We Love Phuket

Getting to Phuket - How do I get to Phuket?

2008-02-22T11:08:00.003+07:00

Simple enough question - how do I get to Phuket? Well, first of all, if you are coming from another country you have to get to Thailand. Phuket is an island and also a province of Thailand located in the south of the country about 800km south of Bangkok. Getting here is easy. Hope to see you soon!

Come Fly with Me

Most people will fly to Thailand these days, since a boat from Europe or America would take a very long time. International flights normally arrive in Bangkok, but you can also fly long haul into Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) or Singapore and get connecting flights to Phuket from there. There are a few direct flights from Europe to Phuket, mostly holiday charter flights.

From Bangkok you have plenty of domestic flights with a whole bunch of airlines. Most depart from the new airport (Suvarnabhumi), though some also depart from the old airport (Don Muang). See links below.

• Suvarnabhumi Airport Information
• Thai Airways
• Air Asia
• Nok Air
• Bangkok Airways
• One 2 Go
• Orient Thai
• Thai Domestic Flights - Shows all domestic flight schedules and routes in Thailand

One that many people don't know about is Destination Air - they have seaplane services between Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi, Koh Lanta and more. Charters can also be arranged. It's ideal if your flight connections don't match with ferry times, or if you just want to get there right now with no messing around in taxis and boats.

• Destination Air

Phuket Airport

Phuket International Airport is not very large, has a single runway, single terminal and the queues at immigration can be long in peak season. The airport is in the north of Phuket and it often surprises visitors that the taxi ride to their hotel is so long. It can take an hour to reach the south of Phuket where the main tourist beaches are found. It's also about an hours drive to Khao Lak, but in the other direction. The nearest beaches to the airport are Nai Yang, Mai Khao and Naithon.

• Phuket Airport Information
• Phuket Airport - Live Flight Status

From Phuket Airport, you have a choice of transportation to reach your hotel. Some people complain about taxis being a rip off, but I think 500 - 600 Baht for a 40km ride is pretty reasonable. There are airport limos, metered taxis (which tend to work out a little cheaper), or you can arrange pick up in advance with your hotel, dive center etc... Booking your taxi in advance is a great stress saver. Its nice to walk out of the terminal and see someone holding up your name!

Cheaper options - you can take a shared minibus which departs when full and charges about 160 - 180 Baht per person to the southern beaches. Cheaper, but slower. You might be lucky and be the first to drop off, or you might be the last. Also, you are almost sure to be dropped first at a travel agent who will try to sell you tours or a room if you've not already arranged it. The taxi and minibus drivers get commission. Again, a prearranged private pick up has the advantage - they will take you directly where you want to go.

There is now an airport bus service too, but this runs only into Phuket City and not to the beaches. Very cheap - just 85 Baht from airport to town. If you plan on staying in Phuket Town, great. If you then want to get to the beaches, you have to take a tuk tuk or taxi from the bus station which will cost around 300 Baht.

• Phuket Airport Bus Service

Long Distance Bus Services

Thailand has a very good bus service. I have taken the VIP buses many times, you are well looked after and if it's a night bus you can almost sleep. Buses are the preferred method of travel for budget travelers, though the prices offered by the budget airlines these days are very tempting. Fly from Bangkok in 80 minutes or take a 12 hour overnight bus...? A bus in the day time means you can see some countryside, though the VIP buses tend to be almost non stop so you don't see much local life. If you really want to mingle with the masses, take a cheaper 2nd class bus or even a non aircon bus for shorter trips.

Warning: There are many reports on travel forums about bags going missing or items being stolen on long bus rides, especially those organised by private companies and especially those booked in backpacker areas like Khao San Road, Bangkok. Better to book the bus at the bus station yourself. The government run VIP buses are excellent. The private companies take advantage of the sheep mentality of many backpackers. If you take the buses that the locals take, you should not have any problems. But its common sense when traveling to carry all really valuable stuff on your person and not in checked luggage, right? A good way to put a thief off is to pack your dirty laundry on the top of your backpack. Makes sure it's nice and stinky.

The Phuket Bus terminal is in Phuket City within walking distance of many hotels and guesthouses. There is talk of building a new terminal north of the center which the taxi drivers will love! If arriving by bus and needing onward transfer to the beaches, there are plenty of taxis waiting for you.

