Phuket (Thailand) Day 4: Hern Coffee and Bistro + Baan Laimai Beach Resort

 I woke up at 6.50am feeling tired with only 2 to 3 hours of sleep. It was really so hard to fall asleep during this trip. Knowing that I was heading home today was a source of relief, I was exhausted and appreciate having a good sleep at home. Glad I took another day leave to rest at home too.

It was 7am and I was greeted by the blue sky, the persistent rain had finally stopped for now. I went back to bed to snooze awhile before getting up to prepare for the day.

Since the time was still early after preparation, we spent some time chilling at the balcony and absorbing the essence of the rhythm here. With only two full days here, it was enough to cover the sights and places on my agenda despite the rain. Being away from the city and observing the lifestyle here, it allowed me to take away lots of thoughts for reflection.

We went up to level 5 to see the rooftop. From this angle, the gorgeous hill behind the hotel can be seen. Everywhere we went in Phuket, the hills had become a recurring sight like the city was surrounded by hills.

I felt like I was in a tropical paradise with a mix of greenery, sandy shores and blue sea in sight. The hotel nestled in the heart of Patong was a good place to stay in.

This will be the view for those opting for sea view room. I was relieved that I did not get this option as majority of the view was blocked by trees and the view was similar to the cafe we went yesterday.

It was 9.10am when we finished touring around the hotel and time to hunt for breakfast next. We have shortlisted a cafe nestled at the hotel's further end. While we were checking out the menu, it started drizzling. Without a second thought, we just went in to Hern Coffee and Bistro.

Hern Coffee and Bistro is an open-air and cosy place, decorated in a Modern-Asian style. Food spotting places are within arm's reach from the resort so we did not need to venture far to look for breakfast.

Egg Benedict and Nutella Latte for breakfast. The egg benedict had a balanced taste with savoury bacons and earthy mushrooms. The portion was huge for my morning appetite and I could not finish the potato. 

The nutella latte was something unusual as this was my first time seeing it on menu so I had to try it out. The latte had a smooth, creamy texture and lingering aroma of Nutella which I quite enjoyed.

After an hour, the rain had subsided. Patong is like a food street, offering an array of food variety to explore. It was a pity that I always felt full after a meal and left no capacity for dessert or light meal in between.

Hern Coffee and Bistro

66 Thawewong Rd, Pa Tong, Kathu District, Phuket 83150, Thailand

Operating hours: 9am to 11pm daily

Turning back to the direction of our resort. We did not continue exploring the street as we were going back for final packing of our luggage.

I stopped by 7-Eleven to buy this Soft Dried Mango pack at 340 THB (or S$13.82). My mum wanted a specific brand of dried mango but I could not find it anywhere in Old Town and Patong. In case I could not find it at airport, I decided to get a random pack at 7-Eleven.

We checked out from the resort at about 11.10am for the long car journey to airport, we catered some buffer time in case of traffic jam. It was drizzling while we were waiting for our Grab ride.

About 15 minutes drive away from the resort, I spotted the unobstructed view of the beach. Staying in this less crowded area seemed appealing. However, every location has its pros and cons; while this area lacked commercialization (no shopping area), providing a quieter atmosphere and a better view, it also meant limited food choices.

The journey to Phuket International Airport was 1 hour 25 minutes, we reached the airport at 12.40pm.

Phuket (Thailand) Day 3: Patong Beach + Roxane Cafe + OGGI Nanai Restaurant

One of the best parts about staying at Baan Laimai Beach Resort was the mere 5 minutes walk to Patong Beach, a vibrant spot in Phuket, booming with an array of great restaurants, bars, cafes and famous beach.

No trip to Phuket will be complete without heading to Patong Beach. 

Even though it was raining, there were still people enjoying the beach. It would have been more crowded if not of the rain. The wet sand beneath our feet made us dragged to walk further down to the shore. I was carrying an umbrella while standing here.

Patong Beach stretched over a lengthy distance, offering a large sandy paradise. The presence of coconut trees and umbrella seating provided shade and shelter for the visitors. Despite the rain, the ambience remained inviting.

After checking out the beach, time to hit the walking street next. Patong was a charming town with convenient location with everything within walking distance. The street was lined with many restaurants and eateries.

With the street being narrow and crowded, it was a little difficult to walk and look around with umbrella as it was jam up the pathway. It was around 5pm and with the rain continued, we decided to find a place for drink and eventually settled at  Roxane Cafe & Restaurant.

I was elated when we got a window seat and the breathtaking view of the beach unveiled before us. Though majority of the view were blocked by trees, we can still see a partial glimpse of the sandy beach and sea. The discovery of this cafe compensated for the rainy weather.

Roxane is a three storey cafe and we were seated on second storey. While the street outside was buzzing, the cafe offered a serene escape with a laid back vibe. A perfect spot for unwinding, enjoying a meal and observing the surroundings.

Sipping a hot Matcha Latte at 100 THB (or S$4.07) on a rainy day was comforting. The beverage was smooth with balanced creaminess and not overpoweringly bitter, it also contained earthly aroma. 

We witnessed the transformation of the sky over the course of an hour in the cafe, from the gloomy sky to twilight blue at dusk. It was just 6pm and the sky was turning dark.

We left the cafe to explore along the street at leisure pace and it was still drizzling.

Roxane Cafe & Restaurant

104 Thawewong Rd, Pa Tong, Kathu District, Phuket 83150, Thailand

Operating hours: 7am to 2am daily

We walked over to OTOP Market which was lined up with stalls selling souvenirs, clothing and street food. Price was not exactly cheap, so I did not get anything from here. There was not much crowds at the market too.

