Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2010 Part 4

Phuket Vegetarian Festival tradition of eating vegetables. An annual event that more of our customers. The residents are united flag, yellow and white dress.

You can see Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2010 Part 3 Click

Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2010 Part 3

Phuket Vegetarian Festival tradition of eating vegetables. An annual event that more of our customers. The residents are united flag, yellow and white dress.

You can see Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2010 Part 2 Click

Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2010 Part 2

Phuket Vegetarian Festival tradition of eating vegetables. An annual event that more of our customers. The residents are united flag, yellow and white dress.

You can see Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2010 Part 1 Click

Phi Phi Islands and Khai Island

koh phi phi & koh khai

Phi Phi Island
Regarded by travelers from all walks of life as being among the most beautiful tropical islands of the world, Phi Phi Islands have become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand. In addition, the islands are famous as the location where the movie "The Beach" featuring Leonardo Di Caprio was shot. The islands, together with the nearby Noppharat
Thara Beach, a total area of 390 square kilometers, were recently established as a national park.

Phi Phi Islands are located just 40 kilometers away from both Krabi and Phuket. Thus, despite the fact that both Noppharat Thara Beach and Phi Phi administratively are a part of Krabi Province, most tourists think that Ko Phi Phi is part of Phuket Province.

The islands and the coastal hills are composed mainly of limestone and are an extension of the limestone mountain range in Phang-Nga Province. The main characteristics of these mountains and islands are their steep cliffs, large caves and dwarf trees growing out of the rock crevices, like those in Phang-Nga Bay.

Interesting Attractions of Mu Ko Phi Phi:

The island group is composed of two rocky, tree-covered islets Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le.
Ko Phi Phi Don - covers an area of 28 square kilometres. Outstanding attractions are the twin bays with curving white sandy beaches of Ao Ton Sai and Ao Lo Da Lam. Ko Phi Phi Pier, accommodation, and restaurants are situated at Ao Ton Sai. Visitors can walk from this bay uphill to the scenic spot where the visibility of the twin bays is generally excellent. Beside Ao Ton Sai, there are also other attractive beaches and bays around the island. A number of accommodation is available at Hat Laem Hin, Hat Yao, and Ao Lo Bakao. At the northern end of the island is Laem Tong, renowned for its underwater natural beauty with lodging available. A huddle of fisherman’s huts (15 – 20 families) is located here. Most of them have previously migrated from Ko Li Pe of Tarutao National Park, Satun province. A day trip by boat or snorkelling spectacular coral shallows around. Ko Phi Phi Don and Ko Phi Phi Le is recommended.

Ko Phi Phi Le- Covering an area of only 6.6 square kilometres, this islet is surrounded by limestone mountains and sheer cliffs plunging hundreds of metres to the sea. The sea is 20 metres deep and the deepest point in the south of the island is around 34 metres. Ko Phi Phi Le offers superb scenic bays such as Ao Pi Le, Ao Maya, and Ao Lo Sa Ma. In the northeast of the island is a large cave called Tham Viking. The cave was renamed Tham Phaya Nak or Naga Serpent Cave by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej because of a stone resembling the mythical creature, which His Majesty saw when he paid a visit here in 1972. The cave is considered sacred to locals who come here to collect swallow nests. Inside the eastern and southern parts of the cave are ancient rock paintings of elephants and various types of boats, including a European sailboat, an Arabian sailboat, a sampan, a Chinese junk, a waterwheel sailing boat, and a steamboat. It is believed the paintings were the works of sea merchants or pirates because the study of west-to-east ship routes indicates that this area may have been a stopover for boats seeking shelter from storms, transferring cargo or making repairs.

Ao Maya and Ao Lo Sama - Phi Phi Islands scenic coves are favorite snorkeling places while the sea around the islands, especially the southern part, which are deep and full of coral formations are popular diving spots. With its emerald crystal sea, secluded beaches, mountain cliffs, colorful coral reefs and undersea life, Phi Phi is a paradise in the Andaman Sea. The best time to visit Phi Phi Islands is from November to April, when the sea is calm.

Ko Yung- An island to the north of Ko Phi Phi Don, has a stone beach on the east and small sandy beaches amid valleys. In addition, the island is teeming with diverse colorful coral reefs. Ko Phai, another island to the north of Ko Phi Phi Don and not far from Ko Yung, has spectacular beaches in the north and east of the island. The bank of coral reefs comprised mainly of antler corals stretches from the north to the south of the island.

Ko Mai Phai - Ko Mai Phai is north of Ko Phi Phi Don and not far from Ko Yung. Marvellous beaches are in the north and east of the island. The bank of coral reefs with staghorn corals, in particular, stretches from north to south of the island.

How to Get to Ko Phi Phi

It is accessible from both Krabi and Phuket. From Krabi, take the Song Thaeo service (12 baht) from the provincial town of Krabi to Pak Khlong Chilat Pier. From there, ferries depart for Ko Phi Phi twice daily at 10.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. On return, the ferries leave Ko Phi Phi at 9.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. The 2-hour trip costs 350 baht per person. For further details, contact Phi Phi family Co., Ltd., Tel. 0 7561 2463. Chao Ko Co., Ltd., Tel. 0 7563 1823. Andaman Wave Master Co., Ltd., offers a ferry service from Pak Khlong Chilat Pier twice daily at 10.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. (200 baht). For further details, contact A D V Co., Ltd., on Khao San Road, Tel. 0 2281 1463 - 5 or Andaman Wave Master Co., Ltd., Tel. 0 7563 0471.

