Every beginning needs a warm up. So do my year 2013. I choose island hopping around Phuket and Krabi, Thailand to warm up my beginning of new year as well as celebrating Mike's 34th birthday. I recall back 2012 and I realized that I did not go to any beaches at all for the entire year!! So, to make it up for that, I've decided to do a serious island hopping, swim under the sun and get serious tan line.
There is no introduction needed for these two (Phuket and Krabi). Russians go for the beaches, Americans love it for its girls and weed, European go for young Thai girls and ladyboys (LOL) and Malaysian go there for shopping (seriously..Malaysian travel abroad to shop. See how rich Malaysians are, and yet complain about toll and taxes).
Food wise, no issue to find Halal, Muslim food. It's everywhere. It is cheaper and full of flavor (as usual) than what I used to have back in KL.
Down the road from our hotel, we had this for our 1st lunch. And it costs us less than THB500.
Fried beef with black pepper and curry power. Yums! (Rasa ala ala rendang daging, tapi lagi awesome)
Chilli crab with onion spring and egg...
What I tell you, licin hingga menjilat pinggan. (Plate licking good)
Some people make faces when I mentioned Phuket and Krabi. "Boring" according to them.
Well, I agree if they are not a beach lover, or know how to swim. I agree that beaches in Patong or in Aonang are no longer crystal clear. It might turn to Langkawi 5-8 years from now. You need to take a boat and go to the island nearby to enjoy what Phuket and Krabi has to amaze you.
I've been to Phuket back in year 2011, do the kayaking and that's it. It was 3 short day visit and made a wrong choice on hotel location. (Too far from Patong Beach Area). Any mistake in Thailand is not that expensive for you to amend it compare to other countries. Just buy that flight ticket and go do it all over again.
We stayed at Citrus Heights Patong, which is located at Nanai Soi 8, 10 - 15 minutes walk from Junceylon/ Bangla Road (not that really close, but still is walk able distance). Huge room complete with cute kitchen cabinet, front load washing machine, 2 doors fridge and microwave - A 1 Bedroom Studio Apartment unit like BUT, ALL of those facilities meant nothing to me when there is no knife or plate provided for
However, thumb ups for the shuttle service, 4 times daily to Jungceylon and Bangla Road.
But here's is my recommendation if you MALAYSIANS that are up to shop and dine ONLY in Patong - you can choose to stay in PIMNARA BOUTIQUE HOTEL. It's cute and everything just at hotel's doorstep. I don't know about the noise you may get when you sleep at night though.
Please bear in mind, everything along Bangla Road is not free. Free sightseeing, yes. But if any of the 'ladies' or guy with cute furry animals offering you to take pictures with them and their pet, you have to pay.
Here is the glimpse of Phuket Night at Bangla Road/ Patong Beach. WARNING : 18SSXXX.
..and lucky me, mine really know how to take care of himself :P
Here, extra extra for you drag queen fetish :)
I remember my Bangkok visit - my friend and I was having trouble, to find Ping Pong show. It wasn't trouble, trouble, but we had to take taxi to FIND the bar with the show. But here, in Phuket - they holding the card board with "Ping Pong Show" along the road. No secret. You just need to pick the right "house" to go in.
These girls apparently do not have any good pole dance routine. And my BF, Mike, can do better than these girls if he go up there.
Ok, cut story short. I wanna show you the beauty of the beaches in Thailand already!
We went on Similan Island Tour. Is not that cheap and I was the only Asian tourist on the boat, by the beach and deep sea snorkel that day.Hotel pick up at 6.00AM (!!!) and it was quite a long ride from Patong to Taplamu Pier (about 1.5 hours). We were served with simple breakfast and got our snorkel equipment right before we got on the speed boat. And oh, briefing by tour guide of what to Dos and Don'ts during the trip.
"Similan" is the word that derived from our Malay language which is Sembilan (Nine)! Meaning that the Island are grouped of 9 big and small Island. However, for 1 day trip, we unable to visit all 9 islands. But only 4 islands which are : Island no. 9 (Ba Ngu Island), Island no. 8 (Similan), Island no. 4 (Miang island) and Island No. 7 (Payu Island). We landed at 2 of the four islands, and snorkel at the other two.
I've checked with few other sites on Similan Island Tour - they are all not really have the same itinerary and boat route. Some tour they visit Island no. 6 or 5. well, it depends on the price I guess.
After 2 hours speed boat drive plus 1 hour just floating due to failure propeller (the kapitan fixed it on the spot), I tell you, I was so close to throw up in a plastic bag which I finally handed to me at the hour 3. I never had a sea sick before. I've rode a speed boat or small boat since as far as I can remember, I did whole night deep sea squid jigging in Terengganu even - so I refused to take the sea sick pills given to me at the pier. Some of the girls already vomited and went flat on the boat. And I just hold tight to my plastic bag. (Wow, now I feel a bit nausea while recalling that situation)
Anyway, when we reached at the Ba-Ngu Island no. 9 for snorkeling, by looking at its clear blue water, makes every shitty feelings went off, I put on my jacket and mask, jumped into the crystal blue water. I don't mind gulped a few cups of sea water after so long! The scorching sun, sea sick, long land and bot ride are so worth it.
We snorkeled for 30 minutes or so, then we speed off to the Similan Island no. 8 for lunch break (and more snorkeling).
We were served with warm lunch, and Halal. I over heard a conversation of a girl from Middle Eastern, she asked the food caterer about the food preparation and all. And the girl caterer told her that she is a Muslim so, please do not worry about the food. SO, I EAT.
We had like 1 hour stop at Similan Island, we play and swim. I was so excited because the clearest beach water I ever been in my life was Perhentian Island. So, I was feeling all overwhelmed when soaking myself in one of the 10 BEST DIVE SITE in the world.
Then we speed off to the Miang Island no. 4 and get more snorkel.
Last stop is Payu Island no. 7. I was speechless until I forgot to take a picture of the sand in my hand :( the sands are like baby milk powder. Almost no corals around and you can see the fishes at even at ankle deep water!!
Me with little mermaid pose
Mike sunbathing in style.
We finished the tour at 6PM. I swim too long and too much until my arm muscle hurt (or maybe I never swim as crazy as I did that day), so it hurt my entire
Oh yeah, I applied SPF60 for face all over my body, 100 times. I do want to get nice tan without hurting my skin. Mike applied the sunblock lesser than me, so he ended having his skin sting few hours after we came back to hotel.
To be continued with Krabi and more Islands...
