But one thing’s for sure, if it isn’t already you’ll want to add it to your Bucket List.

BYD Lofts Boutique Hotel and Apartments Phuket

Let’s start with our amazing hotel. I know, right? I have to give credit to my Roydio for most of these hotel bookings. He’s a master at research although I can hold my own in that department…

“…it has everything but the kitchen sink.”

This place has a balcony to enjoy the view of what is happening out on the street, it’s walking distance to the beach… so beautiful and it has everything but the kitchen sink.

Wait, it DOES have a kitchen sink! And a kitchen and a microwave oven, dishes, glasses, dishwasher, refrigerator stocked with water and drinks for two and even fresh fruit to welcome you. 

Again, what a find. BYD Lofts. Just make a note for when you go to Phuket. I’ve given you more details down below in my “tips.”

I don’t want to be remiss in giving a shout out to the staff here. They make you feel like kings and queens, greeting you with a refreshing drink and cool towel and escorting you to your room. Click here to check out BYD Lofts Boutique Hotel.

So I feel like I need to clear something up before I go any further.

“…I travel on my own dime…”

I am not one of those travel bloggers who gets paid to travel, stays in four and five star hotels and writes about it!  I wish! I travel on my own dime. And before you start thinking that I must be made of money staying in all of these amazing hotels, just know that my goal is to always get the most for my money. 

Most of the places I stay at are affordable, you can afford them too. And by doing your own (serious) research you too can find incredible deals. This particular trip to Southeast Asia we are celebrating a very special occasion so we did splurge a bit more than usual.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way let’s take first things first: unwind from my flight into town and then unpack. That’s not difficult to do with my packing cubes all ready to be laid out! Have you heard of them? Have you tried them? I swear by them and will never travel without them again. Once you experience packing cubes, you won’t either I promise. I’ve given you more details about them in my “tips” below.

You’re welcome!

Patong Beach

Hey, I’m in Phuket, I’ve got to see the beach. Let’s go! 

After leaving one destination for another and after everything it takes to get there it can be exhausting. There’s just something about a beautiful, serene beach at which to relax when you’re all wound up, right? And Patong Beach surely didn’t disappoint.

The only noise you’ll hear is vendors selling their handmade souvenirs and drinks and snacks. I would totally have gone for something but the water was calling my name. Well actually it was calling “Roydio!!” HA! And when the water calls him, he listens, then dives right in! 

Me, I am happy to just get some sand between my toes, relax, close my eyes and hear nothing. but. the. ocean. waves. rocking back and forth. Can you hear it?

Thai massage

I guess any trip to Thailand without getting a massage would just be wrong. So of course one is ordered up. Roydio volunteered for the job. HA! And I get to watch.

According to him, it is brutal. From my vantage point it doesn’t look brutal. But he insisted it is one of the best massages he’s ever had. I’ll take his word for it.

Bangla Road

If you’ve read anything on Phuket you know about Bangla Road. Again, walking distance from our place. How can I describe it? Well, let’s start with the fact that nearly every online reviewer seems to rate Bangla Road as either the #1 or #2 thing to do in Phuket.

“…it reminds me of the strip in Las Vegas.”

I’m going to reserve my comments and let you be the judge for yourself when you visit. Suffice it to say that it reminds me of the strip in Las Vegas. On Steroids. If you’ve ever been to Vegas you know what I’m talking about. But next to a beach. A dichotomy.

There are a lot of great places to eat in the little alleys off the main drag of this pedestrian-only street where I had dinner (NO I did not try the scorpions on a stick). 

When it gets dark everything turns… NEON. Check out the pics of Bangla Road at night. Lots of nightclubs and beer bars. And I’ll leave out the R- and X-rated stuff, k?

Did you see the tricked out tuk-tuk? They look like regular tuk-tuks during the day (remember the one you saw me riding in in Bangkok?), then at night all the neon lights come on and they turn into disco drivers. It’s a hoot!

Do I dare post a video of what Phuket is like after dark?

Tell you what, I’ll give you a taste of the environment at the “Beer Garden” where we had dinner.

The stage at the Beer Garden features several different acts. These fire dancers are cool. Then the go-go dancers and “other” things happen on that stage. But again, I’ll skip that part and leave you to discover all that for yourself. 

