Thai cuisine is one of the best gourmets in the world. It is well known for the diversity of ingredients, outstanding spiciness and ample medicinal properties. Most of Thai food is cooked and refined with more than two types of herbs or spices which are beneficial to health.

The (mostly unconscious) principle Thai food is the balance of five flavors which are spicy, salty, sweet, sour and bitter. The one indispensible ingredient which is generally used in seasoning a majority of Thai cuisine is fish sauce. Thai food is eaten either as a single dish or with rice. Steamed rice is the staple food although sticky rice is more popular in the north and northeast of Thailand.

Thai food is one of many things that you should not miss while you are traveling in this beautiful “Land of Smiles”. Since there are numberless delectable Thai dishes, I am writing this guideline for you to select the most distinctive and authentic ones out of the plethora of Thai signature dishes.

The following list is a top 10 rank of Thai food that you must not miss. The consideration and ranking is based on the popularity, uniqueness and authenticity of the delicacies. Here are the winners.

10. Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan (Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts)

Even though Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan does not represent the overview of Thai food but it is a very nice treat to your bland taste buds. Since it is by no means spicy or hot, this slightly sweet and salty chicken fried with crunchy cashew nuts is aptly satiating for children or beginners who are not used to spices.

9. Por Pia Tord (Fried Spring Roll)

Fried spring roll is one of the most popular appetizers among foreigners because it is not spicy and comes with sweet and sour dip. Spring rolls are crispy pastries with fried vegetable fillings. Though spring rolls are commonplace in many Southeast Asian countries, Thai Por Pia is different in flavors with a special dip prepared from Japanese apricot.

8. Panaeng (Meat in Spicy Coconut Cream)

Panaeng can be cooked using either pork, chicken or beef. Panaeng tastes like Thai red curry but the coconut milk sauce is relatively thicker and richer. Compared to Thai red curry, Panaeng is mildly spicy and sweet. Paneang is best served with warm steamed rice. There is nothing to dislike about Panaeng expect the fact that it can be too greasy or fleshy for some people.

7. Som Tam (Spicy Papaya Salad)

Som Tam is one of the most popular foods among Thai people for its fiercely spicy and sour flavors. Som Tam, which literally means “Sour Pounded”, is a spicy salad made from a mix of fresh vegetables including shredded unripened papaya, yardlong beans and tomato. Som Tam is unique that the spicy dressing and salad vegetables are pounded and mixed in the mortar using a pestle. Somtam is usually served with grilled chicken and sticky rice. Som Tam is good for your health that it contains no fat, low calorie and high vitamins. This is a truly authentic Thai dish that will make a great impression. The only reason why I’m ranking Som Tam at No.7 (though it deserves higher rank) is its strong spiciness that might leave your tongue burned and swollen. Just say “Mai phed” (not spicy) to your waiter if you really want to try.

6. Moo Sa-Te (Grilled Pork Sticks with Turmeric)

This tantalizing sweet-flavored grilled pork sticks are refined with rich, juicy sauce made of turmeric and curry powder. Moo Sa-Te makes a savory hors d’oeuvres that will appease any taste buds. These juicy grilled pork sticks are usually served with two saucy dips – one is a mildly spicy thick sauce with ground peanuts, coconut milk and curry powder and another one is a sweet and sour vinegar sauce with chopped shallot, pepper and cucumber to mitigate its oiliness.

5. Tom Yam Kai (Spicy Chicken Soup)

Chicken soup is very good to eat when you have a cold but Tom Yam Kai or spicy chicken soup is a yummy treat that you will fall in love with just in a first sip. Tom Yam Kai is a clear chicken soup seasoned with a blend of chili, lime and fish sauce. The broth is simmered with Thai herbs as lemon grass, shallot and galangal which give it a unique and satiating aroma. My foreign friends order this tasty soup anywhere they go so you should not miss it by any means!

4. Tom Kha Kai (Chicken in Coconut Milk Soup)

Although Tom Kha Kai is another variation of chicken soup, it deserves the No.4 because of its unparalleled taste and popularity. Similar to Tom Yam Kai, the broth is prepared with many types of Thai herbs with the special addition of coconut milk that makes this soup unique. Though the soup is seasoned with chili, lime and fish sauce just like Tom Kha Kai, thanks to the coconut milk, the broth is milder and less spicy. This is probably more liked by non-spicy eaters.

