Reviews - Sriram

Two more happy customers, who enjoyed a Phi Phi Island Hopper Gold Tour and a Phang Nga Sea Canoe tour.


"Hi Francesco,

Me and my friend truly enjoyed the two trips that we booked with you.

I'm happy I choose the right person for taking care of our sightseeing trips.We will definitely recommend you for my friends who are coming in early next year...

And loads of thanks for giving us a great memories of Phuket n of course your tips for massage centre n food in Patong :-)

Regards,

Sriram"

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Phuket Weather

Ahhh.. the weather, everyone’s favorite subject. Or so it would seem based on the number of conversations that revolve around it. 

Here in Phuket is no different although many people who only visit occasionally always want to ask the locals if this week’s weather is typical or when is the rain going to stop? How often have you found yourself wondering or asking these questions? So let’s look at the facts behind Phuket’s weather patterns to make sense out of what seems to be random occurrences of bad weather.
 
The climate is dictated by the monsoon winds. That is the direction of the prevailing winds caused by the difference in the way oceans and land retain heat. During the summer from April to October, the great land mass of Asia is warmer than the ocean. The colder, heavier air over the Indian Ocean pushes into the warm air over the continental land mass. This causes the prevailing winds to come from the southwest over the Indian Ocean, bringing warm moist air and rain to Phuket. As the Asian continent cools from November to April, the ocean becomes warmer than the land. The prevailing wind direction changes to come from the northeast. That is from the great land mass of China bringing cooler, drier air and good weather to Phuket. 
 

Phuket has a tropical climate, more specifically a tropical monsoon climate, with a dry season from November to April and a rain from May to October, with little or no rain between June and August . Average temperatures are consistent year-round. Average highs range from 29 °C (84 °F) to 33 °C (91 °F); average lows range from 23 °C (73 °F) to 26 °C (79 °F). Notice that the high and low temperature ranges do not vary more than 4 to 6 degrees annually. Now that is not to say that on occasion we don’t get a really hot or cool spell, but these are infrequent and really don’t effect the average ranges.

So if you visit from a winter climate, that you can expect that you will feel comfortable to warm, but if you come from a similar or even hotter climate you might feel cool. And if you visit during summer, than you can expect to get rained on occasionally to sometimes daily. Here is a chart illustrating the temperature ranges by month:

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	32	33	33	33	32	31	31	31	31	31	31	31
High °F	90	91	91	91	90	88	88	88	88	88	88	88
Low °C	23	24	24	25	26	25	26	26	24	24	24	23
Low °F	73	75	75	77	79	77	79	79	75	75	75	73

For those of you planning on spending some time enjoying the waters around our beautiful island and who isn’t, the average sea temperature range from 28 °C (82 °F) to 30 °C (86 °F). This indicates that whether you are scuba diving, snorkeling or just splashing about in the waves, the water will be comfortable.

Now lets look at that all important statistic that is on every ones’ mind, rain fall, what is the true data behind the dry season and wet season, as the following charts clearly show, May through October as mentioned above are the ‘rainy’ season, with May, September and October being the monsoon months here is Phuket

 

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
mm	42	30	60	157	345	286	284	272	417	351	188	71
Days	5	3	4	9	18	17	19	17	21	19	14	8

 

As you would expect the humidity ranges and hours of sunshine per day tend to follow the same schedule as the rain season:

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
%	58	56	58	65	73	74	75	74	78	76	72	63
Hours	8	9	8	9	8	7	8	8	7	7	7	8

One important warning: during summer winds bring large waves and dangerous undercurrents to Phuket's western beaches. Red flags are raised on the beaches to warn of dangerous conditions. Do not swim in the sea if there are red flags.

For your planning purposes here is a quick month by month summary of what to expect from the weather when visiting Phuket:

January

It will be beautiful. Lots of blue sky, very little rainfall and temperatures are comfortably hot.

February

It will be beautiful. Lots of blue sky and normally no rain. The temperatures are starting to rise but sill in the comfortably hot range.