Before heading back I stopped to order and watch the making of their well-known ice cream rolls. It was really tasty, not sweet like American ice cream. Real yummy!

I then took the path along the beach back to the apartment. All in all it was a fun night. Tomorrow would start early…

Island Hopping Tour

This is my very favorite part of my time in Phuket:  an all-day speedboat trip to and around the Phi Phi Islands. We took off from the Royal Phuket Marina and had an amazing adventure on the water.

Let me just introduce you to the Phi Phi Islands, a small archipelago of 6 islands about a 45-minute speedboat ride from Phuket. The islands consist of classic tropical beaches, stunning rock formations and vivid turquoise waters filled with colorful marine life. A true tropical paradise. We visited two of the islands and made several stops.

Phi Phi Leh

Our first stop was the world famous Maya Bay on the uninhabited island of Phi Phi Leh. Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the movie “The Beach” which was filmed here in 2000. Maya Bay is the main beach on Phi Phi Leh, sheltered on three sides by 100-metre high limestone cliffs and greenery. We didn’t go ashore but believe me when I say it is absolutely breathtaking.

We also went to Loh Samah Bay and Pileh Lagoon to snorkel. 

We stopped at Viking Cave to check out where the Birds’ Nest producing swallows dwell. That was really interesting to see. These birds’ nests are used to make a Chinese soup and are one of the most expensive foods on the planet. I had no idea. I’ll bet you didn’t know about it either, did you?

I’d never see the Birds’ Nests prepared before so when I saw some in a store I made sure to take a picture for you. Click here to read more about why this food is so expensive and what it’s used for.

Phi Phi Don

Phi Phi Don is the largest and only inhabited of these islands but it has no roads. 

On this island is where you find Monkey Bay. We didn’t stop but “lingered” just long enough to see the monkeys in this rather steep limestone cliff, the vegetation of which offer the monkeys a comfortable place to dwell.

Then we went to snorkel the Great Coral Reef. This has to be my favorite part of this tour. The clear, warm water is just Un. Believable.

After all the snorkeling it was time for lunch. They brought us to a private beach called Phi Phi Natural Resort to enjoy a wonderful lunch with our new friends from Russia, Australia and South Africa. We were the only Americans on this tour so we did our best to represent. The company was awesome and the lunch was quite good for “tour” food.

Bamboo Island

Almost shaped like a heart, this island is entirely surrounded by a strip of soft, white sand. We spent some time on the beach here just relaxing and soaking up that gorgeous sun. 

The day went by too quickly. We were all pretty tired when we got back to the Royal Phuket Marina. The guides were great, giving us just enough time at each stop. I would highly recommend this speedboat tour to the Phi Phi Islands.

I would do it again in a heartbeat. Or maybe someone can just drop me off on Phi Phi Don and I’ll just stay in the water all day. That might be the perfect day for me.

Our final night and morning

After a short nap at our apartment wouldn’t you know it we found ourselves back at Bangla Road. I have to admit the food was pretty delicious so a great reason to “tough through” another night of pamphlet-pushing, half-naked girls seeking the attention of anyone who would look their way. (Oh, did I leave those details out earlier?) Ugh.

Dinner and a leisurely stroll past the seafood vendors was a perfecting ending to this incredible day.

In the morning we had breakfast at a cute little place around the corner. 

Do you see now why I said in my opening statement that Phuket is a dichotomy? It is action-packed and it is laid-back. It is eventful and it is relaxing. It is pristine and it is raw. It was quiet and it is loud. You can have it all or you can have nothing. But any way you have it put it on your bucket list. You won’t regret it.

Thailand has been an experience I’ll never forget. Hopefully one day I’ll get back there to explore more of the islands. I think I’d like to stay in Koh Phi Phi Don and spend my entire time there snorkeling and swimming and boating. I think that would be my ideal trip there…

Goodbye beautiful Phuket, I’ll surely be back to visit you again.

Tips just for you ::

1. I have two words for you. Packing Cubes. They are game-changers.  They save me so much time! I’m organized, at a moment’s notice I can find what I’m looking for and there is no unpacking them. Just unzip and lay them in the drawers. Done! You can find them online here.
2. BYD Lofts in Phuket is located at 5/28 Haad Patong, Patong, Kathu. They have several buildings located 5 minutes’ walking distance from the beach. Check them out: Click here!
3. Ping Pong is not a game in Phuket. It is big business. Consider yourself warned.

