Where I stayed, ate and my top tips for Phuket in Thailand.
Scroll to the end for a Thai recipe for Morning Glory.
I visited Phuket as part of a seven week adventure across South East Asia in Summer 2018.
Thailand is huge. Over 1000 islands and a mainland double the size of the U.K, there are so many places to see. When planning our backpacking itinerary around Asia, it was agreed that we could return to Thailand more easily than other Asian countries and didn’t want to spend too much of our time there. We felt countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam were not traditional ‘holiday’ destinations and tried to save a lot of time to explore there. We did end up spending two weeks in Thailand where we visited Phuket, Chiang Mai and Bangkok.
Why we chose Phuket
Plans for our two month trip began with flights to Singapore. Leaving from Glasgow, Scotland, we only had the flight we were on and 2 nights accommodation in Singapore booked.
Two days into our seven week trip we were in Singapore and we found ourselves in a Starbucks metres away from Marina Bay Sands, searching Skyscanner for the cheapest flight out of Singapore. Thailand was the obvious choice and Phuket the cheapest. We flew with Thai Smile Airways – easily the best budget airline going.
Flying in over the Andaman sea, you see hundreds of spectacular limestone cliffs poking out of the clear blue water hosting ice white remote beaches; this made us very excited to begin our Thai adventure!
Phuket
We arrived in Phuket on the 12th June. Located to the South Western side of mainland Thailand, Phuket is the largest island in Thailand. Phuket is a picture postcard tropical island with miles of beaches, rainforests and stunning limestone cliffs. Phuket Town is the culture capital or there are plenty of beach resorts to choose from.
Patong Beach
We decided to stay in the most popular area, Patong Beach. Although not the most cultural of places, it was actually the perfect starting point for us. A small beach resort, it was very touristy but I loved it and it was probably my favourite beach place we visited. Beach bars lined the stunning shores; streets were dotted with food stalls and the infamous Bangla Road was a sight all in itself. I loved the hustle and bustle, the smells of Thai food lingering at every corner and the busy bar scene. During the day, Patong is lazy with a laid-back beach feel. Contrasting nights make for stunning sunsets, lively bars and smoking BBQs.
We didn’t do too much in our four days in Patong. As it was the start of our trip and it was a beach resort, we spent the majority of the time at the beach; eating and drinking. We did go on one boat trip to ‘James Bond Island’ where The Man With The Golden Gun was filmed. Situated in Ao Phang Nga National Park, the island is home to stunning limestone cliffs and the iconic volcanic rock that spectacularly shoots out from the turquoise sea. It was a great and relaxing boat trip with some of the most stunning scenery I’ve ever witnessed. Well worth a visit!
Bangla Road
The infamous Bangla Road turned out to be my favourite walking street in all of the places we travelled. Around 400m long and filled with bars such as ‘Titty Twister Bar’ and ‘Rock Hard’s Crazy Girls’ you wouldn’t be mistaken to think it was a tad sleazy. Looking past this though, it is still one of the most entertaining places I have been to. If you love people watching, sitting in one of hundreds of bars that line this street is one of the best places on earth to do it. We tended to sit in one of many bars offering live music, watching the weird and wonderful life of Phuket pass by. The wide street is always packed full of people just wandering up and down for a nosy. Just don’t be alarmed when you are inevitably asked over and over again to watch a ping pong show- you can use your imagination to workout what that is!
I wouldn’t necessarily stay in Patong longer than a week but if you are travelling around Thailand I would highly recommend adding Phuket to your itinerary– even if it’s just for the sunsets and food!
Where we stayed
Coming from Singapore, where it is near impossible to find a double room for less than £80 a night, we were shocked and surprised at the price of accommodation. £9 for a double room with a pool, 5 minutes to the beach?! Sold! We first stayed at Patong V Hotel: Good pool, 5 minutes walk to the beach and right in the centre of the town, but up a quiet street. The room was basic- with no window – but clean and comfortable; perfect for what we needed!
We then moved on to Sharaya Boutique Hotel Patong, just five minutes up the road, for a change of scenery. Promises of a rooftop pool, private balconies and comfortable beds were crushed when we found a luminous green pool, a flooded balcony from an overhead air conditioner and a bed that could be compared to a concrete slab (something we found to be persistent throughout Asia). However, for £6 a night we were not complaining. It was a base and a comfortable-enough base at that!
One place we did walk past that looked amazing was the Bliss Hotel South Beach. It was the nicest hotel we saw and we would have stayed there had we not been on a budget!
Food
Now on to the most important part in my eyes, what we ate in Phuket.
If you’ve ever been to Thailand, you will be aware of the abundance of street food markets, food stalls on the street and restaurants on every corner. Food is a way of life in Thailand and I completely fell for the love Thai people have for their cuisine. Patong introduced me to this culture and the food was outstanding.
I quickly learnt that food in markets will always triumph restaurant food, not just in Phuket but across Thailand and beyond.
Restaurants
On our first night, we ate at Patong Seafood. It wasn’t extraordinary, but a nice setting and decent food. We had Pad Thai with Prawns and Fried Rice with chicken. It was great to taste a Pad Thai in Thailand, however, it remains (possibly controversially) not one of my favourite Thai dishes, I just find it a bit plain. We also had the fried rice- a dish that cannot really be done wrong in Asia.
