The Truancy Report: Go to Phuket and Phi-Phi!!

We just got back from a short visit to Phuket and Phi-Phi Islands, in Thailand. These places both featured prominantly on the world news Dec 26, 2004 when the Tsunami hit.
Although human casulties were high, there was surprising little damage in Phuket. Most of the beach front properties are still there, but there is a huge amount of rebuilding going on - I suspect the tourist towns are taking the opportunity to use their aid money to build new and

build better. The beachfront area at Phuket has been totally re-done and looks great.
The numbers of tourists have yet to return, apparently caused by a common myth that the place was completely wiped out. The people are hurting economically and are wonderful hosts, they just need more business, then Phuket will be stronger than ever.
Travelling there over May to Oct has one distinct advantage: It's low season, so the people are few and the prices are rock bottom.

We stayed in a couple of really nice resorts for a fraction of the normal price, and the staff were wonderful in looking after us. (Resorts booked thru www.latestays.com , and flights to Phuket using www.airasia.com)
Firstly, in Phuket at the North end of Patong Beach was the Novotel Coralia Resort. Great Thai themed room and even better sunset views right of the attached balcony.
Patong beach is a peaceful place now, where groups of Thai friends and familys gather

to eat and talk, swim or place beach football. There are a bunch of friendly dogs there too, one dog who like to sit by me was the spitting image of Jack.
After 2 nights in Patong, it was onto a boat for a 2 hr trip to Phi-Phi Island, stopping briefly in Maya Bay on Phi-Phi Ley, where "The Beach" was filmed.
Then a transfer to a smaller boat for the journey to the Holiday Inn resort on Phi-Phi Don.
The resort's longtail boat took us over the reef through the crystal clear warm waters to the white sands of the resort.

Once again the resort was deserted, and the

staff gave us a wonderful waterfront bungalow, just meters from the sand and hammocks hanging in shady trees.
One of the reasons we chose this resort was the snorkelling is excellent right of the beach, so we did a fair bit of that while we were there. One morning, we took a long tail boat a couple of miles out to a reef off Bamboo Island where the snorkelling was slightly better, while the boatman slept for an hour

or so while we checked out the underworld.
The food and drinks were great and there was a small island style 3 piece band who sang their hearts out during happy hours.
5 min walk up some steps was a rugged clifftop bar for watching the Sunset (notice a common theme here) which we enjoyed a couple of times over some Singha beers and satay sticks.

That short stay in paradise was over too soon, and we were back on the boat to Patong. We decided to go back to the Novotel.
Patong town itself has a fair bit of the shopping, glitz and glam(!) that Thailand is famous for, and also some fantastic restaurants. Our last night's meal was in an very authentic

Italian Pizzeria, complete with wood fired oven, and several cigar smoking mafia type italians enjoying a good bite.
A great holiday to a great place. Of course it was too short, but this one really was too short. Definitely high on the list of places to return to, who knows next time we might check