Tim in Thailand : June 2015

What to do in Phuket - all that information!

How do you find out what to do whilst you are in Phuket?

Well above is the way that Travel Agents and Shops get you to choose!
All that paper and this was only one guests collected in 14 days!
This is not the only way!

1) Travel Books such as Lonely Planet Guide are still popular - but after the slashing of money that they pay the writers it has led to them not being the best way to find out information.

2) Internet Information is still popular and the website is slowly taking over from the printed version but are still not always accurate. Tripadvisor is slowly becoming more than just a hotel site BUT all reviews should be read

3) Blogs are a relatively new way to get information BUT then there is the fact that some travel bloggers visit places because that they can go for free - so we are back to number 2, the accuracy of the information. Blogs are also open to interpretation - what might be good for them might not be what you are looking for...

Every Sunday I post on Twitter a blogger about Phuket with a #phuketthingstodo
Jamie in Phuket is a favourite blogger of mine
Here's a list of my blogs.

4) Social Media - Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram are three ways which clearly ways in which people can search for information.

Here's mine - Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

5) Friends are what we have left and in my experience this usually works and with all the Guest Questionnaires which I read is still very popular.

(Click here for things to do in Phuket)

Maps - Free Wi-Fi

View Phuket free Wi Fi (map under construction) in a larger map

On constructing this map it suddenly became an impossible thing to do

- too many places offered Free Wi-Fi.

Then there were Apps made to find the Free Wi-Fi (around Me)

- but these need to be investigated as well.

A day off in Phuket Town

A day off in Phuket Town started with my daughter going to school and then my wife wanted her hair done and her nails painted. I went for a walk.

It was time for an iced tea and the waffles looked good - Pang Hom Chui was my first stop.

Then it was time to pay my respects to a roadside Temple - there are a lot around here.

Narrowly missing a motorbike.

Found a restaurant with a toy car and bicycle on the rook - not sure what it means...

Then it was time to find a comfortable place to sit down - this was not easy - I ended at Gluay Nam Wa which was very nice at this time in the morning. (Free WiFi and all those bits).

Then it was time for the bank - finding out that the place for the best Bubble Tea (Mellow Yellow) is temporarily closed!

Onto a journey for lunch and we took a detour to visit a Chinese Shrine - ศาลเจ้ากวนอู บ้านนาบอน - wonderful. So we moved onto to Wine Connection for a bottle of wine - has wine gone up again?

Thai food at Nikita's - I think that the place is best for Pizza's... Then it was time to get our daughter so we could go to the cinema to watch Jurassic World - it was fun. The trailers had no category - they were scary!!

A great day off...

Baba Wedding Phuket 2015

The Baba Weddings in Phuket is a celebration which I look forward to going (the list is below) - I believe that this year it was the 7th Annual Festival.

The festival recognises the time of the strength (and status) of the tin mining in Phuket and the Chinese dominance of it.

The 'event' started on the day before the parade - here's an itinerary. I visited the beginning of the parade which was at Hongsyok house - which is usually a Private Home in Phuket Old Town which is open to to media on this day.

Clothes were splendid and smiles were abundant in the well manicured gardens.

The brass band started and the Parade began - leading the way was the Phuket Mayoress.

Children smiled in the outfits.

The Wedding Couples soon followed.

Petals were thrown.

I would like to see the drone photographs.

We walked along the Thalang Road where people were lining the streets.

We reached the Thai Hua museum in Phuket Old Town for a break.

So I ran into a local air-conditioned coffee shop... only to find that there was nobody serving but were all outside watching the parade.

The parade continued and was very quickly followed up by the changing of Thalang Road into the 'Lard Yai' - Walking Street Market and I ended up in Tiny Coffee.

This is a post from 2014
this is a post from 2013
this is a post from 2012
this is a post from 2011

and this is a post from 2010

Klong Mu Dong Canoe Race (2015)

Klong Mu Dong is a place where there is a canoe race every year. This year I managed to get a break from work.

There were a great many people there before I arrived - I was late!

So going to the further end towards I swiftly ran - only realising that they were racing the other way round. The street was lined with a great number of people watching - I think a great deal of them were happy that they had an opportunity to get out of the rain!

There were the groups of girls made up and in dress and the boys were usually playing the drums - or playing in the water.

The race must be approximately 200 metres and it was entertaining watching the races - the one above was a favourite of mine because one group stayed apart from the rest and paddled in a straight line.

The group on the left all seemed to hit each other and unfortunately the one in this group did not seem to know that there was another canoe separate - thinking that they had won.

Then there were children swimming in the Klong...

The street was lined with the usual nibbles - the Sushi and Curly Potatoes and more.

Previous Races

1) 2013

2) 2011

Monkey Pod (Phuket) Visit ?

We visited here after the Butterfly release in Khao Phra Thaeo National Park and I have to apologise for it taking me so long to write about our experience.

There seemed to be very little that had changed from our last visit so how much change was there?

The running of the restaurant was infinitely better - swift and simple. I love the decor - it is very simple and it is obviously clear that the staff have been told to take care of it - it shows.

The food was very nice and presented well but there is still something missing - it is pleasant but ordinary - maybe I have lived here too long and my expectations of Thai food in a restaurant have changed?

For me to the reader than it is a great place to go if you are travelling to this area of Phuket or have arrived at Ao Po Grand Mariner.

We would visit again - ice cream and coffee was great!

1) October 2012

Phone Number: 076 529 775

Approximate price: $$$$$

Address:116 M.2 Paklok-Muangmai Rd. Paklok Sub-District, Thalang, Phuket 83110

Hours: 9:00 - 21:00

View timinphuket - restaurants and coffee shops in a larger map

(Click for more visits to Restaurants in Phuket)

Street Foods - Sticky Rice In Bamboo (Khao Lham)

1) Sticky Rice in Bamboo (Khao Lham)

Living in Thailand for a period of time you do eat the Local foods as the Locals prepare.

I am asked a number of times whether I eat the food and I do indicate that I do. Then I am asked whether I think that it is safe for the tourist - I could not indicate this at all BUT I do think you should go and browse and think about it.

Khao Lham is often seen at the plethora of markets which are scattered throughout Phuket.

Then there are the motorcycles carrying the prepared bamboo sticks around - some are cooked and some are not. I have not seen them take these prepared sticks and watch them cook them from the 'beginning' - all I am told is that they take a 'long time'.

Not something for the personal barbecue then!

The bamboo is filled with the sticky rice, coconut milk, sugar and sometimes other things - black beans is the most usual.

What is the other thing? Ask the vendor to split the bamboo open before you take them as they are not easy to break, unless you have the knack of course - I made a terrible mess!

Oh and they are incredibly filling - so get one and share it!