Phuket Hotels and Resort

Phuket is the largest island in Thailand. It is one of the most recognizable and most popular destinations for tourists. One of the world’s most beautiful beaches with white sand, palm trees and amazing colors of the see are located on this island. There are more than 30 beaches located on the Island with the most popular ones such as Patong beach, Kata, Karon, Kamala. There are also many wild and hidden beaches for tourists who love adventure and exploration.

Geography and climate

Phuket is located 862 kilometers south of the capital city of Thailand Bangkok. It is surrounded by the Andaman sea that is part of the Indian ocean. This Island has very rich cultural and historical significance because of its important strategic geographic position between the republic of India and China. Phuket was one of the most significant trading routes between these two countries. Nowadays the main source of income for the island is tourism. Cities are very live and rich with nightlife, also there are hundreds of hotels, restaurants and many activities to choose from. The climate in Phuket is very hot, humid during the whole year, with the hot season that lasts from March to May. The summer monsoon lasts from May to October with clear and sunny days but with rain almost every night. The “cool” season is from November to February where the temperatures and weather conditions are tolerable with temperatures from 25-33 celsius.

Demography and culture

The population of Phuket is about 386 605 persons, most of the population is Buddhist but there is also about 20 percent of Muslims they are mostly living in rural areas. The ethnic population is mostly Thai, Thai-Chinese but there are also Malays and sea gypsies As the Phuket is on the south the language that is spoken is Thai with southern dialect.

Regions and cities

Phuket is divided into 4 regions.

• Western Phuket is the most popular region, it is home to the many most famous beaches that are flooded by millions of tourist every year. ( Mai Khao, Surin, Karon, Kata, Laem Sing, Bang Thao, Nai Thon, Patong, Karin.)
• Southern Phuket not so famous region, the largest city is Chalong Bay and this town is mainly harbor for ships that are going to Phi Phi and other southern islands ( Chalong Bay, Cape Panwa, Nai Han, Rawai, Ya Nui)
• Interior Phuket this region is not visited by the tourist, there are many villages that are living of fishing, rubber plantation and pineapple plantations. There are a few Muslim communities and shrimp farms. ( Bang Rong, Thalang, Phuket Town, Phra Taew National Park, Ko Sire).
• Souther-eastern Phuket small island and Phang Nga Bay this region is very famous and visited by many people because of its beautiful beaches very clear water, coral forest, pearl farms, caves, fishing villages ( Ko Panyi , Ko Hae, Ko Yao Mai Thon, Ko Racha, Ko Maphrao, Ko Naka, Ko Yao, Ko Lon Ko Bon and Ko Tapu known as James Bond island.

The most popular cities and destination in Phuket are:

• Chalong Bay is most popular anchorage for yachts
• Kamala quiet and relaxing place with many beautiful beaches, this is the place in Phuket that is family-friendly, unlike the other places.
• Karon home of the third-longest beach on Island, a very popular vacation destination that offers many activities such as diving.
• Kata is very popular among surfers, Kata splits at two beaches named Kaya Yai and Kata Noi Beaches, also it is very busy but has very clean beaches.
• Nai Thon and Nai Yang very peaceful and quiet place with several hotels and restaurants
• Patong is home of the biggest beach in a whole Thailand, very popular for parties, famous for nightlife and shopping.
• Phuket Town is the administrative center of the whole province.
• Rawai is very popular among the locals, not so popular among tourists.
• Surin is the most luxurious place in Phuket, it is visited by very rich and famous people.

Flights to Phuket

Thailand Phuket has its own airport named Phuket International Airport. It is also the second-largest airport in Thailand. Because of worldwide popularity, there is much international flight from all around the world to this location.

List of international flights:

• Australia – Air Asia via Kuala Lumpur with flights from/to major cities in Australia
• China – Spring Airlines has a daily direct flight from Shangai Pudong Airport to Phuket. There is also Air China, Hainan Airlines and Thai Airways International flies from Bejing. Flies from Southern China are from Guangzhou and from eastern are from Chengdu.
• Hong Kong – have several flights that are going all the time for Phuket. There are Thai Smile, Cathay Dragon, Hong Kong Express.
• Indonesia – with AirAsia that flies from/to Jakarta and Medan to Phuket, this is by far the cheapest connection between Indonesia and Thailand for about 30 to 50 dollars for a flight with promotional fares.
• Korea – with Asiana Airlines and Korean Air have non-stop flights from Seoul.
• Malaysia – AirAsia with flights to/from Kuala Lumpur and FireFlay that flies to Penang.
• Qatar – Qatar Airways have a daily flight from/to Doha
• Singapore – SlikAir with 35 flights per week to Phuket, there is also a lowcost flight with Thai AirAsia and Scoot.
• Switzerland – Edelweiss Air often in the season has a flight from/to Zurich
• United Arab Emirates – Emirates fly from Dubai and Etihad flies from/to Abu Dhabi
• United Kingdom – TUI Fly flies direct to/from London.

There are also low cost and charter flights. Low-cost flights are to/from India, Macau, Seoul, and Busan, The charter flights are in high season from European and Asia countries Taiwan, Japan, United Kingdom. Thailand also has a domestic flight with several domestic airline companies. Nok Air, Thai Air Asia, Orient Air, Thai Lion Air, Thai Airways are domestic airline companies that have flights from/to Phuket.

