Thailand Tony

A Guide to Phuket and Thailand.

[thailandtony]

A newly opened hotel near the Cape of Panwa is definitely a Tropical Paradise

[thailandtony]

Good Morning Everyone, Well I really don't know what's happened to the weather over the last week or so..... it's been very overcast and grey and this morning is no exception🤨 February & March are normally very good months weather wise being smack bang in the mid of the Dry Season which isn't very dry at the minute😂 of course April normally see's the beginning of the rains leading into the monsoon season.

I hope everyone enjoyed the LIVE Broadcast last night from Rawai showing just some of the nighttime entertainment along beach Rd.

Rawai is a large district so difficult to cover all by foot so rest assured there will be more coming from the Rawai area & I will be covering lots of other area's ' Nightlife' around Phuket. 👍

Some of you will have seen my live video last weekend from the Sunday Night Walking street market situated on Thalang Rd, but what many people don't know or realize there are actually three markets that take place in and around Phuket town at the weekend...... The one which I've just mentioned which is open just Sundays starting around 4pm - 9.30is pm.

Then you have Naka Market which is really on the very edge of Phuket town which is open both Saturdays & Sundays and I shall be covering this soon.

Then there's the Third market again open both Saturdays & Sundays which I'm hoping I will be able to cover live tonight but this is very much dependent on the weather.....So fingers crossed for Later..... So unfortunately I'm not able to give a time when the live feed may start.

So keep an eye out later👍I shall post the feed in the group if it happens.

Have a Great day Everyone 😀

[thailandtony]

Phuket Raw coming LIVE this evening @ 7.30pm (Thai time)

https://youtube.com/c/ThailandTony

[thailandtony]

Out and about filming.... It's seriously hot again 🥵

[thailandtony]

A New Day - Naka Market

So after yesterdays problems with Facebook create a post.... I've actually remember to use google keep to type this out 😂 So hopefully this post isn't going to disappear on me before I actual get to post it 🎉👍.... Soooooooo Let's begin..... I mentioned a few days ago in the group I would be visiting Naka Market during the course of the weekend I had planned to go down on Saturday evening, However, Just as we were getting ready to leave for the market the heavens opens and we had a down pour, It didn't last long but by the time it was finished it would have been too much of a rush to get there and have plenty of time to look around the whole market. NAKA Market is fairly big. So we ended up going last night 'Sunday'..... For those of you who don't know Naka Market in Phuket, here's a little back ground info. It has been a long standing market I've been visiting this market for over 10 years and remember when the floor was nothing more than dirt and the only cover from the rain was the individual stalls themselves, A real fun place in the rain 'NOT' Over the years there have been lots of changes.... Again going back sometime I remember when it's was more for the locals than the foreigners and rarely would you see a tourist's there....Those days prices where AMAZING some real bargains to be had😊 .......Then the tourists started to hear about this amazing market just outside of Phuket town. From then on the market exploded and started to get extremely popular with foreigners on holiday in Phuket. Unfortunately over time this only lead to the stall holders increasing their prices and it became more & more difficult to find those bargains I had come accustomed to. This ultimately lead to the market losing some of it's popularly with both local's & tourists. Of course over time the market improved, two of the most noticeable changes was the floor from dirt to being full tarmacked and roofing installed so no longer did you get wet and have to walk around in a mud bath 🎉🎉😂😂..... Then Covid...... The Market was Closed and remained closed for a very long time 🤔 about 2 years if memory severs me right... However, that has now changed and I'm pleased to say once again the market is now open, of course there is still some evidence of the impacted of covid with a few stalls not open but generally 95% are now open and trading which is great and for the moment prices seem to be more wallet friendly than at stages before covid..... Lets hope it stays that way👍. One of the biggest changes to the market since covid is the overall size it is now quite a bit small than it was before, having a big chuck taken away and made into a car & motorbike parking area and a second food area.....Not sure why they decided to make a second separate food area, in my opinion this isn't needed as the main food area is more than big enough but I understand the need for better Parking 👍.

Walking around the market last night was a real pleasure, it was actually a little busier than I was expecting, Not packed by a long way and again I remember the days when it was virtually impossible to walk around due to it being so busy, But it was great to see people there even tourist's ' easy to spot ' due to there reluctancy to wear a face mask  😥.

I made a point of asking some prices as a lot of the stalls didn't have an prices displayed which is pretty typical of this market.....Naka is well know for it haggling overprice something you either love or hate..... Knock off banded T-Shirts, Polo shirts, Hoodies etc starting around the 200baht mark up to about 500ish..... Sunglasses from 100baht and there was no shortage of all manner of good from plants to souvenir.....

