Phuket can be called controversial. When visiting it, you need to keep one thought in mind: by choosing the wrong place of rest, you risk never truly understanding this brilliant tropical island. For example, for lovers of parties, Karan Beach is ideal, but Kamala, which is an example of the complete harmony of natural and human principles, is absolutely not suitable. Excursions to Phuket in Russian never lose their popularity. Why? Everything is quite simple: the originality of this island is difficult to reveal when you come here for the first time. It makes more sense to trust someone to help you find your way to the heart of the island in a creative and exciting way.
First date with Phuket
"Land of Smiles" is a bright name that perfectly reflects the essence of this place. And it is simply impossible not to fall in love with this wide smile. What can you see in a 6.5 hour tour? Kata Karon, the island's most popular observation deck, lives up to its fame. A stunning view opens up from here. Promthep Cape, which adorns the southern part of the island, and the observation deck "Windmill" are not far behind in the colorful landscapes.
As the name suggests, it is known mainly for its windmills. The focus will also be on the Big Buddha, the Wat Chalong temple complex, and the Monkey Mountain. Children and adults will be interested in visiting an elephant farm - after all, your childhood dream was to touch a miracle weighing the weight of a car? In general, this tour will allow you to form an overall impression of the history of Thailand, its religion and traditions of the past and present. For example, about Muay Thai or the peculiarities of everyday life.
Uncharted Island - Sightseeing Motorcycle Tour
The unusual format in which the excursion takes place will allow you to get to know Thailand on rewind. Remove all boring details and immediately find yourself in the epicenter of the exotic. So, in a day you will get acquainted with all the main tourist places, as well as walk along non-tourist paths. Wild tropics, deserted beaches, fishing villages - centers of authentic life and culture, where you can not only meet the locals, but also taste local dishes in the real atmosphere of Phuket, and not in a sleek restaurant with a litter "Authentic!"
The views will be a nice bonus. The guide will take you through unbroken viewing platforms, and therefore you can get unique pictures of islands, lagoons and bays that have never been in the lens of other people's cameras. The tour is designed for 6 hours, but it will be individual. So tune in for an intense immersion in the rich broth of Thai life.
Travel to Racha, Maiton and Coral islands
These three oases of the Andaman Sea are guaranteed to be your favorite corner of the island. First, you will find yourself on the Maiton Island, which has been closed to tourists for a long time. The local coral reefs are colorful and unusual in structure, making Maiton ideal for snorkelling. Coral Island has an unusual sand texture - it resembles flour scattered along the coast.
Numerous schools of colorful fish live in the quiet coves of the island, which are perfectly visible thanks to the clear waters. This eight-hour journey will end on the island of Racha, which is often compared to the Similan Islands, which are a protected area. The harmony of the nature of this place and its quiet beauty conquer. If you're lucky, you can spot monitor lizards - the main hosts of the island. A nice bonus will be a swim in the azure Kon Kae Bay before heading back to Chalong Cape.
Tropical party in the heart of the island
The tour starts at night. You will immediately find yourself in the atmosphere of historic Phuket, where tall colonial architecture coexists with graffiti. But don't be fooled - the purpose of the walk is not to get to know history. The outing is designed to introduce you to the most colorful clubs in Thailand. Let's start with the Forest Hut, a chapel building that has barely changed since its opening. This place is characterized by strong rock bass and warm atmosphere of the nineties.
Continue the night on the coast at the Cafe Del Mar chill-out bar. Who would prefer to stay here? Fans of stylish relaxation, book a table! And the most glamorous jazz bar on the island, where a live saxophone is mixed with DJ tracks. Of course, we are talking about the Catch Beach Club, which easily competes with similar establishments in Ibiza!
Lake Cheo Lan, or Thai "Avatar"
Lake Cheo Lan, despite the fact that it is relatively young, has already gained fame as one of the most striking attractions in the southern part of the island. At the moment, there are only a few natural monuments in the world that are just as fantastic. The day promises to be eventful. Since the lake is located on the edge of karst mountains, sharp peaks rise from the bottom of the lake by more than a thousand meters. Mountain temples are lost among these peaks. The tour is designed in such a way that a minimum of time is spent moving between different locations. So you can not only walk through the territory of Khao Sok National Park, but also go kayaking.
