Phuket Information
Phuket, Thailand’s largest island, is
located in the south of Thailand in the
Andaman Sea, and is often referred to as
“the pearl of the Andaman”, or “the
pearl of the south”. Its natural
attractions include white powdery
beaches, limestone cliffs, broad and
tranquil bays, and tropical in-land
forests. There are innumerable
activities for visitor to Phuket,
including every conceivable water sport,
golf, and elephant trekking, dining on
outstanding seafood, and pampering
oneself at a luxury spa. As Phuket is
located so close to the mainland there
are bridges that allow overland travel
to Phuket. Consequently, it is possible
to travel to Phuket by land, sea, or
air.
Phuket is an island on the southwest
side of Thailand in the Andaman Sea
(which is in the Indian Ocean) lying
between 7' 45" and 8' 15" north latitude
and from 98' 15" to 98' 40" west
longitude. 32 smaller islands that form
part of the same administration with a
total area of 570 square kilometers
surround Thailand's largest island,
Phuket. Phuket measures 21.3 kilometers
at its widest point and 48.7 kilometers
at it’s longest. It is bounded thus:
Since the early 1980's the tourist
business has been Phuket's chief source
of income. Hotels, Restaurants, tour
companies, and souvenir shops are much
in evidence on the west coast. However,
while the once all-important tin mining
has ceased, tourism is by no means the
island's only activity. Agriculture
remains important to a large number of
people and covers by far the largest
portion of the island. Principal crops
are rubber, coconuts, cashews, and
pineapples.
Prawn farming has largely taken over the
east and south coasts. Pearl farming is
also important. Phuket's fishing port is
at all times filled. Processing of
marine products, mainly fish, makes a
significant contribution to the economy.
With so many healthy industries
supplying income, construction has
become a major factor in employment.
This ranges from massive public works
projects, large office buildings, hotels
and housing estates with hundreds of
units down to single family homes,
apartments and room additions. Phuket,
Thailand’s largest island and premier
beach destination, is located
approximately 862 kilometers south of
Bangkok and is often dubbed “the pearl
of the Andaman”, or “the pearl of the
south”. Its natural attractions include
white powdery beaches, limestone cliffs,
broad and tranquil bays, tropical
in-land forests, and 32 smaller islands.
The
size of the island, which is dominated
by a chain of mountains running
north-south along the west coast,
includes numerous microclimates and a
diversity of flora and fauna. Along the
coast there are dozens of beaches, each
with its own characteristic, ranging
from lively Patong Beach to more
secluded Mum Nai Bay.
In addition to the many activities and
attractions on Phuket itself, there are
many spectacular day trip attractions
surrounding the island. To the east of
Phuket lies Phang Nga Bay, one of the
top destinations for sea kayaking. The
islands of Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park
are a short boat trip to the southeast
of Phuket. The Similan and Surin
Islands, to the northwest of Phuket,
feature some of the finest dive sites in
Thailand and are serviced from live
aboard dive boats from Phuket. |
