The "Pearl of the Andaman", Phuket island lies off the southwest coast of Thailand. Voted the most popular resort island in Southeast Asia by Conde Naste readers, Phuket boasts numerous excellent sandy beaches, large and small, and a hilly interior covered in lush tropical vegetation, rubber and fruit plantations, and traditional rice farms.
The island is blessed by an idyllic tropical climate with temperatures averaging about 27 degrees Centigrade around the year. It is a large island comparable to Singapore at about 550 square kilometres in size. At its northern tip it is connected to the mainland by two bridges. The province to the north of Phuket is Phang Nga and across Phang Nga Bay to the east is Krabi.
Phuket is well known for the high standards of its resort hotels, as well as by its wide range of restaurants, shops, sports activities and dynamic nightlife. Five golf courses, including the tough Blue Canyon course, where the Johnny Walker Classic has been played, and two full-service marinas can be found on the island.
Offshore are many highly rated dive locations and some of the world's most scenic and safe sailing waters. More recently, Phuket has become a favoured spot for vacation and retirement homes with some exciting developments springing up on the island ranging from expansive, luxury villas in private estates for the world's jet setters to more modest but comfortable housing sub-divisions and condominiums.
With frequent direct international air connections, the island is also attracting more companies and professionals that find the environment conducive to doing business. An excellent communications network allows them to keep in touch with their overseas contacts. The island is being promoted as a new IT community by the Thai government which will attract inward investment and improve local technology infrastructure. An international school, Dulwich College, and several first class hospitals have been opened to cater the needs of this growing residential market.
Phuket Island is located in the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) 7 degrees north of the Equator, just off the west coast of Southern Thailand. The island is linked at its northern point to Phang Nga province, and on the Thai mainland by the Sarasin Bridge. Bangkok is approximately 900 km north by road and about 1 hour by air. Singapore is approximately 1600 km to the south by road and just over 1 1/2 hours by air.
Area and Topography
Phuket is the largest island, but the second smallest province of Thailand. With an area of 539 Sq. Km. the main island is about the same size as Singapore. Several smaller offshore islands increase the total area to 570 Sq. Km. Almost 80 percent of the island is mountainous, with almost 50 percent still forested (jungle) and a further 25 percent under rubber plantation.
Climate
Phuket has a two season tropical climate. The rainy season runs from April to November and the hot (predominantly dry season) from December to March. The prevailing winds are from the south west during the rainy season and from the east during the hot season. These sea breezes cool and stabilize the climate, making Phuket much cooler than Bangkok. Outside of a few weeks in November, average daytime temperatures rarely move outside the 30 to 35 Celsius range. Average rainfall is 1,600 mm (62 inches) per year
Population
The last official census showed about 250,000 people living in Phuket. Since this figure only includes those registered as resident in Phuket and there is a significant (semi permanent) work force form other provinces of Thailand as well as many semi resident foreigners not to mention up to 75,000 visitors at any one time, it is likely that a more realistic figure would be in the range of 500,000.
Languages and Religions
The official language is standard Thai, but a local south Thai dialect is widely spoken - and the large indigenous Chinese minority still makes limited use of Hokien and other Chinese dialects. 75 percent of the islanders are Buddhist (this includes the Chinese Buddhists), 22 percent Muslim and 3 percent Christian. There are 30 main Buddhist temples, 34 Mosques and 2 churches.
Commerce and Industry
Tin ore mining, marine products, rubber, coconut and pineapples have traditionally been the main products of Phuket. Tin was very significant until the early 1980's and contributed significantly to the islands reputation as the wealthiest province outside Bangkok. The decline of tin (which may well start to grow again - with rising commodity prices) was largely replaced by Tourism. Annual tourist arrivals, under half a million in 1987, passed two million in 1994, three million in 1999 and looks set to hit 4,000,000 in 2002. Tourism is now far and away the islands most significant source of revenue.