The next day we had lunch at East Restaurant and it was delicious- highly, highly recommend you eat here if in Phuket. We had a papaya salad, chicken noodle soup and fried rice (fried rice became a staple at almost every meal during our travels!) The restaurant is on a street perpendicular to the beach and all the outdoor seats face the street, making for a great people watching spot! The service was also friendly here. We were researching trips to go on in Phuket and our server recommended going to his friend (who conveniently had a shop at the back of the restaurant) who we booked the James Bond Island trip through.
Street food was the best.
There are so many street food markets in Patong. We didn’t manage to try them all, but visited the main areas. Don’t expect luxury surroundings; comfortable seats or attentive service. The markets are fast paced and convenience is key. Some stalls deliver to your table (plastic outdoor furniture) but for most you have to collect. The no-frills nature may appear off putting to some, but do not miss these markets if you want the best food.
Otop Street Market
Otop Street Market is located on Rat-U-Thit Road, right in the centre of the resort, near to Hard Rock Cafe. A huge sign fronts the street which reads, ‘Patong Otop Shopping Paradise’. During the day it is a shopping area, full of the usual market stalls. At night it transforms into a bustling food heaven. From ‘pick your own’ BBQ’d meat and fish to spring rolls; chicken feet; tropical fruit and made-in-front-of-you crepes, it cannot be missed. We tried the Gyoza, Fried Rice, an amazing fried Breadcrumbed Chicken with a Tangy Mayonnaise and my favourite dish: Mango Sticky Rice.
Another great thing about the Otop Market is the central location. There are loads of Australian bars on the winding streets behind the market. These bars are pretty individual as they all have the same appearance: a round bar covered with a thatched roof and stools all around- making for a very sociable scene. They also all have Youtube on their sound systems, controlled by the customers. The friendly Thai waitresses love a bar game (Even if it is to trick you into buying drinks, it is still fun) and you will find yourself roped into connect four or a completely random game of hammering a nail into a tree trunk. We actually found this Aussie dominated area a great place for a more chilled drink compared to Bangla Road.
Malin Plaza
Malin Plaza is south to Otop Market, on Prachanukhro Road. It is a covered market selling all the usual fake merchandise and food stalls at a slightly lower price than Otop. The seating area is better here, with plastic tables and chairs all in the same area (although you can only sit here if you buy a drink from the bar stall). There is a chilled atmosphere and it is a great place to grab a Chang and a bite to eat.
We tried Stir Fried Pork with Basil, BBQ squid, Fried Rice, and the most amazing spring rolls. We also tried out the coconut ice cream, made with real coconuts right in front of you, which was delicious. I loved that you could pick fresh fish and they’d cook it on coals right in front of you teppanyaki style.
My favourite food in Phuket
The best dish I tried in Phuket had to be the Mango Sticky Rice. Soft, sweet mango (better than any I have tried at home) paired with sweet sticky rice and a coconut sauce. It made for the most delicious dessert and I wish I could make it at home with the delicious Thai mangoes. You’ll find it all over the streets in Phuket, make sure you try it!
TOP TIPS FOR PHUKET
- Location: As a small resort, location is not the most important thing when it comes to picking accommodation. Generally, nearer to Bangla Road, the noisier it would be. I would say nearer to the beach, the better as the town seems to have grown from the beach.
- Don’t miss the sunsets. Patong beach is long and beautiful with views of limestone cliffs; a stunning spot to watch the sun go down. We grabbed some drinks from a 7/11 (The Co-op of Asia) and sat on the beach to watch, it was perfect.
- Eat street food. Although the restaurants have perfectly delicious food, there is literally no point in not eating street food. It is half the price, always tastier and a better experience. We met a few people put off by the idea of eating street food for the unusual dishes, no english speakers and uncleanliness. I can’t understand this mindset: when in a different country, eat like the locals and you will have the best! In terms of hygiene you literally see the food being cooked in front of you- you can decide if it looks clean (and it always did) How would you know what is happening in a hidden restaurant kitchen!
- Experience Bangla Road- you may love it or hate it but it is a must do!
- Learn some Thai words, the locals will appreciate it.
- Download the Grab app (Asian equivalent of Uber) to get around cheaply.
Thai Recipe for Morning Glory
This is a recipe for the first Thai dish I recreated when I got home, a great and easy vegetable dish using Thai Morning Glory (Water Spinach). It was a dish that we found all over Thailand and Asia and was very often a side dish to our main (meaty) meal.
However, we also had it simply served with boiled rice which made for a delicious and very healthy vegetable dinner. Perfect for those days you want to reduce your meat intake.
Ingredients:
- 1 pack of morning glory, also called water spinach (get in Asian supermarkets)
- Sesame oil
- 5 garlic cloves, crushed
- Teaspoon red chilli flakes
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon each of light soy sauce and white pepper
- A tablespoon each of thai fish sauce (nam pla); thai fermentead soybean paste and palm sugar
Method
- Chop the Morning Glory (stalks as well) into 3 inch pieces.
- Heat a wok over a high heat and add a drizzle of sesame oil. Stir fry the garlic and chilli for 30 seconds before adding the morning glory, continuing to stir.
- After 1 minute, add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, rice wine, miso paste, palm sugar and white pepper. Allow to cook for another minute or two – you want the morning glory to retain its crunch- and serve immediately as a vegetable side dish or on it’s own with boiled rice.
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