Hidden Paradises and Unexplored Corners of Phuket

Thailand is one of the few countries you would want to return to again and again. Since it is a large country, the weather varies in different regions. However, speaking of Phuket the best time is between November and March. During this period the high season takes place, the sea is warm and calm and the water temperature rises up to around 27 degrees. In comparison Koh Samui experiences the rainy season during the same period, with good weather only starting in January and continuing until March. In April, a very hot period begins in Koh Samui. However, this time frame is still loved by many tourists because the prices drop. Generally due to global climate change, seasons are shifting everywhere, so you might encounter perfect weather during the low season or conversely, the opposite. We live in a changing world and everything changes so fast.

Why do people love Thailand so much? First of all because of its warm and calm sea and its sandy beaches suitable for all tastes. Secondly, it has delicious and inexpensive food. Five years ago, a plate of food from street vendors for 50 baht is still available at the same price today. In addition, affordable massages, various fruits, pleasant climate, friendly Thais, accommodations for every budget, direct flights from many countries, safety and a relaxed lifestyle are important.

Phuket Airport is located in the north of the island and flights are provided by fifty different airlines. When you arrive, the first things to do are to arrange accommodation, transportation and get a SIM card. We recommend reserving your accommodation in advance, especially during the high season. If you are coming for the winter, you can make a short reservation and later find something good on-site. In Thailand, almost every cafe and hotel has free Wi-Fi. However, if you need mobile internet, you can buy it at the airport. Thailand has three operators. We have worked with all of them and honestly, there is not much difference between them. The prices are reasonable and the speeds are approximately the same. The internet speed is really good. We generally prefer using mobile internet over free Wi-Fi because it is more convenient for us. If you forgot to get a SIM card at the airport, don't worry. You can also buy one at any shopping mall or 7-Eleven in the city.

Before you go to Thailand it is best to have some dollars. You can also pay almost everywhere with bank cards and in some places, Apple Pay even works. However, if your card doesn't work abroad, you can take advantage of special exchange offices, which are available in every area. Now, let's talk about transportation: Traffic in Thailand has some specific features. First, vehicles drive on the left side here and your brain might not adapt right away, but you can get used to it within 2-3 hours. Secondly, there are many motorbikes here and you need to get used to that too, especially if you rent a car. You can call a taxi, but based on our experience, the cheapest option is InDrive. However, you may not always find a free driver, so download other apps and use the one that suits you. Public transportation is also available, with buses and minibuses running routes from area to area. You can find the schedules at the stops. You can also take a bus from the airport to any area, but it may take a little longer. There are also colorful tuk-tuks on the island, which are very cute little vehicles. They usually wait around Bangla Road and offer rides to nearby areas. The prices can sometimes be quite exaggerated, but you can enjoy a fun ride with music and lights.

Of course the most affordable option is to rent a scooter and explore on your own. For this, you need an international driving license, class A. Otherwise, be prepared for police operations and a 1000 baht fine. Car rental prices start from about 400 dollars and vary depending on the season. A scooter starts at around 100 dollars, but models like the Honda PCX or Yamaha NMAX usually cost around 200 dollars. People who stay here for a few months usually buy a scooter and easily sell it on Facebook or local classified sites when their stay ends. However, it takes some time to sell, so keep that in mind if you choose this method. As for fuel, it is cheap here. 95-octane gasoline costs a little over a dollar per liter. We fill our scooter for 10 dollars and it lasts us a week. And of course, don't forget your helmet, always wear it.

When you arrive in Phuket the first decision you need to make is where to stay. Phuket is not a small island, so there is a place for everyone. The southernmost part of the island is Rawai. This is where winter tourists stay between November and May. There are many tourists here and Nai Harn Beach, which has a great beach, is nearby. One of the southernmost beaches is also Nai Harn Beach, one of our favorites. But it is also crowded because not only we but many people love this beach. The Chalong area next to Rawai is mostly populated by expats who live here long-term. People working remotely or at local companies can be found here. Although the infrastructure is a little underdeveloped, there are private schools and kindergartens here, which is why families love it. There are also people coming to Chalong for Thai boxing training because there are many gyms and schools here.

The center of the island is the Kata area, where many condominiums have been built. This attracts people looking for affordable accommodation. It takes 20-30 minutes to reach the sea, but it offers the advantage of shopping malls and easy access to almost every part of the island. Phuket Town is not popular among tourists for accommodation, but walking in the old town, sitting in a bar or strolling around the night market is something tourists enjoy. Then come Karon and Kata, which are the two most preferred areas by tourists. Karon attracts thousands of tourists with its long, white, crunchy sandy beach, hotels, apartments, Thai houses, many restaurants and bars. This beach is 3 km long. It used to be one of my favorite beaches, but now it looks a bit worn out and I think the number of people here is as high as in Patong. The only difference is that the water here is a little cleaner, but there can be plankton that causes itching from time to time. After spending some time in the water, you may start to feel some itching on your body, but this effect usually passes quickly.

