Travel Blog | Thailand and Cambodia | Part Three
NOTE: Our trip to Thailand and Cambodia took place in November 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. For current guidelines, please click here for Thailand and for Cambodia, click here.
Hi friends!
If you’ve reached this point, I’ll assume you’ve read Part One and Part Two. If you haven’t, I recommend reading through them because there are a lot of things you’ve missed. :)
Part Three details our arrival and first few days in Phuket (Thailand), including our time spent at the AMAZING Elephant Jungle Sanctuary!
OUR DAILY ITINERARY:
Day 1, Friday (11/15/2019) – Travel Day (Phoenix to Seattle; Seattle to Seoul)
Day 2, Saturday (11/16/2019) – Travel Day (Arrive in Seoul; Seoul to Bangkok; Arrive at hotel)
Day 3, Sunday (11/17/2019) – All day in Bangkok, Thailand
Day 4, Monday (11/18/2019) – All day in Bangkok, Thailand
Day 5, Tuesday (11/19/2019) – Bangkok to Siem Reap by air; Siem Reap to Battambang by private van
Day 6, Wednesday (11/20/2019) – Spend morning and early afternoon in Battambang; Leave for Siem Reap by private van at 3:00PM
Day 7, Thursday (11/21/2019) –All day in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Day 8, Friday (11/22/2019) – All day in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Day 9, Saturday (11/23/2019) – All day in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Day 10, Sunday (11/24/2019) – Siem Reap to Phuket via AirAsia
Day 11, Monday (11/25/2019) – All day in Phuket, Thailand
Day 12, Tuesday (11/26/2019) – All day in Phuket, Thailand
Day 13, Wednesday (11/27/2019) – All day in Phuket, Thailand
Day 14, Thursday (11/28/2019) – All day in Phuket, Thailand
Day 15, Friday (11/29/2019) – Phuket to Bangkok via Thai Airways
Day 16, Saturday (11/30/2019) – Travel Day (Bangkok to Seoul; Seoul to Los Angeles; Los Angeles to Phoenix)
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH
SIEM REAP TO PHUKEt
We woke up around 4:30am and got ready for the day. Matel came by with the van at 5:30am to take us to the Siem Reap International Airport, which is about a 15minute ride from the AirBnb. Our host packed each of us a breakfast container consisting of a tuna salad sandwich, a muffin, packaged juice, and yogurt.
Our flight was scheduled to depart at 8:20am, but the check in counter for Air Asia didn’t open until 6:30am. (There are no self-check in kiosks.) To kill time, we bought some drinks at Starbucks and ate our packaged breakfast there until Air Asia’s check in counters opened at 6:30am. We gave all the unopened yogurt and juice packs to the ladies at Starbucks instead of throwing them away.
By the time we got to the check in agent, the baggage conveyor belt broke down, so this caused a delay. There were many people in line behind us too. After waiting 20 minutes with no resolution, the check in agent asked someone to just load our bags manually because the line of people waiting to check in was getting ridiculously long. Plan to be at the airport at least two hours before departure folks.
Once we were checked in, we passed through the immigration line quickly, and were then off to the terminal area. There are several duty-free shops and restaurants here to help kill time.
There’s a Burger King, Dairy Queen, Yoshinoya, Taste of Asia, Dim Sum Emperors, and The Coffee Club. Kevin and I went to Dim Sum Emperors and ordered the deep fried prawn rolls ($4.50 USD) and shu mai pork dumplings ($4.50 USD) to share with his parents.
We were called to start boarding at 8am, and had to walk from the terminal to the plane. The stewardesses checked our boarding passes as we got on the plane, and by 8:30 am the plane departed for Phuket. Although it was a quick 1.5hr flight to Phuket, beverage and food services were still offered (payment accepted in Thai Baht only).
We landed at the Phuket International airport at 9:45am. Phuket and Siem Reap are in the same time zone, so we didn’t lose or gain any time. Since U.S. citizens do not require a visa if staying in Thailand for less than 30 days, we cleared immigration in less than 15 minutes and went to pick up our baggage. We didn’t have anything to declare at customs, so headed to the kiosks on the ground floor to arrange a private van to take us to our hotel in Patong Beach.
