When I think of Phuket, I think of three things – its beaches, its limestone karsts, and its seafood. We experienced all three on our most recent trip, albeit in varying amounts thanks to August’s inclement weather. We had copious amounts of seafood but very little of the other two. Not that I minded.

I had been to Koh Samui many years before so with both destinations being in southern Thailand, I expected Phuket to be similar. It was for the most part, but the one thing that did surprise me was the Russian. And by Russian, I mean the language. There was a lot of it. Many signs and ads were in Russian. Entire restaurant menus were translated into the Russian language.

I asked our hotel staff why that was and they said Phuket is marketed heavily in Russia, so a good chunk of the island’s tourists during that time of year are Russian. I expected China or countries within Southeast Asia, but never Russia! It just goes to show what an international tourist destination Phuket has become.

No matter what country you’re from or which language you speak, I hope this Phuket travel guide can help you plan that first trip to this dream island destination in Thailand.