During the season the area is quite crowded, but although it may be difficult to find accommodation, it is possible. If you are coming to Phuket for the first time and don't know which area to choose, choose Karon or Kata, you won't be disappointed. The one place you should definitely avoid on your first visit to Phuket is Patong. There are many cheap hotels and some of the worst places on the island, including the famous Bangla Road. The beach here is not the cleanest, but it has improved after the pandemic. If you're someone who loves parties and you're coming for a two-week holiday to experience everything to the fullest, Patong is your place.

Patong Beach is about 3 km long. Honestly, we never swam in Patong and don’t really recommend it because it is considered the dirtiest beach. There are many sunbeds and the beach stretches about 3 km. There are so many people here because many people come on package tours and probably don't want to go elsewhere or spend their time or money elsewhere. So, everyone comes here to Patong Beach. The sand on this beach is grayish in color, but there are all kinds of activities here: jetski, parasailing, banana boat, etc. Jetski costs 1500 baht for one person for 30 minutes, 2000 baht for two people. Parasailing costs 1200 baht for one person, 2400 baht for two people. The banana boat is 500 baht. There are fixed prices for beach umbrellas, each area has its own. From 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, one set is 200 baht and for an extra umbrella, it is 100 baht more. Generally, the prices are normal and standard compared to other beaches. If someone doesn’t want to pay for a sunbed, they can sit on the ground with their towel and rest. However, Patong has good infrastructure for a beach. There are walkways, you can park your bike and buy whatever you need. Everything you might need on holiday is here. You can even get a sea-view massage. Prices: 500 baht for a massage, 300 baht for a foot massage. Of course, this is more expensive compared to massage parlors and the massage quality here may not be very good. We don’t recommend going to these kinds of massage places, but maybe if someone wants to relax with a sea view, why not?

Here you can get chilled drinks, smoothies, all kinds of fruits and even beer from the early hours of the morning. Sliced fruits and everything you can imagine are available. But what cheers you up in Patong is this: a lot of people are on vacation here right now and in the evenings and nights, there are parties and entertainment because the famous Bangla Road is here. Still every morning everything is spotless. You won’t see any trash anywhere. In this regard, Thailand is really good now. You won’t have to walk in places filled with trash and rats. Maybe five years ago, you could have seen overflowing trash bins in Patong, but now that’s not the case, because I think they pay more attention to cleanliness and regular checks now. And in general, Patong is a beach where more budget-friendly tourists come. There are many different hotels here, but higher-end hotels are located a little farther away from the beach. In Patong, the budget hotels are affordable. Prices are very cheap, but you can also find luxury hotels. If you want peace and silence, there are many resorts outside of Patong where you can go. Patong is in the center and the location of it is very strategic. For instance, you can easily rent a bike and reach the south or north coast in just 15-20 minutes.

We went to Paradise Beach just a 7-minute scooter ride from the main Patong Beach. There is a small parking lot here where cars and scooters can park. However, not everyone can reach this place. Only those with their own vehicles or those who rent a taxi or minibus can get here. This beach also charges an entry fee of 200 baht per person. The 200 baht fee includes two sunbeds and one umbrella. There are waiters here and there's a small cafe where you can order anything you like. We got two coconuts, each for 120 baht. The beach itself is about 200 meters long and there aren't as many people here as in Patong. This is exactly why we came here and that's why others come as well. The water is clear, the sand is pleasant and you can even swim with turtles. Of course, you might see some trash, but I saw a man cleaning the water with a diving mask, collecting leaves and trash. If you go a little further left, there’s a second part of Paradise Beach with more sunbeds, a shallow seabed, sand and a lifeguard on duty, so it's safe to come here with children. And of course, the view is stunning.

The most stylish area of Phuket is called Ban Tao and it is divided into three parts. The southern part has most of the shops and restaurants and all the main infrastructure is located here. The central part is known as Ban Tao or Laguna and the infrastructure is well-developed here as well. The northern part is the quietest and least attractive for tourists. However, if you're looking for peace and a place away from the tourist crowds, this area is for you. We chose Ban Tao again because we really like it here. It's completely different, interesting and not crowded with tourists. People here are calm and reasonable, unlike those in Patong. They drink less. It has a great beach with wide, long, clear water, clean sand and blue water. It also has European-style infrastructure, with beautiful European shops and restaurants. There is a great Friday market at the Botanical Garden. You should definitely visit and try the tuna salad there.

