Phuket, which is approximately the size of Singapore, is Thailand's largest island.
The island is connected to mainland Thailand by two bridges.
It is situated off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea.
Phuket formerly derived its wealth from tin and rubber, and enjoyed a rich and colorful
history.
The island was on one of the major trading routes between India and China, and was frequently
mentioned in foreign ship logs of Portuguese, French, Dutch and English traders.
In recent times, though, Phuket's top earner has been tourism, which has transformed the
island into Thailand's wealthiest province.
Expect prices to be a bit higher than on the mainland.
Most beaches are on the west coast, with Phuket Town to the southeast and the airport in the
north.
One of the most popular tourist areas on Phuket is Patong Beach on the central western coast,
perhaps owing to the easy access to its wide and long beach.
Most of Phuket's nightlife and its cheap shopping is located in Patong, and the area has become
increasingly developed.
Patong means "the forest filled with banana leaves" in Thai.
Other popular beaches are located south of Patong.
There are several coral islands to the south of Phuket, the Similan Islands lie to the
north west, and Phi Phi Islands to the south east.
Islanders engage in a lively tourist trade, catering to snorkellers and scuba divers.
The west coast of Phuket was hit severely by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004,
but almost no evidence of the damage now remains.