At the moment definitely a place to visit especially if your good at haggling over price👍 how long the prices will remain good is anyone guess but the busier it gets --------- you know what I'm saying........ Is this the best market in Phuket well that down to you to decide but in the coming months I will be showing you some serious contenders for that TITLE. So stay tuned....... now for the pics ....Enjoy

[thailandtony]

As promised, Yesterday I took a ride over to the Cape of Panwa, Keeping in mind eight months have passed since I was last there.

I was hoping/expecting to see some signs of improvement from my last video of the Cape of Panwa area.

So the first stop would be The Crowne Plaza hotel as this hotel is situated just before you reach the Main part of Panwa on the main road. The last time I was there, the hotel was closed.

As I approached the hotel, it looked like it was now open, So I decided to stop and ask if the hotel was now accepting guests.

After spending some time speaking with a very helpful lady called Bow, who turned out to be the hotels' reception manager.

I found out not only is the hotel open and accepting guests under the new Test & Go scheme, sandbox programs and walk-in guests but, they now have a separate on-site quarantine facility, available for both guests staying at the hotel and tourists who may test positive during their stay on the island of Phuket.

Over the last few months many people have been concerned with what would happen should they test positive during their holiday and what the procedures would be. So I asked Bow if she would explain how the tests work regarding people who test positive.

She told me clearly and simply that there are three levels, Green, Amber and Red.

Green: People who test positive but show no symptoms or only very mild symptoms.

Amber: People who have Symptoms and require a doctors supervision and treatment.

Red: People who are very sick and need immediate treatment.

Depending on which level you are categorized, the hotel has to take the appropriate action for the safety of their guests, Hotel staff and government guidelines.

Green level guests have the option to stay in the separate on-site quarantine facility but of course, must remain in the room and are not allowed to use any facilities outside of your room during the quarantine period, three meals per day are provided by the hotel and you are allowed to order food from outside of the hotel, 'Say from a favourite local restaurant' providing it can be delivered to the hotel and you are allowed to open any windows and use the balconies.

Amber & Red level must be moved to a nearby hospital facility to receive any necessary treatment.

The hotel is also able to take green level patients from other nearby hotels, who do not have a separate quarantine facility.

I hope this information is helpful, clear and relieves any fears that people might have that they are simply put straight into hospital even if they are not showing any symptoms.

After our fairly lengthy chat, I was able to take some photos of this very nice 5-star hotel which I shall include down below.

Moving on, I made my way down to the main area of Panwa, as i was driving I noticed a few places that had been previously closed were now open.

However, there also seem to be quite a few closed.

After spending an hour or so looking around Cape Panwa, it seemed to me to be a very mixed bag when it comes to the changes and improvements across the area in general. 

Yes, there are now businesses open that were closed eight months ago but unfortunately, there are also a lot that is not. 

So now comes the part on whether I would currently recommend staying in the area at the moment, which is actually a difficult question to answer without first knowing the person or persons that would be staying there and their expectations.

What I will say is the area is still beautiful but it desperately needs tourists, So if you are planning on staying in or near the Panwa area you need to consider what's important to you for a great holiday?

Do you have access to a vehicle, ie, a car, Scooter, this will make things very different and a lot easier because if you are willing or choose to travel,  Phuket town is only a short distance away from Panwa meaning you would have access to lots of shops, bars and restaurants etc. However, if you do not have your own transport or are unwilling to drive and do not wish to constantly pay for taxi's this would mean choices will definitely be limited that isn't to say there are no shops, mini marks, restaurants etc open as there are but no as it was before, not yet at least.

I Have no doubt that it is more than possible to have a fantastic holiday/time in Panwa it just depends on your personal expectations. 

[thailandtony]

Patong again has seen the same improvement with beach road offering 95% of businesses open but as you move further back there are still a lot of businesses closed including the main shopping mall and only small amount of businesses around the O-Top area but there does seem to be people about in small numbers.... Moving across to Kamala I was surprised to see a lot of open businesses in the main town which were previously closed however there are very few people about in Kamala ☹️ a real shame.... Surin beach area was a real hive of activity and again surprised me 👍

[thailandtony]

Sunday Walking Street Night Market (Phuket Town) ' LardYai' Market

Welcome to one of the most atmospheric markets on the Island of Phuket.

