Phuket has a tropical, humid climate. This climate is influenced by monsoon winds mainly. From April till September the country mass of Asia is heated by direct sunbeams more than the Indian ocean damp. Hot air drives over Phuket and Thailand to the northeast.This so-called southwest monsoon brings rain and partly also storms to Phuket. As of October the Indian ocean is warmed more than the Asian country mass and the northeast monsoon brings cooler, drier air to Phuket.

From November till February there are the most pleasant temperatures on Phuket and it is practically rainless. The hot season then is with partly intense rain and thunderstorms from March till June.

Also during the so-called rainy season in the summer months a stay in Phuket is pleasant, it doesn't rain on many days at all. If it rains, than mostly In the late afternoon or in the night. Mostly no longer than 1 hour.

Population

200 000 inhabitants live in Phuket. The largest part of the native population lives on the eastern part of the island, of them 70 000 in the capital Phuket Town. The population consists of Thais and Chinese. Also Muslims from Malaysia who worked on the rubber plantations. The Chao Nam, the so-called sea gypsies who probably live in this area already for one thousand years and more. Chinese turn off about 35% of the island population. How everywhere the Chinese changed from the cheap worker in Asia to the dealers and businessmen.

Today, the influence of the Indonesian and Malayan culture still is to see in the language, art and religion everywhere. About 35% of the Thais on Phuket are Muslims. They live in bigger settlements in the northern part of the island and work in first line as rice farmers or in rubber plantations.

The sea gypsies are one of the most interesting sections of the population on Phuket. Traditional nomadic people. If the biological resources were exhausted at a place, they further pulled to next square. Their history and culture have to be followed up only with difficulty since they don't have any written language. It is assume they are from the "Andamanen" or "Nicobaren". These are archipelagos who belong to India today. They are dark-skinned and have black, curly hair. They speak her own language and have her own religion. Sea gypsies consist of three ethnic groups. The Moken, today, still live the original, nomadic lifestyle have and have their location on the islands north. The Orung Laut and the Moklen have sat down at some coastal regions in Phuket. There are three sea gypsy settlements on Phuket. At the Rawai Beach, at the Sapam coast and on the island of Siray which is connected to Phuket Town by a bridge.

The king, the queen and the royal family are admired by all Thais sincerely. One finds great pictures of the king and the royal family in most houses and also business rooms. Disdain of the royal family can lead to grave problems. The portrait of the king at a visit to the movies (for example) is shown on the canvas and the national anthem shown before the film. It is expected it of each also of foreigners to rise of its place.

Thailand, the country of the smile, is noted for its tolerance and hospitality. The simple rule of thumb is. Smile and people like yourself! A smile is the simplest way to thank. However, a smile can be excuse for smaller trouble or misunderstandings. A smile is the adequate answer to the greeting of little children of hotel employees and waiters. Some "golden rules" in the contact with Thais:

• Before entering the house, take off your shoes
• It is regarded as a disregard which feet add when sitting on the table
• Thais regard the head as the purest part of the body. Don´t touch or don't stroke the head of a Thai. This is politely valid when not.
• You shouldn't get any fit of rage at a misunderstanding

State religion in Thailand is the Buddhism. About 95% of all Thais are Buddhists. Its share is only 60% on Phuket, though. The remaining 40% consist of Moslems, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and Animisten. In its form of today the Thai Buddhism presents a mixture with numerous Hindu, brahmanistischen and animistischen elements. Old trees in many places are considered with sacrificial offerings. Through this the spirits being inherent shall mild be correct. The wandering like a ghost cottages to be seen everywhere are dedicated to the earth-spirit which shall grant the household prosperity and luck.

In any case one should go to one of the many temples on Phuket. Visitors are cordially welcome and also may it be made to photos. The shoes must be pulled out in front of this enter one temple. Are Shorts or other liberal clothes not permitted at a temple visit.

Monks are important personalities in the Thai society. You must be treated at every time with respect. The oath of the monks forbids them to touch women or to be touched by a woman. Temple celebrations are held in the time of November till March. Through this money is collected for the temples. On these celebrations gives one to quantity of good Essen. The atmosphere is comparable with a public festival.

The Khao Phra Thaew national park is the biggest national park with over 2300 hectares on Phuket. Exactly the right one, around a piece original Phuket experience. There is a way of palm which can be found only here in the national park. Well-informed leaders for a walk by the park can be signed on. For the refreshment there are several waterfalls in which one can take a bath.

The Khao Sok national park is located on the Thai mainland north of Phuket. With 650 sq km of the biggest national park of Thailand. Among other things there still are wild elephants, tiger and leopards, in it. Tours be there organized by several journey agencies on Phuket.

Official national language of Thailand is the Thai which has to be assigned to the Chinese tibetic language family. Besides this several regional dialects exist. The Thai is a very melodic, tonal language. By change of the pitch the meaning of the words changes. The national language will most visitors of Thailand remain most largely shut himself off. The English language is common in all tourist areas of Thailand and quite special on Phuket.

Thalang, a town in the northern part of the island, was the capital of the province Phuket by the middle of the 19th century. With the tin boom end of the last century, however, Phuket Town always developed more into a live business and port. Phuket Town was then appointed capital by king Rama 4.

