Phuket's Best Island Drives:
The North East Loop

 [right]: View of the bay off the northeast loop

The drive north from Heroines Monument (traffic circle) just south of Thalang to the east coast of Phuket, along several bays and viewpoints - is one of the best on Phuket.  You pass small Thai communities, fishing villages, shrimp farms and more.  Take your camera!

Incredible views of the Phang Nga Bay are on offer here.

Directions:
Turn east on to highway 4027 from the Heroines Monument circle.  Twelve kilometers later, turn east again at the Ao Po turn off - there is a sign pointing to the Ao Po Pier there.  Drive three more kilometers to the Radi Medical turn off.  There is a sign there that looks like this (the appearance of the sign changes from time to time, but a sign is always there):
 

Follow the sign and it will take you on a beautiful loop that will bring you back - about three kilometers farther down the Ao Po Road.

You'll see many views of the islands in the bay.

And you'll see this interesting statue of Ganesh [below]
 

On the way back to the main road - you'll drive past the Mission Hills Golf Course - which starts the Mission Hills Loop - another great drive.

This area, over the next five years, will begin to surpass even the exclusive areas around Trisara - for some of Asia's most expensive and dramatic resorts and property developments.

It's worth taking a look.  You can say you were there before all the fuss started!