Antique Buildings:
A hundred years ago, Phuket City had a prosperous economy based on tin-mining and even back then was an international centre with a large expatriate community of Chinese and Europeans. They built beautiful homes in the style called Sino-Portuguese – terraced townhouses with narrow frontages and accommodation which stretched back from the road. The interiors often include walled gardens and fountains and are beautifully furnished with antiques and Chinese inspired decorations. Rommanee Road is a fine example which has been fully restored. Visit Talang Road, Yaowarat Road and Dibuk Road where these old structures are home to a thriving latter-day community of shops and restaurants. The Provincial Hall, the Phuket Courthouse and the town branch of the Siam City Bank are further examples of architecture from the past.

Waterfalls:
Phuket is a small island and our rivers are similarly of limited size. We cannot compete with Niagara or Victoria when it comes to waterfalls. However, we do have several very picturesque falls and during this time of the monsoon a large amount of rain falls on the hills and the run-off can produce some very spectacular volumes over the falls, all of which remain accessible by road.

Ton Sai and Pang Pae falls located in the Khao Phra Thaeo National Park are excellent examples and at 18 metres high, are the tallest. Combine a visit with a tour of the park and see the Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre. Near the falls is a restaurant and several kiosks selling inexpensive snacks. Why not bring a bottle of wine and make a picnic?

Nearer to the main resorts is Kathu Waterfall which is a tad smaller than Ton Sai but has a shaded walk through the jungles above the falls – the only sounds to disturb the serenity are the calls of wild birds and the whispering sibilance of the rushing waters. Don’t forget your camera.

At the foot of the cascade is a small restaurant – a favourite meeting place for Thai families on the weekend.

Surfing:
The rainy season in Phuket runs from May through to October and it should be recorded here that it doesn’t necessarily rain all the time. You would be most unfortunate not to see the sun during your holiday. However, at this time the south-westerly prevailing winds kick up quite a sea on the beaches which face the strong winds – to whit, Kalim, Kata, and Nai Harn. These beaches together with Karon and Patong further north have now become popular surfing destinations and have developed surf shops and tuition centres for all skill levels

Explore the island
There are many companies who offer island tours and these are a convenient and inexpensive way of seeing more of your holiday destination. However, if you have the time why not rent a motorcycle or car and do a little exploring on your own. Your hotel or tour guide will be able to give you a road map, but you can’t really get lost. This is an island so if you keep going you will eventually get back where you started! Follow the winding coast roads and discover isolated beaches which you can have all to yourself. Head inland and visit small farming communities where people still live in much the same way as they have for hundreds of years.

Please remember that you must wear a crash helmet on a motorcycle. and a seat belt in a car.

For those of you who are visiting from Europe or the United States please also note that we drive on the left here!

Motorcycle rentals start at 150 baht per day and small jeeps are available from 900 baht per day. If you rent for a week or longer you will be able to negotiate a better rate.