The wealth Phukets was for tin mining and rubber at earlier times. It is the tourism today. Today, some splendid villas of former tin barons are still got in Phukets old town. You give the town its certain flair. The old residential buildings from the time around the turn of the century stand classified as a historical monument today. Ultramodern shopping centers fit in smoothly between the old buildings today.

Phuket Town is the trade and administration center of the island. A visit of the town is empehlenswert because one still can experience a Thailand here which is piece original and not stamped by the tourism yet.

Patong has developed into the worldwide known vacation spot in the course of the years. It is the place Phukets populated with tourists most today. Patongs infrastructure is aligned with the needs of the tourists completely. There are accommodations of any category, innumerable restaurants with an international kitchen, business and active night life. The beach of Patong is overrun especially in the high season. There are many possibilities for water sports on the beach. In the northern prolongation the Patong Beach changes into the Kalim Beach. It shuts fundamentally as well there. The beach is succeeds with some rocks and invites with a variety of sea animals to snorkeling at the northern end a small coral reef.

A lovely beach section, Naithon Beach, lies at the northern west coast nearby the airport. Lovely suites rent out private suppliers, there are no-one hotels till now yet. Directly on the beach live in private suites, no-one hotels can be built more there.

About 7 km north of Patong , lies Kamala Beach, native country of Planet Phuket Bungalow Resort. Kamala is one of the most original and most beautiful beaches in Phuket. Doesn't give night lifes and large hotel plants, only few bars and few night life. The place is ideally primarily for vacationists who is looking for quiet. In the evening one can go with the cheap cabs without problems to Patong Beach. The life still has original character in Kamala. The back land is very well suitable for walks of Kamalas hilly and densely wooded and some little waterfalls are in the dschungel scene. From KAMALA you can reach the most beautiful bathing beaches in short time. These are the beaches LAEM SINGH (1 km) and SURIN BEACH (3 km) described below.

Please visit the Website of  www.planet-phuket.com

South of Patong the Freedom Beach lies. This beach is only with the boatreaching. There aren't any hotels. Only a little restaurant concerns himself around the visitors. Although the beach is into private property, it is accessible to everyone. The beach is ideal for easing you forbid here because jet ski! Bringing snorkel equipment absolutely at a visit of this beach because the sub-water world on this beach is part of the best on Phuket.

The Karon Beach south of Patong is another tourist center on Phuket. It is more quiet in the comparison with Patong here, however. The beach is 3 km long. One finds here a quiet place even in the high season. Water sports is offered. Many supermarkets and business as well as restaurants with an international and Thai cooking are located directly in the seafront. There also are some bars and night lifes in the center of Karon though few than in Patong.

Direction follows in the south the Kata Beach, separated only by a spit of land of the Karon Beach. Kata has one of the most beautiful beaches on Phuket in view of the small, offshore island of Ko Pu. Kata Beach is a place with a great choice of cheap accommodations, many small restaurants and bars.

Quiet, idyllic beach with fine, white coral sand. Unfortunately, a luxury hotel has occupied almost the complete beach. Besides this, however, there are also cheap bungalow plants and little street restaurants at the Kata Noi Beach.

Nai Harn is the most southern beach at the western side Phukets. The beach lies in a sickle-shaped bay which is flanked by wooded hills on the sides. Despite its idyll, this beach is not so much frequented,because there are only some few housing departments there. Many yachts and catamarans anchor in this bay, for the breathtaking sundowns what forms a picturesque contrast from November till March. It is who searches in its Phuketurlaub only leisure and diversion right at the Nai Harn Beach.

This beach is a popular aim for Thais at the weekend. The foreign tourism has never gained a foothold there since the beach is only a narrow sand stripe. Behind this a street lies. An excursion is nevertheless beautiful to Rawai because there are beach restaurants which offer top quality at sensationally reasonable prices there. A settlement of the sea gypsies is directly in the beach. In Rawai these have sat down also many foreigners, the hurly-burly got too much on the main beaches.

This beach is for many by far the beautiful and romantic beach on Phuket. The only 100 m wide bay is lined by high rocks, the sand is marvellously white and one can swim excellently and relax. One can reach the beach only by a walk over a path.

The Surin Beach has escaped from large hotels except for two luxury plants at the northern end of the beach. The idyllic beach with its shady trees, a tropical pine style, is a popular aim of the Thai peoples at weekends. There is nothing expect beach and silence. The sundowns at the Surin Beach are a popular photo motive.

The 8 km long, crescent-shaped beach has white sand. Because of the constant gentle breeze this beach is a popular windsurfing area. Several international competitions are held here every year. Quite a collection of 5 luxury hotels is in the middle of the beach, these like a little town appear by the sea. Tao is one of the most important Moslem settlements the village scared on Phuket. An inestimable center of the village is the large mosque. In accordance with Muslim tradition there is in the whole village no alcohol to buy.

