Sportmania Welcomes You to Phuket!
Located in Southern Thailand, Phuket is one of Thailand’s biggest islands and a province in its own right. Over the last 20 years, tourism has grown to be this beautiful island’s biggest money spinner. Because of this, Phuket boasts a competent infrastructure and a truly amazing choice of activities for visitors. Everything, from 5-star dining, scuba diving and world class golfing, is available to those looking to indulge and the island’s rich cultural history lends more than a hint of the exotic to any outing, day or night. There’s always something fun happening on Phuket’s Party Island!
Festivals, parties, and events are always happening so you’ll never have a dull moment here. Then there’s the world famous Thai smile to look forward to! Phuketians are fun-loving, happy go lucky people who are more than enthusiastic about making your visit a memorable one.
Phuket’s beaches are justifiably world-renowned and the West Coast of the island rivals any tourist destination for distinctive and unforgettable panoramas.
But it’s not all about the beaches; Phuket’s interior plays host to several world class golf courses and challenging elephant treks as well as interesting cultural attractions.
Come nightfall this island really fires up. Hedonists can choose from a legion of fine dining establishments that give Bangkok’s cosmopolitan eateries a run for their money. The famous Patong area is known for its wide range of bars that cater for just about every taste. Here, you’ll have no trouble making friends. Just over the hill in Phuket Town one will find a more locally driven social scene, but there are still some great bars and nightclubs to check out. And of course there are lots and lots of shopping. From jewelry to antiques to clothes, there’s something for everyone on Phuket — and all for a fraction of the cost back home.
What’s the best time of year to visit? It all depends on your holiday itinerary. If you want sunshine-filled days and easy seas, then the months of November to April are for you. If you simply want to experience Cultural Phuket, then any time is fine. Flights are more expensive during the High Season.
Phuket at a Glance
Phuket Island, 810 sq. kms of tropical delight, stands 8 degrees north of the equator and benefits from a balmy, storm-free climate. Phuket is Thailand’s biggest and most frequented island, almost the same size as Singapore or Luxembourg, yet the islands of Singapore and Phuket couldn’t be more different, objectively speaking. Unlike its southerly island business-like neighbor, Phuket stands for fun, relaxation, sand and sea-soaked memories as well as boasting some of the most beautiful and hospitable people in Southeast Asia.
Phuket’s best beaches and most of its resorts are situated almost exclusively on its West Coast. A sharp drop off into the Andaman Sea along with some vicious out-of-season tides and coastal erosion have, over time, created the beautiful bays, islands and unique granite rock shapes that characterize the West Coast. The East Coast, even though it’s scenic and looks tempting on a map, is not suited for swimming or water sports, apart from sailing.
Climate
Lucky old Phuket. The ravages of the South Westerly monsoon (from May to October) burn themselves out in the Bay of Bengal before reaching the shores of this idyllic island. From November to April, the mainland of Vietnam and the Gulf of Thailand along with the southern isthmus of Thailand absorb the North Easterly monsoon. These factors make Phuket all the more enticing. In the so-called “rainy season” (what the travel agents and hoteliers like to call the “Green Season”) there are occasional glorious days of sunshine and when it does rain, precipitation is heavy but almost never long-lasting.
A Brief Synopsis of Phuket’s Weather:
Yearly average water temperature: 26°C TO 29°C,
Daily average air temperature: 25°C TO 32°C
December—February: Cool season. Temperatures between 22 degrees and 32 degrees centigrade with a North Easterly cooling breeze. This is High Season on Phuket so all accommodation and commodities are best checked out well beforehand for availability.
March—Mid June: Hot season. Temperatures of 33+. A bit stifling unless you’re in air con or are on the beach under a parasol. Occasional heavy rains and cloud cover.
Mid June-Early September: A hiatus of glorious weather that not many travel brochures will tell you about. This is because the weather is sometimes unpredictable. Some days are of summer beauty, some days are stormy. One thing’s for sure, though: With so few visitors on the island, this is a lovely time of year to explore this region.
Early September—November: Rainy season. Charming in its own way but bring an umbrella. Occasional bright days with high temperatures.
We realize, of course, that we have no control over the weather so these are approximate statements.
Population
Official records claim that the population is 232,000 but there are many transient Burmese workers and people of Northern Thai extraction who fill the needs of the service industry, swelling Phuket’s population, especially in tourist high season. In the high season, the tourist population at any one given time is about 35,000+. Phuket Town, the provincial capital, has a population of about 60,000 people. Phuket’s official religion is Buddhism.
Hotels & Resorts
Where’s the cheapest accommodation?
Phuket Town and Chalong. For lower room rates in Patong or along the West Coast you should come between May and October.
Hotels
In addition to the golfing package holidays available from Sportmania an abundance of la carte choices allows you to choose from the countless resorts and hotels. Phuket offers a multitude of accommodation from budget to 5-star at prices from US $5 to US $500 and higher per night, Phuket has it all. All the same, the location of your hotel should not be taken lightly. It will make a tangible difference to your stay on Phuket. Of course, most of the raucous fun goes on at night in Patong and to a lesser extent in Kata and Karon, so if partying is firmly on your holiday itinerary then these are the places to stay. Generally speaking though, any hotel situated along Phuket’s West Coast will be pricier than others around the island but some bargains are to be had in the low season from May to November. Some smaller hotel rooms go for as little as US$8 a night in Patong at this time of year and the major league chains also lower their charges.
Unless you want absolute serenity make sure that your hotel is not isolated and far from the action. Several major West Coast hotels are 45 minutes from Patong and do not rent out transportation, making an evening out unnecessarily expensive and a long drawn out affair, although some provide shuttle service. On the other hand, some smaller hotels are right in the thick of it, making sleep before 2 am a fantasy. Some hotels in Phuket Town are reasonably priced and offer sumptuous suites and service. The only drawback is that Phuket Town is at least 30 minutes from the nearest decent beach and 40 minutes from Patong so you’ll either have to rent a vehicle or go by public transport to get around.
Unlike Bangkok, with its liberal sprinkling of budget guesthouses, Phuket doesn’t offer much in this range of accommodation and what little there is, is situated either on Phuket Town’s Phang Nga Rd. or on neighbouring streets.
Resorts
More and more resorts are opening; typically quite a way from the general action, although most resorts have fairly good live entertainment and can offer decent packages. Things have gotten a little confusing as of late as many of the established hotels have re-christened themselves as "resorts", seemingly on a whim. Be sure to check your "resort’s" facilities with your travel agent. The Marriott, way up in the North of the island, for example, offers a free spa treatment, 2 rounds of free golf at the Blue Canyon and complimentary transportation. |
