Discover Phuket: culinary highlights and elephant adventures!

Discover Phuket: culinary highlights and elephant adventures!

Phuket, Thailand's largest island with around 500,000 residents, has been attracting a lot of attention lately. Silvia Schneider's culinary journey of discovery, which travels to Southeast Asia in the fifth edition of her series, is particularly challenging. Silvia explores the island's diverse markets and food cultures and meets with renowned chef Nooror Somany Steppe to purchase fresh ingredients for her cooking.

Insight into the local food culture

One of the highlights of her trip is a visit to a local food market, where she discovers the tasty exhibits of Thai cuisine. In addition to the traditional pineapple shrimp curry known as Kaeng Koong Sapparod, she also tries the popular dish Phad Thai Koong Sod prepared by chef Kris Steppe. To enjoy the cuisine even better, this invites you Phuket Elephant Sanctuary not only allows guests to see the impressive elephants in their natural habitat, but also offers the opportunity to enjoy exquisite meals in a lovingly run restaurant.

The restaurant is led by Chef Khun Kwan, a seasoned culinary professional with over 20 years of experience in the island's best kitchens. Here you can not only taste delicious dishes, but also see rescued elephants at the same time - a unique opportunity to highlight animal welfare. If you are traveling with children, you will find a special children's zone in the restaurant with trampolines and seesaws.

Religious and cultural treasures of Phuket

Silvia also visits Bang Neow Shrine, one of the oldest and most revered Chinese shrines on the island. Here she is welcomed by Prasert Fakthongphol, one of the head priests, and learns a lot about the meaning and traditions associated with the shrine.

Another highlight is exploring Phuket Old Town with the charismatic Suladda Sarutilavan, who brings the area's colonial architecture and diverse street art to life. The hustle and bustle in the streets offers a wealth of cultural impressions and local delicacies.

Adventures in nature

If you want to take it a little quieter, you can visit the beautiful pineapple farm in the east of the island. This is run by the Bang Rong Community, a traditional Muslim community. The farm organizes ecological community tours that include an interesting guided tour of the plantations as well as a boat trip through the breathtaking mangrove forests with an impressive sunset.

Phuket Island is not only a hotspot for culinary experiences and religious sites, but also a paradise for adventure seekers. Sights such as the Big Buddha, Wat Chalong and the famous Patong Beach with the lively Bangla Road are just some of the attractions that promise unforgettable experiences.

The variety of beaches and diving opportunities, coupled with the offer of island hopping to the surrounding paradisiacal islands, makes Phuket an ideal destination for every traveler.

No matter whether you experience the local culture in one of the excellent restaurants, like this Ban Chang Restaurant, want to experience or go on a nature trip, Phuket has something to offer for every taste. The combination of cuisine, culture and adventure ensures that Phuket remains very popular with tourists.

For more information about the sights and gastronomic highlights on the island, it's worth taking a look Thailand Highlights.