You may also like ::

How to See Bangkok in 3 Days

Why Not Have Your Destination Birthday in Bali

My Favorite Travel Products :: Top 50

The post Phuket: Where the Action is… and Not appeared first on Where in the World is Louise?.

Let me tell you why I think you should visit Oahu in the winter ::

#1 :: The rain may keep tourists away from Oahu in the winter…

Maybe. Maybe not. One of the reasons for the beautiful lush green landscape in Oahu in the winter particularly is the rain. But let me tell you :: unlike other destinations the rain won’t interfere with your plans, even in the winter [ho’oilo] which spans from November to about April. That is what is truly remarkable about Oahu. The rain will go away just as fast as it came. There is a saying in Hawaii that goes “if you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes.” That is the truth.

Oahu in particular gets about 270 days of sun per year. That leaves about 95 days of overcast skies. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be cold and that also doesn’t mean all the overcast skies come during the winter. It just means that in the winter the sun may not be shining as intensely as in the summer “kau wela.” And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

#2 :: The untouched beauty of nature in Oahu surrounds you everywhere you go!

From the oceans to the mountains Oahu is filled with beautiful nature that will take your breath away. Pictures don’t even do Oahu in the winter justice. You’ll just have to go for yourself to truly understand.

#3 :: The food truck offerings in Oahu are off the chain!

Seriously. I’m not even kidding around about the food trucks. I mean, you probably are thinking I’m not for real right now but you have to try it for yourself when you come to Oahu. The amazing offerings on Oahu’s food trucks are bomb! And if you come in the winter you may not have to struggle with the long lines of tourists.

Oh and you can’t forget the drinks that are so popular. Have you ever had a Mai Tai in Oahu? If you haven’t you need to go and try it because you won’t taste a better one anywhere in the world! Of course there are several others you might like such as Blue Hawaiian, Lava Flow or a Pina Colada. They also make them “virgin” style like I like them. But the drinks in Oahu are not to be missed.

#4 :: You are always “ohana” in Oahu!

“Ohana” means family. Everywhere you go in Oahu you are family. You will be met with smiling faces and friendly people everywhere you go. I mean, what’s not to be happy about living on such a beautiful island especially in the winter when everyone else is shivering? There will be no doubt that you will feel right at home!

 #5 :: Sunsets in Oahu are among the most magnificent in the world!

Incomparable. That’s how I describe the sunsets in Oahu. And in wintertime they are no less beautiful than any other time of year. Breathtakingly beautiful sunsets paint the sky every night. Just amazing.

#6 :: Oahu offers something for everyone!

Where else in the world can you be shopping to your heart’s content in the bustling city in the winter and then 30 minutes later be laying under the island sun on a sandy beach? There are several places I can think of maybe in spring or summer or fall… but winter? Oahu in winter is amazing and somewhere everyone in your family or group can have their way.

#7 :: Romance is not just reserved for summers in Oahu!

Looking for a wedding destination? Oahu in the winter is just as beautiful as ever. You’ll have your choice of amazing resorts in Oahu in the winter when at home the weather is cold and damp.

#8 :: The views in Oahu are just as stunning in the winter!

Picture this :: you open your eyes after a restful night’s sleep and look out your window to see the most magnificent sunrise in the backdrop to a beautiful scene of lush green and crystal blue waters crashing against the rocks. You step out onto your garden and feel the cool morning breeze in your hair as you listen to the waves of the ocean. You look to your left and take in the breathtaking views of the lush hillsides protruding from the vast fields of green. Where are you? You’re in Oahu in the winter! Isn’t it amazing?

We stayed at the Turtle Bay Resort and I highly recommend it. Our condo was located at the expansive resort and the rest of our family stayed in condos throughout as well as the main resort on the beach. It was the perfect location for a family reunion, wedding or for any reason really.

#9 :: Shave ice in Oahu tastes just as good in the winter as it does in summer!

Hawaii is known for its shave ice and I’ve tried to create it at home but for some reason it never comes out as amazing as the shave ice in Oahu. You seriously need to try the shave ice and it’s just as yummy in winter!

