A very late trip report on our holiday to Phuket back in October 2009. Apologies in advance for any spelling mistakes.

Background
We are a family of 4 (2 adults & children are aged 10 (Dillan) & 12 (Alisha). Previous destinations include the Maldives 3 times, Egypt 9 times, Orlando twice & Goa (which we will be returning to Easter 2010). My parents also joined us on this holiday as it was my dad's 70th birthday.

We booked through Holiday-Experts. Our main contact was Sheila Menzies who has been booking our holidays for a good few years now .... we have always found her both friendly & helpful & she will do her best to try & beat any reasonable quote. Please PM me if you would like her contact details.

Fri 23/10 (Day 1)
We flew from Heathrow with Singapore Airlines. We had a evening flight departing at 18:30. I have to say that this was one of the best airlines I have ever flown. It was a long flight (via Singapore with a 2.5 hour transfer wait) but I could not fault the service. The food was excellent, a good selection of movies (with individual controlled pause/rewind options) & excellent food & free bar service (always a bonus).

Sat 24/10 (Day 2)
We arrived on Saturday afternoon & immigration was straight forward. A rep was waiting outside with his Kuoni sign & a big smile. Within 10 minutes we were off to our hotel with the driver thinking her was Lewis Hamilton's brother. It's always lovely looking out of the taxi window & seeing all the new sights & sounds. Traffic was chaos with bikes & taxis everywhere. It took about an hour to reach the Cape Panwa hotel. Check-in was lovely as we were greeted with big smiles & polite speaking staff. We were allocated rooms R121, R122 & R123. The first 2 rooms had connecting doors so the kids stayed in R121 whilst my self & Maxi stayed in R122 with my parents in R123. All rooms were very clean with lots of hot water.



We quickly unpacked & made our way to the Sunset Bar (which we read about from various other trip reports). The hotel provides a shuttle bus to its sister hotel (Kantary Bay) which is 3 minutes away. We would have walked but it meant climbing a very steep hill which we weren't keen on doing .... after all, we were on holiday . The Sunset bar (just around the corner from the Kantary Bay Hotel) is owned by a very friendly guy named Russell. He has been there for around 3 years & possesses a wealth of information & advise to help you get the best out of your stay in Phuket. After several Chang beers & cocktails, we made our way to Swasadee (just round the corner) which is a excellent local restaurant & tasted our first authentic Thai meal. We ordered Red & Green Thai Curry's, Prawn Rice, Pad Thai & Monk Fish. Our eyes were obviously bigger than our stomachs & we were stuffed. Sorry, I can't remember what the bill came to but it was cheap. Caught the shuttle bus back to the Cape Panwa & crawled to our rooms for some much needed sleep.

Sun 25/10 (Day 3)
No rest for the wicked ... I was up & 5:30am as I had a days diving booked with Sea-bees. I watched the Sunrise (beautiful) before heading off to breakfast tucking into some Thai Noodles with a side omelette (with chillies) .... delicious. I also fell in love with the guava juice which was fresh & very addictive. Sea-bees had arranged pick-up for 07:30 & it took around 30 minutes to get to the Sea-bees office. The staff at Sea-bees (a German based dive company) were very friendly & welcoming. Within 5 minutes we were off to the pier (which was a 3 minutes shuttle ride) to board the Excaliber. I had booked to go on what Sea-bees call their Super Sunday dive day as it consisted of 4 dives. I had never done 4 dives in a day & was a bit worried that this may leave me exhausted. But as I was diving using Nitrox (did my Nitrox course on Kuramathi in the Maldives in Nov 2008) I had no problem. My guide was Dominic who was very friendly & we dived at Shark Point & Phi Phi. We passed some beautiful hongs on the way.

Visibility was poor to start with but got better through out the day. Phuket diving is famous for its Leopard Sharks & I was not disappointed.













I got the Sea-bees taxi driver to drop me off at the Sunset Bar where my family were waiting. I asked Russell to recommend a taxi driver & he gave me the details of a local chap named Boo. A few Chang Beers & cocktails later, we found our selves eating at the Indian next door. The food was OK .... I would say average (I should know as I am Indian). We also found it quite expensive but we did order a lot as there were 6 of us. Back to the hotel for a sleep.

Mon 26/10 (Day 4)
Got up early & went to the Gym (thought I better try & work off the excessive amount of food & alcohol I had fed my body since arriving). After breakfast, more Noodles & dragon fruit .... delicious .... & Dillan found chocolate muffins in the bread section so he was made up for the rest of the holiday), I returned to our room just in time as the heavens then opened & rained. Sat on our balcony watching the refreshing rain ... it was so calm & tranquil listening to the thunder in the distance.

