June & July Visit

In my Blog this time I will write about new bars I visited and the Restaurants I ate at.

Where to start?
Kata Beach : Now the season is low and there very few tourists to this resort, so the prices for accommodation and eating out have dropped a little, making your money go that little bit further. Some of the Bars I have been to (known as Jo bars where Thai ladies will join you for a drink if you so wish !!), have been great, and very friendly. Just relax and play pool and just chat with new friends, which to be honest is generally the order of the day, I have made some good friends through these bars and found some fantastic local parties. A few of the bars worth visiting include:- Madam Bar , B Good bar, and G P Bar and I will attach some photos at a later point so you can see for yourself :-)

Kata Noi / Kata Hill Road leading out on the Ko Chang Road is a fabulous restaurant serving fresh fish dishes and many Thai dishes as well, the views from this establishment are an outstanding setting for an early evening meal with views over Kata Noi Beach and the Andaman Sea , the prices are little bit higher than in the main town but well worth it for the experience the name of this restaurant is "Baan Chom View"

Eating out, Restaurants,Kata Beach,Kata Noi,Karon

Traditional Papya salad being made







Pick n' Mix selection of deep fried insects







Eating out in Kata Beach, Kata Noi, Karon and Chalong

I am going to give you a basic break down of what I experienced while eating out in the above locations:

Kata Beach has a mixture of fine dining along the beach front businesses (Hotels and Restaurants) as well as middle of the road (ferlang or foreigner) restaurants situated mainly in the towns main drag, there are also a few FANTASTIC Thai restaurants tucked away with mainly only Thai customers (these are the little gems you want to be eating at!!) as you can probably imagine premium restaurants charge a premium price, middle of the road venues can be pricey as well , however the Thai restaurants have fantastic prices and REAL Thai food (that's to say Thai food not catered for with tourists in mind) so your going to get the real deal !! Warning some Thai dishes are extremely hot , One Thai restaurant I really must give a mention is the RED CHAIR Restaurant located on the Kok-Tanod Road.

Kata Noi is a much smaller resort and generally frequented by the visitors staying in the nearby hotels , food here I found to be mainly catering for the holiday maker ( which is by no means a slur on these establishments its just to say don't look for exciting new food and express Thai culture) . over all my experience would say it was ideal for families & children or maybe a relaxed change for a quite meal with your partner.

Karon is much more fast lane Burgers/ Kebabs/ Pizza etc there are a few nice Thai restaurants around but not as good as the ones I experienced in Kata Beach, I didn't really eat out as much in Karon, however there are some very Busy/Noisy bars located near the main strip along the beach front (if that's what your looking for).

Chalong has a few good eating establishments including an English styled 16th Century Inn ( The Green Man) It is actually a very upmarket venue boasting some fantastic steaks and fish dishes and prides its self on cultural music evenings of Jazz and in the cellar they have a wine tasting tour ( I can highly recommend this and booking is probably best advised). the rest of Chalongs eating scene is mainly Thai local foods and delicacies ( which is absolutely fantastic and very healthy way to eat AND CHEAP!!).

Overall eating out in Phuket can be as varied as you want it to be, do try the road side sellers for local delicacies these might look a little bit basic but just remember where you are !!! alot of Thai's eat from these guys regulary and so have I.

Restaurant/ Eating out/ Kata Beach/Bar & Grill

The Two Chefs Bar & Grill deliver excellent choice and quality of food with a happy and relaxed atmosphere, ( be sure to keep your eyes open for lunch time specials or specials of the day) you can find some excellent dishes served at extremely cheap prices , ( don't think because the prices are low that the food quality is low ) it's not and you can take that from my personal experience.

There is also Accommodation available which is very clean , comfy bed, cable TV, front and rear balcony, fridge, air conditioning, and a ceiling mounted fan, prices range from 9ooBHT a night low season to 1500BHT a night in High season ( however I'm sure if you haggled a little you might get it for less , or you may not but its always worth asking!!).

The Views from the Accommodation are fantastic and you can clearly see Kata Beach looking out over the Andaman Sea, Here comes the bad bit, unfortunately the Accommodation is located on the side of a hill ( a VERY VERY steep hill) and Sir Ralph Fiennes has reportedly been seen traversing the hillside ( only joking), its not that bad but if you struggle with steps then this accommodation is not for you.

