GALLERY: A taste of Thailand
With a wide variety of activities and lively nightlife, Patong is the destination of choice for those who love to party and play.
PHUKET, one of the southern provinces of Thailand, is the country’s largest island. It lies off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea.
Patong is one of the most famous beach resort destinations in Phuket.
Its bustling streets are lined with crowded open-air discos and dozens of bars serving alcoholic island drinks.
There are hundreds of restaurants, go-go bars and nightclubs.
Patong is the destination of choice for those who love to party and play.
The steaming-hot streets, neon lights and somewhat chaotic atmosphere can be quite overwhelming if you are looking for a quieter getaway. However, Patong still offers a beautiful beach where you can spend the day relaxing, sun tanning and bobbing around in the temperate sea water. Patong is great for party animals and with a plethora of markets, one can shop for hours.
On the other hand, Patong is always busy, quite messy and very touristy.
Patong is conveniently located close to some of the quieter beach destinations, and tours can easily be arranged from the hotel concierge to visit the famous and gorgeous destinations, such as James Bond Island, Phang Nga Bay, Phi Phi Island, the Big Buddha, Similan Island, Old Phuket Town, Wat Chalong, Phuket Temples, Phuket Viewpoints, the Elephant Sanctuary, and shows such as the Phuket FanataSea Show and various cabaret shows.
Out of these awe-inspiring destinations, we decided to take a trip to Phi Phi Island and to explore Old Phuket Town.
Old Phuket Town
Old Phuket Town is fairly easy to navigate on your own and is renowned for its magnificent old buildings, temples and museums.
There are various shops and restaurants to escape into out of the humid and very hot temperatures outside.
Elsewhere in Phuket and Patong, the power lines are draped low up and down the streets, coming together in a messy web at wooden poles on every street corner.
In Old Phuket Town the power lines have been removed and are buried in the pavement below.
Phi Phi Island
Our trip to Phi Phi began at Phuket’s Sea Angel Pier, with our first stop at Phi Phi Ley, the smaller of the two Phi Phi islands.
Here we had the opportunity to snorkel and explore. The water, a perfect shade of turquoise, is clean and clear and we were surrounded by the massive rocks that seem to have risen from out the ocean.
Our next stop was Maya Bay, where the movie The Beach was filmed. While it is not as isolated as the movie portrayed, with the many tourists it is still a stunning place and we excitedly explored the island.
Then we were off to Pi Leh Cove, a lagoon-like private pool where we dived into the water for more snorkelling.
At Viking Cave and Monkey Bay, we got to admire the swifts and monkeys before we headed to Phi Phi Don. Phi Phi Don is the second and larger of the two main Phi Phi Islands and here we were greeted with a delicious international buffet for lunch.
Our final destination was Kha Nai Island, where we spent the afternoon swimming, snorkelling and lying on the beach.
While we only had seven nights in Patong, we managed to balance our time between relaxing on the beach, exploring wondrous destinations, eating delicious food and lounging around the hotel pool.
Our hotel had an amazing restaurant that served traditional Thai meals and had a breakfast buffet of note.
The room had magnificent views over the ocean and town, and we were treated to awe-inspiring sunsets. Should the busy Patong not be your destination of choice, the nearby Karon Beach is perfect for the quieter types.
Travel tips:
• It’s easy to pick up food poisoning in Thailand, so be very careful where and what you eat. The saying goes; peel it, boil it or leave it. It’s tempting to try all sorts of food at the many street stalls, but rather be safe than sorry.
• Make sure that you only drink bottled water, and even use it when you are brushing your teeth.
• It gets incredibly hot, so make sure you stock up on sunscreen and hats and stay hydrated.
• Don’t fall for scams. There are many scammers that promise you fantastic holiday wins, but remember if it’s too good to be true, it simply is too good to be true.
• Bargaining is the thing to do when shopping at the many markets. Never accept the first price.
• Plan your trips well and preferably through the hotel concierge.
• Carry a small foldable raincoat, on sale pretty much everywhere in Patong, and have it handy for sudden downpours.
• Do plenty of research about the many destinations in Phuket to make sure you choose the destination that fits your holiday style best.
VIEW GALLERY:
All of us have those dreams to travel and explore. We are sharing our readers’ experiences of far-off places to give you a taste of what you can expect and some handy tips for you to plan your next trip. This month we share experience in Thailand. We invite readers to share #youradventures, travel stories and tips, whether at a local destination, national or international – we would love to hear from you. Send your experience and photographs to Roedolf Walker at roedolfw@caxton.co.za
