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Ao Chalong (Bay Chalong)
Ao Chalong
, Phuket's principal boat anchorage and the island's larest bay, is 11 kilometres
south of the town. It is very picturesque but not suitable for swimming. Boats
can be chartered to go to some small island south of Phuket. A number of restaurants
are on the road leading to the bay.
Ao Sen or Sen Bay
A small bay next
to Nai Han past the Phuket Yacht Club is Ao Sen or Sen Bay , peaceful and picturesque
with white, clean sand.
Karon Beach (Had Karon) and Kata
Beach (Had Kata)
20 kilometres and 17 kilometres respectively from town
are Had Karon and Had Kata . Both beaches are long and peaceful and eminently
suitable for swimming and sunbathing.
Nai Han Beach (Had
Nai Han)
Had Nai Han is located next to Phromthep Cape about 18 kilometres
from town. Although not so long, the beach has white, clean sand. Beyond the beach
is a swamp called Nong Han. Not recommended for swimming during May-October because
of the Monsoon season.
Khao Rang
Khao Rang , a small
hill northeast of the town, provides a pleasant view of town while dining, and
has a Fitness Park, a series of hillside sculptural tableaux which enhance calisthenics.
Kaeo Island (Ko Kaeo)
Ko Kaeo is an offshore
isle about 3 kilometres out from Rawai beach and can be reached in 30 minutes
by boat. It offers picturesque beaches and underwater scenery. There is also a
replica of the Holy Footprint on the island.
Si-re Island
(Ko Si-re
Ko Si-re , a twenty-square kilometre island, separated from
the main island only by the small Thachin canal, is some 4 kilometres northeast
of the town and hosts the biggest Sea Gypsy village in Phuket.
Ka Cape (Laem Ka)
Laem Ka , at the extreme southwest of Chalong Bay,
is suitable for swimming.
Phromthep or Phromthep Cape
The nearby Laem Phromthep or Phromthep Cape forms Phuket ’s southern most point
and is the perfect place from which to enjoy spectacular sunsets and the sea.
Phuket Aquarium
Phuket Aquarium is located at Cape
Phanwa, on the island's extreme southeast. The aquarium displays hundreds of exotic,
grotesque and flamboyantly colourful marine species found in Phuket ’s teeming
waters. Open daily from 8.30 in the morning until 4 o’clock in the afternoon.
A local bus can be taken from the town’s fresh produce market. Called 0-7639-1126
for more information.
Phuket Butterfly Farm and Aquarium
Phuket Butterfly Farm and Aquarium is only 3 kilometres from town via Yaowarat
Road and the Sam Kong intersection. It has a fascinating collection of such tropical
creatures as butterflies, insects, marine life all arranged in natural surroundings.
It is open daily from 9 p.m.-5 p.m. Tel: 0-7621-5616, 0-7621-0861
Phuket
Sea Shell Museum
Phuket Sea Shell Museum is located near Rawai Beach on
the island's southwestern shores. The emphasis is on shells from Thai waters,
which are among the most sought-after by collectors, however shells from every
part of the world are featured. There are numerous rarities and freaks including
the world's largest golden pearl (140 karats), large sections of sedimentary rock
containing shell fossils, and a shell tHad weighs 250 kilograms. The museum is
open daily from 8 a.m. till 7 p.m. Tel: 0-7638-1266 or 0- 7638-1274
Phuket
Town
Phuket town serves mainly as a dormitory and shopping centre. Splendid
colonial style residences built by late 19th-century tin and rubber barons and
shophouses from the same period provide distinctive character.
Phuket
Zoo
Phuket Zoo ,located on the way to Chalong Bay, contains a collection
of Asian and African mammals and birds. Elephant and crocodile shows are performed
every day. Call 0-7638-1337, 0- 7638-1227 for details.
Rawai Beach (Had Rawai)
To the south, the palm-fringed Rawai Beach
about 17 kilometres from town hosts Phuket ’s Chao Le people (sea gypsies). Several
offshore islands have gleaming white beaches and dazzling underwater scenery which
attract fishing enthusiasts and scuba-divers.
To the south,
the palm-fringed Rawai Beach about 17 kilometres from town hosts Phuket ’s Chao
Le people (sea gypsies). Several offshore islands have gleaming white beaches
and dazzling underwater scenery which attract fishing enthusiasts and scuba-divers.
Saphan Hin
Saphan Hin is a public park near the sea at the end of Phuket
Road. In the circle is the Tin Mining Monument, shaped like a large drill bit,
dedicated to the memory of Captain Edward Thomas Miles, the Australian who brought
the first in dredge to Phuket in 1909.
Thai Village and
Orchid Farm
Thai Village and Orchid Farm , on Thepkasattri Road about
3 kilometres from town, serves daily a typical southern Thai lunch tHad is followed
by a spectacular cultural show including Thai dances, sword-fighting, Thai boxing
southern customs and elephants. Handicrafts are also on display. Call 0-7621-4860,
0- 7623-7400 for details.
The View Point
The
View Point is located mid-point between Nai Han and Kata beaches. The scenic Kata
Noi, Kata and Karon beaches, and Ko Pu Island can be viewed from this point.
Wat Chalong (Chalong Temple)
Wat Chai Tararam, or Wat Chalong, is the
most popular temple in Phuket. Built in 1837, a recent additon to the temple is
a 61.4-meter high chedi containing the Phra Borom Sareerikatat relic, a piece
of Buddha’s bones brought over from Sri Lanka. Combining the architectural styles
from the Southern, Central and Northeastern Thailand, the chedi is the first in
this region to house this holy relic.