March

It will be beautiful but the temperature starts to get hotter. There is lots of blue sky and some thunderstorm.

April

Temperatures can reach a high level, so during Thai New Year (Song Kran) people enjoy two or three days splashing water to each other. The month starts with plenty of blue sky but usually, at some point towards the end of this month some rain arrives.

May

The wind will change bringing rain that can be heavy during second half. This is the second wettest month of the year. Strong storms are normal and can rain for long periods. On the plus side, the temperature drops back to levels that are more comfortable.

June

Summer starts with short downpours and strong wind . There are often several days without rain and there is some blue sky in the breaks. Temperatures are comfortable with a cooling breeze.

July

The downpours are an inconvenience but not a major annoyance. Normally Phuket has several days without rain and there is sky in the breaks. Wind is down and temperatures are comfortable with a cooling breeze.

August

This is almost a mini high-season month. The school holidays in Europe mean a lot of people choose this month to visit and take advantage of the low-season prices. There are also a lot of Australian visitors this month. The summer continues, downpours are an inconvenience rather than a major annoyance. There may be several days without rain and some blue sky in the breaks. Some thunder storm Temperatures are comfortable with a cooling breeze.

September

This is the wettest month of the year. It will rain often and sometimes for long periods. There will be very little blue sky. This is also the coolest month of the year although average high temperatures are still close to 30 degrees centigrade.

October

Phuket start looking forward for the winter monsoon that will bring dry air. This is the third wettest month of the year. It will rain often. There will be little blue sky.

November

This is the official start of the high season. At some point in this month the rains should stop. There will still be showers and the occasional heavy downpour but the main rains have finished. The sky will be a mixture of cloud and blue. Temperatures start to pick up towards the comfortably hot high season level. The Sea on west coast flatten down as the monsoon changed

December

The high season and the crowds are well and truly here. There will be an occasional shower and perhaps even a few heavy downpours but generally, it is dry. The sky is mostly blue but there is still plenty of passing white cloud. The temperatures are now reaching the thirties.

What conclusions can we draw from all this data, the weather patterns for Phuket are fairly constant and can for the most part be counted on when planning your vacation here. Looking back at data gathered over a 20 to 50 year average confirms this phenomenon of consistency in our weather patterns with today’s data above.

Climate data for Phuket (1961–1990)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	31.8 (89.2)	32.9 (91.2)	33.5 (92.3)	33.4 (92.1)	32.0 (89.6)	31.6 (88.9)	31.2 (88.2)	31.2 (88.2)	30.7 (87.3)	30.9 (87.6)	31.0 (87.8)	31.2 (88.2)	31.8 (89.2)
Daily mean °C (°F)	27.9 (82.2)	28.7 (83.7)	29.3 (84.7)	29.5 (85.1)	28.4 (83.1)	28.3 (82.9)	27.8 (82.0)	27.9 (82.2)	27.3 (81.1)	27.4 (81.3)	27.5 (81.5)	27.6 (81.7)	28.1 (82.6)
Average low °C (°F)	23.3 (73.9)	23.7 (74.7)	24.3 (75.7)	24.8 (76.6)	24.5 (76.1)	24.5 (76.1)	24.2 (75.6)	24.4 (75.9)	23.9 (75.0)	23.8 (74.8)	23.8 (74.8)	23.7 (74.7)	24.1 (75.4)
Precipitation mm (inches)	29.8 (1.173)	20.9 (0.823)	49.1 (1.933)	121.9 (4.799)	319.4 (12.575)	268.9 (10.587)	290.5 (11.437)	272.6 (10.732)	399.0 (15.709)	309.6 (12.189)	175.7 (6.917)	59.4 (2.339)	2,316.8 (91.213)
Avg. rainy days	4	3	5	11	21	19	19	19	23	22	16	8	170
Source #1: Thai Meteorological Department

More details about Phuket's weather at: Jamies Weather Blog
                                                         Easy Day Phuket Weather Report 

Having stated that the weather patterns in Phuket are predictable don’t forget that nature does what she prefers and so sometime can see heavy rain during the winter and dry air and blue sky in summer months. Still a lot to do and places to enjoy, the real difference between the two season are the waves, big and dangerous during summer (May to October), the best time to enjoy nearby islands such as Racha Yai and Phi Phi Island where can enjoy the beautiful Andaman Sea on their east costs . During winter (November to April) wind an be strong in the morning from east however the west Coast beaches of Phuket are at their best.