We returned back to our room at 9pm, marking the end of our last night in Phuket. It was nice to take a few days break from work and I am ready to go back and fulfill my responsibilities.

I was feeling so tired from the two consecutive sleepless nights and lots of walking, I need a good sleep tonight. Good night, everyone.

Phuket (Thailand) Day 3: Baan Laimai Beach Resort & Spa

We returned back to Baan Laimai Beach Resort & Spa at 3.20pm for check in. I picked this hotel for its prime location, just a street away from Patong Beach. It was nestled in a vibrant area with many shops and food spots lining up the bustling street, an ideal spot to stay in for first timer with everything within walking distance.

Baan Laimai Beach Resort & Spa is a 4 star hotel spanning over 6 floors with 225 rooms available. The beach resort has a laid back atmosphere which immediately put me in a relax mode.

Baan Laimai Beach Resort & Spa

66 Thawewong Rd, Pa Tong, Kathu District, Phuket 83150, Thailand

The hotel lobby offered plenty of gathering area with lounges and chairs for guests to hang around, soaking up in an open environment if they did not want to stay in their room the entire day.

The beach resort was filled with a vibrating energy and the ambience that added a touch of relaxation to the last leg of our trip.

The resort is big with beautiful landscape, featuring a large outdoor pool with inviting sun loungers placed in the middle of the walking path.

We were ready to head up to our room. The bellboy took our luggage and showed us to our room, he also shared with us the various amenities available within the room. Such personalized service was a delightful surprise, which I only experienced in Phuket, never in other countries.

We got a Deluxe Pool View Room (40sqm) at S$198.56 for a night. The room was spacious and the layout of the room looked like a mini suite with bed, living space, balcony and bathroom. It added an extra layer of relaxation to conclude the trip.

The bathroom was spacious with with rain shower on one end, bathtub on the other end and toilet bowl in the middle.

Our room was at level 2. There is corridor view, garden view, pool view and beach front view types of room, we decided to go for the outdoor balcony overlooking swimming pool which is their most popular room type. While I was at the balcony, I spotted at least 5 guests who were at the balcony at the same time too.

The balcony was not entirely private, you can look into your neighbour's balcony and other guests' balcony too, a good spot to do people watching.

We were slowing down our pace due to the persistent rain, we only had one day in Patong but we could barely hit the street. We spent an hour chilling in the room.

The balcony was separated by a sliding door and curtain. The sofa provided a homely feel, creating another great spot to relax and soak in the atmosphere.

The bellboy told us earlier that if we brought the towel with birdie home, there will be a charge of 450 THB (or S$18.29). It was not something we fancy, so we just left it there.

Time to prepare and head out soon.

The time was about 4.30pm when we left the hotel. When I travel, I like to spend more time explore outside than to stay in the hotel. It was so thoughtful that there were two umbrellas in our room which we brought out since it was still raining.

Phuket (Thailand) Day 3: Jungceylon Shopping Centre + Spice House

It was another night with 3 to 4 hours of limited sleep with me waking up at 3am and 6.50am. Despite feeling tired, I just couldn't sleep peacefully. But at least, I woke up slightly later today.

We returned to Amor Restaurant for the buffet breakfast located in the hotel lobby at 8.40am. However, the charges were different today. It was at 400 THB (or S$16.26) per pax.

I liked that the stations served different selections of food with some items repeated daily to ensure a diverse dining experience. The food were freshly replenished from the kitchen.

I did not managed to get scrambled egg yesterday so I ordered one today. The scrambled egg was mixed with tomatoes and mushrooms, adding an extra later of satisfaction. We spent an hour indulging in the breakfast.

After the breakfast, we went to level 3 to check out their swimming pool area. It was covered by a roof shelter to shade the guests from rain or shine while swimming.

As we stood there, we felt droplets of water drizzling down. With plans for another day outdoors, we hoped it was just a passing rain shower. We then made our way to the room to pack up for check out.

Phuket is really popular among Western tourists, giving me a feel that I was in a Western country.

After an hour plus of shopping, I got myself one shirt and two big plastic bags of snacks. During the trip, the majority of my shopping loots were snacks. Time to find a place for lunch to rest our feet.

Here were some snacks I have gotten from Big C Extra, I spent a total of 688 THB (or S$27.97) just at Big C Extra.

After walking one round, it was already 1pm. We were attracted by the tropical exterior of this restaurant and settled for Spice House, a Russian restaurant offering popular Home-made Russian, European and Finest Thai cuisines.

The food scene in Phuket was filled with international influence, offering something suitable for everyone. The restaurant has a warm interior with beautiful lights overhead and potted plants to add liveliness.

I had Coconut Shake at 130 THB (or S$5.28) before taxes, it has a rich texture, smooth and milky essence served in a coconut husk. It offered a blend of distinct notes of fresh coconut.

I had Fried Rice with Fried Chicken at 210 THB (or S$8.54) before taxes. The spiced fried rice was fragrant, complemented by the crunchy texture of the batter chicken fillet and juicy interior.

Spice House

Rat Uthit Song Roi Pi Rd, Pa Tong, Kathu District, Phuket 83150, Thailand

Operating hours: 11am to 10pm daily

We have a pleasant one hour lunch and energy replenished to continue shopping. I bought some items from Watson and one of it was the Tiger Balm plaster, as I was having a backache from the constant walking these two days.

It was still raining outside, how I wish I could cross over and continue shopping from the long stretch of stores. Patong is also surrounded by lush greenery of the hilltop, forming a beautiful backdrop.

We braced the rain and crossed over to Central Patong, which akin to a department store like Robinson, offered limited shopping options. The continuous walking made us feel exhausted, prompting us to return to the hotel for check in and rest.