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 Surrounded by clear blue water, Phuket has all the right ingredients for an unforgettable tropical vacation: its palm-fringed beaches are of soft, clean sand, it has a vibrant nightlife, and you can enjoy the most wide-ranging cuisine – you name it, you can eat it in Phuket. For several years, Phuket has topped travel charts as a holiday paradise – and not without a reason – as the island is a spectacular destination. Add to this the most welcoming people in the world and you can see why travellers love it here.

currency

Thai Baht (THB)
THB10 ~ US$0,30

phone

Police: 191
Fire Brigade: 199
Emergency Tourist Police: 1155
Marine police: +66 76 211 883
Phuket International Hospital:
+66 76 249 400

newspaper

Phuket Post
Phuket Gazette
Bangkok Post (National)
The Nation (National)
Look East (Magazine available for tourists in most hotels)

hours

Most shops are open from 09.00 to 22.00 in the evening, and are often open 7 days a week. Banking hours are strictly 08.30 to 15.30, Monday to Friday.

population

386,605

info

Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT)
191 Thalang Road, Tambon Thaladyai, Muang District, Phuket
+66 76 211 036

website

www.phuket.net

Phuket Big Buddha is one of the island most important and revered landmarks on the island thaisign/Shutterstock.com

The Island

Phuket and its surrounding islands are some of the most beautiful and intriguing in the world. Tall outcrops of limestone rise vertically from the sea, and probably the most famous of these was used as a location for one of the James Bond films. It’s now known as “James Bond Island,” but its real name is Phang-nga.

Set just off the west coast of Thailand, in the Andaman Sea, Phuket is about the same size as Singapore. The main town is Phuket Town, but many visitors stay in the beach resorts of Surin, Katu, Karon and the most famous (and busy), Patong. To get from Phuket to Patong takes about 20 minutes. Phuket Town has all the administration offices, bigger business hotels and department stores, whilst the beach resorts cater more to the holiday maker. However, excursions to the islands off Phuket go from the port at Phuket Town.

Scenery of phuket island, View from hill top, Travel in Thailand Day2505/Shutterstock.com

Do & See

Gorgeous white beaches, the bluest water you have ever seen and snorkelling, which is like swimming in an aquarium. This is the place to relax and enjoy yourself, either with scuba diving, spa centres or elephant trekking, there is always something to do.

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Phi Phi Islands Adventure Day Trip

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Phuket City Tour: Karon View Point, Big Buddha & Wat Chalong

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Phang-nga and Khai Nai Eco Tour

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Phuket Fantasea

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Adventurer Rafting

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Scuba Diving

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Splash Jungle Water Park

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Phuket Thai Cookery School

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Sepak Takraw

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Golf

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Phuket Seashell Museum

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Phuket Aquarium

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Monkey Hill

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Phuket Orchid Farm

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Dining

Thai cuisine has become one of the country’s biggest exports, and naturally, nothing can compare to the real thing. Why not sample a bowl of tom yam goong (spicy prawn soup), or perhaps kaeng phed ped yang (roast duck in red curry) is more to your liking?

Many restaurants in the resort towns, such as Patong, will have a mix of Thai and western food. Chinese dishes are readily available at the many restaurants in the resorts, and there are also a fair number of Indian and Arabic places catering to those particular types of cuisine.

And here are the best places to eat in Phuket, Thailand:

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Night Food Market

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KanEang 2

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Na Rimtang

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Pomodoro Pizza Restaurant

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The Royal Kitchen

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Silk Restaurant & Bar

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Plum Prime Steakhouse

Two pieces of pandanus flavor roll cake, yam roll, jam roll Hatai/Shutterstock.com

Cafés

All the resorts from Surin to Chalong Bay have a beachfront road packed with cafés and simple eating places. Some are part of a hotel; some are just simple eateries on the roadside. Too numerous to mention, just have a stroll and see what appeals to your taste buds.

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Gallery Cafe

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Samero’s Icecream Paradise

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A Spoonful of Sugar

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UnforgetTable

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The Circle Coffee Boutique

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Rose Espresso

View of the night Phuket Larikova Liudmila/Shutterstock.com

Bars & Nightlife

Equally, the bars of Patong run into the hundreds. The main bar areas are gathered around Bangla Square and Bangla Road. The road is traffic-free in the evening so you can wander along without the worries of the motorbikes. Off Bangla Road are some "Soi", which are lanes, but again without traffic. In these Sois, such as Soi Eric, Soi Cayote, Soi Gonzo, and Soi Easy there are even more bars.

