Koh Phangan's [In]famous Full Moon Party

Imagine you’re at this fantastic party. Not only does it have all the basic elements of a good party—good music, good drinks, good food—but it is one of those rare social gatherings that’s full of just as many good people as it is cold beers. A new friendship is just as likely to form as a case of alcohol poisoning, and hugs and laughter are being shared along ill-chosen words. With three DJs to choose from and enough good company to keep you busy for days, time flies, and no one seems too concerned about going home. Now look to your right, and instead of seeing a secondhand couch filled with college students, you’ll see a pristine beach, the perfect circle of the full moon reflecting brightly on the water.

This is Koh Phangan, Thailand’s famous Full Moon Party, an all-night party event that signifies for it’s goers not only a good time, but a spiritual experience. Young and old (but mostly young) come from all over to attend this party, which is actually the climax of numerous pre-parties and after-parties in the days leading up to and after the full moon every month. Around full moon time, the entire southern part of this small island becomes a party-goer’s paradise. Tourists literally flood the island, booking all the boats, ferries, and hotel rooms, leaving some to sleep on the beach during high season. One only has to walk a short distance on the main road to see the signs advertising any excuse at all for a party: Half Moon Party, Silver Moon Party, Floating Bar Party, Jungle Party, Waterfall Party, etc. In short, if you’re looking to blow off some steam, look no further than Koh Phangan.

Getting There

Kim and I headed to Koh Phangan after our time in Phang Nga Town. A bus from Phang Nga to Suratthani leaves every morning and cost 150 baht. In Suratthani, ferry tickets or fast boat tickets to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan can be bought right off the bus from ticket agents who will most likely approach you as soon as you arrive (unless you book ahead). Kim and I bargained a little bit and got two fast boat tickets to Koh Phangan for 850 baht (425 each), including bus transfer from Suratthani to the pier. The journey took about 1.5 hours and we arrived on the island in the late afternoon.

When you get to the island you’ll be bombarded by about 7,000 taxi and motorbike drivers to take you to your hotel. The going rate is usually 100 baht, depending on where you’re going. Haad Rin (where the party takes place) and Baan Kai (a few kilometers West of Haad Rin, where we stayed) are both 100 baht per person for a shared taxi/van.

The beach in front of our hotel in Baan Kai

Like I said, we stayed in Baan Kai. This wasn’t exactly by choice; we forgot to book a room until a few days before the party. By then it was slim pickings. It all worked out fine and we enjoyed our stay at Green Peace Bungalows, which is right on the beach. But if you want our advice, book your room early!! And if you’re there for the party, Haad Rin is the place to be. Baan Kai isn’t too far from Haad Rin, but it is barely walkable. We’re hardcore, so we walked the distance to get to the Full Moon Party, but we made that decision before we knew how many hills there were. Plan wisely.

The island itself is beautiful and deserves a few days of your time, either for some extra exploring, or to rest up before/after the Full Moon Party. My favorite part was the beach by our hotel, which was filled with thousands of tiny little snails, all different colors and patterns, like they had been hand-painted! There was also a cool little sandbar we could walk right out to in order to get a great view of the island.

The Party

The Full Moon Party takes place on the Southeastern part of the island in Haad Rin. The party gets started after sundown, but the area is filled with shops, restaurants, and bars that play American movies and Family Guy on repeat. We showed up in the afternoon to get some food and hang out on the beach before it got too crowded. Make sure you arrive before 7, or you may get asked to pay 100 baht to enter the party.

Haad Rin, pre-party

Kim and I sat on the relatively small beach at Haad Rin while the sun went down, waiting to see party-goers fill the area. Before sunset vendors started setting up “bucket stands,” all decorated with unique (and sometimes inappropriate) names to attract tourists. A plastic bucket that includes ice, a bottle of liquor, and 1-2 mixers sells for around $5. Almost the entire beach was lined with bucket stands, encouraging playful gimmicks and cheap prices to stay ahead of the competition. Alcohol isn’t all you’ll see for sale on the beach. Food vendors selling barbecued meat, corn, and sweets also set up on the far ends of the island, and body painting stations ensure that the bright green and orange Full Moon Party t-shirts scattered throughout the crowd aren’t the only neon around.