3. Kang Keaw Wan Kai (Green Chicken Curry)

Since we are having three dishes in a row made of “Kai”, you would have guessed that it is chicken in English. Not that chicken is particularly popular in Thai cuisine; it is usually used in most curry and soup. Kang Kiew Wan, literally translated as “Sweet Green Curry”, is nicely sweet and slightly spicy and tastes very delightful with a proper blend of the spiciness from green curry chili paste, blandness from coconut milk, sweetness of sugar and saltiness of fish sauce. It is usually eaten with steamed rice or served as a sauce to rice noodle known as “Kanom Jeen” likewise to how you eat Spaghetti.

2. Pad Thai (Fried Noodle)

This national dish prides itself for its long history traced back in previous centuries. Pad Thai flaunts the authenticity of Thai culinary arts in using only fresh and best ingredients and the well-balancing of the five fundamental flavors.  The stir-fried noodle becomes popular because it tastes yummy and comes with a choice to add in a set of seasonings to suit your appetites. Through history, Pad Thai has evolved into two different styles: the classic and the variation. The classic Pad Thai is a stir-fried noodle with eggs, fish sauce, tamarind juice, red chili pepper plus bean sprouts, shrimp and tofu and garnished with crushed peanuts and coriander while another style is relatively dry and lightly-flavored. The latter is easily found in street vendors and dominant in Thai restaurants in the West but the having classic Pad Thai freshly cooked in its original country is a way to go.

1. Tom Yam Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)

No other dishes can defeat this renowned Tom Yam Goong as the optimal representative of Thai gourmet. Tom Yam Goong is truly one of a kind with its fierce spiciness and sourness and a blatant use of fragrant herbs including galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, shallot, tamarind and chili pepper. There are two styles of Tom Yam; the clear spicy soup and thick spicy soup. The latter is cooked by adding coconut milk or milk to the broth in order to thicken the stock and give the dish a milder flavor. Tom Yam is very versatile and can be made with prawns, chicken, fish and mix of seafood, and mushroom. Tom Yam Goong is the most popular variety of Tom Yam since Spicy Shrimp Soup is the original. Though not very surprising, Tom Yam Goong is definitely a signature dish of Thailand.

Even though it is commonly known that Thai food utilizes many health herbs and spices, there have always been debates whether Thai food is really good for health since they tend to be somewhat greasy. It is important to note that it depends on each dish; some can be highly caloric but many dishes make a good use of herbs. Garlic, for example, is very good healthwise because it can prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cancer.

No matter what the food is, the same old concept of moderate intake comes into play. From Mcdonald’s burger to Japanese Sushi, a key to optimal fitness is to avoid overconsumption. Thus, a claim that Thai food is mainly coconut-based and fattening should never be an adequate reason for you to still order a Big Mac. Ravish your taste buds with Thai food – tasty and healthy!

The Absolute Q Signature Koh Samui 5 Star Spa and Resort Hotel was visited by the Australian TV Channel ITVSN.

Fondly known as KJC to the locals, this is THE Coolest restaurant in Phuket, which is pretty famous for pulling its patrons up for a dance or two during and after you meal. Free appetisers. Free dessert. Best part of the night can’t be filmed, but tips for tourists: Stay till the night is over.

Bangkok is a buzzing city criss crossed with canals & rivers.  The sky line is one of high rises, shopping malls & international hotel chains but at the canal banks and side streets of the city the traditional side of Thai life is clearly visible.  The business hub of the city is easily navigated using the skyrail & underground but the more touristy areas around the Koh San road are less well supplied & Tuk Tuks are the main mode of transport.  Negotiate hard with your tuk tuk driver – a taxi will always be cheaper & has the advantage of air conditioning however be sure to agree that you’re charged according to the metre as opposed to agreeing a fixed price.  Taxis will only take you at an agreed price after 3pm as from this point on your in to rush hour and they are highly likely to spend hours with you stuck in traffic!