Below are some of the best bars and nightclubs in Phuket, Thailand:

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Patong Beach Nightlife

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Thai Boxing

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Karon Sunshine Guesthouse, Bar & Restaurant

Two Women Tourists Buying Hat On Asian Open Street Market Of Clothes Young Female Shopping At Traditional Bazaar On Vacation On Vacation In Asia ProStockStudio/Shutterstock.com

Shopping

Thailand has excellent shopping, both modern malls with all the regular brands, as well as plenty of traditional crafts. The Central Festival in Phuket Town is the biggest shopping centre and has 300 shops, with branded goods, Thai crafts and electronics. Situated on the outskirts of Phuket Town, you will more than likely need a tuk tuk or taxi to get there.

For traditional Thai crafts, there is an organisation which is government supported called One Tambon, One Product. The idea is to encourage rural and tribal people from the villages to produce traditional goods and take the benefits directly. The store is located at the south end of Patong, behind the Holiday Inn Hotel. All the resorts have a night market, but the biggest is in Patong. The vendors begin to set up their stalls around 18.30 and then they are open for business until about 23.00. All the best bargains are here: clothes, sports equipment, watches, souvenirs, luggage and some of the best replicas you can find.

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Ceramics of Phuket

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Ban Boran Textiles

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Jewellery

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Central Festival Phuket

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Jungceylon

Patong ,Phuket,Thailand.selective focus.Image may contain soft focus and blur due to long exposure WUTTISAK PROMCHOO/Shutterstock.com

Tourist Information

Passport / Visa

Visitors to Thailand need a valid passport and in some cases a visa to enter the country. Nationals of 57 countries are allowed a permanence from 14 to 90 days without a visa. Nationals of other 21 countries including China, India and Saudi Arabia are granted a visa on arrival, while the remaining need a visa in advance. Check the website below for further information:

www.thaiembassy.com/visa/thailand-visa.php

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Best Time to Visit

Phuket is one of the major tourist destinations in Southeast Asia, attracting tourists from all over the world. The various hotels and resorts get very busy during the high season, which coincides with the dry season, from December to April, and the weather is warm and dry, with long sunny days and a clear sky. During this period, in mid-April, the famous Songkran, the Thai New Year, takes place and the whole country celebrates on the streets. The monsoon arrives in May bringing heavy rainfall until November, making this the low season for tourism. This is by far the cheapest period to visit Phuket, and also the most peaceful, as the island is not as crowded as during the high season.

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Phuket International Airport (HKT)

Phuket International Airport is situated north of the island, away from the luxury hotels and resorts. By taxi the trip to Surin will take about 30 minutes, to Patong about 40 min, Karon and Kata beaches around 50 minutes. The bus to Phuket Town takes one hour.

Metered taxis are available, but there are not too many of them around. They are to the right as you come out of the arrivals building, at the far end.

To the left as you come out of arrivals, there are 8 seated mini vans which will take you to your hotel, but of course you have to stop at everyone else’s hotel as well.

There is also an Airport Bus but it only goes to Phuket Town Bus Terminal. It does stop on the way but not at any of the coastal resorts. Journey time is one hour from the airport to Phuket Town.

Address: Phuket International Airport

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Phone: +66 76 351 166

Website: www.phuketairportonline.com

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Public Transport

There are several public buses in Phuket, which are bright blue, with open sides. There aren’t any real schedules, but if you see one and want to get on, just wave – there are no official bus stops. The local bus station is located on Ranong Road in Phuket Town.

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Taxi

The most widely used ‘taxis’ are bright red tuk tuks. These are not the 4 seated variety as in Bangkok but hold about 6-8 people. Unlike the metred taxi, arrange a price before getting in.

You can also find traditional taxis outside the airport terminal and around town, which either have fixed fares or a meter.

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Website: www.phukettaxi.com

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Car and Motorbike Rental

Traffic in Thailand is on the left side and all the major car rental companies have offices at the airport. An international driving license is required. There are enterprising companies immediately outside the arrivals hall with cards offering cars at cheaper rates. Jeeps are also available, make sure you see the car before paying, some have been around for a while.

When driving in Thailand, beware of motorbikes overtaking on the inside and /or on bends. Drive a little slower and keep an eye on the wing mirrors.

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Post Office

Post offices are usually open from 08.30 until 16.30, but make sure your post is there by 15.30, otherwise it waits until the next day. The main post office in Patong is on Beach Road and in Phuket Town is at Montri Road. There are post outlets in many of the major stores and supermarkets. Look for counters with the names of courier companies listed – you can still send with the Thai post service from these counters.

Main post office:

Address: 158 Montri Road, Talardyai, Muang, Phuket

Email: postalcare@thailandpost.co.th

Phone: +66 76 211 020

Website: www.thailandpost.co.th/en/index

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Telephone

Country code: + 66
Area code: 076

Remember that an area code is needed even if you are within that city. So, if a call is made from Patong to Phuket, the prefix 076 is still required.

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Electricity

220V, 50 Hz. The general socket is a flat two pin, but there are some Thai appliances that have a third round pin. Many hotels, especially the older ones, have only the two pin socket so bringing an adapter is recommended.

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