The Southern Beaches Places

Koh Phuket

Tour & Visitor Information

As the saying goes, you can't throw a stone at a dog in Phuket without hitting a tour operator. Nearly all of them are selling the same package tours and renting the same cars and motorcycles, so feel free to comparison shop and haggle over prices. Common half-day sightseeing tours include visits to Wat Chalong, Rawai Beach, Phromthep Cape, and Khao Rang.

In general, be wary of what tour operators tell you; they are in business to sell you a trip to the beach, not to tell you how to get there on your own. If you feel you have been ripped off, note the offender's name and other info and report him to the local Tourism Authority of Thailand office. Also let the manager at your hotel know, so he or she can steer other tourists clear.

Contacts

Dive Asia (076/330598. www.diveasia.com), on Kata Beach, is a certified PADI instructor and operator that's been in business for more than 20 years. John Gray's Sea Canoe (076/254505. www.johngray-seacanoe.com) is known internationally for ecotourism trips, including canoeing through Phang Nga Bay. Look for their fliers at travel agencies. Santana (076/294220. www.santanaphuket.com) is a well-regarded diving and canoeing operator based in Patong. They will pick customers up in Phuket. Tourism Authority of Thailand (73-75 Phuket Rd. 076/212213) in Phuket Town has maps and brochures, as well as information about local excursions.

Elephant Shows

On Phuket, there are many opportunities to ride elephants or see them at work. Many were former logging elephants, whose jobs are now to entertain tourists. Before forking over your money, examine how the animals are kept and treated, and whether they show signs of abuse, such as sores on their legs from chains. Even well-respected businesses have been accused of mistreating elephants. If you think chaining an elephant to a concrete slab in a park, or putting him on stage in a show, is wrong, then don't pay to see or ride him. Better yet, write a letter to the establishment and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.