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I wanted to show you Phuket Island with a different view or angle. I think that many people regard Phuket only as a center of noisy tourism and not much more. Maybe this story will convince you to look different on this beautiful Island.
Sarasin Bridge the gate to Phuket
The Sarasin Bridge connects Phuket island to Phang Nga province on the mainland of Thailand, therefore it is the gate to the famous tourist center.
The original 600 meters bridge was built in 1967 and was known also to be the scene of some sad love story, the way bridges often do.
Dam was a local bus driver in Phuket, from a poor family. Gew was a college student who used to ride on Dam’s bus. Gew came from a wealthy family who expected her to marry someone who was also rich.
The love story
As the two got to know each other, they began to fall in love. They sought Gew’s father’s blessing to get married, but he refused their plea and forbade them from seeing each other ever again. Having their love stifled by Gew’s father, the couple decided that if they couldn’t be together, they would take their own lives. On the night of February 22, 1973, they jumped together from the Sarasin Bridge.
At the time the bridge wasn’t very high, therefore for many years, it was a problem for large boats that had to go all around the Island to reach the Andaman Sea. However, in 2010, a new double lane higher bridge was built parallel to the old one, allowing more road traffic above and bigger ships to pass below.
The old bridge was transformed into a charming pedestrian bridge, a must-see location for many tourists.
Phuket looks so crowded and noisy. But if you scratch under the surface you can find all kinds of beautiful and peaceful places.
Sapum Thammaram temple shows a different view on Phuket Island
Wat Sapum Thammaram is a lovely place for some peace and beautiful scenery of the temple and surrounding garden with few buildings for religious practice. However, the best time to visit is the morning as the temple faces east and the Andaman sea. Wat Sapum Thammaram is a temple for the local Thais, and you won’t see many tourists there.
The temple is located in the heart of Phuket Island, just before Old Phuket town, and not that far from the famous Central shopping mall. Once you get into the temple yard, everything changes from the noise of the city to a quiet and peaceful ambiance. The ordination hall sits on the top of the hill an oversees the whole Island. Monks live in this temple, and there are often ceremonies for Thai people in adjacent Dhamma Hall. Park that surrounds the temple also has many objects that are token of appreciation for the loved ones and the Buddha.
Phuket Island tourist center
Phuket Island is a rainforested, mountainous island in the Andaman Sea. Apart from some of Thailand’s most popular beaches, the Island is home to many high-end seaside resorts, spas, and restaurants. Phuket City, the capital, has old shophouses and busy markets. Patong, the main resort town, has many nightclubs and bars.
Phuket Island covers the area of 543 km² and has a population of more than 400.000 people. Over 5.3 million tourists flock to Phuket each year to experience its vibrant atmosphere and scenic beaches.
Leaving this temple, I choose to take west coast road back to the mainland because I wanted to stop here. Laem Singh Beach is the jewel in the crown of Phuket beaches. You can get there only by boat, or from an adjacent hotel. Many people visit this place to have a moment and enjoy the view. It also shows the other, gentler side of this tourist giant hub. After this scene, you can easily ignore the busy road and traffic on the way home.
If you want to know more
Let me know what you want to know the most, and how can I help you with my experience. Next week I will write more on things that lead me to start contemplating my plans for change.
If you want to learn more about things I write about, check out my books. See also what the goal of this web site is. You can check out my other post about mindfulness, and share your thoughts and comments.
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