Be careful around the caves as there are also a lot of monkeys. The Park has free entry and is on the main road of Phang Nga Town on the right hand side if driving from Phuket.

It is about a 1.5 hour drive from Patong.

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Wat Thamtapan is in Phang Nga town which is about 1.5 hours drive from Phuket and this would have to be the strangest Temple I have ever been in! There are shocking displays of what Hell would be like, plus a nice display for Heaven!

It is definitely not suitable for children as there are some quite horrifying images.

There is a massive dragon and you enter through his mouth, when you come out at the other end you are in Hell, there is also another area here down a small dirt track and you enter a beautiful cave with little bridges that cross a small river inside, however it was so muddy inside due to rain that we could not walk down to the bridges.

Once you come out of the Hell section you will see animal statues, head to the right and you will enter Heaven where everything is much prettier!

I have never seen such gruesome statues and they are huge, much bigger than me. There is really not much I can say, I will let the photos tell the story. We have since found out that there are quite a few Temples like Wat Thamtapan scattered across Thailand.

Entry is free and I think we will go back again next trip so we can explore the beautiful cave.
Just keep driving through Phang Nga Town and on the left you will see Soi Thamtapan which is just past the hospital.

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We have been to Wat Suwannakhuna which is a Buddhist temple about 10 minutes before Phang Nga town many times over the last few years, but had never been inside the cave. There are monkeys everywhere here and you can buy bananas to feed them. We also did not realize that there was anything to see inside the cave.

So one day we decided to drive to Phang Nga and have a good look around. Inside is very beautiful, it is not just one cave but a series of large connecting caves. It is clean, very well maintained and no monkeys come in here at all.

There is a fantastic 15 meter reclining Buddha in the first cave, then there is a small stairway up to the second cave where you will see various stamps & carved seals on one of the walls, these are from various Kings and Queens of Thailand who have visited the Wat, with the earliest being King Rama V in 1890.

There are more caves after this area but it was too slippery & muddy to go any further. We were so lucky this day as we were there quite early and there were no other busloads of tourists there.

To drive to Wat Suwannakhuna from Phuket will take about 1.5 hrs, just head for Phang Nga and when you see some carved archways on your left with a sign saying Ramon Forest, turn left and the temple is about 100 meters down on your right.

There is a great kid's ball room with tunnels and slides and balloons etc. located by the food fair on the 2nd floor of the Tesco Lotus. For just two 10 baht coins, the kids can play as long as they want! There are supervisors outside of it. The entrance is very cute. The child sits in a rocket type ride and puts the coins in. The rocket makes noises and rotates to place the child facing the inside of the play room. There is a turnstile to exit from, but make sure they use the washroom first as once they leave, they have to pay to reenter. Our kids got thirsty after running around in there, so we gave them juice from a straw through the net (ha, ha) since food and drink is not allowed inside.

The parents are now free to shop at leisure!

Welshwanderer,
Khao Lak is located about an hour north of Phuket, or about an hour north of the airport by bus. The resort that I mentioned was Phukhaolak resort, you can contact Jim at phukhaolak@hotmail.com. She can answer any questions you have, Or if you have more specific ones I can maybe answer them as well for you. From what you have described as to what you are looking for, I think you'll enjoy this.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Have FUN!