Quiet Beaches in Phuket - Ao Sane and Ya Nui

Quiet Beaches Part I - Ao Sane and Ya Nui

The main tourist beaches of Patong, Karon, Kata, and to a lesser extent Kamala and Bang Tao will not get so much mention on this blog save for hotels (such as the Dusit Laguna on Bang Tao beach) or places to eat (such as BBQ Hut in Patong. The main west coast beaches contain most of the hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and shops, so no matter where you stay or go during the day, it makes sense to visit these at some point or even stay at a hotel on a main beach and travel out each day to explore.

There are many small or quiet beaches on Phuket Island, some have development, some have almost nothing. Among those I like include Naithon, Nai Yang, Layan and Surin. If you want something real small for a day's relaxation, try one of these:

Ao Sane Beach

Reached by a winding cliffside road from Naiharn (you have to drive through Royal Phuket Yacht Club), Ao Sane is a tiny beach with some bungalows for rent and a small restaurant. There's even a tiny dive shop. The views are great, the water always seems quite clear and is good for snorkeling. There is limited space for parking vehicles, and when we have been there we've only seen a few other people. The bungalows were hit by the tsunami, but have been rebuilt and the restaurant serves decent food (nothing special, but not bad). The beach is rocky, with large boulders buried in the sand. It really is quite scenic, and is always quiet. My only gripe is that the bungalow/restaurant owners don't seem to bothered about keeping the beach clean.

Just a little further is a unique accommodation option - the Baan Krating Jungle Lodge, set in the trees overlooking the sea, a real jungle getaway.





Ya Nui (Yanui) Beach

This place has a special place in our hearts. We have photos of our daughter here with my parents back in 2003. The beach was wiped out by the tsunami and many of the small bungalows were destroyed. It's not far from Ao Sane and Naiharn, in the same SW corner of Phuket - it's a very nice area to drive around with several beaches, views and quiet roads.

For more information see this updated post from 2011 : Ya Nui Beach Phuket

At Ya Nui there are some bungalows again now, and it's usually quiet. We went last time in April and there were just a few people there as we watched a great sunset. It's a lovely little beach, again quite rocky with little rockpools where the kids enjoy finding little fish and hermit crabs.




Ya Nui Beach Links

• Ya Nui Recovery Project
• Ya Nui Bungalows
• Ya Nui Resort

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Life after the Tsunami (part III)

..Continued from Part I and Part II.

Sorry to keep harking on about it, but it's not the kind of thing you can get out of your head that easily, even with 10 bottles of Heineken. We had a bit of a party at our house last night, and I was talking to some people I'd not seen in a while, and naturally the tsunami came up in conversation. Where were you on December 26th 2004?

I still feel a kind of odd guilt that neither I nor my family nor any of our friends suffered at all. I lost nothing, lost nobody, carried on working, we had a baby boy 2 weeks later (I think having a baby puts a lot of things into perspective). It is amazing to be so close to disaster and yet not be involved. Had I been young, single and free I would have gone and volunteered as a diver. A friend of mine helped fish bodies out of the water. But I had a 9 month pregnant wife to look after and work to do. At the dive shop we became inundated with emails and phone calls asking about the latest situation. I talked to Sky News, talked to the BBC, wrote emails, updated information on our web site, tried to make sense of things. At the same time, we lost business, but many divers who were already booked did come and dive, even just a week after the tsunami. Many called ahead to check on the conditions, being rather scared based on what they saw on CNN. I gave honest advise and many thanked me afterwards for not bullshitting them. In that way, I guess I did something to help.

We got some new neighbours recently, an American family with 2 kids of similar age to ours. They come to our house to play sometimes. I only met David (dad) for the first time last night, as he works in Khao Lak, long hours, and quite a drive - it takes a good 90 minutes to get there from here. David is the local director of a charity foundation called 4Kali, set up by the Breisch family who lost their daughter (Kali) when the tsunami hit Khao Lak.

It was a long time ago, but also very recent. In Phuket now you can't tell anything happened. Patong beach looks better than before, Karon too. It's emotional scars that take longer to heal, even when you've lost nothing.

• Updated 2008 - New page I wrote 4 years after the tsunami

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Dusit Thani Laguna Resort

I had not originally intended to add any Phuket hotel information on here, but after thinking about it, whether you are a package tourist, a flashpacker or a family looking for a relaxing holiday, you're going to need a hotel! So, as time goes by, I will add some recommendations ranging from backpacker rooms up to 5 star luxury. Phuket has it all.

