Travelling with just a backpack and few stuffs in your hands can be so much fun and handy, thus it can be real stressful as well. Provided you have the strength and passion to travel from one point to one another with your legs or with those uncomfortable rides that can be adventurous for some reasons.
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| Sunset View at Patong Beach |
Phuket is situated in southern of Thailand (where I'm not going to tell you everything in this post). My intention is to share some of the common sense expectations and the do's and don'ts while travelling to Phuket (it might work for certain area in Thailand as well). Well, this is based on my own experience and what I've been facing along the journey of 5 days 4 nights in Phuket.
Travelling to Phuket was not that expensive when it comes to the accommodation and flights arrangement. I got a good deal from Air Asiago website tho. Since I was travelling from Malaysia, the time taken for the flight to Phuket was just around 1 hour and 30 minutes. Well, it's not that tiring and I regretted for spending that extra RM 10 for the meal on board and the extra RM 6 for the seating arrangement (normally I will do this to light up the excitement, so that I can come out early from the plane....silly me).
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| My room at the hotel |
When you arrived at the airport, look for the foreign passport lane for immigration checkpoint. You will see a lot of travelers from that 'particular country' trying to cut the queue and make their own line (pfft....normal scene everywhere). As I traveled light this time around, I did not have to wait for the extra baggage or whatsoever. Thus, I went straight to the telco shops located at the ground floor to purchase the Thai's simcard. I chose AIS simcard since the coverage (as according to the other traveler post) is the best and indeed it is affordable. I paid for about RM 38 or 300 BAHT for 5 gb of internet that valid for 7 days! Good deal I guess.
I forgot to say that most of the traveler will choose Patong Beach as their destination for the visit. There is almost NON will stay in Phuket Town. The main transportation to Patong is either Medium Van size which can accommodate up to 11 pax in one time with the ticket price of RM 23 or 180 BAHT or you can choose to ride on the taxi which normally costs you somewhere around 1000 BAHT. Well, found that bus was cheap though for the journey of 1 hour plus. You'll be so excited along the ride! Trust me! Even the street racer can't beat this van driver.
Let me sum up my TOTAL EXPENDITURE for the first few hours in Malaysia and Phuket.
- Accommodation + AirAsia Flights (Return) = RM 580 (4,500 BAHT) /USD 136
- Travelling from home to airport = RM 15 (Bus) + RM 12 (Uber)
- Simcard = RM 38 (300 BAHT)
- Airport Transfer to Patong Beach = RM 23 (180 BAHT)
HOTEL
The Album Hotel (Pronounce as ALABUM in Thai) situated at the end of the road all the way to Patong Beach. You will find the public school and it is about 200 metres from the PARADISE and 500 metres to Bangla Road and Jungceylon. The best part of this hotel is actually the cleanliness. However, you might be disappointed with the condition of the aircond (I don't really care since I will be out of the room like every single time), and the policy itself that requires you to pay extra RM 65 (500 BAHT) for extra person you try to bring in to stay with you. 500 BAHT is for one night okay! If you kind of a person that really loves to bring somebody into the room. I would suggest you to choose other hotel! I believed that this policy has been imposed in many hotels around Patong Beach as well. This is indeed the easiest way for the management to make more money. Well, everyone knows Patong Beach is the HEAVEN right?
FOOD
You can find a lot of local foods in the heart of Patong Beach Town, there are a lot of them. You just name them! Since I am a Muslim, Halal is my biggest concern. To get HALAL foods in Phuket is not that difficult but it is EXPENSIVE. You can find the decent affordable fried rice somewhere at the beach, there's plenty of restaurants and stalls nearby. I got my KFC on the second day (where it is HALAL for some reasons). Again, it is EXPENSIVE. One set can cost you around RM 23! Well, expect this in advance since you are travelling to Phuket (the heart of happiness and money-sucker I would say). Most of the time I will just buy the pre-cooked packed food from 7 Eleven. There's plenty of Halal brands that you can find in most of the stores. Just buy it and they will help you to reheat the pack. Each pack will cost you around RM 5 - RM 6. Well, so much cheaper than the rest of the restaurants.
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| If you wanna have the best snacks on earth |
THE BEACH
Patong Beach is quiet long (2 km) stretch from the junction that leads to Paradise Beach to the end of I also can't recall myself. You can see a lot of middle eastern and white travelers lying down on the beach (sunbathing) and enjoying themselves. Well, temperature is way too hot for me, as I only wore singlet and shorts like almost everyday. Regret that I brought a lot of t-shirts. Well, travel light my style always ends up with heaviness.
There is a festival which I managed to join (Half Moon Festival) held in Paradise Beach somewhere further from Patong Beach. It took me around 20 minutes to get there by motorcycle. Well, the festival was good, unfortunately I was not into that party mood at that time, so I just came back early. Ahhh, such a waste of money.
