Phuket Island is probably the most popular tourist
destination in Thailand if we judge by the number of tourists that travel here
every year. Besides being a great place for vacation, this island is also well
knows as scenery for many Hollywood movies. However the movie scenes cannot
show how beautiful Phuket really is.
According to some sources Phuket is a word used to
describe a hill in Malay language. It covers a total area of 550 km2 (around
210 mi2) and it is located nearly 900 km (560 miles) from the capital Bangkok.
Although it is an island it has a connection with the mainland with a 700 m
long bridge on the north of the island. It has a population of around 300.000
people and most of the people there are Thais but Chinese and Muslim minorities
are also present. Beside the ethnic diversity all people there live in great
harmony. This island has long history and it was a popular trading destination
in the past. It was used by many European traders and the influence of this presence
can be still seen in the capital of Phuket Island – Phuket where there are many
structures built in European classical style.
The best time to visit Phuket is between November and
April because the rest of months are usually very rainy. The temperatures vary
between 25 and 33 Celsius degrees during the whole year. The food on Phuket is
something special so make sure you try some of the local delicacies and enjoy
the exotic fruit that can be found on every corner of the island. Those who
want to try some other cuisines can find many Italian, French, Chinese,
Japanese and Indian restaurants.
When it comes to night life, the most popular place is
Patong beach, where you can visit some of the bars and restaurants where the
party finishes long after midnight.
You can see many interesting things on Phuket Island
including – Siam Safari in the jungle, visiting some of the many waterfalls,
orchid farms or maybe some traditional Thai village. You can also visit some of
the incredible beaches like Maya Bay beach, Bangtao beach (one of the longest
beaches in Thailand), Patong beach, Karon beach etc.
These are some of the reasons why Phuket Island is the
most popular tourist destination in Thailand.
