PHUKET CITY: THE CAPITAL OF QUIET RAPTURES
Things can go unspeakably amazing at the heart of Thailand's Phuket island
Things can go unspeakably amazing at the heart of Thailand's Phuket island
I have never dreamed I would ever step on Thailand, though I have always held an indirect love for it through the most clueless way an outsider probably could—via the show tune “I Have Dreamed” from the 1956 hit musical classic The King and I, inspired by literature about a Western governess of the children of the King of Siam in the 1860s. Frank Sinatra's version, to me, brings the song to the pedestal of the greatest love songs ever written. But the musical was made by Westerners, and can never capture an inch of the greatness of Thailand, a country that has the distinction of never having been colonized by any Western nation, and a nation that has always held its ground.
All my preconceived notions of Thailand fizzled out the moment I arrived. To me, it suddenly ceased from being just the land of Yul Brynner's fictional Siam, and I figure a huge reason for this would have to be that my introduction to Thailand was not through its capital Bangkok, where anything cosmopolitan would probably keep me trapped in my illusions. I and my companions proceeded to another Thai city, and one that bears a distinct subtle zeal. We went to Phuket City of the great Phuket island, a city where the festive intersects with the contemplative, and where people from all over the world come to be blissful and thoughtful, both at the same time. This is not easy to explain with mere declarations. I had to be there to know that such a physical-spiritual plane could exist.
Siam Niramit affords guests a captivating pre-show featuring traditional Thai dance
Our guide Fhon is a saint. She knew how limited our time was but she was able to pack our short stay with only what is necessary, with everything we wanted. And I think one of the reasons why our journey was immersive right from the start is because she set us off watching a cultural show at the Siam Niramit, dubbed “one of the best shows in the world.” Without spoiling it, the show gives an overview of Thailand's history and culture. Expect floating and flying dancers and acrobats, interactive set pieces, excellent special effects, state-of-the-art lighting, an armada of gold-clad dancers, a homage to the Royals, and much more.
But even before I sat down to indulge in that spectacle, my appetite had already been whetted by a stroll through the Thai village right outside the theater, where model households sampled local delicacies. Here, I tasted the very first authentic Thai food I ever had—the khao mao, Thai rice crackers served in tiny coconut husk cups, which I ate by dunking the contents into my mouth, like one would when taking a liquor shot. It is essentially like rice crispies, topped with freshly shredded fragrant coconut. It was crunchy, sweet, nutty, and of course I ate another one while everyone else was on their way out. Also, our show tickets were inclusive of international and street food buffets, where I had my first proper, authentic Thai dinner—Pad Thai, papaya salad, layered coconut and jelly rice cakes, and an array of chicken and fish curries. Sour, spicy, salty, and sweet, carried by textures of soft flat noodles and fresh crunchy vegetables, did their own showstopping number in my happy mouth.
Hope that you can buy Michelin-grade street-style crepe from A Pong Mae Sunee before it's sold out.
At one point in our stay at Phuket City, right at our last night, Fhon said that I and my companions could participate in karaoke singing at the Khao Rang Viewpoint, the highest point in Old Town at the Mueang Phuket District, Phuket City's capital district. Had she nudged me a bit more, I may have walked to the karaoke machine and hollered a song over the hills. But we were enjoying our dinner so much, yet again the food was the night's main event. Fhon brought us to the viewpoint's Tunk-ka Cafe, where we feasted on Panang Curry with chicken and cream; tom kha kai or coconut milk soup with chicken; deep fried sea bass in rich tamarind sauce; deep fried squid with garlic chips; and a huge mug of kopi-champ, which is a combo of iced coffee and Thai tea, with a smooth hint of milk and superbly refreshing.
At the city's Old Town, Indulge in the sights of Sino-Portugese architecture, and shop for finely made Thai clothing.
This viewpoint is where people hike and bike at dawn, and though I did not have the chance to see it during such an hour, I was able to see it in daylight, one afternoon, when we had one of our ice cream stops to savor unique in-Thailand-only flavors. As I sat and enjoyed my ice cream, I asked Fhon if there's a way she could tell the nationality of tourists passing by. She said that any cute young couple in twinning clothes are most likely honeymooning Koreans, and any middle-aged white male guy in a crisp white polo shirt would most likely be Russian. I then asked her, “How would you know if the tourist is Filipino?” Her answer sent us laughing, “If they look Thai, but speak good English!”
Anyone who has had some fair share of travel would expectedly ask about the similarity in architecture of Phuket City's Old Town with that of Penang in Malaysia and Old Chinatown in Singapore. I have been to Singapore twice but skipped Chinatown, though I have been to Malaysia's Penang, and indeed, I remember similar heritage buildings still standing. In the case of Malaysia and Singapore, colonization easily explains the phenomenon—the style is Sino-Portuguese, after all, and we already know that Portugal was one of Europe's major colonizing countries up until the 20th century. So how did the free kingdom of Thailand get stamped on with this Sino-Portuguese imprint via Phuket? Fhon's simple answer: trade.
