Phuket voted 8th among world’s top 10 islands

PHUKET: Phuket has won eighth place among the world’s top 10 islands in the latest reader survey conducted by travel review website TripAdvisor.

Phuket was described by TripAdvisor as an island with “blue lagoons and salmon sunsets [that] make for a dream-like atmosphere, and indeed, a vacation here can feel a bit surreal”.

It also said: “Water sports are the most popular activities, though once you’ve had enough sun there’s still plenty to explore at the island’s aquariums, gardens and Buddhist temples.”

According to TripAdvisor, Phuket is the second-best island in Asia after Bali, Indonesia, which was ranked fifth in the survey.

Regionally, Koh Samui and Koh Tao are ranked third and fourth respectively.

The world’s top 10 islands for this year are: Maui in Hawaii, United States; Santorini, Greece; Jamaica, Caribbean; Providenciales, Turks and Caicos; Bali, Indonesia; Mallorca, Spain; Mauritius, Africa; Phuket, Thailand; Bora Bora, French Polynesia; and Fernando de Noronha, Brazil.

“In addition to their truly magnificent landscapes, the Travellers’ Choice Islands are home to highly rated hotels, restaurants and attractions, and are brimming with unique culture,” TripAdvisor spokeswoman Julie Cassetina was quoted by CNN as saying.

The travel review and booking site selected its Travellers’ Choice Island award winners based on the quality and quantity of user reviews over 12 months.

In TripAdvisor’s previous Travellers’ Choice survey earlier this year, Phuket’s Kata Noi Beach won the first place in the Top 10 Beaches – Thailand category (story here), while it won the third-best rank in Asia and the island’s Nai Harn Beach ranked sixth, followed by Krabi’s Phra Nang and Railey beaches.

The top beach in the world was Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. “We know travellers around the globe love sun and sand vacations, so we’ve tapped the TripAdvisor community to help us identify the world’s best beaches,” said TripAdvisor’s Barbara Messing.

— The Nation