#10 :: Every day is casual day in Oahu!

Winter is considered high season in Oahu and when you’re there you will realize why :: the weather is unlike anywhere else in the world during this time of year! And that means there is no need to dress up :: t-shirts, shorts, tank tops, skirts and flip flops are the attire of the day and night. It’s called “Hawaiian Casual.”

Oahu is definitely a destination for you if you are looking to have a great time living the island life in winter. No need for coats or galoshes, you’re coming into the Sun! Bring your flip flops and sunscreen and you’ll be good to go! Enjoy your time in Oahu next winter and you will thank me for the suggestion.

Read More ::

Best Ocean Views in Laguna Beach

10 Best Girlfriends Getaways in 2019

Top 5 Beaches in Curacao

The post Winter in Oahu :: 10 Reasons Why You Should Go appeared first on Where in the World is Louise?.

Curacao is truly one of the most beautiful islands in the Southern Caribbean and one with more breath-taking beaches than almost any other island I’ve been to. Well, you can judge for yourself :: check out these amazing beaches ::

Curaçao beaches :: you took my breath away

Having stopped in Curaçao before on one of our cruises we decided to go back and stay for 3 weeks on this amazing island. We visited all of these 15 beaches but I think if we’d stayed longer we would have found more. Each is different with its own personality and charm.

When I return I will plant myself on a different beach every day and snorkel all day long. A regular snorkel mask never worked for me and it seemed I was always discouraged. I am thankful to have finally invested in this great full-face mask that makes snorkeling so much better for me. Now I can breathe normally and enjoy the incredible sea life before my eyes.

Not every full-face snorkel mask is the same. I chose this one for its safety rating and comfort and I highly recommend it. Snorkeling in the beaches around the world for me will never be the same again. If you want to check out some of my other favorite travel products CLICK HERE.

I’ve written more in detail about Curaçao so ….

Read also ::

20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Curacao

Top 10 Things to Do in Curacao

Top 5 Beaches in Curacao

Tours and Attractions in Curacao ::

Accommodations in Curacao

For your convenience, here is a list of ACCOMMODATIONS IN CURACAO. Please consider booking your Curacao accommodations through this link. It costs you nothing extra and helps support this website. Thank you!

The post 15 Curacao Beaches in Photos appeared first on Where in the World is Louise?.

But one thing’s for sure, if it isn’t already you’ll want to add it to your Bucket List.

BYD Lofts Boutique Hotel and Apartments Phuket

Let’s start with our amazing hotel. I know, right? I have to give credit to my Roydio for most of these hotel bookings. He’s a master at research although I can hold my own in that department…

“…it has everything but the kitchen sink.”

This place has a balcony to enjoy the view of what is happening out on the street, it’s walking distance to the beach… so beautiful + it has everything but the kitchen sink.

Wait, it DOES have a kitchen sink! And a kitchen and a microwave oven, dishes, glasses, dishwasher, refrigerator stocked with water + drinks for two + even fresh fruit to welcome you. 

Again, what a find. BYD Lofts. Just make a note for when you go to Phuket. I’ve given you more details down below in my “tips.”

I don’t want to be remiss in giving a shout out to the staff here. They make you feel like kings + queens, greeting you with a refreshing drink + cool towel + escorting you to your room.
https://www.bydlofts.com

So I feel like I need to clear something up before I go any further.

“…I travel on my own dime…”

I am not one of those travel bloggers who gets paid to travel, stays in four and five star hotels and writes about it!  I wish! I travel on my own dime. And before you start thinking that I must be made of money staying in all of these amazing hotels, just know that my goal is to always get the most for my money. 

Most of the places I stay at are affordable, you can afford them too. And by doing your own (serious) research you too can find incredible deals. This particular trip to Southeast Asia we are celebrating a very special occasion so we did splurge a bit more than usual.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way let’s take first things first: unwind from my flight into town + then unpack. That’s not difficult to do with my packing cubes all ready to be laid out! Have you heard of them? Have you tried them? I swear by them + will never travel without them again. Once you experience packing cubes, you won’t either I promise. I’ve given you more details about them in my “tips” below.

You’re welcome!

Patong Beach

Hey, I’m in Phuket, I’ve got to see the beach. Let’s go! 