Around 7:30 I began wondering if this thing wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The trickle was slow at first, so Kim and I wandered toward some of the many fire-throwers performing on the beach, and before long I was hypnotized. When I finally looked up, the beach had all of the sudden filled with people. I was amazed that so many people could fit on one little beach—and it wasn’t even high season! Kim and I floated in and out of three dance floors that had spontaneously formed, observing what seemed to be every possible type of person, from frat boys with blue clown wigs to parents with their children (which is a personal choice I won’t get into). No matter who it was, they were there simply to have a good time. There was one guy I just couldn’t get over, who danced with everyone in the crowd without ever straying from the same dance move, and was so good-natured about it I could have hugged him (but I didn’t). We ended up on the edge of the crowd, where we met a great group of people from Spain and the United States, with whom we instantly became friends and spent the rest of our night. Easy peasy.

Unfortunately, a lot of our pictures of the Full Moon Party were deleted in a tragic “Will-you-take-a-picture-of-us-in-front-of-this-cool-thing?” incident, so we only have a few snippets to show you. But the memories I have from this relatively short event are so unique I’m sure I will not soon forget them!

A few tips:

Leave your valuables locked in your hotel room, and keep what money you bring close to you (no off-the-shoulder bags). Pickpocketers abound in Haad Rin!

Watch your drink! Ruffies are no laughing matter, y’all.

Be cautious around the fire-throwers the later the night gets. Thousands of drunk people+fire+darkness=potentially really bad memories.

Get to the beach just before sundown to watch the crowds pour in and avoid unnecessary entrance fees.

Stick to the buddy system.

Be cautious, but also have fun! The Full Moon Party is a place to let go of inhibitions. Go with the flow, and come with an open mind!

For a list of Full Moon Party Dates click here.

Phang Nga Town: A Worthwhile Stop

Phang Nga is a province in southern Thailand, just north of the Phuket province. I fell instantaneously in love with it when I glimpsed breathtaking views of clouds of mist rolling over the deep green mountains on our first day there. It is the city where what Sarah and I now refer to as “the two perfect days” in Thailand occurred. So if you have had a rough time in Thailand or during other parts of your Southeast Asia travels thus far, Phang Nga may be a great stop to add to your travels!

Mist rolling over the mountains in Phang Nga town.

Arrival in Phang Nga

After our disappointing and failed attempt to tour the famous Phang Nga Bay via Ao Por Pier in Phuket (see our Phuket post to read that sob story), we decided to try a different approach to seeing the bay (which I was now 100% dedicated to seeing after spending so much time attempting and failing to do so). We decided to take a bus to the city of Phang Nga from the bus station in Phuket. We easily got our tickets for 90 baht each (about $3.00) and the bus conveniently left about 15 minutes after we arrived. The bus ride took about two and a half hours and dropped us off at the bus station in Phang Nga. Soon after we stepped off the bus, a man from a tour agency approached us and asked if we needed directions. He gave us a small map of Phang Nga and circled a place called “Phang Nga Inn” and said he highly recommended staying there. After a little convincing, we took his advice (and an information pamphlet about tours his company gave of Phang Nga Bay) and walked a short 5 or 10 minutes to Phang Nga Inn. The cheapest room they had was 400 baht per night (a little under $13.00) and came with real blankets, bath towels, air conditioning, and even a shower curtain (all things which we now consider luxuries)! It was a very quaint little inn with friendly owners; we would definitely recommend it to anyone planning to stop in this city.

Our next order of business was to figure out which tour to book for Phang Nga Bay. The tour offered by Mr. Kean’s Tours (which we read about in the pamphlet given to us earlier by the helpful man at the bus stop) seemed like a good option. They offer a half day tour (3-4 hours) for 500 baht (roughly $16.50) and a full day tour (7-8 hours) for 800 baht (roughly $25.75). We decided to just do the half day tour, figuring that 3 or 4 hours in the bay would be plenty of time. 

The longtail boat we toured the bay in.

Night Markets

There are different night markets in Phang Nga depending on which day it is. All are located in essentially the same area, and anyone can direct you there if you ask. The first night we stayed in Phang Nga, we got a little lost while trying to find the night market for dinner. I walked up to a woman standing on the side of the street and asked her if she could direct us to the night market. She asked if we were planning to walk and said it was kind of far. She then generously said, “I’m just waiting for my husband to pick me up. If you wait with me we can give you a ride there!” Her English was very good and we found out she was an English teacher at a nearby Thai primary school. Her husband pulled up in a car a few minutes later and happily greeted us. We then spent the short car ride asking her to teach us how to pronounce various phrases in Thai (Thai is a tonal language with 5 different tones and hasn’t exactly been the easiest to learn). 

