Pls note that u may not find the package online, so do pop by their branch in Bugis Junction.
4 Days 3 nights (added 1 more night from standard package of 3 days 2 night) - $574.00
(Just the pkg with airport tax and fuel surcharges inclusive)
The plane landed in Phuket airport , the only airport in Phuket for commercialized planes like silkair. Ride from the airport to resort is about 1 hour. But becos there's a half day phuket town tour, and depending on whether u spend time buying stuffs or taking the animal rides/shows during the tour, u will only reach the resort at around 1-2pm or even later.
Resort/ Tour Package include :
1) Airport Pickup to and back to resort (1st day and last day)
2) Half Day Phuket town Tour (Tour guide and driver inclusive- covering their local produce like silver, food items, wood, temple tour, elephant rides/shows)
Note: Animal shows/ rides are optional- not free
3)Welcome drinks and cold Towel (very thoughtful as weather is hot- After half day tour in Phuket town)
4)Daily Buffet Breakfast (good spread of mixture of western and Thai food)
Phuket- Patong Beach
If it’s ur first time there, do stay in Patong beach where most activities like pubs, supermarkets, pasar malams are based. Unless U want to stay Banyan Tree that area (cannot remember the beach’s name) that I find it more ulu and thus u need a transport to travel out especially for cheaper tour agencies and food.
Patong Beach has got v clear waters that u can see little schools of fishes and palm-sized crabs dancing in the water. Sand is white, soft and powdery unlike Krabi (just see my review on Krabi) .
Sun Bathing on Patong Beach
Cost 50 (off peak) -100 (peak) baht per chair for as long as u like! Remeber to bring your beach towel to cover the chair before u lie down.
Jet Ski-ing on Patong Beach
Half hour at 700baht for one person on one jet ski (some may qoute u 1000 baht, pls remember to bargain)
Half hour at 1000 baht for 2 person on one jet ski
Banthai Resort and Spa – Highly recommended for couples and close friends
Stayed there for 4 days 3 nights. Got the room with Pool access and Jacuzzi. The Jacuzzi (for 2 person) is a personal one cos the switch to turn on is just outside the room and v v private.
We were given a welcome drink (something like rose water-sweet) and a cold towel which I tot was really nice. Staff were mostly friendly and approachable.
Room is v well furnished and comfortable. You get toothbrush, toothpaste, sewing kit, cotton buds, washing detergent, shower caps, face towels, towels, kimono, beach/pool towels, free slippers (u can bring home), conditioner shampoo, bath foam and Soap.
Room were presented to us with flowers/leaves romatically arranged on the bed and the bathtub filled with red rose petals…
Every night when we were away, a “good night” tag with an orchid are placed on our pillows to make us feel at home. Very thoughtful.
Location of this resort is v v convenient to watsons, starbucks, macs, subway, central ocean shopping mall, and most importantly the beach is just across the road. This resort is also conveniently located near many restaurants and pubs.
One thing to note is that remember to choose rooms that are away from the main entrance as it can get a little noisier at night with all the bands playing outside at the pubs especially “The Port” (a pub that belongs to Banthai with great band- songs played and sung are really good)
Spa at Baan Laimai Spa
We find Banthai Spa rather expensive so we visited the Baan Laimai Spa (open from 9am - 9pm) just down the road (1min walk – quite hidden away , next to a place with lotsa paintings, u won’t miss it as it is huge) towards starbucks along Patong beach. Most spas have happy hour charges between 10am to 2pm. Charges are about 30-40% lower than usual. This spa provides packages (2 hours) that are only 1550 baht during happy hours ( Usual price is about 1950 baht) . V reasonable. They even allow u to use couple room if needed. In the couple room that I used, there was a private sauna and a Jacuzzi (a bath tub for couple use). Spa Therapists were experienced and approachable (Pls note that their English is limited so u have got to be clear to ask for what u need e.g softer, harder, how long, what to do … etc)
We were given a choice of 3 packages. Relaxation Pkg, Rejuvenating Pkg, Detoxifying pkg. All packages includes Sauna (15mins), Jacuzzi (30mins) and massage (choose from any 3, Swedish (Medium), Aromatherapy (soft), or Sports massage (hard) . The massage maybe different and u can mix and choose which one u like from the 3.
