Attractions : Phuket
Town | Beaches
| Island
| Bay | Cape
| Kathu District
| Thalang District
Surin Beach
Evergreen trees rim this small, curving bay beneath
the foothills north of Kamala beach. Surin beach is home
to Phuket's first golf course, a nine-hole course laid
out more than sixty years ago during the reign of King
Rama VII. It is now largely in disuse except as a park.
The steep incline of the beach, turbulent water, and big
waves make Surin looks like the dangerous place to swim
during the rainy season. Accommodations and restaurants
are nearby.
Sing Cape
The name means Lion's Point in English. The beach is in
a small, curving bay with rocky headlands at the foot
of forest-fringed cliffs and is among Phuket's most beautiful
spots. Look for signs indicating the path down to the
beach.
Bangthao Beach
Bangthao is the large open bay with one of Phuket's longest
beaches. It was once used for tin mining, but has since
been developed into a luxury resort., is occupied by the
Laguna complex, a massive five-hotel development with
golf course. There are, however, accommodations available
outside Laguna at the bay's south end. Dry season swimming
is excellent, and at the bay's north end is a smaller
bay, almost completely enclosed, at the mouth of which
is some fine coral. Plenty of places to eat, tour companies,
and other tourist facilities available either at Laguna
Along the way are some small bays with good swimming and
no development.
Nai Yang Beach
This is part of the Sirinath National Park office. The
beach itself is on a long curving bay lined with evergreens
that provide shade to picnicker. The large coral reef
is home to many different species of fish, and Nai Yang
is well known as a site where sea turtles come to lay
their eggs during the period from November to February;
the population of these has however, dropped off greatly.
First class accommodations are available and small food
vendors cater to the many day trippers.
Nai Thon Beach
Hat Nai Thon , one of the least commercialized beaches
on the island. This quiet bay is nestled by the foot of
the hill has a strip of the sand. There are some accommodations
but virtually no other business. Located between Bang
Thao Bay and Nai Yang Beach, Nai Thon Beach can be reached
by taking Thep Krasatri Rd. Turn at the first traffic
light north of Thalang Town to Nai Yang Rd. Look for signs
indicating the turn-off to Nai Ton.
Mai Khao Beach
Phuket's northwest coast kicks off with the island's longest
and least-visited beach, the twelve-kilometres Hat Mai
Khao, which starts a couple of kilometres north of the
airport and 34 km. northwest of Phuket town, and remains
almost completely unsullied by any touristic enticements,
with to date just a couple of discreet budget accommodations
hidden behind a sand-bank at the back of the shore. The
water is fine for swimming during the dry season; the
rainy season brings big waves and strong currents that
are dangerous. This lonely beach is another area where
sea turtles come to lay eggs. It is also home to what
the Thais call a sea cicada, which is a form of marine
life.
Sai Kaew Beach
This wonderful trip of clean sand is just the north portion
of Mai Khao Beach and has much the same character.The
visitors should be wary of swimming here during the monsoon
season. Located west of the bridges spanning the channel
between Phuket and Phang-nga provinces.
Mangrove Forest
The mangroves-saltwater swamps with unique eco-systems
much prized by scientists searching for clues about adaptation
and evolution-cover about 800 rai. Anyone with an interest
in horticulture will be interested in the many unusual
perennial plants found here: mountain ebony (kong kang
bai lek), red cycas (prong daeng), black myrsina (samae
dam), the Lady's Nails quisqualis (leb mue nang), and
various creepers and climbers are among the more significant.
There are also many mongrove-dwelling animals with unique
evolutionary characteristics. A nature trail has been
cleared for the convenience of visitors with signs indicating
and explaining the various species.
Thalang National Museum
The ancient artifacts museum from Phuket 's long history
are on display; the oldest were found on the west coast.
In addition there are exhibits detailing the famous Battle
of Thalang involving the Two Heroines, daily life in Phuket,
and the Sea Gypsy culture.
Nakha Island
This small, quiet island with fine sandy beaches lie just
off Phuket's northeast shore. Clearly water for swimming.
Koh Nakha noi is one item which is very interesting for
one who need private relaxing, not found in many other
places is its pearl farm. Boats can be hired from Ao Po
Pier, off Pa Khlok Rd., for travel to Koh Nakha Noi, and
package trips are available at tour agencies, generally
including lunch and a visit to the pearl farm.
Pra Nahng Sahng Temple
The sound of this historic temple is where the Battle
of Thalang took place in 1785. Inside are three extremely
old statues wrought in tin of the Buddha; they are the
largest in the world and date from a time when tin was
regarded as a semi-precious metal. Another notable feature
from which derives their name "The Three Kings"
in formal language. Located on Thep Krasatri Rd., in Thalang
Town at the tracffic light.
Phra Tong Temple
This temple enshrines a golden Buddha image that sprang
up from beneath the earth long ago. The story is of a
young boy who tied his buffalo to what he thought was
a post; it was in an area at that time given over to the
raising of animals. After doing so, he fell down in agony
and died. The father of the boy dreamed that the reason
his son had died was for the sin of tying a filthy buffalo
to a sacred object, that what the boy thought was a post
was in reality the golden peak of the Buddha's conical
cap. He told his neighbors the dream and they all went
out to dig up the statue but had no success.
Later, at the time of Thao Thep Kasatri's heroic defense
against the Burmese in 1785, the invaders tried to succeed
where the villagers had failed; their intention was to
take the Buddha image back to Burma. Sacred objects and
slaves were then the most sought after spoils for armies.
The Burmese, however, were unable to retrieve the golden
Buddha despite several attempts; they were finally driven
off by a swarm of angry hornets.
After this the villagers decided to protect their miraculous
statue by covering the part that stuck up from the ground
with a plaster cast of Buddha's head and shoulders' which
is the way it is today. Located north of the traffic light
on the outskirts of Thalang Town. A large sign shows the
entrance.
Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Conservation Development
and Extension Center
The Park covered 22.28 square kilometers of virgin forest
which also actively conserves a number of wild animals;
they would otherwise be extinct in fast-growing Phuket.
It is a center for study of the environment. Forest vegetation
is spectacular :;giant trees supported by huge buttresses
by thick with creppers climbers of every description.
One species of palm found, the Governor's Palm or White
Back Palm (palm lang khao in Thai) is especially rare.
Langurs, barking deer, mouse deer, deer, bear, wild boar,
monkeys, gibbons, and many species of birds inhabit the
forest. Khao Phra Thaeo serves also as one of Phuket's
most important water sources.
There are two waterfalls of note:
Ton Sai
A small falls over which pours a great volume of water
during the rainy season. The trees, watercourses, and
pools nearby provide one of Phuket's loveliest scenes.
The park headquarter and a small restaurant with an excellent
view are also at Ton Sai. Located near Thalang Town, 22
kms. from Phuket Town.
Bang Pae
Generally known now as the site of the Gibbon Fund, a
project to return domestic gibbons to the forest, Bang
Pae is a small waterfall with a shady forest and thick
foliage surrounding.
Provided
by Tourism Authority of Thailand