When we got to the night market, it was already bustling with people. There were all sorts of foods there, and trust me when I say you will have a very difficult time deciding what to have for dinner. We got large dinners on both nights for about 40 or 50 baht each (roughly $1.35-$1.65). Definitely be sure to check the night markets out while here!

If you do not get dessert at the night market and are craving something sweet (and cold), we’ve found the perfect place. It’s a little shop called “Ice Baby” located on the main street between the Phang Nga bus station and Phang Nga Inn. They serve a delicious concoction that I’m not sure how to describe other than saying it is some sort of mix between shave ice and ice cream. It comes in all different flavors (but Sarah and I both got Thai Iced Tea) and each size comes with a different number of free toppings (I got cookies and sprinkles on mine). Delicious!

Phang Nga Bay

Even with all our built up excitement and high expectations for Phang Nga Bay, it did not disappoint. A small bus picked us up from our hotel around 8:00am the next day and a friendly family of four from England greeted us inside. When we stopped at the tour company office, the same man we had spoken to earlier motioned for us to get off the bus and talk to him. He pulled us aside and told us that no one else had signed up for the half day tour so it would be cheaper for him if we just did the full day tour instead (and showed us some math that I won’t bore you with). He told us that he wouldn’t charge us any more for the full day tour as long as we didn’t tell the family from England what we paid (which we happily agreed to, obviously). He said we’d also get free bottles of water, fruit, and lunch (score). A great start to the day.

James Bond Island

The seven of us (the British family and boat captain included) set out in the bay on a large wooden longtail boat. The bay is beautiful from the moment you see it and only gets better. We rode through fascinating mangrove forests and saw an extensive number of huge limestone formations jutting out of the water. We stopped on one small island in the bay to get a clear view of the famous James Bond Island (which appeared in the old James Bond movie titled “The Man with the Golden Gun”). It looked like something pulled out of the Avatar movie and was like nothing I had ever seen before (I think you’ll understand why when you look at the pictures). We also stopped on another island and the boat captain gave us each an unusually large headlamp and pointed us in the direction of a wooden ladder that lead to a huge cave (after oddly instructing us to leave our shoes behind). The cave, called “Tham Keaw Cave,” was enormous and fun to explore. We then returned to the boat to eat our free lunch which consisted of fried rice with shrimp, bananas, and a couple bottles of water. Our next stop was an isolated little beach on a different island. It’s a pretty beach and we all went swimming (you also have the option to rent a canoe here for an hour or so if you choose). 

Exploring Tham Keaw Cave

Our last stop of the tour was supposed to be a colorful little fishing village built in the middle of the bay, but the boat engine broke down just before that. The captain spent about 15 minutes trying to fix it. At one point I glanced back at the engine and horrifyingly realized oil was literally POURING out of it directly into the ocean. A minute or two later, the captain grabbed a plastic bottle from a compartment in the boat with some sort of oil/liquid for the engine and poured it into the necessary place in the engine, at which point he haphazardly tossed the empty bottle into the ocean without a second thought! At this point, Sarah and I just started laughing (while cringing inside and planning future “Save the Environment” campaigns in Asia, of course). 

Phang Nga Bay fishing village

Eventually, another boat had to tow us over to the fishing village and we got out to look around while the captain worked on fixing the boat. If you choose to do the overnight tour through Mr. Kean's tour agency, this is where you will be staying (the British family chose to do this, so we parted ways here). After walking around the village a bit, where at one point a lady walked up and shoved a sloth/monkey creature (wearing a diaper, I should add) into my arms and asked if I wanted a picture for 40 baht (no.), we headed back towards the boat. When we got back to the dock, the boat still wasn’t fixed and we ended up waiting around for another hour until a different boat could take us back. The bus driver from earlier that morning was conveniently waiting for us when we arrived and took us back to the bus station in Phang Nga. A successful adventure! We would definitely recommend this tour to anyone else wanting to see the beautiful and enchanting Phang Nga Bay.

For more information on Phang Nga Town, click here.