While in the sauna they provide a glass of cold water and cold peppermint towel which I thought it was refreshing. And at the end of the treatments, they give u a glass of warm ginger tea. Overall I give this spa and their services 8/10.
Given 4 days to spare, Day 1 city tour consists of their island’s produce like cashew nuts, pork floss rolls, durian chips, tapioca chips, seasoned seafood like prawns, baby crabs, pearls, etc. I did not buy any thing as I thought it was rather expensive. In fact it was true as it was much cheaper in the Central Festival Phuket – “The market place” Supermarket (Central Plaza Phuket is a 30 mins ride at 300 baht via tut tuk-ang mo likes it /taxi – prefers this one, somewhere in the phuket town), or even Central Ocean Supermarket.
Tours- Phi Phi Island Hopping- Simon Cabaret show
Phi Phi Island tour at 1000baht per pax. Simon cabaret at 550baht (VIP seats are closer to stage at 550baht (fr 600), Normal seats at 500Baht which I thought it’s actually not too far back and the advantage is that U get to see them close up or even get kissed on VIP seats!). Booked both tours from tour agency just outside of resort. Turn left into a street after the ZEN restaurant. It’s located on the right hand side of the street and shares a shop front with a watch shop. This shop is manned by a local lady (I find that she looked more like an Indian as she’s rather tanned- she speaks rather good English though) . Try to bargain. As a guide a full day tour shouldn’t cost more than 1000baht, half day should be more than 700-800baht (it’s not half price for half day, mind u) .All tours are inclusive of hotel pickups and back
Phi Phi Island-snorkeling
Remember to wear a pair of slippers, wear ur swim suit/trunk inside, have your beach towel to dry yourself after a snorkel. Also u may want to bring a sarong along to keep yourself wrapped in between snorkeling trips and lunch. Be ready to get really wet.
A mini passenger picked us up from Banthai Resort and joined others at about 815am. Headed straight to the boat terminal where the speed boat is waiting. There are many many other tourists there. About 30 ppl went up to boat.
There were 2 snorkeling spots. The boat will stop somewhere near Phi Phi Island called Koh Phi Phi Don (many fishes, some corals, v clear greenish bluish water). And on another island called Khai Nai Island.
At the spot around Phi Phi Island (Koh Phi Phi Don) somewhere near a cliff (after the viking cave visit - u can find bird nest there), the boat will stop and let u go down (about 5 metres deep). It’s actually v v safe as there are so many ppl doing snorkeling there. If u cannot swim well like me (I am only a beginner swimmer), Pls go down with ur life jacket at all times. Any snorkeling trips with life jacket is relatively safe as it keeps ur head up above the water and also keeps ur body floating while u look down at fishes or corals on the surface. Not much kicking to get around cos the place is small. I had approx an hour’s of fun there. Really nice.. lot of fishes like e colorful parrot fishes and some mushroom shaped corals.
The last stop as I had mentioned before was Khai Nai Island. It’s just a small island. Takes u about 5 mins to walk round the island. There are so many diving spots around it (very shallow). U can see sea urchins (be careful not to go near them) and many other fishes. These fishes even come really ear the shoreline that u do not even need to go down that deep. The depth that u can see them is about half way up my shin.. sometimes they would just nibble at ur skin if u keep really still (just be careful of the parrot fish as they will give a nasty bite!).
