Geography
Phuket is the same size as Singapore Island. About 70 percent of Phuket is forested hills. Mai Tha Sip Song is the highest peak on the island, 529 meters above sea level. Low plains form the rest of the area, mainly in the center and south. There are three canals, Khlong Bang Yai, Tha Jin, Khlong Tha Rua, and Khlong Bang Rong, which run through the island.
Phuket is the largest island in the country, but the smallest province in the South. Surrounded by 32 smaller islands, Phuket occupies 543 square kilometers. The overall length from north to south is 47.8 kms and 21.3 kms from west to east. Phuket connects to the mainland by two bridges, the Sarasin Bridge and Thoa Thep Krasatri Bridge (600 meter, across Pak Phra Channel, bridging Chatchai Landing of Phuket and Tha Nun Landing of Phangnga). To the south and west Phuket adjoins the Andaman Sea, and the Krabi Sea to the East.
Climate
Phuket's weather conditions are dominated by monsoon winds that blow year round. It is therefore always warm and humid. There are two distinct seasons, rainy and dry.
The rainy season begins in May and lasts till October, during which the monsoon blows from the southwest. The dry season is from November through April, when the monsoon comes from the northeast. Highest average temperatures, at 33.4 degree Celsius, prevail during March. Lowest averages occur in January, when nightly lows dip to 22 degree Celsius.
Diving
Phuket diving sites number among the very best to be found. In fact, the readers of the top diving magazine voted Phuket diving among the top ten in the world. Diving Phuket's warm clear blue waters is best from mid-October to May, when the calm seas and rain free days make Phuket diving off Ko Kaew Noi, Ko Rajali Yai, Shark Point a truly unique experience.
Phi Phi Island diving is also one of the highlights for any serious dive itinerary, Phi Phi Island diving takes the diver to one of the most famous diving sites in the world, and facilities for Phi Phi Island diving are among the best for such a site.
Diving Khao Lak will introduce the diver to many new varieties of fish and coral. Khao Lak diving is a relatively unspoiled diving site offering much natural scenery and diving Khao Lak means entering into one of Thailand's premier marine national parks.
Scuba companies diving Phuket offer full training courses and equipment hire, so that experienced and amateur divers can experience diving Phuket waters without needing to worry about bringing more than their underwater cameras.
Snorkelling equipment, fins, mask and snorkel, can be rented on a daily basis from shops all over the island.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off Yilan at 11:05pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter was located at sea, about 32.3km east of Yilan County Hall, at a depth of 72.8km, CWA data showed There were no immediate reports of damage. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Yilan County area on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. It measured 4 in other parts of eastern, northern and central Taiwan as well as Tainan, and 3 in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, and 2 in Lienchiang and Penghu counties and 1
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