Tours

Tours

Nature Tours
If you are a nature lover then take a safari adventure tour. Trek through the forests of Phuket on the back of an elephant or coast along on a traditional wooden junk in Chalong Bay. The tours also teach you about the ‘mahouts’ (elephant trainers) and the techniques they use to train the elephants and you can learn about Thai elephant conservation. Pick up a few tips on how to make a simple Thai curry, if you have ever wondered how rubber trees are ‘tapped’ and how do they make those monkeys shin up the trees to pick coconuts then you can find out here.

Bird Watching Tours
Phuket offers many opportunities for bird watchers. The best time of year is from September until April as there are numerous types of migratory birds here, although the island has a copious array of tropical local birds that can be spotted all year round. The birds are attracted by the variety of environments the island has to offer, from mangrove and rain forests to marshland. Tours can also combine bird watching with trekking, as Khao Pra Teaw Forest and Wildlife Preserve covers over 22 sq.km of forest and can take 3 hours to hike. With over a 100 varieties of birds to spot, you are sure to see something that interests you, and if not you can always retreat to Patong and check out the birds there! Look out for the tiny Flower Peckers, the magnificent Asian Paradise Flycatchers, the White bellied Sea Eagles or Blue eared Kingfishers.

City Tour old architecture
If you are interested in the history and background of Phuket then the city tours will highlight some of the more interesting places to visit, such as the old Sino-Portuguese buildings or the old Chinese mansion for a historical outlook in Old Phuket Town. Visit some of Phuket's Buddhist Temples including Wat Chalong, Phuket's most admired monastery and take a look at the historical artifacts and images of Buddha. If you want to learn a little about how local products are produced, visit the cashew nut factory or shop for products. Visit a rubber plantation to learn how latex is tapped and fashioned into white sheets for the commercial market or watch as a monkey climbs a tree and picks coconuts, get up close to elephants and visit a local village and farm to see rural Thailand. Other city tours will include a trip to see some spectacular views, Khao Rang (Rang Hill) for a stunning view of Phuket Town, or the View Point on the south tip of Phuket. If you do head for Laem Promthep to catch the sunset be prepared to also catch the coach loads of other visitors heading there just before sunset, last time I took some friends we actually missed the sunset due to the traffic jams! If you enjoy being part of the crowd, go for it.

Around Phuket Island Tour
These tours will take you further a-field than the city tours. Usually they will start off in Phuket Town with a look at the Sino-Portuguese buildings in Old Phuket Town before heading south of the island to visit Wat Chalong. You can make a stop at the Sea Gypsy Village on Rawai Beach where you will see fresh fish, giant lobsters and live crabs on sale, caught fresh that day. Driving around the island you will see some of Phukets magnificent views including Promthep Peninsula, Kata beach, Karon beach and Kamala Bay.

Boat Tours
If you want to charter a boat you can take a day trip and see where the captain takes you! Otherwise there are a variety of popular day trips made to local islands. Take a tour to Koh Phi Phi & Koh Khai by speed boat. There are two islands, Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh, Phi Phi Leh is a famous National Park and the tour allows for you to have time sunbathing, swimming and snorkelling at the coral reefs. The main beach, Hat Maya, is infamous as it was used in the movie ‘The Beach’. Attractions to see are the Viking Cave, jam-packed with swallows and their nests and Monkey Beach where you can watch the wild monkeys on the hillside. A popular destination for a boat tour is Phang-nga Bay, with its unique landscape of limestone outcrops and mangrove forests. Along the bay, you have scenic views of fauna and flora at Panak Island and the remarkable limestone mountains at Hong Island. Don’t miss Tapu Island, or better known as James Bond Island, a beautiful dramatic limestone cliff emerging from the ocean that featured in the Bond movie ‘The Man with the Golden Gun.’ Along with the beauty you will have hawkers selling anything from shell pendants to batteries and children flogging postcards following you as you try and take a photo of this oddly shaped rock.

Biking Tours
They say you don’t have to have legs of steel to enjoy biking in Phuket, but I am not convinced as the coastline can be like a rollercoaster at times with its steep mountains and hills. Inland though, the terrain is quite flat and it can be a great way to see the island. Most tours will take you on off road trails in the hills and lowland valleys, through local farming villages and rubber plantations. You will get to see coconut groves, pineapple orchards, cycle along empty back roads and have a great view of the deserted unspoiled beaches. Some tours will take you along the southern trails route, finishing at Nai Harn Bay for a swim. And you can always hitch a lift in the service van when you have had enough. If you are after something more strenuous then you can take a cycle tour from Phuket to the nearby mainland, tours can be arranged from Phuket to Krabi coming back by ferry or a 3 day trip from Phuket to Khao Sok National Park and Phang-nga before returning by speedboat.