Phuket is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Thailand, and even in Asia. It is Thailand’s largest island, about the size of Singapore. This place is not something like a tourists’ new love. However, it still is quite a good place for most things you want during a vacation. I would not mind going there again in the future.
We went there last year in late June to early July. Usually it is low season around that time. The hotels were a lot cheaper and had great deals which meant that you would have more choices for a nice hotel. And it was quite less crowded so you would not feel that it is too annoying to walk around.
So what is actually that good about Phuket? I am going to show you some amazing parts and also some guidance/tips for a trip to that fantastic island.
First, alcohols. Well, alcoholic drinks are good and are a must when on vacation. In Phuket, you can find cocktails/beer/strong spirits for very cheap. Usually a cocktail would only cost $30-60 HKD. They are probably not that strong but they are absolutely tasty. And for that price, it is good enough already. Usually you can get cocktails in most restaurants and pubs/bars. But the main Phuket night life area is Patong. There are heaps of bars, restaurants and shops.
If you want to go somewhere that is more classy for a drink, then bars in the 5-star hotels would be a good choice. Or Joe’s Downstairs which is not far from Patong Beach (they have really nice decoration and also have a view).
I strongly recommend the Casuarina Beach Restaurant & Pub in Dusit Hotel. It is just at the beach and it has very good cocktails that would definitely satisfy you (the bartender would not just randomly mix things) and happy hours as well (usually buy 1 get 2).
If you want to have a drink with a breath-taking view on a view point, then this one would be great: Promthep Cape Restaurant. It is just at the Promthep Cape (south end of Phuket) where you can see the sunset over Andaman Sea.
Second, food. I love yummy food — and I love Thai cuisine! In Phuket you can get Thai cuisine + seafood for really good price. Lobsters, tiger prawns, killer prawns, fishes etc. And seriously, they are not pricy. Especially if you compare to Hong Kong and Singapore. Almost all restaurants in Phuket would have seafood and you can choose the size you want and even the way you want them to be cooked!
Patong Seafood Restaurant and Savoey in Patong are worth trying out. They have a big variety in their menu and they offer nice cocktails as well.
For fine dining, you should check out On The Rocks Restaurant at Kata Beach. It has the most spicy Tom Yum Soup I have ever had and one of my favourite views in Phuket.
Their menu is not in as big variety as those two at Patong but it is a lot quieter and it is just “on the rocks” where you can create some romantic feelings. BTW, the cocktails here are better too.
At Ruen Thai Restaurant in Dusit Hotel, you can find some top-class Thai cuisine. It is pretty pricy but it is worth it. You will have to order the Prawns in Black Pepper Sauce and the BBQ Beef Slices. They were so so so delicious that even till now I still think about them every now and then. Even the simple fried rice there was very surprising. So, if you have a good budget, this restaurant should be a must visit.
What if getting hungry in the afternoon? Want some snacks? Pool Side Bar And Cafe in Dusit Hotel has ridiculously yummy Tempura Calamari and Vegetables.
A sunny afternoon, some Fried Calamari, a glass of iced coffee or any other cold drinks — that’s life.
Missing western food a bit? Want something nice and simple for breakfast? Then you should check out Yorkshire Inn in Patong. They have really nice Bacon and Egg Toasted Baguette there.
Third, beaches. Phuket has great beaches. It is not as great as beaches in Australia, however, at least quite much better than Hong Kong and Mainland China.
Our favourite beach in Phuket is Kata-Noi Beach. It is quiet, peaceful and the sand is very soft. It was so nice to stare at the sunset on this beach. You can easily forget about all the bad things in life.
If you prefer beaches with more people but not ridiculously many, you can go to Kata Beach.
It is a big beach and just where On The Rocks Restaurant is. And it is right next to Kata-Noi Beach.
For people who stay in Laguna (formed by several 5-star hotels like Dusit, Sheraton), you can relax at Bangtao Beach (it is only available for hotel guests). Jetskis are available here (oh gosh it was so scary!)
The most popular beach is Patong Beach. Jetskis are available here as well. There are usually many people but it could be fun still. Come on, you can get to see hot girls or hot guys! :P
Forth, luxury hotels. As I said, we went there during low season so hotels were not pricy. They had very good deals like “pay 3 nights stay 4 nights”. We chose to stay at a a cheap hotel in Patong for 2 nights just to experience the most popular area in Phuket. Then after that, we went to Dusit Hotel to stay for 4 nights. It turned out to be a very smart decision.
Dusit is a Thai-style 5-star luxury hotel. It is located in Laguna where there are several 5-star hotels around and you can use the facilities at any hotels if you stay in one of them. Dusit is very well designed and a lot nicer than Sheraton which is just next door. We stayed at Ocean Front Room that had a balcony right facing the sea. The swimming pool was right facing the sea too and very beautiful at night.
Fifth, driving & exploring. We rented a car for a whole week. It was very convenient, useful and we could just go anywhere we wanted. Sometimes we just drove to a bloody-nowhere and stopped to look at the view or have some food. It was a lot easier too when we were staying at Dusit as we did not need hotel shuttle bus. And what’s more, we could check out restaurants easily. Car parking was very cheap and easy as well. Actually, it was free most of the time.
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Hi,
Nice shots and beautiful breeze.
I enjoyed my stayed in Patong Beach.
So nice to share travel experience.
Thank you.
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