Thailand has a good food culture. Most locals and tourists don’t cook at home because food is sold everywhere. There are a lot of different restaurants, street food vendors and night markets. You can find everything here, from traditional Thai dishes to the foods we’re used to. Thailand is also home to all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants that are quite popular. You pay a fixed price and can eat as much as you want. At a premium Japanese buffet restaurant, you pay 599 baht and eat anything you want from the menu. This restaurant operates on a self-service system. You scan a QR code, enter the app and choose all the dishes you want. You’re given 1 hour and 45 minutes and if that’s not enough, you can order more. There’s a small minibar where you can get unlimited drinks, which is also included in the price. There are different types of buffets in Thailand, so everyone can find something they like.

A separate topic worth mentioning is the small 7-Eleven stores found on every corner. Snacking there is our weakness. Let me list our favorite snacks from 7-Eleven: the hot ham and cheese sandwich is number one, followed by shrimp dumplings, pineapple pastry and of course, chocolate brownies and lava cake, which you can heat up there. You can talk about food in Thailand for hours. You definitely won't go hungry here. So, it’s up to you whether you eat at the night markets, cheap Thai restaurants, expensive restaurants or at home.

Now let’s talk about what can be done around Phuket and where you can go. There are already many interesting places on the island, but it’s always enjoyable to visit the paradise islands located an hour away from Phuket. The easiest option is to apply to a tour company. The simplest and cheapest tour is the trip to Racha Island. We especially went on one of the sailing yachts, which gave us a more exclusive experience. Arriving at the white beaches, snorkeling and a delicious lunch made for a great program all day at a low price. For those who like longer and more intense tours, we recommend a two-day trip to Phi Phi Islands, which offers the opportunity to stay overnight on the island.

Here we visit Maya Bay, the famous beach featured in Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie. It’s really beautiful, this famous Maya Bay. If you remember from the movie, a mountain was also drawn here and the bay appeared completely surrounded by green hills. Cinema magic—there’s deception everywhere. Still the flow of people continues, but there’s enough time to take photos. Swimming here is forbidden, so there's nothing else to do except take photos, strike your best poses and leave. In the evening, you can take a walk on the colorful streets of Pepee Don and visit the viewpoint.

After the sun sets local youngsters will perform a fire show on the shore. You will definitely not get bored. One of the most popular tours in Phuket is the trip to Similan Islands. The tour starts quite early. They came to pick us up at 6 a.m. and took us to the pier on the outskirts of Phuket. All of this is to arrive early at Similan Islands and be there before the tourists. The Similans are an archipelago of nine islands, but only two are open to tourists. The first stop is at Rang Bay for snorkeling. The water is clear and there are even pink corals like in the Maldives. Our second stop is on the fourth island, where we have lunch and relax on the beach. This stop lasts for an hour and a half. It's very beautiful and relaxing. I’ve never seen such clear water anywhere else. The clarity and color of the water in the Similans are really as beautiful as the Maldives. The rocks are the same and you won’t find such rocks in Ra, so the Similans are very similar to the Maldives.

We moved on to the next island, where you can swim with turtles and climb the viewpoint. But you have to hurry, as there are a lot of people. The view is really beautiful, but the number of people disturbs the peace. My advice is to take an early tour to Similan Islands so your speedboat can arrive on the island by 8 a.m. and you can truly enjoy all the beauty and take great photos.

Our number one must-see place in Thailand is Cheow Lan Lake. You can come here on your own, rent a boat, arrange accommodation through Booking or join a tour, which is what we did. The tour starts with visiting the most beautiful viewpoint in Hanza Province. This lake is considered the most beautiful lake in Thailand. Lan Lake is a massive artificial lake located in Kaeng Krachan National Park. The lake was formed in 1982 when a dam was built by order of the King of Thailand and a hydroelectric power station was established. The lake is surrounded by limestone hills where wild animals live. There are no hotels, restaurants or shops by the lakeside, just floating houses for accommodation. Freshwater is much more beautiful than sea water. The depth can reach up to 150 meters in some places, but it's relatively shallow, about 40 meters. If you dive, you can reach the bottom.

For the last tour of the day, there’s no need to leave Phuket, but it's still a recommended place. This is a park where elephants are protected. These animals have been rescued from breeding farms and hunters and brought here. Their job is simply to eat and rest. People feed them, take photos, record videos and even swim with them. The first such park opened in Thailand in 2014 and now there are many parks in Samui, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya. The elephants here are calm and not aggressive.

Thailand is really a great place. It’s hard to find a similar place. However, if you stay here for more than six months, some issues arise. For example, the visa policy is no longer as attractive. It’s always hot during the summer. During the rainy season, rain can last for a month and it might be hard to even leave the house. Also, accommodation prices can be expensive and finding a good place during the season can be an adventure. Despite these things Thailand is still a beautiful country worth visiting. If you haven’t visited yet, I definitely recommend it.