Traveling to Phuket

Hi! Thank you for visiting my blog. It was a quite long time since my last article back then in 2018. This time, I would like to share my story about Solo Traveling. The very first time of my life, I will go to Thailand alone! During this trip, I was planning to visit Phuket, Ayutthaya, and Bangkok. Let the story begins.

Back then, in early 2019, I was planning to travel to Bagan in Myanmar, but my parents won't allow me due to better-not-say circumstances. Then I insists to keep my agenda for "solo traveling" keep going. My initial route was Jakarta - Bagan - Bangkok - Jakarta. So, I won't let my flight back wasted. Here we go.

It's important for me, to book all basic accommodation beforehand. I always look for cheaper flight in Traveloka app, one of the most popular OTA in South-east Asia. For hotels, I compare price and promo between Traveloka and Agoda, and find the price are way cheaper in Traveloka plus discount from pay day campaign. Back then, I didn't know Airbnb. Flight checked, hotel checked, how about Airport Transport? Many tourists said that it would be much cheaper to go with public bus, but since this is my first time, and I'm too afraid of the "unknown" I decided to book a car from Traveloka too.

What would I do in Phuket? That's the question.

For the itinerary, I deep dive in TripAdvisor community forum. I found what most tourist do and what I would like to do (or eat). Here is my top todo:

1. Snorkeling

2. Elephant visit

3. Eating

4. Clubbing

Let's start with snorkeling.

I found out that so many people visit Phi Phi Island. I reluctant to go there due to the crowds. But, I find another spot that said not many tourists visit, named Koh Haa and Koh Rok. It's pricey tho, but I was willing to go for new adventure. So, yes it's booked.

Next elephant visit.

Elephant has become a national symbol for Thailand, so yes I think there must be so much activity with elephant. But it's a big no for me to interact with elephant in inhumane way, fortunately I found this sanctuary. Here, there are 4-5 rescued elephants and I prefer to join in their morning visit (due to weather, it's all-year-long summer in south-east).

Eating.

It's important to have your self surrounded with good food and easy to find. So I find a guest house in the Phuket town just beside their most popular street for food!

Clubbing.

Oh yes, I'm in for a street full of night club in Pathong for once! We have Legian street to compare.

That's all for the preparation. Here we go with the journey!

Day 1.

I booked an early morning flight, with hope that I can catch the sunset. My flight has short transit in KL (I use Malindo), but turns out become long transit due to technical issue. Passengers were given lunch coupon. Back then I didn't even realize that I could use my card for transaction in MY, what a kid... I met with two beautiful young doctor from Borneo. They were besties and very kind to allow me to join their table for lunch. My very first day was ruined. But thank God, my ride from airport still waiting for me. Upon my arrival, I could see my name on a piece of paper on the way out.

Their system is quite surprising, they need to take a picture of me as proof. Then I was surprised for the second time when a van stopped. A van. But I'm alone. Inside, they have colourful lighting (see my youtube videos for illustration). For navigation, since we have language barrier, they asked the hotel staff directly. Finally I arrived, safe and sound! The guest house is very homey and kind of difficult to take the luggage upstairs with small stairs.

Day 2.

Going to an elephant sanctuary in 6 AM! I use iPhone and only have 1 SIM Card. I'm afraid that they might call me to my phone number. So the night before, I email to them and tell my local phone number. I don't know if they may see it or not, but turns out they saw it! The driver arrived earlier as mentioned, 10 mins prior the schedule. His name is Top (I don't know if the spelling is correct or not). He is doing his job fine, he taught me several Thai words, such as: sebaidimai, sebaidii, and ...hmm I forgot.

The activity was very fun. We feed them, we play mud together, and we shower together! Ah, and here I was for the very first time, see its tail! The tail hair feels like plastic, it's sooo thick. There is a younger elephant was very active, we fight for mud, and he spray water from its trunk. Ah, it was fun. But sadly, I didn't have a GoPro. It was very a heartwarming experience for me to play with them. The staff was very loving towards them. But actually "feeding" activity is kind of "preventing them for eating too fast". Haha. I can't keep up with them. Top drove us back to our hotel at noon. And I was sleeping all the way back to Phuket town :) (Top said that I can sleep, so I sleep right away without second thought).

It is a very leisure noon. I only have one schedule to visit a rum distillery at 4PM. So I walk around a famous street named Soi Rommani. I tasted the famous gelato there (I also find a choco mint chip BR kind a like from Glico with cheaper price!), and book a GrabCar to Chalong Bay. The rum distillery was quite interesting, I met a Fujifilm engineer here. He saw my camera and told me that. But, sorry I don't quite interested in camera any further, I don't even know how to capture a photo with manual mode. After that, my driver asked me whether I want to visit some tourist attraction nearby with price that I paid for + 100 baht. So I said yes, since it's a win win solution for both of us. I can go back without struggle to much, and he can have his way back to Phuket town paid.

For snorkeling tomorrow, I would like to have a Thai massage for preparation. I tend to have a leg cramps for heavy activity (and swimming is one of them). I find that Anda massage was very recommended, but it was kind of too far from my guesthouse. But it was worth it, even tho I have to ride a GrabCar back (since I don't know if any motorcycle taxi nearby).

Day 3.

I was picked up by the driver from the tour, then we headed right away to the port. There we can rent GoPro, snorkle, and life vest. I was alone again, and there is a tour guide explaining something in chinese so I thought I just need to wait for "english version". But, no. Lol. Another tourist asked me if I understand chinese, when I said no, she just laughed out loud. Turns out, they have another guide for english version :)

It was a very long time around 2 hours by boat to reach Koh Rok. They have options: to go alone or in a small group. It was a very strange option. In Indonesia, we swim alone. But here, we can swim in a small group! Haha. It was very relaxing to take a look at underwater activity. The lunch was not quite impressive. Also, I didn't really enjoy my ride back, you know what.

It's an all-day activity. So when I back at the hotel, the staff was very surprised when I told them I just got back from Koh Haa. We barely meet each other due to tight schedule I had.

Day 4.

My last day for exploring Phuket. I rent a GrabCar for a day, so I travel to many places. The route was Phuket Town - Big Buddha - Kata View Point - Ya Nui Beach - Promthep Cape - Pathong - Phuket Town. My driver is very kind. I offer him a drink but he refused (I assume it's a quite rare gesture there). I also offer him to have dinner together, but he refused too. But, he showed me the best place to eat Pad Thai in Phuket :) In Pathong, he told me to go back at the meeting point at 8PM so I don't need to pay overtime charge. Whoa! Here so many pubs to watch live music and enjoy your drink, but there is also a game center which quite different with what we have with timezone. Also, during our trip, I don't have his cell number, purely trust and he always standby.

I would really go back to Phuket, but stay in Kata. I love Ya Nui Beach so much and enjoy the sunset in Promthep Cape. It is really beautiful. Also, I found my new favorite beverage in Promthep cape cafetaria.

To summarize,

I stay at Ai Phuket Hostel

I enjoy most my meal at Kopitiam by Wilai

I enjoy pad thai at Doo Dee

I enjoy thai massage at Anda

I go anywhere with GrabCar

I also have this trip summary in my IG highlight, visit @tandins

I also have this trip recorded in my Youtube channel

That's all for my Phuket trip, I will be back with Ayutthaya and Bangkok story :)

Xoxo.

You can find my IG highlight stories for "Thailand"