Khao Lak National Park and Cave Temple
The cave temple, in the center of which is the statue of the Golden Buddha, is literally permeated with an atmosphere of sacred tranquility. The Buddha himself is by no means a tiny variation of it that you can bring home as a souvenir by going to any small shop in this region of Asia. Oh no, this statue is colossal - a fifteen-meter golden giant! Strength and beauty are combined in the appearance of the temple, the second name of which is the Temple of the Monkeys. Five species of these amazingly intelligent animals live here.
It will take just an hour to get to Khao Lak National Park, which will conquer you with the beauty of untouched nature and its exoticism. You can ride in the wild jungle on the back of an elephant. Then you will have an equally exciting bathing in the waterfalls and - at the peak of your impressions - you will raft down the turbulent mountain river on a bamboo raft! There will be enough impressions until the end of the trip. To cope with vivid emotions, you will be offered a bite to eat with hearty Thai food, and then take a walk around the turtle farm. Please note that the tour lasts 9 hours.
Phi Phi Islands, Bambu and Maiton - 2 days trip
It is not always possible to waste time on a transfer from island to island. It is much easier to set aside two days in your holiday program and fully devote them to the beauty of coral reefs and clean sand, in order to continue to discover Phuket from other directions. First, a speed boat will take you to Phi Phi Lei Island. Here, in the company of a guide, you will explore the Viking caves, and you will be able to swim in the rejuvenating Pile lagoon, the waters of which have an unusual emerald hue.
The jagged rocks surrounding the lagoon are more than menacing. Bambu is the typical island you see in Bounty advertisements. All shades of azure, white sand and palm trees are classic beach holidays. The evening will be no less incendiary than the day - parties until dawn and a fire show. The second day will be entirely devoted to the exploration of Maiton, or rather, the underwater world of the Andaman Sea on the colorful Maiton reef.
Phi Phi and Bambu islands - a paradise in a square
This eight-hour excursion will allow you to instantly fall into an idealistic picture in the spirit of advertising brochures, luring you to tropical islands, overgrown with dense greenery, hanging low over azure waters. The first destination of the trip is the Phi Phi archipelago.Of interest is the island of Phi Phi Don - a narrow strip of land sandwiched by two bays.
Its lush Monkey Beach is a favorite habitat for monkeys. The second island of the archipelago is Phi Phi Lei, where some scenes of the film "The Beach", well known to all fans of Leonardo DiCaprio's work, were filmed. Tiny Bambu seems even smaller compared to the previously visited islands. It is often called "Bounty". Here you can relax in peace, swaying in a hammock and sipping a bright cocktail.
James Bond and other Phang Nga Islands
Phang Nga National Reserve is famous for its cave systems. This is the enchanting world of thousands of islands. The first fifteen minutes of the excursion you will spend on a high-speed boat, and then civilization will be left behind. You will change to a canoe to explore Panak Island and its inland lake, accessible only at low tide. Of interest is also the island of Hong, which means "Komnatushka" from Thai.
The name fully reflects the essence - the island consists of hundreds of tiny caves that look more like rooms. Next is the floating island of Ko Tapu, where some of the most impressive scenes of all Bond film were filmed! There you can stage a star scene and take your own unique pictures. The end of the nine-hour excursion will be somewhat unusual - you will find yourself in the Panyi sea gypsy village, which is Muslim. Due to the old ban on land ownership that extended to foreigners, Roma had to build houses on stilts to literally not touch land.
Wonders of Phang Nga Province
If there is a fairy-tale world somewhere, the entrance to it definitely begins in the province of Phang Nga. The first stop on your way will be the Monkey Temple, Suwan Kuha. Hundreds of tiny monkeys live in the vicinity of this iconic building. They are more than welcoming and gladly accept offerings from tourists - peanuts or bananas will make you best friends. Temple caves with a fifteen-meter statue of the Reclining Buddha will amaze you with a meditative atmosphere. At the exit from the temple, you can buy a sai-sin rope bracelet for good luck. Next in line are the floating village of Panyi and the Temple of Hell and Paradise, which stands in the middle of the impassable jungle. In the appearance of the latter, the Thai concept of Heaven and Hell is reflected. Traditional sculptures and bas-reliefs illustrate Buddhist concepts of life and death. Next, you have to overcome a part of the path on the back of an elephant, and then swim through the mangroves in a long-tailed boat, so that you can reach Nang Shi by sunset for the splendid panoramic views.