Alternatively, a one-day trip on a speedboat is available at Ao Nang. Departure time is 9.00 a.m. On return, it reaches Ao Nang at 5.00 p.m. Contact Ao Nang Travel and Tour Co., Ltd. for more information, Tel. 0 7563 7152 - 3. The trip costs 1,200 baht per person with lunch included.

Remarks:
Boat fares are subject to change without notice.
Admission to Phi Phi Islands and other attractions in the Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu ko Phi Phi National Park : Adult 400 baht, Child 200 baht

Visitors travelling from Phuket can contact tour operators in Phuket’s provincial city for a one-day trip to Ko Phi Phi (boat fares are subject to change without notice, please contact tour operators directly for more details.)

On arrival to Ao Ton Sai in Ko Phi Phi Don, trips to the surrounding islands can be made in a long-tail boat.

History

History

Phuket is the modern name for the island, and a variation on the older spelling ( a Thai 'T' has been substituted for a Thai 'J' in the Thai language spelling of the word ) which evidence shows was itself an exact translation of the word 'manikram', used by Tamil visitors from India as long ago as 1025 A.D.(B.E. 1568). It means 'Crystal (or jewel - like) City.' Because Phuket was a well-known stop among sailor in ancient remains, maps, and texts, the oldest of which is Ptolemy 's dating from the early 3rd century A.D., where it states that in traveling from Suwanapoom, (the'Golden Land' : identified as the Southeast Asian Peninsula) down to the Malay Peninsula, one passes 'Cape Junk Ceylon', which is a name often seen on old maps applied to Phuket.

There are also references in Thai history to Phuket being a part of the Shivite Kingdom of the Malay Archipelago. Later, from the period of the Sri Vichai Empire to that of Siritam Nakorn, Phuket was known as "The Town of TakuaThalang" being number 1 1 in a group of 12 towns that took as their badge the sign of the dog. Phuket was associated with Takua Pa until the age of Sukothai. During the Ayuttaya period, the Dutch arrived and built storehouses to use in the tin trade. Thus the northern, and central parts of the island were governed by Thais, and southern and western portions were where foreigners came to buy tin ore. During the beginning of the Rattanakosin, that is the present period (c. 1780), the Burmese King brought his armies to attack various cities in Thailand, and came constantly to attack Thalang in the south. At that time the governor had recently passed away. Khunying Jan, the governor's wife and Khun Mock, her younger sister, ollected forces to fight with the Burmese army, and finally defeated them on March 13, 1785 ( B.E. 2328). The King Rama I raciously bestowed upon Khunying Jan the honorific title, Thao Thep Krasattri, and upon, Khun Mock, Thao Sri Sunthorn. Afterward Phuket grew and prospered through the mining and sale of tin.

About Phuket

General Information

Thailand's only island province, Phuket is a world famous tourist destination, renowed for its beautiful beaches, clear waters, lots of offshore islands providing great sites for diving, as well as plentiful high quality resort accommodation. Formerly its great wealth came from tin mining, and the influence of the Chinese tin and rubber entrepreneurs is evident ,especially in the town, where numerous Chinese temples and shrines celebrate a Vegetarian Food Festival every October. Today the province's wealth comes from the vast tourism industry that has developed in recent years, as travellers around the world discover Phuket hasa lot to offer in the way of sun and sea. By contrast the hilly intereriorhides forests, a national park, gibbon rehabilitation centre and promises of elephant treks

Located approximately 862 kilometers south of Bangkok is Phuket, Thailand's largest island, which is often dubbed as the pearl of the Andaman, or the pearl of the south. Its natural resources- rocky peninsular, limestone cliffs, white powdery beaches, tranquil broad bays and tropical in-land forests contribute to making it the South's wealthiest, busiest, most visited and most popular island and province.

Nestled in the tropical zone off the west coast of the southern part of Thailand in the Andaman Sea and the Indian Ocean, the province covers an area of approximately 543 square kilometers (excluding small islets). It is estimated that Phuket Province covers an area of approximately 590 square kilometers if its 39 other small islands are included. The islands total length, from north to south, is estimated at 48.7 kilometers and approximately 21.3 kilometers wide.

Phuket borders on Phang-nga Province to the north. The other 3 sides are encircled by the Andaman Sea the place where many of the best diving sites are located. The island is connected to Phang-nga Province by Sarasin Bridge and Thep Krasattri Bridge.

Staying on the island is easy, as there are only two seasons in a year - the rainy season (May to October) and the hot season (November to April). The low season of phuket is between September and October as they are the wettest months. The best period for a visit, is from November to February, when it is possible to see the clear blue sky, feel the fresh sea breeze and marvel at the crystal clear water while lying on powdery, palm-fringed beaches. Average temperatures ranges between 23 C and 33 C.

Phuket's topology is exceptional with 70 percent of its area covered with mountains which stretch from north to south and the remaining 30 percent being plains located in the central and eastern parts of the island. The island does not have any major rivers except for a total of 9 brooks and creeks.

Phuket is divided into 3 administrative counties namely Amphoe Muang, Amphoe Thalang and Amphoe Kathu.

Phuket has a lot more to offer its visitors other than its natural heritage sea, sand, sky, beach, forest, and world renowned diving sites. Sino-Portuguese architecture casts its spell delighting travelers to the city, while Phuket-style hospitality has never failed to impress visitors from all walks of life. In addition, accommodations ranging from world-class resorts to tropical-style bungalows have warmly catered to the different needs of travelers. For seafood lovers, there is a lot more to sample than just Phuket's famous lobster. Altogether, these characteristics have made Phuket a truly unique destination.