Travel guide Thailand
Suwanna Khuha Monkey Temple
The path to the temple and the statue of reclining Buddha is “guarded” by dozens of monkeys. But you can bribe them with bananas. These furry creatures are not shy and will steal your food given a chance. Keep a firm grip on your belongings. Once you pass the first domed section of the cave you end up in the second part where there are many beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. You can climb to the top of the cave, but be careful – the path is slippery.
In the middle of the first section sometimes you can find a monk who if asked will tie a string around your wrist that will serve you as a protective amulet.
! Directions: from Phuket head towards Phang Nga on highway 402, then turn onto highway 4 before you reach Phang Nga.
Phung Chang Cave
This is what we gathered from local guides and information signs. The Cave is located inside the Elephant hill and has two entrances, one on the East and one on the West. The one on the East side is not in use at this time. There are many stalactites and stalagmites of different shapes that resemble various animals. Some parts of Cave’s walls are covered with sparkling crystals. There is a stream running through the cave all year round. The length of the Cave is about 1200 m. According to legend, a farmer by the name Yomdung used to live on this land. One year his crops were trampled by a herd of wild elephants. The angry and frustrated farmer armed himself with a spear and went in pursuit of the herd. When he encountered an elephant that belonged to another farmer Yomdung mistook it for one of the wild herd and struck the spear in its belly. Then Yomdung cut off the tusks of the innocent animal. The dead elephant became the Elephant hill and the speared belly became the Cave.The Cave was discovered in 2000 and Thais spend 200 000 baht to build a park around it.
The hill indeed resembles a laying elephant. You can clearly see the shape of an elephant trunk, its head, back, and legs. It takes one hour and 500 baht for a guide to explore the cave. The guide will take to the end of the cave and show you different crystals shaped like elephants, crocodiles, birds, mushrooms, etc. That demonstrates that cave explorers had a very good imagination. Some of the crystals are simply striking in their originality. Part of the journey inside the cave you will be traveling by a kayak, its narrow part - by a raft and another part - on foot (water can be knee deep).
!Directions: from the Monkey Temple head North on highway 4. It is located 150m from the cross roads heading toward Phang Nga. On your left you will see a sculpture of an elephant and a farmer with a spear.
Cable Ski
WORKING HOURS
09:00 — 18:30
FEE
Adult
1500 THB
CONTACTS
+66 89 873 0187
COORDINATES
GPS
7°55'36.0"N 98°19'47.2"E
Decimal
7.926652, 98.329763
Do you miss snowboarding? Try cable wakeboarding. The Park offers a range of different obstacles installed on a manmade lake. The lake is 400 x 100 meters in size and the water is clean. Their cable system works without a hitch. A basic set of equipment is provided free of charge with the purchase of a ticket. Professional equipment is also available for rent for more experienced riders.
If you have never tried wakeboarding before there are instructors are on hand to give you your first lesson. Even first-timers after a couple of hours of riding can do simple tricks.
There are showers and a restaurant on site.
! Directions: from Patong head toward Central Festival Shopping mall, once you get down from the hill at the first traffic light, at a Caltex gas station turn left like if you were going to the Kathu Watefall and follow the signs.
Phuket Town
Phuket Island just like a person has its heart. The heart is as it is supposed to be located on the left side. It is a special place with its unique rhythm, its own characteristics, and its own temper. You should definitely get to know it better.
Many tourists are intimidated that the city has a lot of one-way streets, but traffic is slow, typical to Thai cities. There are plenty of good informative signs and clear street signs that will allow you to quickly find your way around the city.
Now Phuket is a resort area, with its essential parts and trappings – beaches, shops, massage parlors, night bars, bargaining with taxi drivers and everything else. And all these has a past, a beautiful past, where different religions and nationalities were mixed, where there were wars and celebrations, where manual labor prevailed, where the clock on the city tower was a real attraction.
The city is like a museum that can tell you how people used to live work and spend their free time. Have a seat at one of the numerous local eateries and regulars will be happy to share with you some interesting tales.
! The most severe traffic jams are from 17:00 to 19:00.!
Ko Kaeo Yai
The island is located 3 km from Rawai beach. It is also called Khao Kaeo Pitsadan. If you have been to Cape Promthep you probably noticed a bright yellow pagoda on the island. The island is famous for the fact that at the water's edge there is a stone with a footprint of the Buddha. There is also a monastery on the island.
The island can be reached either by a long-tail boat with a motor or by a canoe. The latter, we think, is a much more exciting way to travel. The nearest place to rent a canoe is Yanui Beach. Canoe costs 100 baht per person. A round trip to the island and back plus a walk around the island will take 2.5-3 hours. Don’t forget to bring a sunscreen cream and a waterproof bag.
Phuket beaches
Beaches on Phuket are all open to the public with one exception when access to the beach goes through private property. Lounge chairs are usually 100 baht per chair per day. Just take a seat and staff will come to collect the payment. Some hotels, however, offer their guests free of charge use of lounge chairs and other facilities on the beach.
Viewpoint at Cape Panwa
WORKING HOURS
18:00
COORDINATES
GPS
7°49'30.6"N 98°22'53.2"E
Decimal
7.825157, 98.381432
Official name is Kao Khad Views Tower. The site offers a 360° view. It is the best place to see sunrise, the southern part of Phuket Town and the Bay of Chalong. View point on west coat will not offer you same sunrise view. From here you even can see Big Buddha, although it not so big from such distance.
Siam beach
Follow the steep slope down to this secluded beach that is only 20 m wide and nestled between rocky cliffs. This is a great place for a photo shoot. Before you climb back the hill, stop at a small restaurant surrounded by greenery for a drink or a meal. They offer Thai food.
If you wish you can even spend a night here at a small bungalow for 800 baht a night.
Naiharn Beach
Nai Harn is set midway between the West and East coasts of Phuket and away from main tourist areas that makes it popular among expats and locals.
From May to October, in the rainy season, it offers good waves for surfing. If you are not a surfer, you can still have some fun and ride the waves on a boogie board.
There are many Thai restaurants located along the beach. Behind the beach, there is an inland lake that connects with the sea by a small stream. Tides create shallow sandy pools along the stream making it popular with families with young children. The lake is surrounded by a fence and a sidewalk that is perfect for jogging. Walk over the bridge to the island at the center to rent paddle boats.
Phuket Aquaria
WORKING HOURS
10:30 - 20:00
FEE
Adult
1190 THB
Kid
690 THB
CONTACTS
076629800
COORDINATES
GPS
7°53'23.4"N 98°21'59.6"E
Decimal
7.889837, 98.366556
New aquarium was opened Phuket Aquaria in Central Festival Floresta shopping mall. http://www.aquaria-phuket.com You can also see a feeding process at specific time that written near windows. Tricky eye pavilion is available also you can include it in combo ticket.