Sea fishing
Do you want to diversify a comfortable, but quickly boring beach vacation? Try to catch horned marlin or huge tuna! Basically, you have to "hunt" in the vicinity of the island of Racha. All the necessary equipment will be provided on the spot, so don't worry and try to tune in to the fact that wahoo, dorado, mackerel, marlins or other inhabitants of the Andaman Sea are beaten on your hook. After a successful fishing trip, you can take advantage of the snorkeling equipment and enjoy the beauty of the exotic reefs. The sea fishing will end with a barbecue or sashimi from fish you just caught.
A day on the islands of Ko Rok and Ko Ha
Be prepared for a really long journey to the islands. It will take two hours to get to the islands themselves, but the wait is worth it - the islands are distinguished by their solitude and harmony of landscapes. They are difficult to access and contrast sharply with other large islands in the vicinity, and therefore there are never crowds of motley tourists here. The pristine, almost virgin nature of Ko Rok and Ko Ha cannot but fall in love with. Only monitor lizards live here, but they treat the guests of the island favorably.
Koh Ha resembles the scenery of Bond Island with its sharp peaks and beautiful lagoon. It is very important to note that due to the lack of boats that scare fish and break corals, diving and snorkeling are on a completely different level here. Moray eels, Moorish idols, parrotfish and other rather rare underwater inhabitants live here. Particularly breathtaking is the spectacle of the huge coral reef of Ko Ha Island, abruptly replaced by a steep cliff.
Drive to the secret lake Cheo Lan
Thai "Baikal", surrounded by karst mountains, is the pearl of the Khao Sok National Park, on the territory of which the rarest species of animals and people organically coexist. As part of the excursion, you will not only visit Cheow Lan and ride an elephant, but also see with your own eyes many ancient temples that are located at some distance from the usual tourist routes. The Temple of the Black Monk is the first thing you see. To forget the giant statue of Buddha, as well as the fragments of his bones, teeth and hair will not come out. The energy of this place is too strong. Next in line is the Suwan Kukha temple, where many local residents come to pray for the health of their loved ones. There is also a huge colony of monkeys. And finally, Lake Cheo Lan itself is a real underwater kingdom that appeared at the behest of the King of Thailand. It is noteworthy that some of the villages did not begin to be demolished, and after the construction of the dam, they ended up at the bottom of the lake, surrounded by mountains. The spectacle is amazing.
Full day entertaining boat trip
Have you spent several days in the bustling Phuket and managed to get tired of its noisy atmosphere? There is salvation! Take a cruise on a triple-deck ship that cruises along the islands of Naka Yai and Rang Yai. From the moment you pass the ladder, you will have only one mission - to enjoy your vacation as fully as possible.
It is up to you to decide exactly how this vacation will look, but the tour organizers tried to make sure that the ship has opportunities for entertainment for every taste: jumping into the water from a height, fishing, diving and snorkeling, stopping on deserted islands to soak up the beach. Upper decks with a bar are open for adults, a team of professional animators is ready to entertain children. A pleasant bonus is the presence of a chef in the team who will prepare national Thai dishes and traditional pastries for you.
The pearl of Andaman in one day
This excursion is designed in such a way that in just one day you can fully enjoy all the attractions of the surrounding islands. Your attention will be presented to the best collection of Andaman Sea attractions in full size. You will sail between the hundreds of islands in Phang Nga Bay. Among the landing sites are the James Bond Island, as well as the Hong and Panak Islands, which are famous for their caves decorated with stalactites and stalagmites.
Watch out for bats and mangroves! Next, you will be invited to visit the neighboring islands of Phi Phi Lei and Phi Phi Don with their Viking cave and rejuvenating waters. The heavenly beauty of Bounty Island or Bambu Island with its tranquil atmosphere and snorkeling at Maiton Island round off the trip.
