One area of Phuket which many travelers and tourists don’t know anything about is Saphan Hin which really is a shame as its one of my favorite places in Phuket. Saphan Hin is actually a public park which lies next to the bay of Phuket and is part of Phuket Town.

A part of Saphan Hin has actually been reclaimed from the sea after an extensive land reclamation project which is somewhat unique to the island of Phuket.

There is also somewhat of a historic factor to Saphan Hin as it is home to a special monument for the tin mining history of Phuket. One of the main industries of Phuket in the past was the tin mining industry and which attracted a lot of immigrant workers from countries such as China which is partly the reason why there is such as strong community with Chinese roots on the island. The Phuket tin mining memorial at Saphan Hin actually is somewhat of a memorial for a foreigner which is also very unusual in Thailand. The Saphan Hin memorial is for Captain Edward Thomas Miles. He played an important role in local Phuket history as in 1909 he was the first to dredge Phuket. The tin mining memorial at Saphan Hin in honor of Captain Edward Thomas Miles was built in 1969, sixty years after he started the first dredge.

Saphan Hin boarders the sea and with its lovely park it is an ideal place to jog or simply walk around. In the weekends you will also see many Thai families enjoying a picnic on the grass whilst enjoying a view over the sea. The Saphan Hin park is very large so you won’t have any problem in finding a quiet place to picnic with your family or friends. There is also ample parking space available for your car or scooter.

Saphan Hin is also home to two swimming pools and an extensive sports park. You can play jeux de boule , shoot some hoops or play a game of tennis. Most of these facilities can be used free of charge but for the public swimming pools at Saphan Hin you do need to pay a small entry fee or a small membership fee. The sport facilities at Saphan Hin are mostly used by local Thai residents however I have often also seen expats use them.

There is also a large football stadium at Saphan Hin in Phuket and this football stadium is mostly used by students and other football teams as the professional football team of Phuket uses another football stadium in Phuket.

There are also a few very good seafood restaurants in Saphan Hin and one or two of them attract a lot of Korean and Taiwanese tourists who normally arrive by the bus load. There are also a lot of street side vendors at the Phuket Saphan Hin park where you can get fresh fruit, fruit shakes, sweet cakes and many types of Thai fast food. There is also a lane at Saphan Hin in Phuket which is filled with Karaoke pubs.

I would advise against visiting the Saphan Hin park in Phuket at night as there have been some trouble with students gangs there in the past. However during the day time it is a very safe place to be and I would personally recommend for you to visit Saphan Hin at sunset as you can enjoy wonderful sunsets there.

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