More Pics:
[url]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/samkcy79/Tour/DSC_4841-1.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/samkcy79/Tour/DSC_4841.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/samkcy79/Tour/DSC_4839.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/samkcy79/Tour/DSC_4833.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/samkcy79/Tour/DSC_4831.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/samkcy79/Tour/DSC_4830.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/samkcy79/Tour/DSC_4757.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/samkcy79/Tour/DSC_4771.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/samkcy79/Tour/DSC_4718.jpg[/url]
Snorkeling equipments
Before u actually board the boat, they will actually ask u if u needed to rent fins (‘flippers’) for ur feet that cost about less than 300baht (sorry cannot remember exact price- but price is pretty standard. I didn’t opt for the fins cos I do not need speed and depth as I am just a beginner .. hahah .. but true enough, there was no need for fins during the snorkeling trips.
The equipments they provide are quite new compared to the ones I used in Bali. The only disadvantage is that they do not provide masks with corrective lenses for short sighted ppl like me . Going to buy one when I am home. In fact at home it will only cost me about $100 to make one really good one. A quick note that if u are thinking of getting one here. always get 50 degrees lower. So if u are a 450, get a 400 will be good enough.
Something to add to the snorkeling trip:
There were free flow of drinks, biscuits and fruits in betweens. Really have to go even if u are only a beginner swimmer cos u just need to 'float' with ur life jacket. If U are short sighted and cannot see fishes far away, what I did was to grab hold of bread thown in by the ppl floating on the surface there and release bit by bit infront of my eyes.. this will attract the fishes towards u and it's really make it more fun!! - TIP: Buy bread before u go for the snorkeling trips and remember to keep some for the Khai Nai Island!
Food
In fact I find the seafood there really expensive. So we did not try the sea food except the delicious tom yam soup. Went to several restaurants to eat. Will recommend some here which I thought is really value for money good food.
Sam’s Steak and Grill at Holiday Inn Resort
Spent 2571.75 baht (Approx $50 SGD per person) , 2 persons on:
2 coconut drinks 150baht
1 ice tea 85baht
1 Starter dish for 2 person (includes crabmeat wontan etc) 485baht
1 lobster bisque 190baht – Simply the best for the price
1 Beef Wellington steak for 2 person 1275baht
Beef steak is one of the best I have tried comparing from most of the restaurants like Black Angus, Hogs Breathe, etc.
5 stars service and ambience that u can only get in Raffles Hotel or Saint Pierre. Great for couples looking for a nice and romantic place for fine dining.
The SWEET Restaurant – Patong Beach
This restaurant serves both Thai and western food at really low price. Value for money.
Located at one of the street (right hand side) with lots of massage shops (Adjacent to the beach). Has got a huge red sign facing the beach and u wouldn’t miss it.
Sorry cannot remember which direction liao.
LAIR LAY TONG Restaurant – Taweeewong Road, Patong Beach, Highly recommended!
Serves Thai food and Sea food.
Located in street on a left turning just after the ZEN Restaurant (same street as the tour agency I recommended). Very easy to recognize. Just look for a restaurant with yellow walls and yellow with white ‘sun/rain shades” just outside the restaurant. It quite well hidden as I almost missed it. See the food I ordered below … hee hee
FUJI Restaurant in Phuket Central/Festival Plaza in Phuket town
Nice and cheap Japanese food compared to SG. All at 30-40% cheaper. Had 2 Sashimi sets, 2 watermelon Juice (v sweet must try), Egg sashimi, tempura at just about $40 SGD
Other snacks to buy home for family and friends includes
1) Durian chips (see brand in pic below- v v nice not much durian smell but simply delicious and highly recommended!)
2) Banana Chips
3) Fruits like guava (I bought from the road side fruit vendor guava that’s packed in 2s with really smooth skin and it tasted exactly like a cross between apple and guava.. surprising not sold in supermarket! The packaging has got 2 chinese word like fa1 cai2 or something. Priced at 40 Baht each and I can tell u that it’s really really really sweet!!!!)
4) Rose apple
5) pork rolls
6) pork floss
7) Cashew nuts (they are famous for it but expensive)
1 comment:
Get Luxury Sports Package Holidays and experience amazing sports adventures and tours.
Post a Comment