Just weeks after my trip to Bangkok last August, the travel bug hit me again,
and I found myself browsing some flights on the Singapore Airlines mobile app. After exhausting most options, I thought about Phuket again because I was
supposed to fly there five years ago, but it didn't push through due to a
conflicting work schedule. Ugh, I know it sucks. I wanted to see another part
of Asia that I hadn't explored before–so when I came across a flight from
Manila to Phuket for only $250 roundtrip, I didn't think twice and booked the
flight. Besides, I get to fly with Singapore Airlines again, with a few hours
of layover at Changi Airport, my favorite airport.
As soon as my plane took off from Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport, I could already feel myself relaxing in my seat. After finishing my inflight meal, I slept. When I opened my eyes, the plane had already descended into Changi Airport. My friend, Louie, hadn't been to The Jewel, so I took him there and had lunch at a Japanese restaurant. I have been to The Jewel multiple times, but it never ceases to amaze me how beautiful it is. After our quick stop, we printed to our gate to catch our flight to Phuket. The flight was a Boeing 737-800, which was spacious and comfortable. I liked it! Although, it could've been better if it was a Boeing 737-MAX. After two hours of flying, we finally arrived at Phuket International Airport.
Okay, here's the thing about moving around the island–everything's far from each other. It's good that I booked a hotel near the Patong Beach area since it's very accessible to the heart of Phuket. On our first night, Louie and I decided to have dinner and drinks at the famous Bangla Road–a street filled with numerous bars with bar girls dancing on the tables and donning their skimpy dresses. The cacophony of live band music and people shouting in various languages, accompanied by their laughter, filled the entire street. True enough, we had a great evening.
On our second day, we traveled to the eastern part of the island and boarded a speed boat for an island tour. Actually, we almost missed our slot! Taxis are hard to find, and GrabCar was more expensive than in the Philippines! But thank God, we found a multi-cab jeepney and only had minutes to spare.
Surprisingly, the weather was fine when we sailed away. We availed of this beach tour via Klook, and on this tour, we visited Phi Phi Islands, Maya Bay, and the Bamboo and Khai snorkeling area. I know these areas got famous after the world premiere of The Beach back in 1998, and most scenes were shot on these iconic beaches. The song Pure Shores by All Saints was on the loop on my playlist at that time for obvious reasons.
We all know Phuket is an overrated beach destination, but I still love it. I can still vividly remember the powdery white sand of Maya Bay as it touches my toes with every step I strode, the tall verdant limestones surrounding the bay, and that surreal feeling of knowing the fact that two decades ago, a Hollywood star once walked around this place.
The following day, we availed another tour from Klook. This time we toured the old Phuket town. It rained all day, but that didn't stop us from exploring Phuket. We visited Wat Chalong (a temple), the Khao Rang Hill, which offered a scenic view of the island, Big Buddha, and the old town Phuket. I'm going to write a separate blog post about it.
Visiting Phuket was separate from my plan in 2022, but we sure had fun! This will not be my last visit to this beautiful island.
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