Phuket's cultural attractions - temples, islands, shows and parks

Thailand has more than just beaches. It is a country with its own ancient history, distinctive culture and traditions, unique climate, nature and entertainment industry.

Attractions in Phuket are diverse: monuments, places of worship, entertainment, bays and islands.

Old Town

Old Phuket town, also known as Phuket Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This site is a unique, little preserved ancient architecture - colonial buildings in the European style. At that time there was no Thailand, but one large Indochina, which included the entire southern tip of Asia, including the island of Phuket.

Many buildings were erected by Europeans - luxurious mansions and houses by Asian standards. Now there are small stores, quaint cafes, restaurants, museums, places of worship - everything that interests the tourist. It is worth a walk through the streets - Dibuk, Thalang, Romani, and visit the square with the golden dragon.

Big Buddha

At 45 meters tall, the largest Buddha in Thailand sits on a hill overlooking all of southern Phuket. The statue was erected in 2004, but its scale and convenient location have made it much more popular than other sculptures of Buddha. The top of the statue is covered in white Burmese marble, which creates the main visual effect.

The place is always quiet and peaceful. Only the sound of tinkling bells in the wind disturbs the Buddhist idyll. Here one can make a donation, write a note with a wish or buy a religious souvenir.

Since it is a religious site, it requires a certain dress code. No open clothing, short skirts, or T-shirts with aggressive images and slogans should be worn. To make the appearance more appropriate to the place, free sarongs are available at the entrance. Hours of operation: 8:00am-19:30pm.

The monument is located between Chalong and Kata. Exit Chalong to the west along Soi Yot Sane until the end, signposted all the way. There is a parking lot at the end point. Tourists accustomed to physical exertion can take a hike - the road with an upward slope takes about an hour.

Wat Chalong

Wat is the name given to the Buddhist temples of Thailand. There are about 40 of them in Phuket, and Wat Chalong is the most famous and amazing. It is several active sites of religious worship. Locals come here to pray. For tourists, a visit to Wat Chalong is an opportunity to "see" Buddhism in its material incarnation.

Here it is necessary to observe the rules of conduct in the sacred places: you can not be above the images of Buddha, have exposed parts of the body (shoulders, knees), to go inside the temples with shoes. Because you have to take your shoes off, you should not wear expensive shoes: sometimes mishaps happen, and when you go out, you may not find your sandals. It is not forbidden to take pictures. Open to the public: 7:00-17:00

From Phuket Central Festival Shopping Center take Chao Fa West Road (8 km) - the temple complex will be on the left side of the road. You can also get there from Chalog, on the same road heading in the direction of Phuket Town.

Zoo

The Phuket Zoo is located in Chalong and bears little resemblance to the zoos that Westerners are used to. There is a wide element of circus show: monkeys play with a ball, elephants show the skill of balancing on one leg, trainer puts his head in the mouth of a crocodile, you can take free photos with animals, etc. The kids love it. Animal advocates are vehemently opposed.

Open: 8:30-18:00 am. Address: 23/3 Moo 3, Soi Palai, Chaofah Road, Chalong

Botanical Garden

The botanical garden in Chalong is not only interesting for plant and flower lovers. Here are collected such bizarre tropical specimens that they will make anyone amazed. Visitors will see orchids and rainforest flora, a winter garden, dozens of species of unique cacti, palms and trees exuding fantastic aromas, lilies and lotuses, a huge artificial waterfall and much more.

For example, a special exhibition is devoted to how Thai farmers grow rice.

Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Wednesdays. Address: Lung Por Chuang Road, Chalong

Vegetarian Festival

Every year for 9 days in October in Phuket, as well as elsewhere in Thailand, there is a vegetarian festival, which can safely be attributed to the attractions.

Beginning on the first day of the ninth lunar month according to the Chinese calendar, for 9 days.

This is a religious holiday whose main purpose is to praise the Buddhist gods. Thais go to temples and organize processions through the streets of the capital (see photo). During this time, you can see real fakirs with fire, locals running on burning embers, yogis climbing 8-meter ladder of blades. There are kitchens on the streets where you can eat something vegetarian.

Fanta Sea

FantaSea is a concert hall that hosts grand shows daily. Hundreds of people on stage in national Thai costumes immerse the audience in an action rooted in the historical past of the Thais. Legends and myths, elements of religion and culture are intertwined. Elephants, rams and cows, pigeons and other birds take part in the show. The audience is actively involved in the show. Additional atmosphere is created by visual special effects, national music, fireworks and firecrackers, fire show. Photo and video equipment can not be brought.

Dinner is also offered here. The restaurant has 4 thousand seats. There is a menu in Russian. You can pay for dinner by card. Open: 17:30-23:00, the show starts at 20:30, except Thursday.

Cruises on Phang Nga Bay

Phang Nga Bay covers an area of more than 400 square kilometers, on which there are more than 100 islands. Many of them are listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the most bizarre shapes. James Bond Island is one of the most popular in Thailand.

For conservation reasons, it cannot be docked or disembarked on it, but you can see and take pictures from a boat or from nearby Kho Ping Khan. Koh Panyee is another famous island where tourists are brought to refresh themselves in the local village and buy souvenirs made by the hands of its inhabitants.

Attractions of the resort, are not limited to The list of places to visit in Puket is not exhaustive. Anyway, there is a lot to see and walk around in Puket, and we only tried to highlight the most striking of them.