Luxury Yacht Charter promotion Dec 2013

Double Issue / Slendor / Whaoo II

 On our boats the on board experience is now unrivalled on the Island with our new highly experienced Hostess service team, and on board food menus, creatively designed by our new in-house chef and kitchen team. We ensure you to have an experience of a life time.

>> More about Phuket Yacht Charter 

Double Issue 

Leisure Cruise to Phi Phi Island, Krabi or Phang Nga Bay: THB 220,000 Now THB 190,000
Fishing or Leisure Cruise to Raya Yai Island: THB 220,000 Now 180,000 THB

Splendor

Leisure Cruise to Phi Phi Island, Krabi or Phang Nga Bay: THB 137,000 Now THB 113,000
Fishing or Leisure Cruise to Raya Yai Island: THB 127,000 Now 105,000 THB

What’s more our prices are all inclusive, with no hidden charges awaiting your guests once they board.


- Prices is valid for up to 6 guests on Splendor and I0 guests on Double Issue, extra guest is charge at THB 1,500/person.  
- Trip duration 9am-5pm
- Includes Fuel, hotel transfers
- A gourmet lunch (contact us for examples of our delicious menus)
- All soft drinks and bottled water at NO extra charge
- On board service team of Captain and Experienced service hostesses and a yacht deckhand
- National Park fees and port fees
- Use of sea kayak(s)
- Snorkelling Equipment
- Depart from Chalong pie

Reviews - Mark G.

"Pornsri,

Just wanted to thank you and everyone involved for helping make our Thailand trip so memorable. Francesco and Diego were great and so easy to organise everything with and our drivers and Tee were nothing short of amazing! I will be recommended your company to anyone going to Thailand and I actually got some cards off Francesco to give to my mum who has her own travel managers business and she will be passing them on to everyone who books any Thailand trips through her.

I have just posted a review on your Trip Advisor page as well.

Thanks again for everything.

Regards,
Mark G."

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Easy Day's Private Phang Nga Bay Sightseeing Tour

Our private tour to Phang Nga Bay Private is well designed to avoid the crowds and doing everything at your own pace. A good start to possibly avoid the tourist crowds is to leave your hotel at 7:00-7:30 depending on your hotel location.

James Bond Island - Image by Adriano Trapani

After picking you up at the hotel our driver and our guide will drive you to Phang Nga (about 1 hour) and to the scenic Sam Chong Floating Restaurant where the longtail boat leaves and where you also have a great lunch at the end of the bay tour. After jumping on the boat we head straight to James Bond Island to anticipate the crowds when it's still quiet and almost empty (sometimes schedule varies depending on tide).

After that you visit Tam Lod Area where you have the optional opportunity to do about 45 minutes canoe where professional local paddlers are provided and will bring you to explore a great environment, through the caves and passageways dug by the water through the centuries in the limestone walls and in the mangroves.

Later you visit the fascinating KohPanyee Sea Gypsy village built on stilts, the authentic village lays beyond the first line of restaurants and souvenir stalls and there you can see a unique lifestyle, great place. You then move to a large very interesting limestone cave full of stalactites and stalagmites, away from the usual day trip routes.

You then move back to Samchong Floating Restaurant to enjoy a tasty lunch facing the scenic mangrove channel. After lunch there's one more stop at Sawan Kuha cave temple, usually a lot of monkeys just outside the entrance and Buddha statues inside, very interesting place.

