16-19 June 2012 Phuket Breakaway - Day 3 & 4

We decided to go over to Phi Phi Island and stay a night there.
(Did not even do any hotel bookings - so when we arrived, we were walking from hotel to hotel to look for a decent place to stay. I must say that the nice clean, white sheets are full! Can you imagine???)

Anyway, we booked the cruise via this tour agent (situated same row as Minotel Patong)
They operate in a little kiosk.... and we were charged THB 500  per person for a return trip to Phi Phi.
(Do not bother to try to go to the pier to get tickets yourself) (This includes the transfer from / to hotel)
- Note that if you google you will see that the charges can range from THB 800-1600 for this boat ride to Phi Phi. So the best is just approach the tour company (in kiosks like below) and negotiate for the price.

We were greeted by this on arrival to Phi Phi Island

This is the cruise we took. Journey to Phi Phi, approx 2 hours

Streets of Phi Phi Island

We walked over to the Long Beach area (quieter) - the walk takes about 45 mins. (If you ask around (which we did) - people will say 1 hour, some will say 2 hours, some say very very tough - but really, its just a leisure stroll)

Happy jumps

Next day, we trekked up the View Point with our bags (because we had to check out by 11am). Basically we just had to climb staircase! Its about 45 mins climb.

After the view point we returned to Phuket via the same cruise.
Then we asked to be dropped at Phuket town instead of our hotel as we wanted to take this airport shuttle to the airport. This is the bus we took. (Everyone you ask will tell you that there is no airport bus - they will say to hire a cab)
The journey is estimated to be 1.5 hours to the airport, simply because there are many many stops along the way. Its not a direct bus. Along the way, the bus picks up many students (if the timing is after school like what we took)
The cost is only THB 90 per pax

I thought the price of burgers at the airport was ridiculous!!
THB 430 for a burger???? (USD 14)

Usually my trips all come with an itinerary. Very seldom I do trips without one and this was a nice change.
We just went where we wanted :)

16-19 June 2012 Phuket Breakaway - Day 2

We walked along the streets of Patong and decided to go on this the next day.
It costs THB 800 per person and this is what is included:
- Bang Pae Waterfall
- Elephant Trekking
- Buffalo Cart
- Canoeing

Greeted by rainbow - pot of gold at the end?

I read it after the trip that we should not do elephant trekking as the elephants are 'tortured" to make sure that they obey instructions. Will not do so again!

Buffalo Carting

Canoe into the mangrove swamp

An evening stroll by the beach

- To be continued -

16-19 June 2012 Phuket Breakaway - Day 1

Have you been to Phuket? This is my first trip here.
Its just like, one of the places to just go and have a look since like almost everyone has been here before.
I have to say I have never really quite enjoyed the islands until lately (since I could finally swim!)
I have actually given up any hopes of  being able to swim long ago but thanks to Edwin, whom never gave up on me, I am now able to... I try to swim at least once a week now.

So back to my trip, I was warned before the trip (and I totally forgot about it) - that I have to get out of the airport ASAP and hop on to the shuttles that runs into town and beaches..... as usual, I was slowly walking, passing through immigration etc etc.... (I always think - when I am on holiday I should take it slow - afterall every other day in my life I am always rushing here and there)

So, of course we were almost the last ones to come out of the airport and as a result had to wait for the mini van transfer to be filled up before leaving the airport. What to do? Wait-lor :)
Afterall we did not really have an itinerary for this trip as both of us just wanted to step our feet into Phuket :)

I can't remember how much the transfer into town via mini man costs. (I think its THB 150 per person) (this is the result of blogging months after the trip - my apologies) The mini van will do a stop at the tour agency where they will try to sell you tour packages or hotels if you have not booked. One can simply decline, and just inform them which hotel you are staying in and the minivan will drop you at the hotel.

We are greeted by this when we exit from the airport

Little details of the hotel room

The hotel room, served us well. We stayed at The Minotel Patong Beach www.minotelpatong.com The room costs THB 500 per night for a standard room with bathroom attached

Evening walk out to the beach

Dinnertime!

The Auto Bar

Fin for kids!

The famous Bangla Street at night, full of life and noise

It was Euro Season

I thought it was only Vietnam and Laos but looks like its also hard to troubleshoot any electricity problems here!

- To be Continued -

Sg Lumpur

Date : 8 Jan 2012

Another late post.
Sometimes its nice to re-post much later... they do bring back memories of the day.
(Keeps me from having memory failure too!)

How to get there :

Travel time : 1 hour from Bangsar

Using the old trunk road, drive past the towns of Rawang, Serendah, Batang Kali and head towards Ulu Tamu.

Trekking time and terrain :

On moderate speed with some photography -3 hours

Terrain rating 4/10
To the first fall is a easy peasy, 30 mins walk (stroll)
To where we stopped, I think its the 4th fall. There are forks along the way and the path is not clear.

At the waterfalls :
There are a few waterfalls along the way, we did not complete up to the 5th fall (was told that the 5th one is also a nice fall). We stopped at 4th due to time constraints.

At the 1st fall - nice pool and can swim

2nd fall

3rd fall

A little cascade, with signs of heavy downpour?

4th fall, where we stopped

Gushing water

Durian, we chopped it this way as there were too many mouths to feed, all getting impatient

Cleaning up at Ulu Tamu River

Nice trek that ended up with a durian feast.
By the way, Sg Lumpur can actually join up to Sg Kedondong.
One can enter from Sg Lumpur and exit at Sg Kedondong - but your car will be miles away.
So make sure that preparations are done properly if this is attempted.