island is connected to mainland Thailand by two bridges. It is situated off the west coast

of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. Phuket formerly derived its wealth from tin and rubber, and

enjoyed a rich and colorful history. The island was on one of the major trading routes between

India and China, and was frequently mentioned in foreign ship logs of Portuguese, French,

Dutch and English traders.

In recent times, though, Phuket's top earner has been tourism, which has transformed the

island into Thailand's wealthiest province. Expect prices to be a bit higher than on the

mainland. Most beaches are on the west coast, with Phuket Town to the southeast and the

airport in the north.

One of the most popular tourist areas on Phuket is Patong Beach on the central western coast,

perhaps owing to the easy access to its wide and long beach. Most of Phuket's nightlife

and its cheap shopping is located in Patong, and the area has become increasingly developed.

Patong means "the forest filled with banana leaves" in Thai. Other popular beaches are

located south of Patong. There are several coral islands to the south of Phuket, the

Similan Islands lie to the north west, and Phi Phi Islands to the south east. Islanders

engage in a lively tourist trade, catering to snorkellers and scuba divers.

The west coast of Phuket was hit severely by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004,

but almost no evidence of the damage now remains.