About 3 hours out of Bangkok towards the Burman (now Myanmar) border, in the province of the same name, is the town of Kanchanaburi where you can walk over the famous but tragic bridge of the River Kwai.  There are some interesting museums here where you can learn more about the history of this place of wartime tragedy & cinematic fame.  There are also many opportunities for elephant riding in the surrounding area.  A 20 min drive out of the town will take you to the Tiger Temple – a real highlight of any trip to this province.  This functioning buddhist temple is also home to about a dozen tigers of varying ages (& sizes!).  The temple first took on this unexpected side line in 1999 when a tiger cub was found in a near by village, it had lost its mother to poachers and needed round the clock care to survive.  The villagers took the orphaned cub to the temple where the monks agreed to offer it sanctuary.  Word spread in the surrounding area and over the years more and more orphaned cubs were bought to the temple – word also spread amongst the tourist population and in the present day a mutually beneficial relationship exists between the tourist dollar and the conservation of the tigers.  A few dollars gains you entry in the afternoons when the tigers are napping in their canyon, photos can be taken from afar for free and if cubs are around there are opportunities for photos here also.  For a few extra dollars you can have a picture taken with a fully grown tigers head in your lap – not an experience easily found any where else in the world! Don’t listen to chinese whispers that the tigers are drugged – they aren’t and are in fact very well looked after thanks to the dilligence of the monks and the many (often western) volunteers. Of course queing up with lots of other sightseers to get your picture taken with a tiger isn’t exactly the ‘genuine’ experience a backpacker is after however getting that close to fully grown tigers remains awe inspiring and your money is going to a good cause so if you can stomach the crowds get yourself down there.  If you want a more personal encounter then there are two other options open to you – firstly you can volunteer, you must remain at the temple for an agreed minimum stay (think it’s 1 month) and assist as required, meals and basic accomodation is covered.  Secondly if you’re lucky (this is not an every day offering) and if you can afford it (c. $50 when we visited) then you can spend the morning with the tigers – only 5 people maximum allowed for this so you will get the one on one experience.  A morning with the tigers involves arrival at 7am for breakfast with the monks where you will get to bottle feed & play with the tiger cubs (including being locked in a cage with them & some squeaky toys for an hour of play time!).  Next you will get to walk the ‘teenage’ tigers down to the canyon for their morning exercise – incredible to watch them pouncing on each other in the water (check out the photos in the photo section of this website).  Following exercise time you will walk the tigers back up to their cages and give them a quick bath – just like their domestic cousins they aren’t great fans of this so handle with care!

The Phuket hotels and resorts guide provides a brief summary, customer ratings and reviews for hotels or resorts. Patong is the largest beach resort on Phuket, and is mostly made up of hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and various tourist attractions. Our great rates on Phuket hotels will leave you with more money to spend on having fun during your beach holiday. View each Hotels Phuket page to find guest reviews, pictures and photos and to do searches for hotels in Phuket. For others types of rooms, please use the search box and check rates for Phuket hotels. Our guide to Hotels Phuket provides a wonderful directory for helping make decisions on choosing accommodations.

Hotel Bangkok Thailand Phuket thailand hotels resorts hotel resort phuket thailand hotels resorts hotel resort , excellent accommodations, quality price. You may see below comprehensive listing of Phuket hotels sorted by price. You may also view Phuket lodgings and hotels alphabetically or Phuket hotels and rooms sorted by price. For a quick summary see the list of hotels and resorts in Phuket.

Book Phuket hotels online, plan your complete Phuket vacation or custom build your vacation package. All prices are slightly higher than in Phuket Town, and most of the hotels are quite expensive. However please note that the use of other Laguna Phuket hotels sports and leisure facilities may be restricted or subject to a charge. Read Phuket hotels descriptions, reviews by former hotel guests or place your own Phuket hotels review. You can begin browsing for hotels in the Greater Phuket area by selecting one of the links shown below. We felt that by doing some solid groundwork on phuket hotels we would eventu

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Railay is a peninsula made up of four beaches, each separated from its neighbour by huge cliffs. Although not an island, access is by boat only, and there are no motor vehicles.

Whilst Railay is southeast Asia’s premier rock climbing destination, it is far from being a destination that only climbers will enjoy. Home to two of southeast Asia’s finest beaches, it is also a great place to do nothing much except soak up the rays and the peaceful atmosphere, admire the scenery and maybe puzzle at the ant-sized antics of the climbers battling up the rock-faces. If you are one of those for whom relaxation is aided by watching other people do energetic things, Railay is the place for you.

Railay is less easily accessible than most other Thai beach destinations. To get there requires a taxi from Krabi airport, followed by a boat ride, followed by a walk along the beach to your resort – not the easiest of journeys. This, plus the fact that many visitors want to stay on an island and not on a peninsula, have meant that Railay hasn’t seen quite the same vast numbers of tourists as other Thai destinations, so has been kept relatively pristine: for example, there are no buildings above palm tree height. Railay has thus been fortunate enough to have been somewhat overlooked by the mainstream tourist industry: the usually excellent as well as readable Insight Guide to Thailand, for example, completely neglects to mention the place.