The Sunday Walking Street Night Market aka 'LardYai Market'

This little market never ceases to amaze me. Situated in the Heart of Phuket Town on Thalang Rd, It's a very big favourite with the locals and tourists alike. Primarily a food market, but don't let that stop you visiting even if you're not hungry. This is not just a food market, in fact, there is a whole host of goods from t-shirts to souvenirs and lots more in-between. The choice gets better every year at this market as it's popularity grows.

Before we talk more in detail about this market let me tell you about Thalang Rd which gives this market such a unique backdrop. Thalang Rd is situated in the old historic part of Phuket town and has a very strong Portuguese influence which is reflected in the architecture of the Sino-Portuguese shophouses that run down either side of the road.

Nighttime sees this road take on a very different feel. The buildings are normally backlit by coloured bulbs and this just seems to emphasize the building design, turning this already lovely street into something very pretty indeed.

Over the years this street has become a mecca for picture hunters and the selfie crowd.

The market seems to fit the street perfectly, running every Sunday afternoon starting around 4pm and finishing around 10pm in the evening, but be warned, turning up late may see a lack of choice in the food department. This is a very popular market here in Phuket and a lot of people come here to eat and enjoy the atmosphere that is generated by the street entertainers that come to perform each week.So if you looking for something to do during your stay on the island then I can recommend coming down to Phuket town on a Sunday. Make a day of it by exploring the town during the day, trust me it has a lot to offer, then making your way over to Thalang Rd late afternoon to enjoy some fantastic food and live entertainment.

The choice of food on offer is staggering, which is common to Thai markets. This can often make choosing what to eat a real task unless you know exactly what you want beforehand. However, it can also be a lot of fun too, allowing you the opportunity to try lots of different dishes and maybe even things you never dreamed of eating before.

You never know what you might find at a Thai market 😁 from the very ordinary to the extraordinary.

This market also sells a lot of foreign food, everything from kebabs, pizzas to spaghetti carbonara so you shouldn't go wanting and don't forget there's also a great choice of cafes, restaurants and even a few small bars along Thalang Rd which you will find in between the many shops that run down both sides of the street. Once you have brought a few tasty items you can either walk and eat while absorbing your surroundings or choose to sit and watch the live entertainment which often changes from week to week. Normally there is a great choice of entertainers like singers, instrumental performances, dancing and even magic tricks, so whether you're a solo traveller, a couple, or a family there should be something for everyone.

Once you have finished your food you can spend the rest of the evening browsing up and down the market. The food is just for starters, in fact, there's a whole host of other goods for sale and not just on the market but from the shops that also run along the street, offering everything from clothing, homemade goods, jewelry, perfumes and souvenirs. there are even massage shops, hotels and guest houses. The list is long and should certainly keep you occupied and happy well into the late evening.

   No matter where you are staying in Phuket, LardYai Market in Phuket town known as the 'Sunday Walking Street Night Market' should definitely be on your list of places to visit and experience. This market is unique in many ways, from the goods it sells to the area it is located in, but without a doubt this little market has an atmosphere all of its own.

Want to get a feel for the market why not check out my video: 

Sunday Walking Street Night Market One not to be Missed.

[thailandtony]

Chue Hung Restaurant

Vegetarian and Vegan Food on the Island of Phuket.

From the outside, this looks pretty much the same as a lot of small restaurants that you will find here on the Island, however, this restaurant, in particular, holds a secret. They are one of the few who specialize in only Vegan and Vegetarian food.

Apple the owner has been here in Phuket for over 6 years running this restaurant and before that, she lived in Nakhon Si Thammarat where she also helped run the families Vegan Restaurant, so it's fair to say she has grain a wealth of knowledge regarding Vegan food and what it takes to serve up some incredibly tasty dishes.

Having now visited this restaurant on several occasions, trying different dishes on each visit, I can honestly say that this little restaurant offers some outstanding food and I have found it hard to believe that Vegan, Vegetarian food could taste this good.This little restaurant has now become a firm favourite with me and my family, hard to believe coming from a meat lover like myself.

The Menu

Offers a modest choice of dishes that are extremely well priced at around the 50 Baht a dish and looking down the menu I quickly became puzzled after noticing that Cheese and Ham were listed, Knowing that Vegans, Vegetarians would not eat those ingredients so I quickly called over Apple the owner to ask her about the menu and ingredients in more detail. After a fairly lengthy conversation, she explained, that those ingredients were actually replacement products ie, either non-dairy or non-animal products even though she has listed them as Cheese and Ham with no reference to that fact.She also mentioned that the replacement cheese product which she uses in the restaurant is more expensive than the dairy cheese counterpart.So with this in mind, I was a little curious to see how that would compare to regular dairy cheese and decided to order the baked Spinach with Cheese, knowing I have eaten this dish regularly in non - vegan restaurants so would be able to judge just how good this non- dairy version was.  

