Dino Park Mini Golf

After a few wet days at the end of the low season, we had a sunny day yesterday so thought we had better do something for the kids. We normally avoid the really "touristy" places in Phuket, which is reflected in this blog, but I do accept that the kids don't always want to be driving around looking at temples or pretty views! Phuket has a whole host of tours and tourist attractions and there is plenty of information about these on other websites. Some of them are quite good, so I am assured! Well, yesterday we drove to Kata and took the kids for a round of golf. Well, mini golf actually. The Dino Park complex has a restaurant (I have eaten the Dino Burgers there - very big and tasty), a bar and the mini golf.





The whole place is done with a prehistoric/dinosaur them with walls, chairs and floors made of "rocks" (concrete). It looks quite good too!The mini golf has 18 holes and is full of dinosaurs. It's 240 Baht for adults and 180 Baht for kids. No discount for locals so we were told. You get your ball and your putter and head off to the 1st hole... I seem to recall as a kid taking mini golf quite seriously. They give you score cards here, but we did not worry about scores. My 2 year old was happy to try and hit the ball and then drop it in the hole. My daughter tried to play a few holes "properly" and even got a hole in one!





The kids enjoyed the entertainment, the dinosaurs, the taped jungle noises, the dark caves. It was a very sweaty day - hot and humid and you won't get much in the way of cooling breezes there as it's so enclosed by trees. Suggest carrying a bottle of water with you. It's a good hour or so of fun, ideal for kids or adult nerdy minigolf fans. If you want real golf there is plenty of golf in Phuket.



• Dino Park location on Google Earth

If you stay around Kata or Karon, Dino Park is ideally located. The area known as "Kata Center" is within a few minutes walk of either Karon or Kata beaches. I imagine in high season the minigolf is busy. There was just one other family playing while we were there. Might just do it again one day when the kids are older and more willing to keep score and try to beat their dad!

Gibbon Rehabilitation Project and Bang Pae Waterfall

Up in the Northeast of Phuket in a heavily forested area is the Khao Phra Thaeo National Park. To get there, head North on the airport road from Phuket Town and turn right at the Heroine's Monument, then drive around 10km - the entrance on the left side is easy to find. We have been up this way many times, not just for the Gibbon Project and the waterfall, but nearby is Bang Pae Seafood and also Bang Rong, where you find a floating restaurant and you can get a ferry to Koh Yao Noi. The Bang Pae waterfalls are not big, but popular with locals at the weekend and you get quite a few tourists up here too. There's a restaurant called Peang Prai just at the entrance gate to the waterfall too.

The forest is thick and full of sounds from the chirping of insects to the song of the gibbons. At the entrance to the falls just as you turn off the main road there is an elephant trekking safari - the elephants looked happy and well fed. I swear they posed for photos too. If you want to try elephant trekking this might be a good spot.



As you drive up to the park entrance the roadside is lined with rubber trees as is much of this area of Phuket. Rubber was once very important to the economy of Phuket and indeed it continues to be important. There are also fields of pineapples nearby, but once you hit the park entrance you are in the jungle, baby!



The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (GRP) is based here - this organisation aims to protect gibbons and their habitat through rehabilitation and education. It's a sad fact that gibbons are caught and kept as pets in Thailand and even hawked round the streets to have photos taken with tourists. This is illegal. The project takes in gibbons who have been rescued, taken away from their "owners" by the police or that have been handed in by owners who no longer wish to look after them. They then go through a long rehabilitation before being released back into the forests. Apparently there is a release due next week which one of the volunteers was telling me about. Sadly he also said that poaching still continues here in Phuket.

 

The Gibbons that are being kept here can be seen in large cages. There are notice boards with information about the gibbons and the work of the GRP. Gibbons swing around and sing their distinctive song. Some sit quietly. The volunteers know them all by name and say they have quite different personalities. My kids enjoyed seeing them and I tried to explain that gibbons are not monkeys!





If you are in Phuket or anywhere else in Thailand and see a gibbon being taken round the streets for tourists to take photos, please take a photo and send it to the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project - grp@gibbonproject.org - tell them where and when the photo was taken. You can also contact the Thai National Parks Office at www.dnp.go.th/complain/index.asp. Please note that the project gets none of the National Park fee (200 Baht for foreigners), so any donation you can make is appreciated. They have a small shop selling gibbon related souvenirs. For more about the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project see the web site www.gibbonproject.org.



