Starting to Relax
After 2.5 days at Nai Yang Beach, the owner of our cottage, Kitti, who also turned out to be a taxi driver drove us the 26 km south to our next destination, Kamala Beach. It was a gorgeous drive. As with Nai Yang Beach, John and I chose Kamala Beach in order to have a more relaxing beach stay away from the busier, famously touristy parts of Phuket such as Patong Beach or Phuket Town.
I am finding myself relaxing more and more……..maybe it is the heat, but I think it is also the vibe here……..not just because there are so many tourists on holidays, but as John and I were noticing from our surface-y, snap observations so far, the locals we have met and observed seem so relaxed compared to what we are used to in North America. The young families seem so present with each other and calm as they enjoy a day at the beach relaxing in the shade, and those who run roadside restaurants or sell things at the beach or perform other simple jobs give off a vibe of happiness and living in the moment, like there is less of the rat race and social comparison that I feel I become caught up in back home. I wish I knew more about their culture, or was able to have an in-depth conversation with a local, to find out if these observations are true, but from the outside it definitely appears this way, as far as generalizations can go.
On our drive, Kitti told us how the Muslims, Buddhists and Christians (5%, 94%, and 1% respectively of Thailand’s population according to our Lonely Planet book), all live together and go to school together peacefully, and pointed out how on the road we were driving on the mosque and Buddhist temple were almost next to each other. There was a proud and grateful energy in his words I thought.
With the heat and humidity, I’m not sure I could stay here longer than our planned month, but I can definitely see how the vibe here will be good for me……..
Relaxing at Kamala Beach, in the shade. I’m not used to the heat, even just 30 degrees!
John in the shade. The chairs and umbrellas are for rent for ~ $4 but the sand is fine too.
Dinner at a rooftop restaurant we found with reasonable prices, and we were somehow the only guests!
Songkran Festival, Thai New Years, on April 13. Locals and tourists alike celebrate by spraying each other with water and paint, from their cars, backs of pickup trucks and trailers, and the side of the road. It was so festive and cheerful, and in the heat we didn’t mind getting caught in it at all.
Locals at Nai Yang Beach dancing to Thai music the evening of Songkran. They looked so happy and un-self-conscious.
Relaxing on our deck at our second place, an AirBnB near Kamala Beach where we will be for five nights.
View from the rooftop patio, with the beach and town in the distance, about a 20-minute walk away.
Blue building, middle left.
Simple room but with a balcony, great wifi and of course AC, and only $15 per night!
Road by Kamala Beach. Busier and more touristy than Nai Yang Beach but still quite peaceful.
Kamala Beach. It was quieter on this side of the beach where there weren’t waves as most, including John, preferred the waves and body surfing. I was happy under my palm tree.
A woman painting in a small studio we passed on a side street.
Simple roadside restaurant for dinner. About $3 for a delicious coconut chicken soup.
First Day Here!
First day here!
The 13-hour flight from Vancouver to Guangzhou, China and then the 3.5 hours to Phuket were very smooth, and my ability to sleep anywhere when tired really paid off. John’s fancy credit card and therefore getting to spend two hours in the YVR lounge with all-you-can-eat right before the flight definitely helped too……..
First impressions of Thailand are of a very warm, friendly culture, and those I have met so far at our cottage and at roadside restaurants genuinely seem interested in us feeling comfortable and welcome and having a good time regardless of profit.
Today has been very relaxed, as we arrived at 2:30 am last night at our Naiyang Cottage hotel at Nai Yang Beach in Phuket where we will be for two more nights. We went for a really nice walk along the main road and grabbed some food (90 baht or ~ $3.50 CAD for my noodles with chicken and vegetables, John got pad thai for similar, and this was a nicer roadside restaurant, not quite street food), then got caught in a downpour so relaxed at the restaurant for an hour before it passed and was sunny and humid at 32 C once more. We then walked to the beach in Sirinath National Park where I was pleasantly surprised that the travel guides describing it as a beautiful yet quieter one were definitely right. We felt like we had it almost to ourselves! And the water was like cool bathwater, perfect for a cold-averse person like me……..
It is definitely hot and humid but not unbearable. It does make you want to be more inactive though…….
We are off to get a Thai massage and then perhaps go back to the beach……..
Naiyang Cottage, where we will be for three nights. $30 per night and a 15-minute walk to the beach.
Naiyang Cottage.
Simple single room but the water was warm and there was wifi and AC! All we needed.
Road our cottage is on. People drive so fast! Crossing feels a bit hectic……..
Cutest 3 kittens, and their mom, seem to be wild but to be permanently at the cottage. We had fun playing with them with leaves.
So quiet.
My favourite, fresh fruit and veggies.
Mongkol Wararam Temple, built in 1757. Stumbled upon.
Such a cozy beach town.
As good, or better, than back home, and at $3.50, much more affordable!
Caught in a 1-hour downpour over lunch. A wonderful way to relax and enjoy warm rain for a change!