Phuket, Thailand’s largest island in the Andaman Sea, is a premier tourist venue, and it undoubtedly has stunning, palm-fringed beaches and is a hub for water sports, but there is another side which did not appeal.
Yards from stunning Patong beach, Phuket’s most popular and developed resort town on the west coast, and around Bangla Road, are huge bars, clubs and live music venues, and the area is famed for its vibrant night life and massage parlours, some seedy. Thankfully, we went ashore at 11am.
Women, some who have seen better days, sat out front on the pavement with a card on their knee, displaying their services and charges. Not not my kind of tourism.
Sad really, but that’s a fact of life in the 21st century and the place is popular. We were told that Australians enjoy the atmosphere and party strongly. Good luck to them.
There are amusing elements. One four-star hotel is called Sleep With Me. That kind of summed up this destination. It is centrally located.
Well-known brands including Hard Rock have restaurants there, but the most memorable element of our trip off our cruise ship was the beaches, and there are a number of dotted around in an area boasting crystal clear water, ideal for snorkeling, diving and surfing, plus para sailing.
Island hopping is popular and Phuket is the gateway to Phang Nga Bay, made famous by James Bond. The trip was worthwhile said those who did it but two hours on a bus, an hour on a boat and another two hours back, plus the inevitable shopping stop, made it a long day.
The Phi and Similan islands are also popular and the area is renowned for its Thai seafood.
Sunsets are celebrated and guide books say Phuket offers a mix of relaxing, high-end travel and chaotic, budget-friendly excitement. We noted tourists from many countries, but our feeling was, strongly, that this is for the young, it is certainly not for a quiet getaway.
Incidentally, locals say the best months to visit are from December to March. That’s the dry season with maximum sunshine, but take a heavy factor suncream as the sun really does burn.
And one other point. At the quayside we were warned: “Watch out for pickpockets.” Good advice although we survived, pickpocket free.
