Rang Hill, Phuket (Khao Rang)

Another day, another hill..Phuket is quite hilly, with the highest point at more than 500 meters (1650 feet), and many of the hills have roads to the top. We have found most of these over the years and we do like a nice view. In previous blog entries, we have been up Buddha Mountain and Monkey Hill. A few days ago we went up Rang Hill (Khao Rang) which is in Phuket Town and quite popular with locals and tourists. We have been up there many times before, and the iced coffee in the Tunk Ka Cafe is very good (not sure if it's the best in Phuket as they claim, but good nonetheless). There's another restaurant about half way up called Phuket View - some friends of ours ate there last week and said it was good - one to check out one day!

Being close to the center of Phuket Town, and with several access roads and 2 restaurants, it's a popular spot. Lots of local folk head up there for some fresh air and peace and quiet. Quite a few tourists get up Rang Hill also - HINT for tourists - check out some of the other hills too! We met an English couple up there and I suggested they try Monkey Hill and Khao Kad viewpoint (on Cape Panwa). If you like hills and views, plenty to choose from in Phuket. I'll get more on the blog as time permits...

• Rang Hill location on Google Earth

The roads up to Rang Hill are clean and shady, lots of flowers. At the top is plenty of parking space, a grassy "picnic" area, and some seating with views over Phuket Town looking towards the sea and offshore islands beyond Saphan Hin (Phuket Bay) and Chalong. You can see Buddha Mountain from here too. When that big Buddha is built, the view will be even better.. The Tunk Ka Cafe is down some steps made from old railway sleepers. We did not go for a drink this time, but I know from memory that they have a good menu of what they call "local Thai cuisine". We have been up before in the evening, when you get the "city lights" spread out in front of you. Not quite the same as, say, the view from the Eiffel Tower, but well worth a visit.

Koh Yao

We have been meaning to take a trip to Koh Yao for years, but you know how it is, when you live in a place you keep putting it off in favor of going shopping or having a lazy day at home. I had a couple of weeks holiday in April and with my parents visiting from the UK, we made an effort to be active. Too active - by the end of the holiday I needed a holiday! Koh Yao was one of the many places we visited - some are in the blog already, others may appear later.

Koh Yao actually consists of 2 main islands - Koh Yao Yai (Big) and Koh Yao Noi (Small). The small island has the main population, though you can also visit the bigger island. Koh Yao Yai is big - about the same size as Koh Lanta. Koh Yao Noi is less than half that size, but anyway too big to really explore on a day trip with my parents and 2 kids. One day we'll go back again and leave the kids with my wife's mother. You can rent a motorbike on the island for just 200 Baht a day.

The ferry to Koh Yao Noi leaves from Bang Rong, on the NE coast of Phuket. Coming from the south on the main airport road, turn right at the Heroines monument, and drive another 10km or so. You pass the entrance to Bang Pae on the left and after another few km come to the Bang Rong road on the right. Ferry departs at 8am, 9:30am, 11am. The last one back to Phuket is 4pm. If you want a full day, start early! We thought there was a 10am ferry, arrived before 10am and thus had a 1 hour wait. Luckily, there is a small restaurant there floating in the mangroves where we have eaten before (see Bang Rong Floating Restaurant). The ferry is not huge. An oversized longtail with a roof. Along with about 30 people were several motorbikes. Other large baggage was loaded on the roof. Last year one of these ferries sank in rough water during a sudden storm due to overloading. I noticed that a uniformed officer (coast guard?) was on hand to make sure everyone had a life vest... The ride to Koh Yao Noi took about an hour. The scenery is great on the east coast of Phuket. Koh Yao Noi is on the edge of Phang Nga Bay and you can see some of the limestone rock formations across the sea. It was a sunny old day. We sat outside with the motorbikes (all seats inside were taken, see below). Aside from us, there was an English couple heading over for a day trip. They were Phuket fans and (as we do) enjoyed renting a bike and exploring the back roads. Pictures on the ferry below:



Once there, we found several tuk tuks on the pier ready to take people around the island. We chose the most beat up looking one, and agreed a 200 Baht fee to take us to a beach. We were not fussed where exactly, just A beach where the kids could dig in the sand. Stopping off at the islands 7-11 for a drink, we rattled along the tidy road through the village and then through the fields and trees until we reached the shoreline on the east side of Koh Yao Noi with views over towards the islands and limestone formations to the North of Krabi. Along this coast there are several small resorts such as Lom Lae Beach Resort, Sabai Corner etc.. We found a stretch of beach. Nobody else there. Nice beach although the tide was quite low and there were rocks just under the water, making it hard to even go for a paddle. What is important here is the peace and quiet. Just a small dirt road. Saw a handful of vehicles in the few hours we were there, and had a kilometer of beach to ourselves. Kids played in the sand. We walked along the beach picking up shells. The view across the sea was great, looking across to some small islands such as Koh Hong, just to the NW of Railey beach (Krabi).