Railay is home to the swish Rayavadee Resort. There may be more high-brow establishments is southeast Asia, but surely none can beat Rayavadee’s location, with direct access to three beaches: Phra Nang, West Railay and East Railay. This is the only place on Railay which offers 5-star comforts and cuisine.

The Railay West beach resorts serve great Thai food in a fabulous setting. The only true gourmet restaurants on Railay at are the Rayavadee, which protects its guests’ privacy by making the whole establishment, including the eateries, off-limits to non-residents. If you book by telephone in advance you may get a table, but don’t arrive too under-dressed, or you won’t be allowed in.

Beaches

Phra Nang is arguably the finest beach in Thailand, if not southeast Asia. Boracay beach in the Philippines used to hold this title, but has now been, except at the exclusive north end, sadly spoiled by over-population. A broad strip of white sand with massive cliffs framing each end of the beach, Phra Nang has just enough facilities: roast chicken and salad lunches cooked on the beach, massage ladies and people inconspicuously selling cold drinks. It still thankfully lacks all the things that spoil a beach: pollution, traffic, noise, over-enthusiastic hawkers, jet-skis and lager louts. The only resort on the beach is the exclusive and unobtrusive Rayavadee, but you don’t have to stay there to enjoy the place. You can reach Phra Nang on foot from anywhere on Railay or by longtail boat from Ao Nang: just bring a beach towel and a book, and you won’t have to move till it’s time to leave. If you get bored of watching the climbers falling off the surrounding cliffs onto the sand, then maybe wander across to Phra Nang cave and admire or envy all the huge red-tipped phalluses there. If you feel like stretching your legs, then maybe take the short stroll to West Railay beach, from where you can take a longtail boat back to Ao Nang. There are more pristine beaches in Thailand (Koh Hong and Koh Lao Liang spring to mind), but none that so perfectly balance natural beauty with exactly the right level of facilities.

Whereas Phra Nang beach has a quiet, cosy feel, West Railay beach is more majestic. A long, broad strip of white sand framed at each end by huge cliffs, West Railay has more activities going on than does Phra Nang. On most days in high season there are games of football and beach volleyball, in which visitors are welcome to join in. The Railay Bay Resort is blessed with an unbeatable location at the beach’s southern end and is a great place to stay, if you can put up with the notoriously slow restaurant service. Just collapse onto a deck-chair by the beach-side pool for one of the best views in southeast Asia: to the left rock-climbers battle the magnificent Thaiwand Wall and to the right the bay stretches away past Tonsai to the massive Sleeping Indian cliffs, so named because that is exactly what they resemble, at night. The kilometer-long Sleeping Indian is lying on his back, with his hands folded across his midriff, his feet sticking up and a feather sticking out of his headdress – it’s an uncanny resemblance.

The place to catch the sunset is at Coco’s very comfortable bar, right in the middle of the beach. This, the only bar on West Railay, is always a quiet one and has to be a candidate for being southeast Asia’s best beach bar. After sunset West Railay beach starts to empty and by midnight is usually almost completely deserted, except for the occasional party of illicit skinny-dippers, enjoying a dip au naturel at the northern end of the beach, where there are no resorts and so no people around. If single and joining in such an expedition then it’s a good idea to check that you are not going for a swim with an even number of people, as the group may turn out to consist of you and some couples, who will make you feel really silly once they hit the water and start cuddling. Midnight swims, au naturel or otherwise, are sensational on dark nights, when the brilliant-blue bioluminescence in the water lights up disturbed water like a neon Christmas tree. To best appreciate this amazing phenomenon, bring a pair of swimming goggles along and swim underwater for a while: the bioluminescence will wreath your body in a million tiny blue lights, in surely the loveliest clothes you’ve ever worn.

Mangrove-lined East Railay beach is where you will find the budget accommodation and the nightlife, which is lively and wholesome, due to the absence of any girly bars. Well worth a visit is the Diamond Cave, a deep grotto lined with stalactites that sparkle so much that they look like they’re covered in diamonds. If you have a guitar, maybe take advantage of the fantastic acoustics for a strum and sing-song with some friends – don’t forget to take some candles to create a really otherworldly atmosphere for your concert. During the daytime East Railay can not compare in beauty to either West Railay or Phra Nang, but at night the mangroves look very pretty and the huge lit-up rock-faces lend the scene a spectacular back-drop.

