Quiet Surprise

When we asked to leave the party of Patong we did not ask to be dropped in the middle of a ghost town but during the Chinese New Year in Phuket Town apparently that is exactly what it is. There were three stores open on the walk to our hostel and the only people you met were taxi drivers lounging in hammocks seeing if you needed a ride anywhere. It didn’t matter; the lack of chaos was refreshing in comparison to the excitement we had run away from.

At check-in we were delighted to find that a private room with two beds and an air conditioning was only $2.50 each more a night and after two weeks with out a night of sweating we were more than willing to cough up 10 bucks. We bought two beers from the fridge downstairs and sat on the floor in front of the glorious AC set at 18 degrees Celsius where it has stayed the remainder of our time here.

The Old Town is quaint and quiet. With few shops open there is not much to look at but the architecture is that of a European city with bright colors and arches. There are a few parks at the edge of the city to relax and coffee shops with signature Thai Iced Coffee to cool down with. But the best thing about Phuket Town is what you can do outside of Phuket Town.

Almost all busses have to start or end in Phuket Town so there is not any beach you cannot get to. In four days we have visited four different beaches for the small price of 30 baht a ride. Open-air busses meet outside the 7-ll all heading out of town and packed full of locals and tourists. They go everywhere. To the north, to the west, to the south, if you have a map and point to a beach there is a bus you can take.

Each beach is different, some are small bays surrounded by mountains and jungle, others are large stretches of sand freckled with quiet beach bars with a gorgeous view.

To our surprise, we stumbled across a festival one night after a beach excursion. Apparently every Sunday the street running through the middle of the Phuket Old Town is a food festival complete with live jazz music. From sushi to Pad Thai to popcorn there are hundreds of flavors to find just what you are looking for. It was the first time we saw more people than taxi drivers. The businesses opened up their shutters to the public selling Thai silk, souvenirs, and coffee or beer.

Phuket Town, although much more quiet than expected, and the surrounding beaches were exactly what I was expecting from Thailand. This vibrant city offered more than one escape to different paradises throughout the island. Overall, Phuket Island has redeemed itself.