Travel Phuket

 

Day 1 Welcome to Phuket

It was drizzling when we reached Phuket International Airport, this time of the year is rainy season at Phuket. I am impressed that even on a low season there were still quite a lot of tourists traveling the "Land of Smiles". From our flight, immigration checkpoint to the collection of luggage from the conveyor belt was quick and hassle-free. Right after the immigration checkpoint on your left you'll find brochures and maps from different travel agencies and companies. Those brochures will be very useful for first timer in Phuket. Next to the brochure stands you will find True Move booth approach the representative and get a Thailand prepaid SIM card for free. Get one because it's cheaper to use Thai SIM card when calling local or overseas numbers. This SIM card has THB0.00 value in it, a top up is available at authorized shops like 7Eleven, Family Mart, Thailand Post, or link True Move Top Up. It comes with a SIM card kit that indicates the basic information needed by the first time users. The minimum load cost are THB200 for data and THB100 for voice.

The resort representative has welcomed us with a name card at the arrival exit. We've waited for another 10 minutes for our transport to arrive. The driver of the van was kind enough to agree on our requests to stop at the money changer shop and provision shop.  

I would always change my Singapore dollar to Thai baht from this money changer the exchange rate has always been better compared to Singapore and other money changers in Phuket. It is located right accross the vehicle exit of Phuket International Airport here's the address in case you'll be needing it 36/3 Moo 6 T. Mai Khao, A. Thalang Phuket. 

We stayed at the resort located in Mai Khao Beach on the northwestern side of Phuket Island. It is around 18 minutes drive from Phuket International Airport. Mai Khao is less crowded and a secluded area away from the bustling nightlife of Patong Beach and Phuket Town.

I prefer to buy snacks supply at J&P local provision shop the price is more reasonable than resort mini bar. This provision shop is located at the corner of Thepkasattri Road and Mu 5, Mai Khao straight by passing JW Marriot and Anantara entrance continue along Thepkasattri Road and make a U-turn on the next big interchange. Continue along Thepkasattri and just before the "Welcome to Phuket" overhead signage you will see J&P shop on the left. Below is how to get to J&P local provision shop from Anantara.
 
Just a few meter away before J&P Shop stands a local bamboo stall I managed to buy there live small crabs and big size cockle shells for dinner at a cost of THB200. I should prepare myself next time with a more tasty recipes.

During the months of low season which are May to November the sea here is not safe for swimming. The best time to visit Mai Khao beach is on the peak season which are December to January. If you are looking for less crowded place to relax and enjoy your holiday this is the right place for you. But if you are up for bargains when it comes to food, clothing, accomodation, massage, etc. Phuket Town and Patong Beach are the places to go. I like to stay in the quietest location in Phuket Town for a few nights and spend the rest of the nights in Mai Khao for relaxing and it's closest to the airport. This will save you some time and money as you don't need to drive for two hours back and forth Mai Khao and Phuket Town everyday. Yet this seven days trip was fully spent in Mai Khao resort we've decided to enjoy the facilities in the resort this time around. 

Day 2 Jungle Adventure Park

Rented this for a reasonable price.

For almost three years now, I would always rent a car/van from this local rent a car company so far the price is still the lowest compared to others, service is good and the cars are reliable so far. The pricing of the car depends on the season as follows: low season - 1st May to 31st October, high season - 1st November to 30th April, peak season - 15th December to 15th January. It is located along 24/1 Moo 1 T. Sakoo A. Thalang Phuket, just in front Phuket International Airport. For more details email mytraveltourasia@gmail.com or don't forget to mention mytraveltourasia when you get to Thai Car Rent. 

Since we are heading for a treetop adventure we need to grab new pairs of comfy closed shoes for the kids. We searched for preferred shoes and good deals at Premium Outlet, Phuket, unfortunately we didn't find the right shoes here. 

Our next hop was Central Festival Phuket located at Mueang Phuket District along Vichitsongkram Road. It's easy to get there, here's the direction I took :

from the Airport vehicle exit turn left 4031 route

turn right to route 402 continue along this road for the next 25.4 km that is around 25 mins

turn right when you see Toyota Showroom in Mueang District on your right that road is still route 402 ( also known as By Pass Road )

continue to travel route 402 aka By Pass Road for the next 8.6 km that is 9 minutes then you will see on both sides of the road Central Festival Malls. If you are in doubt go to Google Map .

Managed to have a sumptuous lunch at Sizzler in Central Festival Mall. We've ordered from the suggested main menu inclusive of eat-all-you can on soup and salad bar.

Finally after almost three hours of searching for the right shoes we ended up buying this sneakers shoe in Central Festival Mall. Managed to get it at 10% discount almost the same price in Singapore shops.

When I was a kid I enjoyed exploring the nature at our home backyard. My papa's hobby was gardening and we used to have a vegetable patch in our backyard. It was fun times helping him harvest the fruits of his labor. My childhood activities was happily spent exploring the outdoor. When I was staying with "Lola Bening" grandma enjoyed bathing me because my arms and legs were too dirty that she would show me how murky the water were.