Traveling While Female: Indonesia

During the month Kim and I were in Indonesia, in particular our weeks spent traveling alone from Lombok to Flores, the subject of traveling while female wouldn’t get out of my head. You see, I had traveled in Asia before this, but I was shocked at how different my experience was traveling as a single female. In previous excursions I had traveled with male friends, and although I was aware their presence must have made some sort of difference, I never realized the extent their being with me affected my experience in terms of comfort, ease of travel, and security. After our time in Indonesia I looked around to see what other women’s experiences had been. I was disappointed to find several forums with women asking for this specific kind of travel advice from other women, only to receive some rather antagonistic replies about using “common sense.” The vibe I got from many of them was, “Don’t be ridiculous. I did it, so anyone can” or “If something bad happens to you while you’re traveling, it’s your fault for not using common sense.” I rather think we can do better than that. Scattered among those vague replies were real experiences of women who did not have a smooth experience traveling as a single woman, and it is these experiences I’d like to speak to in this blog post.

On “Common Sense:”

Well yes, of course the aforementioned women were right. You should use common sense when traveling anywhere, even around your own home. (Thank you for that enlightened perspective.) However, for women, common sense often isn’t the same thing it is for men. Depending on one’s location, both socially and geographically, common sense may mean knowing where not to walk at night (or during the day). It may mean knowing what kind of body language to use to avoid provoking the wrong person or drawing attention to oneself. It may mean knowing how to appease someone who has power over you in order to avoid a dangerous situation. This isn’t to say you will be facing life-threatening situations if you travel as a single female. Rather, it is simply to say that women face unique challenges when traveling, because whether it is right or acceptable or not (hint: it’s not), women are still considered second class citizens in many parts of the world.

So while common sense is a wonderful tool, it will not change the culture you are traveling in or how you are perceived in it. This is especially frustrating for those travelers with a desire to get off the beaten path, get to know locals, and invest in the community they are visiting. While these are wonderful and worthwhile ventures, they often require a single female to be more guarded than she would need to be if she were [with] a man. This is unfortunate but often true, so the best thing one can do is be prepared. If you have some idea of the attitudes you will encounter before you step off the plane you’ll be better able to get the most out of your time and engage the culture you’re in wisely.

Indonesia:

Just as in other patriarchal cultures (this includes the U.S.), don’t expect your “no” to be taken as seriously as a man’s (or seriously at all) in Indonesia. This applies both to personal space and to bargaining. What we experienced during much of our travel was a strange mix of unwanted attention and not being taken seriously. The combination of being female and being a tourist means that our money elicits a certain amount of respect, but the way we are approached is through the lens of patriarchy. At our worst moments, it felt like if we weren’t undergoing verbal sexual harassment, we were being taken advantage of financially. It got to be quite overwhelming, especially when we saw differences in other travelers’ experiences. For example, at one bus station we inquired how much a bemo (taxi) would cost to our next destination since the bus wasn’t leaving for several hours. We were initially told 300,000 rupiah for the two hour drive, which we knew was extremely high. Even after our hardest bargaining the driver would only go down to 200,000 (>$20 USD), so we gave up. 20 minutes later an English man got on the bus I was waiting for, and when I told him it wasn’t leaving for two hours, he got off to inquire about a bemo. Five minutes later he skipped back on and grabbed his bag. A driver offered him 40,000 rupiah ($4 USD) right off the bat.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

You may receive unwanted attention. I know it’s hard for some people, but you might have to just brush off certain comments. Many men will use flattery or flirtation to get your attention or get you to buy something (i.e. When we got off one bus, one of the men in the crowd selling tickets opened with “You’re pretty. Do you have a boyfriend?”). You may also get stares or find what were casual conversations taking a turn toward the more personal, or uncomfortable. A good idea if you want to avoid this kind of attention is to wear a ring on your left ring finger or say you have a boyfriend.

Stay safe. I suppose this is where common sense comes in. Number one rule, just don’t put yourself in an uncomfortable situation. Don’t find yourself alone with men you don’t know, use the buddy system, “just say no,” etc.

Be aware of the message you may be sending. Be cautious about getting too friendly with local men. Remember that men and women do not interact in the same way in Indonesian culture as they do in the West, and small things may unconsciously send the wrong message. There were several times when what I thought was a casual, friendly conversation took a sudden turn in another direction and caught me off guard. It was nothing that made me feel unsafe, simply uncomfortable. If it’s a stranger and you’re talking one on one, be polite but formal and to the point. Also remember that you have a certain image by default because you are a tourist. For us, being Americans triggered certain stereotypes in the minds of locals who only knew the America they’ve seen on sitcoms and music videos. Behaviors that are usually considered taboo, some men believe to be appropriate with Western women. Also be careful about how you dress. Leave the beachwear at the tourist beaches, and when you are traveling, be respectful of the culture you’re in. Be mindful that Indonesia is a mainly Muslim population and modesty is valued.

