Phuket is Thailand's largest island and often called the Pearl of the Andaman.  Phuket lies in the Andaman Sea off Southern Thailand's west coast.  Beautiful tropical beaches with white sand, limestone cliffs, crystal clear water,and swaying palm trees. You can relax and do as little as you like or get amongst many of the many adventure actiivities that Phuket has on offer.  Excellent shopping and good value restaurants make Phuket very appealing to tourists worldwide.  Hop in the water and go snorkelling, swimming, kayaking, or diving from any of the 38 islands off Phuket.  Treat yourself to a sensational Thai massage.  Visit the Phuket Fantasea, a cultural show and great for the whole family.  Take a day trip to Phi Phi Island - one of the most relaxing, idealic islands in Asia.  Elephant riding is a must when you come to Thailand.  For the food entusiast why not do a Thai Cooking Class at one of the many schools.

The main beach area is Patong, where you find the hub of shopping, restaurants and nightlife.  There are plenty of other beach areas to choose from like Karon, Kata, Kamala and Bang Thao Bay.  If you don't want to be in the heart of Patong and want something a litte quieter there is a good variety of hotels to choose from in Karon, which is only 10-15 minutes drive back to Patong.  Some hotels offer courtesy buses to Patong. 

Phuket has it's rainy season from April to October and it is during this time that the hotels offer great deals.  Alot of hotels are offering half price room rates during this period.  During this season, the beaches are sometimes closed due to strong tides and rips.   High season and the best weather is from November to March. 

The range of hotels in Phuket is diverse from 2 to 5 star hotels, some offering spa treatments and massages and overall a pretty good standard.  Alot of the major chains are represented in Phuket, like Novotel, Hilton, Le Meredien, Sheraton,and  Marriott.