Nowadays, kids specially living in the developed countries where every households has an access to internet, outdoor activities doesn't come everyday. This big day was very different and an exciting time for the kids we went for a treetop adventure at Phuket Town.

Recommended Attire : comfy clothes such as trek pants and cotton shirt, enclosed shoes such as sneakers and ponytail for long hair.

Obviously we've chosen the path that was well traveled by most, it is called Tree Walking. It has four stations of " VERY EASY" paths. The challenging part was tackling the swaying of the bridge. We were four adults and four kids on the bridge and everyone were on queue and walking towards the exit. Thanks to the safety net that we can hold onto. The Tree Walking is around half kilometer upward trekking to Accro Spider.

After the trek kids proceeded to explore Accro Spider, it has 21 stations which are easy . The activity area is enclosed below and on the sides by a safety net. Some of the stations might be hard for some kids depending on the capabilities of each child. Parents should assess their kids  before joining this activity. Kids need encouragement to be able to do things that they think they cannot do. Once they have overcome the fear in their mind, they would feel great and happy. If the child is too short or young for that station he can get help from an adult or skip that station is an option as well. Give him a pat on the back for trying really hard and we'll do it again next time. 

By the way, just a word of advice bring a mosquito repellent and apply heavily on the skin. I suggest for kids to wear long pants, socks and sneakers. My sis was watching us from below during this activity although she has mosquito patches sticked on her clothing she still ended up with at least 20 mozzie bites. Really I salute her for her courage on this battle against the mosquitoes.

After a thrilling adventure on the treetop, our energy level was almost down to zero and the temperature was very humid and a bit of mozzie bites here and there too. Good thing the adventure park attendant kept us hydrated during the adventure by providing cold bottled water. It was truly an adrenaline rush adventure for the kids here are some of the kids feedback on the activity :

For details email mytraveltourasia@gmail.com or don't forget to mention mytraveltourasia when you get to Xtreme Adventure Park.

In Phuket Town, I've suggested for a Thai massage, it wasn't a good idea after all because we ended up going in circle at Phuket Town for almost 30 minutes searching for a proper Thai massage. Finally we decided to look for the Korean BBQ Grill for an early dinner treat since everyone was tired, hungry and frustrated. This guy on the road was actually waving at me and calling my attention when he noticed that our vehicle was searching for something. I've ignored him as I don't want to trust a guy on the street. I've asked for a direction in a Family Mart ( this is the local version of 7Eleven in Phuket ). The attendant in the Family Mart pointed me to the same guy on  the street. I ended up talking  to the guy on the street, he was offering THB400 using his taxi and luckily we managed to agree to take the motor bike instead. We engaged his service using his motor cycle to navigate us the way to the restaurant at a cost of THB200.  He led us to Mr. Gung Korean BBQ place from Phuket Town travel time was 20 minutes. 

The food is very similar to typical Korean BBQ primarily because the owner is from Korea who migrated in Phuket. I love the Kimchi and the ambiance of a truly outdoor BBQ. The waitress were very helpful, friendly and attentive to our needs during the dinner. The restaurant is simple, clean and well maintained. Here's the address in case you are craving for a BBQ 9/4 Moo 4 Chao Fa Road., T. Chalong, A. Muang Phuket 83130 tel no. 084-445-2778. 

Day 3 Shopaholic at Wat Naka Weekend Market

Heading for a sightseeing in Phuket Town and lunch at NC Bakery & Food at 183/6 Opposite Royal Phuket City Hotel Pha Nga Road Talad Yai Subdistrict Mueang Phuket District, Phuket Town. 

Vegetable Salad with Rice 

Fish Fillet with Basil

Pork Soup

This shop offers different local goodies like fish sauces, spicy small shrimp sauce dry/wet, breads, po piah, baked crablets and ikan bilis, fish maw etc. I used to buy goodies here to bring back to Singapore. Another place I used to go to for local goodies is Supercheap it's a warehouse type hypermarket, the name speaks for itself. Most of the products there are locally made and it would be cheaper to buy in bulk. This trip I didn't have the chance to visit Supercheap.

After satisfying our hungry bellies and buying the goodies that we need. We returned to the resort to energize ourselves for the night's shopping spree.

This night market is locally known as "Wat Naka"  is open on Saturdays and Sundays only around 4:00 to 11:00 PM. It's located along Wirat Hong Yok Road, Mueang Phuket District please see below  map Chao Fa Variety Market is the exact location of the night market. Enjoy your shopping !

I prefer to visit local markets to really experience how Thais spend their weekend doing their shopping, very different from air conditioned malls and shopping centers in the city. The goods are mostly locally made so it's quite easy to request for a discounted price, my hubby managed to test, demonstrate, or improve his bargaining skills here. We still ended up satisfied as most of the items here were really low priced and the designs were not bad at all.

The food here is really authentic and extremely spicy. Or if the taste buds are not a fan of spicy food just request for a soy sauce instead of the usual Thai chili sauce, but it defeats the purpose of eating Thai food if you omit the chili.

The night has fallen and the bats were out to find food. My foremost goal was to buy my favorite fish ball salad, instant noodle and papaya salad at these market food stalls. Every time I come here I would always buy and eat these local delicacies and it is a must try.

