[ holiday stop: phuket ]

A SMALL island off the southern most tip of Thailand, Phuket is famous for its gorgeous beach resorts and became world-renowned when the tsunami hit in 2004. Patong Beach is the most popular and was hit hard but has managed to rebuild itself since the disaster and the beaches are beautiful once again.

But aside from the gorgeous beaches, Phuket is a fascinating place to visit. 95% of the population is Buddhist so temples and buddhas can be seen everywhere.

We visited the Buddha Cave Temple {Wat Suwannakuha}, also known as Monkey Temple since there are monkeys everywhere.

Speaking of monkeys, coconuts are a huge industry in Thailand and did you know that most are picked by monkeys? Monkeys are captured and sold to farmers who send their monkeys to monkey school where they are taught how to pick ripe coconuts and load them into trucks. Seriously! They receive a diploma when they graduate and go to work in the farmer's coconut plantations. They work for several years and then the farmer cares for them through their retirement.

Another thing I found so interesting were the Spirit Houses that could be seen outside every building, business and home.

Thais believe that there are spirits, or celestial beings who would otherwise reside in the heavens and could cause problems if not appeased. They believe that by providing a shelter for the spirits, they will watch over them and protect them. Regardless of the size or style of the dwelling or business, in Thai culture, it is imperative that one is erected and many people light incense every morning and ask the spirit to watch over them.

Next stop: Phuket part 2 ~ Phang Nga Bay

lisa