category archive: Phuket, September 2006

Please note that the articles are in chronological order. For all other categories, the latest article is at the top of the list. But due to the 'trip reporting' nature, the sort order has been reversed for the travel categories.

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Monday, 1 Aug 2005 | Travel

This article exists only to make Movable Type create an index page for the Travel category, which shows a listing of all the trips I’ve written about. No clue what Movable Type is? No need to worry, just hurry … and read about what goes on backstage.

Koh Deserted

Thursday, 6 Jul 2006 | Phuket, September 2006

The closer I’m getting to my date of departure, the more I’m thinking about what will happen after. Not in the long term, generally just the first month really. I wrote about this before, how I’m planning to first find an apartment for myself and then head off to do a couple of weeks of relaxing.

I certainly don’t want to just visit one place. Instead, I plan to move to a new resort every couple of days. So, not only am I going to have to think about the actual destinations but also about the route and the travel in between. The good thing is that I’ll probably travel alone, so I can do whatever I want really. I was a little hesitant of doing this at first, but I’m pretty sure there will be plenty of people to chat with. And if not, I’ll be spending the entire afternoon thinking about what I will eat that night. How cool is that!

Lately, I’ve found myself researching this trip on the web. The entire coastline of Thailand is a possible destination as far as I’m concerned. The main hubs that people visit I think are Phuket, the near-Bangkok coastline with places such as Hua Hin and ofcourse all the islands. The Thai word for island is koh, so anything that starts with that is an island. I’ve only been to Koh Samui (yes, thats an island! very good!) last year and enjoyed it, but why would I visit the same place again if there is so much paradise all around!? This afternoon I picked up some brochures at a travel agent, to get some more hotel/resort ideas.

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Travelling to the near-Bangkok coastline I think is best done by taxi or minibus from Bangkok. Perhaps supplemented with a ferry for the close islands. Places like Phuket and Samui have airports and generally 100 euro gets you to any of these beach destinations and back. This is with Bangkok Airways, a very nice airline. Phuket Airlines funnily enough does not fly to or out of Phuket, but I won’t fly that airline anyway - bad safety record.

As for destinations …

I’ve heard Hua Hin mentioned so many times by so many different people and all being very positive about it, I really should go and check it out! It’s about 3 hours by car from Bangkok and the trip passes through Cha-am, also a beach town. About the same distance, but on the other side of the Bay of Bangkok, is Koh Samet. A supposedly very tranquil island that I hear good things about but for some reason don’t see in any travel brochures.

Something mentioned in all brochures but that I had never heard about is Krabi … which is near Phuket. It’s marketed as a quiet alternative to Phuket, so perhaps worth a look. Phuket is a 90 minute flight from Bangkok, after a few days I could take a taxi from Phuket to Krabi to chill out there for a while.

Koh Samui Airport

Another possibility is to fly to Samui again. Samui is a large island and I’ve only visited the main tourist place: Chaweng Beach. There are many other towns and places to check out, so I’m sure there is more to be discovered there. A 1 hour flight gets you to the cutest airport in the world. And from Samui, I could after a while take a ferry to go to Koh Tao. An island I’ve heard described as relaxing a few times.

Something I haven’t found in any brochure yet, but would certainly want to book, is a resort that has those bungalows out on the water! But I’m sure local travel agents will be able to help me out with those.

I don’t know just yet. More reading and daydreaming to do!

Phuket it shall be

Monday, 18 Sep 2006 | Journal

Since I’ve found an apartment and have to wait another 10 days or so before I get the keys, I decided now would be a good time for me to go to a beach somewhere. The previously discussed holiday. Perhaps instead of going away for several weeks, I’ll break it into two parts and go for a week now. I figure that after returning I will spend some time in Bangkok getting settled and then leave again for a week or something.

I decided that Koh Samet and Hua Hin would be too quiet for me to visit while alone. It’s the quiet season at the moment and so to go to places I’m told are ‘tranquil and relaxing’ normally, they will be deserted now. I have no problem spending time alone, but I do like a chat every once in a while. So I sort off decided that my first destination should be Phuket.

Just now I checked for ticket prices and they seem to be fine at 4500 baht (95 euro) for a return ticket. I’ve asked about the weather and got that it’s about the same as here in Bangkok, meaning nice and warm but with the occasional hour of ‘big rain’ (as they call it here) at the end of the afternoon or early evening.

I think I’ll do a little more research tomorrow morning and then decide. I’ll probably leave Tuesday morning. Pretty awesome huh, to just decide to go to some ‘tropical beach’ for a couple of days like that!?

Booked and confirmed

Woke up with a soar throat this morning and was very annoyed with this, figuring it was due to airconditioning or just a cold from getting soaking wet (walked through the rain for 5 minutes) I thought I would have to postpone my trip to Phuket. But spoke to Simone and she told me to go and try to not party too much … so I will try.

Just booked a ticket on Bangkok Airways, departure tomorrow 11:10 and arrival at the hotel should be about 1PM if I manage to keep everything in a carry-on.

