Thailand: Karon Beach in Phuket looks lovelier and lonelier than ever.
At this time year, the high season normally thousand of tourists, most of them European holidaymakers would be enjoying the pleasures of Karon Beach in Thailand, sunbathing on the wooden beach loungers, drinking ice-cold Singha beer, buying Thai food and souvenirs from the passing vendors, or simply sleeping under the shade of the colorful beach umbrellas.
But nowadays, about five weeks after the tsunami wave hit Phuket, there are not many tourists to be seen on the cleaner than ever white sands of Karon Beach. Only about hundred people can be spotted on the spotless mile-long beach.
Except for the absence of holidaymakers, Phuket's Karon Beach doesn't look like a place that was hit some weeks ago by a huge tsunami wave, for the simple reason that Karon beach never saw a tsunami wave, nor many other beaches in Thailand's Phuket area. Yes, waves slashed into Patong beach, creating much damage, but most has long been fixed and repaired.
Just have a look today at Phuket's Patong Beach, the place looks exactly as it did last year, with only one exception, there are nearly no tourists on the beach and in the hotels.
Phuket in Thailand is an island resort that ranks as the most popular in Asia, but does currently have huge problems by a lack of tourists. During high season (December-February), hotel occupancy in Phuket is usually around the 90 percent range. Now hotel occupancy, all over Phuket island is down to about 15 percent or less.
In Patong Beach, the debris that the tsunami left behind has long been cleaned up and on beach road its business as usual. In Bangla, the entertainment zone of Patong, all restaurants and bars are operating full-blast, including all the open-air beer bars with the many hostesses.
Phuket wants you to know that you are very welcome and if you want to do something for Thailand and the people and staff that works in the hotel business, the best thing you can do is come on holiday to Phuket.
Every hotel in Phuket is offering low-season rates and most restaurants and shops are offering discounts. The beaches have been cleaned up and the streets are alive with action, but what is missing are tourists.