There are many options for ground transportation – taxis, airport limousines, private vans. The kiosks stationed outside offer cheaper fares; however, we just wanted to get to our hotel quickly and chose one of the kiosks inside. We chose a private can for 1200 Baht (~$40 USD) for the one-way ride. Once we paid, we were given a ticket with the van number and went outside to meet the driver. It took about 45 minutes to get to the Doubletree by Hilton Phuket Banthai Resort in the Patong Beach area, and this was likely due to how fast our driver was going.
We got to the hotel around 11am and was able to check in and choose our rooms via the Hilton app – we chose rooms 1105 and 1108.
We went to the front desk so they could make copies of our passports (required) and add a credit card for incidentals. (I booked and prepaid for the rooms several weeks ahead of arrival.) Oh, and of course we wanted the warm, chocolate chip cookies only the DoubleTree offers.
Only one room (1105) was cleaned and ready for us, so we had bellhop drop off all bags in the room (the other room was ready by 1:30pm). Kevin and I hung out in the room for a bit while Jacqueline and Andrew checked out other areas of the hotel.
So I meant to book two King Premium Rooms with Pool Access but chose the King Premium Room Pool Side rooms in error. I wanted direct access to the pool as soon as we stepped outside our room, but was too trigger happy and chose the Pool Side rooms by mistake. Oh well, we still had access to the pool – just had to walk several steps. The rooms cost approximately $620 USD each for our 5night stay.
Our rooms have a terrace overlooking one of the three hotel pools. (You can see how close we are to the pool from the photo of Kevin looking out from our room.) We love that all of the pools have swim-up bars with submerged seating.
Although the hotel is located across from Patong Beach, the rooms are located away from the hustle & bustle, so we didn’t hear the traffic noise.
There are tons of restaurants, massage parlors, and vendors selling clothing, food and souvenir items lining the main road.
Around noon we decided to go find someplace to have lunch. There’s a plethora of restaurants in the area, on the main road and around the many “sois” (small streets).
We found Chang Thai in one of the Sois, a small restaurant that is clean and unassuming, and about a 4min walk from our hotel. Chang Thai offers a huge menu of Asian and Western foods, all reasonably priced.
I ordered the stir fried morning glory (shocker!) with a side of steamed rice ($2.95 USD); Kevin ordered the fried chicken wings ($3.30 USD); Jacqueline ordered the vegetarian Pad Thai ($2.95 USD); and Andrew ordered the Tom Yum fried rice with shrimp ($2.95 USD). With a couple of beers and a couple of cocktails, the total bill was less than $22 USD (not inclusive of the tip). The friendly service and tasty food here makes this an ideal place for lunch. This appears to be a family run restaurant, which is probably why the food is tastes pretty authentic.
Located on the same Soi are at least three massage parlors, a French restaurant, a tattoo parlor, an Indian restaurant, and some bars. Massage parlors are all over the place - there’s literally one located on every block.
After lunch we went back to the hotel and to our respective rooms to let the food settle in our bellies and to unpack. The plan was to take a taxi to the Weekend Night Market (aka Naka Market), but we got lazy and decided to just hang out at the pool for a few hours.
The Weekend Night Market is held every Saturday and Sunday in Phuket Town, about nine miles via taxi from the DoubleTree hotel. If you have time, I recommend visiting the market to spend a few hours. The market is huge and lively, and you’ll likely find everything you could possibly want while in Phuket.
I had been checking the Weather app all trip and was very worried about the forecast - thunderstorms each day we were going to be in Phuket. We booked some fun tours while we were in Phuket and didn’t want to have them be canceled. Also, I was already paranoid about a potential tsunami. Well, I needn’t have worried - it only rained on our last day here, and for less than an hour at that!
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25Th
PHUKET
Kevin and I woke up early so that we can take a lovely morning stroll along the beach. It was about 6:30am and the area was still quiet. I love to hear the sound of the waves…so peaceful.
Around 8am we went to the hotel’s restaurant for the buffet breakfast. So, we paid $20 USD per person this morning, but could have paid $10 USD per person had we gone to the front desk and prepaid for it ahead of time. I don’t know why we would have to do this to get the discount since we’re hotel guests, but it is what it is. (We paid $10 USD per person on future visits.)
They offer a good selection of hot and cold foods, as well as specialty coffees (espresso, latte, cappuccino), fresh squeezed juice, and my favorite Asian fruits. They change it up daily, so we got to try something new each time.
