Kayaking or sea-canoeing into the limestone caves and tunnels of the Andaman Sea is one highlight of our holiday time on the island of Phuket.

Related pages:

Bargaining

The Thai language

Making yourself understood

Mai pen rai: a slogan and a philosophy

Gay life and culture

Those go-go boy bars

Getting around Thailand

Thai customs

Basic travel facts

Things to try...

Thailand holiday overview

Complete site index 

This page describes one of the five entirely different views of Thailand that you'll get on Honah Lee, a holiday for gay men, lesbians, and friends. Links at the bottom of this page connect to more information about this trip.

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Phuket (occasionally spelled Puket — see The Thai Language) lies nestled in the Andaman Sea, linked to the mainland by bridge. No doubt about it: Phuket is commercialized, with a higher percentage of tourists than any other location in Thailand. But Phuket is fun, the golden beaches and turquoise sea are beautiful, and here you can find whatever combination you want of relaxation and excitement. Phuket is the perfect spot to wind down as our holiday ends.

We'll spend a day sea-canoeing (or sea-kayaking — the actual boats used are something of a hybrid between canoe and kayak) around and into the towering limestone islands of Phangnga Bay. Soaring vertically, up to a thousand feet out of the sea, the craggy islands are riddled by tunnels and wave-sculpted caves.

A few islands contain hongs, or hidden lagoons, that can be reached only by canoeing through these tunnels when the tides are right. We'll paddle right into some of these hidden tunnels and stalactite-adorned caves. Two of Phangnga's islands played a leading role in the 007 film, The Man with the Golden Gun. A stop at James Bond island provides a fun, albeit commercialized, detour as we head home.

On our final days in Phuket, you can select from an enormous variety of activities:

• Scuba divers: Bring your certification cards, as the scuba diving off Phuket is superb. Manta rays with 20-foot wingspans have been seen here, along with harmless and photogenic leopard sharks, colorful sea stars, polka-dotted clown triggerfish, spotted lobsters, and huge schools of snapper.
• Relax on the sandy 2-mile crescent of Patong Beach. Swim, snorkel, sail, parasail, go deep-sea fishing, or just get a massage.
• Take a day trip to spectacular islands of Ko Phi Phi, with breathtaking limestone cliffs, white sandy white beaches, and clear waters for diving or snorkeling. Visit the colorful Butterfly Garden, Orchid Garden, and the Gibbon Rehabilitation Center, where domesticated primates are re-introduced into the forest and taught to fend for themselves.
• Hike in Khao Phra Taew Forest Park, a spectacular rainforest with waterfalls and natural pools for swimming.
• Shop! Patong Beach is full of bargains and intriguing shops.
• Plan your next dinner. Phuket is famous for its seafood. Barbecued lobster with chili sauce, shrimp in coconut milk curry, green mussels, and fresh oysters are among the island's specialties.

This brings our trip to a close. Some travelers will probably choose to stay on in Phuket; others, after two weeks in Asia, will have to get back to the office. If this synopsis of our tour has caught your interest, we invite you to see further trip details on our main site, or to find out more about Alyson Adventures and the other holidays we offer for gay men and lesbians.

Other stops on this Thailand holiday:

Bangkok | Chiangmai | Hill Tribes | Rainforest

Trip details