In the south of Thailand, there is a province called Phuket, which consists of several small and large islands. It is among the oldest cities in Thailand, surrounded by the Andaman Sea on the west side. It is estimated to have a population of 89,072,000 in 2020.
Many individuals believe that Phuket’s only draw is its stunning beaches. However, this city provides appealing alternatives for people who desire both nature and history tourism.
It is worth noting that, of all areas of Phuket, the west is the most popular and well-known. Because the presence of quiet and gorgeous beaches has made this portion of the city the first choice of visitors.
The Best Season to Travel to Phuket
Spring
The air temperature reaches its highest point of the year during the spring, especially in April. The wind is also at its lowest point of the year along the shore, and the weather is progressively cloudy. During this time of year, the typical temperature ranges between 24 and 35 degrees Celsius.
Summer
In the summer season, especially in July, the rainfall reaches its maximum and the wind speed increases, especially on the coast. The average temperature in this season varies from 25 to 32 degrees Celsius.
Autumn
With the beginning of autumn, the rains decrease and the best season to travel to Thailand is slowly coming. The wind speed on suitable beaches and the number of sunny days increase. The average temperature in this season is from 24 to 32 degrees Celsius.
Winter
The weather in Thailand is very pleasant in winter. Humidity and precipitation will reach their lowest level and pleasant sunny weather will host tourists. The average air temperature in this season is usually between 24 and 34 degrees Celsius.
Note: In general, the best time to travel to Phuket is from November to February. During this period, the weather will be very cool and the rain will decrease significantly.
The access route to Phuket
The best and fastest way to reach Phuket is to fly to its international airport. There are no railway lines on the island and the land routes of this island are only roads. There is only one road between this island and other Thai cities, which goes to Phang Nga area through a bridge called Sarasin.
Various tours are held in Phuket, some of them enter the island directly, and others include combined tours that take travelers to different parts of Thailand.
Culture, Religion and Customs of Phuket People
Almost most of the people of Phuket follow Buddhism, that’s why this religion has completely influenced the culture and customs. However, one of the traditions and cultures that is still preserved is the elaborate tradition of performing arts.
Considering that there are many Chinese on this island, they have also brought their traditions to this island. But it is obvious that these cultures are still influenced by Buddhism. There are many temples and Chinese restaurants in Phuket. Do not forget that there are cultures from other nations on this island.
Phuket Festivals
Songkran
Songkran festival is among the most famous festivals in Thailand that attract many tourists to this country every year. This ceremony is originally held to celebrate the New Year in Thailand. In this ceremony, people from all over the world come together and fight each other with water guns. The name of this ceremony as the biggest war with water guns is also seen in the Guinness Book of Records.
Turtle releasing festival
This festival is held every year on April 13 at the Sea Turtle Conservation Center. On this day, with the cooperation of this center, raised baby turtles are released into the seawater.
Seafood Festival
This festival is held every year in April and its day may change every year. In this attractive program, the organizers try to introduce Phuket seafood to visitors.
Chao Le Boat Floating Festival (Sea Gypsy)
This interesting and cultural festival is held every year in the months of June and November at Rovi Beach and Sapam Village. Enjoy this ceremony by the water and near the small boats floating on the water, especially at night. The ceremony is performed in such a way that people put a few strands of hair and some cut nails along with wooden dolls into the boat and leave it in the water. This is done in order to get rid of evil and demonic forces.
This city also has other festivals, but we tried to mention the most attractive ones.
Famous Sights of Phuket
Tiger Kingdom PhuketThis zoo is located in the Kato area of Phuket and is a well-equipped place to keep tigers. In this zoo, you can see newborn tiger cubs and pet them after professional training by the staff.
Phuket Aquarium
If you are looking for different entertainment in Phuket city, Phuket Aquarium can be a very attractive option. This very large aquarium contains all kinds of marine plants, fish, turtles, etc., in an attractive and different environment. One of the exciting things you can do in Phuket Aquarium is swimming with dolphins, which has many fans.
Phuket Weekend market
This market is active on weekends and sells all kinds of goods, especially second-hand goods.
Thalang Road
This beautiful path is full of colorful and old houses that fill the entire path. A local market is also held on this route on weekends.
Phuket Big Buddha
This 45-meter statue is one of the largest and most revered Buddha statues in the world of Buddhism. The project of building the statue started in 2002 and continues until now.
