3rd entry - "Bali" Thai (part 1)
On 13 May 2010, H and I went on a 3D-2N holiday to Phuket, Thailand. We actually booked our air tickets and hotel way in advance, so we were really looking forward to the trip. We had such a wonderful time there that I felt it was a waste we couldn't spend more time there...
We booked a Tiger Airways flight departing from the Budget Terminal at 0800 hrs, so we arrived at the airport at 0600 hrs. While waiting for the boarding gate to open, we bought some drinks at MacDonald's and sat down to enjoy our cakes and egg tarts which I bought freshly-made from a stall at a coffeeshop near my office the day before. The airport transit area was surprisingly equipped with a large eatery in the atrium surrounded by several shops where one could buy anything from magazines to duty-free liquors and perfume. The corridor leading to the boarding gate looked like a deserted hospital corridor. The staff who gave us our boarding passes at the airline counter when we checked in was the same staff who checked our passes at the so-called "gatehold room". Given the tight competition among budget airlines and the need for them to cut costs to survive, H and I were joking that we might see the same staff doubling up as a flight attendant on board our plane and maybe even flying the plane as well!!
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is an important announcement. We are now approaching Phuket International Airport. Instead of landing the plane in the usual boring way, we are pleased to provide a special experience free-of-charge to our valued customers. Please grab the Tiger parachute below the seat in front of you and put it on, as we will not be landing. Instead, we will be opening the emergency exit doors shortly for you to jump off. We regret to inform you that most travel insurance does not cover this special service. We wish you a pleasant journey and hope to see you again soon!..."
Fortunately our plane did land the usual boring way - safely - in Phuket, and the above announcement was purely a figment of my twisted imagination. When we collected our check-in luggage, we discovered that H's luggage padlock was missing. After making a few enquiries with a number of taxi services outside the airport, we decided on one that charged 150THB per person. We were the last 2 passengers to join the mini-bus of about 10 pax. Along the way, the bus stopped at the office of the transport company "for checking of bus ticket". It turned out that they were using this as a pretext or opportunity for marketing their transport services, as their real intention was to check whether we were interested in booking a taxi from hotel to airport on the day that we departed from Phuket. Stiff competition indeed...
At 11am, we arrived at our destination: the Kata Palm Resort and Spa. Our resort was located in the heart of Kata Beach area in the south-western part of Phuket Island (about 20 minutes' drive from Patong, the most popular tourist spot in Phuket). The resort looked like a traditional Thai villa or small palace. Like many resort hotels, its main lobby was not air-conditioned but ventilated with open windows and ceiling fans. While the lobby was neither very spacious nor grand, guests would immediately feel relaxed in the warm, rustic decor, while enjoying the subtle luxury of gold-painted pillars, wooden carvings and frescos depicting traditional Thai life in the 15-16th century. The only complaint I had was the resort concierge's tardiness in registering us and some difficulty in communication because the staff's command of English was quite poor. But whatever frustration we experienced was quickly dissipated with the offer of a pleasant complimentary welcome drink and a room upgrade at 2,000THB per night (SGD177 for both nights - the discounted internet rate for the room was about 3,000THB per night).
We stayed in a Deluxe Pool Access room in the new extension, which allowed us to step out into the newer swimming pool from our large balcony/sunning deck. The room was spacious and well-equipped, with bathrobes, bedroom slippers and even flip-flops for outdoor use. Although it did not have a bathtub, the bathroom was quite spacious with all the necessary amenities. We had 2 complaints - there was no housekeeping service at night so we could only get our extra pillows the next day, and the mosquitoes were persistent and irritating! The room had a large fridge and kitchen sink with counter-top, and a King-sized bed with a firm mattress. With such a comfortable room, it made us hesitant to step out into the sweltering 34degree heat and stiffling humidity to explore the REAL Phuket, but being adventurous (and hungry) we soon mustered enough determination to leave the comfort of our "sanctuary".
(continued in Part 2...)
We booked a Tiger Airways flight departing from the Budget Terminal at 0800 hrs, so we arrived at the airport at 0600 hrs. While waiting for the boarding gate to open, we bought some drinks at MacDonald's and sat down to enjoy our cakes and egg tarts which I bought freshly-made from a stall at a coffeeshop near my office the day before. The airport transit area was surprisingly equipped with a large eatery in the atrium surrounded by several shops where one could buy anything from magazines to duty-free liquors and perfume. The corridor leading to the boarding gate looked like a deserted hospital corridor. The staff who gave us our boarding passes at the airline counter when we checked in was the same staff who checked our passes at the so-called "gatehold room". Given the tight competition among budget airlines and the need for them to cut costs to survive, H and I were joking that we might see the same staff doubling up as a flight attendant on board our plane and maybe even flying the plane as well!!
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is an important announcement. We are now approaching Phuket International Airport. Instead of landing the plane in the usual boring way, we are pleased to provide a special experience free-of-charge to our valued customers. Please grab the Tiger parachute below the seat in front of you and put it on, as we will not be landing. Instead, we will be opening the emergency exit doors shortly for you to jump off. We regret to inform you that most travel insurance does not cover this special service. We wish you a pleasant journey and hope to see you again soon!..."
Fortunately our plane did land the usual boring way - safely - in Phuket, and the above announcement was purely a figment of my twisted imagination. When we collected our check-in luggage, we discovered that H's luggage padlock was missing. After making a few enquiries with a number of taxi services outside the airport, we decided on one that charged 150THB per person. We were the last 2 passengers to join the mini-bus of about 10 pax. Along the way, the bus stopped at the office of the transport company "for checking of bus ticket". It turned out that they were using this as a pretext or opportunity for marketing their transport services, as their real intention was to check whether we were interested in booking a taxi from hotel to airport on the day that we departed from Phuket. Stiff competition indeed...
At 11am, we arrived at our destination: the Kata Palm Resort and Spa. Our resort was located in the heart of Kata Beach area in the south-western part of Phuket Island (about 20 minutes' drive from Patong, the most popular tourist spot in Phuket). The resort looked like a traditional Thai villa or small palace. Like many resort hotels, its main lobby was not air-conditioned but ventilated with open windows and ceiling fans. While the lobby was neither very spacious nor grand, guests would immediately feel relaxed in the warm, rustic decor, while enjoying the subtle luxury of gold-painted pillars, wooden carvings and frescos depicting traditional Thai life in the 15-16th century. The only complaint I had was the resort concierge's tardiness in registering us and some difficulty in communication because the staff's command of English was quite poor. But whatever frustration we experienced was quickly dissipated with the offer of a pleasant complimentary welcome drink and a room upgrade at 2,000THB per night (SGD177 for both nights - the discounted internet rate for the room was about 3,000THB per night).
We stayed in a Deluxe Pool Access room in the new extension, which allowed us to step out into the newer swimming pool from our large balcony/sunning deck. The room was spacious and well-equipped, with bathrobes, bedroom slippers and even flip-flops for outdoor use. Although it did not have a bathtub, the bathroom was quite spacious with all the necessary amenities. We had 2 complaints - there was no housekeeping service at night so we could only get our extra pillows the next day, and the mosquitoes were persistent and irritating! The room had a large fridge and kitchen sink with counter-top, and a King-sized bed with a firm mattress. With such a comfortable room, it made us hesitant to step out into the sweltering 34degree heat and stiffling humidity to explore the REAL Phuket, but being adventurous (and hungry) we soon mustered enough determination to leave the comfort of our "sanctuary".
(continued in Part 2...)
posted by sunshine wallflower at 12:45 PM
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