3rd entry - "Bali" Thai (part 2)
(...continued from Part 1)
Deciding on a place to eat was the first adventure that we embarked on in Phuket. We wanted to see what was on offer around our resort. There were several deserted eateries but these were mostly open-air restaurants selling Italian pizza and pasta, Mexican food, seafood/steak & grill and wine bars and fusion Thai-European cuisine, as well as pubs selling western finger/fast food. Fortunately we spotted a street hawker selling Thai noodles in soup (similar to Vietnamese pho) and thought it would be nice to try it. Despite having to endure the heat and discomfort of perspiration trickling down our faces and soaking through our bodies, we enjoyed the chewy texture of the noodles, its tastiness enhanced by the crunchiness of the fresh bean sprouts and kang kong ("morning glory") and the light but flavourful chicken broth. I added in some chili flakes and fried chili paste to give the noodle a bit more "kick", while H said that he preferred eating the noodles with mint leaves and another local vegetable.
After eating the tasty noodles, we explored Kata town a bit, walking as far as the Boathouse towards Kata Noi beach, before heading back towards the resort. Along the way we stopped by a coffee joint called Andaman Coffee - like a Thai version of Starbucks, ordered 2 cuppas (including a coconut flavoured iced coffee which was very unique and refreshing) and enjoyed the drinks in the air-conditioned comfort of the cafe. As we sipped our drinks and chatted, watching the people walking by outside, time seemed to have slowed down. For us, it was an ideal way to truly unwind and relax...
In the late afternoon, we took a cab to Patong Town and went in search of a local seafood centre that served fresh and cheap seafood. The place that we were looking for (Aroonsom Seafood Centre) was actually near Deevana Resort and Spa in the northern part of Patong, where I stayed in on a previous visit to Phuket, but at that time I could not remember where it was. We walked around Jungceylon (the largest shopping centre and cinema) where we had a facial for only 300THB each, but the restaurants were over priced and not to our fancy. We then found a row of open-air seafood restaurants (opposite Royal Paradise Hotel) where we had a fulfilling dinner of fried large prawns with butter, black pepper mud crabs, stir-fried asparagus with garlic and the highlight of our meal: one large deep-fried red snapper with Thai-style sauce. Our first night in Phuket ended with a stroll down the beachfront at the famed Bangla Street junction. Back at our hotel, we took a dip in the swimming pool just outside our room before we turned in for the night. The water therapy soothed our tired muscles but the irritating mosquitoes forced us to abandon the water for the safety of our air-conditioned room.
The next day, after a hearty breakfast, we took a local bus (30THB) to Phuket Town. The bus trip itself was amazing - although it was very warm inside the bus, we relieved by light occasional breezes as the bus slowly made its way to the Town. Interestingly, the driver made a stop to collect the bus fare from all the passengers just as we were approaching the terminal station which was near the Chinese Temple (junction of Patiphat Rd and Ranong Rd) and a school run by monks. Apparently this was the only way the driver could ensure that none of his passengers could run away without paying the fare. We took in the sights of the Town, stopping by occasionally to visit some shops or to take photos.
At the roundabout where Ranong Rd joined Yaowarat Rd (Chinatown), we chanced upon Coffee Max, a tiny corner cafe that had very limited drinks on its menu and only 3 tables with seats - but it felt like an oasis to us because we could take a short break from the scorching sun and high humidity outside, and freshen-up a little before we continued our exploration. Later we browsed through some art galleries, including one which impressed H very much, as well as some shops. On the way back to the bus station, we stopped at a roadside stall to try a favourite local snack of fresh mangoes with glutinous rice and a topping of coconut cream sauce (40THB for one mango). The mango was in season and very sweet, while the glutinous rice with coconut was slightly savoury and soft but chewy and a little crunchy due to the topping of some kind of fried beans. I thought the snack was absolutely divine!
The sunset at Karon Beach was beautiful. Karon Beach was en route from Phuket Town to Kata Beach on the local shuttle bus, and we stopped not far from the roundabout where an old fountain stood like a sad reminder of a more glorious past. Karon's beach was longer than Kata's and offered an unblocked view of the sunset and the entire coastline from the main road running parallel to it. Tourists were surfing and playing beach volleyball as the sun set behind the clouds on the horzion. The markets selling t-shirts and souvenirs looked rather quiet, and the open-air restaurants were very empty too. We wondered whether these shops would ever survive...