Yummy Instant Noodle

Aroy ! Really spicy fish ball salad.

Hot and Spicy Papaya Salad 

I have noticed that if you are really in for bargains you will have to spot the stalls that put their items for sale directly on the mat like this stall.

Go low on this...

It is really the fun of finding the things that we want and the test of the bargaining skill is the most exciting part.

Day 4 I am upside down in Phuket

The moment we arrived in front of the house, my kids and I can't wait to explore this place. Have you ever been in an "upsy turvy" house before ? Don't get confused as everything you see outside and inside the house are upside down. It took 18 months for a loving couple Alex and Tiwa to decide, conceptualize and build this amazing new home along Bypass Road and it was opened to the public last April 23, 2014. Thanks to the tireless effort of Alex and Tiwa for bringing this unique experience in Phuket. To add to the bewilderment the backyard of this amazing house has a Maze created by Adrian Fisher Design Ltd. from United Kingdom, considered world's leading maze designer. If you and your kids didn't get lost in Phuket Town, in this maze you will be in a fun and easy way. Happy searching !!!! For more details email mytraveltourasia@gmail.com or don't forget to mention mytraveltourasia when you get to Baan Teelanka.

A memorable experience for everyone.

The Maze

Day 5 Great deals and Fun at Tesco Lotus 

Since our resort villa was so complete with proper kitchen, washing machine and dryer. Everything was so convenient, relax and easy for us. I managed to cook some meals and eat in our villa. The most convenient place to go to buy fresh food is at Tesco Lotus preferrably in the morning where veggies and fruits are fresh. Otherwise, you can also go to those local market stalls set up by the Thais in random areas normally it has schedules and timing. I haven't had the chance to visit those kind of local stalls yet. I once visited Banzan Market in Patong the freshest veggies and spices I have seen in Phuket. The place is quite clean and presentable. But this time I bought my fresh food for cooking and some nice cute clothes for the kids in Tesco.

Variety of seaweeds snacks to choose from and they are reasonably priced, and very tasty. Although this snack wasn't finger lickin' good for me, it was surely a mess free. Here are some photos I've taken :

These freshly baked donuts taste really nice and creamy in the inside. I would always buy these ones whenever I dropped by Tesco Lotus.

Freshly Baked

Tesco food court offers reasonable and tasty local food, here are some of the dishes that I have tried. It satisfied my craving for Thai food. Just an observation, I have noticed that the local food shops tends to use instant soup a lot. I am not a fan of MSG and instant powders, so I would normally avoid soup.

Roasted Chicken Rice 

Papaya Salad

Kids in real sense are simple even this small and plain arcade kept them entertained and busy for an hour or so. Each ride/game costs THB10 only, when you ran out of coins you can change your bills to the attendant at Kid's Soft Play located inside this arcade.

Shopping at Tesco ? Yes it was fun.  I have been patient enough in mix matching the clothes for kids. Compared to a night market this place is air conditioned, fitting room is available, not crowded and prices are reasonable. These are some of the clothes I managed to buy for the kids.

Top THB199, Bottom THB229

Boxer shorts for kids THB69 each

By the way, for durian fruit lover like my family, hubby managed to buy these for THB100 at Chinatown Downtown. It's not a special breed durian, considered normal taste yet good enough to savour. Similar to Malaysia durians.

Day 6 & 7  Relaxing at the Resort

Along Mai Khao Beach near the cluster of resorts there are small huts offering these services. Check it out.

It was such a breathtaking experience to jog on the shoreline of Mai Khao. I have seen these local run food stalls along Mai Khao beach . Here's an interesting menu price list for your reference only.

Learning Thai Language is really fun with the help of Khun Gina. Here are some of the commonly used words/ sentences :

Hello - sawadee khrup (male) sawadee ka (female)

What is your name ? - koon cheu arai (khrup/ka) ?

My name is Esabella. - Chan cheu Esabella (khrup/ka).

Thank you. - khop  khun (khrup/ka) ?

How are you ? - Sai bai dee mai (khrup/ka) ?
Fine. Thank you. - Sa bai dee  (khrup/ ka) ?
Never mind./  It's okay. / No problem. - Mai ben rai  (khrup/ ka). 
I cannot speak Thai. - Puut Thai mai dai  (khrup/ ka) .
Where is the restroom ? - Hong nam yuu dong nai  (khrup/ ka) .
How much does this cost ? - Anee tao rai  (khrup/ ka)  ?
Very Expensive. - Paeng mak  (khrup/ ka) .
The bill please. -  Gep dang  (khrup/ ka) .
Excuse me./ Sorry. - Kor thoad  (khrup/ ka). 

Enjoy writing names in Thai characters.

Colorful Fireworks at Mai Khao

Day 8  It's time to say "La Gawn Ka Phuket" ( Goodbye).

Luckily the heavy rain came on the day that we were leaving Phuket. The Thai airport officials / representatives were more careful this time. They have thoroughly checked our luggage by opening it and searching through our things. They have deflated the kid's basketball that I have bought, according to the fellow there's a tendency that it will burst in the plane due to high pressure. At least they managed to save us some troubles there.

Changi International Airport

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