• Phuket Bus Time Table (departures)
• Government Bus Timetable (from Bangkok)
• Government Bus Website (Home Page)

Ferry Services to Phuket

Phuket is an island. True, but it's only just an island and is connected to the mainland by Sarasin Bridge. Nevertheless, if coming to Phuket from islands such as Phi Phi or Koh Lanta, you'll need a ferry. There's ferries from Krabi too, but you can also take a bus from there. There are 2 ferries per day between Phuket and Phi Phi. From Phi Phi departing 09:00 and 14:30. The ferry takes about 90 minutes. The Rassada ferry terminal is right in the east of Phuket City, not really walkable from the center, but if you buy tickets for the ferry in advance from a travel agent they will normally include onward transfer to your hotel. It can easily take 45 minutes in traffic to get from the terminal to Phuket's main west coast beaches.

• Ferry Services - Timetables and Online Booking

Choo Choo Ch-Boogie

Dear train lovers... Sorry there are no trains to Phuket. The nearest you can get is Surat Thani, which is about 3-4 hours away by bus.

• State Railway of Thailand - Southern Timetable
• Guide to Train Travel in Thailand

If there is any travel information I have missed here or any links that would be useful, please do leave a comment. Enjoy Phuket!

Phuket Hotels - Booking Online

2008-01-16T23:03:00.001+07:00

The www is out there. The whole wide world is at our fingertips these days. The traveler no longer has to hope there might be a room free on arrival, no need for phone calls to far away places to make "reservations" that they won't keep anyway. If you are reading this you are online, and that's the best place to look for hotels in Phuket, Thailand, Asia, The World! I've been blogging for about 20 months. The Jamie's Phuket blog started in April 2006, followed by the Phuket Weather blog and this one and a few others too...

During the last year and a half, I have realised there are hundreds of places to book hotels online. I would like to suggest a few websites to check out if you are looking at coming to Thailand in the near future. You can book Phuket hotels or hotels anywhere else in Thailand on these sites. Happy Holidays!

Phuket Hotels - Where to Book Online

• Agoda
• HotelTravel
• LateStays
• R24
• BookHostels
• TripAdvisor

So... what hotel is the best?... I don't know. Ask 100 people and you'll get 100 answers. Everyone's taste is different. I have selected some recommended hotels, and you are welcome to check them out:

• Phuket Hotels - Recommended by Jamie
• Phuket Hotel Blog - yes I have started a hotel blog too!

Wherever you stay, whatever you do, enjoy Phuket!

Google Earth - Phuket Images Updated!

2007-10-14T16:20:00.000+07:00

Finally! Now the whole of Phuket can be seen in high resolution on Google Earth. The last section was the South West Coast, including Patong, Karon, Kata and Laem Phromthep. The islands of Racha Yai and Racha Noi are also high res now. I guess the images are not 100% up to date, but now you can fly over the west coast and the whole island! A few new images below.

(above) Phuket and (to the east) Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi

(above) West Coast Beaches - Karon, Kata, Kata Noi

(above)Patong Beach

(above) Phromthep Cape and Naiharn Beach

Phuket on YouTube

2007-09-12T16:36:00.003+07:00

I don't want to dwell on the "YouTube was banned in Thailand" issue. But it was banned. The Ministry of Information blocked the entire site because some nonce had posted some videos that were insulting to the King. I quite like browsing You Tube, so going without it for nearly 5 months was rather a drag! Yeh, I know there's more to life... It still seems to be blocked by the TOT internet provider. Anyhow, it's now back and so I am looking through the mountains of vids to find some clips that show various aspects of Phuket... I will add more here as time goes by.

If you know any good YouTube videos, please add a comment with a link to the video...

A Brief History of Phuket:

Phuket Town Street Scenes:

Nightlife - Soi Bangla, Patong Beach:

Phuket Holiday Video

Surfing at Kata Beach:

Gibbon Rehabilitation Center:

Jungle Bungy Jump:

Muay Thai in Phuket:

Chalong Temple:

5 Fun Things to Do in Phuket:

Enough for now! YouTube has loads of videos that give you an idea of the place. You can search for Phuket : YouTube Search results for Phuket. If a picture is worth a thousand words, whats the price of a video?