We took a taxi from Karon back to our hotel where we reserved a table for dinner at the Palm Restaurant. After a refreshing shower at our rooms, we treated ourselves to a BBQ seafood buffet with live music and a cultural dance performance (399 THB per pax). The food was acceptable, and the dance was mediocre, but the music put up by the xylophone was highly entertaining. A rain that started halfway through the dinner disrupted the evening as we were forced to take shelter in the pavilion. Instead of dancing on the stage, some of the performers mingled among the diners as those who sat at the back of the pavilion were unable to see the stage clearly. This allowed some diners to come up close and personal with the performers, which was rather delightful.
Our last day at Phuket was spent in our hotel and at the Kata beach. After a breakfast, we took a dip in the resort's old and new swimming pools and jacuzzi, and returned to our rooms to pack and check out. Leaving our bags with the hotel, we made our way from the Kata Beach Resort (where the Kata local bus terminal was) towards Kata Noi beach (further south). By mid-day the sun was too hot and we took some drinks and cake at the Summer Coffee House opposite Tropical Garden Hotel. We were so comfortable in the tastefully furnished cafe that we simply sat there for over an hour, chatting and surfing the Internet. As we walked slowly back to the hotel, we stopped by our roadside noodle hawker and ordered 3 bowls of noodles - effectively ending our trip with the same noodles that we started with on the day we had arrived in Phuket. Time seemed to have passed so slowly that it was as if we were in Phuket for much longer!
Our taxi ride to the airport (700THB) took about one and a half hours due to a traffic jam (unbelievable, considering that it was a Saturday evening). At the airport we bought some donuts and drinks to nibble on before we boarded the plane back to Singapore. There was time to do some last minute bargain hunting and washing up. All in all, our trip was most enjoyable not only because we got to do almost everything that we had wanted to do, but also because H and I spent quality time together - hence the saying that the company that you travel with makes a huge difference! With the right travel companions, travelling will be truly pleasurable and satisfying!!
Deciding on a place to eat was the first adventure that we embarked on in Phuket. We wanted to see what was on offer around our resort. There were several deserted eateries but these were mostly open-air restaurants selling Italian pizza and pasta, Mexican food, seafood/steak & grill and wine bars and fusion Thai-European cuisine, as well as pubs selling western finger/fast food. Fortunately we spotted a street hawker selling Thai noodles in soup (similar to Vietnamese pho) and thought it would be nice to try it. Despite having to endure the heat and discomfort of perspiration trickling down our faces and soaking through our bodies, we enjoyed the chewy texture of the noodles, its tastiness enhanced by the crunchiness of the fresh bean sprouts and kang kong ("morning glory") and the light but flavourful chicken broth. I added in some chili flakes and fried chili paste to give the noodle a bit more "kick", while H said that he preferred eating the noodles with mint leaves and another local vegetable.
After eating the tasty noodles, we explored Kata town a bit, walking as far as the Boathouse towards Kata Noi beach, before heading back towards the resort. Along the way we stopped by a coffee joint called Andaman Coffee - like a Thai version of Starbucks, ordered 2 cuppas (including a coconut flavoured iced coffee which was very unique and refreshing) and enjoyed the drinks in the air-conditioned comfort of the cafe. As we sipped our drinks and chatted, watching the people walking by outside, time seemed to have slowed down. For us, it was an ideal way to truly unwind and relax...
In the late afternoon, we took a cab to Patong Town and went in search of a local seafood centre that served fresh and cheap seafood. The place that we were looking for (Aroonsom Seafood Centre) was actually near Deevana Resort and Spa in the northern part of Patong, where I stayed in on a previous visit to Phuket, but at that time I could not remember where it was. We walked around Jungceylon (the largest shopping centre and cinema) where we had a facial for only 300THB each, but the restaurants were over priced and not to our fancy. We then found a row of open-air seafood restaurants (opposite Royal Paradise Hotel) where we had a fulfilling dinner of fried large prawns with butter, black pepper mud crabs, stir-fried asparagus with garlic and the highlight of our meal: one large deep-fried red snapper with Thai-style sauce. Our first night in Phuket ended with a stroll down the beachfront at the famed Bangla Street junction. Back at our hotel, we took a dip in the swimming pool just outside our room before we turned in for the night. The water therapy soothed our tired muscles but the irritating mosquitoes forced us to abandon the water for the safety of our air-conditioned room.