It depends also by your own pace but this itinerary usually ends around 14:00-15:00 in Phang Nga and then we leave the minivan available for you until 17:00 for any additional purpose like visiting waterfalls, temples, shopping, activities or whatever else you would like to do (according to weather and time available). Just discuss about additional destinations after lunch with your tour guide. 

Info & Booking >>> 

Customer Reviews

• Susan & Danny - Private Phang Nga Bay Sightseeing Tour
• Henri, Anneke & Kids -  Private Phang Nga Bay Sightseeing Tour
• Susan R - Private Phang Nga Bay Sightseeing Tour
• Liz C. - Phi Phi Premium Tour & Private Phang Nga Bay Sightseeing Tour
• Conny - Phang Nga & James Bond Island Tour
• Gemma D. - Phang Nga Bay & Phi Phi Island 
• Lemena - Phang Nga Bay Your & Phi Phi Premium Tour
• Chris and Dot - Easy Day's private Phang Nga Tour   
• Jennifer & Laurie - Customer 1000 - A tour to Phang Nga Bay
• Carolanne - Tours to Phang Nga Bay & Phi Phi island

Reviews - Susan R.

Susan enjoyed a Private Phang Bay Sightseeing tour

"Dear Francesco,

We are so happy with our tour that your company provided yesterday! Everything went so well even though our ship arrived over an hour late. We are very impressed with your level of service and will certainly recommend you to everyone who is planning to visit this area of Thailand. All of your employees did an excellent job! It was great you could accommodate another couple at the last minute too. Exploring James Bond Island, paddling in the big cave, seeing the fishing village and all the gorgeous scenery was fabulous!! We will definitely return to Thailand and spend time there without having the constraints of a ship schedule.

Thank you again for making our day so special!

Sincerely,
Susan"

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Tubing with Easy Day Thailand

Tubing in Khao Sok National Park

Tubing is a recreational activity where people ride sitting on top of an inner tube, either on water, snow, or through the air. The tubes themselves are also known as "doughnuts" or "biscuits" because of their shape.

River tubing is an outdoor activity in which people ride inner tubes or inflated disks down a river. Depending on the conditions at the river, tubing can be a relaxing way to spend an afternoon, or it can be a fun-filled adventure. On a gentle river, this sport is suitable for people of a wide range of ages and physical abilities, and it can be a great vacation activity for people travelling with children.

In a typical tubing trip, people wear swimsuits or other gear that can be comfortably worn in the water, and some people also wear life jackets for additional safety. The tubes are launched in the water, and then people mount up and start floating. Once launched, the tubes will freely float down the river pushed by the stream, with the tubers eventually choosing a spot to land.

Easy Day Thailand offers day trips and Overnight trips to Khao Sok & Kapong in Phang Nga Province for great Tubing fun.

Interested?   Contact us Now!

Phuket Tours - Ban Raya Day Tour

Looking for a nice day out with your family? Enjoy some good snorkelling and good food on a beautiful tropical island just 25 minutes south of Phuket.

Baan Raya Sea View

BAN RAYA DAY TRIP

• 7:45-8:15 Pick up at hotel and transfer to Chalong Pier
• 9:00 Departure with speedboat, about 30 minutes to reach Racha Yai
• 9:30-9:45 Arrival at Racha Yai Island where you can decide if snorkelling from
• the boat or go directly to Ban Raya Resort where you can enjoy the great facilities, SPA, pool and great snorkelling from the beach.
• 12:10 Mooring at the small pier and 10 minutes transfer through the tropical environment on “Trak Trak” tractor to Ban Raya Resort. On the way you can see water buffalo's, wild turkeys, monitor lizards and many other flora and fauna.
• 12:20 Arrival at Ban Raya Resort and enjoy fresh welcome drink and delicious set menu lunch with sea view. After lunch there is a lot of time to enjoy more snorkelling from the private beach, the swimming pool or other facilities like Spa Treatments, Horse Riding and Mountain Biking.
• 14:45 Transfer back to the speedboat and lack to Phuket.
• 15:30 Arrival at Chalong Pier and transfer back to your Phuket hotel 

Info & Booking >> 

Alternative Tour: Easy Day Thailand's Premium Racha Island Tour

Customer reviews: 

• Anisa - Day tour to Raya Yai Island
• Jennifer - Tours to Raya Yai Island and Phi Phi island
• Emily - Visit at Raya Yai Island and Phang Nga Bay

Reviews - Foong Yee

Phuket Island Sightseeing tour with Easy Day Thailand

"Hi Francesco,

Good day to you!