I phoned Boo to arrange booking him for half a day shopping tour & we agreed on 1000bt. One hour later I get a call from him telling me his car has broken down. Wasn't sure whether to believe him or not but that's the way it goes. Popped up to the Kantary Bay hotel to find a taxi driver & upon getting off the shuttle bus, I was surrounded by taxi drivers all gunning for my business. One of them (Bu) pointed to his taxi which was a brand new van compete with leather seats, A/C & TV monitors, etc. We agreed on a 12pm pick up for 750bt. Back to the hotel for a walk round as I had not had a chance to explore since arriving. Also managed to ring Manoj (another taxi driver whose details I got from trip advisor) & agreed on a full day island tour for 1200bt for Wednesday. So many Taxi drivers .... talk about spoilt for choice!!!

Bu was waiting for us outside of the Cape Panwa at 12pm as arranged. First stop was the BIG C in Phuket Town. The BIG C is a bit like a Tesco Extra but no brand names are on sale. Maxi spotted a section selling selling sandals at 150bt each .... she was in heaven & bought 8 pairs. We also popped upstairs where there where lots of different stalls selling clothes, pillow cases, etc. Picked up a few bits & pieces but nothing special.

Next stop was Robinsons & the area around it. There was a mixture of shops & stalls selling the usual fake designer t-shirts, bags, etc. I bought quite a few polo-shirts, cotton shirts & shorts. We had lunch at the KFC ... tried the hot wings. These were definitely hotter than the UK version .... some serious kick or what!!!

By 5pm we had had enough & made our way to where we had earlier agreed to meet Bu. On return to the hotel, Maxi & I booked our selves in for a massage near the hotel. Maxi has a foot massage & I had a oil massage. Those ladies are small but their hands pack some serious power, and for £6 each we where in heaven for a hour. A perfect way to relax after a days shopping.

Our evening once again found us at the Sunset Bar for beer & cocktails. We had a look at some of the stalls in front of the Kantary Bay hotel. I didn't really find the owners very friendly. Saw some sun glasses I liked but the owner of the stall did not want to play ball when it came to agreeing a price so I walked away. There was also a stall selling trips & show next door to the Swasadee restaurant. We booked tickets to see Fantasea for Tuesday night .... not cheap (went for executive seats with buffet dinner included) but it was our first time in Phuket & I was pretty sure that Dad & Mum would really enjoy the show. Dinner was at the Swasadee again ..... delicious.

Tues 27/10 (Day 5)
Another day booked for diving with Sea-bees. Only did 3 dives, but I have to say that the visibility was amazing. My guide was English fella named Peter who made my diving experience a day to remember. Swam along side a Leopard Shark for 5 minutes & also managed to see a nest of baby moray eels. On our return boat journey the heavens opened, but it was all over by the time we reached the pier.











Our pick up for the Fantasea show was for 18:30 outside our hotel. The journey took around 1.15 hours as we picked up other guests from a couple of hotels on route. On approach to Fantasea, I have to admit that everything was very well organised. From the parking, to the way everyone is guided in, the buffet (which can seat approx 1000 people) .... all very Disney. The show it self was amazing. I'm not going to say too much as I don't want to ruine it for anyone that has not been, but you have to see it once. My parents really enjoyed it & so did the kids.





The transfer home was easy enough & only took approx. 50 minutes. We were back at our hotel midnight.

Wed 28/10 (Day 6)
Today was our island tour with Manop. Pick up was arranged for 10am. Went to Gym again to work off the extra baggage I was picking up. Got a call from Manop at 9am saying that he could not come personally & he was sending one of his colleges named Chai. Wasn't sure what to make of this but I guess at least the trip wasn't cancelled. Chai was waiting outside the hotel at 10am with a van with the letters Super-Chai etched on the side, boy racer wheels & purple racing stripes.

He seemed a nice enough guy & quickly discussed what we wanted to see. We wanted to see the Big Bhudha but he said he couldn't do that as it would mean driving up a hill which would be difficult dues to the rains the night before. Then the usual chat about visiting a souvenir shop followed so that he could get his stamps which we obliged to. Not sure why we did but I guess we just wanted to keep him sweet.

First stop was a the Wat Chalong temple. We spent an hour here ... my parents really enjoyed this as they like to see compare similarities between Buddhism & Hinduism. One of the temples consisted of 3 floors, & from the very top floor you could see the big Buddha. This was as close as we were going to get to see him.







Next stop, the Cobra show. This was more for Dillan as he has a fascination around snakes .... especially the ones that can kill you with one bite!!!! We were given a guided tour & were shown where they keep all the snakes. I have to admit that we enjoyed this as we were given a insight on the different types of Cobras & how fatal their bites can be.









The show it self was OK but was ruined by the host who kept rambling on & on complete with his own sound effects every time the cobra made a strike. It became a bit annoying after while. Never the less, Dillan did enjoy it & even got to touch a couple of snakes .... kids!!!

We then went for lunch at a fish restaurant that over looked a bay (sorry ... can't remember the name) but Chai was obviously on some sort of commission as he got a free lunch. We ordered lots but my parents fish was over cooked/fried to the point that it was like eating crispy batter. We shouldn't have paid for this but we did ... I suppose we didn't want to create fuss. I ordered a steamed garlic & ginger seabass .... it was beautiful.



