Promthep Cape - The Southernmost Tip Of Phuket

Known as "Laem Promthep" and "God's Cape", this cape is a small piece of rocky land with a tall cliff. Buses of tourists from all over Phuket city flock here almost daily to catch the beautiful sunset, over the Andaman Sea.

At the top of the hill, you get a panoramic view of the sea and can even spot far away islands like Phi Phi, Racha Yai, and Noi Islands on good days. There's also rarely fog around, which is what makes the sunset here so stunning.

Besides the viewpoint that people go to wait for the sunset, up the stairs from the car park is actually the main attraction; the Promthep Cape Temple. This Buddhist shrine has a beautiful Buddhist altar surrounded by numerous elephant statues and carvings.

The elephant is important in Buddhism and Thai culture as it represents strength and wisdom. In fact, the shrine has hundreds of elephant statues from small palm-sized ones to statues that are almost lifesized. Besides having a great view overlooking the sea, the temple has a quiet charm compared to other bigger temples in Thailand.

Further beyond the temple is Promthep Cape Lighthouse or "Kanchanaphisek Lighthouse". Being about 60 metres above sea level the lighthouse is another good place to look out over the sea and enjoy the sunset. Plus, visitors tend to miss this attraction, so you'll be away from most of the crowd.

Inside, there's a small, fully air-conditioned nautical museum where you can view some interesting historical artifacts. You can even head to the balcony at the top of the lighthouse to enjoy a better view.

Phuket City has developed Promthep Cape into a fun tourist destination and there are actually quite a few things to do here. Here are some of them:

Shopping - There are numerous shops and stalls around the car park where you can buy souvenirs like T-shirts and keychains, and even local snacks and drinks if you need refreshment.
Dining - Promthep Cape has a few excellent dining options including Bukito by Promthep Restaurant where you can dine al-fresco overlooking the sunset, and a few smaller restaurants.
Visit the shooting range - If you've always wanted to visit a shooting range, you can do it at the Gold Shooter Club at Promthep Cape. There's a decent selection of prop guns on display at the front of the shop which are cool to look at, and an actual shooting range at the back.