I'm writing this note to say a BIG thank you to you and our driver - Aek
Thanks for your arrangement.
Aek is so kind and helpful. Our family have a good time with him.
3D2N trip just too short for us :-)
We will definely re-visit Phuket again. Hopefully next year.
And I can bring my youngest too - she is turning 2 this August.

Thanks again for everthing.
Wish you and your team all the best!

regards,
Foong Yee"

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The Two Faces of Baan Zan Market

Baan Zan Market

One of the great attractions in Patong Beach for food lovers is the Baan Zan Market with its multiple faces to attract visits all day and into the night.  If you are staying in Patong or one of the surrounding areas, I am sure you have heard mention of Baan Zan, either as a great place to shop for food to prepare or as an equally great place to get dinner or a quick snack, the ultimate in Thai fast food. 

During the day, from early morning until around 5 pm the inside of the large building serves as a gathering place for many vendors selling everything from fresh seafood to meats to vegetables to fruits and nuts and dry goods.  Heck upstairs there even several vendors selling clothing and a mini-food court where you can get lunch.  While this thriving market is open, the area around the building serves as a parking lot for motorbikes, cars and on the back sides for the many delivery trucks and vans. 

Having lived in Patong for a couple of years, I use the back entrance, there seems to always be plenty of parking for my motorbike and you are right into the meat and fresh seafood section of the market.  Using this entrance brings you right in at one of the many vendors selling prime cuts of pork, it is all laid out for you to see and the vendors will be more than happy to cut the meats to your wishes.   Directly across the aisle from the pork vendor at the entrance you will find the chicken vendor selling every part of the chicken you can imagine and perhaps some you hadn’t thought of.   Moving around the corner, we immediately come to a fresh seafood vendor, with many different size shrimp (price to match their size) and shell fish like clams and mussels.  Of course, there are more types of fresh fish available than I can name, all of various sizes.

Continuing our walk around the building, you will find a wide variety of vegetable in various stalls, all fresh from the local farms.  Not to worry, there are plenty of temping Thai spices that will allow you to season your dishes to your individual tastes.   Toward the south end of the building just inside the front side entrance there is a vast display of fruits to choose from, plenty of temping items to keep on hand as snacks during the night.  And just to the north of the fruits are other great snack items, nuts, dried fish and crackers.  And do not miss the flowers arrayed along the north, front wall they will brighten your day and your room.  As you can see, there is something for everyone at Baan Zan Market during the day. 

Ah, but we have not yet explored the second floor of the market, what hidden treasures lie up the escalator, there are two clothing stores along with a food court and seating area to allow shoppers to relax and enjoy some of the Thai cuisine available.

  
As the sun sets and the lighting changes, so Baan Zan Market changes; the interior market filled with its vast array of vendor’s empties and the parking lot is converted to an equally vast array of vendors selling prepared food, a mega-food court so to speak.   Just imagine taking all the small food carts that are scattered around Patong and putting them in one place and that will give you an idea of the Baan Zan parking lot in the early evening.

