JBR(7) – HKT Day 4: chasing sunsets

On our last full day in Phuket we again had use of a rental car and set off to accomplish the last few remaining things on our to-do list.

First stop, Premium Factory Outlet mall which Lis spotted on the drive down from the airport the day we arrived. We arrived just as the shops were opening around 11 am and stayed until 3-ish pm. We could’ve gone on shopping but we had wisely scheduled a massage back at the Hotel for 3.30 pm. Anyhow, the property looks fairly new as some shops were still in the process of being readied for opening. And I’m afraid I’ve no pictures of this part of the day as my hands were tied down by shopping bags.

Post-massage it was time to hit the road again as the sun began its descent.

Taking Highway 4233 yet again, we made a brief stop at Kata beach for a stroll.

Red flags were flying so there were no swimmers in the water. There were some friendly local fisherman fishing along the edge of the water though.

Could be Miami?

I can see why Kata / Karon is favoured by Phuket regulars over Patong. The beach front was definitely more spread out than Patong’s where buildings stand cheek to jowl. And just overall, the energy exuded by the place felt more relaxed and casual compared to Patong’s frantic vibe.

Following Highway 4233 brought us next to the Kata/Karon viewpoint. At 6.12 pm, signs were looking good for a fantastic sunset. I grabbed a couple of shots but Lis told me to hustle otherwise we’d miss the show at Laem Promthep.

As we head towards Nai Han, the signage becomes a little few and far between and the width of the road progressively narrower.

But we were too busy enjoying the coastal scenery to be bothered by that. Relying on Lis’ sign-spotting skills and instinct, we kept driving until we hit a huge parking lot and rows of salls. No mistaking that we’d arrived at Laem Promthep because of the big express buses and hordes of tourists.

Unfortunately, our hopes of a glorious sunset were somewhat dampened by the appearance of that huge rain cloud that you see there in the middle of my picture.

Buts we didn’t care. It was still an awesome view.

Our last dinner in Phuket was at Patong Seafood. THB 380 got us steamed mussels, minced pork with vegetables, and stir-fry asparagus. Tasty and relatively cheaper than back home, no complaints.

JBR(6) – HKT Day 3: ahoy there!

Our other day trip was to Koh Phanak and the Hongs with Capt Mark and crew aboard the Sakai.

We were picked up from our hotel and driven to Ao Po pier where upon arrival, our group of 8 got into a songthaew to be transported to the other end of the pier.

Then we were ferried in groups of 4 by dinghy to the Sakai which was moored nearby.

Destination: those lime stone islands up ahead.

Along the way, Chef Ya buys fresh seafood from passing fishermen.

We had already been fed fresh fruits, kuih and deep fried chicken wings up to this point and I was beginning to wonder if I’d any space for lunch.

Luckily, it was time for us to get into the dinghy and explore the hongs and caves. That meant I could work up and appetite again. “Hong” means “room” and refers to lagoons hidden behind the facade of these limestone isles.

We visited 2 hongs and 3(?) caves. Of the 2 hongs, there was one which was special because it was the only one which you could walk around in during low tide.

After our stint as modern day pirates and cave explorers, it was time for a siesta on the beach.

But not for very long though because Ya, Small Kob, Big Kob and Capt Noi arrived with lunch! On the menu – masaman curry, tom yum soup, steamed prawns, deep fried fish, vegetable curry. Being true blue Malaysians, Lis and I plonked down on their mat rather than remain on our own mats so that we could be right where the food was.

Unfortunately, the end of lunch meant that it was time to sail back to the main island. But, as you can see from the picture I took for the SG boys with Capt Mark, we all left as very happy campers.

This day was a complete opposite from the previous day out to Phi Phi. The group was small (8 compared to 40), the going was easy (slow sail as compared to speed boat), and there was plenty of personal interaction with Capt Mark. Also, whereas we had to share the islands with hordes of other tourists, on this trip we had the beaches, caves and hongs all to ourselves.

Phuket Sail Tours comes highly recommended if you’re looking for a tour which feels more personal and relaxed. But hey, I’d go back again just to be able to taste Ya’s cooking too.

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JBR(5) – HKT Day 2: island in the sun

If you’re wondering why she looks rather sheepish in this picture, it’s because about an hour earlier she nearly killed me in the crystal blue waters of the Andaman Sea. Yes, Day 2 of our beach holiday will forever be etched in my mind as the day I nearly drowned because Lis got it into her head that I was her personal flotation device. To be fair, she was in a state of panic at the time because she thought she was going to drown in her life jacket. >__< Anyway, as Lis keeps reminding me, the important point is that we both survived to tell the tale…albeit with a bruised ego and a bellyful of saltwater respectively.

So what exactly did we do that day that nearly caused my premature death?