Make sure you’re getting a fair price. I mentioned before that we had problems even bargaining in certain instances. A good idea is to ask around with other travelers about the price they’re getting, mainly for things like public buses/bemos, and do research ahead of time about prices. We had the distinct impression that our voices carried very little authority, and most people expected us to back down after a certain amount of pressuring. The key is to stick to your guns; be confident and insist a fair price. If you need to, point out other travelers and tell the driver that they got ____ price, and that’s all you’ll pay. One thing you should expect in some of the more out-of-the-way areas (we got this a lot on Lombok) is groups of men approaching you at public bus stops/ferry ports to negotiate a transportation price. Sometimes it was a dozen men or more, all hovering around us and making offers in English, then conferring with each other in Indonesian, then re-stating their offer (always way overpriced). If you’re waiting for a public bus, be firm and let them know you’re not paying for their taxi/motorbike/speedboat. If they tell you the bus/ferry isn’t coming, don’t believe it. If the bus comes and those same men gather around the bus driver to suggest he offer you the same price they offered you (this way you’ll choose the faster option), just push through the crowd and negotiate your own price. State what you know is fair firmly and confidently. Don’t pose it as a question and don’t take no for an answer.

---------------------------

None of this is to imply that Indonesian men are in any way debase, or morally inferior to men of any other culture. Rather, the point is that when traveling in Indonesia, you are a foreigner in an overtly patriarchal culture, most likely spending time in areas where tourism is the primary financial means for a lot of the people you will have contact with, and you are therefore vulnerable on several levels. Some of those more experienced female solo travelers may be so accustomed to their travels that they either don’t realize there’s a difference between male and female solo traveling, or they’ve ceased to see it as a big deal (I suspect this explains the forum posts I mentioned earlier). I know for sure that many male travelers aren’t aware of the differences, which is to be expected (be aware that most travel writers are men). The differences, while they point to a disturbing and unequal social atmosphere, are “normal.” But that is no reason why you shouldn’t be prepared. 

Overall, though at times it was frustrating and difficult, I never felt like I was in danger in Indonesia. While it is wise to brace yourself, I would never suggest that the challenges of solo female travel inhibit someone from engaging as fully as they can or getting to know locals, who are mostly wonderful and nice people. Be wise and discerning, but don’t hold yourself back. Love yourself while respecting the culture you’re in, and chances are you’ll be able to roll with the punches.

Be sure to check out our general travel tips for Indonesia!

Getting the Royal Treatment in Phuket

Phuket, Thailand is best known for it’s stunning beaches, trips to Phi Phi island, snorkeling and diving, and the party central of Patong beach. It is Thailand’s biggest island, located at the southern tip of the country. The South and East coasts are lined with dozens of destination beaches while the Northern end of the island boasts beautiful waterfalls and Khao Phra Thaeo National Park. High season begins in November and the crowds mellow out by February, dropping to their lowest point during rainy season* (September-October). There are plenty of great blogs that will tell you all about Phuket’s beaches, since this is one of the main reasons many people visit (read a great run-down of Phuket’s beaches here). However, this will not be one of those blog posts, as we visited at the start of rainy season and instead spent much of our time in and around Phuket Town in the South/East part of the island. This post will be about getting the most out of modest, charming Phuket Town and the surrounding area.

Wat Chalong and Big Buddha

During our time in Phuket we Couchsurfed with a host about ten minutes outside Phuket town’s center. We arrived via plane and took the airport bus to Central Festival Mall (only 20 baht) and walked from there. Lucky for us, our house was only a few kilometers from Wat Chalong, the most visited Buddhist temple in Phuket. This ornate temple complex contains several beautiful and unique buildings and is decorated all throughout with elephant statues and elephant-shaped shrubs. Free admission makes a tuk-tuk ride to Wat Chalong doubly worth it, but hang on to your driver, because Phuket’s Big Buddha statue is situated on the hill above Wat Chalong, a six-kilometer drive if you want a close look at the statue and a 360 degree view of the island. It’s a good idea to work out a price with your driver ahead of time that includes both attractions.