As you stroll among these vendors slowly making your way through the crowd and believe me it is crowded.  It should strike you that both locals and foreigners alike are all perusing the assortment of traditional Thai dishes and dishes from all over the world.  To me this is a good sign that the food is outstanding and good quality; this size market could not long survive if it offered less than high quality foods.  There are stalls with an incredible display of fresh seafood that they will cook to your order, perhaps you feel like grilled tonight or fried or streamed in a speciality sauce.  You might like to try a more traditional Thai dish of chicken or pork or fish in a variety of sauces (being careful to ensure that the dish is not spicier than your taste’s like, be sure to ask “pet mai?” which means is it spicy in Thai)

Here we see a women fixing individual portions of soup to order, that typifies the vendors at Baan Zan, they prepare individual servings so you and the others in your party can each get whatever strikes your fancy.   Do you like fresh steamed corn on the cobb, well there are several vendors selling it right out of the steamer for a mere 20 baht.  Or tonight your taste’s run to something with a Japanese flavor like sushi rolls, have no fear these are also available from multiple vendors.  So if you are looking for an interesting adventure in Thai shopping and food, I strongly recommend Baan Zan Market, both in the day and into the evening.

Similan / Koh Tachai snorkeling liveaboard trips

Reggae Queen (aka MV Sawan)

Reggae Queen (aka MV Sawan) is a liveaboard boat for snorkelers only (no scuba divers). It runs twice weekly trips to the best snorkeling locations in the Andaman sea including the Similan Islands, Koh Tachai and the Surin Islands. As well as great snorkeling they also go to the best beaches. Trips also include a visit to the Moken sea gypsy village at Surin. Snorkelers on this boat regularly see sharks, turtles, manta rays and much more. They even see whale sharks.

Sawan is 21m long and 4m wide with a wooden hull and twin engines. She cruises at 12 knots. There are 8 twin bunk bed cabins and one master cabin with a double bed for a maximum of 18 guests. All cabins have air conditioning. There are five shared bathrooms. There is a spacious shaded area on the upper deck for relaxing on board. There is also plenty of room for sunbathing. Sawan has the full complement of safety equipment including life raft, life vests and fire extinguishers. 

 More details on our Snorkel Website: Snorkelingthailand.com

Schedule:

Trips run from Nov to April every Sunday and Wednesday.

Sunday to Wednesday, starting Khao Lak finishing Kura Buri.

Wednesday to Saturday starting Kura Buri, finishing Khao Lak.

Transfers from Khao Lak hotels are included. If you need a transfer from your Phuket hotel we can arrange that for you.

Price: 12,100 baht per person (2012-2013)

Price includes: all meals, soft drinks, quality snorkeling gear, transfers Khao Lak hotel-boat-Khao Lak hotel. (Phuket transfers available on request).

Not included: Alcoholic drinks, national park entrance fees (1000 baht per person)

Book / Enquire Now

Reviews - Kartika

Feedback from super happy customer who did 3x Phuket Island Tours for Sightseeing and Shopping


"Hi Francesco,

We are back in Bali already last Saturday and now back to the crazy busy schedule at the office. I would like to thank you to you for arranged an amazing full day tour and shopping. Special thanks to Mr. Eak who was very nice and patient, he got my gold rated for service. I definitely will recommend your travel agent to my guests ( I have tour & travel agent here in Bali second company after diving) and would like to comeback to Phuket again next year.

Take care and please send my regards to Mr. Eak from all of us here and from little Naia, she like to thank you to him that he brought his son DVD to entertain her during the tours.

Keep in touch
Kartika"

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Phuket Big Buddha

As you travel around the southern end of Phuket Island there is a single feature in the middle of the island that dominates the country side, clearly visible the huge, white image of Buddha.  At over 45 meters tall, sitting atop the Nakkerd Hills between Chalong and Kata it is easily visible from great distances and has quickly become one of the island’s significant and venerated landmarks. There are perhaps over a 1,000 foreign and Thai visitors wondering around the site on a daily basis, even though it is not yet complete.

Sitting on the top of the hill offers spectacular 360 degree views of the island (picture extensive vistas of Phuket Town, Kata Beach, Karon Beach, Chalong Bay and more).  The Phra Puttamingmongkol Akenakkiri Buddha as it is known among the Thai’s is 25 meters across at the base. The body and surrounding ornate portion of the base is layered with beautiful white Burmese marble that almost glows in the sun light, making it a unique symbol of hope for all. Whether looking at the panoramic views or the gigantic image of Buddha they are all breathtaking.