Ton Sai beach houses southeast Asia’s densest population of rock-climbers. If you don’t climb then you won’t enjoy staying here, as the climbers never talk about anything except climbing and most of them look down their noses at non-climbers. The density of the budget accommodation here has led to the same sanitary problems as are found on the central Phi Phi and Lipe beaches. Many Ton Sai residents stay for months at a time and most of them at some stage in their visit get food-poisoning, which can be serious, with hospital evacuations not unknown. Visitors who want to walk over to Tonsai from West Railay in order to watch the climbers for an hour or two are advised to do it on a full stomach, in order to avoid the need to patronize the Ton Sai restaurants. A short visit to Ton Sai is highly recommended, as it is a unique opportunity to watch, up-close, the antics of some of the world’s best rock climbers, whose gravity-defying gymnastics are simply amazing. Don’t be surprised, if when sitting at the Freedom Bar watching the climbers, a climber abseils into the chair next to you and orders a beer.

Whilst in Thailand, why not visit out one of Thailand’s currently best three beach destinations

Koh Lao Liang: http://www.andamanadventures.com/kohlaoliang.shtml

Ao Nang: http://www.andamanadventures.com/ao_nang.shtml

Railay/Tonsai: http://www.andamanadventures.com/railay-tonsai.shtml

After living in Bangkok for over a year I have learned many things about the Thai People that I wanted to share with other foreigners living or vacationing here should know. The first thing you have to accept is that eastern culture is different. The people in the east are less emotional and more polite and while they know westerners are different, they often are uncomfortable when we stray from their norms. The things I found to be important are listed below in order of importance:

Be Polite – Thai people hold being polite above all else. Their very language has politeness built into it. If you follow what is considered “common courtesy” you will be fine.

Thai King - The Thai People Love their King, King Rama IX. Never show any type of disrespect to him or the Royal family. The Thai people have a deep traditional reverence for the Royal Family, and the visitor should also show respect for the King and the Queen, and the Royal Children. When attending a public events where a member of the Royal Family is present, the best guide on how to behave is to watch the crowd and do as it does.

Safety - Stealth crimes, such as pick pocketing, are the most common problem so it’s worth keeping a close eye on your belongings at all times and being aware of the people around you. Unprovoked violence against tourists are very rare, but it pays to exercise common sense.

National Religion - Buddhism is Thailand’s national Religion with nearly 95% of Thailand’s population being Buddhist. All Buddha images are considered sacred and there are laws against removing these images for anything other that personal worship.

Buddhist Monks - Buddhist Monks are recognized quickly by their shaved heads, bear feet and bright orange robes. It is forbidden for women to touch Buddhist Monks, this includes a woman handing something to a Monk, The items should be first given to a man, who hands the item to the monk. Also, western men should never attempt to shake hands with a monk.

Buddhist Temple - Wearing shoes around a temple is acceptable but they should be removed when entering their church (the area where the Buddha image is kept).

Be Quiet - Loud people are considered impolite. Speak softly and do not laugh loudly. Of course there are the common places such as bars, celebrations and parks that being loud is appropriate and expected.

Greetings - Greetings in Thailand can be quite formal in appearance to the western eye. The basic gesture is to put hands together, fingers up, with a slight bow of the head. The words “saw dee (krup)” (or “kaw” for women) are spoken during fm bow. It is more complicated for Thai people, with three levels based on age and position but westerners attempting this greeting are not expected to understand. (levels: 1. Monk, thumbs touching forehead durin bow; 2. Same age or older, thumbs touching lips; and 3. Younger person, thumbs touching chin.)

Food - Food in Thailand is customarily HOT, spicy HOT. Most westerners can not handle the amount of chili spice that Thai people enjoy. For the westerner visiting foreigner, the best tip i can give them is how to ask to make the food less spicy. There are two phrases to be used based on you preference: 1) “mai ped” – not spicy and 2) “ped nit noi” – a little bit spicy. The food is awesome in Thailand and this tip should help you enjoy it even more. In the near future I will be publishing a description of my favorite foods. Stay tuned.

Street Food - There is an old Thai saying “a little bit of dirt makes the food a little bit more delicious (rough translation). For westerners, buying food on the street can impact your health with the possible contraction of various gastro digestive problems. While most street food vendors are clean, this only by local standards. I live by “rule of thumb” which has served well living in Bangkok. This rule is simple but you need to stick to it. It is “only eat from the street what is cooked in front of you”. This ensures that the food is fully cooked one more time before you eat it. Unfortunately, this eliminates a lot of food served on the street but better safe than sorry for week.

