This year on my birthday, I decided to visit Phuket. So close to India, it is a wonder that I hadn’t been there already. Now holidays in Phuket have become so much more convenient with direct flight options that I decided to jump on the opportunity.
Before embarking on this incredible holiday in Thailand, I made sure that I purchase travel insurance for Thailand. Better be safe than sorry. I also bought Thai Bahts at a competitive rate from Weizmann Forex. Since Thailand Visa is available on arrival, I did not have to worry too much about it.
From the moment I landed, I was in full-on beach mode. We made our way to Patong beach, where our hotel (Hotel Clover Patong beach) was and checked in with ease. Located literally a two minutes’ walk from the infamous Banga Road, I was ecstatic to commence my trip. After some much needed relaxation after a long travel time, we headed up to the open air swimming pool on the rooftop of our hotel. With stunning views of the ocean, we plunged right in and spent the evening relaxing.
All set to check out this magnificent island, we headed out to breakfast at this upbeat café called Reggae bar. As the name suggests, it had some fun music and our breakfast soon turned to lunch. It was an hour away from Patong but it was worth the journey.
Trudging back to the hotel, we took a short power nap and then headed out to explore the notorious Bangla road. Once we entered the busy strip dotted with bars, clubs, restaurants, shops and various other food stalls, we were in awe of how popular this place is. From go-go dancers to the prominent tranny culture, our eyes took in A LOT that day. Heading to a popular club called Illuzion, we ended up dancing the night away into the wee hours of the morning.
The following morning was my birthday and I had booked myself on an all-day excursion to Phi Phi islands. I snorkelled, scuba dove and swam in the ocean. The sights underwater were breath-taking and I am still reeling in the grandeur of it all. Beautifully planned out, the day was a fun-filled experience where I made new friends while bobbing along on the tumultuous waters.
Booking these types of excursions in Thailand on your holidays in Phuket are quite easy. There are many people sitting along Patong selling you them for cheaper prices. You have to bargain a little though. The following day, after sleeping in for half the day, I went back to Bangla road for some shopping. You get some amazing first quality fake branded goods at good prices. If your bargain game is strong, you will come back home with some great goodies.
The street food markets in Patong open by 9pm and go on till 4am in the morning. Here, you can indulge in some delicious fresh sea food, freshly caught from the same day. Some must try items include octopus, squids, prawns, chicken barbecues and mussels among many others.
Café Del Mar, Catch beach club and Sugar are great party places, all with a very different vibe. I visited them all and highly recommend a visit when there.
Apparently, there are quite a few Cruises from Thailand for cruise enthusiasts. You can take a cruise from Bangkok to Singapore, which is quite popular with Indian travellers.
Summing up, Phuket is a relatively inexpensive and conveniently accessible destinations for all Indian citizens looking to indulge in an insanely fun holiday in Phuket. There is so much more you can experience that one trip may just not suffice!
