Discovering Paradise in Phuket: My Journey
My adventure to Phuket in the month of February started in the beautiful city of Bangkok. We took a quick flight that only took about an hour to get us to Phuket. Stepping out of the airport, the heat and humidity hit us really hard - way hotter than Bangkok! We got into a taxi and made our way to Arinara Bang Tao Beach Resort. The ride was beautiful for the eyes, with lush greenery lining the streets and roads. It felt like we were driving through the forest. The hotel itself was a dream. The room was spacious and comfy, the pool was huge, and there was even a Starbucks on site. The beach with its crystal-clear water was just perfect! The location of the hotel was perfect, with souvenir shops, restaurants, clothing stores, and even a 7-Eleven within walking distance. Speaking of 7-Eleven, if you're in Thailand, you've got to check one out - they seriously have everything you could ever need, and it's super affordable. Overall, I'd give Ainara Bangatao Beach Resort a solid 10 out of 10. It's got everything you could want for a perfect vacation. Trust me, you won't regret staying here!
When we arrived, we already had a booking for the Carnival Magic in Phuket. Let me tell you, this place was beyond amazing! It quickly became my favorite spot in all of Thailand, even more fun than Disney. The theme park is covered in tons of lights and features carnival-style attractions like rides, games, shows, and parades. The park holds 9 Guinness World Records, including the world's longest parade float, largest LED sculpture, and biggest popcorn machine. It's truly magical to see all the bright colors and lights. I can't even put into words how beautiful it is. One of the highlights is the show parade, where you're taken into a theater with a big stage and treated to a spectacular light parade. No photos or videos are allowed, so they collect all your devices before the show. They're pretty strict about it, but I guess they want everyone to experience the magic firsthand. Trust me, you won't see anything like it anywhere else in the world. Before the show, you can enjoy a huge buffet - seriously, it's the biggest buffet I've ever seen. Unfortunately, I was feeling sick that day (check out the Bangkok blog to know why I got sick) and couldn't eat much. The price to get in is a bit expensive, starting at $100 per person depending on what you include in your ticket, but it's totally worth it. Another cool thing is they provide transportation to and from your hotel. The park opens at 5 pm and everything wraps up around 11:00 pm. It's definitely a must-visit if you're in Phuket!
The next day, we went on a tour to the famous Phi Phi Island. We booked a one-day island hopping tour through GetYourGuide. They picked us up from the hotel and took us to many beautiful paradise beaches with crystal clear water. We visited Monkey Beach, where we saw lots of monkeys hanging out on the sand. My favorite stop was Maya Bay - it was absolutely stunning. We also checked out Bamboo Island, Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave, and Nui Bay. It took about an hour to reach the first island, and then we had some free time to explore each one. The included buffet lunch taken in one of the island we visited was delicious as well.
The following day, we went on another island hopping tour to the famous James Bond Island, where they filmed the movie. They picked us up from our hotel again. We visited Ao Po Pier, Panak Island, Ko Hong, Phang Nga Bay, James Bond Island, and Khao Phing Kan. This tour was amazing, despite the bad weather. There was a big storm, so we couldn't enjoy the beach and sun as much as we wanted. But we still managed to go snorkeling, explore caves in canoes, and swim in the middle of the ocean. We had lunch on the boat, and it was super tasty. Don't forget to grab some souvenirs from the islands you visit!
On our final day in Phuket, we had the incredible opportunity to visit the elephant sanctuary. Let me tell you, it was an experience like no other! The staff picked us up from our hotel and took us to the sanctuary. This place is home to rescued elephants, and visitors like us were able to feed and bathe these majestic creatures. The tour began with a fascinating history lesson about the sanctuary and how the elephants came to be rescued. We even got to see where they sleep, which was truly incredible. Then, we were taken to where all the elephants were hanging out. We could take photos with them and feed them, which was such a special moment. But the best part was yet to come - we got to bathe with the elephants! It was an absolutely amazing experience that I will never forget. To top it all off, the tour ended with a delicious buffet. Plus, they had professional photographers taking pictures the whole time, so we could relive the memories on their Facebook page.
And that's how we wrapped up our visit to this stunning island. I highly recommend to do all these activities. I promise you'll enjoy it just as much as I did.
