Phuket, Thailand

From Kuala Lumpur, we flew directly to Phuket, which is Thailand's largest island.  We arrived late on the evening of January 16th and promptly passed out at the hostel.  We opted to stay around Patong Bay, the entertainment and shopping hotspot on the western coast of Phuket.  Our hostel was located a mere 5 minutes from the beach and we spent the entire next day, relaxing on Patong Beach with fresh-cut fruit and tropical drinks.  The weather during my stay in Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia was consistently in the mid-80s if not 90s.  The sun was so strong and within a few short hours of lying out, I was several shades darker and branded with unpleasant tan lines.

In the evening, we got tickets to see Simon Caberet, the island's most renowned show featuring highly believable "lady boys."  The show boasted lavish sets and brilliant costumes.  The beautiful performers lip-synched and danced to songs from all over the world.  Much to my surprise, they even performed to some K-pop music!  It was such a fun time and I was thoroughly entertained for the whole thing.

After the show, we headed to Bangla Road to check out the nightlife.  Dozens of bars, pubs, and nightclubs lined the streets.  It reminded me of a raunchier Bourbon Street in New Orleans, with scantily clad tourists and locals trying to lure vistors to back alley peep shows and go-go bars.  In an attempt to appease tourists, this island has turned into a highly commercialized and over-crowded vacation spot.  Perhaps that's my only complaint about Phuket.  While the beaches are unmatched in terms of natural beauty, the crazy, loud tourists that roam the streets at night put a slight damper on the island's charm.

The next day, we embarked on an all-day speedboat tour of Ko Phi Phi, a group of 6 islands that has some of the most beautiful beaches and striking rock formations in the world.  The tour group picked us up from our hostel super early in the morning and transported us to Phuket Bay, on the eastern side of the island.  There, we boarded a speedboat and departed the pier for a 45-minute journey out to Phi Phi Ley.

David and I, with our tour guide

First stop at Phi Phi Ley was Loh Samah Bay.  There, the crew anchored the boat and we all got a chance to go snorkeling and swimming, surrounded by thousands of colorful tropical fish.  The color of the water was unreal - a perfect cue of greenish turquoise, and the rock formations surrounding us were absolutely stunning.  Next, we quickly stopped by Viking Cave, a famous site known for prehistoric drawings on the cave walls.  Unfortunately, tourists are no longer allowed to enter for safety reasons, but we were still able to observe the entrance and take photos.

Viking Cave

After that, we reboarded the boat and headed to Yong Kasem, also known as Monkey Beach for obvious reasons.  On this small tract of sand, dozens of well-fed wild monkeys roam freely, happily accepting our offering of mini-bananas.  They were not scared of us at all and practically posed for all of our photos.

Then, we headed out for Pileh Cove, a beautiful lagoon surrounded by towering limestone rock formations on every side.  There is a small opening where boats can slip through.  I had never seen anything like this before.  The sheer view took my breath away.  Next, we pulled into Maya Bay, which was where the movie "The Beach" was filmed.  Maya Bay had such fine, perfectly white sand.  It was truly a tropical paradise.

After that, we arrived at Phi Phi Don, where we had a beachside buffet for lunch.  I can't get over how delicious Thai food is.  I love how it integrates so many fresh fruits and vegetables.  In total, there were maybe 25 people on our speedboat. 

Our last stop of the day was Khai Nok Island.  There, we had a few hours of free time to just relax and enjoy our time on the beach.  Finally around 4:00pm, we boarded our boat for the last time and headed back to the pier.  It was an exhausting but thoroughly enjoyable day.

Phuket was exactly what I dreamed a Thai paradise would be like.  It was a bit crowded and over-commercialized, but the beaches surpassed my expectations.  Next stop on the world tour is Chiang Mai, a city in northern Thailand, far removed from the hustle and bustle of KL and the rampant tourists of Phuket.  Stay tuned for more adventures in Thailand!