We decided to stay at Karon beach seen above, the second largest beach on Phuket island. It's a more couple oriented setting than a night life oriented at Patong beach. And in case if you really want to get some action from the hustling and busting, it's only 20 min away. This photo was taken from a nearby hill top hotel, outlining the whole beach.
We found Karona Resort & Spa from one of the Phuket tourism board web sites on a last minute deal. The hotel driver picked us up from the airport in a caravan, after a 45 minute ride south bound on the island roadway, we finally arrived at what was to be our little island oasis for the next couple of weeks. The hotel is perched up on a small hill right across the street from Karon beach. Almost all of the hotel guest rooms had an ocean view, ours was no exception, high up on the third floor with beautiful sea view from our suite. We instantly found comfort and ease at this little resort, and throughout our stay took full advantage of all the amenities and services it provides.
The swimming pool is situated just above the lobby and the restaurant, surrounded beautifully among lush tropical plants and coconut trees. There are miniature clay women with fresh flowers tucked behind their ears placed all around the pool, which adds to the ambiance a touch of color and liveliness. I call them the bare naked ladies.
Our favorite place was the spa located on the ground floor of the guest room building. We were frequent visitors there. We were greeted by the gracious host as soon as we entered the spa every time. After a treat of locally grown Chai tea, we would be led into a quite room with wooden spa bed and wonderfully smelling burning scented candles. We would slip into traditional Thai clothing and just let the spa staff took away all our stress. There are of course spa treatment readily available almost on every street corner, but if you want to be served only by certified professional staff, in a clean and well established environment, your best bets are usually the spa at your hotel. The photo shown was taken right after we had a Thai Massage, and let me tell you, it’s a must do while you are in Thailand.
After a traditional Siam massage and an exotic facial treatment with fresh fruits exact, we truly felt rejuvenated, and ready to get some more sunbathing again.
Elephants are a huge part of South East Asian societies. They are loved and respected by everyone. It's easy to understand why, especially after the type of close encounters we had with the elephants during our trip. Our meeting with the 4 year old elephant shown in this picture was particularly unforgettable. We were treated to a fantastic show by this adorable elephant on our way to a white water rafting trip. After the show, while waiting for the other guests to return from their elephant ride in the jungle, we happened to see the elephant trainer giving our little star performer a much deserved shower. When the trainer saw us snapping pictures, he signaled us to come over and take over the shower hose from him. Obviously this is something we have never done before, and neither me or Nick knew what to expect. But to our surprise, the little elephant (not so little compared to everything else) hardly cared who was giving him a shower, he was having too much fun to notice! Once in while, the curious elephant would brush his trunk playfully against our faces, leaving us both a little startled and thrilled!
The elephant trekking tour up the hills of this Phuket roadside slope was something we wanted to do. We did not expect to feel what we felt when we first decided to do the trekk. I understand that these types of tours contribute significantly to the local tourism industry, but it's really difficult for us to really believe the animals are actually benefiting at all from the money their owners are bringing in.
I'm not very good at people shots because I think it's the hardest thing to do. It's difficult to capture people in their most natural and unpretentious state. However, I thought this one did a decent job of presenting a moment of two people in love and mostly unaware of the photographer. Right before the sunset, most tourists have gone back to their lodges. Nick spotted this cute Thai couple on the beach. Based on their body language, we could tell love was the air. I immediately took out the camera and snapped away from the distance.
Just another day of sun tanning at Karon Beach, Phuket. I couldn't help taking a few shots while Nick was in the water. It was taken from the distance with an interchangeable Zuiko Digital 40-150mm f3.5-4.5 lens. I used sports mode, which allowed me to shoot at a fast shutter speed without blur. This is one of my favorite.
Phuket is home to a wide range of wild lives both on shore and in the surrounding oceans. One group of animals we did not anticipate on seeing was monkeys. We stopped by these monkeys sanctuary on our way to a day of white water rafting in the mountains of Phang Nga.
The monkeys were visible as soon as we stepped out of the caravan, just outside the entrance to Suwankuha Temple (Monkey Cave). Upon closer look, there must be over two hundreds of these furry guys mingling about.
For those who want to get up close and personal with the monkeys, you can purchase a handful of bananas for some feeding fun. It’s not everyday you get a chance to feed a herd of wild monkeys in their own habitat without any cages or fences, and this proved to be too much temptation for Nick. With the bananas in hand, Nick approached the monkeys with much enthusiasm. All of the sudden, he was swarmed by a group of even more enthusiastic monkeys determined to get a piece of those delicious treats in his hand. There were tribe elders coming from their hiding places up in the hill, little cute ones playfully jumping around, and even mother monkeys with little babies hanging on to the mother. It wasn’t long until one of monkeys figured out where his blind spot is, and before you know it, he’s got Nick’s Bananas in his hand and more pandemonium ensues with monkeys all over focusing their attention squarely on the monkey with the loot.
We left Chalong Bay pier at the southern tip of Phuket for our 3-night short stay at the Racha. The resort staff greeted us at their tastefully decorated reception office located near Chalong Bay. As we would later experience, and indeed expect, everything was thoughtfully taken care of for us, down to the every small detail. Each and every staff at the resort accommodated us with such warm care and thoughtfulness that we truly felt welcome and at home.
The resort is billed as a premier deluxe resort, offering a variety of activities accommodating a wide range of interests. Among all the available adventures, snorkeling off Siam Bay, northeast of the island was the most memorable. Unlike any beaches off Phuket, water off the coast of Racha is calm, crystal clear and full of breathtaking colorful tropical fish and exotic marine life. Just imagine swimming lazily in the warm Indian Ocean water, with hundreds of fish covering all spectrums of color moving elegantly all around you, some of them gently stroking your skin.
After a hard day of lounging around the magnificently situated swimming pool, snorkeling, diving or canoeing or even sailing, there are just as many services at the Racha to refresh and relax you. We took advantage of most of those services, including spa, fitness center and yoga.
One unique feature of this resort is its seamless integration with the island’s natural habitat. In fact, when the resort was being designed, the architect tried to save as many coconut trees as possible; all structures were designed to coexist with existing plants. Throughout our stay, we constantly came upon manmade structures with unconventional shapes to accommodate the native plants and vegetations. Like the picture seen here, holes were cut in the roof in order to keep the trees.
Any discussion of a Thai resort without mentioning its fine dining experience would do it grave injustice. The Racha, even though remote in location, somehow manages to churn out in its 3 restaurants some of the most authentic and mouth-watering food I have ever tasted. The daily brunch combines Thai, Chinese, Japanese, and French cuisine to overwhelm the guests with an amazing selection. To pick a favorite item off the brunch menu would be difficult, but we were blown away by the thin sliced assorted smoked meats, the cheese varieties and the fresh mango juice. Thailand is not known particularly for its coffee, but the Racha offers a dark, full bodied blend that left us wonder how we were ever going to get used to anything else after that.
We dined at each of the three restaurants at the Racha. Fire Grill is the most formal of the three. If you decide to go there, make sure to try the halibut wrapped in baked potato.
Earth Café has a romantic and comfortable setting. We had the most authentic Thai dishes there, and enjoyed the unforgettable performance by their lounge singers.
Sunset Beach restaurant is located at Ter Bay. It features daily fresh catch from local fishermen, and if you love seafood like me, you will not want to miss its famous seafood platter.