Phuket Island is the largest island in Thailand, located in the Andaman Ocean, way off southern Thailand. Often referred to as the “Pearl of the Andaman“, Phuket island possess a remarkable beauty with tropical hillsides in the north and along the south and west.

The island itself is mostly mountainous with a mountain ranges in the west of the island from the south to the north. Once renown for its tin mines and rubber plantations, tourists now arrive looking for a place to relax and explore the scenery. You can find rubber plantations there but long gone are the many tin mines. The mountains of Koh Phuket form the southern end of the above mentioned mountain range, which ranges for approx. 440 kilometers from the Isthmus of Kra.

The highest elevation of Phuket Island is Mai Thao Sip Song at about 530 meters above sea level. Very popular beaches among Thais and Tourists are Patong, Kata and Karon, situated on the western part of the island with tidal mud flats in the east and south. It is estimated that Phuket city including the provinces of other islands has a total area of approximately 600 square kilometers which is large enough to be a provincial center in Thailand. Driving by car is very easy as the roads are generally quite good.

The main island’s total length, from south to north is approximately 50 kilometers and about 20 kilometers wide. Phuket has a big, international airport located in the north of the island. There are many scheduled flights and chartered flights from domestics and other countries in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America landing on Phuket Island. There are scheduled bus services and motorbike taxis. There is no railroad line to Phuket, but the Thai trains do run to nearby Surat Thani Province.

If you plan to explore the island by car, beware of motorbikes especially in the city centres. Songthaeows which look like minibuses are a common mode of transport in Phuket City. Phuket’s songthaeows are larger than those found in other areas of Thailand such as Bangkok’s Tuk-Tuks. All of them travel between the town and beaches.

Now you have a basic overview of Phuket, in order to grasp everything mentioned above, please have a look at the map below. Feel free to explore, zoom and get ready for your next unforgettable holiday on Phuket Island!
View Larger Map