We'll start with luxury. I've met up with some friends this week who I used to know some years ago in Utila (Honduras), where they ran the infamous Bundu Cafe. After having a child, they decided to head back to the UK, where they now run a cafe in Loughborough called the Baobab Cafe. When they told me they were planning a trip to Thailand in July, I first advised them about the weather, then about hotels. The weather in Phuket during July is normally decent, and so far they have had sun, sun, sun. For hotels, they wanted something pretty luxurious and away from the main beaches...

The Laguna Phuket complex is huge, consisting of 5 hotels - Laguna Beach Resort, Dusit Laguna, Sheraton Grande, Allamanda Laguna and the Banyan Tree. All are top class, not cheap, and extremely nice! Well, my friends are staying at the Dusit Thani Laguna, and when we went to pick them up on Sunday for a drive round the island we entered a different world. Everything from the reception to the pools to the staff are clean, friendly, comfortable, and my friends are being pampered to the max. In high season these hotels are bloomin' expensive (by my standards), but are always full. In low season (now) there are good deals to be had.

The various hotels are built around a lagoon complex, with a wide variety of restaurants, shuttles between the different hotels, and you are steps away from Bang Tao beach. Laguna is also conveniently close to the airport.

So there you have it - you want some luxury, try the Dusit Thani Laguna. It's one of those hotels that I can recommend with no hesitation. Absolute top drawer.

Dusit Thani Laguna Resort - Booking and Reviews

• Dusit Laguna Rates and Reservations at Agoda.com
• Dusit Laguna - Hotel Reviews

Dusit Thani Laguna Photos

 

 


Links for the other excellent Laguna Resorts:

• Laguna Beach Resort
• Sheraton Grande
• Allamanda Laguna
• Banyan Tree

More Hotels on Bang Tao Beach

• Best Western Resort and Spa
• Amora Bach Resort
• Bang Tao Beach Chalet
• Bang Tao Village Resort
• Andaman Seaside Resort
• Moevenpick Resort

Phuket Hotels - More Information - Online Booking

• More of Jamie's Phuket Hotel Suggestions
• Top 10 Phuket Hotels
• Phuket Hotels - Book Online at Agoda.com
• Thailand Hotel Booking at Agoda.com

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Up Radar Hill Again

This post is from 2006, there is a newer post from 2010 here : Radar Hill - The Highest Road in Phuket.

Sunday was such a great sunny day, I felt the need for some fresh air having been cooped up in an office all week with grey skies and rain for company. Best place to get the wind in your hair is the hills. So we took a drive up Radar Hill again in the sunshine. Phuket is very green at this time of year, and heading up the hill you are in the trees. We stopped the car to listen to the sounds of the jungle and to watch a snake wind across the road - a pretty big one, bright green with a brown tail - wife said very poisonous. From doing a bit of research I think it was a white lipped pit viper, rather dangerous indeed! We have had small snakes in our garden before. I would not like to find one of these. It must have been a meter long with great big teeth...

The views from the hill were fab under blue skies and with the greenery shining after all the rain we've had lately. From up here you can see over Patong Bay, over Chalong Bay and also Bang Wad Reservoir. (See location on Google Earth) And the air is clear and fresh, perfect for clearing out your lungs. Get up a mountain today!









• More Hills and Viewpoints in Phuket

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Wat Sapam

Phuket is full of temples. If you haven't got your fill in Bangkok, it's worth checking out what Phuket has to offer. The biggest and most famous is Wat Chalong, and there are always lots of visitors there, but smaller local temples are usually overlooked by everyone except the locals, so these are the ones we like to visit.

We recently visited Wat Sapam, the local temple for Ban Sapam, a small fishing community on the east coast of Phuket, in Sapam Bay, just north of Laem Hin. We were heading for Laem Hin Seafood, and realised we had never visited this temple before. It was a pleasant surprise. The entry road into the temple is just off the main Phuket Town - Airport road and easy to miss. The temple is built on a small hill overlooking Sapam Bay, with the main temple at the highest point, the monks rooms on the hillside and the monks dining hall lower down. It's a beautiful location, and the temple and grounds are very well kept, with lots of plants and flowers.

• Wat Sapam location on Google Earth

Inside the main temple, you find a 10m gold Buddha, and some very colourful paintings around all 4 walls depicting scenes from the life of Buddha. Quite stunning actually. Highly recommended!

  

    

  

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Places to Eat in Phuket: Tesco Lotus

Er...Tesco Lotus? The big supermarket and mall? You gotta be kidding? Not at all, and as we live but a few minutes from here, and use it for shopping, banking, video rental etc., we find it very convenient. I would not say it's worth a visit specifically for a meal, but if you are passing by and feel hungry, there are lots of choices inside. Located at Sam Kong junction, one of the busiest bits of road in Phuket where the bypass road starts, the store is huge, being not just a supermarket but a mall too, with shops, banks, a post office..and places to eat.

