Phuket
5
 DAYS IN 
Phuket

Phuket was an extended weekend getaway with two of my friends. Adding to my streak of amazing beaches in the French Riviera and Bali this year, Phuket was one quality experience. Phi Phi Islands and Phang Nga Bay are indeed gems.

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We didn’t go to quite a few places - Similan Islands (closed May to October), Elephant Sanctuaries, The Big Buddha, and shows like FantaSea because I wasn’t sure of their treatment of animals.

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I had flown 2 days earlier - directly from my Penang trip - to relax and learn some surfing. I wasn’t planning to do much, and I did even less because I got food poisoning. So I had a good day watching movies at the hotel. It wasn’t too bad because I stayed at Glam Habitat, which was quite impressive - super modern furnishing and technology, and I liked that it was only a few minutes from the beach.

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When it comes to accommodations, Phuket is quite complicated. It was so expansive, surrounded by so many beaches, it was hard to decide where to stay. However, the main areas to keep in (based on my Reddit research) were Kata, Karon, Patong, and Kamala, which are located at a decreasing distance from the airport. I stayed at Glam Habitat in Kamala for its proximity to the airport and Avista at Patong for its proximity to the hustle and bustle. In the end, we didn’t spend much time in Patong because it was quite a messy and intense, but it was still a good middle ground to get to other areas of the island. I’m sure Kata and Karon had great beaches, but 1.5 hours on congested roads would be too much for me. Not to mention, taxis in Phuket were quite pricey. Only for Phuket Old Town, I don’t think it was worth staying (definitely worth a visit) because it was so far from everything.

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We bought a Klook Pass Phuket, which was quite impressive - we got to choose any combination of tours on their list and saved at least 40% of what we would have spent. Also, I got an eSIM.

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TRANSPORT | Phuket taxis are expensive. We used Bolt for all our transport; prices were a fraction of those of taxis or Grab. From the airport, private hailing services like Grab and Bolt were not allowed to pick passengers up at the airport, so I took the Phuket Smart Bus while I booked a private airport transfer for my friends. 

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DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY | There wasn’t much we could do in the short period, but I think we accomplished what we wanted!

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WE STAYED AT Avista Hideaway Phuket Patong - MGallery, which was a resort through and through. It was a beautiful compound that overlooked the sea. They had excellent service, food, and rooms, and I wish I could’ve spent more time there. For this booking, I booked through Trip.com even though I usually book most of my accommodations through booking.com or Airbnb because the rates were cheaper by a long stretch and even included breakfasts. It was my first time booking accommodations on this platform. I liked my experience given how excellent their customer service was - the agents were responsive and followed up frequently when I tried to rectify a mistake I made (booked the wrong room lol).

‍HIGHLIGHTS | Phi Phi Islands, Phang Nga Bay

Day 2: Phi Phi Islands

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Phi Phi Island tour! It was terrific - the beaches, the boat rides, and the snorkeling (we saw a baby shark and that was pretty sick)

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I have to say, it wasn’t my favorite tour, and I preferred the Phang Nga Bay tour (or the Nusa Penida tour in Bali). There was nothing to complain about the tour - the team was excellent, efficient, and made everyone well taken care of. However, it wasn’t the most comfortable with 60 people sitting in rows and rows of chairs on the Catamaran. It can also get very bumpy, but just make sure you take the seasickness pills (provided) before the ride to save your life!

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I booked the Phi Phi Island tour and the James Bond and Phang Nga Bay tour through the Klook Pass Phuket. Adding on a credit card discount, we paid for two tours for the price of one. Good deal!

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We were supposed to have dinner at No.6 Restaurant right by Bangla Road, but the weather was so warm and the queues were so long - we just ended up having (excellent seafood) dinner at our hotel.

Day 2: Phi Phi Islands

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Phi Phi Island tour! It was terrific - the beaches, the boat rides, and the snorkeling (we saw a baby shark and that was pretty sick)

‍

I have to say, it wasn’t my favorite tour, and I preferred the Phang Nga Bay tour (or the Nusa Penida tour in Bali). There was nothing to complain about the tour - the team was excellent, efficient, and made everyone well taken care of. However, it wasn’t the most comfortable with 60 people sitting in rows and rows of chairs on the Catamaran. It can also get very bumpy, but just make sure you take the seasickness pills (provided) before the ride to save your life!

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I booked the Phi Phi Island tour and the James Bond and Phang Nga Bay tour through the Klook Pass Phuket. Adding on a credit card discount, we paid for two tours for the price of one. Good deal!

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We were supposed to have dinner at No.6 Restaurant right by Bangla Road, but the weather was so warm and the queues were so long - we just ended up having (excellent seafood) dinner at our hotel.

Day 3: Phuket Old Town

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RYN TEA

ONE CHUN CAFE

TORRY’S ICE CREAM

KIM'S MASSAGE & SPA 5 PHUKET OLD TOWN

TU KHAB KHAO

THE DISTILLERY PHUKET - HOME OF CHALONG BAY

 

Be prepared for great food - Thai mains, cafes, and desserts. Ryn tea took me by surprise. I drink a lot of matcha, and this was by far the best I have ever had. For the rest of the food, I can’t compare them to anything outside I’ve tried because they went far beyond Pad Thai, but it’s so good that everyone needs to try them.

Day 4: James Bond and Phang Nga Bay 

JAMES BOND AND PHANG NGA BAY TOUR

NAUGHTY NURI’S PHUKET

BEYOND PATONG NIGHT MARKET

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We booked the James Bond and Phang Nga Bay tour as part of our Klook Pass. I enjoyed this one. Visiting different islands, caves, and the famous James Bond Island was relaxing. There wasn’t as much to see as Phang Nga Bay, but we sat in a nice speed boat with ample space and comfortable seats - I wish I could sit there all day. My friend did get food poisoning from their lunch, so… that was a bummer.