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| Phuket
Travel Guide |
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'The
Pearl of the Andaman'
Phuket is Thailand's largest island and 1 of the
most popular tourist resorts in Southeast
Asia. Phuket has many natural resources and its weather is great for agriculture while offering stunning
views of its large, beautiful
scenery.
Phuket's land supports various plants and animals,
some aboriginal to Phuket. In addition to agriculture, Phuket Island has a long history of tin mining and production.
Phuket is the wealthiest province in Thailand, and has an area of 540 square kilometres. It is disconnected from the mainland by
a narrow sea channel, and has been linked by a bridge for a long
time while another bridge was built later. Popularity
and vehicular traffic on Phuket Island has increased because of this access from the mainland. On this island you will find white long sandy beaches, rocky coast lines and large limestone cliffs. The interior of the island has hills and lush
level areas containing varieties of tropical plant life. There
are more geographic variations on this island than on any other islands
in Thailand.
European pioneers settled on Phuket Island in the 16th Century. The Dutch
pearl merchants were seeking for new and other supplies
of pearls. Furthermore, a large resource of tin was found and
it became renowned for its tin production.
The main city is Phuket
Town. In the 19th century
Phuket's huge tin sources attracted many Chinese newcomers.
The sea worthy Portuguese resided here to ship the tin to other
ports. A mixture of the Portuguese and Chinese lifestyle has
given Phuket a culture of its own. The strong
Chinese traditions have influenced this wealthy city. The agricultural
products, rubber and seafood, as well as tin have all contributed
to the general wealth of this island.
The
original
residents
of Phuket were the Thai and Chinese. They simply lived
from the sea and the land. The wandering
Indonesian fishermen settled on Phuket's shores for short periods of time. The arrival
of the European settlers brought traditions of their own. The mixture
of locals, sea gypsies and Europeans
gradually
developed and changed into its own special
blend. Phuket today has maintained this different culture of its
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