Page 50 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Phuket

48 ❯❯ The Top 10 of Everything

Picturesque Places

Ko Phi Phi Leh
Rang Hill
1 4
With dramatic limestone cliffs
With sweeping views of Phuket
giving way to white sand and blue Town and wide expanses of green
lagoons, this uninhabited island is a ideal for picnics, the top of Rang Hill
tropical paradise. Day-trippers enjoy is one of Phuket’s most relaxing
snorkeling and swimming in the spots. People come here to exercise
placid Andaman waters, as well as or read a book. Others enjoy the
seeing the 400-year-old wall paintings restaurants with mag nificent views
by fishermen in the Viking Cave. You and the island’s best iced coffee. The
can also visit Maya Bay, where The bronze statue of a former governor
Beach was filmed (see p100). stands near the viewpoint (see p13).
Khao Sok National Park
5
Beautiful lakes, thrilling caves,
and limestone cliffs are inter spersed
with ancient ever green trees in this
virgin forest north of Phuket. Home
to a diverse popula tion of wildlife, as
well as rare tree species, Khao Sok
offers some of the best trekking,
canoeing, and safaris in southern
Thailand (see pp32–5).
Phromthep Cape
Donald Duck Bay on Ko Similan 6
Dramatic, swirling shades
Similan Islands
2 of red, purple, and orange appear
on the horizon during the sunset
One of the top scuba diving
destinations in the world, the Similan crescendo at Phromthep Cape (see
Islands (see pp30–31) are home to p27). The hilltop viewpoint also has
rare marine life, including magni- restaurants, an outdoor market, an
ficent coral reefs, as well as pristine, elephant shrine, and a lighthouse.
unpopu lated beaches. Accommodation
Mangroves
on overnight snor keling or diving 7
trips is in tents or very basic bunga- These trees, with their tangled
lows on the beach. and exposed roots, can be found
along Phuket’s muddy shorelines.
Phang Nga Bay
3 Sea canoe tours offer the best way to
Verdant limestone cliffs jut
see the mangroves up close. They
up from this bay, with James Bond are home to crab-eating macaque
Island one of the most popular of mon keys, while underwater they
these land masses. To escape the serve as nurseries for crusta ceans
crowds, look for full-day sea canoe and fish. The trees them selves are
journeys through aquatic grottoes picturesque – and unusual, because
and tunnels (see pp36–7). they survive in saltwater.
Sailing Phang Nga Bay

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