A lazy traveller’s guide.
I’ll be honest, after a hectic few months at work, all I really wanted was to lounge by a body of water (pool or ocean), sleep, eat copious amounts of good food and maybe pretend to read a book or two. And my trip to Phuket was just that - full of food and lots of rest.
Phuket during monsoon.
I travelled in late July for three nights. The summer months are the peak monsoon season for Phuket but I thought we were fairly lucky with the weather. While it was overcast every now and then, it didn’t rain and we also got many hours of sunshine throughout. Sadly, the sea was way too rough (and unsafe) for us to get into.
Where to stay in Phuket.
A big big plus was that hotels were offering huge discounts over the low season, so we managed to get ourselves a really nice deal at the Pullman Arcadia Naithon Beach, located on a clifftop right above Naithon Beach. It's a quick 10 minute cab ride from the airport - ideal if you don’t want to spend much time travelling.
Our villa was gorgeous and quite frankly, massive with a giant bed and a chic little outdoor balcony. The cool grey wood and whitewashed walls of the room gave it a peaceful air and the bed was 10/10 with soft feathery pillows and a fluffy duvet.
The grounds of the hotel were large and sprawling. Full of tropical trees, birds singing and guzzling water features.
Where to eat in Phuket.
We were in the mood for local food and didn’t want to venture far. We would walk down from our hotel and check out the roadside restaurants by Naithon Beach. To be honest, I think this is the best way to enjoy a destination. Walk around, explore and find hidden restaurants and bars. One cute little restaurant we checked out was called Shameena Restaurant & Lounge. We’re talking nothing fancy, just your classics. Pad Thai, spring rolls, massaman curry and fresh veggies. It was all super tasty, beautifully flavoured and just right.
Activities in Phuket.
Thailand in general is famous for its night markets and Phuket is really no exception. Fun Friday Avenue Market is a small market that pops up by Bangtao every Friday. Like all night markets, you’ll find an assortment of street food, clothes, sweets, shoes, jewellery amongst other knick knacks. We stumbled across it quite by accident but we loved the bustling vibes, especially since we hadn’t been to a market in such a long time over Covid.
Phuket has so much to offer depending on your mood. Want to party? Head to Patong or grab a ferry to Krabi. Got kids? There are tons of summer camps and swim camps around the island. As for us, we were really in the mood to unwind. So we ended up checking out local beaches and plopping down for the day. We discovered Banana Beach not too far from our hotel, though we made the mistake of hiking up and down for 45 minutes to get there (hint, don’t try to walk 3km in 30 degree weather, rent a scooter instead).
To get to Banana Beach, you have to walk down some rather precarious, winding steps. But I assure you, it's absolutely worth it. It’s a smallish beach, squashed between two large rock formations creating a sort of alcove feeling. Large, foamy waves splash by the pebble shore and there’s a charming little restaurant called Papa selling noodles, fresh coconuts, beer and cocktails. I’d say Banana Beach is a great way to spend a morning or afternoon.
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