Phuket Junket

CEBU, Philippines - I needed a break, and my brother needed a break. And with all those recession-friendly packages strewn all over town, we tossed some ideas around, and ended up in Phuket for the weekend.

It was fairly easy to book a flight. All we had to do was check Silk Air’s website and choose a schedule. After a few moments of last minute dithering (should we go to Phnom Penh or Phuket? Or should we do Chiang Mai? Or some other exotic destination?), we finally picked a place, ticked the flight schedule we wanted, and slept easy that night.

To ease our stress even further, we checked-in via the internet the night before. So on the day of the trip, we breezed through Changi’s check-in counters, and found ourselves luxury brand shopping almost immediately. Good thing there was hardly any time to spend, and our flight was called. To help prep us for the party, Silk Air’s flight attendants were exceptionally gracious, and liberally dispensed booze to my brother.

Thailand greeted us with a bumpy flight and some fairly fierce rain. The first challenge was getting a cab to the hotel we had booked, the Banthai Beach Resort, and after collecting our luggage and clearing customs (Thai immigration takes your picture when you come in), we schlepped our way to the taxi stand. As soon as I had spoken the magic words “Banthai,” this perky girl beside me immediately piped up, and asked if we wanted to share a cab. As it turned out, she and her sister were headed to exactly the same hotel, and so we ended up piling into a cab and splitting the 650 baht car fare.

Such a relief – no need to haggle or try to make myself understood. Our saviors were Niki and Lisa from New Zealand, and in the course of a cab ride, we quickly went from polite conversation to good-natured ribbing. Niki, a tennis instructor who had just moved to Singapore, was a character, to say the least, and she had me hanging my head in shame for being so slow to the mark.

Our first sight of the island of Phuket was, well, gray. Storm clouds were gathered on top of the mountain range that splits the island, and even after we had crested the road leading to the other side of the island, and drove down into Patong Beach, furious rain chased us and made the trip a tad dangerous.

We caught sight of the Andaman Sea, and boy, were the waters scary. The waves were high, and when we finally splashed into it a few hours later, the undertow was so strong that we decided to take the prudent course and take a dip in the pool instead. To make matters worse, vivid blue signs are posted all around the beach, pointing the intrepid tourist towards tsunami evacuation routes. Not exactly very soothing.

It was low season, and so the rains were expected. What wasn’t, however, were the hordes of tourists milling around, even in the midst of the monsoon. Families with kids in tow, couples on their honeymoon, and budget-conscious travelers (me and my bro) were everywhere to be found. And why not? Hotel prices are incredibly cheap, with internet sites like Agoda offering rooms in the US$20 range.

I would have gotten a hotel in this price range as well, except I read a review for Banthai that it was found beside a Starbucks, and so my decision was made. The first sight of Banthai was reassuring – lots of beautiful Thai architecture, spacious grounds, a lovely garden, and yes, the beach was right in front. What more could we ask for?

We checked into our exceedingly pretty room, with a balcony that overlooked a semi-private pool. (There are at least three pools scattered around the five-acre property for the convenience of the guests.) And after an hour at the hotel gym, it became time to explore the nightlife.

Unbeknownst to us, Patong Beach turned out to be a red light district, and so I made it my business to watch over my kid brother. We took a walk down the festive Bangla Road, where photo ops with exotic iguanas and playful monkeys were available, and where we tried not to stare at the various felines gyrating on second floor dance bars. We had a choice of pole dancing or ping-pong shows as night entertainment, but didn’t feel we could risk finding out what those meant. So after dinner at a great Thai restaurant called 3 Spices that we had stumbled upon (listed by Thailand Tatler as one of the best restaurants in Phuket), we made our way home safely and called it a night.

Early in the morning, when the late night revelers were still asleep, we took a long stroll by the deserted beach. The wind was fresh, and the smell of rain made for an invigorating morning. Tourists here have a plethora of options, including surfing, wakeboarding, and para-sailing. The stiff breeze having successfully cleared our heads, my brother and I chose shopping.

There are many stalls to be found around the area, and souvenirs, curios, and arts and crafts can be purchased at bargain prices. By that, I mean you have to do some major bargaining, with the potential to drive down the price to half the first offer.   There are also a couple of malls and outlet stores found on the island, and to get around, plenty of tuk-tuks as well as public busses can be hailed by the brave at heart.

I found my favorite local brand, Dapper, at the Jungceylon mall, and went crazy when I discovered they were on sale. Meanwhile, my brother bought hand puppets for his daughters.

All through out the day, noisy vehicles ply the streets, accompanied by raspy loud music and a loudspeaker proclaiming forthcoming Thai boxing matches. The fighters themselves would stand astride their respective carriages, decked out to appear like a boxing ring, glowering at the audience and posing for their fans. The spectacle gave great flavor to the island, and made one realize the popularity of the arduous sport.

It was indeed a hard day, and so we had no choice but to avail of a massage at one of the many mini-spas that dot the streets. The prices are way cheap, with a full body massage available for only 200 baht (or about P280.00). After an hour and a half of bliss (I had a foot massage and a back-rub), we were ready for dinner, which had been set with the Kiwi girls.

The girls had been tipped off that Baan Rim Pa, a celebrated local restaurant opened by an American expat ten years ago, was a must, and so we made sure we were pretty before we hit the scene. A car was sent around by the restaurant to fetch us, and after only a 5-minute ride, we were surprised to find ourselves at the entrance, being bowed to by pleasant staff.

The teak and brass restaurant is found at one end of the shore, and perched above a perilous cliff. From our vantage point, we could see the entire stretch of the sandy playground, as well as the luxury homes that lit up the mountainside.   The food, described as “Royal Thai,” was a bit pricey, and one must go here if only for the ambience it affords.

After a relaxing dinner experimenting with dishes while trading notes and anecdotes with the twosome, we wended our way down to the beach for our last stop – a delicious ice cream bar, one of the many local brands available here. Having stuffed ourselves silly with yogurt ice cream, my brother took advantage of the cheap prices by getting a haircut, while I dove into the massively comfortable beds of Banthai.

After only two nights, it was time to pack our bags and go. But that was ok, as even in that short span, we had imbibed the flavor of the island, with its smiling people, the jumble of tourist traps, and yes, even the hawkers out to make a quick buck at our expense: the little things that give this island its unique character.   Best of all, we still had enough unexplored mysteries left over for our next trip.