Once you have reached the base of the statue you will be struck by the feeling of peace and tranquility that pervades the site, the only noises you will hear are the tinkling of small bells hung from the tree branches and the yellow Buddhist flags in the compound flapping in the wind plus soft background dharma music.

Note that funds for the massive construction project are provided completely from donations and through the sale of souvenirs.  A unique souvenir that you do not take with you is the white tiles that will eventually be used to cover the entire statue.  After purchasing one or more of these tiles you write a message on the tile(s) and thus your visit to this shrine will become part of the statue.   I have visited the Big Buddha many times since moving to Phuket in 2008, always marking my stop with a short message on one or more of the tiles.  So I can say that my children, my brother and his family and my parents also have a place on the statue.  At the base of the statue is a hall displaying the history of construction, including techniques used.  It is in this hall where the tiles can be purchased along with other souvenirs and there are vast arrays of donation boxes for people who wish to just contribute to this amazing project.

Getting up to the Big Buddha can be an adventure in itself, there is a winding narrow, 6 km road off Chao Fa Road East near Chalong that leads up to the base parking lot.  In my many visits this road has gone from a dirt path to a fully paved road, but is still a bit tricky in spots.  When I first started making my pilgrimages up the mountain there was little along the road once you past through the village near Chao Fa Road, but as progress on the statue continued many new businesses have sprung up, including restaurants, coffee shops, elephant rides, 4 wheeled ATV rental and even a paint ball gaming area.  There is now a full fledged parking lot when you reach the top that replaces the catch as catch can parking that was available before.  Of course once you have reached the base of the statue, your journey is not complete, there is still the stairs up to the actual base of the statue, so please be prepared.

Please dress appropriately for what is a religious site, i.e., no bare shoulders or midriffs or short-shorts, but there are sarongs available free of charge if you are wearing something a bit daring.  The statue site is open from 8 am until 7:30 pm, making it a great place to catch a fantastic sunset (weather permitting) around 6:30 pm.

The project actually began as an idea at the turn of the century that a few friends had while wondering about in the Nakkerd Hills.  They felt this would make an ideal spot for great scenic vistas of the southern part of the island.   After much discussion and finding the right spot, it was decided to build a giant image of the Lord Buddha that would have more significance to Buddhist.   The project like all major undertakings did have its share of problems along the way, not the least of which was getting the necessary building permits.  The 30 million Baht necessary for the massive structure come entirely from donations. “This project is huge and requires a lot of money. But so far we are managing just fine. I’m amazed at the amount of help we have received from everyone who knows about this project. It seems they all want to be a part of it,” explained Suporn Wanichkul, president of the Mingmongkol Faith 45 foundation, which was formed to build the Giant Buddha.  It was determined that there would be two images of Buddha on the site, a smaller one, 12 meters high, is made of 22 tons of brass costing eight million baht and is dedicated to HM Queen Sirikit.  It is dwarf by the second giant statue that dominates the mountain top and is dedicated to HM King Bhumibol.

A variety of the scenic views from the Big Buddha.

Writen by Uncle Doug, October 2012

Reviews - Adriano Trapani guiding Dr. Alex Tattersall

Great review for Easy Day's Underwater Paparazzi Adriano Trapani, who acted as a private photo guide for Dr. Alex Tattersall on a Similan Island Liveaboard trip on board the The Junk.

"I was fortunate when I requested a private guide on a recent trip to the Similan islands that Adriano was available at this time. As an underwater photographer, I frequently need to request private guides as the one thing that is least conducive to getting good results is having to follow a group around with an overzealous dive master. Usually the private guides will show me a few interesting subjects but what made diving with Adriano different is that he himself is a talented photographer. This meant that he was able to not only find good subject matter but also understand when this subject matter was in potentially photogenic and accessible locations. This insider knowledge enabled me to maximise my photographic opportunities and I left Thailand with a very pleasing collection of images. I’d credit much of this to diving with Adriano. Many thanks!"

