GruffyddA Journal Entry
After three sweaty, sleepless nights in Bangkok, we flew down to Phuket, our first real taste of island life. The flight was quick, just over an hour, but it felt like stepping into a completely different Thailand. Where Bangkok was horns, heat, and high-rises, Phuket greeted us with ocean air, palm trees, and a slower rhythm, at least at first glance.
We grabbed a taxi to our hostel, deciding to stay at Mad Monkey after hearing it was one of the most sociable spots on the island. It didn’t disappoint. Quiz night, beer pong tournament, bar crawl, all within a couple of days. We’d barely dropped our bags before being roped into a game. By the second night, we were sitting around a table with Australians, Swedes, Canadians, everyone on their own adventure, all somehow ending up in the same place.
We shared our dorm with two Australians who became part of our story for the rest of the trip, eventually reuniting with them weeks later at the Full Moon Party. It was one of those travel moments that made you realise how small the backpacker world really is. We’d heard horror stories about hostels before coming, snorers, bedbugs, chaos, but so far, nothing but friendly faces and quiet nights (minus the occasional distant karaoke echo). Maybe we were lucky.
Days on the Beach
Most of our time was spent where it should be, by the sea. Phuket’s beaches are genuinely beautiful: golden sand, warm water, sunsets that feel almost too cinematic to be real. You can sit on the sand and watch the sun melt into the horizon with mountains framing the background.
Food became a rhythm too. Rows of small local restaurants with plastic chairs and handwritten menus lined the streets, families cooking behind open counters, fans spinning lazily above. You’ll be ushered in by smiling owners trying to earn your custom, but this isn’t a scam, it’s just the Thai way. We learned to take our time, wander up and down the street, and pick whichever place felt right.
Meals rarely cost more than £2: pad thai, chicken panang, fried rice, all bursting with flavour. It became routine to order two meals at once, purely because everything looked too good to skip. This became a theme across Thailand: cheap, incredible food, and locals who’ll quietly aim a fan at you when they see you sweating through the humidity.
Despite visiting in June, when the rainy season should’ve been rolling in, we got lucky — not a drop of rain, just dense humidity.
Nights out
Then came the nightlife. Patong Beach at night is wild, a neon-lit maze of clubs, bars, and noise. If you’re not into chaos, skip it. But if you are? It’s unforgettable. We were barely ten steps down Bangla Road before being grabbed by ladyboys trying to pull us into bars. At first it was funny, then overwhelming, but it became one of those “you had to experience it” moments.
Our favourite find was a bar lined wall-to-wall with pool tables. Twenty of them, maybe more. That’s where we ended up most nights, cold Chang beer, friendly games, and fans blasting against the heat. The bar crawl gave us a good taste of the nightlife too, cheap drinks, blaring music, random karaoke, and groups of travellers all sweating through the same night together.
We even tried one of the clubs, flashing lights, lasers, massive speakers, but the energy was off. Everyone standing still, staring at their drinks. We lasted half an hour before retreating back to the pool tables.
Moments That Stuck
Phuket has this strange duality, postcard beaches by day, sensory overload by night. The ladyboys on Bangla Road are part of the scene, cheeky, persistent, sometimes too much, but it’s important to stay alert. Scams do happen: tourists dragged into “massage parlours” only to find security waiting outside demanding tips. On the flip side, you can also find incredible, legitimate massage places run by kind locals who’ll make you feel like you’ve melted into the table for £6. The trick is simple: research first.
If you’re drawn to the idea of visiting elephant sanctuaries, do your homework. Some are genuine rehabilitation centres doing amazing conservation work, but others are just tourist traps, elephants chained up for photos. Ethical sanctuaries exist; find one that prioritises the animals, not your Instagram.
Final Days & Moving On
Three nights felt about right. We’d done the beaches, survived the strip, made new friends, and eaten our weight in noodles. Phuket had everything, beaches, nightlife, food, chaos, but you could also feel how tourist-oriented it was. It’s Thailand’s gateway for many travellers, and it shows.
Still, as we packed up for the next stop, Koh Phi Phi, there was that mix of satisfaction and curiosity, ready for a change of pace, but already missing the laughter, the humidity, and the way every night seemed to end with someone shouting “just one more game of pool!”
Phuket was our first real taste of island Thailand, the good, the bad, and the beautifully chaotic.
