the roads are getting nearer

Monday, January 09, 2006

` Monday, January 09, 2006

Two days after returning from the Hanoi trip, my sister and I dragged ourselves out of bed and bleary-eyed to take the super-early 7.55AM flight on Tiger Airways to the island of Phuket (hard lesson learnt: we spent the early afternoon snoozing in the hotel room due to the sheer lack of Zzzzz-es).

Let me say first and foremost that I've always had an affinity for touring Thailand, eversince I've discovered the drool-worthy local food, unwavering friendliness of the people and the affordable yet super-trendy shopping haunts. Within a span of 5 years, my passport has been stamped with customs clearance more times than the number of fingers on my hands. Phuket tourism suffered a decline since the tsunami attacked its coastline a year ago. This is unfortunate, given that the island is scattered with pristine beaches and immaculate resorts and the damage is virtually undetectable a year ahead of the natural disaster.

My first visit to Phuket was a corporate getaway sponsored by the generous bosses of a company that unfortunately, no longer exists in no fault of their own. We were staying at the same hotel that I had booked for the current trip, the only difference is that the resort is currently managed by a worldwide hotel chain.

The Hilton Phuket Arcardia is a mammoth resort situated off the quieter Karon beach, surrounded by sprawling greenery, 4 swimming pools, several cafes and restaurants within the grounds. A short 5-minute walk along the beach will lead you to a street market filled with stalls hawking wares similar to the ones in Patong and also a myriad of food choices.

Nothing beats the services rendered at a Thai establishment. Always accommodating, always polite and always beyond expectations. Upon arrival, we were presented with huge rose bouquets. The early check-in did not deter them from presenting us with an available upgraded room with complimentary breakfast and fruit basket. Talk about guaranteed customer satisfaction!

The view from the balcony of the hotel room was stunning, to say the least. The weather was fantastic, with a balmy breeze enveloping the air and sunshine permeating the surrounds. The large waterfall pool was beckoning us for a dip, but we surrendered to an afternoon cap instead.

The room was newly renovated, with peekaboo sliding panes that allow a preview into the bathroom. Definitely more suited for voyeuristic couples on a romantic getaway!

Last but not least, no resort is complete without the requisite swimming pool (in this case, it was jacuzzi pool, diving pool, waterfall pool, etc) for a day of lazing on a deckchair, reading a book while amassing a bronzed beach bunny sheen. Highly recommended for those into pure, unadulterated chillout sessions.

The only thing that railed me about the island was how costly it was to take public transport, potentially a common gripe among the visitors. I perfectly understand that distances between beaches were long and warranted higher fares from tuktuk drivers, but the fact that they monopolised the trade and a staunch refusal to lower quoted rates that were significantly higher than what an airconditioned taxi would've cost in Bangkok can be rather exasperating to deal with. Travelling from Karon to Patong beach one-way cost SGD8 for a 10-minute ride and a return trip from and back to the airport would cost a party of 2 at least SGD50. Perhaps my sister was correct to point out that I shouldn't be using 2001 rates to extrapolate the current situation, but it made the cost of the trip more expensive than earlier anticipated. I suppose that's just one minor gripe, but if you're travelling in a party of 4 or more, it might be better if a car was rented on a daily basis to avoid unnecessary negotiations with the drivers for lower rates (which would inevitably prove to be futile anyway).

In any case, it was a good holiday to end my leave. Although it is painful to think about having to start work in 2 days' time, I shall refrain from whining which was a designated New Year resolution meant to be broken in a matter of time.

Comments:

waaa... verbal diarrhoea ha?
=)

# posted by

Anonymous : Tuesday, January 10, 2006 9:36:00 am

That's the end result of 2.5 weeks of annual leave (although I wished it could go on and on and on...)

# posted by

sPuTneeK : Tuesday, January 10, 2006 7:56:00 pm