I can honestly say that if I didn't already know I was eating a non-dairy cheese I would not have been able to tell the difference, It even smelt the same 'wow' I thoroughly enjoyed the dish, in fact, I have ordered the Baked Spinach with cheese several times already.Another favourite of mine is Pizza so of course, when I saw pizza's on the menu, it wouldn't have been right not to have tried.😁

This is some of the best-tasting food I have tried regardless of it being a Vegan restaurant and I will be eating at this restaurant on a regular basis from now on. I never thought not eating meat would be so enjoyable and I certainly never missed the fact that there are no traditional Meat/ Fish dishes on their menu. So if you are a Vegan, Vegetarian or even someone who's just looking for a change of food styles then I would recommend you hunt this little restaurant out because you will be spoilt with delicious tasting food at amazing prices that you will find very hard to beat anywhere in Phuket. One dish on their menu which caught my eye and that I have never seen before was, the Fried Papaya Salad, O my, this is an absolute must-try for people who love Papaya Personally, I really love Papaya salad after spending years thinking it would be too spicy for my tastes.   'I now can not eat enough'  Its true Papaya salad is a spicy dish but once you are ready to eat spicily then try it, whether its the classic Papaya with crab, Pork neck or even BBQ chicken, all equally great but of course at the Chue Hung restaurant your not going to find these's but what you will find is their classic Papaya salad.

  Which I might add give you the true taste of a real Thai Papaya salad but totally meat and fish free, then on top of that they also offer a Lao version and then finally a fried Papaya salad, pictured above, which is just simply outstanding. 'Dare I say one of the best Papaya salad dishes I've tried to date'.

Top Tip: Mushrooms Fried with Black peppered as shown below is.😊👍 Very delicious.

Check out my video Review:

Parking

For those wondering about parking, there is on-street parking available right outside of the restaurant, however, I will say that the restaurant is situated on a fairly busy road so care needs to be taken.

Restaurant Location via google maps: Here

[thailandtony]

Chillva Market

Chillva Market Phuket Town

Often overlooked here in Phuket by Tourist.

For a long time, I have ridden pasted Chillva market and each time I have said to myself I really must stop and take a look around.

Well a few days ago I was in the area with my wife Nat ' Yaowarat Rd' which is where this particular market is located, looking at a restaurant for a possible video review to go onto my YouTube channel and after leaving the restaurant we were making our way back home and noticed that the market was open and given the current situation ' Early Post coronavirus pandemic ' plus the fact there aren't too many larger markets open at the moment, we decided to stop and take a peek boy, Am I ever glad I did! At first glance from the road, the market is pretty unassuming but don't let that fool you

After passing through the temperature checkpoint and receiving a little heart-shaped sticker just to verify you have, you are then greeted with all sorts of small vendors selling from open-aired stalls. The items offered for sale can only be described as an eclectic mix of Clothing, Footwear, Accessories, Trinkets, Souvenirs, Perfumes and Homemade goods, the list just goes on and on.

But that's just the beginning, as you move further into the market you enter the area that holds the more traditional market stalls with your large vendors and more serious sellers who are very much a normal part of markets around Thailand. Some of these stalls in this area resemble small boutique shops rather than a market stall and the variety of goods on offer is impressive.

There are actually two different styles of the market that take places here at Chillva, Mondays and Tuesdays 5pm onwards see's the second-hand market which of course includes lots of the vendors selling second-hand goods, Once again it offers a very wide choice for those of you who like recycling. Wednesday and Saturday see the traditional fee market as shown above. As you continue to explore the market you will come to the food area, for me, this is one of my favourite parts of any Thai market just simply because of the choice that's normally on offer.When I know I'm going to a market I tend to try and hold out and not eat beforehand as I know there is always something delectable to be had and Chillva is no exception with its very impressive food area including actual proper restaurant but personally, I love walking, browsing and eating, however, if you prefer to sit there's also a seating area towards the back that happens to be very pretty as well.

The choices of foods at Thai markets is just staggering, not only will you find Thai foods but also foreign and European dishes from all over the world, Japanese, Korean, American and English plus lots lots more.For those of you who are worried about food hygiene regarding food preparation and cooking etc, I say this, honestly, some of the best foods you will find is at both the Thai markets and on the street 'Thai street food'  not to mention value for money.Generally, Thai's are very proud of their food, with great care being taken over both cooking and preparation, you get to see everything unlike restaurants, who knows what goes on behind closed doors in some establishments and it can be fascinating to watch how they prepare some of the dishes.