Body Odor - Thai people almost never smell badly and they find it offensive if others do.

Crowds - if you go to areas in Thailand during Thai holidays and celebrations, be prepared to encounter many people. To Western experience the volume of these areas can be incredible. Be prepared to be pushed and shoved and be aware that they mean no harm. There sence of personal space is quite different than westerners.

Watch where you walk - The sidewalks in Bangkok are uneven and full of obstacles, pay attention. Oh, also, the streets have many stray dogs; the dogs are not aggressive but do leave landmines on the sidewalks.

Taxi Drivers - Most taxi drivers are fine. Generally, it is always better to use the metered taxis. Tuktuks are always more expensive and with Bangkok traffic you could be breathing in a lot of smog on the way. If you are going a significant distance negotiate… Also, the Taxis marked “We love farang, we speak English”, well most of them do not. They do have a radio that has a person that knows a little English.

Movie Theater - After the advertising and right before the movie a tribute to the Thai King Comes on and everyone stands in respect.

Driving in Thailand - If you are a brave one and decide that you want drive yourself around Thailand, don’t be too worried, it really isn’t that bad. There are just several things to understand. Drivers use the left side instead of the right, like in the US, and the roads tend to be narrower than in the US. So driving next to a bus or a truck can be a little intimidating.

Toilets - Eastern toilets can be quite intimidating to the western traveler as well. Be aware that eastern toilets are little more than holes in the ground surrounded by ceramic and involve water, not paper, for cleaning. To be honest, I still have not gotten used this type of facility to its full extent. Also, there are often women in the men’s room, stationed there for cleaning. It can be quite unnerving when you first experience this but they are not there for any more than cleaning.

Following these tips will allow you to have better understanding of the Thai people and more fun in your stay in Bangkok, allowing the locals to be more comfortable with you and give you a better understanding of how things function in Thailand.

Vertigo Bar – Banyan Tree Hotel Bangkok, 61th – roof top bar – Rückblick auf vier Wochen Thailandurlaub

Overview of Bangkok from 61st floor of the Banyan Tree Hotel.

Phuket Thailand has many attractions one can discover either on day trips or longer. The Beaches are by far the biggest attraction to Phuket because it has many beaches for one to explore. You can keep yourself busy all year round with the many attractions in Phuket other than just the beaches however.

Taking day trips can be a lot of fun. I have rented long tail boat and gone to the many different islands that are about thirty minute boat rides from the many different piers on island. It’s not hard to find a long tail boat as even many of the beaches have them lined up just off shore. A day trip is very inexpensive and will remind you of a time when life was simple and uncomplicated.

Rubber tree plantations are plentiful on the island and watching and learning how locals make latex from the rubber trees is educational as well as interesting. This age old tradition can also be viewed at night where the Thais find it cooler to work at night or work it as a secondary or night job to supplement their income.

Taking a sea canoe off the eastern part of Phukets calm waters to go cave exploring can be a fun way to get a little extra sun as well as a good workout. There are many little islands, coves and caves to explore with a canoe off Phuket’s east coast and water is tranquil and turquoise blue.

The island offers many shows also like monkey shows and snake shows. Many bus tours will take you to the caves in Phang Ngn bay and to visit James Bond Island. Another famous day trip is a boat ride out to Phi Phi Island for the day. I find this boat ride rather boring but I have made the trip many times so now I am partial.

If you enjoy Thai boxing, there are several places you can go and watch Thai boxing and even train with the young men. I personally enjoy watching a fight every now and again. The action is real, not staged and the hype is almost as good as wrestling on TV. There is Thai boxing in almost every small town in Phuket.

For those who enjoy the nightlife in Phuket there is none better then that found in Patong Beach. The town has many discos and a nightlife like no place else in the world. Patong has been voted the number one nightlife spot my several men’s magazines. The many beer bars and night spots can be fun to explore is a relaxed and laid back attitude one would expect to find in the islands of the Andaman Sea.

If you find you want to get away from the average tourist hangouts, Phuket town can offer some interesting shows and live entertainment. It even has some great festivals like vegetarian festival and Chinese New Year’s.

I have now lived on the island for several years and grown to call Phuket Home. The island is more than just a great tourist destination; it’s a great place to live.