PHUKET

Adventure in the Middle Sea

By Susie Berindra
Executive summary by Darmansjah Godjali

 

 phangabay phuket

One corner of the James Bond Island in Phuket a favorite place for tourists to take pictures with. The island has become famous since used as a shooting one of the James Bond film in 1974. Phuket islands surrounded by unique rocks.

No remnants of the tsunami that hit Phuket, Thailand, in 2004. Every corner of Phuket visible foreign tourists around to enjoy a variety of tours offered. When the evening, bars and cafes on the beach is also filled with foreign tourists.

The atmosphere of the resort town was seen when the group of travel journalists and tour invited by Indonesia AirAsia and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) at the end of last year. Starting late last year, AirAsia opens new flight routes, namely Jakarta-Phuket and Medan-Phuket. Of course the price is tilted so that the tourists Indonesia need not worry that much to spend money to travel to Phuket.

For instance scenery on the edge of Patong Beach is crowded with tourists from several countries. At the time of the tsunami, Patong Beach area is affected. On some street corners there is a rescue evacuation direction boards are installed after the tsunami disaster.

 Patong Beach

For the holiday beach resort, Phuket, which in Malay means "hill", offers a variety of attractive options. One of the interesting attractions are the Phang Nga Bay which consists of 42 islands. On the islands of Phang Nga Bay, tourists can enjoy one of the wonders of the world are charming, the unique rock formations.

The first island we visited was James Bond Island. The island is famous for once be a place to shoot one of the James Bond film, The Man with the Golden Gun, in 1974. On this island, tourists can enjoy the beautiful scenery marble rocks. One favorite spot is photographed against the background of an oval stone that loomed at sea.

The next two islands are mangrove islands, namely Hong Island and Island Panak. To reach the second island, we had to climb the canoe containing only three people. Then the canoe through the rocks to get into the island surrounded by rocks and overgrown with mangrove trees.

hong island

Adventure was felt when visiting the island Panak. When the canoe through the rocks, we should be in a position to sleep because of the distance between water and rocks are very low. When the sea water began to rise, the body can be injured by sharp rocks. Fortunately, the canoe rower who drove us already knew the ins and outs of rock in the lake.

 the distance between water and rocks are very low close panak island

Not all tourists who come to the Island Panak get into the island. Sea water is higher the more difficult road to the island. If we can go in there, then when the return of the sea water rising, we had to wait three hours for the water to recede.

In fact, in the island can only see the mangrove trees on the canoe and surrounded by rocks.

Not only beaches and adventure tours in the middle of the sea, Phuket also offers interesting performances, like Simon Cabaret and Phuket Fantasea. Simon Cabaret show is played by tens of lady boy (term for transvestites in Thailand) with a sparkling dress like a festival. For an hour, they sang and danced.

Phuket Fantasea is a tourist place like Dufan Ancol. To get all the entertainment and dinner, a tourist must pay 2200 baht. Peak entertainment in Phuket Fantasea is a colossal show depicting Thai culture. All kinds of cultures in Thailand, including the animals that live in the country's elephant, appearing in this colossal show.

Indra of the TAT reveals, every year tourists come to Phuket to reach 35 million people. Phuket has the slogan "Amazing Thailand, Amazing Values​​". "Everyone who travel here will benefit more than just a walk. The price is affordable, not too expensive, "he said.

Coupled with the unique characteristic that is offered in Phuket Thailand. Seven uniqueness is Thainese, the nation's heritage of Thailand, beaches, culture, shopping trends, the typical Thai greeting "way", and festivals. In Phuket, there are dozens of festivals that were shown to the tourists. One of the famous festival is the Songkran Festival, which is a new year celebration for the people of Thailand.

songkran festival

However, Phuket is not a shopping destination for Indonesian tourists who want to get branded goods at lower prices. Branded goods on offer in Phuket is not much different in Indonesia. If you just want to get souvenirs typical of Thailand, on the edge of Patong Beach Road lot. It's just not very good quality.

There are two shopping centers that can be visited in Phuket, the Central Festival Phuket and Jungceylon. In Central Phuket Festival, visitors can find branded goods of quality number one, but the price is almost the same as in the big malls in Jakarta.

 central festival phuket

While Jungceylon in Patong Beach area. Mall offers souvenir items with prices skewed. All sorts of trinkets souvenirs bearing the image of an elephant which is a typical animal of Thailand. This mall is not too wide so it does not take long if you want around every corner 

Jungceylon.

When you are bored with malls, tourists can stroll in Phang La Road that turns into a night market when dusk. Along the pavements, street vendors offer the shirts that said Thailand, as well as accessories such as necklaces, bracelets earrings, and other souvenirs.

Phang La Road 

Do not forget to bargain for a lower price because vendors will open the bidding with a high enough price. Almost similar in China, souvenir merchants do not speak English so the bidding is done by calculator.

Tired after the around Phuket? Do not worry, Phuket also offers Thai Massage. Typical Thai massage is offered at a price of around 300 baht. However, to choose a good massage place needs foresight. Along the Road of Patong are so many places that offer massage by pretty girls. Not every place is convenient because it's transparent glass-walled room. If a massage at the place, like the spectacle of people passing by on the roadside.

thai massage

Well, already interested in Phuket? Do not hesitate to visit the Thai beach town in this region.