The next day, after a hearty breakfast, we took a local bus (30THB) to Phuket Town. The bus trip itself was amazing - although it was very warm inside the bus, we relieved by light occasional breezes as the bus slowly made its way to the Town. Interestingly, the driver made a stop to collect the bus fare from all the passengers just as we were approaching the terminal station which was near the Chinese Temple (junction of Patiphat Rd and Ranong Rd) and a school run by monks. Apparently this was the only way the driver could ensure that none of his passengers could run away without paying the fare. We took in the sights of the Town, stopping by occasionally to visit some shops or to take photos.
At the roundabout where Ranong Rd joined Yaowarat Rd (Chinatown), we chanced upon Coffee Max, a tiny corner cafe that had very limited drinks on its menu and only 3 tables with seats - but it felt like an oasis to us because we could take a short break from the scorching sun and high humidity outside, and freshen-up a little before we continued our exploration. Later we browsed through some art galleries, including one which impressed H very much, as well as some shops. On the way back to the bus station, we stopped at a roadside stall to try a favourite local snack of fresh mangoes with glutinous rice and a topping of coconut cream sauce (40THB for one mango). The mango was in season and very sweet, while the glutinous rice with coconut was slightly savoury and soft but chewy and a little crunchy due to the topping of some kind of fried beans. I thought the snack was absolutely divine!
The sunset at Karon Beach was beautiful. Karon Beach was en route from Phuket Town to Kata Beach on the local shuttle bus, and we stopped not far from the roundabout where an old fountain stood like a sad reminder of a more glorious past. Karon's beach was longer than Kata's and offered an unblocked view of the sunset and the entire coastline from the main road running parallel to it. Tourists were surfing and playing beach volleyball as the sun set behind the clouds on the horzion. The markets selling t-shirts and souvenirs looked rather quiet, and the open-air restaurants were very empty too. We wondered whether these shops would ever survive...
We took a taxi from Karon back to our hotel where we reserved a table for dinner at the Palm Restaurant. After a refreshing shower at our rooms, we treated ourselves to a BBQ seafood buffet with live music and a cultural dance performance (399 THB per pax). The food was acceptable, and the dance was mediocre, but the music put up by the xylophone was highly entertaining. A rain that started halfway through the dinner disrupted the evening as we were forced to take shelter in the pavilion. Instead of dancing on the stage, some of the performers mingled among the diners as those who sat at the back of the pavilion were unable to see the stage clearly. This allowed some diners to come up close and personal with the performers, which was rather delightful.
Our last day at Phuket was spent in our hotel and at the Kata beach. After a breakfast, we took a dip in the resort's old and new swimming pools and jacuzzi, and returned to our rooms to pack and check out. Leaving our bags with the hotel, we made our way from the Kata Beach Resort (where the Kata local bus terminal was) towards Kata Noi beach (further south). By mid-day the sun was too hot and we took some drinks and cake at the Summer Coffee House opposite Tropical Garden Hotel. We were so comfortable in the tastefully furnished cafe that we simply sat there for over an hour, chatting and surfing the Internet. As we walked slowly back to the hotel, we stopped by our roadside noodle hawker and ordered 3 bowls of noodles - effectively ending our trip with the same noodles that we started with on the day we had arrived in Phuket. Time seemed to have passed so slowly that it was as if we were in Phuket for much longer!
Our taxi ride to the airport (700THB) took about one and a half hours due to a traffic jam (unbelievable, considering that it was a Saturday evening). At the airport we bought some donuts and drinks to nibble on before we boarded the plane back to Singapore. There was time to do some last minute bargain hunting and washing up. All in all, our trip was most enjoyable not only because we got to do almost everything that we had wanted to do, but also because H and I spent quality time together - hence the saying that the company that you travel with makes a huge difference! With the right travel companions, travelling will be truly pleasurable and satisfying!!
posted by sunshine wallflower at 8:35 PM
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