Wat Chalong – The Most Important Buddhist Temple in Phuket

The Temple located in Chalong ranks as the most important of the 29 Wats in Phuket and is dedicated to two highly venerable monks, Luang Pho Chaem (หลวงพ่อแช่ม) and Luang Pho Chuang (หลวงพ่อช่วง), who with their knowledge of herbal medicine helped the injured of a tin miners rebellion in 1876.  The Wat was built over a century ago and sees local coming everyday to pray and ask for Buddha’s help and guidance in their lives.  In addition, because of its beauty and serenity, many foreigners flock to the picturesque Temple and hopefully take away a better understanding of Buddhism.

Wat Chalong

As you can see the temple grounds consist of many halls that contain a variety of statues from the past.  Among them are Poh Than Jao Wat; Ta Khee-lek (grandpa Khee-lek), a famous local who won many lotteries after consulting the Poh Than Jao Wat statue; Luang Poh Cham, Luang Poh Chuang and Luang Poh Gleum, all ex-abbots of the temple.  It is traditional to paste small gold leaf squares on the statues of the three abbots in tribute or offering for good luck.

Dominating the temple is the Grand Pagoda, officially named Phramahathatchedi-Jomthaibarameepragat, contains a splinter of Lord Buddha’s bone and many pictures depicting scenes of his life, along with a vast variety of statues of Buddha many poses.  You will want to take your time exploring this cool, airy pagoda that seems to always be blessed with a cooling breeze.   The following pictures give you a small sense of the magnificence of this Pagoda and its interior.  There are even some shots taken from the upper balcony of the grounds below.
There an 'exhibition home' of Luang Poh Cham which features lifelike human-sized wax models of Luang Poh Cham, Luang Poh Chuang, Luang Poh Gleum, and Luang Pu Thuad along with antique Thai furniture, and Benjarong (Thai porcelain designed in five colours), while the famous 'magic' walking-stick of Luang Poh Cham is kept at the current Abbot's dwelling.  This is another building worth an extended visit to enjoy some quite mediation in cooling air-conditioning.

When first you visit Wat Chalong you maybe started by the sound of firecrackers, but do not be alarmed, this is a thanks from a local that has had their prayers answered.  And the sound is muted because the firecrackers are set off inside a large domed enclosure expressly built for this purpose.   An example maybe a man who is suffering from a incapacitating illness will go to the wat to pray for a return to good condition. Once he recovers, he will give thanks by lighting firecrackersat the Wat.

As I mentioned above there are many buildings within the growns of the wat and it is recommended that you explore each for its unique qualities.  The hall containing the statues of the three abbots is very interesting and you will see many Thai’s inside and outside making offerings and praying.  One practice is to shake a vase filled with numbered sticks until one of the sticks falls out, this is then your fortune.  Once the stick has fallen to the floor, you go to a cabinet around the corner to retrieve your fortune from the appropriate numbered bin.  You will need a Thai who can interpret your fortune since each is written in Thai.  Having done this in many Buddist temples I have visited both here and in Japan I know that you sometimes get fortunes that you would rather not see come true, but there is a solution for this, you will need to carefully fold the fortune into a strip and tie it to the appropriate tree outside.

Just outside this hall in front is a great photo spot with a large Elephant staute that seems very popular with tourists.

Of course before going to this hall you will want to stop at the store to purchase the proper offerings, usually flowers, incense and perhaps even the gold leaf to stick on the statues.  Fear not if you forgot to get cash, this is always the convenient ATM machine available. 

Although Wat Chalong is one of Phuket’s many tourist attractions and can get very busy during the middle of the day it is also a place of peace and serenity to be enjoyed by all who visit.  An important point to remember is that it is a very religious site in Buddhism and visit should dress appropriately, no bear shoulders or midriffs or short-shorts.  If you are looking for a beautiful site where you can find a place to reflect on the day, then Wat Chalong as with other Wats on the island may be just what the doctor ordered.