Phuket Phuket Old Town CONTENTS TRANSPORTATION 6 ATTRACTIONS 9 Amphoe Mueang Phuket 9 Amphoe Kathu 22 Amphoe Thalang 24 CULTURAL SHOWS AND ENTERTAINMENT 32 EVENTS & FESTIVALS 34 LOCAL FOOD 36 SPORTING ACTIVITIES 39 SHOPPING 42 FACILITIES IN PHUKET 43 Accommodation 43 Restaurants 72 Boat Service 74 Golf Courses 74 Fishing 76 Horse Riding 77 Boating 77 Other Sports 78 Car Rental Service 78 USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS 78 4 Laem Phromthep PHUKET 5 Thai Term Glossary Amphoe : District Ban : Village Chedi : Stupa or Pagoda Hat : Beach Ao : Bay Khao : Mountain Khlong : Canal Ko : Island Mueang : Town or City Namtok : Waterfall Tambon : Sub-district Tham : Cave Ubosot or Bot : Ordination hall in a temple Viharn : Image hall in a temple Wat : Temple Note: English spelling here given tries to approximate Thai pronunciation. Posted signs may be spelled differently. When seeking help from a Thai for directions, point to the Thai spellings given after each place name. Phuket is Thailand’s largest island, approximately the size of Singapore. Phuket nestles in balmy Andaman Sea waters on Thailand’s Indian Ocean coastline, 862 kilometres south of Bangkok. Phuket formerly derived its wealth from tin and rubber, and enjoyed a rich and colourful history. The island was on one of the major trading routes between India and China, and was frequently mentioned in foreign traders’ ship logs. Phuket is blessed with magnificent coves and bays, powdery, palm-fringed white beaches, sparkling island-dotted seas, sincere hospitable people, superb accommodation and seafood, delightful turn-of-the-century Sino-Portuguese architecture, numerous sporting and leisure opportunities, and a lush tropical landscape-all of which have been combined to create a delightful ambience for truly memorable holidays. CLIMATES Phuket has two major seasons: the rainy season from May through October, and the summer from November through April. There are many sunny days throughout the rainy season: showers customarily last little more than 2 or 3 6 hours. September is the wettest month. The best months are November through February. Average temperatures range between 22 and 34 degrees Celsius. TRANSPORTATION Travel from Bangkok By Car : There are two routes : 1. Take Rama 2 Road (Thon Buri - Pak Tho). Turn left at the Wang Manao T-junction and follow Highway 4 (Phetchakasem Road) through Phetchaburi province, Cha-am, Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thap Sakae. When you reach the intersection to Chumphon town (Pathomphon Intersection at Km. 499), go straight on Highway 41, passing through Amphoe Lang Suan into Surat Thani province. About 10 km. from the Surat Thani Airport, turn right at the intersection at Km. 18, and take Highway 401, passing the Ban Ta Khun District Office, Surat Thani province. Go on for about 5 km. and turn left at the T-junction onto Highway 415, passing the Thap Put District Office. Go straight about 1 km, then turn left onto Highway 415. Keep going until you reach the T-junction to Phang-nga town. Turn left and follow the road for another 89 km. to reach Phuket. (Take Highway 4 until reaching Ban Khok Kloi in Phang-nga and turn left onto Highway 402). The whole journey is a total of 886 km. This is the most comfortable route. 2. Take the same route to the intersection to Chumphon town, turn right onto Highway 4, passing Amphoe Kra Buri and Amphoe Kapoe, Ranong province, Amphoe Khura Buri, Amphoe Takua Pa, Amphoe Takua Thung, Amphoe Thai Mueang, Phang-nga province, and into Phuket. This route goes along winding roads which require low speed. By Bus: Take the daily bus from the Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal on Borommaratchachonnani Road, to Phuket. The journey takes 12-14 hours. Transport Company Limited, Tel. 1490, 0 2422 4444, 0 2894 6122 or 0 7621 1480, Phuket Travel Company Limited, Tel. 0 2885 9025-6 or 0 7621 3615, 0 7622 2107-9 Bus Express Company Limited, Tel. 08 5796 3411, 08 9650 3838, 0 7622 1736 7 Surin Circle By Rail : There are no direct train services to Phuket. Travellers by train must get off at the Phun Phin Railway Sta- tion in Surat Thani and continue by regular bus to Phuket. Please call Tel. 1690 or www.railway.co.th By Air : There are many airlines operating flights to Phuket from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Trat, and Ko Samui, as follows: Thai Airways (TG), Tel. 1566, 0 2280 0060, 0 2628 2000, or www.thaiairways.com (Phuket Office Tel. 0 7621 1195). Bangkok Airways (PG), Tel. 1771, 0 2265 5678, 0 2265 5555, or www.bangkokair.com. Nok Air (DD), Tel. 1318, 0 2900 9955, or www.nokair.com. Air Asia Airline (FD), Tel. 0 2515 9999, or www.airasia.com. Orient Thai Airlines, Tel. 1126, 0 2229 4260, 0 7635 1238, or www.flyorientthai.com. By Sea : The deep seaport in Makham Bay is for cargo ships as well as domestic and international excursion boats. 