| The largest and most accessible island in Thailand, | | | | are looking for more than beach lounging. Phuket |
| Phuket, lying off the South West coast, is also | | | | town with its Sino-Portugese architecture, |
| one of the most diverse and developed. It is | | | | markets, temples and friendly small town |
| blessed with a wealth of natural resources to | | | | atmosphere is a place to sample real thai living |
| entice the visitor. Lime stone cliffs, white sand | | | | and enjoy the bustle - just be careful in the |
| beaches, rocky headlands, peaceful sweeping | | | | narrow streets with all the motorbikes! Phuket |
| bays and a forested tropical interior. Alongside its | | | | island has food and restaurants for any taste and |
| natural assets Phuket has a range of | | | | budget. Surrounded by the rich Andaman Sea its |
| accommodation and entertainment to offer | | | | no surprise that its sea food is exceptional. |
| something for everyone.Phuket island is about 850 | | | | Accommodation ranges from five star world class |
| kilometers South of Bangkok. The province | | | | resorts to simple bamboo beach side bungalows |
| covers 590 square kilometers including the | | | | with everything in between.Nevertheless, |
| additional 39 small islands. The main island itself | | | | emphasis is put on the upper sector. Phuket is not |
| covers about 540 kilometer square and measures | | | | just the most popular destination in the South of |
| 48 kilometers North to South and 21 kilometers | | | | Thailand but it also is extremely popular among |
| East to West.As the island is the biggest in | | | | people from Hong Kong and Singapore and other |
| Thailand you can find quite beaches and you can | | | | foreigners that are looking for a holiday house. In |
| party the night away at others. It is all up to | | | | no other place in Thailand is it as expensive to |
| what you are looking for.Phuket is connected to | | | | buy property as in Phuket. Many rich people are |
| the mainland by two bridges. These cover the | | | | living here and the offered property is very much |
| narrow strip of water that separates Phuket | | | | geared to the higher end.Due to Phuket's world |
| from Phang-Nga province on the North side of the | | | | known status as a tourist destination it was rightly |
| island. The rest of Phuket borders only the tropical | | | | or wrongly at the center of the media attention |
| Andaman Sea.The island is a variety of manly | | | | after the tsunami of 2004. In comparison to other |
| forested mountains stretching North to South and | | | | provinces in Thailand, Phuket actually received less |
| flat plains. However it is the jewel of the | | | | damage and had a lower death toll. Also, |
| Andaman Sea and its palm fringed beaches that | | | | compared to other countries that were affected |
| has contributed to making it the wealthiest and | | | | by the Tsunami Thailand had probably the least |
| most visited island in the South. It attracts | | | | problems. Only days after the tsunami many |
| thousands of visitors a year. Many are content to | | | | beach front bars were open and ready for |
| relax on its many beaches, but for the more | | | | business. Since then there has been much |
| adventurous Phuket is a center for diving in the | | | | attention and help by the Thai government |
| area with world class dive sites a short boat trip | | | | (focusing on the big businesses) and other |
| away and facilities for all levels.The year is divided | | | | organizations to get business back up and running |
| into the rainy season and the dry season. The | | | | and to promote tourism back to the region. Now |
| rainy season falls from May to October, with | | | | apart from the warning sirens and 'tsunami |
| September and October being the wettest. The | | | | evacuation route' signs there is little evidence that |
| dry season, from November to April gradually | | | | the tragic events of the 26th of December, 2004 |
| gets hotter and hotter until the rains start again. | | | | ever happened.Richard Meyer is a professional |
| The most pleasant time to visit, but also the | | | | travel writer for Excelloz which is an online travel |
| most busy, is from November to February. At | | | | website that specializes in hotel reservation in Asia |
| this time blue skies and spectacular sunsets are | | | | and Oceania but soon worldwide. In addition to |
| the usual, along with a cooling sea breeze and | | | | hotels, Excelloz provides free travel guides and |
| average temperatures ranging from 23c to | | | | independent hotel reviews. |
| 33c.Phuket also has something to offer those who | | | | |