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Phuket,
also known as "The Pearl of the Andaman",
is Thailand's biggest island and one of the country's
most important tourist attractions. Roughly the same
size as Singapore, the terrain is varied and features
a hilly backbone, magnificent west coast beaches and
a secluded east coast. Phuket's climate is tropical
with temperatures hovering about 30 degrees centigrade
all-year round. There are two monsoon seasons; one from
May to October and a cooler period from December to
April. Recent History: Over 100 years ago a large influx
of Chinese Hokkien labourers arrived to work in the
tin mines and many stayed. Today, the island has more
of a Chinese flavour than most Thai provinces. After
the tin boom subsided, tourism became an important industry
and most of the west coast is devoted to hotels and
their spin-off enterprises. The property market on Phuket
has blossomed within the last few years and partly as
a result the face of the island has changed. Phuket
now has an extensive infrastructure with international
hospitals, decent-sized roads, shopping galore and some
of Thailand's best restaurants. Leisure activities include
sailing, diving, excellent golf opportunities and swimming.
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