Cheap Places to stay in Phuket - Hostels and Guesthouses

2007-09-09T16:25:00.004+07:00

Phuket does have that reputation of being very expensive - only resorts and tourist restaurants. This is wildly inaccurate. Phuket has it all - OK, so there's not really a "backpacker" scene here any more, but there is plenty of cheap accommodation, food is as cheap as you like - just go where the locals go, there are local buses and you can rent a motorbike for 150-200 Baht per day. I will try and list some less expensive places to stay below - not a complete listing by any means, but hopefully useful. You can find some links to other sources of information below.

Try HostelWorld for low budget places to stay

Phuket Town is often said to be the cheapest place to stay, rather than any of the beaches. The town is quite nice actually, and there are also some nicer places to stay, but it has always been where you are likely to find the odd backpacker passing through. Back in 1999, I arrived in Phuket and the first few nights I stayed at a hotel called "Thai Inter", also a night at the well known On On Hotel, which was used during the filming of "The Beach". After a few nights I realised I could stay in Patong for 300 Baht a night and save all the bus or tuk tuk rides. The buses only run until about 5 - 6pm - after that you are at the mercy of the taxi drivers who'll charge you the same as you pay for your room to take you back there.

Phuket Town is good for exploring and using as a base especially if there's something going on like the Phuket Vegetarian Festival.

• Old Phuket Town
• Vegetarian Festival

Cheap places to stay in Phuket Town

On On Hotel
Phuket Backpacker
Naga House
Old Town Hostel (no web site - near the market)
More - see TravelFish

One day if I have time, I must take another walk and check on these places.

On The Beaches of Phuket...

It's not all expensive, you know. Patong has quite a lot of guesthouses - you can find some in the Bookhostels link on this page. But since I am not a fan of Patong, let's ignore those - Kata and Karon Beaches are slightly more laid back and have a good choice of lower budget places to stay. I have featured the Pineapple Guesthouse on my blog already (Karon Beach). You can book Pineapple Guesthouse online here.The Fantasy Hill Bungalows in the center of Kata are often praised, and the Little Mermaid (2 locations in Karon and Kata) has long been a good lower budget option.

Cheap Places to stay - Kata and Karon Beaches

Fantasy Hill Bungalows
Little Mermaid Karon
Little Mermaid Kata
The Beshert
Kata Center Inn
Bukit Hostel
JT House Karon - no website
Boost Guesthouse

Oh, there's more if you wander around - and depends on your definition of "low budget"! In Karon I could also mention Casa Brazil, Divers Inn, Robin House, Anan House...all within a few minutes walk of the beach

Phuket Hotel Listings

BookHostels (mostly cheap places)
R24.org (a long list, some cheapies here too)
Agoda.com (tends to be mid-high price hotels)
Budget Hotels and Guesthouses in Phuket by KhaosanRoad.com

Oh, and get some insurance when you travel. It's worth the peace of mind.

Wet season in Phuket - Great time to visit!

2007-06-04T21:33:00.000+07:00

As May turns to June, people in Europe, North America and more northerly parts of Asia are thinking of the summer, with sunny skies, warm balmy days and BBQ's in the garden. It's summertime and the livin' is easy... Here in Phuket, the weather doesn't have the same 4 seasons as "back home". We don't get cold weather, I have no use for warm clothes save for the occasional early morning ride on the bike, you can wear polo shirts and shorts every day. We don't have a spring with the bluebells flowering in the woods, we don't have an autumn with golden leaves. But - we do have weather!

Now, there are many reasons why people choose to take a vacation in Thailand. Could be for scuba diving, could be for the culture, could be for the great food, for the nightlife, for the beaches, for the chance to sample Asia in small easy to manage pieces or because it's cheap... but the weather is also an important factor. Bob from England wants to go home with a tan, so does the Eriksson family from Sweden. They all want sunshine. So, for the convenience of Mr and Mrs A Tourist, we can divide the year into two parts: HIGH season and LOW season. Read on...

