VACATIONS FROM HOME: PHUKET / THAILAND

A TALE OF TWO COUNTRIES

It was the best of times. It was the wurst of times.

Thailand and Phuket

Had we not traveled extensively through the northern reaches of Thailand with the Overseas Adventure Travel company (OAT) and only went south to the ‘vacation’ areas of Thailand we would have come away from our trip to this Southeast Asian country with a completely different view.

Our ‘Discover Thailand’ tour with OAT had us visit historical places like Kanchanaburi where the “Bridge Over the River Kwai” was erected and where we toured the Hellfire pass of the Siam/Burma railway, colloquially called the “Death Railway” and cruised along the River Kwai in long boats. We got up close and personal with elephants at Eco Valley. We experienced the night markets in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai when we visited both cities. We stood at the pinnacle of the Golden Triangle where Laos, Burma and Thailand meet and learned the dubious history of this once major opium producing area of the world. In Sukhothai we gave alms to monks on their daily Bindabat walkabout.

Had we NOT had these wonderful and lasting experiences in our back pocket of memories and traveled only to Phuket, a large Thai island just off the Malay peninsula, renowned for its beaches and nightlife, our memories would have been consumed by visions of overweight Germans wearing barely there speedos displacing water in the Andaman Sea and bulging over the edges of their coveted and fought over pool-side chaise lounges at the resort.

Now, do you get the “wurst” reference? Russians and Asian Indians and Koreans too were there.

All along the strand of the Kamala Beach where we stayed for one more week after our tour of northern Thailand the restaurants displayed their menus in several languages. There was no Thai culture here, but there were a lot of beach activities.

There were so many tourists that whenever I offered a Wai as a thank you or greeting to a Thai, they nearly jumped out of their skin to return this gesture of respect, so unexpected was it.

People came to Phuket to loll about and work on their tan and to party.

Mind you, it was beautiful, but it wasn’t the Thailand that we had experienced for the previous two weeks.

WHITE LOTUS, LADYBOYS AND GOLDILOCKS

We stayed at the Sunprime resort at Kamala Beach in Phuket. Adults only at our resort. It was nowhere near the opulence of the Four Seasons Resort in Koh Samui where “White Lotus” was filmed, and it was not even close to the frenetic party scene in the nearby city of Patong. It was just right, quiet with no kids allowed at the resort, but still with plenty of families on the strand and beach.

Bangla Road, Patong

Down the road from Kamala is the party town of Patong. We took a day trip down there and walked the Bangla Road, the center of nightlife in Patong. At night Bangla with bars, clubs and "other" entertainment venues, is frenetic. During the day this raucous strip was still open with shills and ladies of dubious chromosomes beckoning us to enter, but we sheepishly kept walking.

We were too old and Kamala Beach was more relaxed for us.

The beaches and the islands are very beautiful, but it would be ludicrous for us to travel so far to just come to a beach town, but for the Europeans, Indians and Koreans it was a great destination.

Phuket was always a dream destination for me. I can’t say I was disappointed, things are much cheaper in Thailand, and Kamala Beach was beautiful, but it is a long way to come, especially since we have the Caribbean in our backyard.

Patong Beach, Phuket

It was great being there for a relaxing week instead of living out of our suitcase. After a while, we even learned to avert our eyes from the banana hammock parade around the pool.

Speaking of wurst… there were several restaurant options along the strand, which is a concrete sidewalk edging the beach, and in town with menu displays in several languages. Foods ranged from Thai to wiener schnitzel to pizza. We tried all three during the week whenever we ventured off the resort grounds. Here are our recommendations:

Bella Vista Kamala - Beachfront – pizza. Comfort food. Sometimes Pad Thai doesn’t satisfy. Sit inside in the air conditioning. They take credit cards

Blue Manao – Na Hat Road - Thai to European. We went for the Weiner Schnitzel. Crowded. Recommended by the Scuba Quest Dive Shop across the street. They should know they are German. The restaurant takes credit cards.

Sweet Dreams

Sweet Dreams Restaurant – Na Hat Road - Thai. Monique and Andy, the owners of Scuba Quest recommended Sweet Dreams next door. The exterior of this second flood restaurant was enveloped by vines, making the atmosphere as lovely as their food. Cash only.

NUDIBRANCHS

We are scuba divers and Scuba Quest had a dive shop on the Sunprime Resort. They were apologetic when they found out most of our diving has been in the Caribbean. The water clarity in Thailand doesn’t come close, but the crew took us on a two-tank dive where we had a school of fish swirling around us, and we got to see several Nudibranchs which are sea slugs.

Diving in Phuket

I had told Andy my dive guide I was interested in seeing this elusive and colorful creature and he made sure to point them out each time he saw one. Don’t see Nudibranch in the Caribbean.

SCUBA QUEST - KAMALA BEACH

THE BEACH

Over saturation of tourism can be detrimental to an environment and after “The Beach” came out in 2000, starring Leonardo DiCaprio people flocked to Maya Bay to such a degree that the coral reefs were dying. Now, Thailand charges visitors who wish to travel to this majestic bay and there are still hordes that come for the 20-minute thrill of seeing Maya Bay.

Maya Bay

We did, as part of a full day tour that took us by speedboat to the Bay, where we couldn’t swim, Pileh Cove where we did swim in the turquoise waters, Bamboo Island where we snorkeled and Phi Phi Island that brimmed with kids ready to party. Island Dream Exploration was the outfitter and lunch was included.