Phuket has several beach areas, just like Samui. I checked out the characteristics and decided to opt for Patong Beach. It is the center of the Phuket nightlife and farang friendly¹ . Other areas were deemed as quiet and like I said yesterday, being the off season now I think quiet means dead at the moment. So I booked a single night at the Leelawadee Boutique hotel, if I like it I’ll stay there the rest of the week too.

This time tomorrow, I’ll be sitting poolside with a cocktail and a book. Perfect.

How many will fit

Tuesday, 19 Sep 2006 | Journal

The flight with Bangkok Airways was a pleasant one, despite the incredibly annoying guy from Hong Kong sitting across the isle from me. At one point he started asking a flight attendant to give him a massage and then he would give her one later. Maybe in his hotel room. What a gentleman!

But getting to the hotel would turn out to be one of those experiences I filed under the ‘This is Thailand’ category, meaning they are weird or funny or unexplainable or what not. And while I am by no means an expert on Thailand after having been here for 2 weeks now, I feel there are many more of these to come in the future. It’s part of the charm of Thailand, if you ask me.

The hotel had told the prices for taxi and minibus services at the airport, so I exited the terminal looking for the latter. Easy to find one, told her the hotel I was staying at and paid the 150 baht (3 euro) fee. I had to wait for about 15 minutes, but I was in no hurry to get anywhere. Amazingly, they could fit 13 people into a minibus - all but 3 being farang. How this worked? Well, reshuffle until it fits. So get girls to sit up front and pack 4 in a row, bigger guys sit in the back. I could see the faces of the other people getting increasingly surprised at what was going on, which in itself was slightly amusing.

After about 30 minutes on the road, suddenly the minibus pulls into a parking lot and we’re all told to go into a travel office to tell the staff there where we’re going so they could figure out the best route. No problem, it would have been more convenient to do this at the airport if you ask me, but whatever.

Travel agent: “What hotel you stay in mister?”
Me: “I’m staying at the Leelawadee Hotel, here is the address.”
Travel agent: “Ooooh mister, hotel so far. I have hotel better for you, special price for you too, good deal now!”
Me: “Thats ok, I’ll stick to this hotel. If I don’t like it, I’ll give you a call. Do you have a card?”
Travel agent: “Yes. But now you have to pay more for taxi.”

Right. That ofcourse is not going to happen. I told the lady at the airport where I was going, exactly what hotel and so she should have charged me accordingly at that time. But, you can’t blame the guy for trying. It happened to me in Samui too a couple of times. They tried to charge me for suitcases in the taxi on the way to the airport. Anyway, after 2 minutes the travel agent gave up and shrugged and told me to get in.

Arrived at the hotel, checked in. Very friendly staff, nice food (I just had lunch, a little late but whatever) and a great view. It is a little outside the center though. And right next to a busy road. So I’m not sure I’ll stay here. We’ll see. My throat is feeling better because of some spray Nuy gave me. So all is well!

I’m fine

Wednesday, 20 Sep 2006 | Journal

Yesterday, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin took over control of Thailand. I’m sure you’ve all heard about it on the news. I just wanted to let everyone know I’m fine and there seems to be nothing to worry about as this is a ‘purely political’ thing.

Here for three days already

Thursday, 21 Sep 2006 | Journal

Here in Phuket, one was hard pressed to even find evidence of what was happening in Bangkok. It was life as usual, business as usual, etc. For obvious reasons, I won’t go into any political discussions here but I do want to emphasize that there really is nothing to worry about. And even less so now than was the case the day after it happened.

So I’m enjoying myself here in Phuket. As are the rest of the people staying here for their holiday. What I do exactly? Well, pretty much what I was planning on doing: absolutely nothing. My hotel is right on the edge of Patong and a ridiculously overpriced tuktuk ride of 100 baht from the downtown area. I’ve got a nice view, a nice room, free wifi access. The staff? They could do with a motivational talk. But whatever. I decided to stay here until I leave and not go to another hotel.

Phuket is very quiet at the moment. Ofcourse, it’s off-season so I wasn’t expecting a whole lot of people. But seeing how not-crowded the beach is at the moment, I’m very happy that I made the choice for Patong and did not go to a quieter area. It really would have been dead there. The beach of Patong is a typical tourist place with jetski’s and all kinds of people trying to make you spend money on things you don’t really want to. It does get annoying at times and I was tempted to buy a shirt that said “No, I do not want a dvd, new suit, shirt or massage - now, fuck off” but decided against it. But hey, thats what tourism is all about. So no worries.

During the day (well, I’ve missed all morning hours so far) I have been lounging around in the early afternoon hours and have ventured onto the beach and into Patong after until it got dark. I wanted to check out Phuket Town during the day, but opted against it today after having been told by several people it’s not worth the effort. After dark, I go back to my hotel with the things I’ve bought (food or whatever) and change. Then head back into Patong for some food and then see what happens. I’ve been enjoying myself and chatting with all and sundry in the evenings and have gone back around midnight to watch a movie and fall asleep.

