May
8
2010
As far as holiday destinations go, it is hard to find one offering a greater variety of sights and attractions than the island of Phuket. With a diverse range of culture and customs, there are plenty of options when choosing how to enjoy your stay. Although the beautiful beaches are the obvious destinations in Phuket, the rest of the island contains many hidden treasures that are easily accessible and just as impressive. Cultural attractions range from historic sights; such as Buddhist temples and statues, traditional buildings and gardens, to the markets and the exciting nightlife. Natural wonders are also abound with the tropical forests offering waterfalls and beautiful sightseeing along the coast and through the mountains, as well as the national parks with a diverse range of wildlife and plants.
Phuket Town is the heart of the island, providing ready access to all the islands attractions while having a vibrant pulsing life of its own. The markets provide cheap shopping and food, perfect for backpackers, and the city centre offers many restaurants and clubs along with beautiful private art galleries and venues for live music every night of the week. Thavorn Grand Plaza is a great central location for exploring all of Phuket and our friendly staff are more than happy to help with any queries or arrangements to make sure your stay is unforgettable.
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Jun
4
2010
Have you ever heard about the national park of Phuket?
Well, if you haven’t, I will tell you about it. Last Sunday we decided to visit this beautiful place at Nai yang Beach, and that was how we left the city of Phuket, towards the national park and after about 45 minutes by bike we arrived at our destination. I should mention that during our bike trip I couldn’t believe the incredible scenario around us, all that immense amount of green trees and jungle and the wind hitting my face, really perfect! I was amazed.
When we reached the beach I was surprised about how quiet it was, we did not see many people, don’t know why, but maybe the place is not very popular among tourists or is too far away. So, if you want to relax and get away from the crowd this is definitely the perfect place.
Coming back to the main subject, we walked along the beach for a while (where I collected more shells for my collection and we saw a few fishing boats and canoes. Then we wanted to go for a drink and something that I really liked was the choice we had to chose between small bars located on the beach or a variety of bars located along the street right in front of the beach. The bar where we stayed was quite nice, the people who attended there were really nice and also the bar was decorated with flags everywhere. We chatted for a while (while I was playing with a beautiful dog!), and after a game of pool we ordered something to eat and we moved with our dinner in one of the few tables on the beach. Sadly, After dinner we had to start our journey back to Phuket town because it was a little bit late and we were 45 minutes away …
I think that’s all for now, I leave you hoping to see you soon here, in Phuket Island, la ciudad sol!
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May
15
2010
At 9 o’clock we were picked up by an AsianPremier Van in front of the lobby of the Thavorn Grand Plaza. After a 30 minute ride we arrived at the marina of Phuket. Then all the tourists gathered there were divided into a few groups according to each ones itinerary. After a short break the tour started with a photo taken in front of the marina. Then we boarded the boat with 15 other tourists, mainly Australian, German and French. The crew welcomed us aboard with fresh soft drinks.
After one hour ride on the speedboat we arrived at Bamboo Island. There we had the possibility to go snorkeling, walk along the beach with the stunning white sand or sunbathing for one additional hour. After we returned to the speedboat again we arrived a special place in the middle of the sea, were we could jump in the wide sea and discover the coral reef on our own. There we were able to feed the fish with bananas. After half an hour it was time to say goodbye to the coral and the fish. Back on board we got fresh bananas as a snack.
After a short ride to Phi Phi Don we enjoyed a great lunch at a beachside restaurant. There we got the choice between international lunch buffet and thai food. After the lunch we spent our free time relaxing and walking along the beach. After one hour we left Phi Phi Don and arrived at Monkey Bay to feed the monkeys with fruits.
The next destination on our journey was Viking Caves. These caves are very famous because there are many bird nests here which are collected to produce a special and very expensive soup. Then we arrived after 15 minutes at Koh Phi Phi Ley. This place is worldwide famous because of the British-American movie THE BEACH. At this place we had 40 minutes free time to enjoy the amazing landscape with the wonderful contrast of the crystal clear water.
