Phuket Trip- Day 2

9th December 2009
We woke up 7am today, our tour driver is going to fetch us at 8am. Tour starts at 9am, jetty is full of people. Tour conducted by Phuket siam seacanoe although we booked from Mr Wooddy, good service and less pricey (1700B each).

1st destination: Phi Phi Ley Island
All small fishes, nothing fantastic.... And mum punched a jellyfish!!!
Initially I thought I saw a very beautiful white fish, after Mum punched it, it dissolved and rolls a few rounds! Then finally returned to its shape and start swimming again, it's amazing!

2nd destination: Maya Bay (where the movie "The Beach" was partially filmed).

3rd destination: stopover at Viking cave (bird's nest cave)

4th destination: Phi Phi Island

Have lunch at Phi Phi Don.

There's a few streets, full of shopping in the island. Very expensive, almost double the price in Patong.

We stopped at a cafe and GG ordered her favourite Mango sticky rice (150B).

Bought 2 pancake at the roadside for 40B each, roti prata type and again not the one we looking for.

5th destination: Khai Nok Island
Very commercial island, all shade and chairs is renting at 150B each.
Coconut cost 100B each, very expensive.... Nothing much, full of seashells and rocks.

4pm we left the island and proceed back to Chalong Bay. 45mins journey back to ferry terminal and we reached our hotel around 5.30pm.

Dinner time: Hard Rock Cafe

It is located at Courtyard @ Marriot. We were surprised it only opened for 1 week, grand opening in March 2010. Their electriciry suddenly tripped for awhile and their kitchen had stopped for some time. Staffs are friendly except most of them cannot speak english well.

Hard Rock was well known for their big portion, so we only order 2 starters...

Mac & Cheese and Grilled chicken caesar salad. 2 bottled water for 90B each.

Total bill: 950B

The Rock Shop

After dinner, We go searching for our pancakes again. Along Thaweewong Road (Patong Beach), we finally found the pancake we looking for (lucky we never give up). It is called pancake crepes:) There is a few stalls here along the road, we tried one stall run by a man, ordered banana & egg and chocolate. Not bad, he even pour on the condensed milk and sprinkle sugar on top, 35B each.

After finishing the 2 pancakes crepes, we turn another round and buy from this stall which run by this lady. We ordered Chocolate, banana with egg, coconut pancake crepes, 35B each. It was more cripsy than the previous but without condense mlik or honey. Nice too:)

JJ wants to play pool and after asking around, we come to this Tiger Inn.

They have live band at their restaurant cum pub on the groundfloor, 2nd floor is their pool club.

They have attendants to take place the balls for you once we finished 1 game (20B per game), very prompt and good service. Not expensive, Singha 90B, Barcardi breezer 90B, Bailey's 100B.

Out of curiousity, i check out the room rates, 1600B per night for peak season. Walk-in rate is cheaper than their internet rate. The rooms should be reasonably good but need to accept the music from the live band downstairs.

And of course after the pool game, supper time!

We found 2 interesting road side stalls at Sai Nam Yen Road. At the junction of Rat-U-Thit 200 Pee Road, towards Sawatdirak Road.

On the right side, Beef Ball noodle 40B per bowl. Beef ball soup, 5B each ball.

On the left side, Pork noodle 40-50B per bowl. They sells fish ball soup as well. Additional pig's blood and cuttlefish available.

Very tasty and delicious, must try! Their business is very good although is slightly pricey for the locals.

Average price for roadside food stalls in Phuket is about 20-30B, 35B and above is considered tourist price.

Phuket Trip- Day 1

8th December 2009
Phuket Airport
Mum and GG taking pic while settling car rental documents with Pure Car Rent.
Recommended company, very prompt and friendly service, no hidden cost. Even handover is really fast, no hassles. We rented Toyota Vios at a promotion rate of 1200B perday.

First thing we reached Patong is to look for food. It is only 11+am and our check in time for our hotel is only 2pm. We found this at Rat-U-Thit 200 Pee Road, exactly outside Christine Massage, after Jungceylon, on the left.
Minced meat Tom Yum noodles 40B each. We order 2 bowl to try, not bad.

Then we proceed to look for Beef ball soup, saw this recommended by Sis. Just outside the 7eleven. We ordered 4 bowl of noodles and a packet of roast pork. Costs us 460B!!! Really expensive! GG likes the roast pork very much, as for the rest, not really good compare to the rest we ate later.

In the early evening, we drive up to Kata Viewing Point and take a quick snap. Proceed to Prompthep Cape but due to lost of our ways, we reached there 5 mins after the sunset. We'll go again other days.

Nightlife in Patong

GG misses the pancake crepes since the time we went to Krabi, we give a try at this stall.

40B each. Not the ones we looking for, its more like roti prata.

And JJ tried their starbuck blend and Macdonald Cheesy fries, nothing fantastic...

Phuket Trip- Day 3

10th Decemeber 2009

First destination: Methee Cashew Nut Factory.

It takes us quite awhile to reach there, had missed the way couple of times.

We are the only customer, most of the staffs speak mandarin. We are lucky to met the lady boss originally from Taiwan and she showed us around and given us a 15% discount.

Cashew Nut is grow on the fruit of Cashew Nut tree. When the nut is ripe, the fruit is too ripe. When the fruit is ripe, the nut is still not ripe yet. So can only use either one at a time. Cashew Apple Fruit Juice has Hi- Vitamin C, very refreshing when goes with soda.

