Flights to Phuket

Despite Thailand being safer and more beautiful than ever, the 2011 flooding had a sharp impact on tourism; great deals on flights to Phuket can be found from both the U.S. and Australia. Phuket — pronounced “poo-get” — is located on the southwest side of Thailand in the Andaman Sea, and is absolutely a stunning island.

Phuket is the largest and most populated island in Thailand, and unsurprisingly is also the most visited. A bridge connecting the island to the mainland helped to facilitate development in what has become Thailand’s wealthiest province.

From resorts and cosmopolitan clubs to beach bungalows where you step out into sand, Phuket has a little of something for everyone, despite being pegged as “too touristy” be some. Fortunately, if the high-season crowds become too much, nearby Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta are only a short ferry ride away!

Koh Phi Phi

Koh Phi Phi earned its infamy after the Boxer Day tsunami which devastated the island. Today, the island has been completely reconstructed and then some. With a stunning backdrop of jagged rock seacliffs, tiny Koh Phi Phi has been used as the set for numerous movies, and is considered one of the world’s most beautiful islands.

Koh Lanta

In sharp contrast, Koh Lanta is a large-yet-quiet island within close proximity of Phuket. Flights to Phuket, the nearest airport in the region, service travelers hoping to reach any of the neighboring islands. Koh Lanta has more than its fair share of soft sand, good swimming, scuba diving, and serene island life. When things become a little too quiet, both Phuket and Koh Phi Phi serve as major party hubs for meeting people from all over the world. Long Beach is certainly the most beautiful and pleasant on Koh Lanta.

Things to Do in Phuket

Yachting: Phuket has earned a reputation of being one of the major yahting hot spots in Southeast Asia. Whether you can handle a boat yourself or not, seeing all the million-dollar crafts anchored just offshore adds to the sense of excitement when dancing in one of Phuket’s beachside clubs.

Diving: Phuket shares many of the same world-class diving sites as Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi. Numerous scuba schools offer PADI certification for a fraction of what it costs in other parts of the world. If you’ve ever wanted to try diving for the first time, the Andaman side of Thailand is a great place to start. Abundant sea life, cheap certifications, and good equipment keep divers returning to the clear water.

Island Life: Unlike neighboring islands which have more limited facilities, Phuket is developed enough to have proper shopping areas, high-end restaurants, and watering holes for every budget.

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival

Perhaps strangest of the festivals in Thailand, Phuket hosts the annual “vegetarian festival” in late September or October. Hardly a festival for tofu eaters, the vegetarian festival is a frenzy of firecrackers, bizarre rituals, and self mutilation. Worshipers pierce their faces and bodies with swords, wooden skewers, and sharp objects, then stumble in a chaotic procession to various temples. Participants claim that they cannot feel any pain because they are protected by the spirits.

Tip: Flights to Phuket go up drastically during the vegetarian festival as both media and tourists flock to see the bizarre rituals.

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