I have not heard of Phuket until it was hit by a tsunami in 2004. Apparently, it is a popular tourist destination, very well-known for its pristine beaches. And so when my friends invited me to go on a trip with them, without any hesitation I said yes.
May to June and September to October are low seasons in Phuket as the weather is hot and rainy, respectively. Not only would we get good deals, but places to visit would be less touristy. Generally, it is year-round sunshine in Thailand. So we had high hopes that we would be lucky to enjoy the sun and the sea.
Getting There
There is no direct flight as of the time of writing from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Phuket International Airport. For this trip, we flew via AirAsia (with 1 stop) from Manila to Phuket and Cebu Pacific Air (direct flight) from Phuket to Manila. However, upon checking their website just before publishing this, there is no available direct flight of Cebu Pacific Air from Phuket to Manila. Please check for updates on these airlines.
Hotel Transfer
We booked a one-way transfer from the airport to the hotel for THB 800 (PHP 1,220) in a private standard car through phuketshuttle.com.
Accommodation
We stayed at The Senses Resort via Expedia.
The resort is in Pa Tong, which is the main tourist hub of the island. We did not spend time at this beach town as we settled for island hopping in the Andaman Sea.
As we got in our hotel room, we reviewed the flyers we took from the hotel lobby. We only had 2 full days to get a glimpse of what Phuket has to offer. From two different travel agencies, we went to two island hopping tours. Both were absolutely amazing!
Day 1: Phang Nga Bay Tour
Adult person THB 1,800 – 2,500 (PHP 2,750 – 3,800)
There was a brief introduction before departing Royal Phuket Marina. As we went our way to the speedboat, a photographer took our picture which later sold to us framed at a reasonable price. We requested for extra copies and were delivered to our hotel a couple of days after, just in time before we checked out.
We glided through the waters by canoe around Hong Island. Beautiful limestone cliffs and sea caves were breathtaking. Some entrances to the caves are extremely low that we had to lie down completely, so be cautious not to hit your head. It was a pretty cool experience.
I was not yet hungry when we ate a local buffet lunch at Panyee Island Floating Village (Koh Panyee). It is a Muslim community, hence they serve halal food. Right after we ate, it drizzled so we did not get to see more of the village.
Of course we could not miss the James Bond Island (Koh Tapu), named after the 1974 film The Man With The Golden Gun starring Roger Moore.
One of the best ways to view this 20 meter tall islet is from the beach on Koh Ping Ghan, which has a high leaning rock that has small caves inside. On the eastern part of the beach are stalls selling souvenirs.
Next we went to Panak Island (Koh Panak). Since it was low tide, we strolled into the cave where it opens to a lagoon. `
The tour concluded at Naka Island for swimming and relaxation. There were water sports activities available too, like jet skiing and parasailing. However, I found the latter a bit dangerous as it is operated manually. But there will be a guide person behind you during the activity.
By night we were ready to explore the most infamous street in Phuket, Bangla Road (Soi Bangla). This street is lined with bars and restaurants, and is normally loud and full of crowd. But we were wondering to find out that most establishments were closed and there were only few people around. Obviously, we had Thai dinner. We learned that it was the first night since the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej’ death, so the entire country was mourning.
Day 2: Phi Phi Island Tour
Adult person THB 2,200 – 2,800 (PHP 3,350 – 4,300)
It was a sunny morning in Royal Phuket Marina. We went through the same process of orientation before we finally left for the tour. There were more people who signed up on this trip. This time, we did not avail of the photograph sold at the end.
Another place made popular by a movie, The Beach starring Leonardo Di Caprio is Maya Bay, which is part of Koh Phi Phi Leh. This beautiful bay was made unique by the cliffs almost completely surrounding it. We were advised to be cautious in swimming for there were a lot of friendly jelly fishes there. To be safe, we just enjoyed sitting on its soft sands and watching the crystal clear emerald-green water. Oh and the tourists, too.
On board our speedboat, we passed by the Monkey Beach and saw a monkey drinking a bottle of orange juice. It could have been more fun if we were allowed to step on the beach for close encounter. Then, we did snorkeling at Ton Sai Bay.
We had a buffet lunch at a private beachside restaurant in Koh Phi Phi Don, which is the main island and the only one inhabited. As a local practice in Thailand, and most Asian countries, we had to leave our slippers outside. It was jam-packed and personally I did not like the food that much so we did not stay long. We bought a cob of corn and did photo shoot in the area.
The last part of the itinerary was also relaxation at Khai Island. The beach is big enough to not look so crowded. There is a café bar where you can lounge. At the other side of the beach are huge rock formations perfect for another photo session. This happens when you are with crazy fun friends.
We were choosing between Simon Cabaret and Phuket Fantasea to spend the night. The childlike in us ended up at Phuket Fantasea. It was an ultimate nighttime cultural theme park with shops, games, restaurants, and theatre. Everything was grandeur. I have thought of my family back home. They would love the place. To allow time to enjoy the attractions, pick the 9:00 pm show and arrive early. Believe me. There are a lot of activities that you can do, that we missed. Operating hours is 5:30 to 11:30 pm. You may check their website. Coach transfer is also available.
When in Phuket, I recommend you book an organized boat cruise to explore its natural wonders, just like what we did. If you have read my earlier blog posts, you may have noticed by now that I do avail of group tours. Why not if the price is right. After all, I consider every trip a vacation. And vacation means leisure and comfort.
Thank you for reading!
With love,
Sugar