We ate some decent food at the Lom Lae resort (see link below), where they didn't seem to have any guests for their bungalows. They were charging 1500 Baht, though I think low season would be much cheaper, and this coast is protected from the SW winds during the summer, meaning no big waves on the beach, so would be a decent place to stay in low season. They were friendly folk and gave us the key to a bathroom in the resort so we could shower. Too soon time to leave and our rattly tuk tuk returned. Rattling back to the ferry (not so crowded this time), and back to big bad Phuket. Koh Yao Noi is a great get away even for just a few hours. We'll be back...

NEW - April 2010 - Photos from Bike Tour at Koh Yao Noi

Koh Yao Noi - Useful Links

• Koh Yao Hotels
• The Paradise Koh Yao Resort - Info and Booking
• Koh Yao Island Resort - Info and Booking
• Koh Yao Noi location on Google Earth
• Tezza's Koh Yao Info
• Eric's Blog (some good Koh Yao stories)
• Phakawan's Blog - bike ride around Koh Yao Noi
• Cycling Tours in Koh Yao
• Lom Lae Beach Resort Website

Update - a NEW ferry service has now started to Koh Yao Noi - for more information see the story in the Phuket Gazette, or look at the operators web site - www.seacanoe.net.

Cape Panwa - Phuket Aquarium (Marine Biological Centre)

One of our favourite areas of Phuket is Cape Panwa (Laem Panwa), located in the far southeast of Phuket. It's a quiet area, with a mostly Muslim population and it seems to us that everyone there keeps the place looking clean and neat. The main road down to the Aquarium at the tip of the island is quite pretty, which has not gone unnoticed by property developers. There are quite a few nice houses overlooking the sea, and several housing developments going on. Only a few hotels there (very nice ones), including the Cape Panwa Hotel and the Novotel Panwa Beach Resort.

Off the main road to the right as you head towards the Aquarium you will see many small side roads. My advice is - follow them! There are some great views around here, and a viewpoint tower has been built at Khao Khad with great views over Chalong Bay. The small road along the west coast of Cape Panwa again has some houses and development going on. There is a small restaurant overlooking Chalong Bay with cheap Thai food where we have eaten a couple of times. It's worth following these small roads in Phuket if you want to get off the beaten track. Many a time you'll find a little gem like a small restaurant, a great view, a little fishing community and you can forget that Phuket is Thailand's No.1 tourist spot for a while. The idea of my blog is to show some of these places, away from the crowds - the places where we, as residents, like to go...

• More about Khao Khad viewpoint on Cape Panwa

Another side road on Cape Panwa professes to be very dangerous. First time we saw this sign were worried that our car might not survive. Surely the road must be incredibly steep to justify this sign? Well, no it's not so bad, but does lead to another great view in the center of Cape Panwa over the hills and trees. You can drive around this area for half a day and still not be sure that you've found all the side roads...

At the end of the road is the Aquarium, and the Phuket Marine Biological Research Center. We've been revisiting the Aquarium for years, mainly to get our kids excited about the fish (they are). It was closed for renovation for about 2 years before opening again in April 2005 with a new walk through tunnel. Now, don't be expecting something like the amazing Blue Planet Aquarium in England. The tunnel here is about 10m long... The Aquarium has a low entry fee of 100 Baht, and is full of fish tanks containing many of the things you'd find while diving in the area such as turtles, lionfish, moray eels, lobsters, batfish, bannerfish, anemonefish, stonefish....My kids love it and I like explaining about the fish to them.

It's all very colourful and there is a good variety of marine life on display. In the tunnel tank are a few small leopard sharks, a couple of different rays and a variety of other fish. They cruise all around you and over your head...not quite as good as diving, but you do, for the briefest of moments, get the feeling of being surrounded by the ocean... There was a moving walkway when we first saw the tunnel, but that seems to be disabled now so you can go at your own pace. In my daughters case that means 60 miles an hour, then run around to the start of the tunnel and do it again, and again, and again.

The final tank contains several huge groupers, each about 5 feet long. In all, it's not a huge place. You can easily walk around in 20 minutes, or you can spend an hour there fish gazing. Outside is a shop selling drinks and ice creams and on the road just outside the Aquarium are food stalls selling all manner of Thai snacks.

Cape Panwa makes a good half day trip with views, quiet scenic roads and the Aquarium. It takes about 25 minutes to drive there from Chalong, about 35 from Kata, about 35 from Patong. Only 15 minutes from my house, which is located in Kathu, the center of the known universe :)

• Phuket Aquarium Official Website
• Aquarium Update on Jamie's Phuket May 2007
• Phuket Aquarium on Google Earth

Khao Sok - On the Lake - Ratchaprapha Dam

We made a quick stop at Khao Sok National Park on the way from Phuket to Chumphon in order to take a boat out on the lake at Ratchaprapha Dam. The lake is huge, indeed much bigger than we realised, and a quick 2 hour boat ride is not enough! But all we had time for, and with my (not so young) parents and 2 young kids, all we wanted to do. The entrance to the Chiao Lan reservoir and the Ratchaprapha Dam is on the road between Phang Nga and Surat Thani. The main park entrance is actually on the road to Takua Pa, a little bit further west. You drive some 15km to reach the reservoir, and the roads can be a bit confusing as they head to various view points, the golf club etc...We had some breakfast at a rather crap restaurant overlooking the water and arranged a boat for 6 of us (4 adults, 2 kids) for 1,000 Baht. It took 15 minutes or so to get away from the dam and reach the more scenic areas...

