Thailand: islands - February 2009
Dear English-speaking readers, this page is an automatic Google translation from a post originally written in French. I apologize for the strange sentences and the funny mistakes that could be generated during the process. If you read French, the original and correct version can be found here
Français
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Here I am back in Brittany, after these three Thai weeks. Sunday evening, I finally pushed the door of my house, and I collapsed direct. Fourteen hours of dodo in a row, to recover from this long long journey from Phuket…
I couldn't close my eyes on the planes (Air Asia + Emirates) nor in the TGV.
It may come as a surprise: for my last night in Phuket, I chose to land at Patong Beach.
Patong is ugly, with its plastic deckchairs and noisy jet skis, its Mac Do and Burger King, its souvenir shops and its girls' bars. And then the place is stuffed with a kind of tourist who hardly inspires sympathy.
In short, not at all the style of beach or atmosphere that I like in Thailand…
But now, I opted for ease: connections of minibuses, taxis for the airport, shops for shopping, wifi connections everywhere, choice of accommodation and restaurants…
I got an address that changes from my rustic backpacker plans: the hotel Baipho-Baithong. Recommended by both Lonely Planet and by Mark, an Australian who was with me on the Eden Divers boat for the Similan diving cruise.
Very good choice. Close to everything, refined decor, impeccable cleanliness, warm and cheerful welcome. The cheapest rooms are from 1800 baht (around 40 €), breakfast included. An excellent deal. For 2600 baht (less than 60 €), I offered myself the luxury of a quasi-suite with mega king-size bed wider than long and jacuzzi ... Argh.
Needless to say, I enjoyed this supreme comfort as it should be, after my long ascent from Koh Lipe.
Two and a half hours of ferry crossing to Hat Yao Pier, the pier at Trang, then almost five hours by minibus… I arrived slammed.
Last but not least, this stopover in Phuket allowed me to meet, in real life, Valérie and Olivier, with whom I had previously only exchanged emails and phone calls. It's thanks to their site Asiaqua.com and on their advice that I opted for the Eden Divers boat, one of the few to offer cabins single for the Similans. It was the essential criterion for me, but everything else was up to scratch: comfort, crew, supervision, atmosphere, food. And nitrox was free ... Really a very good choice, again.
I was right to trust Valérie and Olivier on this one. Both divers, they have been there for a long time, know each of the cruise ships that they offer on their site and play effectively the intermediaries when it comes to settling various practical details.
We stayed in touch after the cruise, and they came to see me at the hotel on Saturday, before I left, to chat and have a drink.
It is always a great pleasure, when traveling, to concretize virtual exchanges by a real meeting. Nice epilogue to my Thai stay!
😎