The Magic of Asia's Flavors: Food Tour
Thais are not much different from other Asian peoples in their love of food. As you know, even with a simple greeting, they are more likely to ask, "Have you eaten?" The cult of food in this country is amazingly developed, and therefore gastronomic tours in Thailand always come out exotic and a little crazy. This six-hour gastronomic tour starts early in the morning at the market, so that you will see with your own eyes how the first vegetables and fruits are brought in, how the traders begin to heat the oil in vats, so that after a dozen minutes they begin to fry the most aromatic pastries in it.
Life in the market is always in full swing - baklava, donuts, brushwood - after the morning tasting you will have a different kind of tasting - almost legends have been made about durians for a long time. Are you ready to try this exotic fruit with a very specific taste and even more specific aroma? Lunch will take place at an authentic cafe, where you can taste the famous pineapple and coconut soups, as well as a special Thai curry.
Fresh juices, necks, craft beer will help pass the time before dinner in the shade of the waterfall. Closer to sunset, numerous street food shops will open, as well as pharmacies where you can buy medicinal drugs that have migrated here from China.
Relax day: arrange a bright festival of impressions
The program of this excursion is very flexible, but its basic version will start with morning yoga at the waterfall. After your body is awake and ready for new experiences, you will go for a picnic at the top of the mountain with colorful views of the island. An ideal continuation of such a morning would be a visit to Wat Chalong, where you can receive instruction from one of the monks and make a wish. The guide will dwell in more detail on the story about the structure of the temple, its architecture and the pantheon of local deities.
There is a lake not far from the temple. There you can spend a little time alone with yourself, feeding birds or fish. As the time draws to a close, you will be invited to head to one of the more secluded beaches for a photo shoot and fruit shakes. Evening Phuket Town - the old town - will delight you with stylish cafes, as well as a visit to the night market, where you can listen to local music, as well as watch the performances of numerous artists.
A day on the secluded island of Maiton
This island is privately owned. For a long time it was closed to tourists, but now people who want to take a break from the noise and din are brought here. This island, untouched by civilization, is like nothing else suitable for a thoughtful vacation. You will not be disturbed by the honking of cars or the noise of tourists crowding all over the place - just the soft rustle of waves and the whisper of mangroves. The whole island will be at your disposal. In the morning you will be offered to go snorkeling.
Fortunately, the local waters are very clean, and along the coast there is a coral reef with no less bright inhabitants of the sea depths. After lunch, your guide will help you reach the island's main observation deck. If desired, you can return there at sunset for amazing pictures. You won't be bothered anymore - you can explore the island on your own or spend time lounging on the beach.
Nature, culture and history of the island
What makes Thailand different? Buddhist culture, exoticism of the natural and gastronomic world, as well as religious architectural structures. It is these three constants that will be the focus of this tour, opening up the amazing world of the island for you. All major attractions will be on display: Big Buddha statue, old city, Wat Chalong temple complex and much more. The guide will tell you why Portuguese and Chinese cultural traditions are so clearly intertwined in the appearance of local buildings.
After walking around the city like this, you will begin to better understand Buddhist culture as well as local traditions. Next, the sightseeing part of the excursion will begin, when you will see the five main beaches of the island, as well as climb the Promthep Cape. The guide will try to help you feel the real pulsation of the island: you feed the baby elephant, try to negotiate with the monkeys, bargain with the vendors of the Banzan market, try local gastronomic wonders.
A perfect day in Phi Phi
The Phi Phi Archipelago is suitable for completely polar recreation concepts: here you can arrange a romantic walk for two or an extreme quest through the wild jungle. To make you spend a truly perfect day, the tour organizers will try to find you the route that best suits your idea of a good vacation. You will be able to walk along one of the most interesting hiking trails, the final destination of which is Cape Laem Tong.
You have to go along the trail laid right through the jungle. You will then be escorted to Tansai Village, which is still home to some of the most talented artisans of the old school. Silk, organic cosmetics and souvenirs are produced here. Then a boat trip awaits you - grottoes and caves, tropical greenery, bizarre rocks. In the evening, the time will come for fire shows and discos. Based on your preferences, a list of cafes and bars that you should definitely visit will be selected.
