How to plan day trips and excursions in Phuket – Know your surroundings well
Aside from the minibus rides & boating excursions that are part and parcel of day trips in and around Phuket, one will be called upon to study one’s environs and step out armed with a passion and an unquenchable thirst for exploring. Phuket Island itself holds an abundance of tourist attractions such as Old Phuket Town and the sacred Chalong Temple but for the complete experience while on holiday here, it is best that you venture out across the neighbouring islets that dot its immediate vicinity.
Tour through Phang Nga Bay
Phrases such as ‘magnificent,’ ‘alluring’ and ‘enormous’ best encapsulate the value of going on a tour to Phang Nga Bay. Surrounded by massive limestone formations and calm, azure seas, the Bay is arguably, one of the highlights of being in Phuket. For starters, pick and choose your tour provider carefully and in this case, the well-known John Gray Sea Canoe would rank as a good bet. Travellers can look forward to kayaking past giant cliffs together with an opportunity to move in and out of caves with relative ease while having clear, unobstructed views of towering trees and thick vegetation.
© Vyacheslav Argenberg / http://www.vascoplanet.com/, Limestone karst landscape of Phang Nga Bay, Thailand, CC BY 4.0
Head off for Phi Phi Island
Considered a favourite stopover for backpackers, thrill seekers and notably, party animals owing to its wonderful nightlife scene; Phi Phi Island is one of the most lauded and sought-after attractions in all of Phuket. While average day trip (full day) costs hover around the 2,800 Baht mark, the returns for your investment will be fulfilling and unforgettable. After going over the fundamentals of your trip with your service provider at Royal Phuket Marina, you will be escorted via speedboat. Once arrived, a plethora of escapades can be partaken of. These include swimming at Camel Rock, snorkelling near Phi Phi Don and Koh Khai Nai and tucking into succulent Thai cuisine within the waters of Tonsai Bay.
Be seduced by the Similan Islands
Strikingly scenic and inviting from one corner to the other, the Similan Islands found some 120km northwest of Phuket Island form part of an archipelago in the Andaman Sea. Although comprising 9 islands, the main islands that you need to be focussing your attention on are Koh Similan and Koh Miang. When on Miang Island, one can expect to while away the hours swimming and snorkelling before the time arrives to enjoy some lunch. Additionally, a visit to Koh Similan will bring with it more opportunities to swim, snorkel and uncover the secrets of the deep. However, value addition to being here is the ability to ascend Sailing Rock, passing by and stepping over boulders en route to its summit from where vistas of the islands and boats can be caught sight of.
Conclude your time at Old Phuket Town
No description of Phuket would ever suffice without ever so much as making the slightest reference to the treasure trove which is Old Phuket Town. Replete with Sino-Portuguese mansions, cosy cafes that evoke memories of yesteryear, temples that bear red, green and gold roofs and noisy yet welcoming marketplaces; Old Phuket Town ought to be marked down on your itinerary no sooner than you’ve reserved your air tickets. Essentially, Thalang Road is where you must spend the majority of your time as the area overflows with restaurants and traditional boutiques from where pretty souvenirs can be purchased. Interestingly, the streets that make up this section of Phuket are a photographer’s paradise given the many buildings that serve as backdrops for selfies. In the event, you need sound and comfortable accommodation from where such journeys can be planned, make a note of Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas which is treated as one of the best Phuket luxury hotels worth spending time at.