For the next 2 and a half hours we cruised around the lake passing huge limestone cliffs - it is very much like Phang Nga Bay or Phi Phi island. Boat driver was in a bit of a hurry at times, just slowing down to show us the nicest rocks. There is one small area with a set of rocks they call the "Guilin of Thailand". I had read about it and was expecting something rather bigger, having seen the real Chinese Guilin many times on TV. In fact, I'd say the rocks in Phang Nga Bay look more like Guilin. Anyhow, the scenery here at Khao Sok is rather nice, and we were there nice and early (about 9am) and only saw 2 other boats on the lake. I would like to see the early morning light, which would only be possible if we left our house in Phuket at 4am or stayed overnight there by the lake. We will certainly head here again. I would like to make a much longer trip, stay overnight in a jungle lodge or floating bungalow, explore the caves...this was just a taster. When the kids are a bit older, we'll do it.

Some more pictures:

Monkey Hill, Phuket (Khao To Sae)

We do like hills, and will head for this one again. For some reason, despite seeing this hill every day, we have never taken the time to explore. You can't miss this hill, it's the big one with lots of TV masts and aerials on the top (see photo below) - the tallest hill in the vicinity of Phuket Town (now officially called Phuket City, by the way). We have been up the smaller Khao Rang many times, from where you get some nice views, and we also like driving up "Radar Hill" (with the big radar dome on top - see here) and "Buddha Mountain" (see here for information). I always thought there was not much up Khao To Sae except the aerials. Wrong!

We saw an article in a local Thai language magazine showing the hill and talking about the monkeys that live there. So, with something worth seeing, we decided to check it out....The road up is located in the NE of Phuket City - this map is a good place to look. You can drive right to the top, or stop at the bottom, or half way up where there is a temple (see photos below). In the late afternoon, many local people are walking up the hill, getting some good exercise on the steep road - made us sweat, I can tell you. Look out for dogs as there are lots of manky looking strays up here.

Some of the views are nice from the road, though it is mostly in the trees. The monkeys are near the very top. We saw a big male first and then suddenly a troop of maybe 40 individuals swinging in the trees by the road. These included some really tiny babies clinging to their mothers, some slightly older ones play fighting, a bunch of gossiping females and several large males. They were just hanging out, but then along came a man and his daughter on a motorbike, with a basket full of fruit. He said they regularly go up and feed the monkeys as do several other people. We also saw a woman heading up with food for the dogs. The monkeys went bananas for the bananas, and so we got really close to them. I wouldn't want to get too close to the big ones. My dad got out to try and get some close ups of babies - I am sure he'll send us some pictures soon. We stayed in the car and I convinced my daughter not to throw Pringles out the window for them. We were surprised to see so many monkeys there, and I am sure we'll drive up again soon. Another little surprise - Phuket is full of these out of the way places. Despite the rampant tourism, it is easy to get off the beaten track, and these are the places we like to find.

• Monkey Hill location on Google Earth





More photos taken in June 2007:

Phuket Restaurant Tips: Leelawadee

One of the restaurants we visit most often is Leelawadee, situated on the road between Wat Chalong and Phuket Town, next to the Kajonkiet School, about 3km from the Central Festival Mall. Despite being by the main road, it is a quiet place, full of plants and flowers, with a pond outside full of fish. Service is friendly (note they do not speak much English), food is inexpensive. The menu has everything from Thai salads (the Yam Neua - Beef Salad - is great) to pizza (only 90 Baht) and club sandwiches. They also do breakfasts but the sausages and ham are Thai style (not great). Coffee tastes good here. Cold beers in the fridge. Free drinking water. Tables inside and outside.

 

Update August 2008 - we still eat here often, though prices have gone up quite a bit since 2006 especially the pizza!

• More Phuket Restaurant Tips

Buddha Mountain, Phuket

One of the first places we took my parents on their recent 3 week trip was "Buddha Mountain". On the top of Nakkerd Hill (Khao Nakkerd) a huge Buddha statue is being built. It will be some 45m high and visible from miles away. At this point, after much wrangling over money and building rights, construction is going ahead, and the top of the hill is currently a building site. Much of the enormous base is complete, and a small (12m) replica is already shining gold in the sun.

The views from the hill are great, and its worth a drive. The road to the Buddha Mountain is between Wat Chalong and Chalong Circle (Ha Yaek Chalong), and is very obviously signposted. The road up is about 6km. The last 3km is dirt and can be rather poor after rain. I imagine the whole road will eventually be surfaced. Very few people get up there. We have been 4 times recently and only seen a few other visitors. Last time we wrote our names on bricks that will be part of the base. There are some monks and nuns living there at a makeshift temple and they have a few things for sale. When (eventually) it is complete, this will be quite an amazing spectacle to be sure. The Mingmongkol Buddha project has an official web site (with rather bad English:

• www.mingmongkolphuket.com/eng/eng.html.

Here's some of the views...




• More Views - click here (added 16th September 2006)