If you walk past the Gibbon Project you see a big sign saying "Bang Pae Waterfall". A winding and (in some parts) quite steep path heads up into the forest following the river. At the bottom there are some picnic tables and a few cheap restaurants too. At several points on the way up there are sections of river where you can jump in - on Saturday it was (as usual) quite busy with locals.







• Location on Google Earth

At the very top is a waterfall of about 15m in height... wow! I wouldn't base your trip to Phuket on a visit to this waterfall, but in combination with the gibbons, a walk in the forest and a drive around this area of Phuket, Bang Pae makes a very nice day out. Also good for getting your kids tired - take them for a walk up the path to the falls and they'll sleep like logs that night!

Karon Beach

This blog has tended to steer clear of the main beaches, but since I work in Karon, I can make an exception! The 3 most developed beaches are Patong (super crowded, though does have a few nice bits nearby like Tri Trang and Paradise beach), Kata (quite relaxed, but most of the beach road is taken up with Club Med), and Karon, which is between the two and not bad at all. Let's talk about Karon Beach...



Most websites will tell you the same thing - Karon is Phuket's "second most developed" beach, but is quite spread out with many resorts along the beach road, generally does not feel too crowded, it much cleaner and neater than Patong and the sand is squeaky - I thought this was rubbish, but the dry sand does squeak, it's true. The beach is long and open (if you want a curving bay, then try Kata or Naiharn). In some places there is shade, in other places the beach is hot - but of course you can find beach chairs everywhere in the high season. Karon Beach is more than 3km from end to end.



Unlike parts of Patong, there is virtually no development right on the beach. For much of the length of Karon, there is a road, some greenery and a canal in between the beach and the hotels. Only hotels right on the beach are Karon Beach Resort, Ruam Thep Inn (south end) and a small place called "In On The Beach" at the north end. The beach is quite green, the sand is clean and fine and from most hotels you are no more than a few minutes from the water.



Karon is about an hour from the airport, 15 minutes from Patong or 10 minutes from Chalong Jetty. If you like a quiet beach, but some nightlife, Karon is ideal - you can head into Patong in the night - Karon has a few bars, but nothing serious. It does tend to be more of a family beach, and the accommodation reflects this. Most of the beach road is taken up with resorts - some huge like the Hilton or Thavorn Beach resort, some smaller like Karon Princess or Woraburi. But off the beach road there is a profusion of small hotels and guesthouses like Karon Place, Anan House, Casa Brazil, Pineapple Guesthouse - many, many options and all just a few minutes from the beach. Just about any kind of room you want is here - from 250 Baht fan rooms to 5 star luxury. Some links at the end of this page.



Similarly, there are plenty of eating options. The resorts have some nice restaurants, there are steakhouses like Buffalo Steakhouse or Angus O'Tooles, there is seafood galore and also many small family restaurants for Thai food. If you want good, cheap local food get off the beach road and look along "Patak Road", where you can find where the locals eat.. yes, there are locals here - fishing folk mostly, and you still see fishermen at the beach, or longtails going out fishing. These days, many of the local families now run guesthouses or restaurants rather than relying on fishing for a living.

Karon Circle at the north end of the beach road features a large statue depicting local people involved in the four main traditional industries of Phuket – farming, rubber, fishing and tin mining. Tin made Phuket rich, fishing continues to be important (I suggest you check out the fishing port on the east side of Phuket town on the way to Koh Sirey) and many areas of Phuket are still covered with rubber plantations, including the hills above Karon - you can see some photos on my Phuket weather blog.



Karon has no single "center" really. There is the area near the circle (north end of the beach) which is most developed and has several quieter side streets with lots of small hotels and restaurants, and there is the area around Karon Plaza near the Phuket Orchid resort (south end of the beach) which also has many guesthouses and places to eat and is only 10 minutes walk from Kata beach too. The Aroona Karon area about half way along the beach is nice and features the Old Phuket Hotel.

Karon Beach is a nice place to stay. Developed, yes, but it has been done quite neatly, certainly if compared to Patong. Accommodation for everyone from luxury seekers to backpackers, and a great base for exploring Phuket. Lots of cars and bikes for rent enabling you to go and check out other beaches nearby (Kata, Naiharn, Rawai) or places like Kata Viewpoint (from where you can see Karon - see below), Phromthep Cape, Chalong Temple and much more!



