Surfing

The good news for surf lovers is that surfing in Phuket is great. The waves at most of the beaches are predictable and fun to ride during this season, so even if you are beginner you can find plenty of great beaches like Kalim, Kata, Karon, Patong and Nai Harn to hone your skills. These beaches have become popular surfing destinations and now offer surf shops and tuition centres for all skill levels.

Banana Boat

Another alternative for enjoyment with a group of friends is the banana boat. This rubber boat is yellow and shaped like a banana, (Okay, Okay! Maybe some people might not know this.) can carry a maximum of five people and is towed behind a jet ski, which swerves and jinks through the waves. It’s a bit like aquatic bronco-busting – the clever bit is staying on. Of course eventually everybody does get a dunking and getting back on is all part of the fun. There are several operators on Patong Beach and prices start from 2,000 baht.

Dinopark Mini-golf

The young and young-at-heart will enjoy the challenge of this fun course located in a Jurassic Theme Park complete with dinosaurs and an active volcano. It’s located in Kata on the Karon Road. For more information go to www.dinopark.com.

Bungy Jump

If the idea of diving head first off a platform 54 metres above the ground sets your pulses racing, then bungy jumping is just what the doctor ordered. You can jump alone or in the company of a friend and the jump can be set up so that you actually touch the water. Adrenalin junkies apply below!

There are two Jumps in Phuket: Jungle Bungy Jump located in Kathu, a 5 minute drive from Patong Beach. Open: Daily 9am - 6pm, Tel: 0 7632 1351. World Bungy Jump on Soi Kepsup 2, Patong Beach. Open: Daily 10am - 7pm. Tel: 0 7634 5185.

Phuket's View Points

If you are looking for a change from the beach, why not check out the views from Phuket’s hilltop view points? Laem (Cape) Phrom Thep is the most popular and largest of all the view points. It is a headland on the extreme southern end of Phuket about 19 kilometres from Phuket City. Close to Laem Phrom Thep is Windmill View Point. It can be found in the south of Phuket between Nai Harn and Promthep. As the name would suggest the hilltop boasts a modern windmill – the only one on the island. Three-beach View Point is a very tastefully developed facility with a Thai-style sala which offers superb views on several levels. From this point Kata Noi, Kata and Karon Beaches can be seen, and out to sea is Koh Poo Island. It is one of the island's best views. This is a great way to experience magnificent vistas and cool breezes. Most view points have refreshments available. Don’t forget your camera.

Big Buddha

If you look southwards from Wat Chalong, the skyline is dominated by an enormous statue of the Lord Buddha. Forty-five metres high and finished in white marble, it is the largest such image in Thailand. Up close it is massively impressive and the elevated site offers panoramic views of the island. The shrine is still a work-in-progress but the Buddha image is ninety-five per cent complete and the construction scaffolding has now been removed. A museum is planned and there is even talk of constructing a cable-car system from Patong to the site.

Wat Chalong

Buddhism is overwhelmingly the dominant religion of Thailand, practised by at least 90% of the population. Temples (known locally as Wats) are where Thais go to worship and seek spiritual guidance but they are also a focus for social and cultural activities and are often spectacular examples of Southeast Asian architecture. The largest and most impressive temple on Phuket is Wat Chalong located on the south of the island on Chao Fa West Road. It is well sign-posted.