Something that I haven't mentioned yet is just what great value some of the Thai markets are.The prices, well honestly I really don't know how they can do it, during my visit I purchased three T-Shirt each T-Shirt was just 100 baht! Yes, that right 100BAHT!!! Before you say 'I bet they were rubbish quality' It's actually the opposite and I came away very pleased with my purchases.However, a word of caution not all market's here in Thailand offers such great value, what I have found over the years is tourist markets or markets that receive a lot of tourism are not always the best value and you really need to hunt out markets like this one which the locals tend to use more, that's where you find your real bargains.   So if you're coming to Thailand then I would say take a look at the markets here even if you don't buy anything, which honestly id be surprised if you didn't, It's still great fun strolling around on a warm evening taking in this unique atmosphere.

                  Chillva Market is a real Gem not to be missed 😁.

[thailandtony]

Nai Harn beach and Surrounding Area

The Beautiful Nai Harn Beach.

Nai Harn Beach is situated between Rawai and Kata with Ko Man island to the left side when looking out from the beach. This is a must-see beach here in Phuket whether you have visited before or not.

Nai Beach is a long slightly curved sandy beach which is great for family's and alike, the beach drops way into the coastline gradually so children do not find themselves getting out of there depth to quickly and is very popular with swimmers. However, a Word of Caution:  At certain times of the year mainly in the low season (Rainy Season) Nai Harn beach can have strong undercurrent so you should always pay attention to the flags on the beach.

To the southern end of the beach, you will find an inlet which at times breaks the beach in too two parts and give you another area to explore, I often take my dog a walk in this area as its slightly away from the main area of the beach but still allows her to swim 😀

There a lot more to Nai Harn beach than just the beach just behind the beach area there is a large shaded area which is great to get out of the midday sun which at times can be very overpowering plus in this area, you will find a few small restaurants, shops and vendors offering souvenirs, beachwear and refreshments so plenty to explore....

But I'm not finished, moving further back there is Nai Harn Temple, not overly large but well worth a look around and behind the Temple.

There is Nai Harn park and lake which is a fantastic place to enjoy. You could take along a picnic or even some food and cook it on a disposable BBQ or if nothing else just sit and relax.This area is very popular with local Thai's and expats in the morning and evening time with people exercising or walking their dogs.

Check out my video on this area HERE If you are interested in visiting the Nai Harn beach area it can be found on Google Maps HERE

[thailandtony]

Dim Sum Breakfast

A Great way to Start your Phuket Day...

The Boonrat Restaurant บูญรัตน์โกลต์

The Restaurant is situated on Thanon Chao Fah Tawan Ok 'Rd'

( google map link Click Me)

this little unassuming restaurant offers some very tasty Dim sum at wallet-friendly prices with plenty of seating, friendly staff and a relaxed atmosphere.

With some much great food on offer in Thailand, it can sometimes be hard to decide what to have for breakfast especially when you just want quick and easy.well, this is just the ticket for that situation, Boonrat offers a good range of freshly cooked very tasty Dim sum to choose from, plus Coffee's, Teas and a selection of other Thai foods.

[thailandtony]

Karon View Point

Karon View Point

also called in Thai ' Kho Sam Haad ' The hill of three Beaches.

Karon Viewpoint is a very well known landmark on the island of Phuket, one of many places where you can take in some picturesque views of the Island.

Situated on the top of the hill overlooking Kata Noi, Kata and Karon which is the farthest beach in the picture above 'Confused' yes I was too on my first visit, Why not just call it Kata viewpoint, well I believe it originally was but at some point, the name was changed.

Why? you may ask

That's not really clear but hey this is Thailand. 😅

Parking

On arriving at the viewpoint you will find a good-sized parking area making it easy to park your car or Motorbike.

Facilities at the view-point

There are several areas within the viewpoint to enjoy including an area with some tables, so if you want to bring a picnic along you can sit relax and enjoy the surroundings.

There are currently no shops nearby but sometimes you may find a few small vendors selling snacks but this is never guaranteed so remember to bring a bottle of water with you.

The main viewing area is at the top of the tower but do not worry there aren't too many steps to negotiate plus there are views available at the ground level so you choose not to climb the tower.

But it's well worth the effort.

what another beautiful day, blue skies and Phuket is basking in glorious Sunshine 🌞🌞🌞

Don't forget to check out my video 'Click Me'

on Karon Viewpoint which also includes Big Buddha and Promthep Cape.

[thailandtony]

Phuket To Mukdahan

1723 KM