Phuket travel guide

Background

Phuket was first ‘discovered’ by Arab and Indian navigators around the end of the ninth century, although it is rumoured that the island appears on charts as early as the first century. The first Europeans (Dutch pearl traders) arrived in the 16th century. Always a rich island – known for its pearls, fish and fruits – Phuket proved irresistible to the Burmese who carried out a surprise attack in 1785 after having already captured Ayutthaya, the old capital of Thailand. But, while the governor of Phuket had just died, he had left behind his wily young widow Chan and her equally clever sister Mook. The resourceful pair immediately disguised all the women of the town as men and had them pose as soldiers along the walls of Thalang – then capital of Phuket. Fearing the worst from the fierce-looking ranks, the Burmese retreated. Chan and Mook were honoured for their bravery and today, on the road to the airport, you can see the Heroines’ Monument to the two sisters. But Phuket had not seen the last of the Burmese who destroyed Thalang and other parts of the island 40 years later, forcing the inhabitants to flee to the mainland. Twenty years after that, the Burmese threat receded and the islanders returned, founding Phuket Town in the southeast to replace the scarred and battered Thalang.

Much of Phuket’s considerable wealth derived from tin and the island was dubbed ‘Junk Ceylon’ in the mid-16th century – a name thought to have been bestowed on the island by early European visitors. In 1876, during the reign of King Rama III – the older brother of King Mongkut who was the model for The King and I – Chinese workers flooded the island to work in the mines. The slave conditions that ensued later led to rebellion and pillage that was only halted at Wat Chalong. Labour conditions improved moderately and, in 1907, modern tin-mining methods were introduced by the Englishman Captain Edward Miles with elephants transporting ore from the mines to the smelting works. Phuket Town became so wealthy that paved roads and cars appeared around 1910. Today, Phuket remains the centre of tin production in Thailand although it is largely offshore with very few open tin mines left. Now, tourism is the big earner, with rubber, coconut and fisheries also contributing to the island’s wealth. The population has shifted again, and a third of the island’s 200,000 population now lives in Phuket City. While around 30% of these are Chinese descendents, the rest are indigenous Thais, Sikhs, Hindus, Malay Muslims and Chao Le sea gypsies. As for the elephants, these days they transport tourists along the beaches or on ersatz ‘jungle treks’ into the interior, which is seeing a rapid spread of Tesco Lotus supermarkets and malls. While the average Thai cannot afford to shop at such places, a new pastime has sprung up – window-shopping with the extended family – at Tesco on the weekend. The main attraction is rumoured to be the air-conditioning.

The tsunami of 26 December 2004 hit Phuket at a peak time for tourism, with the infamously raucous Patong Beach suffering tremendous loss of life. Indeed, much of the televised footage came from Patong. Phuket’s beaches have now largely recovered with the grand sweep of Patong touted as a minor miracle. Of Phuket’s other beaches, Bang Tao, Kamala, Kata, Karon, Nai Harn and Phuket Fantasea all suffered damage. Land grabs by developers in the wake of the disaster forced out many small businesses.

On the whole, the island has bounced back in terms of tourism and visitor numbers are now higher than ever.

Best time to visit

The driest and sunniest months are November to April. May to October are wetter with more chance of overcast conditions, although daily sunshine still averages five to eight hours. August is when the monsoon begins and red flags appear to warn swimmers not to venture out because of powerful and fatal currents.

Getting around

Songthaew buses run from Phuket City to Patong, Kamala, Surin, Makham Bay, Nai Yang, Kata, Karon, Nai Harn, Rawai, Thalang and Chalong every 30 minutes between 0600-1800 from the market on Ranong Road. Fares range from ฿฿20-25, to whatever the ticket collector thinks he can get away with (to both Karon and Kata fares are usually ฿฿30). There are also numerous places to hire cars/jeeps, for ฿฿900 a day, and motorbikes, for ฿฿200 a day, as well as tuk-tuks. Local buses stop around 1800; tuk-tuks take advantage of this so it is essential to know what constitutes a reasonable fare: travel within Phuket City shouldn’t be more than about ฿฿100 and travel to Patong from Phuket City and vice versa should cost you about ฿฿450. Thanks to the power of the local tuk-tuk operators, metered taxis are not allowed to pick up passengers from anywhere in Phuket except at the airport or unless they are booked privately.

Ins and outs

Getting there

Cheaper ways into Phuket City are either to walk or catch a songthaew the 5 km to the main north–south road, Route 402, and pick up a public bus or alternatively, walk out of the airport gate and wait for a motorcycle taxi dropping someone off (฿฿30), they cannot pick up fares at the airport itself. Buses take passengers to Patong, Kata and Karon beaches for ฿฿100, or by private taxi for ฿฿400.