Old Town did not need to be conquered to trade with the Chinese and the Portuguese, of course, whose routes headed for Penang via Phuket, or headed opposite ways, to India via the Andaman Sea. First, Europeans dealt with tin trading in Phuket in the 16th century, which was followed by the Chinese in the 18th century. Fhon explained that Portuguese traders who did business in Malacca, and who found the need to have settlements in Phuket, hired Chinese artisans to design and construct their homes. Sino-Portuguese architecture was thus applied here, marked by low buildings, usually just two storeys high, with colorful facades accentuated by antique Portuguese-style tiles.
In the streets of Old Town, travelers get mesmerized by the colorful buildings.
Young couple in their prenup pictorials
We walked the 800-meter-long Thalang Road, the main artery of Old Town, where the most curious travelers of all races from every corner of the world converged. In the shops we entered, I saw charming sundresses, Muay Thai t-shirts, canisters looking like Old Town buildings with dried pineapples and coconuts inside, and cashew nuts in tom yum flavor. Fhon then treated us to sweet-spicy pepper cookies, as well as freshly cooked Thai roti, both of which we had with iced Americanos at Dou Brew Coffee & Craft in an adjacent street.
While Fhon affirms that lots of similarities do exist between Phuket's Old Town and other pockets of Sino-Portuguese international heritage locales, a part of me just cannot fully agree. During our quick snack break at that little hip cafe, I finally seemed to identify what makes this Old Town distinct—Old Town is anything but old. It may be centuries old as the buildings show, but the place never for a second felt ancient. If anything, the street spirit and the overall vibe felt youthful. It may also be because, as I noticed, a lot of the travelers I was walking with along Thalang were young, perhaps mostly under 40 and a lot looking like they were in their late 20s. These are travelers who are adventurous and were drawn to Phuket the island as a whole because they know that here, there's more to do than laze or party on a beach. Even a lot of the shopkeepers I saw were either middle aged like me or younger, such as the staff at the coffee shop we're at. Thus, there's a chicness, a carefreeness in the air, but still notably respectful of the past. Are the elders opting to take a backseat to relax, leaving it to the younger ones to be at the helm? I see nothing wrong in that.
Andamanda Phuket Water Park's towering statues and thrilling sides ensure a fun day trip for guests.
While our main goal was to explore Phuket City, we took advantage of Fhon bringing us to the city's neighboring district of Kathu where the hotel we stayed in was situated. I appreciate having been billeted at the four-star Kee Resort and Spa for its key location near Patong Beach, its walking streets and party streets. Me and fellow travelers also checked out other accommodations, such as the Sinae Phuket Luxury Hotel, just about 10 minutes away from Old Town and ranks as one of Mueang Phuket District's premier hotel destinations, but it made sense to stay at the Kee for this particular trip. It sure kept me reminded that what makes Phuket City all the more amazing is precisely its being a gateway to Phuket island's other districts. So, I took my rest stops every night at my Kee room, with the comfy bathtub and the fluffy queen bed, and marched off to some more Kathu adventures as side trips.
One such adventure was our visit to the Andamanda Phuket Water Park, where we toured its 24-acre facility. This is the biggest water park in all of Thailand and bears astonishing features, such as the Wave Pool which can produce 3-meter high waves every 15 minutes during special events and thus accommodate surfing; and its Emerald Forest zone's 500 meter-long slide, the longest slide in all of southeast Asia. There are more thrilling slides in its Naga Jungle and Great Andaman Bay zones, so better allot a full day to make the most of your booking, and best to bring family, especially the kids.
Guest give tender loving care to Phuket Elephant Jungle Sanctuary's gentle giants through pampering mud baths and cooling showers.
But the most unforgettable must-do which Fhon scheduled for us in Kathu would have to be our encounter with freely walking, unharnessed elephants at the Phuket Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. K, one of the sanctuary's speaker-volunteers, gave us all the necessary information about the elephants, as well as instructions on how to interact with these gentle giants. He shared, “All elephants here are rescued from riding and logging camps and shows.” This set the tone for us to understand how significant it is that these elephants have found their place here. K added, “This is their forever home.”
All elephants in the sanctuary are Asian elephants. They can live up to 130 years old if taken care of in a sanctuary; but only up to 60 to 70 years old if they are left to survive in the wild, where the main cause of their death is starvation, and aggravated when there are no doctors to check on them. For example, what may sound like a simple toothache problem for us humans is something grave for these elephants, because if they cannot eat for four days and have no water for two days, they die. Another interesting fact in the Phuket sanctuary: all elephants here are female. I jokingly asked if the male elephants are being discriminated against, and K answered, “The males tend to be more aggressive so they are in the bigger camp at Chiang Mai.”