The next and last destination of our tour was Khai Nai Island. There we had 40 minutes free time for snorkeling again, sunbathing or enjoying the breathtaking beach! Finally at 5.40 we arrived again at the marina. Here the van was waiting for us to take us again safe back to the hotel Thavorn Grand Plaza in the city center of Phuket.
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May
15
2010
We woke up very early at half past five in the morning, as our mini-bus was due to pick us up in front of the Thavorn Grand Plaza at 6 am. After a 2 hour drive through the city outskirts and the open countryside we arrived in Khao Lak. From there we took a one hour ride on a speed boat to reach the islands. On the way from Khao Lak to Similan Island we saw a group of dolphins jumping out of the beautiful sea.
As Islands No. 1, 2 and 3, are part of a protected natural park, visitors are not allowed access. So our first stop was near Island number 5 where we spent around 40 minutes snorkeling. There we had the possibility to find Nemo or other fish and also to take a look at the spectacular coral reefs. We were lucky enough to see a sea turtle which was passing by very close to all the divers.
After those first impressions of the beautiful island we arrived at Island number 4 to have lunch. Then we had an hour of free time to relax a little and enjoy the white sand and the clearest water we have ever seen.
Back on the boat we arrived a few minutes later to Island number 7 for some more snorkeling. While we were snorkeling over the beautiful sea ground we took a few pictures with an underwater camera. We then travelled on the boat again to our last snorkeling place in front of Island number 8, where we observed even more impressive underwater life.
After that we got on the boat for the last time and did some sightseeing at the Donald Duck bay. This bay is named because one big rock looks very much like Donald Duck’s beak. We arrived back at the beach at around 5 pm to take the transfer back to Thavorn Grand Plaza, where we arrived around 8 pm. To sum it up, we enjoyed all the fabulous scenery very much and all the wonderful snorkeling.
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May
15
2010
I have already spent nearly a month at The Thavorn Grand Plaza Hotel, so now it is time for me to start to share my experiences such as; my day job, my night time activities and my life in Phuket.
The Sales and Marketing office in which I work, has many people from various countries around the world such as; Spain, Argentina, Austria, Germany, Malaysia, England, Australia, Russia, Philippines, Brazil and of course Thailand and France (where I come). Our Assistant Group Managing Director is Thai. It is a wonderful opportunity to discover new cultures and improve my English, although we do not work in my native language which makes it a little more complicated. In the Sales & Marketing department, I am in charge of the French Speaking market, the registration of reservations and the relationship between the office and reception. I think the French market is very interesting work and I have contacted all the French and Belgian tour operators to offer them to work with us, that is to say, to include hotels for students in their package. The first week I visited with people from the team two other hotels in the chain, beautiful hotels, located on the beaches of Karon and Nakalay.
Our Assistant Group Managing Director has given us a great opportunity with other students to participate in excursions to Phi Phi and James Bond Island (already mentioned in this blog), and more to come. In a few weeks after my mission in the Sales and Marketing department, I will go in two other hotels to discover new services.
Regarding the evenings and days off, I spend much of my free time with the team for dinner, visit Phuket or even go to the beach. The bars and restaurants nearby are very nice and of course the shopping in Phuket town you can find very beautiful things for prices more than adequate.
Please follow more of my adventures on this blog…
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May
15
2010
Yesterday on the 29th of April we started early at half past 7 to get ready for our next tour, going to James Bond Island, which is in the area of Phang Nga. We arrived at Phang Nga Bay at around 10 o‘clock and then our adventure started by boarding a big boat. After we got on the boat, the crew, which consisted of 12 people, welcomed us with cold and hot drinks and a big basket of fresh fruit. While the boat was leaving from the pier we got a short briefing about what we would be doing during the whole day, which made us all very excited. The tour guide then introduced us all to our personal boat guide. There was one boat guide shared between two of us, who would be responsible for the canoeing for us.
All in all it took us around one hour to get to our first stop which was our first of 4 total adventures. First was an Island called Lawa Island with a beach with lots of shells and crabs. There we had the opportunity to swim, relax on the beach or canoe on our own.
