Phuket bezienswaardigheden

Phang Nga Bay is a classic Southeast Asian bay - bright jade water, limestone pinnacles and all. A large part of it has been protected as a national park. Notable islands in Phang Nga Bay include the so-called James Bond Island (it's featured in The Man with the Golden Gun) and Koh Panyee, where you can visit a fishing community built out on stilts across the water. Bear in mind that this community is a Muslim one, so dress modestly. You can take tours that will drop you at various beaches to swim and snorkel and take you to James Bond Island and Koh Panyee; you can also canoe.

Koh Phi Phi is a group of islands, but most of them are just limestone spires. The only ones of any size are Koh Phi Phi Don and Koh Phi Phi Ley. When you come to visit these heavenly islands, you'll be coming into the port on Koh Phi Phi Don. After the infrastructure here was largely swept away by the 2004 tsunami, it was hoped that rebuilding could take place with more care for the environment and a swing upmarket. But the rush to get the tourist business back on track meant that the island - with all its rash of tourist businesses - remains much the same. Koh Phi Phi Ley has its share of over-touristing too - Maya Beach is where the film The Beach was shot, and it's regularly crowded and littered. Koh Phi Phi Ley is also famous for its bird's nests, which are used in soups. Despite the islands' commercialization, they remain stunning little patches of paradise - all silken warm waters, limestone pillars and luminous underwater scenery.

Deze schilderachtige eilandengroep was ooit niet meer dan een stip op de kaart in nationaal park Ao Phang Nga. Maar in 1974, toen James Bond zich in de film ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’ op Khao Phing Kan verstopte, werd dit nauwelijks bezochte kalksteeneiland een populaire bestemming voor reizigers van de tochten met een langstaartboot. Samen met de nieuwe bekendheid kwamen hordes toeristen en werd het eiland bedreigd in haar natuurlijke schoonheid. Sinds 1998 is het verboden voor boten om Ko Tapu, de 20 meter hoge kalksteenrots net buiten de kust, te benaderen. Zo moet de erosie en eventuele instorting van het kalksteen voorkomen worden. Reizigers houden van de weelderige vegetatie, rotskliffen en donkere grotten op de eilanden. Bij de meeste trips kunt u ook zwemmen en de omliggende wateren verkennen. Hongerige gasten kunnen een excursie ondernemen door het eten van een lunch in het nabijgelegen moslimdorp.

Can you believe your eyes? Are all these glossy divas really...boys? Well, yes and no. Simon Cabaret features both transvestites and transsexuals. But don't worry, this is not some tacky Pat Pong experience - though not light on the kitsch, it's actually a highly professional act. In the grand tradition of drag, the show features high-color extravaganzas interspersed with comedy and 'diva' acts in which the 'actresses' mimic famous Western drag icons like Shirley Bassey or Tina Turner. Lip-sync - and lipstick - ahoy! It's all pretty harmless and something you might take your grandmother to if she's fond of a laugh. And indeed, you'll see lots of grandmothers there, along with a host of tourists.

Most people hit the beach to catch some serious sun, but the palm tree lined shores that offer plenty of shade along Kata Beach still manage to draw active families, young travelers and eager surfers from around the globe. The calm turquoise waters of Kata Center and Kata South are lined with boutique hotels and quaint souvenir shops. Enjoy a picnic on the beach, then wander to the Buddhist Temple on Patak Road or take an easy hike to the spectacular viewpoint between Kata and Rawai for incredible views of this beautiful beach.

When people talk of Racha Island, they’re usually referring to Racha Yai, which sits, along with the smaller and uninhabited Racha Noi, around 25 kilometers off the coast of Phuket. Both islands are blessed with white sandy beaches lapped by crystal clear waters, making them popular with divers and snorkelers on day trips. However, Racha Yai is becoming an increasingly popular place to stay a while, offering a variety of accommodation options to choose from. Racha Island’s main beach, Ao Tawan Tok (also known as Ao Bungalow), is a U-shaped bay consisting of white powdery sand and perfectly turquoise water, not unlike nearby Siam Bay, although the latter is home to a longer and much more peaceful strip of beach. Kon Kare Bay and Ter Bay on the other side of the island offer similarly tantalizing beaches, plus ample opportunities for diving, snorkeling, and fishing trips.

Wat Phra Thong is perhaps not the most impressive of Phuket's temples, but it surely has the best story behind it. And once you know the story, the 'half image' that forms the center of the temple will have way greater resonance. According to lore, a boy was out watering a buffalo and tied it to some metal protruding out of the ground. In quick order, both boy and buffalo died, but the boy appeared to his father in a dream and told him to investigate the object. When the father dug around the place, he found the tip of a golden Buddha sitting buried in the ground. All attempts to excavate it over the ensuing centuries failed, and there are stories of attacks by hornets when locals tried to dig it out in the 18th century! Eventually it was decided to leave the exposed top of the Eventually it was decided to leave the exposed top of the Buddha statue where it was - it so obviously resisted being dug up! - and build a protective layer and a temple over it.

Phuket FantaSea is een soort Las Vegas in Thailand, zoals de leiding graag wil doen geloven. Als u dat leuk vindt of u zoekt met uw gezin naar een alternatief voor de bars in Patong, dan kan dit een leuke bestemming voor u zijn. Of u FantaSea leuk vindt hangt ervan af of u van wilde dieren in een circus houdt. Als u dat niks vindt, ga er dan maar niet naar toe. Maar als u olifanten van dichtbij wilt zien of een babytijger wilt begroeten dan is FantaSea dé plek voor u.

The cloudy waters surrounding Chalong Bay—Phuket’s main boat dock—make snorkeling and diving nearly impossible, but a majority of the area’s diving trips depart from this port, taking travelers to clearer seas. Visitors to this popular stop will find dozens of docked ships and may even catch the occasional race (hosted by the Ao Chalong Yacht Club). Travelers can wander the eclectic shops or tuck into a traditional meal at one of the local restaurants after a day spent out on the open water. Two impressive temples, Wat Chalong and Wat Laung Pu Supa, are also within walking distance from Chalong Bay. Visitors looking to plot their next adventure will find all they need at the tourist kiosk at the center of the 720-meter jetty. Knowledgeable staff ensure every step of the journey will be epic.