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Phuket
Thailand Attraction (Thalang District)
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Interest Beaches
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Attractions in Phuket Thailand
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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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