Karon Beach Links

• Karon Beach Hotels @ Agoda.com
• Karon Beach Hotels - Last Minute Deals @ LateStays.com
• Sunrise Divers - PADI Dive Center
• Old Phuket Hotel
• CC Blooms Hotel
• Pineapple Guesthouse
• Karon Temple
• Map of Karon Beach and nearby Hotels

More Recommended Hotels in Karon Beach

• Woraburi Resort and Spa
• Karon Beach Resort
• Hilton Phuket
• Centara Villas
• Thavorn Palm Beach Resort
• Phuket Island View

Buying a House in Phuket - Real Estate in Phuket

Update 2010 - A friend of mine has a nice house for sale - see here.

I have been living in Phuket since 1999, and after a couple of years renting several apartments and houses, then starting a family it was time to buy a house. We (my wife and I) already knew the areas we liked in Phuket and spent many days driving around looking at houses for sale and even went to a house auction for repossessed properties! Since we have a family, we had to compromise on location - a hillside villa is not idea when a toddler might decide to crawl off the balcony, and although we like the Rawai / Naiharn area, it's just a little remote. We were already living in the Kathu area which is close to town, close to hospitals, close to shopping and markets, close to golf courses (if you like golf) etc.. so that was where we ended up buying our house.

Phuket is a great place to live. I don't write this blog for a living, I write it as a celebration of Phuket! We like living here and after 4 years in our own house we feel very comfortable. Phuket has a local life, great food, festivals and traditions, and also has the tourist scene. You can get just about anything you need here. You can live close to the "action" or you can live off the beaten track. Up to You - it's all out there waiting.



• Want to live in Phuket? Contact Siam Real Estate

When we bought our house, since we knew the area we did not feel the need to contact a Real Estate Agent. If we were selling, we certainly would, as you need help from people who know how to reach potential buyers - all we could do is stick a "For Sale" sign on the gate and hope someone sees it!

I have met Richard, the owner of Siam Real Estate, a couple of times socially. Enough time to have a chat about land and houses and prices - he talks straight, doesn't try to bull**it anyone and has an experienced business brain. He has worked hard and Siam Real Estate is now one of the largest companies on the island. If you want advice about buying a house - that's the place to go.

Buying a House in Phuket - Useful Links

• Siam Real Estate - Contact Information
• Buying a Property - why choose Siam Real Estate? (apart from the fact that I recommend them!)
• Siam Real Estate - Home Page

• Hot Property
• Luxury Property in Phuket
• Condos and Apartments
• Villas and Houses
• Current Phuket Special Offers

• Phuket Real Estate - Frequently Asked Questions
• Legal Advice for Buyers

Villa and Condo Rentals (often a better deal than a hotel!)

• Holiday Rentals in Phuket
• Long Term Rentals in Phuket

If you have visited Phuket and are thinking of renting or buying a house here - either to retire, or just to use as a holiday home, there are so many options you may not know where to start. You are welcome to contact me - please leave a comment on this post with your email - I'll answer to your comments or I can forward your email to Siam Real Estate so they can contact you (I mean, I know Phuket very well, but they know rather more than me about houses!). Check some of the links above to Siam Real Estate web site allowing you to explore different areas of Phuket and look for that ideal dream house!

Siam Real Estate have also introduced a couple of very nice offers to help you to buy in Thailand during these "uncertain economic times" - see the links below for details:

• Airfare Refund Offer
• Easy Buy Terms

If you buy a house or stay here long term, you are welcome to invite me round for a beer! Last word of advice - take your time looking at houses - Phuket is a big place and there are hundreds upon hundreds of houses for sale. The house you are looking for is probably here somwehere!

Hotel Recommendations: Merlin Beach Resort

The Phuket Merlin Beach Resort is almost in Patong Beach, but not quite. The location is off a side road to the South end of Patong, past the Baan Yin Dee Boutique Resort and heading towards Paradise Beach. It's easy enough to find, but not too many people head this way. This is an area we like and I have already recommended the Tri Trang Beach Resort on this blog.

I just decided today to blog the Merlin Beach Resort, as a customer came in to book diving and was raving about the place. It IS a big resort, with more than 400 rooms and does get large travel agent bookings, yet due to it's secluded location does not feel like part of the main tourist scene. The resort has several restaurants, tennis courts, 3 pools, a spa, a gym, a beauty salon - all that you'd expect from a quality resort.