High season is when (on average) you get the best weather - meaning more sun and less rain. This is approximately November to April. It can rain anytime, but the prevailing winds at this time are from the North East, bringing little in the way of storms and rain. Also it means that the west facing beaches in Phuket are sheltered and calm. So, this is when most of the tourists come. It's also when all the hotels are more expensive!

Low season is what we are in now. From May to October we enter the South West monsoon season, meaning prevailing winds are from the South West, coming across the Indian Ocean bringing (on average) more rain than the high season. The winds also mean that the beaches are sometimes too rough for swimming. Many guidebooks and travel agents will tell you the weather is always bad at this time of year and many people believe it. Of course, thats nonsense.

Low season rocks. Low season is a great time to visit Phuket and the rest of Thailand. That is, so long as you don't mind occasional rain and don't want to sit on a beach for 2 weeks. You'll get sun most of the time, most days are hot and you start to wish it WOULD rain just to cool things off! The rain that does fall mostly comes right at the start and end of the season. For example we had a wet start to May this year, but most of the rest of the month was great weather.

The "low season monsoon rains every day" myth is why I started a weather page on the Sunrise Divers website a few years ago. To record the weather and show what it's really like, rather than relying on averages and forecasts that always say "chance of a thunderstorm". My parents have visited from the UK a couple of times in July and I guess we had 80% good weather and the little rain that fell never stopped us doing anything. Last year they came in April and there was more rain than the low season! Ah, Pacha Mama playing tricks on us.

Last year I started my personal Phuket Weather Blog, which now nicely complements the Sunrise Divers Weather page. If you take a look at the archives you'll see what the weather was really like. As for what it will be like - it's anyone's guess, though you can find a whole load of weather related links on my weather blog that may help.

You can do anything in low season that you can in high season. And there are advantages. Main advantage? HOTEL PRICES - a bargain can be had in the summer as hotels compete for limited numbers of guests. Big resorts drop prices dramatically, while cheap guesthouse rooms can be down to a couple of hundred Baht. Another plus - the colour Green - many locals call this time of year the Green season, as the rain that does fall is lapped up by the tropical plants that cover Phuket. Another plus - less crowds. Yep, this is not package tourist season, so you have more space to move, more room on the beach, less crowds at the main sights, less divers in the water, more breathing space in the restaurants.

Sure it rains sometimes, sure you will have wet and windy days now and then, but you get way more sun than rain. Check out my weather pages for the reports and I hope to see you in Phuket this summer! Bring your umbrella and factor 30.

Useful Links:

• Jamie's Phuket Weather Blog
• Sunrise Divers Phuket Weather Pages
• Phuket Hotel Recommendations
• Phuket Hotels - Online Booking

What's New on Jamie's Phuket?

2006-12-16T08:43:00.002+07:00

The Feed below will show the latest posts from Jamie's Phuket...

My main blog - Jamie's Phuket - is ever expanding, I only wish I had more time. In the last couple of months, we've had the Vegetarian Festival, Loy Krathong and we have been out and about round the island.

Recent Highlights:

• Loy Krathong
• Phuket Vegetarian Festival
• Wat Phra Nang Sang (One of many Temples featured on the blog)
• Phuket Hotel Recommendations (More hotels added)
• Laem Ka Beach

Recent Photos:

Thailand Photos - Nan

2006-11-29T08:59:00.000+07:00

Yes, we love Phuket, but the rest of Thailand is not bad either.

Some years ago, when I had time and no kids, I made a tour of the country. One of the first stops was Nan, which is a rural town with lovely scenery and very few tourists. I rented a bike and drove around the surrounding countryside, through the rice fields and looking for small villages where I might be able to buy some textiles.

Here's a few photos (sorry about the quality, these are scanned from prints):

• Hotels in Nan

I think when I was there I found a cheap guesthouse, but there are some better places to stay - click these links for information and booking:

• City Park
• Dhevaraj

Let's go on a tour of Phuket Prison!

2006-11-16T23:38:00.000+07:00

For most societies, prison is an undesirable place to which law-abiding citizens send the the community’s undesirables, i.e., the deviants, perverts and miscreants. But in Phuket, prison has become just another tourist attraction.

