Phuket

Thailand's largest island is a wonderland of wildlife and rainforest fringed by white sand beaches with some of the world's premier resorts.

Wild Interior
Visitors to Phuket Province generally head for the sea, but the interior is worth exploring for its vivid patchwork of plantations and rice paddies, crowned by the island's last rainforest in Khao Phra Thaw Royal Wildlife Reserve. Here, rainy season hikes provide the best views of Ton Sai and Bang Pae waterfalls, with possible sightings of resident wildlife such as flying foxes and slow loris: visit the Gibbon Rehabilitation Center near Bang Pae falls and see how they reintroduce captive gibbons to the jungle.

Trading History
Phuket Town was once a trading point for ships from China, India, Arabia, Malaya and Portugal. 19th century Sino-Portuguese shop houses on Phang-Nga, Yaowarat, and Ranong Roads stand testimony to those days, with fine restorations on Deebuk and Thalang Roads. Also on Phang-Nga Road, the mystical Shrine of the Serene Light is a 150-year-old Chinese temple with notable art and a tranquil garden. See the surrounding area from nearby Phuket Hill (Khao Rang).

Vegetarian Festival
A cultural legacy, the Vegetarian Festival ushers in Taoist Lent in September / October, when religious Chinese avoid eating meat. The festivities involve colorful, noisy street parades, with devotees doing penance through pain. Among other things, they pierce their cheeks and tongues with swords.

Sea, Sand & Sailing
Of course, Phuket's limestone cliffs and palm-fringed tropical beaches are its biggest attractions. Sunseekers flock to its blue waters, with many enjoying the shopping and nightlife of vibrant Patong. A few quieter beaches to investigate are Karon, Kata, Rawai and Surin.

Situated in the Andaman Sea, Phuket is a world-class dive destination with countless pristine sites and just as many operators, mostly around Patong. Experienced yachtsmen looking for all-inclusive charters will find fair-to-excellent craft with great facilities at the Phuket Boat Lagoon (Ao Sapam) and the Yacht Haven Phuket (Laem Phrao).