One of the temples at Wat Chalong

Hittin’ the Town

Next we decided to explore Phuket town itself. Phuket town’s center is bustling and crowded even in low season, but there is something for everyone here. Coffee shops and bakeries are on every other corner and usually offer wifi if you want somewhere to relax and enjoy the A/C. Local eateries can be found just as easily with 30 baht noodles and chicken saté, or small markets carry enough colorful and mysterious desserts to keep you busy for days trying them all. There’s also plenty of souvenir shopping and some great used bookstores. If you want a dose of history the Phuket museum is located a few blocks from the fountain at the center of town, but there’s a small admission fee and the museum contains mainly old photographs and newspaper clippings. And finally for you Leonardo DiCaprio fans, the On-On Hotel is Phuket’s first hotel and is featured in Leo’s film The Beach. This seedy hotel is right in Phuket Town and has been providing rock-hard mattresses for weary backpackers to lay their heads since 1929.

Gettin’ Our Tourist on and a Note About Phang Nga Bay

 My very favorite day in Phuket started out as a total bust, and I’m going to tell you why. We had read online in some of those very lovely TripAdvisor travel forums that Phuket is a good jumping-off point to do a boat tour of the magnificent Phang Nga Bay. It was difficult to get clear information, but from what we could tell the place to go was Ao Por Pier in the Northeast part of the island, where we could get a boat for about 1200 baht (split between a group) for 3-4 hours. Please, don’t make our mistake and actually go to Ao Por Pier (or any pier near it) expecting a boat for 1200 baht. If you really really want to make the trip from Phuket, get there early and expect to pay at least 3000 baht for a short boat toar. But a way better idea is to get a bus to Phang Nga Town, where you can get a lovely half-day tour for 500 baht per person or a full-day tour for 800, and stay for a few days. It’s worth it. Trust us.

Well needless to say, we did go to Ao Por Pier, only to return several hours later with a couple of bad attitudes and no cheap, wonderful tour under our belts. But situations like this have a way of turning around, and when our driver dropped us off in the wrong part of Phuket Town, redemption showed up in the form of a very cheerful man with an SUV and a tourist map. 

Earlier we had had taxi drivers approach us with maps, offering to take us all around town and see the sights for just 100 baht each, but we turned them down. This man told us he’d take us all around and drop us off at our house for just 10 baht each. We were suspicious at first, but later found out the secret to these seemingly too-good-to-be-true offers. Many taxi and tuk-tuk drivers are offered a free liter of petrol for every tourist shop they take you to, whether you buy anything or not. So in order to get their petrol coupons they’ll throw in a few destinations like Big Buddha and the Butterfly Garden to get you interested and make 100 baht sound like a steal. We really just happened to luck out with our driver, who fessed up about the petrol and ended up giving us the entire ride for free in exchange for us meandering through a few (make that six) extra tourist shops. This might sound like a bummer, especially if you’ve taken a similar ride in Bangkok and have had to sit through more custom suit and tie shops than you ever wanted to see in your life, but we rolled with the punches and made the best of it. We went to gem and pearl shops to see jewelry-makers doing their thing and tried on lots of expensive jewelry that we would never buy. We stopped at overpriced markets and beauty stores where we tried every single free sample and tester without buying anything. And we saw a super cute baby elephant outside of a souvenir shop that ate grapes and did funny little tricks—all for free! I call that a good day.

Kim posing with our new elephant friend!

I know, I know, it was like, so touristy of us to do. But there’s no shame in being a tourist now and then, and even those seasoned backpackers who insist on calling themselves “travelers” and avoid the other t-word at all costs deserve to have a little cheap, shallow fun now and then. At any rate we made up for it at the end of the day when our driver (now very happy and drunk on petrol coupons) dropped us off the fabulous weekend market near Central Festival Mall. If you’re near Phuket Town on the weekend, don’t miss the weekend market! It opens in the afternoon and is a huge sprawling carnival of clothes, souvenirs, CDs, and most importantly, tons and tons of cheap, fabulous food. That and an ice cream run at the 7/11 near our host’s home afterward made for an absolutely redeemed day in Phuket, and a great end to our first two days in beautiful Thailand!

*Note: For those visiting Phuket during rainy season, use caution when swimming in the ocean! The currents during this time are notoriously deadly, and tourists have died swimming at the many beaches in Phuket with no regular lifeguard on duty. If you see red flags on the beach during any time of the year, please do not swim!