PHUKET GUIDE

1 WEATHERAIRPORT TRANSFERSSIM CARDS ANDDIALING PREFIXESGETTING AROUNDCURRENCYTIME ZONEELECTRICITYIMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS PHUKETE verything You Need to PHUKET GUIDEYOUR FREE PHUKET GUIDE FROM THE ASIA TRAVEL SPECIALISTSThe Pearl of the Andaman , PHUKET is Thailand s biggest island and draws millions of worldwide visitors each year for its beauty,beaches, greenery and nightlife. PHUKET features idyllic palm-fringed beaches, fun-filled water sports, elephant trekking, glitzy shows, world-class spas, fine dining, Thaiboxing and lots of culture. There s never a dull moment on this has a tropical monsoon climate and,located close to the equator; it is both hotand humid in equal measure and doesn't coolsignificantly at night.

2 The period betweenApril and May is the steamiest (avg. 25-35 C).The Southwest monsoons arrive between Mayand October, and with them pouring rain andthunderstorms - for many, though, this is awelcome is an hourly and inexpensive bus serviceto PHUKET Town from 06:30 to 21:30 but noneto the west coast. You can buy tickets at acounter on the ground floor and the grey-red-and-black buses marked AIRPORT BUS are tobe found outside in the parking lot. Tickets forminivans are for sale at two counters on theground floor. Minivans take longer than a taxito deliver you to your hotel as they drop offother passengers at hotels along the way.

3 Awell-signed taxi stand is located just outside,to the right of the main building. The taxis arered and yellow and are supposed to use theirmeters but you will probably have to insistthat the driver turns his meter on instead ofbargaining and haggling for a price. There arealso two car rental counters where you canhire cars from Avis, Alamo, National andHertz. Please make sure to take along yourpassport and driving license. Many morecompanies are located just outside theairport. If cost is not your main concern, thenwhy not save the trouble and use the airportlimousine service (24 hours)?

4 You can bookone in advance through the SIM cards are available for purchaseat most convenience stores (you will find 7-Elevens everywhere) as well as at the serviceoperators shops DTAC, AIS and TRUE located inside shopping malls. To make a callto a landline within PHUKET , dial 076 then thesix-digit number. Making a call outside Phuketrequires a three-digit area code (with theexception of Bangkok 02), starting with 0, thearea code, then the six-digit number. Callsbetween mobile phones require a three-digitprefix (08x), followed by the seven-digitsubscriber number.. PHUKET s public transport consists of theairport shuttle bus to and from PHUKET Town,and colourful song-teows converted pickuptrucks than run in daylight hours betweenPhuket Town and the island s beaches.

5 Afterdark there is no public transport on the island s tuk-tuks at present are a lot moreexpensive than Bangkok s three-wheeled iconsand are not inclined to bargain arriving at PHUKET Airport have achoice between the airport bus, meteredtaxis, minivans or tuk-tuks. Once settled in to their hotels, many visitorsfind it cheaper and more convenient to renttheir own vehicle. Motorbikes start at 150-200baht a day for the basic models while carrentals start at around 800 baht a baht (THB). US$1 = approximately +7 (the same as Cambodia, Laos andVietnam).Voltage is 220 Volts with either two flat blades(NEMA 1-15 or JIS C 8303) or round two pinplugs (Europlug CEE 7/16).

6 Police191 Tourist Police1155 Ambulance1554 Fire199 Bangkok PHUKET Hospital076 254 421-20 PHUKET International Hospital076 212 853 Mission Hospital076 237 220-9 Operator-assisted overseas calls100 Directory Assistance1133, 13 PHUKET Airport076 327 230 Immigration076 221 9051 PATONG BEACH2 KATA BEACH3 KARON BEACH4 KAMALA BEACH5 BANGTAO BEACH6 PHUKET TOWN PHUKETE verything You Need to PHUKET AREA GUIDES With beautiful beaches and wild and hilly countryside separating them, PHUKET Island is picturesque and full of character. PHUKET is best expressed andappreciated through its beaches and the diversity is rewarding to visitors but let s not forget the island s rich history which is best seen through the prismof the provincial capital, PHUKET Town.

7 Wild, exciting, unpredictable and sexy: Just afew words that describe the maelstrom that isPatong. With a carnival-like atmosphere bynight, the central drag of Bangla Road and itsmany bars and clubs is an explosion ofcolours, sounds (some would say noise) andmovement as hawkers and touts work thepassing crowds. Sexily dressed bar girls enticesingle males into their lairs while brassytransgender katoeys display their assets for aprice all in the name of best part of Kata is its lush crescent ofwhite-sand beach. Nodding palms, gin-clearsea and balmy tropical breezes all conspire tocreate the welcome clich that is Kata family orientated than its bawdyneighbour Patong, Kata at nighttime is aquieter affair with shopping and diningfiguring large on visitors agendas and thebeer bars and their girls nowadaysmarginalized to a small area near the more spread out than compact Kata,Karon is a three-kilometre-long beach freefrom hotels on its absolute beachfront.

8 Karonis divided into its southern end that isadjacent to Kata Beach and its northern partwhere most of the bars and restaurants are. Inbetween stand several large hotels andresorts. Because of its length the beach israrely crowded and if you re looking for aquiet destination in which to relax and takelife easy, it s Karon Beach from November to April is acalm and pretty quiet spot. However fromMay to October the northernmost beach is agood surfing spot. Kamala is also home to theextravaganza PHUKET FantaSea, a zany andspectacular show taking in Thai culture andfantasy in equal measure.

9 If you decide torelax on the beach here, lunch will come toyou in the form of food hawkers selling fruit,tasty satays and cooling to several five-star resorts and award-winning restaurants, Bangtao has a decidedlyup-market feel to it. In this area you can shopfor antiques, works of art, fine textiles andfashionable clothes in one-off, trend settingboutiques as well as choose from an extensivearray of restaurants ranging from five-starhotel establishments to simple beachrestaurants serving spanking fresh seafoodand classic Thai specials. The beach itself isclassic: rolling waves, shady causarina treesand sun with recent history, the number-oneplace to explore in PHUKET Town is its oldquarter.

10 The area s predominantly Sino-Colonial architecture adds a charming touchto the streets and lanes of this provincialcapital and the quarter has enjoyed a recentfacelift. A wander through this part of PhuketTown is an immersion in history but PhuketTown s quirky charms don t end there,though; with several award-winningrestaurants and unusual markets to shop at ithas tangible at PHUKETRESORT & SPA 1 POINT YAMU BY COMO, AO POR 2 PARESA RESORT PHUKET ,KAMALA BEACH 3 PIMNARA BOUTIQUE HOTEL,PATONG BEACH 1 THE CHAVA RESORT, SURIN BEACH 2 BURASARI RESORT, PATONG BEACH 3 PHUKETE verything You Need to BEST LUXURY HOTELSR enaissances futuristic and tasteful lobby andreception area provides the first glimpse intowhat, for many, will be a revelatory stay atthis 180-room resort made up of DeluxeRooms, One-Bedroom Suites.