Monday, August 27, 2018
Phuket Thailand 2017 How I Spent 4 Days 3 Nights In Phuket
Phuket Thailand 2017 How I Spent 4 Days 3 Nights In Phuket
Photo By: Elin Chow
My husband and I have been wanting to visit Phuket for the longest time, and it finally happened last month. Phuket is the largest island in Thailand, located in the Andaman sea off southern Thailand. The island is one of the most popular tourist spot in Thailand, famous for its beautiful beaches, luxury spas and raucous nightlife.
Getting Around In Phuket
Public transport is very limited on the island, so we have to rely heavily on taxis and Tuk Tuks to get around, which can adds up to a huge cost. Both taxis and tuk tuk are notoriously more expensive in Phuket than the rest of Thailand. In fact, Phuket is known to have the most expensive transport system in the whole country.
Expensive? How expensive? To say the least, a 10 minutes taxi ride can sometimes cost you as much as 400 Baht in Phuket. But it is the most fastest, convenient and comfortable way to get around compared to buses, motorbike taxis and Tuk Tuks.
For people who do not know, Tuk Tuks are modified four-wheeled mini truck, usually painted in bright red or yellow, not the typical three-wheelers that you will see in Bangkok. Surprisingly, Tuk Tuks are ridiculously expensive in Phuket too, charging almost the same price as Taxis. In Patong, fares usually starts at a minimum 200 Baht, even for extremely short distances, and they can be uncomfortable for longer journeys.
There are licensed and unlicensed taxis in Phuket. But most of the taxis on the island are usually unlicensed and have no meters. Licensed taxis, on the other hand, are usually metered, but they are very difficult to find. Even if you managed to find one, most of them would usually refuse to use their meters, preferring to charge a flat rate, just like unmetered taxis. This means that you will have agree a price before getting into the car. Fares are usually set and non-negotiable.
Most taxi drivers can communicate in fluent English and have no problems finding their way to most of the major attractions and resorts.Taxis and Tuk Tuks are plentiful around the main tourist areas, beaches and shopping centres but are scarce elsewhere on the island.
The cheapest way to get around will be to rent a motorbike. Price generally range from 200 to 300 Baht a day and 1,200 to 2,000 Baht per week. We will definitely consider renting a motorbike if we were to visit Phuket again.
Cape Sienna Hotel & Villas
Official Website: Cape Sienna Hotel & Villas
During our 4 days in Phuket, we stayed at Cape Sienna Hotel & Villas. Cape Sienna is located about 45 minutes drive away from the airport, at the beginning of Millionaire Mile of Phuket, along the southern part of Kamala Bay. While most people flock to Patong, we have chosen to stay in Kamala because we read that it is less touristy and crowded than Patong.
Our flight from Kuala Lumpur to Phuket was delayed and we arrived at Phuket International Airport 30 minutes later than the initial expected time. Weeks before our trip, I have already made arrangement for an airport pickup with the hotel, which was complimentary with a minimum 3 nights stay. Upon arrival at the airport, we were warmly greeted by a driver from the hotel, He led us to the car, offered us cold towels and water before driving us to the hotel.
Check in was fast and efficient and we were surprised to receive a free room upgrade! We have our Sea View Jacuzzi Deluxe Room upgraded to a Sea View Honeymoon Jacuzzi Suite. The Honeymoon Jacuzzi Suite features separate living and sleeping areas, and comes with an oversized balcony offering a unobstructed panoramic view of the Andaman sea and Kamala Bay.
Away from the hustle and bustle from the busy nightlife of Phuket, Cape Sienna is a true oasis to relax and enjoy some peace and quiet. I would recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a romantic and peaceful holiday.
Lunch at Poolside Restaurant & Bar
It was almost 3 pm when we arrived at the hotel, and we were starving. After refreshing ourselves, we decided to visit the Poolside Restaurant at the hotel to grab a very late lunch. Just as its name suggests, the restaurant is situated by the pool, overlooking the turquoise blue sea.
The restaurant was empty when we arrived on that afternoon, and we enjoyed having the whole place to ourselves.
My husband ordered Seafood Fried Noodles while I ordered Pork Fried Rice. The food was delicious and serving size was decent, though prices are not really cheap.
Jacuzzi
After a delicious lunch, we went back to our room to rest for a few hours. Other than the stunning panoramic view of the sea, our oversized balcony also features a large jacuzzi tub with jets. The Jacuzzi tub is large enough to accommodate two persons comfortably.
We enjoyed a relaxing soak in the rays in the Jacuzzi tub while listening to the sound of crashing waves.
After taking a soak in the jacuzzi, we sat on the balcony while waiting for the sun to set. But unfortunately, the sunset was unspectacular because it was a fairly cloudy day.
Phuket Fantasea
Official Website: Phuket Fantasea
After the sun disappear behind the clouds above the horizon, we decided to head out to grab dinner. Our original plan was to visit the Fantasea Night Market but somehow, we ended up at Phuket Fantasea, a cultural theme park located about 15 minutes drive away from our hotel.
We walked out of the hotel, and went in search of taxi or tuk tuk to take us there. Since the hotel is located in a fairly inconvenient location, it is not easy to find a taxi along the street. Luckily, there is a small taxi stand located about 10 minutes walk away from the hotel.
The taxi driver quoted us 200 Baht to Phuket Fantasea, and we gladly accepted because we knew this would be the lowest price we could get.
Phuket Fantasea is one of the biggest tourist attraction in Phuket, attracting millions of visitors every year. The theme park opens everyday, except Thursday from 5.30 pm to 11.30 pm. However, it will be opened on Thursday if that day falls on a public holiday.