This morning I had some of the Massaman curry with steamed rice (not pictured), which was surprisingly spicy and very flavorful! I really enjoyed the Laab Woonsen (Thai Spicy Pork Glass Noodle Salad), which is one of my favorites – simple and delicious. Unfortunately, they only offered this once during our stay.
For dessert I had some ripe papaya (so sweet and good), Longan, and a couple slices of Brie. I finished the meal off with a cappuccino. Overall, the food was great, as was the service.
After breakfast we went back to our room to get ready for the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary trip. I love the pool area in the early morning...if only we had time for a dip. So the Weather app again shows thunderstorms predicted for the week; however, it was just cloudy on and off today…zero rain! I ended up not wanting to wear the swimsuits I packed, so what’s a girl to do? Why, go shopping of course!
We walked the strip and found several vendors selling beachwear. If you are on the fence about a vendor, just walk several steps and you’ll encounter more options. I got a bikini set and cover-up, and Kevin got a shirt, swim trunks, and a backpack – all this for about $25 USD!
I knew that I wanted to spend time with elephants while in Phuket, so did my research and chose the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (EJS) because they bill themselves as the ‘most ethical elephant sanctuary in Phuket,’ and TripAdvisor reviews seem to confirm this. So in September I booked their the ‘Phuket Afternoon Visit’ at EJS for Monday, November 25th. The cost was 10,000 Baht for four people (~$323 USD), and we were required to make a 4,000 Baht deposit upon booking (~$130 USD); the balance was paid when we checked in today.
At 11:30am we went to the lobby to meet the driver from the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (EJS). He made another stop at a hotel to pick up additional passengers, so there was 11 total in the van, including the driver.
We were on the road by 11:46am, and arrived at the bottom of the hill near EJS around 12:30pm. We got off the van and got on a jeep to make the trek up the hill to EJS, where we checked in and guests can pay the balance of their tickets. We met and interacted with the five elephants as we waited for all guests to arrive.
After all guests checked in, the lead guide gave us a welcoming introduction about the sanctuary, as well as a quick demonstration on how the elephants’ waste is recycled and made into paper…very interesting.
Afterwards the host led us down to another area for an info session on how we will spend our three hours at EJS. On the day of our visit, there was about 35 guests, including our party of four. I imagine there are more during Phuket’s busy tourist season. He explained that the elephants are all females and have been rescued from places where they performed at hotels, riding camps, circuses, and logging camps. It was heartbreaking to hear of their past, so I just wanted to project all my love and compassion onto them.
Unfortunately, Kevin stubbed his big toe on raised concrete and was bleeding pretty heavily. One of the ladies working at EJS was kind enough to clean and bandage his toe. To show our appreciation, be bought a couple of things from them.
After the info session we were led to an area where buckets of watermelons were cut and ready for us to take and feed the elephants. The host explained what, and how much, the elephants eat. So apparently their appetite is as big as mine, hah!
They allowed us about 45 minutes in this area to meet each of the elephants, touch, and feed them. We spent time with each elephant and I whispered to each one how much I feel for, and care for them. Although I loved each one, I do admit to having a favorite (that’s me hugging her trunk).
The staff were very friendly and those that spoke English were able to answer any questions guests had. I made friends with one of the staff members who is half Cambodian and half Thai, and we conversed in Khmer. He gave me a lot of details about the elephants currently at the sanctuary, as well as the history of EJS. He said the five elephants we’re interacting with today are all females. Today we met Sandee (71 years), Sai Thong (43 years), Dok Khun (38 years), Lam Yai (47 years), and Nanfa (69 years). He said that elephants have great memories and will remember us no matter how long it’s been before they next see us.
Next up the host explained that we are going to give the elephants a mud bath. Since we’re obviously going to get dirty, guests were given several minutes to change. Mud baths help the elephants cool off, as well as provide a protective shield from the sun’s UV rays and relief from insect bites. We spent about a half hour here rubbing mud on the elephants and getting sprayed by the guides with the water hose. To avoid infection, Kevin didn’t join us – Jacqueline also decided to sit this one out.
After the mud spa we made our way to the natural pool to wash and scrub them with the provided brushes. I was so happy spending time with them, washing them and letting them know that they are loved.
There were two photographers to take complimentary photos of the guest interacting with the elephants, which they shared via a Dropbox link a few days after our visit.
