Phuket, on the Andaman Sea, is the biggest island in Thailand, and is also a province in itself, holding some of the best beaches in Thailand. Is a mountainous area, its highest peak being the Mai Thao Sip Song , 529 metres high and covered with lush green vegetation. In the 1980´s it became a holiday island, and since then, its spectacular beaches have lots of restaurants, hotels and diving centres, due to the place´s excellent conditions for diving.
Most of its best beaches, ranging from vast extensions of white sand to small sheltered caves, are on the west coast, but there are also some very good ones in the north which do not receive so many tourists.
There is a wide range of hotels in Phuket, and you can find accommodation to suit everybody´s needs and budget.
Visiting the island is an essential activity, since you will be able to appreciate the rice plantations, which are so typical in these latitudes, as well as the Khao Phra Thaeo National Park - only 20 km from Phuket - , offering striking mountains and valleys covered with tropical vegetation.
Other fundamental activities are: diving in the many outstanding places on the island, learning about the city´s Sino-Portuguese architecture, yachting and canoeing around the island, visiting Ko Sire with its gypsy village and the reclining Buddha, or sightseeing along the dramatic Sirinath National Park.
We advise you to visit the island between November and May, although the weather is excellent all the year round. You can travel by plane or by train as far as Surat Thani and then take a boat or a bus over the bridge that links the island to mainland.