There are two types of tickets available. Both types include park admission fee and applicable tax.
Admission Fee | ||
Ticket Type | Adult (Baht) | Child (4 � 12 Years) (Baht) |
Show + Buffet Dinner (at Golden Kinnaree Restaurant) | 2,200.00 | 2,000.00 |
Show | 1,800.00 | 1,800.00 |
We bought the Show + Buffet Dinner package because we thought it was more value for money. It costs 2,200 Baht per adult.
Spectacular, extravagant and incredibly impressive! Phuket Fantasea is an award winning night time cultural theme park that is designed to keep you entertained for hours!
Buffet dinner is served at the Golden Kinnaree Buffet Restaurant, which is housed in an impressive golden temple like building.
The Golden Kinnaree Buffet Restaurant hosts one of the biggest buffet in Asia with a capacity to accommodate 4,000 seats or 10,000 standing guests and does so effortlessly. Every table has a number and despite being almost full house, we were very surprised by how well-organized the place was.
The inside of the building is as impressive as the exterior, with golden sculptures of mystical angels and intricate golden curved pillars. Wow! It felt as though we were dining in a palace.
The buffet offers a spectacular feast of Thai and international cuisines to suit everyones palate. Vegetarian and Halal food are available as well in a private dining area. The food was not particularly good, but service was excellent. The staffs were friendly and very efficient at clearing the plates and replenishing the food to keep up the demand.
Please note that all visitors are not allowed to bring any camera devices inside the theater, including mobile phones. Passing through the entrance of the Palace of the Elephants, you will find several queues leading to a security counter where you can deposit your camera and phone for safekeeping. I have no choice but have to leave my DSLR and Note 4 at the counter.
The performing hall is immense with an ability to accommodate 3,000 seats. The "Fantasy of a Kingdom" show is about 70 minutes long and has a performing cast of hundreds, dozens of elephants and several other animals (goats, chickens and pigeons).
There are 9 key elements of the show:
1. Thai culture
2. Magic illusion
3. Acrobatics (which was also my favorite part of the show)
4. Animal performance
5. Pyrotechnics
6. Stunt
7. Aerial Performance
8. Dimensional Effects
9. Special effects
The show was amazing and inspiringly beautiful! There are tons of great scene I would like to share, but sadly, cameras are not allowed in the theater. For anyone visiting Phuket, this is definitely an experience not to be missed!
After the show, we walked to the taxi stand and approached a taxi driver. He quoted us 400 Baht to our hotel. We shook our head and approached another taxi driver, who also quoted us the same price. But the funny thing was we did not even try to negotiate for a lower price, because we knew that no matter how hard we try, they were not going to reduce the price. Apparently all the taxi drivers were trying to rip us off.
After the show, we walked to the taxi stand and approached a taxi driver. He quoted us 400 Baht to our hotel. We shook our head and approached another taxi driver, who also quoted us the same price. But the funny thing was we did not even try to negotiate for a lower price, because we knew that no matter how hard we try, they were not going to reduce the price. Apparently all the taxi drivers were trying to rip us off.
However, we were certainly not going to pay 400 Baht for a 15 minutes trip, which we feel was an extraordinary high price for an extraordinary short journey. So I took out my phone and decided to try out GrabCar. To be honest, I really did not expect that I would need to use Grab in Phuket, due to all the taxis and Tuk Tuks available. I managed to book a ride back to our hotel for 300 Baht. It was still overpriced, but at least, we managed to save a 100 Baht.
It was almost 11.00 pm when we arrived back at our hotel. After a relaxing shower, I put a face mask on and relax. The rest few hours was spent watching TV before we turn in for the night at 1.00 pm.
Siladon Spa
Official Website: Siladon Spa Phuket
No trip to Phuket is complete without a visit to a relaxing spa treatment. We decided to book a spa treatment at Siladon Spa due to the great experience I had at their Bangkok branch last year. Siladon Spa has 3 branches in Thailand - one in Phuket, one in Pattaya and one in Bangkok.
Siladon Spa offers a wide variety of different spa treatments and couple packages to suit different needs and budgets. Just like their Bangkok branch, their Phuket branch also offers a "Buy 1 free 1" promotion on all spa packages.
I have booked a 4 hours Siladon Voyage Couple Spa Package through their website months before our arrival. The package costs 5,800 Baht for 2 persons, which includes foot massage, body scrub, herbal ball compress and aroma oil massage. The promotion is valid for direct booking only. Anyone who are interested can book your desired spa package either via its website or email.
Getting to Siladon Spa is easy. All guests will receive a complimentary pick up from their hotel to spa for any spa treatment booked. If you want, you can arrange a return journey, or to anywhere else for an additional fee.
Siladon Spa is housed in a beautiful resort style villa, nestled away, high up in the hills of Patong Bay and surrounded by silence of the lush tropical jungle. Its hillside location offers a sweeping view of Patong Bay and the environment is very tranquil and comfortable.
The staffs greeted us warmly with smiles upon our arrival. We were ushered to a resting area and we were asked to take a seat at the reception. After confirming our booking, we were asked to choose the aroma oil we prefer, the strength of the massage and whether there is any particular areas we would like the therapists to concentrate on.
Complimentary tea and wet towels were served while the therapists prepare the room for our treatment.
Siladon Spa has 5 treatment rooms, each feature separate toilet and bathroom. The treatment rooms are spacious with oversized windows that allows plenty of natural lighting into the room, and the beds were very cozy and clean.
On the bed, there are bathrobes and disposable underwear for us to change into. The treatment starts with a warm foot scrub, followed by a foot massage and a full body scru
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