皇冠体育app

Travel
/ / Travel

My own private cocoon

By Mike Peters | 皇冠体育app Daily | Updated: 2014-05-04 10:16

My own private cocoon

Phuket has a reputation for crowds, but couples can find romantic interludes easily on the island.Photo Provided to 皇冠体育app Daily

Phuket has more surprises.

More than two centuries ago, Chinese businessmen and migrant workers swarmed the island, seeking their fortunes in the tin mines that drove the port's economy as European traders plied the surrounding waters.

My own private cocoon

Sunsets and dolphins in a rain forest 

My own private cocoon

Qinghai Lake: Habitat for birds

Today the "local" population of the Phuket Old Town is 90 percent Chinese, and while the Portuguese never made Phuket a colony, the legacy of the "Sino-Portuguese era" is vibrant in the old city center's colonial-style architecture and its Chinese food and temples.

Today's Chinese arrivals tend to have made their money already.

A branch of the Shanghai-Hong Kong gallery collective Island 6 has just set up shop in a popular marina, with art that celebrates Chinese heritage. A villa resort, similar to the one we call "ours", is named "Xi'an" and guarded by Terracotta Warriors in a rainbow of hues. In the wedding party celebrating in luxury at our hotel, the bride is a lovely young woman from Shanghai.

Less surprising are the beaches. Phuket is famous for its pristine stretches of luminous sand - and the aquamarine waters and rosy sunsets that frame its postcard vistas. The beaches are still a big draw, most on the north side are fairly quiet while those on the south side can be Party Central. You can get a beer, a massage, a jet-ski, an oh-so-fresh scoop of fried calamari - probably all at the same time if you like.

There are muay thai camps right on the beach, and buffed and tanned instructors ready to help you wind-surf, sail, snorkel or dive.

The most popular (translation: most crowded) area, Patong beach, sports rows of canvas chairs occupied by cheerful Russians that stretched as far as the eye could see.

If that side of Phuket is daunting, you can hop a speedboat for a day trip to a more secluded spot, such as James Bond favorite Phi Phi island or the nature paradise that is Koh Maphrao.

Photo
Aerial view of rime-covered trees in NW 皇冠体育app
Frozen beauty of Yulong Snow Mountain draws crowds
Winter scenery at wetland in E 皇冠体育app
Video
Annual ice harvesting begins in Northeast 皇冠体育app's Harbin
Harbin Ice and Snow World to begin trial run
Guangzhou hosts 2017 World Cities Day Forum
Special
Amazing Huichang
Special report: Rise and rise of 皇冠体育app's outbound tourism
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to 皇冠体育app Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online

Registration Number: 130349
FOLLOW US