Phuket after the Tsunami

They are making an incredibly fast recovery, so don't let my photos sway you from going! No doubt, one of the most horrific events of our lifetime has occurred, and I am deeply saddened for the loss of life.

The media sometimes concerns me. One night, I drove by a media crew on the way to my hotel. When I got in and turned on the TV, there he was on FOX News saying, "LIVE in Patong, the biggest concern here now is getting the people clean food and water." I was soooo mad that I wanted to drive back down there and ask which hotel he staying in that was having "clean water and food issues."

Also, they are planning a redevelopment of Patong that will probably make it better. And right now, there aren't that many tourists, so things are cheaper and riding a motorbike around is less scary (about 150 to 200 baht a day). But the tourist dollars can really help the locals return to their normal pace of life.

Quick Tips:

Rebuilding is VERY slow-going.

Kata is a great place, a very beautiful place with less people and less "woman for hire." This makes it a very nice spot! Again, there is very little Tsunami damage, and almost all of the tourists I met had been there during the tsunami and had stayed.

Best Way To Get Around:

Rent a motorbike for a day, which should be the price after you negotiate!!! You can also rent a tuk-tuk or taxi.

Well, what can I say - we have Marriott timeshare, so we're at the Marriott again. This time in Phuket, we're beginning to get their concept. Here on the island, the Marriott is about a 40-minute drive to "town". A great place for couples and families, I guess. Someone who doesn't want to leave the hotel, perfect for someone who is not really interested in seeing "Thailand", trying local food, or meeting the locals. They do have a Thai night market that is an attempt at local color. However, you really could be at ANY Marriott resort anywhere in the world - it looks the same.

The Marriott has made it rather difficult to leave this resort, literally. One must order a taxi, preferably an hour in advance, or you can take a shuttle bus, but be warned that the times of the shuttle are inconveniet, and drop-off/pick-up locations are out-of-the-way and restrictive. You are really better off in a cab. Plus, the cab drivers will wait for you (cabs back to the hotel can be hard to find) for an additional, however nominal, fee (round trip and three-hour wait 1500 BHT).

The hotel has five restaurants; however, surprisingly, none of them Thai. All are very good but VERY Western. Cucina is the "best Italian in Asia" and quite good - reminded me very much of a place back home (you know, pretty much any trendy Italian place you can think of).

The spa is beautiful, but you can get a much better massage from one of the masseuses on the beach (MUCH cheaper too). The hotel offers activities from learning to scuba to beach fitness classes; however, come rain, they cancel them with no back-up plan.

I dropped by here on my second visit to Thailand, right after the tsunami, and it was still there--they had made a quick recovery, and there were no signs of the tsunami disaster there (besides vacancy rate).

Unique Qualities:
The pool is AMAZING! Beautiful! Great for kids. The hotel is right on beach. However, there is NOTHING--I mean NOTHING--within walking distance to this hotel, not even a convenience store. However, the Marriott offers quite the compound--it gets a bit expensive and leaves one longing for culture, but there is a lot there. The condos are spacious and well-appointed. And again, the spa is quite pretty.

http://www.cnhotelpatong.com/index-resort.html

I love this place (almost so much I don't want to put it in here, for fear it might fill up!)! It is in a great location, has great rooms, and offers a great price. This is the C&N Resort, not the C&N Hotel - same owner, different location.

The rooms are clean and modern, with marble floors, a balcony (with chairs), granite bathrooms, a minibar, a TV, an A/C, and an in-room safe. The hillside location provides a great view (make sure you get a room on one of the top floors). The hotel is small, maybe 50 to 60 rooms. The pool is beautiful, with fountains, and breakfast is included.

My room was VERY similar to the one in Kata, but at a fraction of the price (less then half), about 1,500 baht a night.

Unique Qualities:
They provide a free shuttle from the airport (one-way only), but you must call ahead and ask them to pick you up when you book.

When I drove by this hotel in my taxi, I told the driver to keep going - it is painted a very bright salmon pink color. However, after touring a couple places nearby, I went back. The room was beautiful, the location perfect. The hotel has an open atruim that overlooks Kata Bay. The pool is right next to the beach, so you can take your pick.

I stayed here 01/07/05 - one week after the tsunami - and although there were not a lot of people there, it was beautiful, and one could not tell there had been a natural disaster on the island just a week before.

Kata is a great place to stay - a little off the beaten path of Patong (not as many people), but still close enough to still enjoy the nightlife. There were lots of non-English-speaking tourists while I was there, but that is an entirely different story.

This hotel/motel is located high up on the hill in Patong, but before that sways you from staying here, the view is wonderful! However, there are a lot of stairs to climb to get to your room. We stayed here for the new year, and watching all the fireworks and floating lanterns from our balcony was the highlight of the accommodation. The morning view and sunset over Patong is lovely as well. The room was clean and there was a minibar, safe, umbrellas, and balcony. However, the linens and furniture were showing signs of wear and age. We were here in peak season but ended up paying 200 BHT more per night than the high-season price posted on their website, very odd, but my favorite place was all booked and time was running out.

You will need to rent a motorbike or rely on tuk-tuk, taxis, or motorbikes for transportation. The hotel does have a shuttle to and from the beach for a nominal fee.

Unique Qualities: Great views, pool, restaurant, and quiet location. A buffet breakfast was included (nothing to write home about). We even got up at 6am, when breakfast started, and it was still cold. There was an a la carte menu available for additional charge, but the food was eatable. Make sure you print out the map from the website for the taxi driver if you are coming from the airport, as it is off the beaten track.

Website: http://www.patongcottage.com/

Skip Phi Phi and head for James Bond Island, perhaps the best day trip on Phuket Island. If you have to choose, pass on Phi Phi and go to James Bond. Either way, you'll end up sunning/snorkeling on the same island in the afternoon, and all the boats go there. But on James Bond, you'll see the mangrove forests, lunch in a Muslim fishing village built on stilts above the water, see the amazing landscapes and beautiful blue waters of the islands, and snorkel.

We went on three boat tours with three different companies. They were so similar. There was no real difference in amenities, but the James Bond tour stood out. Phi Phi Island is farther out to sea, and even in the calmer morning waters, it can still be a very jarring trip. Be careful if a storm is forecasted - your inners/back could be hurting later. James Bond Island is amid the intercoastal waterways, and therefore more protected from the weather and rough sea.

There are three to four Speed Boat Adventure guided tours. All are very similar in staff and boats. Book through the hotel concierge. Price ranges from 8$0 to $120 per person, which includes snorkel gear, lunch, refreshments, and snacks.

Tiger is a great place to dance, dance, and keep dancing. It's a mixed crowd of tourists, expats, and locals. Not affected by the tsunami (only the Beach Road, basically). The place really gets going after midnight and has great ventilation (doesn't get smoky). It's a really fun place. The Banana Club is loud techno and cigarette smoke (Banana reopened February '05, YEAH!), but Tiger is my favorite, and I wish there was one at home!!

Just north of Patong and Kamala is a great little place called Sing Cape Cove. Parking is 20 BHT for a motorbike and 40 Bht for a car. The lot is on the left, or west side of the coastal highway, and it is near the top of the hill between Kamala and Surin Beach. Once you park you walk down a little path through the rain forest to the beach. The view is amazing, and lounges and umbrellas are available to rent for the day (50 Bht per day). There are three restaurants and a fresh water shower to rinse off with after a dip in the ocean (which is one of my favorite parts about this spot), the wave break is not bad, and you will not find any surfing here (like in Karon). They even have jet-ski rental, paragliding, and air-mattresses, body boards, etc. Bring a towel.