Wanderlust #01 – Phi Phi Islands and James Bond Islands - Phuket - Thailand

“To travel is to take a journey into yourself” - Danny Kaye    

Hello there! Once again thanks for taking time to read my post. This is the first time I am writing a travelogue, so hope you will enjoy reading it.

So, I finally got out of my lazy life, and decided to go for that long-planned yet never executed vacation. My friends and I decided it was Thailand and Singapore. Let me not bombard you with the entire trip at one shot, so I have split the travelogue into two. Firstly, I will tell you about Phuket-Thailand and then about Singapore.      

We first landed in Phuket, Thailand. We stayed near the Patong Beach at Deevana Resorts and Spa. Patong is a happening place at Phuket and most of the tourists’ holiday at this spot. The roads are filled with food stalls, cafes, bars, pubs, massage parlous, shopping places, etc. The small coastal town is simply high on energy and bustling with nightlife.

After loitering around Patong for the night and managing with some basic food, we crashed for the night. Our next day was a one day tour of Phi Phi islands. It took about 45 minutes by car to reach the ferry point from Patong. From there, we took a ferry to Phi Phi islands. The ferry took about two hours. Adding to my excitement of being in a ferry, the weather was cool. (Yeah!!! like too cool, it was actually raining all through). 

The sea was simply beautiful as we were near the island. The color of the water is magical and the feeling you get when you gush through the water in a ferry looking at the island in a distance is nothing but surreal.

It was one of those moments when you feel that nature is the most magnificent thing on earth and you just enjoy being alive.  After we reached, we just had a couple of hours at our disposal before the ferry headed back to the city.

We played in the water, relaxed and enjoyed the sea’s beauty and not to mention took numerous clicks in our smart phone trying to figure out the best angle.The water was so clear that when you put your foot in the water, you can see your through clearly.

And then came my nightmare! The lunch! Believe it or not; for a person like me, the food platter was looking like National Geography channel just came alive. Yeah!! You only get half cooked sea food served and a few of my non-vegetarian friends also found it difficult to eat. 

The veggie people can try to survive on fruits though. So after munching on some chips and fruits we headed back to the ferry and came back to our resort. After gathering some information from friends who have visited Phuket before, we figured out a restaurant called Madras Café at Patong. They served Indian food, especially South Indian stuff. So, we practically rushed there and had our dinner.

The next day was the one day trip to James Bond Island. To reach James Bond Island, we had to travel almost close to 1.5 hours on the road. We reached the boat point and from there took a long boat to the island. It was much different from the ferry. It is just a normal boat elongated and made longer (Wearing those life jackets made it more cinematic ;)) 

The boat drive was only about half an hour. We sailed through caves and enjoyed the ride. We arrived at the James Bond Island. It was scenic and pleasing. The island was just made up of three huge rocks. We spotted the famous James Bond rock and took good pictures round it. 

To tell you the truth, I felt the James Bond Island was a lilt bit overrated. For the kind of hype that was given, I expected the water and the rocks to be more mesmerizing. If you would ask me to vote, I would definitely vote for Phi Phi islands.

We just had a few hours in the island. There were a few activities that were available, like banana boats, diving etc. We decided to stay on the shore and relax. 

After heading back to our resort that day, we took off to the Patong beach. It was just about a kilometer walk from our resort. The beach was so calm and alluring. The sand was made-up of fine granules and it felt good to be soaked in the water.

We just did not sit around there. For the fun of it, we took a Jet Ski. I must tell you, it was an amazing experience for me. The force with which you pierce the water in you ski is glorious. I felt supreme and powerful during the Jet Ski.

Where is the fun without some drama right? One of my friends fell off the Jet Ski in the middle of the ocean and lost his specks. We practically wandered in search for a specks shop and after a lot of struggle managed to get him a couple of lenses with nearing power.

Later that night, we went to Bangla Street. For the first the time I was in a street that could hold so much lights and colorful illumination and where prostitution was legal!!!

Nevertheless, apart from that fact, the street was just on fire. The dance pubs, strip clubs, and whatnot were on full swing. I even saw girls holding menu cards for all sorts of fantasy shows. (When I say fantasy, I hope you get it ;)).

The next day we finally slept through for most of it due to lack of energy. We then had half a day of touring around, and picking up souvenirs for back home. After the shopping, it was time to kiss goodbye to Phuket. We packed our bags and headed to the airport.

Here is a list of stuff that you need to keep in mind when you plan a trip to Phuket.

Who needs to go? – Anyone who needs a break from life, Anyone who needs to booze all their way, Anyone who loves the sea, Anyone who is up for raw seafood and some adventure.  

Places to go – My advice is that you stay at Patong and visit Phi Phi islands. You will definitely enjoy it.

How to pack? -  Just throw in a couple of shorts and T-shirts and you are done. For girls you can take some casual beach dresses. Fancy jeans and dresses do not much blend there.

Things to do – If you are up for adventure then you must try scuba diving, and Jet Ski. 

You can do a lot of shopping in the local shops. I would also advice you not to do a lot of
pre -vacation shopping. You can buy stuff after going there.

Get yourself a good Thai Massage. They are really professional at it and its very soothing and relaxing.

Heads Up – Yes, if you are a vegetarian, please pack up some good food or else you might end up starving. Even for non-vegetarians, unless you like raw seafood, you will not like the taste of the food there. Stock up with bread packets, some jams, cup noodles and fruits when you venture out. 

Currency Count - One Thailand Baht equals to two Indian Rupees. Therefore, you can plan your trips expenses accordingly.