Bay Regatta, Thailand’s biggest yachting event

Yachting is famous around the world and this is no different here in Phuket. Sailboats from all over the world have always made Phuket’s Chalong Bay pier a resting point, but next month from the first to the fifth these beautiful boats will head to Phang Nga Bay for the famous Bay Regatta.

This year is the Regatta’s 15^th year, and it is known to be one of the most stunning yachting events in the world. It is South Asia’s most popular boating event and brings in people from all corners of the earth. This year it is said that 40 to 50 yachts will be in attendance. The main highlight is of course the race, although there is always plenty to do on land as well.

Each night a party is held, and each is held in a completely different place. Phuket’s event will be held on the final night at the Ao Chalong Yacht Club in Chalong Bay. Being the last night of the event means it will most likely be the biggest party of them all with presentations, awards and plenty of fun.

Watching the race itself is also exciting and many do just this, following the yachts from island to island. For a map, more information, or to register for this amazing race go to http://www.acyc-phuket.com/bayregatta.htm.

Wat Chalong Fair

The Chinese New Year will kick of this coming Monday, and with it comes the Wat Chalong Fair. This is Phuket’s biggest temple fair and was started by the local farmers in 1933. It began as a way of celebrating the long hard work that had been completed during the harvest time and later was moved to coincide with the Chinese New Year.

The fair lasts for seven days and of course takes place at Wat Chalong, which can be found on Chaofa Road in Chalong. During the seven days there are numerous stalls selling anything fried you can think of, as well as stalls selling plenty of goods, clothing and souvenirs that can be had for great prices. The fair comes alive each night with live entertainment that includes dancing, music and Muay Thai among other things, and like all Thai festivals there will also be contests and raffle draws.

Wat Chalong is one of the most important temples on the island and is extremely beautiful, so it is worth visiting regardless of the festival. But I do ask all tourists to please respect the Thai culture and Buddhist religion by making sure that your shoulders and knees are covered once entering the temple grounds. Otherwise just have fun and mingle with the locals.

The Year of the Dragon

Now that the Western New Year has passed it is time to prepare for the Chinese New Year. As some may know Phuket has quite a large Chinese community and they will no doubt have something great planned for bringing in the Year of the Dragon.

The Year of the Dragon is the most celebrated of all the zodiacs in the Chinese calendar as it is the mightiest of all the signs. This year marks the Water Dragon and Phuket’s Old Town will light up with fireworks, colourful decorations and people dressed in red. Although in many countries this holiday is celebrated over 15 days, here in Phuket only the first day is celebrated, which in on January 23rd.

For those really wanting to experience this great holiday the best way to do this is to go and join in on the festivities, which of course includes eating. There are certain foods that are believed to bring good luck if eaten on this day. These include fish, dumplings, melon and pumpkin seeds, noodles, sweets and taro cakes. Don’t forget to hit the market, as the Chinese New Year is famous for its bargain prices.

For the Love of Food

Everyone loves to eat, myself included, so I thought I would dedicate this weeks post to restaurants and food events taking place this month throughout Phuket.

The first must on my list is ‘Curry Fridays’ at Navrang Mahal India Restaurant, which is located at Karon Sea Sands Resort & Spa. I absolutely love Indian food so I am looking forward to spending a few Friday evenings here enjoying the curry buffet, which costs 449 Baht per person. The food will also go down great with a 50 Baht glass of beer.

Next on my list is to taste a delicious gourmet meal by One Star Michelin Chef Guillaume Salvan at the Pavilions in Choeng Thale. This extraordinary chef will be at the resort from January 12^th to 14^th, which the resort is calling ‘Gourmet Week’. A meal is not cheap but well worth the 2,800 Baht for a once in a lifetime chance to taste this highly acclaimed chef’s food. This is open to all in Phuket, not just guests of the resort, but book fast as seats are filling up.

Finally, I will end this week’s post with 2011’s best-rated restaurants in Phuket. The not-to-be-missed fine dinging restaurant for those visiting Phuket is Andara Resort & Villa’s Silk Restaurant & Bar, while Patong’s Baam Rm Pa is also rated as one of the best. For cheaper eats try Phuket Town’s Kota-Khao-Mun-Kai or Choeng Thale’s Baan Suan Layan Restaurant.

Happy New Year

Phuket is in full swing and there are thousands of tourists around during this extremely busy time of year. Nearly all of the resorts are full, and the bars, restaurants and clubs are preparing for tonight’s New Years Eve festivities. People have been arriving all week in anticipation for tonight, and travellers have not just been arriving from abroad. Phuket is also a popular New Years Eve destination for younger generation Thais. This explains the packed buses, full trains and unavailable domestic flights, not to mention the traffic.

Like in any country, New Years Eve is a night that all should take extra caution and care. There will be plenty of people driving under the influence, or intoxicated and looking for a brawl, as well as those looking to take advantage of others. So I urge all to be very careful tonight no matter how you choose to bring in the New Year, but still remember to have some fun.

I wish everyone a safe and happy New Years!

Phuket’s New Year’s Fair

The New Year is fast approaching us and Phuket marks this worldwide holiday by celebrating the Phuket Red Cross Fair, which many just call the New Year’s Fair. This yearly event is enjoyed by both locals and holidaymakers and is a great way to bring in the New Year.

