It was late in the afternoon when we left Bangkok and arrived at Phuket Airport. From the window of the aircraft, we could already admire the beaches and got excited, while wondering what the following days would bring. It is always a strange feeling when we leave a place. We get used to an area but shortly after we need to start again orientating ourselves in a new place. Still, we found it easier this time.
The friendly receptionist at our hostel already informed us in advance about the different ways to reach the little city from the airport. We decided to take the airport bus that cost us 100 Bath for a distance of around 30 km, which was the cheapest way to get to the city.
Phuket
Ko Phuket (Ko means island) is located in the south of Thailand and spreads over 543 km², which makes it the biggest island of the country.
Phuket is a touristic hot spot for all kinds of travelers. You will find here families, backpackers, luxury travelers, foreigners living on the Island and people looking for beach escapes or enjoying the colonial city life in Phuket town. Therefore Phuket offers all kinds of attractions and generally at higher prices than in other parts of the country.
Patong Beach
After the warm welcome at the hostel and good sleep at night, the following day we enjoyed a big cup of coffee at the coffee shop next door where we planned our first day on the island.
We decided to use the local bus to discover the nearest beach that was Patong Beach. When we arrived we understood instantly what the place was about. Honestly, I was a bit shocked seeing the crowds of people lying next to each other like sardines in a can. As we traveled to most of the destinations in the past nine months during low season, I felt a bit naive visiting the most touristic beach on the island and wondering why it was more crowded than I imagined it.
However, we walked around and enjoyed the sun, when we found a great beach club that offered for 200 Bath per person access to their pool and private beach, to free internet and cool music. The holiday mode switched on instantly and we enjoyed the place without hardly any other visitor.
In the afternoon we took the bus back to Phuket Town for 30 Bath, which seemed fair for the distance that we traveled and later we enjoyed the evening on the colorful streets where a night market happened to take place the same day.
Weekend Night Market
Thailand is famous for its many various markets. After visiting the Floating Market in Bangkok we were curious about the night market that took place during our weekend in Phuket, starting from 4 pm to 9 pm. It felt nice to walk on the busy but colorful streets, observing the vendors, locals and visitors strolling around and enjoying themselves. The streets were filled with delicious food smells and music form the little shows that were performed.
This place offered really everything, all kinds of Thai and Chinese dishes, clothes, souvenirs, art, etc. We enjoyed various snacks and were positively surprised by the low prices.
The second day was dedicated to exploring a bit more of the old town of Phuket, which impressed us with its colonial buildings and street art. The charm of the many coffee shops, cute boutiques, art galleries and international restaurants reminded us a bit on George Town in Malaysia.
The perfect beach escape in Phuket
The last day we decided to see a bit more of the island that was covered in rich green colors as the monsoon just came to an end. We took again the bus, this time more south towards Rawai Beach. The bus driver let us out close to the pier where the boats set off to the surrounded islands.
The coastal area was busy with boats offering tours. The many restaurants and shops reminded us a bit of Patong Beach but we understood quickly that the place was different, as hardly any people were around, mainly locals but not so many tourists.
The App Maps.Me guided us towards another little beach that we wanted to visit, just one kilometer further from where the boat drivers were waiting for tourists to arrive. After a nice walk, we reached a beautiful little beach and wondered why there was nobody else apart of us and a few locals that seemed to live there. We enjoyed a few quiet moments and I instantly forgot about the shock I got at Patong Beach.
Later that evening we spent some time around one of the local markets in the town, where you could find cheap and authentic local food.
Overall, we can say that we had a great time in Phuket, but as budget travelers that also don’t feel like sharing places with the crowds, it didn’t fully feel like our type of place to be. Still, we will definitely return with more time to explore the north side of the island, as well as the Big Buddha Statue and some of the many small islands that surround Phuket.
Click here for more pictures from Phuket.
After returning home from Asia for a short break when we visited our families and friends, we traveled together for one week in Romania, where we had a few beautiful and warm late summer days that allowed us to enjoy our stay to its fullest and recharge our batteries. We explored the two beautiful Transylvanian cities Sibiu and Brasov and later traveled by train to the capital city from where we would take a night flight towards our following destination, Bangkok.
