Thailand is popularly becoming one of the sought out honeymoon destination these days all over the world. This country is world’s 51st largest country in terms of area and world’s 20th densely populated. It has a lot of tourist attractions to allure people to visit the places in the country. In India, Thailand is also one of the most popular honeymoon destinations mainly because it is quite nearer to India and you can enjoy the beauty of a foreign trip at a much affordable prices. Among the many choices that Thailand offers, I find Phuket to be an ideal destination if you are planning for a honeymoon trip. Phuket is popularly known as the ‘Pearl of Thailand’ and it is the largest island of Thailand. It is in fact one of the most popular beach destination in the whole of Asia. Built as a tourism spot, the hospitality and the accommodation facilities are all world class. From villas to the budgeted hotels, from the romantic beaches to the Simon Cabaret Show, from the diving in Andaman Sea to exploring the tropical forests, you would find everything to match your desirability. The emerald blue sea contrasting this white sand island is a perfect match to be a paradise for honeymoon couples.
Places of Attraction:
Phuket’s Simon Cabaret:
It is one of the most popular entertainment show of the whole of Asia mainly because this single theatre show displays the culture of China, Egypt, Latin American and Thailand in the form of colorful and exquisite dance as well as songs. The show in itself is lively and full of fun. The performers in this show are mainly males who dress themselves as women and showcase their talent. The audiences are mostly stunned by the co-ordination of the performers with the visuals in the form of lights and sounds. There is no doubt that such performance attracts a substantial audience every day from all over the world to acknowledge their talent.
Wat Chalong
Wats stand for the Buddhist temple In Thai and it depicts a significance symbol of Thailand. Most of the people in Thailand follow the Buddhist religion. In Phuket itself you would find around 29 temples all of Lord Buddha.
Wat Chalong is a sacred Buddhist temple which attracts people all over the world to gain knowledge about Buddhism and know this religion. Poh Than Jao Wat is the most significant statue of Buddha in Wat Chalong. The Grand Pagoda in the premises is the most popular among the visitors as it dominates the temple. The pagoda consists of a splinter of Lord Buddha's bone and is officially named Phramahathatchedi-Jomthaibarameepragat. The wall of the pagoda is full of paintings which portrays the life of Buddha and his various images. So, if you want to make yourself a bit familiar with the Thai style of worshipping, this place is the right choice.
Phang Nga Bay
This place is famous because it is full of limestone’s karsts that stand out in the Andaman Sea. There are two famous islands worth visiting across this bay. One is the James Bond Island and the other is the Koh Panyee Island. The James Bond Island became famous because a James bond movie was shot at this island, nonetheless this island do give you a spectacular view of a romantic island. Nearby to this island is the Koh Panyee Island which is a small fishing village built over water on stilts. You could get to shop and eat out in this island. You may also try out sea kayaking (which is paddling of the boat into the caves in this mysterious bay towards the island) when in Phang Nga Bay.
Phi Phi Island:
This island is all more famous mainly because of its intense beauty. This island has been featured in many of the movies and there is much hype about this island. But the beauty of this island is unique and versatile. If you are looking for a place with ‘Far from madding crowd’ theme, this place is the most suitable for you.
FantaSea
Fanta Sea is a cultural theme park. It is the biggest show that is held on the island of Phuket. You find yourself engaged in a lot of activities varying from food, shopping, elephant rides, carnival games, etc. Asia’s one of the biggest food buffet is also conducted over here. You would love the mouthwatering Thai and International cuisine. Coming to photography, the Golden Kinnaree’s golden Thai- styled exterior and the Palace of the Elephants, a theatre made to look like a majestic, centuries-old palace is the hottest place to take a snap of yourself. These are the things that you could do before the actual show starts. The main show is itself breathtaking. Thailand shows are famous for its bright and colorful show appearances and this show too justifies its culture. The gigantic stage where performers perform depicting the Thai culture from the various parts of the country is eye catching. What is more amazing is that animals like elephant, goat, water buffalo, doves, etc forms the part of the theatre. When you spend an evening at such a place, you feel worth coming to this country.
The above are the places that are a must watch. However, if you want to explore more of this island, there are some fantastic viewpoints which are worth giving a shot. Some of them are - Phuket Big Buddha, Promthep Cape, Radar Hill Viewpoint, Kata Viewpoint, Khao Rang (Rang Hill), Monkey Hill, Panwa Viewpoint, Windmill Viewpoint, Elephant Shrine at Promthep Cape, Plub Pla Viewpoint and the view from Patong Hill. Irrespective of the number of places you visit, each spot is an adventure in Phuket.
Expenses, accommodation and food:
Thailand is quite a cheap tourist destination. The currency of this country is Thai Baht.1 Thai Baht is equivalent to 1.80 INR. So if you planning a trip, it will be quite an economical tour to go for. Nominally, 45,000 INR is good enough for a 4 night standardized stay at Phuket which includes the roundtrip flight fare. Hotel prices comes in the range of around 2700 INR ($50) at the maximum while resorts and villas fall in between 4800- 8100 INR ($60-$150) per night stay. Food is remarkably cheaper over there and you wouldn’t find much difficulty in finding a decent restaurant of your taste and flavor. For economical shopping, try out the Weekend Market, Wai-Rat-Hong-Yak Road and Expo Indoor Market on Tilok Uthit 2 Road in Phuket.
Tips :
- As usual, go for a packaged tour, enquire about the facilities provided and compare it by doing some research on the internet.
- Enquire beforehand about the places where you could exchange your currency.
- Try to avoid shopping or eating out near the beach if you want to save some unnecessary spending. The farther you are from the beach, the more you save.
- The normal mode of conveyance in Phuket is Tuk Tuk. Beware of some them; the tuk tuk drivers are paid a commission to take you to a place if you ask them for suggestion. So, better make your own choices.
- When you reach there, do not forget to say Sawatdee (hello in thai)- Kraup (male) and Kah(female) are polite endings!
Image Source: Wikepedia and self formatted