Phuket Thailand
Our first two nights were spent in Bangkok, after which we travelled to Phuket.
We flew from Bangkok to Phuket with Bangkok Airlines. The airline was very good, each passenger had access to its airport lounge where it had complimentary Wi-Fi, drinks and snacks. The flight from Bangkok to Phuket is only an hour long and once we landed we made our way to Chalong Pier. From here we needed to take a speed boat to reach our next hotel which was the Koh Racha Resort on Racha Island. The boats leave at 3 different times throughout the day and the resort has a private lounge in Chalong Pier for you to wait. The lounge was comfortable with complimentary Wi-Fi, drinks and snacks and while you wait they will check you in and give you a choice of what scent you want in your room; lemongrass, jasmine or lavender. My choice was Jasmine. The speed boat from Chalong Pier to Koh Racha took only 30 minutes, the views were amazing along the way.
Most trips to Thailand will involve a speed boat or ferry at some point, especially if you decide to a 2 or 3 stop holiday. If you are visiting any of the islands you will get to enjoy some incredible scenery and sights of Thailand’s landscape, I loved getting the speed boats to each island.
Koh Racha: We arrived around 4pm just in time for one of the most amazing sunsets I have ever seen. Koh Racha is beautiful, we were upgraded to their pool villa, it was a spacious villa with separate living room, bathroom and its own private outdoor villa and rainforest shower. This could be the best resort I have ever had the privilege of staying in. I loved my time in this resort, the food was amazing offering a fantastic mix of Thai and Western food, and if you did not want to lie by the infinity pool or on the beach all day, the resort offers activities like ATV mountain bike tours and water sports each day.
Patong: Patong was next on our tour and we spent 2 nights in the Kalima Resort in Patong. This was a modern hotel built into the hills overlooking Patong Beach. Patong has great nightlife, local restaurants and lots of day trips on offer. Patong at night is very lively, the party can go on all night and if you are looking for somewhere lively to enjoy some drinks I recommend a walk down Bangla Road.
We also visited Phuket Town, I really liked the vibe here, it has lots of Portuguese architecture all over and there are lovely cafés, local restaurants and shops in Phuket.
Elephants and Thailand are notorious and one of the most requested day trips is an up-close experience with Elephants. We visited a retirement home for Elephants near Phuket town, it was an incredible experience, one which will stay with me for a long time. We got to interact with the rescue elephants, feed them and watch them bathe. They are beautiful creatures and there unfortunately is a history of mistreatment in Thailand, so it is important to choose wisely and visit a sanctuary where they do not allow Elephant rides and the animals are treated well. They are beautiful animals, and this was probably my favourite activity of the whole trip.
I really enjoyed Phuket, it has a great mix of beach, relaxation, restaurants and night life on offer with resorts to suit all ages, the local people are so friendly, and the weather was stunning.
I would love to help you with your travel plans to Thailand, if you have any questions please get in touch anytime.
Warm Regards,
Lorraine