All in all, I’m really enjoying being by myself for a bit. Watching a sunset alone isn’t the most romantic of things, but whatever, I send a message to Kim (i know, i know) and then notice a guy selling some fresh pineapple and order one from him. A very nice and relaxing couple of days so far. Oh and the weather is awesome. Clear blue skies and sunshine all day!

No Koh for Phi Phi

Friday, 22 Sep 2006 | Journal

Last night was quite a late night for me. Nightlife here is open later than the 1am in Bangkok (woohoo) and so I was having fun with the poolgirls in a poolbar into the wee hours of the morning. When I woke up early this afternoon, I rushed to open the curtains and see bright blue sky waiting for me to enjoy a day at the beach. Instead, I found a hazy sky and a strong wind. Damn. So I adjusted my plans and instead watched some tv in my room and went down for a relaxed breakfast. After that, I walked down the street for a real espresso at some local shop (they did quite a good job!) and I read the newspaper for about an hour and half.

Upon return, I decided to start looking into all those folders I had been gathering about Koh Phi Phi, you know, that island we all know from the movie ‘The Beach’. I wanted to take a daytrip tomorrow. Most of them included snorkling and I’m not much of a swimmer, so I soon started considering just moving hotels to Phi Phi and spending the last few days there. I figured I could rent a longtail boat and just go around the island and see what I wanted to see, instead of doing a pre-packaged tour in an overcrowded boat.

As I was sitting down for a late late lunch I was gazing outside and suddenly realised that the weather might be changing. Checking with the hotel staff and the Nuy Weather Information Hotline confirmed the chances of this happening as considerable. So I decided to hang around Patong for the remainder of the week and just come back here in a few months time to visit Phi Phi.

Oh well. I’m enjoying myself here!

Tricks everywhere

Sunday, 24 Sep 2006 | Journal

Last night I realised I had done something very smart (by accident, so perhaps I was just lucky?) in ‘befriending’ a waitress at a bar here in Patong. And I think thats a tip for all potential travellers to ultra-touristy places like this, especially in Thailand. It might just save you some money like it did me.

Every day I start my night at the open air bar where I met that drunk australian woman the other day. There’s a nice vibe, good music, and it’s fun to watch some people enjoy a game of pool. One of the waitresses there strikes up a detached but friendly ‘what did you do today’ conversation with me every day. Last night she suddenly came out and gave me her phonenumber. I could call her and she would take me to see some nice spots in Phuket. I thought it was a little weird, as there was really no connection between me and her. But, naive (or perhaps the ever-lasting romantic/optimist) as I sometimes can be in these circumstances, I thought she was being very nice and I appreciated the gesture.

When I told my befriended waitress later she told me not to go and explained to me that I would be taken to a restaurant with inflated prices and the girl taking me around would get a kick-back from it. And we’re talking dishes at 5 times the normal price here. It appearantly happens all over. Foolish me for almost falling for it.

As I was leaving Bang La road for my hotel I was tempted to a game of ‘see who can hit the nail into the wooden block with a pointy hammer the fastest’ … not knowing the loser pays a 150 baht shot of tequila. Ofcourse, I lost. I thought it was smart how they tricked me and decided to stick around for a last drink. As I was observing other customers fall into the trap, I grew an admiration for the cunning of these people. They switch hammers and play with 3 barpeople vs. 1 customers. All is done to increase the odds in favor of the bar, so the loser has to pay for that shot of tequila.

Tricks everywhere.

Leaving Phuket

Monday, 25 Sep 2006 | Journal

While I’m waiting for my flight, which (perhaps because of the heavy rain that suddenly started this afternoon) has been delayed about 30 minutes, I’m happy to inform you all I’ve had great week in Phuket.

The last couple of days were spent mostly in line with the first few. Which means I spent the day relaxing and doing nothing and the nights out in Patong being entertained by all that was going on there.

The trip didn’t quite turn out how I expected it would. I figured I would spend most of my time on the beach and go out a couple of times. I was planning to get some thoughts organized, relax a bit and just do nothing. Well, I did visit the beach a couple of times but just to walk on it. I went out every night and had a great time. And apart from that, like I said before, I didn’t do a whole lot. Eat, sleep, drink and go out. I had a great time.

Phuket is well worth the visit if you are not afraid of (or perhaps looking for) a farang overladen tourist rip-off beach resort. And I guess from time to time, there is nothing wrong with that. Nothing authentically Thai here, the entire island (or at least what little I have seen of it) is about the tourist dollar, euro or yen. If you’re looking to spend time in a real Thai beach resort, I suggest you go somewhere else - I’ve heard Hua Hin is a nice place in this category.

Will I go there? Probably, at some point. But not during this ‘beach trip’ … which isn’t over just yet. I figured I needed a well deserved vacation and one week just aint gonna cut it! So after I’ve moved into my own place, I’ll most likely head somewhere else for another trip. I have no clue what that destination will be just yet.