8 Travel within Phuket Resort hotels generally offer shuttle bus services into Phuket Town. There are also taxis and cars for rent. Jeeps and motorbikes can be hired from various shops in Phuket and at the main beaches. Taxis are plentiful in town. Call Tel. 0 7635 1347, 0 7635 1349 From the Airport to Town By mini-bus: 100 Baht per person. By taxi: 400 Baht. By airport bus: 85 Baht per person. From the Airport to Kata, Karon and Patong Beaches By mini-bus: 150-180 Baht. By taxi: 600 Baht. In Town: There are three lines of public bus (Pink Buses) services in Phuket Town. Line no.1 Big C – Saphan Hin Line no.2 Super Cheap Grocery – Wichit Sub-district Line no.3 Saphan Hin – Ratsada Pier The Old Buliding in Phuket Old Town 9 From Town to the Beaches: There are mini-bus services between town and all tourist beaches. Buses leave for the beaches at the market on Ranong Road at half-hour intervals until 6 p.m. After that, you must hire a taxi. Bus fares range from 10-30 Baht. Car Rent Private cars, jeeps and motorcycles can be hired from rental companies for your convenience. Travel to Neighbouring Provinces There are regular bus services to Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phang-nga, Ranong, Surat Thani, Satun, Hat Yai, Takua Pa, Ko Samui and Ko Pha-ngan. Departures are from the Phuket Bus Terminal on Phang-nga Road, Tel. 0 7621 1480, 0 7621 1977. ATTRACTIONS Amphoe Mueang Phuket (อำ�เภอเมืองภูเก็ต) Khao Rang (เขารัง) A great view of Phuket Town, the southern part of the island, and some of the offshore islands, can be obtained by going to the top of Khao Rang Hill, on the town’s northwest border. There are also several restaurants featuring spectacular views of the city, a health park for exercise enthusiasts, and a comfortable, expanse of grass at the top with a bronze statue of Phraya Ratsadanupradit, the model Governor of Phuket during King Rama V’s reign. Saphan Hin (สะพานหิน) A land reclamation project provided abundant new land now used for parks and public facilities at Saphan Hin, located where Phuket Road meets the sea in Phuket Town. In the circle is the Tin Mining Monument, shaped like a large drill bit, dedicated to the memory of Captain Edward Thomas Miles, the Australian who brought the first tin dredge to Phuket in 1909. The monument was built in 1969 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of tin dredging in Phuket. A sports centre is located in the park. Old Phuket Town (ย่านเมืองเก่าภูเก็ต) The beginning of the tin boom in the 19th century led to construction of many fine mansions and shops that are 10 Sino-Portuguese Building in Phuket Old Town still well preserved. The architectural style, typical of the region, is described as Sino-Portuguese and has a strongly Mediterranean character. Shops present a very narrow face onto the street but stretch back a long way. Many, especially on Dibuk Road, have old wooden doors with Chinese fretwork carving. Other streets, forming what might be called “Old Phuket”, with similar structures are Phang-nga, Yaowarat, Thalang, and Krabi, and a walking tour of the area is easy and delightful. Some other old European-style buildings of note are the Provincial Hall, the Phuket Courthouse, and Siam City Bank. 11 Phuket Butterfly Farm (สวนผีเสื้อและโลกแมลงภูเก็ต) This is only 3 kilometres from town via Yaowarat Road and the Sam Kong Intersection. It has a fascinating collection of such tropical creatures as butterflies, insects, marine life all arranged in natural surroundings. It is open daily from 09.00 a.m. - 05.00 p.m. Admission is 300 Baht for adults and 150 Baht for children. Tel. 0 7621 0861, Fax : 0 7621 5616. Thai Village and Orchid Farm (หมู่บ้านไทยและสวนกล้วยไม้ ภูเก็ต) This is located on Thep Krasattri Road about 3 kilometres from town, serves daily a typical southern Thai lunch that 12 is followed by a spectacular cultural show including Thai dances, Thai boxing southern customs and elephants. Handicrafts are also on display. The complex also houses a dining hall decorated with over 20,000 varieties of orchid and tropical trees. Digestion is aided by the lilting sounds of Thai classical and folk music played on traditional instruments. It is open daily from 09.00 a.m. - 09.00 p.m. Cultural shows are performed daily at 01.00 p.m. and 05.30 p.m. Admission is 650 Baht for adults and 330 Baht for children. Tel. 0 7621 4860, 0 7623 7400 for details. Ko Si-re (เกาะสิเหร่) Separated from the mainland of Phuket by Khlong Tha Chin, a shallow mangrove swamp, this 20-square kilometre island is connected by a causeway to the city.