Phuket Overview

An island of contrasts, Phuket has much to offer its visitors. White sandy beaches abound on the west coast and mangrove lined shores, on the east. A range of hills runs down her back from north to south, dividing the island in half. Waterfalls, especially in the ‘wet’ season spill into rock pools, scattered down the slopes. In the distance, islands rear out of the Andaman Sea, waiting to be explored.

Whether coming here on business or a holiday, accommodation and entertainment are both reasonably priced and varied. From hotels to resorts to bungalows, whatever your ‘pocket’; the tourist will find somewhere to stay.

As to entertainment, whether it’s water sports, horse riding, jungle walking, eating out, watching a show, dancing, elephant trekking, or playing golf, whatever your fancy, this island has it all. Some hotels offer ‘in-house’ entertainment that includes the above as well as their own gymnasiums, saunas and the like. 

Phuket and its surrounding waters are world-renowned for their spectacular beauty and nature’s artistic hand. Phang Nga Bay to the northeast of Phuket has been the set of two James Bond movies, The Beach, and others.

For those who like to splash around in the water, one can go snorkelling along one of shores of the west coast or take a dive trip to one of the many islands lying off shore. You charter a yacht and spend your days drifting from island to island or go windsurfing.

Elephant trekking is an attraction on the island. Due to a decrease in the logging industry throughout Thailand, many of these animals have been brought to Phuket. What a wonderful way to see the jungles of this area, sitting atop one of the largest creatures that roam our planet!

On arrival, it is evident from the many plantations one passes that farming is still a source of income on Phuket. Many tours take guests to see how rubber is tapped or coconuts harvested or you can visit one of the many orchid farms.

There is simply so much to do. If planning a business trip, rather than a holiday, it may be advised to take a few days leave at the same time. You’ll be well pleased that you did. Relax on the beach or around the hotel pool, go out on the town or wander around the temples…this island has much to offer!

Phuket has three seasons – warm, rainy, and hot. The most popular time to travel is during the cool (warm) season from November through February, also the best time for diving and water sports. The rainy season is from May through October, with the heaviest rainfall usually in October. Rainfall is normally disrupted by moments or days of sunshine. Hot, dry weather occurs from March through April. Average year-round temperatures in Phuket are from 25 to 30 Celsius. This is an island for all seasons and there is something to offer the visitor, whatever the weather.
Visit this website for further information about Phuket Weather.
 

Phuket Island has a lengthy history dating back to 1025 AD. The first inhabitants were probably the Negrito, and sea gypsy tribes, or Mon migrants from the Pegu area. Originally known as Junk Ceylon, the name found on old Portuguese navigation maps, it eventually became known as Phuket, which is derived from the Malay word ‘Bukit’ meaning hill.

In the 15th to 16th centuries Phuket became renowned for its tin production and became a centre of trade and commerce among Europeans who were granted permission to trade on the island. The King at that time appointed a French medical missionary named Rene Charbonneau to be the Governor of the island from 1681 to 1685 A.D.

The island served as a way station on the route between India and China and was, at one point, part of the Shivite empire that established itself on the Malay Peninsula during the first millennium.

After Ayuthaya was sacked by the Burmese in 1767 there was a short gap in Thailand’s reign, ended by King Taksin, who drove the Burmese out and re-unified the country. The Burmese, however, weren’t happy about this at all and outfitted a fleet to raid the southern provinces intending to capture the people of Phuket and put them into slavery in Burma. This led to Phuket's most memorable historic event.

A passing sea captain, Francis Light, sent word that the Burmese were en-route to attack. Forces in Phuket were assembled led by two heroines, Kunying Jan, wife of Phuket's governor and her sister Mook. Masquerading as men, they along with thousands of other women in similar garb marched up and down Phuket’s beaches wielding makeshift arms. This resulted in the Burmese thinking that Phuket’s “army” was much larger than it actually was. After a month long siege the Burmese were forced to depart on 13 March, 1785.

The sisters were credited with the successful defence and in recognition of their bravery King Rama I gave the two sisters honourable titles normally reserved for royalty. 

During the 19th century, Chinese immigrants arrived in such numbers to work the tin mines that the ethnic character of the island's interior changed to become predominantly Chinese, while the coastal settlements remained populated by Muslim fishermen. In Rama V's reign, Phuket became the tin mining administration centre and in 1933, with the change in government from absolute monarchy to a parliamentary system; the island was established as a province in its own right.

It was around this time that the second important industry on the island became established, that of rubber farming. Praya Rasda ("Kawsimbi") a Chinese grandee who governed Phuket from 1890 to 1909 is accredited with introducing the first rubber tree into Thailand in 1901; this became such a successful industry that Thailand is now the largest exporter of rubber in the world.

With the opening of an international airport in 1976, Phuket saw a new industry emerge, tourism. It is this latest influx of foreigners that has helped make Phuket the wealthiest province in the country and it continues to prosper.