Phuket Trickeye Museum
Trickeye Museum is one of the popular sights of this island. This museum is divided into five galleries. Each has a different theme and offers guests over 100 different 3D artworks to take keepsake photographs with and enjoy looking.
Phi Phi Islands
Phi Phi islands are among the famous islands in Phuket. Phuket tourists must spend one day of their trip visiting these islands, because of their charm and beauty.
Prohibited activities in Phuket
Every nation has limitations based on its norms and traditions, some of which are even illegal. Phuket Island is no exception, and it is best to be aware of some of its regulations and red lines.
Among these restrictions include:
- You should not be naked in the city.
- Do not take photos with protected animals.
- Do not collect coral or shells from the beaches.
- Do not feed the fish.
- You should not ride an elephant.
Stay in Phuket
Phuket hotels and general accommodations located in Phuket are very diverse and abundant. This enables you to view a variety of hotels and lodging options and choose the one that best suits your requirements and preferences while staying within your budget.
Phuket hotels usually have unique views and, considering that this island has many tourists, they are of good quality. If you want the cost of your stay to be cheaper, it is better to choose accommodations or hotels with fewer stars.
Transportation in Phuket
Moving about Phuket Island, Thailand, may be done in various ways, but it is good to know which techniques have which advantages. The Phuket transit guide below might help you arrange your transportation system.
Songthaew
There are small local buses that are very popular among local people. The interesting thing about these vehicles is that they do not have a specific station and you can get on or off them wherever you want. Songthaew costs between 30 THB and 40 THB.
Tuk-tuk
Phuket tuk-tuks are completely different from Bangkok’s tricycles. They are colored mini-trucks that are usually red or yellow in the city. You can use them for transportation by paying a fee between 40 Thai baht and 100 Thai baht.
Taxi
Taxis have much more comfortable seats than tuk-tuks, but there are not many of them in the city. But you have to keep in mind that they are more expensive.
Renting a car
How much it costs to rent or permit a car depends entirely on the car and the number of days you are considering. But in general, it is possible for you.
Renting a motorbike
Renting a motorbike is also possible on Phuket Island. Its amount varies and cannot be set to a certain number.
Van rental
If there are many of you, the perfect thing to do is to rent a van.
Bus
There are two types of buses to travel on. One is for traveling only between beaches and has a very low price. The other is transportation by buses that stop between stations and do not go from coast to coast.
Thai foods
Tom Yum Goong
It is a spicy shrimp soup and the spices used in it such as Indian hyacinth, pepper, cloves, various dried leaves, shallots and even lime juice give it a different taste.
Tom Kha Gai
This dish is a type of chicken soup cooked with coconut milk. Indian hyacinth stem, shallot, and hot pepper are used to flavor this delicious soup.
Pad Thai
Pad Thai is pasta or noodles that are cooked and fried in the Thai way, and it has special fans outside of Thailand. To prepare this dish, they use ingredients such as beans, onions, eggs, pepper powder, peanuts, and shrimp along with a special seafood sauce.
Khao Pad
The main ingredient of this dish is fried rice, which is combined with onion, chicken or crab, shrimp, and egg to create a unique taste.
Gaeng Keow Wan Kai
As the name of the dish suggests, the main ingredient is chicken, which is combined with a variety of fragrant vegetables such as basil and coriander, as well as eggplant. To improve the taste of this dish, Thais add coconut milk to it in order to preserve the authentic taste of Thai food.
Yam Nua
Thais know this dish as a salad, but in fact, Yam Nova is a nutritious and delicious beef dish. The ingredients of this dish are sliced meats and chopped potatoes, along with plenty of pepper, lemon, onion and mint, which gives the dish a unique taste.
Som Tam (Spicy Green Papaya Salad)
This delicious salad is prepared with a special fruit called papaya, which is also called tree melon. To prepare this salad, other ingredients such as tomatoes, carrots, peanuts, beans, sourdough, and sauce use a lot of fish, lemon juice, garlic and pepper.
The Most Famous Restaurants in Phuket
According to many tourists on their Phuket tour, the restaurants of this city have the ability to become a tourist attraction. There are different types of restaurants in Phuket, the most famous of which we will introduce to you:
- Blue Elephant
- Sizzle Rooftop Restaurant
- Green Tamarind Kitchen
- Red Duck
- Pad Thai Shop
- Odysseus
- Siam Supper Club