Helping to keep alive the strong local tradition of anywhere-anytime tourism, Paisarn Suwannaraksa, Director of Phuket Prison, told the Gazette that the 1,500-inmate prison is now open for public tours, both to educate the public and to change foreigners’ perceptions that Thai prisons are as atrocious as popular media depict.

“The leaders and management of the prison adhere to international standards, which means our living quarters, food and officers all have to meet high standards for the prisoners,” he said.

“We welcome visitors from any country to come and see our prisons. We are happy to show the high quality of the cells, and we would like to dispel any misconceptions foreigners may have, to show that [our facilities] are not as terrible or unlawful as they might think,” Director Paisarn said.

“We can have a maximum of 30 visitors per day, divided into groups of 10, but we ask visitors to please dress well.”

For tours you can call the Prison officials - Tel: 076-212104 or 076-214689.

• Source: www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.asp?id=5340

• Map - How to get to Phuket Prison
• More about Phuket Prison

• Thai Prison Life Blog

Take the High Road

2006-10-21T14:48:00.000+07:00

It's clear from the blog entries on Jamie's Phuket that I like to get off the beaten track and explore my island. My wife and I don't like the touristy places and there are plenty of them in Phuket! We are always looking for back roads to explore, even after many years together. Trouble is, I currently work 6 days a week, have limited holidays and we have 2 kids, so we can't explore too far.

Last week, on the way to work, I decided on a whim at 6:20am to follow a new road. It was a beautiful morning, and I was out earlier than usual, just around sunrise. The view of the hills from Kathu looked like this:

As you come over the hill from Kathu to Patong, you pass a Chinese Shrine. Just to the left you see a small, narrow road heading further up the hill. I don't know how many hundreds of times I have asked myself "I wonder where that goes?", but never had the time to follow it, or just couldn't be bothered.

So, on my trusty Honda Wave 125 (not an off road bike!) I turned left and started to climb. At first I had views back over Kathu. The surface of the road changed rapidly from concrete to dirt and back. After the rain of the previous week, there were some slippery sections here and there, but not too bad. The road continued through rubber trees, winding up and down with no apparent aim. Finally some views over Patong appeared and I wondered if this might just somehow join up with "Ha Sip Pee road" which winds upward from Nanai Road in Patong. But no, this road was much higher, and as time ticked by I realised I had to turn around and head for work. The road carried on, and now I think it might just reach the top of Radar Hill.

One day soon, the wife and I plan to follow this road all the way to it's unknown destination. Will be easier now it's dry season.

There are lots of backroads in life. Sometimes they are worth a look.

Golf in Phuket

2006-10-05T09:06:00.003+07:00

Golf - a good walk spoiled, said Mark Twain, and I can see his point. I have never been a huge fan, except for the Ryder Cup (anything where the US can be stuffed is great). I played a few rounds of pitch and putt when I was younger, and with some friends we used to go to a nearby golf course and find lost balls and sell them back to golfers :) But as an adult I never had the time (or money) for golf. A round takes half a day and it has always presented itself as a rather exclusive sport, something with membership and jackets - anything like that I try to avoid.

Nevertheless, it does seem to be rather popular, and Phuket has half a dozen golf courses, stages international tournaments and is a real Asian golfing center, a great place for a golf holiday. I live just a few minutes from 2 golf courses, and pass the Loch Palm Golf Club nearly every day and sometimes drive up through the Country Club on the way to Bang Wad reservoir. So like it or not, golf is a part of Phuket as much as any other kind of tourism. I guess one day I'll have to take some lessons and join my friends for an early morning round.

Golf Courses in Phuket

Loch Palm Golf Club

We'll start with Loch Palm, as it's close to home. Set in a very scenic location up against the hills, the course is full of lakes including (apparently) the largest lake of any course in Phuket. Location - just after the Kathu waterfall road if coming from Patong. Only 10 minutes drive.

• www.lochpalm.com

Phuket Country Club

Again, very scenic. Has an 18 hole and a 9 hole course (said to be very tough) and often has big tournaments. Located on the road between Patong and Phuket Town, on the bus route which is handy. Only 15 minutes from Patong. It's all set in a valley beneath the Bang Wad reservoir, with lots of trees and water.

