Phuket: Stunning Beaches and Scrumptious Seafood on a Budget

Why Go

Perhaps you’ve seen the movies, heard the hype or the jokes about the name. Either way, Phuket does indeed live up to the stereotypes. Whether you’re a young professional, a party animal, a family, or a retiree it is the ultimate beach destination. Phuket provides the perfect escape from the daily grind. It boasts stunning views, warm water, beaches with silky white sand, lush lagoons, great snorkeling and diving opportunities, exotic treats and more seafood than you can handle.

Insider Tips

Pack for the weather: bring light breathable layers to avoid sun damage and mosquitoes at night. If you don’t want to experience heavy rainfall nearly every afternoon, try to avoid monsoon season (generally April through October). On the other hand, if you don’t mind daily afternoon rain, the monsoon season is less crowded and hotels, etc. tend to be cheaper.

No—Phuket isn’t for sex tourists only. Patong is the seedy and most touristy area, but Phuket is a big island with a bevy of beaches to explore. Try Kamala or Surin beaches. These offer great on the beach dining. Simply pull up a chair and order. It’s not exactly fine dining, but seafood is always fresh.

A 10% tip should cover meals and services. There’s also an automatic 10% service charge in hotels.

Vendors to tourists can be aggressive. Take your time when buying and bargain with a smile. Bargaining is expected.

Stay away from the restaurants in the main Patong area. While convenient, they’re overpriced and the food is poor quality.

Don’t expect cold beer; if you insist on it cold, it’s likely to have ice cubes in it, and you should be wary of drinking anything with ice, since tap water is NOT drinkable.

If a casual or outdoor restaurant has toilet paper on the table, it’s meant to be used as a napkin. Feel free to take it to the bathroom as well, as some places don’t have actual toilet paper.

Check out the local markets for fresh fruit and gourmet food on the cheap. The unique sights and smells may seem overwhelming at first, but markets are a wealth of supplies. They literally sell everything from combs to diapers, to fresh jumbo shrimp and all the seasonings to go with it.

Where to stay

True to its name, the Boomerang Village cottages and bungalows consist of exactly that—a charming mix of bungalows and cottages totaling thirty-three in number. It’s quaintly set on a hill amidst lush greenery and intricately tended gardens. Boomerang is walking distance from Kata Beach. Overall, it’s a great location for those who want a sexy backdrop and plenty of privacy. Here you can leave the tourist frenzy of Kata behind. Rooms are simple and designed to be easily cleaned (tile floors, sparse furniture and minimal decorations). There’s free Wi-Fi, Tuk Tuk and taxi services, car/motorbike rentals, laundry, and, of course, massages available.

While the price is noticeably higher than some of the competition, the Andaman Seaview offers a nice place to stay. The requisite Thai hospitality is there—on arrival guests are greeted with a refreshing tropical cocktail, cookie and cool towel to wipe the humidity away. There are many memorable things about the Andaman. Among them are the rooms. They’ve got an exotic and thoroughly modern Thai feel with sumptuous orange colored walls, roomy bathrooms and big beds. Room service is excellent –maids neatly fold every piece of clothing you leave on the floor. The two pools are equally impressive with ample sun beds and seating. One pool wraps around the front of the hotel, giving restaurant goers poolside views. Even the restaurant offers great European and Thai fare (breakfast in particular is a treat—for one, it’s included in the room price, and there’s no shortage of food to choose from). On another note, the Andaman was one of the lucky hotels not to be hit the tsunami of 2005 (Karon Beach is buffered by a sloped beach making it harder for tidal waves to travel). The beach is minutes away and is as spotless and gorgeous as the hotel.

Where to eat

I had heard much about Baan Rim Pa’s reputation for excellence before I came here and I wasn’t disappointed (Baan Rim Pa has long been praised for its fantastic food, particularly the authenticity of its classic Thai cuisine). They offer a full Thai menu featuring snacks, soups, salads, entrees and desserts. I started off with the mixed seafood salad, had the fried crab in curry as my main course, and finished off with rich sticky rice and coconut custard. All of the food was delectable, promptly served and nicely portioned. The restaurant itself is tucked away on a cliff with panoramic views of Patong and Kalim Bays. It features a hefty cocktail menu and wine list along with a very mellow piano bar. This is a great romantic dinner getaway, but be prepared to pay more than the average Thai restaurant.