Processing:

1. Break up the shell and only pick up good nuts


2. In the process the nuts break up, it can only sell at a cheaper price


3. Bake the nuts in oven for 14hours at 70-80 degree


4. Peels the skin off the nut by hands


5. Bake another 2-3 hours again before selling

Told by the lady boss, their cashew nut are very light due to their long baking time. Others from Indian bake lesser time and therefore heavier and spoilt easily due to the moisture.

The factory had actually moved to the village but the lady boss still gets one of staff to demonstrate the processing of the cashew nut.

After our shopping, she recommended us a very popular Fishball noodle stall for our lunch. Was told alot of people from Bangkok come down to eat their food. Just about 1-2 mins drive away. From cashew nut factory, 2 red light turn right, then 2 red light turn left and you will see the first stall on your left after the bridge. First stall is the more popular one and exactly opposite Royal Phuket City Hotel (Tilok Uthit 2 Rd).

Must try their deep fried fish! We order 4 bowl noodles, 2 plates of deep fried fish, 2 plates of mixed fishballs and tofu, 5 bottles drinks. Total cost 400+B.

After lunch, we proceeed back to Patong.... Passed by this duck noodle and take a try again. Extremely expensive, 60B and not nice:(

This time we make sure we are early for sunset. Reach Phromtepe Cape (Susnet View point) at around 5pm. There's some shoping around and not expensive.

Each coconut only 20B. They don't provide spoon for the coconut flesh but after you finish, u can pass it to him to open for you. They will open it up to 2 and cut 1 slice of husk from each pcs and use the husk to scoop up the coconut flesh.

Here now, the view point. Windmill is also nearby.

5.15pm

5.30pm

5.40pm

5.50pm

6pm

We have been trying to look for Mama Noi restaurant for 2 days but still cannot locate where it is. Finally gave up and just drive in to Nong Ham Karon Park and walk in to the 2nd resturant.

Milk shake 80B
Fried cashew nut chicken
Green beef curry
Fried sweet basil beef
Tom yum seafood
BBQ garlic grilled fish 200B

Prices from 100-150B, not cheap though... Food still not bad except for the sweet basil beef. Total bill: 1290B

After dinner, we still have 30mins for shopping. We came to their biggest bazaar sale in Patong and found this Pancake crepes. This time we ordered 2, coconut and lemon sugar. Mum likes the latter. 35B each

Then after we rushed to Simon Cabaret for our 9.30pm show. We got the tickets from Mr Wooddy for only 650B each, retail price 900B each. GG enjoys it alot, Dream Girls, Wonder girls etc.... Surprisingly it was almost full during weekdays.

Worth watching, they are better than the previous time i saw.



Photo taking session, GG likes this fellow, 40B each.

HE asked mum and me to join and we initally thought 40B for each photo taken. after taking he demand us to pay 120B, we have no change and he snatched away 130B from us:(

So remember when take photo with HIM.

GG also likes this, HE is nicer. He allows us to take 2 photos for 40B only:)

Phuket Trip- Day 4

11th December 2009
First Destination: The Phad Thai Shop
This is the famous Phad Thai in Phuket. Newspapers and media recommended this stall and Jamie too.
Located at Patak Road East, diagonally opposite Baan Karon Resort. Just along the main road, easy to spot. Open during the day.

Another popular dish, stew beef. Must Try!
We ordered Phad Thai, stew beef, stew chicken and a dessert.
All Phad Thai comes with raw spring onion and bean sprouts.
Each at 40B, dessert 10B

Next we go for massage just next to our hotel.
The life Spa (C&N Resort) located at Sirirat Road, they have 3 branches in Phuket. The one at Bangla Road have 50+ therapists. This is smaller, only 7 therapists. Very reasonable 200B for a Thai massage per hour. Very clean and comfortable.

After massage, we went shopping along Rat-U-Thit 200 Pee Road again. Weather too hot and we drop by this bistro and have some drinks. The staff is so friendly and jovial, mum so happy with her.
We order Kiwi milk shake, mango milk shake, vanilla milk shake. 60B each.

Then after we finally met the Tom Yum minced meat stall again. As this is a mobile stall, i think he operates from 12noon to 3pm.
Boxing promoting their show today.

Now we have no way to go, weather so hot. So we decided to find some indoor with aircon to relax.
Chang Pool Club has 57 pool tables, the biggest pool club in SE Asia. Located just the new road right behind Jungceylon. Happy hours 4-8pm, free pool game. we ordered 2 water melon shakes at 100B each.

It's about time to have a quick dinner before we depart, saw this small cafe.
Enjoy Thai Food/ International Food.
Price ranging 80-150B, reasonable but food not really good.
Spring roll, Tom yum with coconut milk, Fried garlic chicken, 2 shakes.
Take away mango sticky rice 60B.
Total bill cost us less than 600B

Before we moved on, we rushed to buy our pancake crepes again (Patong Beach).
This time one for each of us. 35B each.

TOTAL PANCAKES WE ATE: 15 PANCAKES

We passed by a local eating place along Nanai Road, 2 road behind Jungceylon. Phuket marketplace, lots of seafood stalls around.... should be cheap, mainly locals. And a restaurant call Nanai BBQ Buffet at only 120B per person.

4 days in Phuket, hot and dry weather. Learn some traffic rules..........no parking on one side of the road at night, no parking if road kerb is zebra color etc...
Most understanding from each others....

Snacks bought from Methee and GG favourite Lays potatoes chips.
Thailand had more flavors than in Singapore, price slight cheaper than here. Everyday she needs to eat at least 1 packet during the holidays.