• www.phuketcountryclub.com

Blue Canyon Country Club

Blue Canyon has 2 courses known as the "Canyon" and "Lakes" courses, which are quite different to each other. The Canyon course is championship class - the amateur record for the course is held by none other than Tiger Woods. The club is in the north of Phuket, not far from the airport. Probably the best course in Phuket, according to a friend of mine who plays regularly.

• www.bluecanyonclub.com

Mission Hills Golf Resort

With a course designed by Nicklaus Design and a great setting on the Northeast Coast, the Mission Hills Golf Resort and Spa is the most modern course on the island - a real all inclusive golfing getaway. You can just play golf, or book hotel and golf packages at the resort.

• Mission Hills - Online Bookings and Reservations

Thai Muang Golf Course

Actually located just north of Phuket, about 30 minutes from the airport, the Thai Muang Course is a links style beachside course set in the countryside of Phang Nga province with a long empty beach right along side. Said to be not as well maintained as the other courses, but does get you off the island away from the tourism.

• www.phuket-golf.com/thai-muang-golf.htm

Laguna Phuket Golf Club

Located in the Laguna Phuket complex, where you find some of Phuket's best resorts such as Dusit Laguna, Banyan Tree and Sheraton Grande, said to be a very good course with lots of recent changes made. Not limited to the resort guests but if you're staying at one of the Laguna resorts, you can get special green fees.

• Laguna Phuket Golf Club

Phuket Golf Web Links

• Phuket Golf Courses
• Thailand Golfing Association
• www.phuket-golf.com

Surfing in Phuket

2006-08-31T15:39:00.000+07:00

Well, yes there is some surfing in Phuket. The waves in the low season can be big enough, though you can't guarantee it. Plenty of calm days even at this time of year. Let's just say it's nothing like Bali, but if you're a surfer and passing through and have your board with you, why not give it a try?

From 8 - 10 September 2006 there was the Phuket Surfing Contest at Kata Beach. I might just go along for a little look next year if the weather allows. Dates are August 31st - September 2nd 2007.

For more info you can contact the Phuket Board Riders:

• www.phuketboardriders.com
• www.phuketsurfingcontest.com

Photo Gallery: www.phuketboardriders.com/gallery/index.php

Surf Shop on Kata Beach: www.phuketsurf.com

And here's a YouTube video showing surfing at Kata Beach:

The Weather in Phuket

2006-08-28T10:29:00.000+07:00

People come to Phuket for many reasons. Some want to just have a relaxing beach holiday and stay in a nice hotel (See Hotel Recommendations), some come here for the nightlife, some for exploration and nature (plenty of this on Jamie's Phuket), some for Scuba Diving, some for a honeymoon... Phuket is a busy place, some of it very touristy, and don't forget that nearby you have Phi Phi, Khao Lak and Krabi too.

Whatever the reason for a visit, everyone wants to know about the Weather. So, I started a weather blog a few months ago. I try to keep it informal, with some general chit chat, photos and weather links, rather than just weather data. Over time this should buid up a decent database of Phuket weather.

So, if you want to know about the weather in Phuket, here's the place to go:

• Jamie's Phuket Weather Blog

What's New on Jamie's Phuket..?

2006-08-07T17:25:00.000+07:00

My main Phuket Blog is at http://jamie-monk.blogspot.com, and I've been adding a few interesting things this last month:

I have decided to start some hotel recommendations. Although I have a house, so do not stay in hotels, I have daily contact with tourists, and many friends and family have been here; this, combined with a knowledge of the beaches means I can make a pretty decent stab at recommending a place to stay!

We have started with:

• Dusit Laguna
• Baan Yin Dee

What else is new?

• Some of Phuket's small, quiet beaches
• Chalong Temple
• Noodles - just right for any meal!
• Some more thoughts about the tsunami...

Have a good day!

Careful on those hills....

2006-08-01T10:30:00.000+07:00

Phuket is a hill place. Many of the biggest hills can be scaled by road for some great views (See Hills and Viewpoints on Jamie's Phuket). On the west coast, when you want to get from one beach to another there always seems to be a hill. Patong beach is in a bowl, and whichever way you go, the road is uphill! To the east (going to Kathu and Phuket Town) you climb a long hill which can be a bit dangerous in the rain. At the top of the hill you find a Chinese Shrine. To the North there's a long winding road to Kamala, and to the South a hilly twisty road to Karon.