Mae Porn (Th. Phang-Nga & Soi Pradit, Phuket Town) is a favorite open-air food stop among foreigners and natives alike. There’s no worry of getting stuck with mild, generic, tourist-friendly Thai fare here. Mae Porn serves authentic, make-you-sweat spicy Thai and is located in actual Phuket city. The cool thing about Mae Porn is the selection. All dishes are made fresh daily and put on for display in large metal bain-maries. Mae Porn has a large selection of vegetarian and seafood dishes. I’m fond of the curries myself.

You come to the Tunk Ka Café for the views and stay for the food. Nestled high atop Rung Hill, Tunk Ka offers stunning views of Phuket and Ao Chalang Bay. It’s actually a large covered deck (which means no A/C, just fans) with seating enough for 100. I came here for dessert and Thai iced coffee, which is one of Tunk Ka’s specialties. Needless to say the coffee was tasty and strong and the bua loi (rice balls in warm coconut milk) melted in my mouth. My only complaint: mosquitoes. I came in the evening, prime time for mosquitoes, and was happily fed upon by an army of bloodsuckers. Be sure to spray or wear long sleeves.

What to do

Bangkok may be the reigning monarch of street food in Thailand, however Phuket isn’t all beer bars and tourist trap restaurants. The best place to find street food that’s as varied as it is cheap is along the beach and Bangla Rd. You’ll be surprised to food a plethora of appetizing delights including skewered meats, noodles, fresh fruits, straight from the ocean seafood, and coconut rich desserts. I’m a big fan of roti, the sinfully sweet pancakes filled with a healthy swirl of sweetened condensed milk and your choice of bananas, chocolate, peanut butter or just sugar. It’s all made to order while you watch. For a sit down affair, try the semi-permanent food stalls along Rat-u-thit Rd. For 50B or less, you can order a bowl of pad thai, fried rice or other a number noodle dishes that are home cooked in a matter of minutes.

Hedonism. Fire Island. Ibiza. These names evoke a certain risqué, wild party image that appeal to the young and jet set. You can count Patong Beach as one of those infamous nightlife destinations. It’s certainly a reputation that has gained notoriety in countless books and Hollywood films. The center of Patong’s nightlife, focused around Bangla Rd and Paradise Complex, is a heady tribute to the rhyme and rhythm of club aesthetic– all bright lights and bass, skin beading with sweat and drunken revelers dancing the night away. Well over 100 bars run along Bangla and its sois (side streets). This is where the notorious go-go bars and beer halls dominate. You can also catch some decent amateur kickboxing here as well. However, families and non-party people ought not fret, Patong Beach caters to all walks of life. During the day, vendors are open for business. Restaurant row houses international cuisine galore, and the beach is forever ready for sunbathing or a refreshing swim.

Remember The Beach? If you saw the Leo DiCaprio infused flick, you’ll recognize Koh Phi Phi as the island paradise with a price. Fortunately, the deadly pot farmers are pure cinematic myth and the beaches are indeed that gorgeous. In reality, the Phi Phi islands comprise several islands, two of which dominate. Phi Phi Don is the larger and most visited of the two, while Phi Phi Leh, is the smaller non-inhabited island (where The Beach was actually filmed). The islands are commonly held as some of the most naturally beautiful islands in the world and I can personally attest—Koh Phi Phi has some of the most breathtaking scenery I’ve seen. Take advantage of the bath water warm waters and copious coral reefs. Getting to Koh Phi Phi is simple. There are numerous ferries, boat tours, and water taxis that’ll gladly take you. Accommodations are also easy to come by.

Phang Nga Bay is home to Ko Tapu–also known as James Bond Island–which was featured in The Man with the Golden Gun. The area offers a stunning visual landscape complete with limestone cliffs, sea caves, and thick mangroves. If you can, take a day excursion and tour the bay by kayak. Kayaks will take you through the hongs (rooms) in the collapsed sea caves, which are otherwise inaccessible. Monkeys, bats and intricate limestone formations are common sights. Daytrips include drinks snacks, lunch and transportation to and from your hotel.

I went to Promthep Cape once as a kid and vowed to return when I could. Promthep Cape remains one of the most photographed landscapes in Thailand and for good reason too. The view is spectacular especially at sunset. The cape, a sloping promontory spilling out to the sea and surrounded on both sides by massive cliffs, is the farthest reaching point of Phuket. There’s a lighthouse onsite that has offers free admission. If you strap on a pair of good walking shoes, you can walk down to the waves and even try your hand at fishing if you want.