It was late in the evening when we left Bucharest. We packed our backpacks and took a taxi to the airport, after our last walk in the city when we admired the beautiful red and orange autumn colors.
Thailand, here we come
Our first flight brought us to Moscow, from where we flew after directly to Bangkok. It took us a bit of time at the immigration control upon arrival. Due to our different nationalities, we had to deal also with different visa requirements for Thailand, but all went fast and smooth. We were just in time to catch the Bangkok Airport Rail Link, a train line connecting Suvarnabhumi Airport with Phaya Thai. The journey took around 30 minutes and cost 45 Bath per person. As it was already late, we ordered a Grab car through our mobile app to bring us from the train station to our hostel.
The good location of the hostel allowed us to start directly with our sightseeing tour the following morning. We strolled around the streets of Bangkok, observing the many food stalls and hawkers selling their products. We immediately realized what a high amount and a big variety of street food are sold in Thailand.
The excitement of returning to Asia
It was that first day when we realized how necessary our 3 weeks break at home was because we were able to feel again the excitement of exploring this part of the world as much as at the beginning of our big journey. We were more aware of the things happening around us and the feeling of adventure growing inside. We were back and ready to explore much more!
Bangkok felt surprisingly quiet compared to our last travel destination New Delhi, in India. No unnecessary use of the horn, no constant noise coming from people or animals… it was pleasant to be there, despite the fact that it was such a massive city.
Sightseeing in Bangkok
The walk led us towards the Grand Palace and later to the Buddhist temple Wat Pho, where we could admire a gigantic reclining Buddha.
Wat Pho is one of the biggest temples in the city and besides the golden Buddha Statue, the complex offers much more to see. The Entrance fee was 100 Bath per person and it is highly recommended to wear appropriate clothing for the visit of the temple. Don’t forget to cover up your legs and shoulders.
The rest of the afternoon we walked around the central area and the nearby Saranrom Park, were we could hide from the heat and cool down in the presence of the irrigation system of the park, which felt necessary as the warm sun that welcomed us in Bangkok got quite strong in the afternoon.
The following day we started again early, as our plan was to discover the west promenade of the Chao Phraya River, where another impressing building was waiting for us.
We crossed the river with the ferryboat at a cost of only 3.5 Bath per person, allowing us also to admire the city from another perspective.
On the other side, we walked along the river towards the Wat Arun Temple.
Wat Arun Temple
What makes Wat Arun so special is its Prang that contains 4 levels and is connected with stairs that offer a nice view over the city. The whole temple is covered by beautiful mosaic made out of little flowers of colorful Chinese porcelain.
The entrance fee was only 50 Bath and I believe it is an absolute must-see when in Bangkok. By the way, the word „Wat“ stands for monastery or temple in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.
Our second day in this impulsive city passed very fast and the location of the nice hostel which we stayed in gave us lots of possibilities to try different dishes in the various restaurants around it. That evening we went early to bed as we had plans for our last morning in Bangkok, before our flight that was departing in the following evening.
Taling Chan Floating Market in Bangkok
It was 07.00am when we left the hostel and went towards Khosan Road, famous for its nightlife, from where we would catch the bus to the Taling Chan Floating Market. Bangkok can be easily discovered by using local buses. With the help of Google Maps, we could find out which bus to take and where to get off.
It was just 08.00 when we arrived at the Floating Market and we could observe the hawkers and sellers preparing their boats near the floating pier. The market was traditionally used in the past as the canals and rivers offered easy access to the farmers to sell their goods. Nowadays it is mainly a famous tourist attraction. There are many floating markets around Bangkok, but what we liked at Taling Chan is that the meals served were sold for a fair price and because in the morning it was not crowded at all. This place only opens during the weekend.
Later in the evening, it was time again to say goodbye and we made our way towards the airport to catch the flight to our next destination, Phuket.
See more pictures from Bangkok here.