Koh Yao Noi by Moped

To the east and northeast of Phuket in Phang Nga Bay, in between Phuket and Krabi, you can find many islands. How I would love to have my own boat and cruise around exploring! The north of Phang Nga Bay is where you find well known places such as James Bond Island and Koh Panyee which we have visited several times (see Phang Nga Bay). To the south of these are 2 much larger islands. Koh Yao Yai, which I have never visited is about 25km from north...

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Songkran 2011 (Not in Phuket!)

Aside from being a massive waterfight, the Songkran holiday is also a traditional time of year with particular emphasis on paying respect to your elders, and many Thai people will travel for Songkran to visit family. This is a more important holiday than the "Western" New Year, although the calendar year does change on January 1st and of course it's another excuse for a party, but Songkran is something more local and is a major public holiday from...

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Songkran Photos

The Songkran festival is one of those "love it or hate it" events. It can be viewed as fun, but some people like to complain about it getting a bit silly and losing its traditional roots. Songkran is the Thai New Year festival and is celebrated in Thailand and also in neighbouring Laos, some parts of China and Cambodia. The Thai New Year and Thai calendar was in use until 1888 in Thailand, but now January 1st is used as the official start of the...

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Promthep Cape - The end of Phuket!

I guess it's the same wherever you live. There's always something new to explore close to home. Phuket is bigger than most people realise, the island covers over 500 square kilometers, plus it's only a short drive to reach places like Phang Nga, Khao Sok National Park, Krabi, or a 1 hour ferry over to Phi Phi. Doing this blog for the last 5 years has made me and the family get out and explore and really get to know our home. Hopefully it's clear...

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Kata Beach Hotels

Of the 3 "main" beaches in Phuket, Kata is thought to be the quietest, though I reckon Karon is just as quiet since everything is more spread out. Kata Beach, oddly enough is where (as far as I know) mass tourism started in Phuket, with the opening of the Club Med resort in 1985. Club Med is still there and takes up a large section of the land in front of the beach, though not actually on the beach - there is a small beach road between the resort...

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