Once the elephants are clean, we made the trek up to the shower area to rinse off and change into clean clothes. I used one of the private showers, but there are also communal ones at the end of each row.
Afterwards we went back to the communal area, where another of the guides gave us quick cooking lessons on how to make Pad Thai and Som Tum (papaya salad). We got to eat a delicious Thai buffet meal consisting of Pad Thai, fried egg rolls, papaya salad, chicken curry, fried rice, and watermelon slices.
Top Right Photo: I added dried chili flakes to my plate because food without spice is not worth eating. ;)
After our meal we walked up to the area where we first checked in and spent more time with the elephants. This was the highlight of my Asia trip for sure! I really enjoyed being able to get up close with these magnificent beings. Even though they’ve lived a life of hardship, I am so happy they’re able to spend the rest of their days being pampered by the staff and visiting tourists. 🐘
Eventually we had to get on the jeep and head back downhill to meet our driver for the trip back to our hotel. We were on the road by 4pm, and arrived at our hotel at 4:45pm.
We spent a few hours at the hotel’s pool and Lobby Bar. Around 8pm Kevin and I ventured out for a walk to check out Bangla Road, the heart of Phuket nightlife. This area is closed off to traffic at night, when it becomes party central. Expect to hear loud music, see neon lights, ladies dancing on the bars and on poles, lady boys approaching you for photos (for a fee of course), and all sorts of debauchery. This area is really for young people looking to party or hook up for the night. Our partying days are long gone, so we didn’t stay long – just wanted to check out the hype.
We had to replenish our supply of Thai Baht, so visited one of the many currency exchange booths lining the main strip and Bangla Road. There are many street food vendors in the evening, so there’s plenty of cheap eats. If you’re interested in Muay Thai Boxing, no worries - the little truck will drive by throughout the night to let you know when the shows are and how much the tickets go for!
DAY 12
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26TH
PHUKET
Today’s forecast: HOT!!!
This morning we lazed around at the hotel until 11am, when we made the walk to Jungceylon Mall for some lunch and shopping. The mall is about less than a mile from our hotel (~12 minutes), and we had to walk on Bangla road to get to it. Speaking of Bangla Road, the area is much different during the day than it is at night. During the day it’s very family-friendly, and you’ll encounter many food, clothing and accessories vendors lining the road selling their wares.
Junceylon is a nice mall with some Western shops, but most are foreign names you wouldn’t be familiar with. I wanted to shop here because of the air conditioning – it was so hot today! Junceylon is also connected to the Big C Extra, a multi-level supermarket.
In the basement level of the mall are vendors selling souvenir items, and they’re more organized here than the ones on the street (the prices here are higher too).
If you’re hungry, there are many restaurants inside and outside the mall. For us, we chose the Food Bazaar in the basement level, an inexpensive food court that offers local dishes from different regions in Thailand. You’re going to be spoiled for choice here!
You’ll have to purchase a food card at the booth located at the front of the Food Bazaar, which is based on the amount you want to spend. (Unused amounts can be refunded in Baht at the same booth.) If you want to purchase an exact amount for the food card, I suggest browsing the stalls first and tally the total before purchasing the card. You’ll then use the food card to order from the various stalls. Most items are 150 Baht each (~$5 USD)
I had a hard time deciding what to order because so many things LOOKED SO GOOD! I ended up ordering roasted duck red curry with a side of steamed rice from the Delicious Duck stall (180 Baht / $5.80 USD). Kevin ordered the coconut shrimp fried rice, which was served in a young coconut shell (150 Baht / $4.84 USD). Andrew ordered the chicken pad thai omelet (150 Baht / $4.84 USD). Jacqueline ordered the stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts (120 Baht / $3.87 USD).
We left Jungceylon and started the walk back to our hotel around 2pm. As you can see by the video below, Bangla Road is lined with street vendors selling all sorts of things.
Kevin and his parents hung out at the pool while I relaxed on the loungers on our terrace. Around 7pm we walked a block to grab dinner at Sabai Sabai restaurant. After dinner we walked the strip to buy some water shoes for our trip to Phang Nga Bay tomorrow. I saw this dessert stand as we walked back to the hotel and had to stop for one of my favorites, mango with sticky rice (80 Baht / $2.58 USD)!!!
Kevin and his parents hung out at the Lobby Bar while I headed to the room to pack up for our tour in the morning, and to eat my dessert – SO GOOD!
