Top 5: Attractions in Thailand

We spent about two weeks in Phuket, Thailand in October 2017. It was mostly cloudy for our stay with patches of rainfall but we still enjoyed all of the best tourist attractions. Phuket is a great region for families to visit as some of the best family-friendly resorts can be found on the beach fronts of Patong, Karon, Khao Lak, Bang Tao and Kata Beach. You can also head over and stay on the stunning little island of Phi Phi just off the shores of Phuket. It's also a popular spot for couples with boutique resorts offering privacy and intimacy during your tropical getaway. But the question is, what do you do once you're there? We have our top 5 attractions listed below:

1. Speedboat tour of Phang Nga Bay

This was an all day tour that kicked off with a speedboat out to the area of Phang Nga Bay. This bay area looks like something out of avatar with giant limestone structures dotted across the sea. The boat stopped off at one structure where we proceeded to explore inside the cave with torchlights and were taught about their formation from the tour guide (the picture above was taken from this cave). The tour then took us just outside another sea cave where we jumped into sea kayaks and were paddled through the dark and narrow cave tunnels which led to an open cave. This was magical. After a lunch stop at the floating village, we were then taken to the famous "James Bond Island" which was a very popular tourist attraction and then went for a quick dip in the ocean but not before getting a picture on the swing in the water. It was a great day out and we highly recommend it.

2. Siam Safari Park/ Wat Chalong Temple

This is definitely the best site to visit if you are an animal lover like us. The cutest and most well-treated elephants can be found at Siam Safari Park. The people who work here truly look after these animals and treat them with respect. We took an Elephant Riding tour through the jungle which lead to a hilltop over looking Phi Phi island. It was a bright and sunny day so the view was spectacular, we even got to feed the elephants their favourite fruit, the Paw Paw! Pictures and souvenirs are available for purchase which aids the park to care for the animals.

After visiting the park we jumped in the back of the tuk tuk and headed to the sacred Buddhist temples of Wat Chalong. I'm not a religious person but inside these temples was breathtaking. Floor to ceiling is filled with magnificent painting and there are sparkling, golden buddhist statues filling the rooms. If you climb to the top level, you will even find a mummafied Monk! This was a really cool introduction to the spiritual and cultural side of Thailand. ** Note** Shoes are not allowed inside a temple, leave them outside. Women are required to cover their shoulders and wear pants or skirts that extend down to their knees. Make sure you speak in a quiet tone within the temple and don’t touch the statues or other Buddhist relics.

3. Shooting Range in Patong

This one is more for the responsible adults out there who enjoy a thrill! The Shooting Range in Patong is definitely going to get your heart racing. You can really choose to shoot any gun you like here as long as you're not too scared to pull the trigger! The guns are loaded for you and the operator sets up the paper target for you on the hill side. You're given safety goggles and ear muffs for protection. Once everything is set up, you're taught how to hold and shoot the gun you've chosen. It is completely safe and definitely for thrill seekers!

4. Jungceylon Shopping Centre

It's not exactly a tourist attraction but it is somewhere you're bound to end up when on holiday in Patong. This place has all the big brands and low prices plus a familiar restaurant, the golden arches of McDonalds! There's also an awesome Irish Pub which has great cocktails such as the Blue Hawaiian and Mai Tai but if you're a sober sally then you might want to head to Starbucks for a an iced coffee.

5. Tiger Temple

Last but not least and probably the most controversial attraction on the list, Tiger Temple in Patong is definitely the most popular spot for tourist from all over the world to visit. Here you can pay to pat and snuggle tigers from just 1 year old to 10 years old. These friendly felines were on our list as we love animals and just had to meet them! It was an awesome experience to be able to lie down, snuggle and pat a fully grown tiger. I can assure you these guys are well looked after and are fed something like 20 raw chickens a day! Now that's a lot of protein...