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 Phuket's glory is its majestic coastline. Thailand's southern isle of paradise, Phuket Island is bounteously provided with a wide array of attractive beaches and idyllic islands surrounded by the warm turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea. Beaches range from gentle crescents of sand with calm waters to rocky headlands pounded by raging surf. The island's western shore is dotted with dozens of spectacular beaches, bays, capes, cliffs and coral reefs. |
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Introducing phuket
 Phuket is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. It located in the Andaman Sea 885km from Bangkok, the "Pearl of the South", is Thailand's largest island covering some 810
square km. Neighbouring provinces are Phang Nga and Krabi, but as Phuket is an island there are no land boundaries. Tropical vegetation, long sandy beaches, limestone cliffs and forested hills make Phuket a magnificent holiday resort.
Phuket is Thailand's largest island, approximately the size of Singapore. The island is connected to mainland Thailand by a bridge. The region has an area of approximately 570sqm and it's made up of 1 large and 39 small islands. Phuket formerly derived its wealth from tin and rubber. The island was on one of the major trading routes between India and China, and was frequently mentioned in foreign trader's ship logs. The region now derives much of its income from tourism. The tourist industry on Phuket is well developed, much more so than Koh Samui, and there is plenty to do and see. Development has generally been well thought out so the natural beauty of the island has not been spoiled, and you can still find some secluded areas.
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Geographical Of Phuket
 Phuket is the same size as Singapore Island. About 70 percent of Phuket is forested hills. Mai Tha Sip Song is the highest peak on the island, 529 meters above sea level. Low plains form the rest of the area, mainly in the center and south. There are three canals, Khlong Bang Yai, Tha Jin, Khlong Tha Rua, and Khlong Bang Rong, which run through the island.
Phuket is the largest island in the country, but the smallest province in the South. Surrounded by 32 smaller islands, Phuket occupies 543 square kilometers. The overall length from north to south is 47.8 kms and 21.3 kms from west to east. Phuket connects to the mainland by two bridges, the Sarasin Bridge and Thoa Thep Krasatri Bridge (600 meter, across Pak Phra Channel, bridging Chatchai Landing of Phuket and Tha Nun Landing of Phangnga). To the south and west Phuket adjoins the Andaman Sea, and the Krabi Sea to the East.
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Weather All Year Round
 Climate
Phuket's average temperature is around 28.0°C to 29.3°C. The lowest average is around 21.8°C to 22.7°C and the highest is 35.7°C. Phuket's weather conditions, like other provinces in the south, are dominated by monsoon winds that blow throughout the year. There are two distinct seasons, rainy and dry. The rainy season begins in May and lasts till October, during which the monsoon blows from the southwest. The dry season is from November through April, when the monsoon comes from the northeast.
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Culture
 Like other regions of Thailand, Theravada Buddhism is the dominant religion in Phuket. The people practice Buddhist rites similar to people in other regions. But Phuket also has a large number of Chinese descendants who profess Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism, with their distinct culture. For Phuket people, Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism are intertwined.
There are a large number of Chinese Buddhist temples and shrines in Phuket town. The most sacred and the oldest Chinese Taoist temple is Put Jaw temple, which is dedicated to Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. Other Taoist temples are Jui Tui temple, dedicated to Kiu Wong In, a vegetarian god (it is the temple where the Vegetarian festival is celebrated) and Sam San shrine which is dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea. They present strong Chinese-style architecture.
The famous 9 day Chinese Vegetarian Festival celebrated annually during October indicates the deep roots that the Chinese culture has in Phuket. Each year the event attracts vegetarians from around the nation to Phuket to celebrate the practice of abstaining from eating meat in order to purify the mind and body.
Touring old Phuket town you can also see Sino-Portuguese architecture which is now in the preservation area of the town. They are a blend of the influences of the Chinese and the western colonialists who ruled Phuket town during the height of the tin mining industry. There are also Sikh and Hindu temples to serve the small number of followers residing in Phuket town.
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