Phuket, An Island of Adventure, Relaxation & Fun!

Well Hello Travellers! Phuket is a little piece of Heaven. Yes many say that Phuket has become over commercialised but it’s what you make of it, and frankly I haven’t enjoyed myself more than on any holiday I have been on yet. What an amazing place. On one side you have the peaceful expansion of an endless ocean which reminds me of Cape Town (except the water is much warmer!) and on the other side you have the dense green jungle like city. The people are incredibly humble and so welcoming, you feel like you have arrived at home. We chose to stay just outside the hustle and bustle of busy Patong Beach, in a hotel called the Aqua Marine Resort & Spa which was set in the mountains just above Kamala Beach. What a beautiful place, with horizon pools and pool bars with Island music playing in the background. I could have stayed in the pool for days if it wasn’t for the fact that I was going to turn into a prune. Just a 5 minute terrifying yet exhilarating tuk tuk drive from Patong we were perfectly located.

Of course for the first 2 days we indulged in the pool, the coconut cocktails, the sun chairs and the buffet of delicious food, especially the seafood! As well as taking advantage of the Spa, a Thai massage is like no other, first you wonder if these women are going to hurt you when they get up on the massage table, but they are nothing short of spectacular! After the relaxation it was time to explore the island. There is nothing better than taking the tour of Phuket. This is a half day tour that gives you history of the island. We had the pleasure of embarking on a tour of a lifetime, the Canoeing James Bond Island Tour. They picked us up from the hotel early in the morning and took us to the harbour where we put on our life jackets and hopped onto a sheltered boat with a bunch of travellers from all across the globe. We headed off into the islands ready to explore. You stop off at about 3 islands before you start canoeing, where you get to play soccer with the locals and see how they live. Let me express that these islands are tiny, nothing bigger than a rugby field. We then headed off on our canoes into the limestone caves. You lie down in your canoe and move with your hands until you come up into an enclosure filled with plants, monkeys and beauty. Half way through the day they serve you a finger food lunch just before you head off to the famous James Bond Island. This is where you can spend some time exploring and the rest roaming around the market before you head on back to the harbour. We also had the pleasure of attending the famous Phuket FantaSea. This is a mixture of a carnival/dinner and a show. It’s is an evening of fun and entertainment. The dinner you have is at the biggest buffet in the world, which is impeccably run and the service is outstanding. The show you attend is beautiful; it reveals the history of the island and it expresses the Thais' love for the elephants. Famous Patong… this strip is not to be missed; there are markets, restaurants, pubs and discos etc… You can keep yourself busy for a good few days. The markets are more expensive than cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai, this is because Phuket is more of a tourist town, but you can still get bargains, so don’t give up too quickly. The rest of your stay can be spent walking up and down the long sandy white beaches, snorkelling, tanning or even getting massages on the beach. Phuket is an island of adventure, relaxation and fun. Enjoy it! For more information about this fantastic destination then give me a call. Regards Nicci