Next, I asked if it is true that elephants have good memories. K said yes, they do have “very, very good memory,” so good that they tend to be affectionate, just like how dogs can be. A happy elephant waves its ears and tails, and remembers the voices of its caretakers. Unfortunately, their sharp memories also make them susceptible to retaining memories of abuse and trauma, which is why before interacting with them, we were told a few reminders to help the elephants remember in turn that they are safe in our presence. First, we must not sit around or right next to an elephant, lest the elephant thinks we might be preparing to hit its feet—elephants rescued from shows were always hit at their feet, which are highly sensitive, as part of teaching them tricks. Second, we need to stay away directly from their behind, lest they feel defensive and kick us—best to stay within the elephant's line of vision.
The lectures stopped there and what followed next was me meeting one of the elephants, when I joined all the other sanctuary visitors in the mud bath pool where the elephants were leisurely dipping and receiving mud coatings from volunteers and guests. My elephant's name is Lamjai (pronounced: lam-yay), who was so huge that I was almost stunned and could not readily approach. Then one of the volunteers walked through the mud towards me and Lamjai, and told me about her: 62 years old, with a broken left front ankle, and “rescued from a logging camp.” How can I be afraid of this creature who had more than enough reasons to be afraid and defensive against humans? That was when I mustered some little courage to step up to Lamjai, rub mud on her trunk and stroke it gently, all while timidly muttering, “Hello, baby. Hello, baby. Please forgive us stupid humans for hurting you all these years.”
The Big Budha watches over Phuket City as 32 more shinning Buddhas could hear out your prayers and hopefully grant them.
The central district of Phuket City happens to be home to two of the most important Buddhist sites in the island—the Big Buddha and Chalong Temple. The temple is the biggest Buddhist temple in all of Phuket. Here, I was able to partake of the local divination rite where I asked a yes-or-no question from wooden tokens, interpreted for me by Fhon. I also prayed while shaking a cup bearing numbered sticks—I got the number 32 from a stick that fell, and again Fhon accompanied me to the drawers where slips of paper bearing the results for the corresponding number can be availed. Fhon read to me my slip of paper, and when I asked if I could keep it, she said yes and handed it to me. It's in Thai and I cannot understand, but I will always remember Fhon's translation of it.
Our itinerary did not originally include a visit to the Big Buddha, which I figure was because we practically already saw it anyway wherever we go in the city, looking down upon us. Fhon did not fail in giving us information about it everytime we noticed it from our rides—45 meters high, 25 meters in width, completely covered in marble tiles that cost 300 baht each. That means the Big Buddha's statue alone cost 30 million baht to build, all from donations. The marble that covers it is also special—Burmese white marble which beautifully reflects light, making the Big Buddha shine brightly from high above Nakkerd Hills. I did not feel content just seeing it from afar and hearing trivia, so I asked Fhon if there is some way we could pass by even for a quick visit. She graciously heeded, and before I knew it, we have been brought to Nakkerd. All that's left to do next is to walk up the 93 steps leading to Big Buddha.
As I was climbing, the sun shone right above yet slightly behind the Buddha's head, as if the sun was his halo. I continued climbing, slowly, and began seeing more clearly the Big Buddha's countenance. As I reached the top, it was cool all of a sudden, a good breeze blew, and this soft breeze was all I could hear despite other people being there. At that point, words escaped me. I just stood there at the Big Buddha's feet. No words. All I can remember of it now is how it all made me feel in awe of his beauty, his quiet confidence, as if he knows the past, present, and future, anything and everything, and that everything is alright.
I would have just stood there 'til the sun set if not for Fhon's call for us to already descend. On our way down, I saw another monk and people crawling and kneeling towards him, in order, one by one, to receive a blessing. I asked Fhon if I could go to the monk too, she said of course, but reminded me to drop a donation of any amount as help for the monks and upkeep of the Buddha. I had not one coin of baht with me so she gave me one, and taught me when to go down on my knees and crawl, how far I should kneel, how to keep my head low to receive the light blows of the monk's bamboo sticks and a drizzle of water, how to reach out my left wrist for the monk who will tie a bracelet around it, uttering a mantra as he does so.
I received a multicolored bracelet, which I only know stands for the monk blessing me, giving me protection against energy that harms, and giving me a token of inspiration to be reminded always to do good. Beyond this, I no longer felt the need to ask Fhon about the meaning of each color of the bracelet—she has given us too much already after all. I sat in our vehicle beholding my bracelet quietly, and in the process let Fhon sit as well in peace as she prepared to bring us to our next destination, as we returned on course, before I requested for Thai pop songs again in the car radio, at least for the next few minutes or seconds, a silence.
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