Leaving aside the shopping, what can you eat in Tesco Lotus?


The place we eat most often is Texas Suki. The sukiyaki dish sits on every table, and you order the ingredients from a menu. Up to you what you want to add to the soup - lots of veggies, all kinds of meats, prawn balls, fish cakes, yum yum indeed. You don't have to eat suki, there are also noodle and rice dishes and the spring rolls are quite tasty. Also dim sum dishes available. And not expensive. We normally stuff ourselves for about 200 Baht all in - that's for 2 adults, 1 child, well and a baby boy too. Don't under estimate the amount a couple of kids can gobble up - our daughter had 2 plates of noodles last time we ate there!


We also eat at Pizza Company sometimes, though you can certainly get better pizza in Phuket. My daughter likes the spaghetti, and the Pepsi refill is a good deal if you're thirsty! Pizza Co also does delivery (call 1112). Actually the pizza is pretty decent for a chain/fast food joint. There's a also a salad bar where you can practice balancing as much food as possible on your dish to make the most of the deal. Some of the little snacks like cheese and bacon twists, bread sticks, chicken wings are good too. Must stop now, getting hungry.


Then for desert, or a little treat...Swensens Ice Cream. Yup, real authentic Thai food! BUT, no good getting all high and mighty like some travelers do. The place is always full of Thai families, so if Thai people are eating it, then you are eating local food, right? The current special - 59 Chocolate - is delicious, with 3 scoops of ice cream, whipped cream, banana, brownies, tiny peanut butter cups, and a truffle on top. Enough for 2 to share unless you're a greedy guts, and only 59 Baht. They always give crayons and paper to the kids, which is nice.

More? Well, there's a KFC and a McDonalds. I admit to the occasional Big Mac, yes it's true. There's a Dunkin Donuts too. Also Black Canyon Coffee, where the food is decent and they have about 50 different styles of coffee.

Then there's the food court upstairs above the supermarket. Noisy and crowded, but cheap. Buy your electronic card at the cashier and choose from a range of simple Thai dishes. I normally have Phad Thai or Roast Chicken on rice. Wife likes the Kao Ka Moo (rice with pork), they also do some basic breakfasts - eggs, toast, ham.

So there - Tesco Lotus has a wealth of dining opportunities! Same can be said of the Central Festival Mall, just a couple of km up the road. These malls were not here when I arrived in Phuket in 1999. Tescos was just a supermarket. Now you have Tesco Lotus, Big C, Central, and also the Index Mall. Great for shopaholics, bad for your bank balance!

• Tesco Lotus Website
• Tesco Lotus - find it on Google Earth
• Central Festival Mall
• Big C

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Phuket News, Events, Weather and stuff

Latest Phuket News



(update 2011)



Follow me on Twitter! I will post news, views, blog updates, weather, lots of Phuket related information.



There are 2 local Phuket print newspapers in English. The biggest and original is the Phuket Gazette. I also suggest you check The Phuket News which is now vying with the Phuket Gazette as the best online and print source of Phuket news. There is also the Phuket Post, which is more of a magazine with ads than a newspaper.



For more Phuket news sources, see here: Phuket News - Where to Find it







Old Phuket News, some things are not forgotten......





August 29th 2008



Anti Government Protests in Bangkok, Phuket and more.



Seems like this is the big news day of the year. Protests and huge gatherings of PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy) supporters were met by tear gas in Bangkok. Meanwhile in Phuket... I decided to kind of "live blog" for a while.. The situation in Bangkok continues even now, though Phuket is totally normal.



• Phuket Airport Closed by Anti Government Demonstrations





September 16th 2007 - The Plane Crash at Phuket Airport



• Plane Crash at Phuket Airport



December 26th 2004



The tsun... yeh, you know. Big wave. Not very pleasant.



In case nobody ever heard of Phuket, they sure as hell did after the tsunami. If you come now, you won't see any signs of what happened. Khao Lak and Phi Phi were hit harder, but are also looking healthy, if a little empty. My many thoughts below.



• 4 Years After the Tsunami (written December 2008)



• Living through the Tsunami

• Living through the Tsunami Part II

• Life After the Tsunami (Part III)

• A trip to Phi Phi in 2006





Everyone wants to know about the Weather in Phuket:



• Phuket Weather - General Information

• My Phuket Weather Blog - updated almost daily!

• The Wet Season in Phuket - What's it like?



19th September 2006 - Coup in Bangkok - All Quiet in Phuket



Nothing to worry about. Read more here - September 19th - Coup in Thailand. Or have a look at what a (rich kid) Bangkok Blogger had to say - Kitty in Bangkok.





Recommended Online Booking Phuket Hotels







Recommended Travel and Cancellation Insurance

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