But the attraction for me (as usual) is the location - Merlin Beach Resort is on it's own beach - which they say is called Tri Trang Beach, although that is also the name of the beach where you find nearby Tri Trang beach resort. The Merlin Beach faces south, the Tri Trang Beach resort faces North. The 2 hotels are not on the same beach... But hey, it's a private beach, located near Patong (near enough to get there in 10 minutes, but far enough to be very quiet) - great location.

• Location of Merlin Beach Resort on Google Earth

Phuket Merlin Beach Resort - Booking and Reviews

• Merlin Beach Resort Rates and Reservations at Agoda.com
• Merlin Beach Resort Reviews

• More Patong Beach Hotels


Merlin Beach Resort - Photos

 

 


• More Hotels in Phuket - Phuket Hotels at Agoda.com
• Last minute Phuket hotels - LateStays.com
• More Phuket Hotel Recommendations

TripAdvisor Phuket - Reviews and Deals

As an aside from my normal tales of "where we went last weekend" I just want to make a quick post to highlight a very useful website for planning a trip to Phuket - probably most people already know about TripAdvisor.com, but on this page you can find links to the most useful and relevant pages on the site relating to Phuket.

On TripAdvisor you can find hotel and holiday reviews by real travelers, not paid reviewers, so reviews are not always 100% positive! It does help to have a balanced view before making a booking. This web site is not a travel brochure where the sun always shines and every detail is perfect, though there is of course advertising on the site to keep it profitable. There is also a useful forum where you can ask questions (and give answers). You can find maps, vacation package deals and flight information too.

So, here are some links direct to the pages that relate to Phuket...

TripAdvisor.com Phuket

• Phuket Overview
• Phuket Forums (I'm on there sometimes!)
• Phuket Hotels
• Flights to Phuket
• Phuket Deals
• Phuket Attractions
• Phuket Discount Hotels

Of course, TripAdvisor.com covers the whole of Thailand (and indeed the whole world) - so here's a few links for other places of interest:

• TripAdvisor Thailand
• Phi Phi Islands
• Bangkok
• Chiang Mai
• Koh Samui
• Koh Tao

A trip to Phuket Zoo

We have of course been to the zoo before, and I have blogged it before (see Phuket Zoo), but when you have kids you need to think of something exciting to do! With previous weekends either raining or taken up with birthday parties, we promised the little 'uns that we'd go on Saturday (if it was sunny). The sun duly shone, and so we could go to see the tiger, the elephants, the crocodiles and many other great and wondrous beasts...





Phuket Zoo is a great attraction for local residents since the entry fee for residents is only 80 Baht for adults and 50 Baht for kids. So we are happy to come again and again! Note that if you are a tourist the fees are considerably higher.





It was a hot day on Saturday, and the zoo always seems hot since it's full of trees and rather humid with little in the way of cooling breezes. Thus you are bound to part with a little more money to buy a drink or ice cream :)

Now, I am not a zoo fan in general. Some of the animals seem happy enough - the elephants look happy when playing basketball, the deer and birds look jolly, but some animals such as the leopard, which paces back and forth in a bare cage, I do feel sorry for.



The kids of course are excited to see the animals. We made a bee line for the tiger, who was rather dopey. A tourist kid sat with the tiger while his dad took photos. The tiger keeper (a one armed man) poked the tiger with a stick, making him growl and bare his teeth. Would I let my kid sit next to a pissed off tiger? Er.. no.

 

The growling rather scared my 2 year old, so we went to find crocodiles instead (yeh, not at all scary). Then we stopped at the elephant show for a while. The viewing stand was packed full (and this is low season!), so we stood just outside for a while and watched elephant races and elephants standing on two legs and elephants playing basketball.








The zoo has lots of smaller animals too, such as monkeys, a huge variety of birds, snakes, a small but refreshingly cool airconditioned aquarium, plus deer, camels and (wow!) goats (which my kids enjoyed feeding with bananas). There is also a very nice orchid garden (I do like orchids).







If you wanted to see all the shows at Phuket Zoo (elephant, monkey, crocodile) and all the animals you can easily spend a few hours there. We tend to dash around in an hour and head home. Since we are paying local rate we are not so worried about getting our money's worth! And I am sure we'll be back again.

• Phuket Zoo - Location on Google Earth



Phuket Zoo Links

• Phuket Zoo Website
• Discussion about Phuket Zoo on TripAdvisor