Be careful when heading up the hills. Don't follow too close behind large trucks. I saw a cement truck start to roll back one time on the road from Karon to Patong. When the driver applied the brakes the front wheels left the ground for a heart splitting second....The same has happened in this photo, but in a rather more permanent way:

Photo from the Phuket Gazette.

Phuket is Ugly (Not)

2006-07-08T10:05:00.000+07:00

How often do I see comments on chat rooms such as Lonely Planet about Phuket being ugly, and just full of bars, girls, dirty old men, McDonalds, overdevelopment, pollution etc...The people who write this have not really seen Phuket. If you spend 2 weeks on Patong Beach you may well think that is all there is to Phuket, but please remember Phuket is a big island, some 540 square kilometers, with quiet beaches, hills, temples, fishing communities etc..The idea of my Jamie's Phuket blog is to show some of these places, to show Phuket outside the main tourist areas, although there ARE some touristy things that we enjoy too.

So here's a collection of photos of Ugly Phuket. Enjoy the ugliness.

• Lots more photos - please click here...

Ugly Phuket (2)

2006-07-08T09:43:00.000+07:00

More photos...continued from Part I

More Satellite Views of Phuket

2006-06-28T14:58:00.000+07:00

From Google Earth..

Boat Lagoon is on the east coast of Phuket. There is a lot of development there, and the image is probably a few years old. We like to go there sometimes to see the boats and splash out on a nice coffee and cake at the bakery...

Panyee Village in Phang Nga Bay. The famous "floating village" is much bigger than most people think. Most tourists just stop here for lunch as part of a tour, but if you have the chance to walk around, you'll find it's a very interesting place...

Google Earth Phuket Update!

2006-06-09T15:52:00.000+07:00

Is someone up there listening? As from now, a good part of the West coast of Phuket can be seen in high resolution too. The new image covers everything from Laem Singh beach (just North of Kamala) up to (almost) the Sarasin Bridge. Great! Picture below shows one of my favourite quiet beaches - Naithon.

Hope the rest of Phuket appears soon!

(add) Just noticed lots of other changes - large parts of Phang Nga Bay, Koh Yao, and much more in the area in high res, too! Wow, this is nearly as exciting as the World Cup!

Phuket on Google Earth

2006-06-05T10:36:00.000+07:00

Get Google Earth (http://earth.google.com/) for a good look at Phuket. A large part of the island can be seen in high resolution. You can zoom in on Phuket Town, most of the east coast, small offshore islands, roads, houses... The highest resolution is enough to see boats and cars, though you can't read newspapers or see people's faces! The scan of Phuket appears to have been taken in about 2003, I await a new image eagerly! Some Google Earth images below of Phuket including Koh Sirey (east of Phuket Town), Chalong jetty, Bang Rong (in the mangroves on the east coast, you can get the ferry to Koh Yao from here), a couple of offshore islands; Koh Rang and Koh Maphrao, Cape Panwa (home of the Aquarium), Monkey Hill (in Phuket Town) and the Bang Wad reservoir and Dam - Phuket's largest water supply.

Images of Phuket from Google Earth

More Information about some of these places

• Cape Panwa
• Koh Yao
• Khao To Sae (Monkey Hill)
• Koh Rang

More about Phuket in Jamie's Phuket Blog

What's New on Jamie's Phuket?

2006-06-05T10:29:00.000+07:00

New at Jamie's Phuket

• Scuba Diving in Phuket
• Phuket Zoo
• Bang Pae Seafood

Don't forget the latest Phuket Weather at:

• http://phuket-weather.blogspot.com/

We Love Phuket!

2006-05-26T11:15:00.000+07:00

This is the home of "We Love Phuket"!

The idea? A blog to show the REAL Phuket, with photos and articles about the island of Phuket. What's On? What's New? What the..?

It's a future project... For now, try these blogs:
Jamie's Phuket
Phuket Weather (updated every day or so)

For News and Phuket Information, try:

The Phuket Gazette or
Phuket Gazette TV!