Travel Stories : Phuket (Part 1)

Write up by Sir Cheapskate. Images by Sir Cheapskate and AlbertRococo.

Yet another weekend was spent to recharge from desk jobs. The never ending story of Average Joes.

We spiced things up this time by doubling up the number of our entourage (from 4 when in Singapore) to a total of 8! This could be tricky but at the same time we are experimenting.

Why would it be tricky, you asked? Well, internal transport could be a problem if we decide to stick together all the time. Call time will also be a challenge since everyone works at different clocks, so there will be delays.

But those are just small matters compared to the destination and things we would do. It’s Phuket! It’s a party island and we are (super mild) party people!

Took the flight from KLIA2 in the early hours of Saturday morning and landed some time around 8am. We already pre-booked our private van to take us from the airport straight to our accommodation in Phatong (or Patong or Pathong). The decent ride took around 45 minutes.

First impression - Phuket is just an hour boat ride from Langkawi Island in Malaysia, of course there’s so much resemblance.

Accommodation : Lub D Hostel Patong

Holy Somtham! The hostel is amazing even at first glance. We fell in love with the hostel even since viewing online via Booking.com. It screams “YOUTH” in all capital letters.

1. Cool waiting area at the reception.

2. High volume space with tall ceiling.

3. THERE’S A FREAKING MUAY THAI RING DOWN HERE AT THE LOBBY!

4. Pool!

5. Cafe with various offerings on the menu.

6. There are different activities every day and night which includes Thai language lesson, Muay Thai lesson, karaoke night, beer pong, giant scale Jenga etc.

7. Great service from the staff.

8. Cleanliness is not an issue.

9. Design!

Visit their page here: https://www.lubd.com/patong/

We stuck to our default itinerary each time we go places in which right after dropping our bags in the hostel before the check in window opens, we would go out and scout for nearby food. This helps at grasping the sense of the area.

The joy of a rather large size travel group is that you would chill more than you would move, and that’s totally fine. When traveling, you should always know your purpose.

We stand by our value - Working-class Average Joes who Go Places. Hence, we are in no hurry to catch things up. We aim to recharge ourselves from our work life and Phuket will do just that.

In case we want to see more, we would of course come again. After all, it’s just an hour flight from Kuala Lumpur.

Soi Bangla (Bangla Road)

Our lunch was more like snacking time. None of us were too hungry. We decided to check out Soi Bangla (Bangla Road) which we learned in prior that it is where nightlife is.

In reference to the Pub Street in Siem Reap, I expected Soi Bangla to be totally closed. Well, there were some resemblance; the street is open to vehicles during the day, so in terms of overall image, quite the same. However, a lot of pubs are open during daytime here. Although alcohol is only available to buy at certain time. Not sure how this works for these pubs.

Booking Boat Tours

There are a lot of options for booking boat tours and we suggest that you do so when you are there instead of pre-booking. Why, you ask? Well, it’s better to understand what the tours offer with face-to-face discussion; tell then what you want and they’ll tell you what they have.

We compared the tours at our hostel with a few on the streets and we decided to go for the latter.

Tips: Make sure which island you really want to cover. James Bond island is very famous but also crowded, so we already knew that we wanted to skip that.

We spent THB1000 for this booking; which covers boat rides to 3 islands, lunch meal and also pick-up service to and fro the hostel. It was a bargain but also might not be so fancy. If you want fancier boats, perhaps find some bigger tourist offices and see what they offer. Don’t be lazy.

Patong Beach

Our hostel is literally a few steps from the beach. It was inevitable that we go down there for sunset. Also, to test out the drone one of us brought.

Patong Beach is beautiful and also crowded. This is where the sun sets as it faces west.

On a side note, this is the only beach that we covered this time so we can’t say anything about other beaches and if they are better or not. Sorry.

Night at Soi Bangla

This is Thailand, it’s impossible NOT to find great food. Don’t be afraid to try street food, they are just as awesome.

Our dinner was nothing short than amazing. We went to Soi Bangla to see it at its full bloom. What a crowd! Also, what a show. Haha

Soi Bangla is definitely R-rated. Neon signs, girls dancing on tables (but kinda look soulless, nothing wild), loud music and ladyboys. Don’t be overwhelmed by these things. The only thing you need to be worried about is your wallet; could either be pick-pocketed or tricked into paying for escorts, pingpong shows, endless drinks and God knows what else. Other than that, just enjoy the vibe.

Dinner at Soi Lao or Soi Hong Nam (Toilet Street)

We found our dinner place here, by chance. A small alley leading towards the toilet, otherwise known as the Toilet Street of Soi Bangla. If you are preoccupied with the crowded and loud scene of Bangla Road than you might miss this one.

It is quite hidden. Another scenario that you might find this place by chance is if you are searching for toilet, hence the name.

Expect amazing and delicious food here. This restaurant is actually well known as I remembered seeing it on some travel show on TV.

You may see more locals dine here than tourists, so that’s a good sign. Must be good food.

Service was tiptop. The owner speaks English really well and they even helped with recommendations. If you asked for spicy, then spicy is what you will get. Overall price is cheap. We even enjoyed steam and grilled fish.

Good thing our hostel is just a short walk away from here. Dozed off immediately with full belly and smelly feet.

END OF PART 1 OF 2.

- Sir Cheapskate