Natural treasures of Phang Nga and Krabi provinces
Real Thailand - magical, pristine, not crushed by concrete and neon signs of civilization - has been preserved in the provinces of Phang Nga and Krabi. That is why these places are valuable. In just half an hour, you will find yourself at the most dizzying start - on the Nang She observation deck, which has been a secret for a long time. The crazy views will take your breath away. After such a dizzying start, an even sharper turn is planned - deep into the cave temples and their sometimes even too quiet, meditative atmosphere.
In the center of the excursion there will be three temples: the Tiger, the Black Monk and Wat Suwan Kuh. You will see with your own eyes not only the sculptures of snakes, birds and dragons, traditional for Thai culture, but also get acquainted with the life of monks and climb a thousand steps of temples. Next, you will find Railay Beach, which is one of the ten most beautiful in the world. An emerald lake with cool waters and Klong Thom hot springs await you at the finish line.
On a big ship to James Bond Island
Thousand Islands - a real coral kaleidoscope! This is exactly what awaits tourists who plan to visit James Bond Island. You can see not only the island of Khao Ping Kan, where the famous Bond hero was shot from a golden pistol, but also the other islands of Phang Nga Bay. A distinctive feature of the island, which was chosen as the proscenium for the film, is its narrowing towards the base. Because of this, it seems that the island is literally "floating" above the water.
It is especially fun to recreate stills from a movie, or to spend time competing in creativity when staging compositions that are about to be captured. The tour usually lasts up to 9 hours, so don't worry that you will not be in time for something.
Beaches and underwater world of the Similan Islands
The Similan Islands are considered the best place to observe the underwater world of Thailand. The nature of this place was so breathtakingly beautiful that UNESCO called this archipelago one of the most beautiful in the world, and a little later the archipelago received the status of a Marine Reserve and continues to be protected by both local authorities and international organizations.
Palm forests turn into dense jungle, which hide the bizarre shapes of granite rocks. You will walk around the main islands of the archipelago, and wear a mask and snorkel to go under the water. If you are lucky enough, you will see not only the usual tropical fish in the region, but also sea turtles or even leopard sharks! Please don't be afraid of the latter. They are completely safe and will not attack humans.
Three Khai Islands
What the Khai Islands cannot boast of is their size - they are very tiny, especially against the background of Phuket and similar islands. However, this does not make them less attractive for tourists, especially for those of them who appreciate a secluded vacation. You don't have to spend a lot of time on the road - the islands are just twenty minutes from Phuket. Very soon you will be greeted by turquoise waters, cozy coves, rocky shores covered with soft greenery. These islands were literally created for beautiful photographs!
So relax on the velvety sand, swim and hunt for pictures! If the heat tires you, visit one of the cafes that hide on the edge of the jungle. It serves popsicles and tropical cocktails. The most enjoyable, without a doubt, is the snorkeling off the coast of Khai Nui Island. Surprisingly, the local fish are so used to the guests that they not only swim very close to people, but also do not mind trying bread, banana or rice straight from the hands of people!
Coral, Maiton and Racha Islands
During the day you can visit three pearls of the Andaman Sea - the islands of Maiton, Coral and Racha. If you are not in the mood for a long transfer or come on vacation with children, you should definitely pay your attention to this excursion, since the road to the first of the presented islands - to Maiton - will take only 30 minutes. At the same time, the tour program comes out quite rich. You will have time to relax on the beach and do water sports, feel like an explorer of the depths of the sea. Coral reefs diverge from Maiton in wide arcs, and therefore it is not surprising that the excursion begins with him.
Having frolicked enough in the water, you will find yourself on Coral Island, which, despite its name, may be more interesting from the point of view of a beach holiday - the sand here is surprisingly like flour and is soft. Of these three islands, Racha most resembles one of those neon-burning cities with bars and discos until dawn. But here, too, it has its own iconic places for secluded relaxation - the Cho and Konkare lagoons.
Photoshoot: fond memories of Phuket
Of course, towards the end of your stay on the island, you will have a desire to take with you not only warm memories, but also no less warm photos. Before meeting with your guide, you will discuss the location where you would like to take the photo session. This is usually one of your favorite beaches. As a result of such a walk, you will receive not only information about useful life hacks for the traveler, but also 150 pictures taken by a professional photographer with extensive work experience. You don't have to worry about the quality of your photos.
