Nai
Harn Beach : Close to the southern tip of the
island, Nai Harn Beach can boast of its white sand
and crystal-clear water. Set back from the beach are
two beautifully landscaped lagoons surrounded by rubber
trees, bougainvillea and a whole hostof other tropical
flowering plants.
Located in a spectacular
setting at the northern end of Nai Harn Beach is the
exclusive Phuket Yacht Club, a resort of an excellent
place for dining and entertainment with first-class
restaurants.
Rawai Beach : Located
on the east of Cape Promthep, Rawai went into decline
during the 1980s - 1990s at Patong and Kata were developed
. Now the pendulum is swinging back somewhat as once
pristine Patong Beach became so heavily developed
that now Rawai seems both quieter and less commercialized.
Rawai is also a departure
point for other offshore islands. At the north-eastern
end of the beach is Hat Laem Kha where boats leave
for such nearby islands as Ko Lon, Ko Aew, and Ko
Hae. At the southern end of the beach, Cape Promthep
offers good, clear waters for snorkellingand diving.
Ko Hae : Also
known as Coral Island, Ko Hae is about four kilometres
southeast of Rawai Beach and can be reached by boat
from the pier at nearby Ao Chalong. It's a fine spot
for fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling, and other
associated water sports.
Ko Lon : Ko
Lon is easily reached from the pier at Ao Chalong
by ferry which departs between 8 and 9 a.m. It's also
easy to charter a long-tailed boat to take you across
privately. It takes about 20 minutes to reach Ko Lon
by boat. The best tranquil and undisturbed beach lies
on the northeast coast. Accommodation is availble
on the island, too.
Ko Nakkha Noi :
Further to the north, about 6 kilometres off
the small settlement at Po Bay, Ko Nakha Noi is home
to the Naga Pearl Farm, billed as the only South Sea
pearl farm in world open to the public all year round.
Visitors can inspect the pearl farm, learn about techniques
of pearl cultivation and buy genuine cultured pearls.
Just
north of Thalang, on the outskirts of town to the
east of Route 402, stands Wat Phra Tong, which
means 'Temple of the Golden Buddha Image'. The image
in question is largely buried. so that only the head
and shoulders project aboveground. Legend has it that
the image was discovered when a young farm boy tied
his buffalo to the Buddha's topknot, not recognizing
its true nature. For this "sacrilege" he
fell dead, prompting his father to dig in the spot
and uncover the upper part of the statue. Again according
to legend, nobody has succeeded in uncovering any
more of the sacred image, as all those who have tried
have fallen ill. The temple is much reverd by the
locals, and especially the Phuket Chinese community.