After 40 minutes it was time to get into the canoe again and go back to the big boat. There it took us around half an hour to get to James Bond Island. We stopped the boat again in front of amazing, huge rocks, which really seemed to climb out of the water. The boat guide drove us to a small bay with a beach full of shells and stairs on one end of the bay. The pathway we passed by some beautiful viewpoints where it was possible to see the famous rock, which is called James Bond Island, or Ko Tapu or Nail Island. These rocks are famous because important scenes with Roger Moore and Christopher Lee in the 1974 Bond film “The Man with the Golden Gun” were shot there. At the beachside of this island it was possible to go shopping and bathing again.
Back on the boat a delicious Thai buffet lunch was waiting for us followed by fruits and drinks.
After half an hour additional driving we reached another beautiful island called Koh Hong, which we discovered by our private canoe. We saw a lot of impressive rocks, which sometimes looked like piranhas, fingers, an old monk or a gorilla. The impressing and amazing rocks made us really speechless.
Back on the boat we arrived after a 2 minute drive to our last stop for this day. Here we were exploring amazing sea caves, sea tunnels, lagoons and hongs by sea cave canoes. Sometimes it was necessary to lay down in the canoe because the rocks were very narrow for us. But after each small sea tunnel we arrived at a beautiful lagoon with a lot of different plans, like mangroves or palm trees. For us it was also very interesting to see the amazing bat cave or all the oyster fossils.
To sum it up, this exciting trip was a very beautiful insight into the scenic world of the mysterious “hongs” (Thai word for rooms), by canoeing along the amazing landscape of Phang Nga Bay.
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May
15
2010
Now again “my daily life at Thavorn Grand Plaza” from another point of view!
After my first month working under the shining sun of Thailand I must say, that I have seen a lot of things that impressed me totally! I don’t only mean all the white beaches around Phuket, I also mean the whole restaurant and bar scene. I think it is not possible to see in another place in the world the so many different kinds of restaurants with such a great choice of delicious food. Here you can find in addition to all the Thai restaurants, many Korean ones, many Chinese ones, Japanese ones as well as German restaurants, American restaurants, Italian restaurants without any problem.
Furthermore, it is possible on nearly every corner to find freshly cooked snacks or whole dishes. A very special thing here is also all the markets, but especially the weekend market. At this market you can not only go shopping for clothes, you can also buy a lot of different small gifts, souvenirs, decoration, jewellery, DVDs and stuff like this, you can also purchase food, fruits and all kinds of vegetables.
The next impression which I want to share with you concerns the amazing beaches around Phuket Island and also all our Thavorn Hotels! I really don’t know with which beach I should start, but in my opinion, the beaches on Similan Island are the most impressing ones in the near area! I have never seen such amazing white beaches and light turquoise water. It really made me and everybody else speechless! The water seemed to be clearer and purer than any water elsewhere in the world…
Another inimitable place for me was Phi Phi Island with all the colorful corals and shining fish around the unbelievable underwater world.
But I must add on this place that you don’t need to go on an island tour to see such beautiful beaches. All the beaches directly on Phuket Island, there are around 20 different mind-blowing beaches, like Kata Beach, Karon Beach, Patong Beach, Surin Beach, Nai Yang Beach, Bang Tao Beach and many more are amazing. On these beaches you can take a bath in the warm sea, sunbathe under the stunning sun or observe huge waves dashing against the fine white sand. You can also watch surfers riding on the waves, drive a jet ski, do parasailing or enjoy one of the popular and relaxing Thai massages directly on the beach!
All in all, I can only tell you my impressions, but if you really want to know what is going on here in Phuket, please don’t hesitate to come and form your own opinion
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May
15
2010
Well, it’s been 23 days since my arrival in this beautiful country called Thailand …Since then I have had the opportunity to visit incredible places, and when I say incredible I really mean exactly this. Obviously all the amazing beaches and nearby islands you can visit in this island are the most beautiful ones I have ever seen. They are like a perfect and harmonious set of sun, sand, sea, flora and fauna. I am not going to tell you anything more about these beauties because we already described the scenery earlier in this blog.
