Sapan Hin

Visitors to Phuket head straight for the beaches – and who can blame them? They are among the most beautiful in the world. But when that golden tan has been achieved, why not pay a visit to Saphan Hin? This is where the locals go for recreation, sports and just to enjoy the clean, fresh breezes.

Known officially as the Sapan Hin Mining Monument, it is referred to in local parlance as ‘Wong Wian Hoi’, which translates roughly as the ‘Circle of Shell’. Here there is an old dredger-shaped monument called, the ‘60 Year Mine Monument’, which was built on the headland at the southern end of Phuket Road in 1969. This commemorates one Captain Edward Thomas Miles, an Australian who brought the first metal ore-dredger to Phuket in 1909, hence the ‘60 year’ bit.

Every morning many Phuket residents visit Sapan Hin for jogging or just to enjoy walking along the mangrove-lined paths. In the evenings people turn out to play tennis, basketball, volleyball, soccer, lawn bowling and takraw. Others come to picnic and enjoy snacks and drinks available from the small market. But word of caution: locals generally pack up their picnics before dark, when the area becomes the haunt of somewhat unruly youths. Best to follow the local example and stick to Sapan Hin during daylight hours.

At the south end of Sapan Hin is the Kiew Tian Shrine, which plays a significant role in the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival; all the street processions end here.

Sapan Hin has become an integral part of the island’s way of life and is worth a visit. To get there just hop in a Tuk-Tuk or taxi; they all know Saphan Hin. If you are driving, head south along Phuket Road past the Phuket Immigration Office. When you reach a large roundabout with an oddly shaped monument in its centre, you’ve arrived.