The evening before I had telephoned JC Tour to book our spots on their Phi Phi speed boat day trip (cost – THB 1700/pax). We were picked up from our hotel lobby by van at 8.00 am and arrived at JC’s jetty about an hour later. The drive itself was quite fun as we had to negotiate through a kampung which had a VERY pot-holey mud road. It had been a very quiet ride up to that point but just as we were turning into the mud road, our van driver decided to put on some loud Thai reggae music. I thought it was very strange at first, Thai + reggae?? It soon became clear though that it was to accompany our involuntary swaying caused by the pot holes.

At the jetty, our van was joined with 3-4 other vans which had picked up customers from other parts of Phuket. We were given a simple breakfast and another round of briefing regarding the islands we’d be seeing that day by our guide, Phet. Then there was a short sell about the importances of flippers which was not included in the package price and were available to rent (THB 100/pair).

After that, we were all herded onto a 3-motor speed boat. Going over it again in my head, there must have been 40 of us onboard plus 5 crew (1 guide / 1 captain / 3 deck hands) on board.

From this point on-ward it was pretty much like a coach tour except on water. Bus bus bus to one stop, get down, spend 5 minutes taking picture and listening to the guide gab, get back on bus, bus bus bus to next destination, repeat.

1st stop – Maya Bay which is associated ad nauseum with Leonardo di Caprio and the movie ‘The Beach’. Tonnes of people and speed boats kinda put us off so we decided to just lie on the sand and people watch.

2nd stop – Loh Sama Bay & Pileh Cove

3rd stop – Viking Cave

4th stop – 40 minutes snorkel time aka where Ru nearly dieded.

5th stop – Monkey island to feed the “wild” monkeys slices of watermelon. Didn’t bother with this since I see a monkey every time I look in the mirror.

6th stop – Phi Phi Don island for a yummy buffet lunch (yay!) and a wee snooze after.

Last stop – free & easy on Khai Nok island. It was about 2 pm by now and the sun was at its hottest.

So, we couldn’t be bothered with going into the water again and opted to rent 2 beach chairs (THB 150/pair) for an afternoon siesta instead.

We had a voluptuous French blonde as a neighbour who provided us with visual entertainment as she kept adjusting her bikini bra straps to avoid getting tan lines. After the 3rd adjustment I was beginning to think that the bikini would have a wardrobe malfunction and she’d end up flashing us. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately), that didn’t happen.

After that, it was off home. Not before a tip box (or as Phet calls it, her happiness box) was passed round though.

Overall, was reasonably satisfied with JC Tour for the money that we’d paid. No doubt we were a large group and yes, we were a part of the masses of tourists and hordes of speed boats clogging up the islands. But half the fun was watching the cheeky interaction between the guide and this flamboyant French boy we had in our group, chatting with everyone else on board and people-watching.

My only quibble is that the size of the group meant that we weren’t really monitored whilst we were snorkelling in open sea. It would’ve been pretty evident to a watchful crew that Lis was struggling in the water and was getting me into trouble too. Instead, the crew were too busy snorkelling with bags of bread to attract the fish to notice. Thankfully, we survived to tell the tale but if we do go back to Phuket I’m gonna try Simba Sea Trips to see how different the experience would be.

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JBR(4) – HKT Day 1: Rawai cheap eats

Travel research told us that Rawai is famous for cheap seafood so later that night, we decided to grab dinner from one of its many seafood stalls lining the beach.

Rawai is situated on the southern end of Phuket and is about 45 minutes drive from Patong beach via Highway 4233. It’s a hilly single carriage highway which hugs the coast line for most parts. In other words, you get awesome views balanced with treacherous bends. Go slow, enjoy the scenery and you’ll have a great drive.

We elected to eat at the stall located opposite where we’d parked our car. Seating is rustic, on woven bamboo mats.

Whereas lighting is semi-romantic; candles on the table top and fluorescent tubes hung from trees lining the beach.

Dinner consisted of:

(1) Prawn and herb salad

(2) Mussels steamed in basil

(3) Grilled sea bass

Plus fish in tom yam goong, 2 glasses of freshly squeezed OJ and 1 plate of white rice. And the best part is that this entire feast cost us THB 360 only!

All pictures from Day 1 are here:

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JBR(3)(a) – HKT Day 1: Phuket Town

Immediately after dumping our stuff at the hotel, we drove to Phuket town for a walkabout based on the heritage trial drawn up in the Phuket Town Treasure Map.

Muang Phuket is the capital of Phuket and has a rich Sino-Chinese heritage thanks to the influx of Chinese immigrants during its tin mining hey days. The visible impact of these migrants are the town’s architecture and its Peranakan community.

The map taught us that the design of the Sino-Chinese shop fronts are meant to resemble a dragon’s face. The door is the mouth/nose, the side windows are the eyes, and the alcoves above the windows are the eyebrows.

Crazy craftsmanship on display.

One of the best lanes we walked along was Soi Romanee.

Buildings in this lane have been especially spruced up by the local council as part of the town’s ongoing efforts to attract more tourists.

Most have been converted into chic eateries and watering holes.

Our final stop was Rang Hill where we admired panoramic views of Phuket town and the coast.

Self-drive holiday going well so far.