rl of the Orient

It is not without reason that Phuket, situated in the southern fringes of Thailand, is called the Pearl of the Orient. Spread over an area of over 1,000 square kilometers, this largest and most important of Thai islands is shaped like an irregular pearl.

The currency crisis of the Asian region has made this idyllic tropical island well within the reach of many travelling Indians. There is no doubt that this island provides that much-needed breakaway from the stress and strains of today''s hectic pace of life. This sparsely populated island presents a landscape full of lush green hills, coconut groves, rubber plantations and a very long coastline that is dottedthroughout by dozens of virgin, unspoiled beaches. The sand here is pristine white and the waters that lap up the shore is a clear blue-green. So clear, that you can see several feet into the sea when you are at the top!

Getting to Phuket from India is via Bangkok - the very crowded, but yet beautiful, capital city of Thailand. The national carrier - Thai Airlines - has a flight to Phuket every one hour. We took off from Bangkok for Phuket on a clear, bright and sunny afternoon. We were sitting relaxed in an efficiently administered flight when, all of a sudden, the mystique of Phuket magically seemed to descend on us and pervade all through the aircraft.

Despite sitting near the aircraft engines, whose constant whir was a drone on the ears, we seemed to slip into quietude. The sky outside seemed brighter and bluer, the clouds seemed like patches of pure white cottonstuck on to the sky with glue… when the aircraft suddenly begins its descent into the island. From up where you are seated you suddenly catch the swathe of green that envelopes the island. All of a sudden it dawns on you that the ground is inching closer to you, as the aircraft readies itself to land on a runway that is perilously close to the blue Andaman Sea - so close that you tend to involuntarily say a prayer that the pilot does not misjudge the distance.

We walk out of the immaculately, even if small-by-international-standards, maintained airport building with the island breeze hitting your face. This is where you get the first whiff of, what is surely going to be, an extremely enjoyable and relaxing atmosphere. With its variety and different sizes of beaches along the coast line that cater to the entire spectrum of prices in accommodation, finding the right place to "shack up" is the least of problems in Phuket.

The drive along the clean and well maintained roads that are nearly bereft of any traffic gives you a feeling of being in another era of existence. Besides the sun, sea and the sands which the never ending beach line offers, Phuket also has plenty of other activities for exploring the island. Watersports are at the forefront with yachting, snorkeling, deep sea diving, windsurfing and water skiing being offered on all the beaches.