But come on, the beaches are not the only striking attractions in this place, I must also mention its fascinating culture, which comes from their religion and their customs. If you are surrounded by these people you can really feel the deep respect and a friendly atmosphere, something really nice. About the typical Thai food I cannot say much except that Thai people really love spicy food. I can only mention that it’s not my favorite type, but that’s not a problem here, as you can choose from a wide variety of food. You will find a great and huge choice of restaurants to visit, from Japanese to Italian. If you really want to try something totally hot like traditional Thai food, you can enjoy it at local small food vendors which are everywhere on each street.
On the other hand something that has really caught my attention here is how important religion is. Here it is not only a choice of belief it is really a lifestyle. Every day early in the morning you can see the monks from their respective temples walking in different directions in order to collect food and other offerings off Thai people. The only things which they can not accept are monetary offerings.
The temples are really beautiful places, designed from the largest to the smallest detail. The last time I went with my friends to visit the Wat Suwan Khiri Khet in Karon, which was really unusual because the whole altar is surrounded by giant snakes, all were very colorful. Additional to the amazing temple, there were really nice people who offered drinks and fresh fruit at the end of our visit, which is definitely an experience to remember.
But don’t think we have always leisure time, still the main reason for my stay here is my internship at the Thavorn Grand Plaza hotel. So in my workdays I have to train professionally with the help of all my colleagues (I have to note that in our office there is a real mix of nationalities). I honestly find this whole experience is really nice and it is a pleasure to work at this hotel in this community with all these people!
I hope I am not alone with my opinion, because there are no words to describe this wonderful place. So hopefully we can meet during the next months here in Phuket … LA PERLA DEL SUR!
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May
15
2010
Sunday, May 2nd, my mother arrived at Phuket airport to visit me and to enjoy a holiday in Phuket. I rented a car with my boyfriend to make the best of the week with my Mum. The first night we went to eat in Kata Beach at a seafood restaurant. Kata is a lively resort with many shops, restaurants and bars. The next two evenings, we went out for dinner in new places. On Monday, we dined at Fantasea (near Kamala beach) and then enjoyed the fabulous spectacle of acrobats, performance with elephants … Tuesday evening we had dinner in a restaurant located on a view point, between Kata Beach and Nai Harn Beach. We ate very well for less than 20 € for 3 people.
Wednesday was a public holiday in Thailand, so we went to go and view the Big Buddha, located near Chalong. The Big Buddha in Phuket is the largest in Thailand. There is also a magnificent view of the southern island. There were renovations to the Buddha when we visited, but it was still very impressive.
Then,in less than 15 minutes we went to Wat Chalong, the most important temple in Phuket. It is truly a magnificent temple, one can see people praying, monks and of course some tourists.
We then spent the afternoon in Nai Harn Beach, a beautiful beach located at the southern tip of the island of Phuket. That night we dined in a seafood restaurant in Nai Yang beach, a wide beach north of the island, 5 minutes from the airport. On Thursday evening, after an intense and interesting day of work, we went for dinner at Surin beach in a small cozy restaurant with very nice staff. The next day, I had a day off to enjoy a bit more time with my Mum. We were in the center of the island to do an elephant trekking tour, followed by a visit to the beach of Kamala. Then we went shopping to the Jungceylon Centre in Patong and Central Festival near to Phuket Town.
On Saturday, after my work day, we went in the car to the weekend Market. The market is 10 minutes from downtown Phuket and is a great place to visit. You can find everything from souvenirs, clothes to very good food …
On Sunday morning,my mom, my boyfriend, a friend and me went to Krabi. Krabi is a province located in the northeast of Phuket. We paid 3 euros for 3 hours by bus, which is really cheap. Then we took a boat to Railey beach, a peninsula located about a half hour from the city of Krabi. We stayed two days on this beautiful beach. On Tuesday my mother returned to France.
This week, we (students) are in charge of various projects, such as the establishment of the backpackers bar upstairs in the social area on the 4th floor and the restructuring of the reception… So stay tuned!!!