Our next stop was Kata View Point. As it wasn't that sunny, we didn't get the best views.



And our final stop was a couple of ours at Central Festival Shopping Centre .... basically a large mall with lots of shops & stalls. Picked up lots of bits & pieces including sunglasses, linen shirts & trousers, pillow cases etc.

We got back to our hotel for 7:30pm & went for another massage .... as you do ... what a lovely relaxing way to finish a busy day. More cocktails at the Sunset Bar .... I was determined to make my way through every cocktail on Russell's menu. We had dinner at the Swasadee again. I love curry, but I also love oriental food .... delicious.

Thurs 28/10 (Day 7)
Today was chill day. Got up at 9am & hit the pool with Dad & Dillan. The ladies went for a manicure. Checked out the beach for the first time & had lunch there .... more Pad Thai with a couple of beers ... very tasty. Sea-bees were at the swimming pool in the afternoon so both Dillan & Alisha tried the equipment on & did a lap round the pool. Alisha really enjoyed it & said that she was keen to do the Open Water PADI course on our next holiday.

In the evening, my self & Maxi hit Patong. We used the Hotel Shuttle which worked out which was cheaper than a taxi. All I can say is WOW!! .... talk about organised chaos. Constant 'taxi' calls & come into my shop. Hassle hassle hassle! We kept our cool & just replied with a polite no thank you. The lady boys were on display at the bottom Bangla Road (near the beach end). Some of them were stunning & some not so. The US Navy were on shore leave & it was fun watching them let their hair down. Maxi picked up a nice Channel designer bag & I picked up a Gucci Wallet. We paid just above half of what the original asking price was. We stopped off at the Savoy for a few Mojito cocktails ... these were large & really nice. After 3 Mojito's, the heavens opened & we decided to stay at the Savoy for a meal. I have to say that this was one of the best meals we had in Phuket. We asked for everything hot & spicy & we were not disappointed.

After our meal we went for a wonder around some more shops & stalls before heading back to the pickup point for our return journey to our Hotel.

Fri 29/10 (Day 8)
We had pre-booked a day with Phuket Sail Tours with the legendary Captain Mark via their website from the UK. We paid a little extra & paid to have the whole ship to ourselves. Pick up was at 8pm & it took around 40 minutes to reach the port. Captain Mark was waiting for us complete with his sailor cap & pipe. We had a wonderful day aboard The Sakai. Captain Mark is a true character who really plays the part of both sailor & host. Is it just me or does anyone else see the resemblance between Captain Mark & Captain Birds Eye .... just my own observation.





Before we sailed, I explained to Captain Mark that my mother may find it difficult getting on & off the boat as she has a steel pin in her right leg due to a accident 10 years back. Mark was a perfect gentlemen & saw it upon himself that my mum was well looked after & took extra time & effort to make sure she got on & off the boat in her own time.







We visited various Hongs & Caves with Captain Mark explaining in detail how they are created with lots of history. My kids found it both interesting & educational. Lunch was also thrown in (cooked onboard the Sakai by the chef) & was served on a secluded beach. I won't give too much away as it will ruin it for you if you ever intend on going, but it was an excellent day with perfect weather. We even managed to catch some tail wind on the way home so Mark (with the help of Alisha) proudly hoisted up his sail.



We arrived back at the port just as the sun was setting before the tropical rain made another guest appearance.



This was a perfect end to our holiday. If you are reading this Mark .... a very big thank you from the Lad family.

Once back at the hotel, Alisha felt unwell. She had a temperature & decided on a early night. I think she had caught the sun & didn't drink enough water. We gave her a paracetomal & she had an early night. My mum & Maxi stayed behind to look after her & ordered room service. Whilst the men hit the Sunset Bar for our last drink & said our goodbyes to Russell. We also had our last meal at the Swasadee. My Dad ordered the Sea Bass with very spicy Red Curry sauce .... absolutely delicious.

Sat 30/10 (Day 9)
Our last day in Phuket but our flight wasn't until 17:30 so we had the whole morning & half of the afternoon to grab some last minute shopping. After a quick breakfast & a little bit of packing, we grabbed a taxi & popped back to Central Festival Shopping Centre. Picked up a few more fake designer sunglasses, more linen shirts/trousers as well as some cotton shorts. We had a noodle lunch at the shopping centre before returning to our Hotel to finishing our packing. The staff gave us a very friendly warm send off with lots of 'hope to see you again' goodbyes.

Did we enjoy our holiday - hell yes ... Thailand was amazing. We will definatley return to see more. May try Bangkok next time or one of the many islands like ......

Would we return to the Cape Panwa Hotel - if we spot a good deal, then we will book it up without hesitation. It's far from all the action, but that's the way we like it. The staff were friendly, the food was good. It had everything we needed for a 4*.

Our flight home was excellent. We flew the new A380 double decker airbus .... an amazing experience, great food, service & entertainment.



Would definitely fly Singapore airlines again. Along with Emirates, it is one of the best airlines we have ever flown.

Thank for reading & I hope we didn't bore you too much.

Chas.