Phuket Island

Air

THAI run a minibus service from Phuket City to the airport for ฿฿80, it leaves from the city bus station on Phangnga Rd. Alternatively, motorcycle taxis wait at the intersection with Route 402 to ferry people to the terminal (฿฿30). Phuket’s airport bus, T076-232371, www.air portbusphuket.com, is the cheapest way to get to the airport. The fare is between ฿฿10 and ฿฿85 (foreigners are sometimes overcharged). The bus departs from Phuket Bus Terminal and travels through Phuket City, along the bypass road, past Heroine’s Monument and on to the airport. The first bus from Phuket City leaves at 0530; last bus is 1830. The bus has ‘Airport Bus’ plastered on its windshield, so give the driver a wave when you see him or else he won’t stop.

For flight reservations call T076-3272307. Regular cheap connections with Airasia and Nok Air to Bangkok and with One-Two-Go and THAI to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani and Trang. Bangkok Airways also runs daily connections with Koh Samui. For a list of other airlines that fly between Bangkok and Phuket, see http://www.tourismthailand.org. There are also flights to Beijing, Hong Kong, Penang and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, Munich and Dusseldorf.

Airline offices

Bangkok Airways, 158/2-3 Yaowarat Rd, T076-225033; Dragonair, 156/14 Phangnga Rd, T076- 215734 (from Hong Kong); Malaysia Airlines, Merlin Hotel, T076-216675; Silk Air, 183/103 Phangnga Rd, T076-213891; THAI, 78/1 Ranong Rd, T076-211195; Tradewinds, 95/20 Phuket Rd, T076- 213891 (from Singapore).

Boat

During the high season (Nov-May) there are 3 ferries a day to Koh Phi Phi at 0830, 1330 and 1430. The journey takes 90 mins and leaves from Rassada Pier on Phuket’s east coast costing ฿฿500 or ฿฿750 return. Tourist offices sell tickets and can confirm boat times, which vary through the season.

There are many boats to Koh Yao Yai, ฿฿50, with vessels leaving from Laem Hin Pier at 1400, 1 hr 20 mins. From Tien Sin Pier at 1000 and 1400. From Rassada Port on Thu and Sun only at 1400 and Sat at 0600. Boats from the village of Bang Rong leave at 1230. 5 boats a day from Phuket to Koh Yao Noi leave Bang Rong Pier, 1 hr, ฿฿50.

There are currently no direct services to Koh Lanta, meaning it is best to catch one of the regular buses to Krabi to pick up a boat.

Long-tailed boats can be hired to visit reefs and more isolated coves, ฿฿600-1200 per day.

Bus

The station (bor ko sor – BKS) is on Phangnga Rd in Phuket City, T076-211480. It’s cheaper to buy tickets here than through travel agents. The information desk usually has a timetable and fare list produced by the TAT detailing all departures as well as local transport.

Regular a/c and non-a/c connections with Bangkok’s Southern bus terminal (14 hrs). Regular morning connections with Hat Yai (8 hrs), Trang (6 hrs), Surat Thani (6 hrs) and Satun (7 hrs). Regular connections with Phangnga (2 hrs), Takua Pa (3 hrs), Ranong (6 hrs) and Krabi (4 hrs). Journey times for these buses will vary between 30 mins and 1 hr.

Car

Small outfits along most beaches, expect to pay ฿฿900-1200 per day, depending on the age of car, etc. It is worth picking up an updated map of the island from the TAT office in Phuket City as the roads in the north can be confusing. Avis has an office opposite Phuket airport, T076-311358, and desks at, the Holiday Inn, the Dusit Laguna (on Bang Tao Beach) and the Metropole (in Phuket City), ฿฿1200 per day, ฿฿7200 per wk. Hertz, at the airport, T076-311162, and at the Patong Merlin and Tara Patong; prices are similar to Avis. There are other companies down Rasada Rd in Phuket City.

Motorbike

As for car hire above, ฿฿200-350 per day. There are also several places on Rasada Rd in Phuket City. Some places insist on taking your passport as a deposit/collateral but it is best not to let it out of your hands if you can help it.

In Kata Noi Beach, a reliable agent is Boy’s Shop Travel and Tour, 4/12 Moo 2, T076-284062, T01-8911910, which offers tours, car rental, international tickets and books hotels. Contact Kunakron Suthiprapa (aka ‘Boy’).

Motorbike taxi and tuk-tuk

Men (and a few women) with red vests will whisk passengers almost anywhere for a minimum of about ฿฿40. The motorbike taxis congregate at intersections.

Avoid tuk-tuks unless you can’t resist the exotic factor. They are overpriced and as comfortable as a rickshaw with 1 wheel.

Taxi

Taxis will leave when they are full (usually with 5 passengers). For Surat Thani, they leave from the coffee shop opposite the Pearl Cinema on Phangnga Rd (฿฿150 per person).