Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Phuket to Ao Phang-Nga
Beach Routine
Replace your work routine with a beach routine: wake up late, hang out
at the beach, sup on seafood and sip sundowners. Then do minitrips to
exotic landscapes and sleepy fishing islands to add a little adventure to
your lazy beach days.
Phuket (
Click here
)
Easily accessible from the mainland, Bangkok and even some international destina-
tions,
Phuket
specialises in quick, comfortable beach retreats. Park yourself on the
beaches of
Kata
,
Kamala
or
Surin
- three scenic bays with stylish resort hotels
and international-style amenities. Soak up the sun and frolic in the sea for a few
days and then devote an afternoon to exploring
Phuket Town
, reminiscent of Pen-
ang or other British colonial outposts, filled with grand but crumbling Sino-Por-
tuguese architecture, bohemian cafes, flamboyant Chinese shrines and ancient
apothecaries. In the evenings, sample
fusion fare
in a romantic setting, cruise the
seedy party strip of
Patong
or find a down-home restaurant where the stir-fries are
quick and tasty. When you tire of the beaches, there is a host of other entertain-
ment: cooking classes, kiteboarding, spas and even animal attractions, such as
Phuket Aquarium
and
Phuket Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre
.
PHUKET KO YAO NOI
20 minutes
from Phuket's Tha Bano Rong.
Ko Yao Noi (
Click here
)
Day-trip over to the Muslim fishing island of
Ko Yao Noi
, which garners a front-row
view of
Ao Phang-Nga
, a turquoise bay cluttered with humpbacked karst moun-
tains. The island feels a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of Phuket,
without a tailor's shop in sight, and offers a cultural exploration of the Andaman's
small-scale fishing communities. Bicycling, kayaking, rock-climbing and snorkelling
tours can be arranged from Phuket or on the island to give those atrophied vacation
muscles an overdue workout. Or you could just hire a motorbike and putter around.
There's no traffic and the family-run guest houses have open-air restaurants for sit-
ting and chatting.
