10 Must See in Phuket
1. Phuket FantaSea show
It’s wacky but fun and very professionally done. Ariel trapeze artists, elephants on stage and pyrotechnics combine in a Las Vegas-style show. You’ll see nothing else like it anywhere on the planet. Combining Thai traditional myths with humor, fantasy and a loose plotline that keeps getting more and more amusing, FantaSea’s extravaganza is a highly entertaining and riveting show that deserves to be top of our Top Ten Must See and Do in Phuket list.
2. Simon Cabaret
Simon Cabaret – probably the biggest “transvestite” cabaret show to be found locally. This show features a spectacular musical floor show performed by the world famous “ladyboys” of Simon Cabaret. See for yourself – guys, can you tell the difference? And ladies – wouldn’t you just die for a figure like that? Fabulous costumes, glitzy and fun.
3. Viewpoints in Phuket
There are many viewpoints looking out over east and west Phuket affording sunrise as well as sunset views. Ok, so everyone goes to Promthep but it doesn’t make it any less spectacular. There, you’ll get fabulous views over the ocean stretching as far as Phi Phi Island on a good day. Check out Phuket’s other viewpoints such as the ‘Three Beaches’ hilltop venue on the road between Nai Harn and Kata or sip a cocktail at the After Beach Bar (also on the same road) while the golden ball slips into the western horizon.
10 Must See in Phuket
4. Old Phuket Town
Sino-Portuguese splendors and funky shops in the most unlikely places will surprise and delight you in the heart of Phuket’s sleepy provincial capital. Phuket town offers much more than you think with some excellent restaurants and local sights. The unique blend of colonial and Chinese architecture along with a tangible quaintness makes for a fascinating and unforgettable afternoon spent sauntering around Phuket’s Old Town. Expect the unexpected and don’t forget your camera.
5. Patong’s Bangla Road at Night
There are few things in this world to prepare you for an after-dark stroll down Patong’s Bangla Road. However, a sense of humor and an open mind are prerequisites if you’re looking to have some fun. In fact, there’s only one undeniable and obvious fact about Bangla – it’s nothing like home. With its ladyboys, exotic girls, enchanted westerners (mostly male) and enough extraverts to fill a Disney cast of thousands, shopping or sipping on a beer at Bangla Road at night is a definite ‘Dear Diary’ moment.
6. Wat Chalong & Phuket Temples
Wat Chalong is one of Phuket’s most important temples and visited by thousands each year. It’s beautifully decorated with infinite reflections from hundreds of tiny glass pieces and several pagodas. On special holidays Wat Chalong hosts ‘country fairs’ with a real local flavor where you can buy just about anything and snack on Thai food to your heart’s content. Wat Chalong has an interesting history and is Phuket Island’s spiritual centre. You haven’t seen Phuket if you’ve never visited this fascinating temple.
7. Phuket Waterfalls
Phuket’s waterfalls are not the biggest in the country but they are interesting gathering places for those seeking a cool place for a dip or a picnic. There are two major falls, Ton Sai and Bang Pae and they are both located in Khao Praew Thaew National Park 22 kilometers north of Phuket Town. Best visited in the monsoon season from May to October, the surrounding jungle is great for trekking through and there’s also the worthy Gibbon Rehabilitation Project right by.
8. Thai Boxing (Muay Thai)
Rapidly gaining popularity all over the world, Muay Thai is an electrifying spectacle to watch. Visit Saphan Hin Stadium in Phuket City to see regular matches with well-trained martial arts experts. Or try Patong Beach, where you can also see the skill and dexterity of these super-fit fighters. Tradition and courtesy are at the heart of this dangerous contact sport and a good Muay Thai participant is ultra-disciplined in spirit as well as body. Join the spectators and feel the rush. to see regular matches with well-trained martial arts experts.
9. Chalong Big Buddha
Visible from most of the south of Phuket, the Big Buddha is a recent arrival to the island. The image stands on the top of the Nakkerd Hills and looks down over Chalong, Kata and Rawai. It cost 30 million baht to construct and is 45 meters high. Next to it stands a smaller, golden image that is actually made of brass and there is a shrine near the site’s car park. The drive up to the Big Buddha takes you through the ‘real’ Thailand and the view from the top is enhanced if you take a map to identify the many, many sights.
10. Phuket Festivals: Vegetarian Festival – Gay Festival
Whether they’re held to honor a religious belief or just for fun, the festivals of Phuket are exciting, sometimes bizarre spectacles – and they’re certainly never bland. The Vegetarian Festival draws people from all over the world. It’s colorful, it’s deafening and sometimes fascinatingly gruesome. Vegetables gruesome? Come and see for yourself… Phuket’s Gay Festival falls at the same time as Thailand’s Songkran Water Festival and both are fun-filled, full-on parties that celebrate life’s exuberance in a most decidedly Thai way.