The restaurant and accomodation are located approx 50metres from Kata Beach and less than 5 mins from the main Kata nightlife/Bars/other restaurants and shopping areas.
Phuket Airport is approximately 45mins transfertime to this venue.

Cheap Hotel in Phuket

An excellent hotel I stayed in recently in Kata Beach Phuket was the " Casa e Mare Hotel " this was an Italian owed hotel, run by Eddie and Lorella, both were extremely friendly and helpful.

The location of the Hotel is approximately 5 mins walk from the Beautiful golden sand of Katabeach and has a 24hr supermarket next door, washing and ironing facilities are available however opposite the hotel is a laundry which will do it for you, 70 Bhat (BHT) for 1KG of clothes this price includes it ironed Approx £1.10

If you want a Swimming pool there is one located on the rooftop of the adjoining hotel 100BHT cover charge but includes free drink the views from the roof top are exquisite

The hotel is approximately one year old so is very modern and clean , the rooms have excellent large beds, Cable TV, Ceiling fan ,Fridge, very good shower, and more than efficient Air conditioning, and all rooms have a balcony (not that i used mine much).

Rates are very competitive, CHEAP if staying for 1-2 nights prices may very from 1000BHt per night and upwards in high season the prices will rise . if your planning on staying longer these prices can fall dramatically ( this is a privately owed Hotel so you will be able to barter a much better deal, dont be afraid to ask management or Eddie as he is very approachable).

Rooms can be as cheap as 500 - 800 BHT per night but as i said earlier, the longer you stay the better your chances of a Cheap deal.

Motor Cycle rent is also available from the Hotel typically 250BHT a day , and discounts for longer hire are available, again tied in with your Hotel deal you could be saving a reasonable amount of money, All motor cycles are brand new and come with insurance and helmet ( WARNING : If considering hiring a motor cycle WEAR YOUR HELMET AT ALL TIMES If not for the safety reasons , but for the Police they will stop tourists and fine you on the spot for not wearing your helmet (300Bht approx) plus an additional (200Bht) for not carrying your driving license which then means a trip to the Police Station in Chalong. telling the Police officer you have just come from the beach and have no credentials will not wash (As I personally found out!!).

The Big question everyone asks? Drink driving laws in Phuket. What can I say, everybody drinks and drives, yet it is not considered a problem unless you crash (Mortality rates for motor cycle accidents are very frightening). My advice would be to enjoy, relax and ride slowly and safely, don't over do it, if the police see you weaving and swerving around they will stop you and either fine you on the spot or arrest you and take you back to the Hilton suite at the Police station to share with some lovely friendly local criminals !!!!!.

For more information please comment on this Blog page.

Flights to Phuket Thailand

Getting there

Flights operate several times a week to Suvamabhumi [Su-wan-i-pum].

I chose ThaiAirways and found them to be extremely efficent.

Prices range from £500 to £600 for return flights.

Check in was perhaps the fastest I have come accross in my many travels abroad.

The staff were very helpful both in England and Thailand.

In-flight services were extremely good and included complimentary drinks (Alcoholic and soft), in-flight meals were good quality with varied choices.

In-flight entertainment included a pool table (only joking), movies not yet released in the UK cinemas and various music channels.

The guy I was sitting next to on my last flight there, was 6' 3" tall and did not stuggle for leg room and I found the seats good enough to sleep in.

On arrival at Suvamabhumi Airport I was impressed with the architecture of the building. SMOKERS - There are smoking rooms within 100 metres of disembarkation (next to the travelators).

Customs advice - Check your allowances, although it may be tempting to bring back lots of duty free the allowances are very limited (example 200 cigarettes etc).

PS - It may be advisable before booking your flights to consider a couple of days in Bankok to break up the travel journey. Please see my blog "Stop-over Bankok"

Good luck - Graham

Introduction to Phuket

Right then, where do you want me to start?


Flights

Hotels

Kata Beaches

Bars

Eating out

Activities

Shopping

Culture and the people

Useful phrases

What to look out for and what to avoid