- Chalong Pier
- Chalong Bay Rum Distillery
- Phuket Botanic Garden
- Wat Chalong
- Hanuman World Zipline
- Trickeye Museum
- Khoa Rang Hill Viewpoint
- Wat Khoa Rang
- Upside Down House
- Chillva Market
1 of 10 – Chalong Pier
Chalong Pier is the main pier and anchorage for the entire province. Many boat trips, charters and tours to nearby islands leave from Chalong Pier for diving, snorkeling, sailing and sight seeing cruises. The lengthy walk along the pier always for some excellent sea views as you look out amongst the wide variety of boats that are anchored here. Within close proximity to the jetty are restaurants and bars serving a range of local seafood and other tasty offerings.
2 of 10 – Chalong Bay Rum Distillery
This distillery is known for producing high-end quality white rum from sugarcane as well as their recently introduced gin. They offer daily guided tours of the distillery process as well as tastings. Or for something more in-depth try a 2-hour cocktail workshop using the distillery’s rum and learn how to properly mix mojitos and other drinks. They serve drinks and tapas in the chic open-air bar. Nicely presented merchandise including their rum and gin products are on display and available to purchase. A really beautiful environment and general lively atmosphere here.
3 of 10 – Phuket Botanic Garden
An impressive horticultural display boasting various collections of tropical and exotic plants in over 30 zones. Each zone contains different species such as tropical palms, herb garden, fragrant plants, fruit orchards and an orchid pavilion. You can learn about traditional farming in the rice paddy, discover medicinal plants, see the butterfly garden and cool off beneath a man-made waterfall in the rain forest. The Phuket Botanic Garden covers 2.4 hectares of land. Rest facilities, souvenir shop and restaurant are available.
4 of 10 – Wat Chalong
The most important of all the temples of Phuket is Wat Chalong. Thai people come to this most revered Buddhist Wat to make merit in the temple’s sermon hall by offering lotus flowers, candles, incense and by adding a gold leaf to the monks’ statues that reside there. Outside of the hall is a firecracker house where Buddhists will set off firecrackers in gratitude of an answered prayer and to celebrate good fortune. The loud noise is said to represent prosperity. The more you light the more your life will improve. The most ornate structure on the temple grounds is the Grand Pagoda which houses the Lord Buddha’s bone splinter, numerous gold buddhas and decorative paintings depicting the Buddha’s life.
5 of 10 – Hanuman World – skywalk & ziplines
This outdoor rainforest adventure park features treetop walkways and bridges, multiple ziplines through the jungle and a high speed “roller zipline”. The whole park has been built sustainably within the dense hillside tropical forest. Along the way guides will ensure safety and provide education about this diverse natural ecosystem and the life that grows here. The Tree Monkeys Restaurant on site serves beverages and authentic, simple Thai cuisine. The ambience in the forest is beautiful amongst the huge ancient trees and the dense jungle greenery with breathtaking views. Super way to get your adrenaline fix and enjoy nature at the same time.
6 of 10 – AR Trick Eye Museum
This museum houses a collection of augmented-reality and 3D/4D exhibits that you touch and interact with. The trick of optical illusions will unfold before your eyes. The array of artwork and installations are designed to trick your brain and make for amazing camera shots. Photography is very much encouraged. You escape into a fantasy world questioning all the while what is real and what is not. Hang out underwater or in the jungle or even snap yourself on the edge of a fiery volcano. Great family day fun.
7 of 10 – Khoa Rang Hill Viewpoint
This well-known hilltop has a park and terrace with sweeping views of Phuket Town, the offshore islands found in Chalong Bay and in the distance Big Buddha. It is a lovely viewpoint at sunset and thereafter as the colourful lights from the city below become visible. A gazebo provides a place for local buskers and karaoke or when not occupied a quiet spot to rest in the shade. Three panoramic restaurants (one with its own viewing platform) and street vendors offer a variety of drinks and culinary options while you are there.
8 of 10 – Wat Khoa Rang
This Buddhist Wat is a very brightly coloured hillside temple with a gigantic golden seated Buddha and huge staircase flanked by carved naga snakes. There are two separate areas to the Wat Khoa Rang grounds. The original building supports the sitting gold Buddha on its roof. The new temple beside the Buddha is accessed by the long staircase. The temple has numerous art pieces throughout including a formidable statue of Yommaraj (the Lord of Death) at the bottom of the staircase behind the altar table. This is where local Thais come to ‘make merit’ by leaving fresh fruit, drinks and flowers or by giving alms to the monks (the Buddhist ritual of placing fresh food into the alms bowls that monks carry with them).
9 of 10 – Upside Down House
This is a tourist attraction where everything is inverted from the house itself to all the furnishings on the inside. It takes awhile to get your brain wrapped around what is going on but essentially you are walking on the ceiling as you tour around. Once you get yourself sorted in this new environment let your imagination soar to create all sorts of fun Instagram photos that defy gravity. There is a garden maze outside at the back of the house for additional amusement. Great entertainment for kids and a wonderful rainy-day activity.
10 of 10 – Chillva Market
This is a 6,400 sq m marketplace full of shipping containers that have become storefronts. On Thurs/Fri/Sat nights in particular this market comes alive with additional tents and hawker stalls selling everything from sunglasses to fried insects. There is an array of culinary treats and Thai cuisine both sweet and savoury as well as other wares and clothing. When the market is in full swing you will find multiple live performances going on in various locations throughout the venue. Cool, young, bohemian vibe found here and one of the best weekday night markets on the island.