Transportation in Phuket

When you arrive at Phuket Island you need transportation, first of all, you need transportation from the airport to your desired destination. There are several options available. The first option is the municipal air-con bus service ( operate from 06:30 to 20:45 going every 60 to 90 minutes) that lead you to the main Phuket Bus station where you catch bus that leads you to your destination, The ride takes about one hour, the driver will stop anywhere you want during the route if you signal him. Price ( 25- 40 baht)

The second option is a new shuttle bus that links Phuket International Airport to Patong Beach. The bus goes every 45 minutes and the ticket is very cheap and the journey lasts about 90 minutes. ( Price 120 baht).

The third option is Phuket smart bus that runs from Phuket International to almost all popular destinations such as Karon Beach, Kata beach, Rawai beach, Surin. For payment in cash, the price is 170 baht no matter how far you ride. You can also pay the ride with Rabit cards which changes you based on the destination you are going this payment option is much cheaper for shorter distances.

Minibus services the go door to door and charge 100 to 180 per seat. This type of transportation is a faster option than the other three.

A metered taxi is also the option of transportation, from airport to hotel. As the taxi fees increased in 2014 this option can be a little expensive if your destination is very far from the airport. You can pay up to 700 baht if you go from the airport to Patong for example

When you reach your destination and when you settle in your hotel you want to move around Island to explore and enjoy in its beauties, what are your options for transportation around the Phuket? There are also several options that you can reconsider

Songthaew is a converted pick- up truck serving as buses. A songthaew is the most common and popular transportation vehicle in Phuket. The fares are very cheap they are from 25 to 40 baht depending on the distance. The great advantage of songthaew is that they pick you up and drop off where ever you request to.

Local bus with main lines that connect to Patong, Kata- Karon, Chalong Bay, Rawai- Nai Han beaches, The fares are similar as for songthaew. There are no breach connections between Surin and Patong,

There are three types of taxi services in Phuket. Tuk-tuks small minivans something like songthaew, classic cars taxi and motorbike taxi. Tuk- Tuks drivers love to bargain and tuk tuks are very good for short drives they are very cheap 40 baht maximum around town, but for long rides they are not recommendable because they can charge you up to 400 and they have bad reputation because they are run as locals says by the “Thai Mafia”. Metered car taxi is the best option, they are in most cases cheaper then than tuk-tuks for longer rides and they are a most safer way of transportation on Island but there are very hard to find because there are just a few of them. It is best to ask in the hotel to arrange a taxi for you or give you their number so you can arrange yourself. Motorbike taxi is the cheapest one but the unsafest one, it is not recommendable to sit in this taxi for obvious reasons

You can rent a car or a bike but this option can be very unpleasant because traffic and drivers in Thailand are terrible. They don’t respect the rules of traffic and its very hard to drive there, in addition to that there is a large number of accidents. The price for the car is 1000 to 1200 baht for the week, scooters and motorbikes are from 300 to 500 baht for the week. It is more unsafe for you to rent a bike or scooter so it is not recommendable. But if you don’t scare to drive by yourself this is a great way to travel through Island by yourself and visit as many places as you want during the stay. But you need to drive very defensively. It is very important to mention is that most of Phuket drivers drink and drive and you shouldn’t drive at night.

What you can do in Phuket Island?

There are many activities that you can do while you are in this paradise such as swimming, snorkeling, diving, yachting, jet-skiing, freediving, windsurfing, kitesurfing.

When it comes to swimming, sunbathing and surfing there is no better place than Phuket. Clean water and white sand are the best when the monsoon season ends ( November to April). You can swim in the see when the monsoon is over and see is peaceful you can also sunbathe where you want either on the beach or in some other place. But monsoon season is heaven for surfers because of large waves, at that time it is very risky to swim it is possible just to surf.

Freediving there are several well know dive sites at Phuket where you can go with boats for Scuba dive. There is also only an AIDA Instructor Training Center. Because of its beauty and clear waters this place is perfect for diving.

Snorkeling is among the most popular activities on Island. You can rent equipment for snorkeling masks, and snorkels almost anywhere on the island. the most popular beaches for snorkeling are Patong, Kata, Karon. It is very easy to arrange visit to hidden gems such as Ko Hae, Ko Racha Yai, Phang Nga Bay with speedboats at very cheap fares. There are plenty of fish and corals that can be easily seen.

Diving the dive location in Phuket is suitable for all levels of divers and there are plenty of diving sites. You can easily find dive shops and boats to rent. The most popular place for diving is the Racha Yai area with rocky reefs and coral forests. There is also a week in dept about 25 to 35 meters. Racha Noi island depth are only for experienced divers because depths are greater and the currents are very strong. Ko Doc Mai offers you the opportunity to see leopard sharks, turtles, octopus and. moray eels Diving in Phuket is best from mid of October to the end of May when the sea is calm and clear.

Phuket Hotel near beach in Patong

 

Andatel Grande Patong Phuket offer affordable hotel room near the beach, no matter you’ve been to phuket or not Patong is the ideal beach for young couple, families and solo travelers. Our rooms include superior room, deluxe room with view and pool access king room in patong beach.

It’s our goal to keep prices affordable while continuing to offer top quality, organic-friendly rooms, which is why we offer free booking on orders more than March to October.  You can also find room services, restaurant and swimming pool in our shop including buffer breakfast.

Phuket References

Phuket Wikipedia Page
Phuket Hotel Association
Thailand Travel Agency Association
Thailandd Hotel Association/
Thailand Travel Association Southern Chapter