Phuket - what to do, eat, visit and stay (2)

In every edition there is an ‘Insider Guide’ – what to do, where to eat, what to visit and where to stay.

In this edition - http://www.capekantaryhotels.com/ckmagazine/ they stayed with us at Kantary Bay Hotel in Phuket.

photo courtesy of Jamie

Do
- Visit Big Buddha – http://big-buddha-phuket.com

Eat
- Had lunch at The Raya Restaurant in Phuket Old Town – http://www.phuket.com/magazine/raya-restaurant.htm

Visit
- The Thavorn Museum – https://www.phuket101.net/thavorn-museum/ - Phuket’s Quirkiest Museum

Stay
- With us at Kantary Bay Hotel - http://www.kantarybay-phuket.com

#CapeandKantary #KantaryCollection #WheretostayinPhuket #PhuketHotel 
#ThingstodoinPhuket #DoEatVisitStay #Cape+KantaryMagazine

  

Eggs on the Beach at Cape Panwa Hotel

It was the weekend: many people had escaped from work in Bangkok, choosing to spend the time at the Cape Panwa Hotel in Phuket. 

After my early breakfast (06:30), I placed myself carefully on the beach, began to watch the waves slowly come closer to the foot of my sun bed, I was alone thinking to myself: this is paradise. 

I suddenly found myself back in reality when a small child tapped me on the shoulder and asked, “Have you seen any painted eggs or monster stones?” I was a bit startled but remembered that it was Easter. 

The children staying at Cape Panwa Hotel or Kantary Bay were having an Easter Egg Hunt! One of the girls introduced me to a monster stone. I listened to her excitedly tell me she had just found the stone that she had painted. 

On moving from the beach to the pool I saw children colouring little ‘Easter Books’ that the hotel had prepared for them. The fun and games of celebrating Easter continued throughout the day, finishing at Café Kantary in Panwa Village. 

There I saw the same girl collecting a prize for finding a painted egg and monster stones: a specially designed Easter Cake.

I’m looking forward to next year already. 

Happy Easter!

              

The raising of Laem Panwa

I was pleasantly surprised when I revisited Laem Panwa Seafood Restaurant last week – the garden it is set in was resplendent in Christmas lights and the restaurant itself had been raised onto a platform.

The Kantary Bay Hotel had their Christmas lights on and so a festive mood still surrounded us - making even my cold Singha Beer taste better!

Sitting at the newly elevated tables felt special even though they were only a few steps up it felt good.

I chose the Seafood Basket as usual because the Laem Panwa does it so well - I love to watch the cooks grill the fish! From the Seafood basket, I always choose the fresh squid first and dip it in the chilli sauce – followed by a gulp of cold Singha, of course.

See you up there.

              

Panwa Promenade

It was a beautiful afternoon and I chose to eat my gelato from Café Kantary on the promenade opposite.

It was also quiet so there were only a handful of vendors waiting to sell their food to the local passerby.

One car was parked by the side of the road – the driver asleep and oblivious to any one walking by.

Screams, splashes and shouts shattered my tranquility.  The local children had decided to have an afternoon dip. Memories of my personal childhood swinging in a tyre over a river came flooding back.

Beautiful, I only hope that I can give my son some of the joys of childhood that I remember having, and that he does not get completely lost in technology as the present generation is seeming too.

              

How do you want your beer?

My boss and I visited Kantary Bay, Phuket for a long weekend and chose to have dinner at the Laem Panwa Thai seafood restaurant on the bayfront and watch the locals sell their wares to the tourists wandering by and the sunset over Big Buddha.

As we sat in the heat of the late afternoon (even though I was in shade) cradling my ice cold Singha beer I heard a comment made by a guest from the United Kingdom:  

“Ice in my beer – NO THANK YOU!”

The waiter had offered to put some ice in his beer, which is the norm in Thailand, but the guest had vehemently refused – the waiter was quite shocked and meekly walked away.

As I sat nursing my now nearly empty ice cold beer glass I had to make sure that the staff were okay so I quickly drained it and ordered another and added: 

“Don’t forget the Ice”.

OR was I using this as a good excuse to have another beer?

(Ed – reason number two)

              

Reclining Buddhas in Phuket

Last month when I was at Cape House, Bangkok, I had to take care of a group of guests who chose to take a Chao Phraya River trip to the Rong Mo Pier.  They chose to alight at this precise pier because they wanted to visit the World famous Wat Pho Temple and specifically the magnificent Reclining Buddha statue.

When I visited Kantary Bay, Phuket last week I asked if they had anything similar in Phuket?

Boonsong at the Front Office was extremely helpful; he listed them and showed me where they were on a map.

      1) Wat Koh Sirey, Si-Ray Island

      2) Wat Sri Soonthorn, South of the Heroines Circle

      3) Wat Phra Nang Sang, South of the Road to Ton Sai 

It was a wonderful and very special trip – thanks Boonsong.

View Reclining Buddhas in Phuket in a larger map