The fair kicks off on January 1^st at 3:30pm and features food kiosks, booths selling local arts & crafts and souvenirs, carnival attractions and fair games, and is something that people of all ages can enjoy. There is also night entertainment in the form of live music and traditional Thai dancing. The fair is a fantastic way for tourists to mingle with the locals and learn more about the lovely Thai culture, as well as taste Thai delicacies and sweets.

Although this is a popular festival used to bring in the New Year, it is also an important charity event. The fair holds a lottery each year and all ticket sales go to the Thai Red Cross in Phuket, which is great organisation aimed at helping locals in need. The event itself is free, however purchasing a ticket is highly recommended, as last year the first prize was a 3 million Baht home.

The Phuket Red Cross Fair will take place at Saphan Hill Park in Phuket town and will run from the 1^st to the 7^th of January. It will begin at 3:30pm each afternoon and carry on into the evening.

Enjoy an evening of live Jazz

Being a long-term resident of Phuket I am always looking for new and interesting things to see or do around the island, so I was thrilled to find out about this weekend’s International Jazz Festival. Not only is it something new to do in the evening but it will also be excellent to hear some great live Jazz.

The festival takes place at Phuket’s Central Festival and will feature both local and international Jazz musicians. It will run for three evenings, and begins at 18:30 each evening starting tonight (December 16^th). Tonight is titled ‘Trendy Jazz’; tomorrow is listed as ‘Classic Jazz’, while Sunday will be ‘Pure Jazz’. I am not yet sure which type of Jazz I will prefer so I think I may turn up for all three.

Unfortunately I cannot seem to find out how much the tickets are, but from the looks of it if you spend 1,500 Baht at Central Festival Phuket you will receive tickets for two. This seems easy enough to do, as I am sure I can manage to spend that quite easily with all of the shopping and food options available. This is not a large sum of money to spend to enjoy a few good evenings out.

For more information on the event and a list of the musicians visit http://www.centralfestivalphuket.com/events.aspx?Id=127.

James Bond Island. A great way to spend a day.

The weather is lovely here in Phuket, which means it is time to start venturing out and enjoying the island’s fabulous surrounding area. There are plenty of places to visit that make for easy day trips, but one of the most popular is Khao Phing Kan. This island is located in Phang Nga Bay and is most famous for being featured in ‘The Man With the Golden Gun’, giving it is nickname James Bond Island.

James Bond Island consists of two forested limestone islands as well as a 30 metre high limestone rock that is just to the west of the islands. The entire sight and its surroundings are spectacular and all visitors will be in awe as soon as the islands come into sight, making for fantastic holiday photos.

It is best to visit James Bond Island on a tour, as it will include all transfers, a guide and lunch. A minivan will leave Phuket and take you to Phang Nga Bay pier where visitors will then board a longtail boat and head out to the islands. Most tours first stop on Koh Panyee for lunch, which is also a beautiful island in the bay. Afterwards the boat will continue on to the stunning main attraction. Some tours will even include kayaks as opposed to the longtail boat, which in my opinion is an added bonus.

No holiday in Phuket should go without a day trip to this amazing attraction. Although it can get a bit over crowded at times it is still well worth it, and is sure to be the highlight of any vacation.

Getting to Zero

I am sure that most people are aware that yesterday was ‘World AIDS Day’. What many may not know is that Phuket has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the entire southern part of Thailand, and the number of reported infected people keeps growing. The Phuket Public Health Office does not want this number to grow and is doing what it can to educate people in Phuket of this deadly disease, using the slogan ‘Getting to Zero’.

For the remainder of the day health officials will be conducting public awareness activities at the Kaset Market, Big C and Super Cheap, which are all popular locations in Phuket Town. The Patong Municipality is also doing their part by undertaking the same on Soi Bangla, the Jongceylon shopping complex and other popular spots around Patong.

The government offices are not only trying to educate the Thais but foreigners in Phuket as well. It is shocking how many people still engage in unsafe sex, even in this day and age. I urge all people in Phuket, locals, expats and tourists to PLEASE use a condom and lets hope that someday we can bring the numbers down to zero. You can pick up a free condom throughout the day at any of the locations I mentioned above.

A Week Filled With Events

As the beaches in Phuket are starting to fill, so is its event calendar. This coming week is excellent for visiting the island, as the sun is shining and days are proving to be hot with a few scattered showers. There are also some major events happening as of nest week that make for a fantastic way to take a break from lazing on the beach.

The first event to take place is the Phuket Musiq Festival, which celebrates the 84^th birthday of HM The King. This festival will take place from December 2^nd to 5^th at Saphan Hill Park in Phuket Town. It will feature both Thai and international musicians and there will of course be plenty of delicious Thai food to enjoy. The festival will run from 17:00 to 23:00 each night.

Next on the calendar is the famous Phuket King’s Cup Regatta. This is possibly one of Phuket’s most acclaimed events and attracts yachters from all over the world. It also celebrates HM The King’s birthday and this year also marks the 20^th anniversary of the famed event. Those currently in Phuket’s Kata area will probably already notice the hoards of boats and yachters that arrive each day for the event, which will take place between December 3^rd and 10^th. Those not actually racing can also enjoy the event by joining in on the nightly parties. To find out when and where all the action is taking place visit King’s Cup Programme of Events.

Finally, on December 4^th Phuket will hold Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship at Laguna Phuket Resort in Cherngtalay. Although the general entry for this event is now closed it is still possible to go and see all of the action. There are also plenty of things happening from November 28^th leading to the race that anyone can attend. For more information or for the schedule go to Ironman Phuket race schedule.