BANGLA ROAD AND NIGHTLIFE
For many reasons, Phuket is the best place for those who are party-madness. You can have your party like nobody business in Bangla Road (for straight man and woman) and somewhere in Paradise Complex (for gays) they have plenty of clubs/pubs in that area. Well, I experienced myself in one of the clubs (the video and photos provided). Normally, they will be no cover charge for the entrance, then you can purchase the cheapest local beer for promotion of 3 bottles for 200 Baht. By the way, it is quiet expensive. You can enjoy the show, cabaret show and cute looking guys dancing on the stage. Well, kinda nice.
Back in Bangla Road, I found few pubs that really play good songs and even have the best live bands so far. Went to this particular bar where the group of singer (I believed they were from the Philippines) sang for 3 hours non-stop! The best part of the show was the fresh and new songs choice. I should give them credit on that. Kudos!
Night at the Bangla Road is normally ends at 6 am in the morning.
RENTING A MOTORBIKE
Been heard that some travelers warned the others to not to rent a motorbike in Phuket or Thailand, first, they require the international licence (not so sure about that). Second, they tend to scam you by giving you the faulty or malfunction motorbike and let you ride it. Then, if it get spoil, you have to responsible for it and pay more than 10,000 BAHT.
I almost being cheated!!! I rented a motorbike from the small shop in front of my hotel (after asking the staff whether it is reliable or not. She said it is reliable but she did not suggest me to ride the motorbike around Patong Beach since it is very dangerous). Well, her alarm did not change my mind to rent the motorbike plus I got cheapest deal of only 150 BAHT which around RM 20 for one day! Normally, they will charge around RM 30. I did not feel suspicious at the first time until I got into the party in Paradise Beach. My watch showed that it was 10 PM at night, so I had to get back to Patong Beach when I realized that the motorbike spotlights were non functioning!!!! It was a total mess situation. I had to pass by the dark area somewhere in the middle of the hill alone - you know if you have those wild imaginations with you resulted from the habit of watching Thai's ghost movies? Nangnak and all. You name 'em!
My suggestion will be: Do not rent a motorcycle! Don't be lazy, walk your ass off (I meant, just walk and burn those calories)
There is a festival which I managed to join (Half Moon Festival) held in Paradise Beach somewhere further from Patong Beach. It took me around 20 minutes to get there by motorcycle. Well, the festival was good, unfortunately I was not into that party mood at that time, so I just came back early. Ahhh, such a waste of money.
BANGLA ROAD AND NIGHTLIFE
For many reasons, Phuket is the best place for those who are party-madness. You can have your party like nobody business in Bangla Road (for straight man and woman) and somewhere in Paradise Complex (for gays) they have plenty of clubs/pubs in that area. Well, I experienced myself in one of the clubs (the video and photos provided). Normally, they will be no cover charge for the entrance, then you can purchase the cheapest local beer for promotion of 3 bottles for 200 Baht. By the way, it is quiet expensive. You can enjoy the show, cabaret show and cute looking guys dancing on the stage. Well, kinda nice.
Back in Bangla Road, I found few pubs that really play good songs and even have the best live bands so far. Went to this particular bar where the group of singer (I believed they were from the Philippines) sang for 3 hours non-stop! The best part of the show was the fresh and new songs choice. I should give them credit on that. Kudos!
Night at the Bangla Road is normally ends at 6 am in the morning.
RENTING A MOTORBIKE
Been heard that some travelers warned the others to not to rent a motorbike in Phuket or Thailand, first, they require the international licence (not so sure about that). Second, they tend to scam you by giving you the faulty or malfunction motorbike and let you ride it. Then, if it get spoil, you have to responsible for it and pay more than 10,000 BAHT.
I almost being cheated!!! I rented a motorbike from the small shop in front of my hotel (after asking the staff whether it is reliable or not. She said it is reliable but she did not suggest me to ride the motorbike around Patong Beach since it is very dangerous). Well, her alarm did not change my mind to rent the motorbike plus I got cheapest deal of only 150 BAHT which around RM 20 for one day! Normally, they will charge around RM 30. I did not feel suspicious at the first time until I got into the party in Paradise Beach. My watch showed that it was 10 PM at night, so I had to get back to Patong Beach when I realized that the motorbike spotlights were non functioning!!!! It was a total mess situation. I had to pass by the dark area somewhere in the middle of the hill alone - you know if you have those wild imaginations with you resulted from the habit of watching Thai's ghost movies? Nangnak and all. You name 'em!
My suggestion will be: Do not rent a motorcycle! Don't be lazy, walk your ass off (I meant, just walk and burn those calories)
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