Phuket is the biggest island in Thailand. It lies in the Andamán Sea, to the west of the Malaysian Peninsula. It is very mountainous, with a mountain chain along its west side, running from north to south. The mountains in the south of Phuket, which take up about 70% of the island, are covered in jungle. The west coast has many sandy beaches but the east coast tends to be swampy. The southern extremity of the island is the Laem Promthep, a place especially apt for contemplating the sunset.

The main tourist region of the island is the beach at Patong, where the hub of Phuket’s nightlife is also concentrated, and which serves as the principal commercial centre of the island. Karon, Kata, Nai Harn and Bang Tao are other lively beaches. Here one can also enjoy the “ Bridge of Sharks”, the natural habitat of the leopard shark, or the remains of the King Cruise ferry.

Thailand enjoys a tropical climate, as such hot and humid, in which three seasons stand out: Temperate, Hot and Rainy. The best time to travel is between the months of November to February, coinciding with the “temperate” period. During the hot period, March to May, the temperature goes up to 30ºC on average, and can reach 40ºC in some areas. The rainy period is from June to October. This is monsoon time, and in the south this can be very intense. Temperatures vary from 24ºC to 34ºC.