Lying at the northern end of Phuket nearby the airport this beach offers the vacationist much quiet and nature. Big coral-reefs are off the beach, the back land is thickly wooded. There are only two hotel plants on this beach. Nai Yang was declared the national park some years ago because sea turtles come to this beach every year between November and February. The sea turtles are endangered heavily in their stock in the meantime. Therefore the eggs are dug up and taken to rearing stations today. The young turtles then are dismissed in the liberty every year on Thai New Year's Day in April. This way the Thai government hopes to safeguard the inventory.

Phuket has a well fully developed road network and the streets are in good condition. Signs are in English and Thai language. There are only very few street connections of east after the west due to the mountains in the middle of the island. Almost every point can be easily reached on Phuket in cira of an hour. Even if Thailand is described as the country of the smile and Thais are famous for their polite, courteous behavior. They aren't this in the traffic. There is driving on the left in Thailand. Street traffic regulations exist but, as a rule, aren't followed, however. It is normal to ride car or a motorcycle inebriatedly and no day passes without accidents. It is still the most pleasant and most favorable possibility to ride car or a motorcycle despite alledem as a tourist itself. One should be able with an awake eye and a little experience to come through the Thai traffic.

Speed boats are fast, very safe boats and have safety equipment on board in western standard. The motorization is 2 x 250 hp and the passenger number is at most 20 persons. The boats can privately be chartered directly with us for day trips. Excursions with speed boats can be particularly recommended since many sights are run into at a day excursion. 

For private daily charter we recommend the following LINK to our well known Company for Speedboat charter

www.planet-phuket.com

Speedboot for private Charter

The warm climate, the beauty of nature and the winding streets make the Motorradfahren a pleasure on Phuket. These are motorcycles at the much verbreitetste means of locomotion on Phuket. However, motorcycles are also the most frequent reason for heavy injuries and deaths. There isn't any insurance for renting motorcycles. In the case of damage or theft the tenant must pay for the damage. There is helmet duty in Thailand. The police especially are regularly checking in the tourist centers and in Phuket'Town. The punishment for driving without helmet is DM 20. One can practically rent motorcycles everywhere on the island. The ubiquitous "Honda Dreams" cost between 10 and 20 dollars per day. Bigger motorcycles cost 20 to 30 dollars per day. When renting a motorcycle nobody demands a driver's license, it, however, is usual that one must deposit the passport as a safety.

Everywhere on Phuket gives the famous and notorious Tuk Tuk´s. These are minibuses with two rows of seats. Today, unfortunately, the number 1 regarding complaints of tourists with the police is still Tuk Tuks, too. The vehicles are uncomfortable, unsafe and the journey totally inflates with them. The drivers are unfriendly, outrageous and often drunk. The drivers are organized like a mafia. Every attempt of the government to check the drivers is unsuccessful till now. The main streets are blocked for hours or also days. Many Tuk Tuk drivers offer their services also as guidebooks. It is to warn against getting a fat commission to pay for the hotels, restaurants and business because it exclusively is all about for them in every case urgently. Cab or Tuk Tuk, the price negotiated always refers to the vehicle, not to the number of persons.

Cabs , equipped with taximeters, as one knows them from Europe are got established in the year 2002 only now on Phuket. Cabs of such type were imported in Bangkok some years ago. But there is a sedan service at the airport of Phuket. The fare in a middle class sedan to the tourist centers is around 20 dollars. One always almost finds Thais in front of larger hotels who make their private vehicles as a cab available, too. With them the price must be negotiated in front of beginning of the journey.

Run a kind of regular bus between the main beaches and Phuket Town during the day. Bus stops don't exist. One goes and stands simple at the roadside and waves to them. The rates are unbelievably favorable. A fare of Karon to Phuket Town, a distance of 20 km, is 70 cents. Unfortunately, these busses don't run between the beaches or within the evening and night hours since every experiment in this direction on the heavy protest of the Tuk Tuk mafia failed till now.

One can rent for cars and jeeps everywhere on Phuket. One finds streets in Patong and Karon also private car lessors along this one. There one must take care that the cars also are insured. Before signing the lease !!! always read the fine print and check the condition of the car The car should be assured of fully comprehensive insurance also in every case. Not has in the rule any fully comprehensive insurance insurance the vehicles, which ones be offered to the Strandstrassen. The renting rates for a car start at approx. DM 40 without kilometer demarcation. Tank fillings have to be paid themselves.

The currency of Thailand is the Baht. A Baht is subdivided into 100 Satang. There are Thai bills to the following values and colors: 10 Baht brown, 20 Baht green, 50 Baht blue, 100 Baht red, 500 Baht violet, 1000 Baht grayish brown. Gives coins to 25 Satang, 50 Satang, 1 Baht, 5 Baht and 10 Baht, to the values. The current exchange rate has to be learned for all banks and exchange offices and the newest stand is taken to daily. One on an average gets 50 Baht for a U.S. $ 38 Baht for a euro. Only this one exchanges Eurocheques for for Thai farmer for bank against presentation of passport and eurocheque card. Traveller's cheques which one can exchange for presentation of the passport at all exchange offices are better. Credit cards are accepted in many hotels, restaurants and business, a surcharge, however, is lifted up from 3 to 5% sometimes.