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May
14
2010
The business hours for most offices in Phuket are between the hours of 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Please note that opening hours are subject to change on and around public holidays. Generally speaking, banks in Phuket are open Monday to Friday between the hours of 8.30am and 3.30pm, although a number of small branches in shopping centres and department stores such as Robinsons in Phuket Town, stay open as late as 8pm. Post Offices in Phuket are generally open between the hours of 8.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday with some branches opening from 9am till noon on Saturdays. Many convenience stores such as Big One, Family Mart and 7 11 are open from 7.30am till 10pm, 7 days a week with stores in Phuket Town and the busier resorts opening 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The larger retail outlets including Tesco Lotus, Big C, Central Festival and Index living Mall are generally open 7 days a week between the hours 10.30am and 9pm.
Banks/Currency Exchange/ATM
It is common for people to worry about how they will access their money when on holiday and whether they will be able to find a bank or ATM. Be assured that this is not a problem in Phuket, and the island has many facilities for you to get at your money and many ways to help you spend it. Generally speaking, Banks in Phuket are open Monday to Friday between the hours of 8.30am and 3.30pm, although a number of small branches in shopping centres and department stalls stay open as late as 8pm. Visa and Mastercard credit cards are accepted by all banks and local stores. ATMs are also very easy to find, especially in Phuket Town and the major resorts such as Patong, Karon and Kata. Most banks and currency exchange kiosks have an ATM accessible 24 hours a day and nearly all 7-Eleven convenience stores have an ATM outside at the front of the store.
ATMs are the easiest way to obtain local currency and to get the most advantageous rates. Most places only charge a nominal handling fee, so if you withdraw large amounts you will minimise any transaction fee from your own bank and help your money stretch that little bit further. All ATMs in Phuket have an option to display in different Languages including English and German, so it is very easy to check your details and make sure you are withdrawing the correct amount.
Currency Exchange Kiosks are operated by the major banks in Thailand and can be used to cash travellers cheques or exchange foreign currency. Most kiosks open seven days a week between the hours of 8am and 8pm. Hotels will also exchange foreign currency, but should be avoided if possible as they will usually offer lower rates than the banks.
Banks In Phuket
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Bangkok Bank
- 147 Rat-U-Thit Road
Patong Beach
Phuket 83150
Phone 076 344906/9 - 22 Phang-nga Road
Phuket Town
Phuket 83000
Phone 076 211292/5 - 142 Thepkarasattri Road
Phuket Town
Phuket 83000
Phone 076 223076/8
- 147 Rat-U-Thit Road
Sub-branches in Central Festival and Tesco Lotus in Phuket Town.
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Bank of Asia
- 110 Thaweewong Road
Patong Beach
Phuket 83150
Phone 076 340142
(member of ABN-Amro) - 206 Phuket Road
Phuket Town
Phuket 83000
Phone 076 214901 or 211566
(member of ABN-Amro)
- 110 Thaweewong Road
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Bank of Ayudhya
- 145 Rat-U-Thit Rd
Patong Beach
Phuket 83150
Phone 076 340809 or 340810
- 145 Rat-U-Thit Rd
Sub-branches in; Central Festival, Index Living Mall in Phuket Town, Jungceylon in Patong,
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Siam Commercial Bank
- 83, Thaweewong Rd
Patong Beach
Phuket 83150
Phone 076 321467 or 321469 -
Unit 21, Canal Village
Laguna Phuket
Cherngtalay
Phuket 83110
Phone 325514 or 325515
- 83, Thaweewong Rd
(Sub Branch) Patak Road, Karon (076) 286503-4
(Sub Branch) Patak Road, Kata (076) 333593-4
(Sub Branch) Kamala (076)27-9227-8
Sub-branches also in; Central Festival, Big C, Tesco Lotus in Phuket Town, Jungceylon in Patong, Karon and Kamala Beaches.
