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Location Information:
Phuket
formerly known as Tha-Laang or
Talang, or Junk Ceylon in Western
sources, a distortion of the Malay
Tanjung Salang, i.e. "Cape Salang")
is one of the southern provinces (changwat)
of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces
are (from north clockwise) Phang Nga
and Krabi, but as Phuket is an
island there are no land boundaries.
Phuket,
which is approximately the size of
Singapore, is Thailand’s largest
island. The island is connected to
mainland Thailand by a bridge. It is
situated off the west coast of
Thailand in the Andaman Sea. Phuket
formerly derived its wealth from tin
and rubber, and enjoyed a rich and
colorful history. The island was on
one of the major trading routes
between India and China, and was
frequently mentioned in foreign ship
logs of Portuguese, French, Dutch
and English traders. The region now
derives much of its income from
tourism.
One of
the most popular tourist areas on
Phuket is Patong Beach on the
central western coast, perhaps owing
to the easy access to its wide and
long beach. Most of Phuket's
nightlife and its cheap shopping is
located in Patong, and the area has
become increasingly developed.
Patong means "the forest filled with
banana leaves" in Thai. Other
popular beaches are located south of
Patong. In a counterclockwise
direction these include Karon Beach,
Kata Beach, Kata Noi Beach, and
around the southern tip of the
island, Nai Harn Beach and Rawai. To
the north of Patong are Kamala
Beach, Surin Beach and Bang Tao
Beach. These areas are generally
much less developed than Patong, and
sought out by individuals, families
and other groups with a preference
for more relaxed and less crowded
environs than Patong. There are many
islands to the southeast, including
Bon Island, just a short boat trip
away. There are several coral
islands to the south of Phuket, the
Similan Islands lie to the north
west, and Phi Phi Islands to the
south east. Islanders engage in a
lively tourist trade, catering to
snorkellers and scuba divers.
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Weather:
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