Cheap Phuket Hotels & Beach Resorts, Map & Attractions, Online Hotel Reservation & Travel Guide, Phuket Thailand

Pra Nahng Sahng Temple
The grounds of this historic temple are where the Battle of Thalang took place in 1785. Inside are three very old statues wrought in tin of the Buddha; they are the largest such in the world and date from a time when tin was regarded as a semi-precious metal. The bellies of the three big statues each contain a smaller statue, from which derives their name, 'Monks in the Belly' in local vernacular, or ' The Three Kings' in formal language. Located on Thep Krasatri Rd. in Thalang Town at the traffic light.

Phuket, Chalong Temple

Chalong Temple
Is about 8 kms. outside town. Take Vichit Songkram Rd. tothe Bypass Rd. and turn left, and drive for about 10 mins. Wat Chalong will be on your left. This is where stands the cast statue of Luang por Cham, who helped the people of Phuket put down the Ahngyee, or Chinese Coolie, Rebellion in 1876 during the reign of Rama V.

There are also statues of Luang Por Chuang, and Luang Por Gluam, other monks, who were abbots of the temple during later times, and who are the objects of respect and recipients of offerings by Phuket people generally.

Pra Tong Temple
This shrine encloses a golden statue of Buddha 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 afilthy 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 tvhe statues brought good luck to their possessors, and the slaves were used for work, and to populate places that lacked inhabitants a frequent problem for rulers in Southeast Asia, who had a great deal of land but very few subjects. 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.

Bangpae Waterfall
Best knownas the site of the Gibbon Fund, a project to return domesticated gibbons to the forest, Bang Pae is a small waterfall with a shady forest and thick foliage.

How to get there: Ggo to the Two Heroines Monument and take the road running east, the Pakhlok Road. Bangpae is 7 km along this road. Look for the posted signs.

Khao Phra Taeo Wildlife Park
22.28 square kilometers of virgin forest are coverd by this park, 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 and the forest vegetation is spectacular. Giant trees supported by huge buttresses are thick with creepers and climbers of every description.

One species of palm, 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 Taeo serves also as one of Phuket's most important water sources.

Ton Sai Waterfall
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 headquarters and a small restaurant with an excellent view are also at Ton Sai. Located near Thalang Town, 22 km. from Phuket Town.

Marine Biological Research Centre
The Marine Biological Research Centre at Cape Panwa offers the opportunity to observe local marine life up close without the necessity of diving beneath the waves. More than one hundred aquatic species are housed at this facility, which is one of Thailand's principle centres for research into the whales, dugongs, sharks, dolphins and sea turtles that make their home in the water around Phuket. The centre is open daily from 8.30am to 4.00pm.

How to get there: A Songtaew (local bus) can be taken from the central market in Phuket Town.

Phuket Butterfly Farm & Aquarium
A few kilometres outside of Phuket Town, the farm boasts dozens of species of rare and exotic butterflies and other tropical insects, while the aquarium gives a fascinating view of what lives beneath the surface of the Andaman.

Open daily from 9.00am to 5.00pm, the butterfly farm and aquarium offers a close up look at a few of the most beautiful, delicate and unusual creatures that form a part of the island's eco-system.

Thai Village and Orchid Farm
Set amidst the tropical splendour of dozens of rare orchid species, the Thai Village and Orchid Farm brings living colour to Thailand's culture and history. With two shows a day - at 11am and 5.30pm - visitors can experience traditional Thai dance, a demonstration of the strength and versatility of the Thai elephant, exhibitions of Thai handicrafts and witness a lifelike recreation of tin mining as it was performed at the height of the boom over a century ago.

Phuket Sea Shell Museum
International shell collectors would sell their mothers for even half of the remarkable collection on show at the Phuket Seashell Museum, on Viset Road, near Rawai Beach. The exhibition features more than 2,000 species, including the only left-handed Noble Volute ever discovered, giant clams, 380 million-year-old fossils and one of the worlds rarest golden pearls.

Phuket Zoo
With over 3000 animals on show, including 600 species of birds, 100 species or reptiles and 45 species of mammal, Phuket Zoo offers an unparalleled diversity of animal life in one place. All five continents continent are represented, from Himalayan vultures, to Australian wallabies, African Victoria Crown cranes, hornbills, ostriches, camels, and tigers. The zoo is also actively involved in conservation programs of many Southeast Asian species on the endangered list.

Other attractions at the zoo include a 'nocturnal house' featuring hard-to-find creatures of the night, a freshwater aquarium, orchid nursery and a butterfly farm. The zoo also stages daily animal shows featuring elephants, crocodiles, trained birds and monkeys. Six km south of Phuket Town, just off East Chao Fah Road, the zoo is open from 8.00am to 6.00pm daily. Admission is 400 baht for adults and 200 baht for children.

Phuket Rare Stones Musuem
Located at 58/34 Thepkasatree Rd., Km.5 (about 700 meters from Super Cheap Store), It is a new tourists ' attraction where you see art, and you see life.

The most enjoyable part of visiting the Phuket Rare Stones Museum is that after the brief look at all stones, you select 5-6 your most interesting ones. Spending 5-10 minutes with each of the selected stones, the picture will be floated out from the stones as you imagine.

Each stone can conjure up a different picture in each person's imagination. That is the art part. The deeper you imagine, the more you will see, and that can be the life part. Open everyday 09:00-18:00 hrs.

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