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Thai Farmers Bank
- 133/1-4 Rat-U-Thit Road
Patong Beach
Phuket 83150
Phone 340447 or 340449
- 133/1-4 Rat-U-Thit Road
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Krung Thai Bank
- 90-96 Rat-U-Thit Road
Patong Beach
Phuket 83150
Phone 076 344301 or 344302 - 6 Rasada Road
Phuket Town
Phuket 83000
Phone 076 214101
- 90-96 Rat-U-Thit Road
- Siam City Bank
- 33/124 Patak Road
Karon Beach
Phuket 83130
Phone 076 396980/1 or 396095
- 33/124 Patak Road
- Kasikorn Bank
- 133,133/1-4 Rat Uthit 200 Year.Rd. Patong Kathu, Phuket 83150
- 14 Phangnga Rd. Talat Yai, Phuket 83000
- 39/2 Chana Charoen Rd Talat Yai,Phuket 83000
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May
10
2010
Muay Thai Boxing is a popular form of martial art and is similar to other forms of kick boxing, although is often referred to as the ‘art of the 8 limbs’ as fighters use punches, kicks, elbows and knees to strike an opponent. Muay Thai is the No1 traditional sport in Thailand and is also an important part of the Thai culture. Local fights are aired weekly on TV. These fights are even more thrilling when experienced live in one of the two most popular Thai boxing stadiums in Thailand, Rajadamnern or Lumpinee Stadium, both located in Bangkok.
You can also witness the intense passion and drama of Thailand’s national sport here in Phuket, where you can be amidst the crowds of onlookers whose cheers blend with the strains of high-pitched Javanese clarinets, drums and finger cymbals that accompany the fights from beginning to end. Tourists all over Phuket come together to see the spectacular fights at the Patong Beach area stadiums on Soi Sai Namyen or on Bangla Road, which are held nightly.
Training, Traditions and Ceremonies
Muay Thai is demanding on the body, mind and soul and therefore training is heavily focused on body conditioning as well as mental preparation for combat in the ring.
A training session will include activities designed to get the body in peak physical condition such as shadowboxing, running, skipping, abs workouts, weight resistance exercises, medicine ball, and weight training. Fighting training will include combat moves on Thai pads, focus mitts and heavy bag. Once in the ring, students will spar with their trainer and other students, practicing the key methods of attack using punches, kicks, elbows and knees.
The relationship between the Thai Boxer and his teacher consists of a special bond and the teacher is always held in high esteem. This relationship is particularly expressed during the so called “Ram Muay” dance, an aesthetic ritual, performed with a series of gestures and movements in rhythm to the ringside musical accompaniment. With the ceremonies complete, the fight begins.
The Fight
Each fight consists of five rounds lasting three minutes. Music is accompanying the fight, rising and falling as the boxers battle it out. All parts of the body can be considered a target and a fighter can use most parts of the body as a weapon, but is not allowed to strike an opponent with the head.
Punching and kicking are considered the weakest of all blows and are used more as a way to weaken the opponent. You can expect to see a range of attacks including uppercut and cobra punches, roundhouse, diagonal, spinning heal kicks, elbow blows such as horizontal attack and uppercut, knee hooks, bombs and slap. Most of the fights end with an elbow or knee strike to the opponents’ stomach or head.
History of Muay Thai
The origins of this martial art and sport are claimed to stretch back to the wars with the Burmese during the 15th century. What was once an actual fighting technique for warfare soon became a spectator sport and an integral part of the Thai culture.
The sport has changed a lot from its original days as a bare-knuckle, no holds barred fighting contest. Many changes have been initiated to make the sport safer in a bid to reduce the incidence of death and injury. But Thai boxing is still a violent contact sport and considered by many as the ultimate in unarmed combat. Demonstrations of Muay Thai are held in many of the tourist areas but they are mostly for show.
List of Thai Boxing Camps in Phuket
Tiger Muay Thai | www.tigermuaythai.com
Tiger Muay Thai is Located in the Chalong highlands to the south of the island and is Thailand’s no.1 Muay Thai, Thai Boxing, Fitness and MMA training camp. Located in idyllic mountain top surroundings of coconut palms, banana trees and tropical forest, students can focus on their training and take part in programmes running from beginner level right up to professional fighter.
Sinbi Muay Thai | www.sinbi-muaythai.com
Dragon Muay Thai | www.muaythaidragon.com
Patong Boxing Gym TrainingCamp | Patong Boxing Gym Training Camp
Lion Muay Thai Gym & Training Center | www.lionmuaythai.com
Suwit Muay Thai | www.bestmuaythai.com
Rawai Muay Thai Boxing Camp | www.rawaimuaythai.com
Promthep Muay Thai Camp | www.thailandmuaythai.com
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