Phuket - Holidays in Thailand

A lot of rooms have nice views of the sea, although I did not need it, since we were out most of the day. The rooms are clean and quite spacey and have a TV, bath, fridge, and air-conditioning as well as a ventilator. There are no bugs as far as I have seen (and I normally am the "bug magnet"). I heard of other hotels here having problems with that.

The interior and entrance hall (as you can see in the pic) are high and airy.

You should not take your hotel bath towels to the beach, but you can get some for free for that purpose in the hotel. The beach starts right in front of the hotel, just stumble over the street and you are there. And, yes, they also have a small swimming pool, but why use this when you can go into the sea?

As in almost every hotel here, they also offer massages and services for your nails or hair - but I would go outside for that. It will be cheaper.

I was surprised how cheap it was, and at my first look, it seemed really good. There was an open reception, friendly people, garden in the middle with a swimming pool (not very big, but still there), and clean rooms, too. So far so good.

Now comes what buggered me here. I would advise against this hotel if you are a family with children or if you really want to get some rest at night. It was quiet enough (no street sound or anything else), BUT the walls are thin - and this is what we call a real "bumshotel," meaning every night we had to listen to our neighbour(s) having (loud) sex with prostitutes and such. And I mean every night. From what I heard of other guests we met, it was the same in other parts of the same hotel.

I wish they would separate the "sex" tourists from the normal visitors, but before they do, well, I would not come here again. I sure wish I could say different.

Choose from the menu list. A good idea it is to order one of the fixed menus at the end of the card (or better yet, order two different ones if you are two people), as then you have a little of everything to try.

Because this is a common touristy spot, you also have little shops and stands for food and drinks. If you have never seen the stink fruit, this is the place you get it. There is also a small religious site here. It is surrounded by many statuettes of elephants (see pic).

The Patong tower is built on sand, and the problem is that it is slightly tilted now - and getting worse. If you are looking for a (cheap?) flat to buy, they still have some in the upper levels...

All three beaches have hotels and accommodations for the tourists. You can see that, even if you are not located in Patong, you could get there easily enough if you wanted.

It also pays to look for those wats not named on the maps. There are real treasures out there! Show some respect when visiting them. They are free to visit when a celebration is not going on. Take off your shoes before entering a building.

Phuket has a big orchid farm with lots of different species. They make quite a view. And throughout them there are butterflies flying from flower to flower.

You can also buy them here or have them shipped home. The last chance to do that is at the airport. I think they also have a shop there.

Here you have the typical landscape (I should better say "seascape"), with many small islands with the high tower-like rock structures.

There are different ways to get there, like by jonge (dschunke). You can also use sea kayak, etc. On the trip with the jonge, you will also visit the sea gypsies and a drive-through cave (see next tips).

On James Bond Island itself, which is really not so big, you can explore some half caves and walk halfway around it, halfway because there is no possibility to surround it on foot. The cliffs are too steep in places. On the beach are heaps of little stands for tourists.

The entire city is not actually built into the water, as one small part (where the mosque stands) is on a small island. Behind the mosque you can see a big tree. This one is only still standing because it is an Iron Tree - and the wood of those cannot tolerate water.

Most of the sea gypsies are Muslim (hence the mosque). They live off the fruits of the sea, which they also sell, and off the tourists who come to visit them.

If you arrive, you will soon have a whole bulk of people around you trying to sell you something. Just say "no" if you don't want anything. It is also easy to get lost in the many small alleys... stay with the group if you don’t have much time.

In the picture, you can see the beach and how many boats are there. The place is still great for snorkeling and diving.

Phi Phi Don is the bigger of the two Phi Phi Islands, and actually, it is like two islands connected by a very small coral bridge with palms and beaches on both sides.

I think there still is something left of this place, and it is worth a trip and at least a 1-night stay. Phi Phi Islands can only reached by ferry and are a 2-hour drive from Phuket or Krabi or Lanta (only in winter).

Patong is the place you go if you want to be in the middle of things. Here is the center for water sports (of course, you can also go elsewhere), the place for nightlife, the biggest selection of restaurants (Japanese, Thai, French, Italian, German, Indian, etc.), and so many tailors, you will never find out who is the best (though they all claim it’s them).

Tuk-tuks bring you from one end of the beach to the other (well, you can also walk the 3km). Very important: do not forget to set the price before getting in.

The "other side" you see in my picture. This may not be your place if you are here for a little quiet, but, of course, you can also go to one of the many other beaches, as they are quieter and not so far away, either.