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Surin
Beach
Evergreen trees rim this small, curving bay beneath
the foothills north of Kamala beach. Surin beach is
home to Phuket's first golf course, a nine-hole course
laid out more than sixty years ago during the reign
of King Rama VII. It is now largely in disuse except
as a park. The steep incline of the beach, turbulent
water, and big waves make Surin looks like the dangerous
place to swim during the rainy season. Accommodations
and restaurants are nearby.
Sing
Cape
The name means Lion's Point in English. The beach
is in a small, curving bay with rocky headlands at
the foot of forest-fringed cliffs and is among Phuket's
most beautiful spots. Look for signs indicating the
path down to the beach.
Bangthao
Beach
Bangthao is the large open bay with one of Phuket's
longest beaches. It was once used for tin mining,
but has since been developed into a luxury resort.,
is occupied by the Laguna complex, a massive five-hotel
development with golf course. There are, however,
accommodations available outside Laguna at the bay's
south end. Dry season swimming is excellent, and at
the bay's north end is a smaller bay, almost completely
enclosed, at the mouth of which is some fine coral.
Plenty of places to eat, tour companies, and other
tourist facilities available either at Laguna Along
the way are some small bays with good swimming and
no development.
Nai
Yang Beach
This is part of the Sirinath National Park office.
The beach itself is on a long curving bay lined with
evergreens that provide shade to picnicker. The large
coral reef is home to many different species of fish,
and Nai Yang is well known as a site where sea turtles
come to lay their eggs during the period from November
to February; the population of these has however,
dropped off greatly. First class accommodations are
available and small food vendors cater to the many
day trippers.
Nai
Thon Beach
Hat Nai Thon , one of the least commercialized beaches
on the island. This quiet bay is nestled by the foot
of the hill has a strip of the sand. There are some
accommodations but virtually no other business. Located
between Bang Thao Bay and Nai Yang Beach, Nai Thon
Beach can be reached by taking Thep Krasatri Rd. Turn
at the first traffic light north of Thalang Town to
Nai Yang Rd. Look for signs indicating the turn-off
to Nai Ton.
Mai
Khao Beach
Phuket's northwest coast kicks off with the island's
longest and least-visited beach, the twelve-kilometres
Hat Mai Khao, which starts a couple of kilometres
north of the airport and 34 km. northwest of Phuket
town, and remains almost completely unsullied by any
touristic enticements, with to date just a couple
of discreet budget accommodations hidden behind a
sand-bank at the back of the shore. The water is fine
for swimming during the dry season; the rainy season
brings big waves and strong currents that are dangerous.
This lonely beach is another area where sea turtles
come to lay eggs. It is also home to what the Thais
call a sea cicada, which is a form of marine life.
Sai
Kaew Beach
This wonderful trip of clean sand is just the north
portion of Mai Khao Beach and has much the same character.The
visitors should be wary of swimming here during the
monsoon season. Located west of the bridges spanning
the channel between Phuket and Phang-nga provinces.
Mangrove
Forest
The mangroves-saltwater swamps with unique eco-systems
much prized by scientists searching for clues about
adaptation and evolution-cover about 800 rai. Anyone
with an interest in horticulture will be interested
in the many unusual perennial plants found here: mountain
ebony (kong kang bai lek), red cycas (prong daeng),
black myrsina (samae dam), the Lady's Nails quisqualis
(leb mue nang), and various creepers and climbers
are among the more significant. There are also many
mongrove-dwelling animals with unique evolutionary
characteristics. A nature trail has been cleared for
the convenience of visitors with signs indicating
and explaining the various species.
Thalang
National Museum
The ancient artifacts museum from Phuket 's long history
are on display; the oldest were found on the west
coast. In addition there are exhibits detailing the
famous Battle of Thalang involving the Two Heroines,
daily life in Phuket, and the Sea Gypsy culture.
Nakha
Island
This small, quiet island with fine sandy beaches lie
just off Phuket's northeast shore. Clearly water for
swimming. Koh Nakha noi is one item which is very
interesting for one who need private relaxing, not
found in many other places is its pearl farm. Boats
can be hired from Ao Po Pier, off Pa Khlok Rd., for
travel to Koh Nakha Noi, and package trips are available
at tour agencies, generally including lunch and a
visit to the pearl farm.
Pra
Nahng Sahng Temple
The sound of this historic temple is where the Battle
of Thalang took place in 1785. Inside are three extremely
old statues wrought in tin of the Buddha; they are
the largest in the world and date from a time when
tin was regarded as a semi-precious metal. Another
notable feature from which derives their name "The
Three Kings" in formal language. Located on Thep
Krasatri Rd., in Thalang Town at the tracffic light.
Phra
Tong Temple
This temple enshrines a golden Buddha image that sprang
up from beneath the earth long ago. The story is of
a young boy who tied his buffalo to what he thought
was a post; it was in an area at that time given over
to the raising of animals. After doing so, he fell
down in agony and died. The father of the boy dreamed
that the reason his son had died was for the sin of
tying a filthy buffalo to a sacred object, that what
the boy thought was a post was in reality the golden
peak of the Buddha's conical cap. He told his neighbors
the dream and they all went out to dig up the statue
but had no success.
Later, at the time of Thao Thep Kasatri's heroic defense
against the Burmese in 1785, the invaders tried to
succeed where the villagers had failed; their intention
was to take the Buddha image back to Burma. Sacred
objects and slaves were then the most sought after
spoils for armies. The Burmese, however, were unable
to retrieve the golden Buddha despite several attempts;
they were finally driven off by a swarm of angry hornets.
After this the villagers decided to protect their
miraculous statue by covering the part that stuck
up from the ground with a plaster cast of Buddha's
head and shoulders' which is the way it is today.
Located north of the traffic light on the outskirts
of Thalang Town. A large sign shows the entrance.
Khao
Phra Thaeo Wildlife Conservation Development and Extension
Center
The Park covered 22.28 square kilometers of virgin
forest which also actively conserves a number of wild
animals; they would otherwise be extinct in fast-growing
Phuket. It is a center for study of the environment.
Forest vegetation is spectacular :;giant trees supported
by huge buttresses by thick with creppers climbers
of every description.
One species of palm found, the Governor's Palm or
White Back Palm (palm lang khao in Thai) is especially
rare. Langurs, barking deer, mouse deer, deer, bear,
wild boar, monkeys, gibbons, and many species of birds
inhabit the forest. Khao Phra Thaeo serves also as
one of Phuket's most important water sources.
There are two waterfalls of note:
Ton
Sai
A small falls over which pours a great volume of water
during the rainy season. The trees, watercourses,
and pools nearby provide one of Phuket's loveliest
scenes. The park headquarter and a small restaurant
with an excellent view are also at Ton Sai. Located
near Thalang Town, 22 kms. from Phuket Town.
Bang
Pae
Generally known now as the site of the Gibbon Fund,
a project to return domestic gibbons to the forest,
Bang Pae is a small waterfall with a shady forest
and thick foliage surrounding.
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