Phuket Viewpoints

Phuket has views that would make a landscape painter rush out and buy an easel and brushes and the great thing is that you don't have to trek halfway across the country to appreciate them. Whether it's a sunset-watching spot, a 360-degree panorama of the south of the island, a vista from the top of Phuket Town or a glimpse of swathes of tropical lushness it's all within your grasp in minutes. All you need is wheels.

It's a matter of taste, of course, as some prefer the 'outside-in' aspect of viewing the island from a yacht or tour boat. Others prefer life way up in the clouds, looking down from on high while others favour the exact opposite. So let's mix and match. Here are some of Phuket's best viewpoints for you to check out.

Pretty soon the road turns into a fairly steep incline but not as pronounced as to put people off and soon it almost levels off. Near the top there is a restaurant with breezy views over Karon and the Andaman Sea. At the summit the Buddha image is certainly impressive, seen from directly below.

There is ample parking space and access to the image is through a Buddhist shrine. If you choose to enter into or to participate in any ceremonies in the shrine please remember that beachwear is highly inappropriate in temples or at shrines so please dress accordingly in more formal attire. 

Simply walk through the shrine and up the stairs leading to the image. In fact up here, as well as the large Buddha image there is another smaller, golden one and a large bronze bell with a wooden clapper. There are limited views over the Andaman Sea but views to the north and to the east are fantastic and one can see just how green this island is and, by contrast, how turquoise its surrounding waters are.

The vista makes you think you can reach out and touch the islands off the east coast and Chalong pier looks like an extension of Patak Road, with yachts in the harbour appearing as white dots. It's really worth taking a map of Phuket along with you to know exactly what it is you are looking at down below. [Read more about the Big Buddha...]

The stairs are a bit of a climb but it's more than worth it once you're at the top as the 360 degree views of Southern Phuket are immensely rewarding.

A two-level view tower (the top floor is best) contains eight photo key maps in both Thai and English so you will know what you are gazing at, although they do portray Sirey Island in two different locations! 

Chalong Bay lies below to the south, Makham Bay, Cape Panwa and Phuket's deep water port to the east, Phuket Town to the north and over in the distance you can see the Big Buddha sitting serenely atop Ko Nakkerd - and that's a view that looks exotic in any kind of weather.

So it's no wonder that they call this wonderful place Khao Khad View(s) Tower as there is so much to see here. Like at the Big Buddha viewpoint, it's easy to see from here where the island's open-cast tin mines were in times past and how they have filled in with rainwater, some now serving the municipality as water sources. Down the hill, overlooking Khao Khad Beach, there is a restaurant modestly called Best Food Good View perched on the hillside where you can drink a beer and take in the views over Chalong Bay.