After leaving one destination for another + after everything it takes to get there it can be exhausting. There’s just something about a beautiful, serene beach at which to relax when you’re all wound up, right? And Patong Beach surely didn’t disappoint.

The only noise you’ll hear is vendors selling their handmade souvenirs + drinks + snacks. I would totally have gone for something but the water was calling my name. Well actually it was calling “Roydio!!” HA! And when the water calls him, he listens, then dives right in! 

Me, I am happy to just get some sand between my toes, relax, close my eyes + hear nothing. but. the. ocean. waves. rocking back + forth. Can you hear it?

Thai massage

I guess any trip to Thailand without getting a massage would just be wrong. So of course one is ordered up. Roydio volunteered for the job. HA! And I get to watch.

According to him, it is brutal. From my vantage point it doesn’t look brutal. But he insisted it is one of the best massages he’s ever had. I’ll take his word for it.

Bangla Road

If you’ve read anything on Phuket you know about Bangla Road. Again, walking distance from our place. How can I describe it? Well, let’s start with the fact that nearly every online reviewer seems to rate Bangla Road as either the #1 or #2 thing to do in Phuket.

“…it reminds me of the strip in Las Vegas.”

I’m going to reserve my comments + let you be the judge for yourself when you visit. Suffice it to say that it reminds me of the strip in Las Vegas. On Steroids. If you’ve ever been to Vegas you know what I’m talking about. But next to a beach. A dichotomy.

There are a lot of great places to eat in the little alleys off the main drag of this pedestrian-only street where I had dinner (NO I did not try the scorpions on a stick). 

When it gets dark everything turns… NEON. Check out the pics of Bangla Road at night. Lots of nightclubs + beer bars. And I’ll leave out the R- + X-rated stuff, k?

Did you see the tricked out tuk-tuk? They look like regular tuk-tuks during the day (remember the one you saw me riding in in Bangkok?), then at night all the neon lights come on + they turn into disco drivers. It’s a hoot!

Do I dare post a video of what Phuket is like after dark?

Tell you what, I’ll give you a taste of the environment at the “Beer Garden” where we had dinner.

The stage at the Beer Garden features several different acts. These fire dancers are cool. Then the go-go dancers + “other” things happen on that stage. But again, I’ll skip that part + leave you to discover all that for when you go. 

Before heading back I stopped to order + watch the making of their well-known ice cream rolls. It was really tasty, not sweet like American ice cream. Real yummy!

I then took the path along the beach back to the apartment. All in all it was a fun night. Tomorrow would start early…

Island Hopping Tour

This is my very favorite part of my time in Phuket:  an all-day speedboat trip to + around the Phi Phi Islands. We took off from the Royal Phuket Marina + had an amazing adventure on the water.

Let me just introduce you to the Phi Phi Islands, a small archipelago of 6 islands about a 45-minute speedboat ride from Phuket. The islands consist of classic tropical beaches, stunning rock formations + vivid turquoise waters filled with colorful marine life. A true tropical paradise. We visited two of the islands + made several stops.

Phi Phi Leh

Our first stop was the world famous Maya Bay on the uninhabited island of Phi Phi Leh. Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the movie “The Beach” which was filmed here in 2000. Maya Bay is the main beach on Phi Phi Leh, sheltered on three sides by 100-metre high limestone cliffs + greenery. We didn’t go ashore but believe me when I say it is absolutely breathtaking.

We also went to Loh Samah Bay + Pileh Lagoon to snorkel. 

We stopped at Viking Cave to check out where the Birds’ Nest producing swallows dwell. That was really interesting to see. These birds’ nests are used to make a Chinese soup + are one of the most expensive foods on the planet. I had no idea. I’ll bet you didn’t know about it either, did you?

I’d never see the Birds’ Nests prepared before so when I saw some in a store I made sure to take a picture for you. And here is a link where you can read more about why this food is so expensive and what it’s used for: https://bit.ly/2LnHizR

Phi Phi Don

Phi Phi Don is the largest + only inhabited of these islands but it has no roads. 

On this island is where you find Monkey Bay. We didn’t stop but “lingered” just long enough to see the monkeys in this rather steep limestone cliff, the vegetation of which offer the monkeys a comfortable place to dwell.

Then we went to snorkel the Great Coral Reef. This has to be my favorite part of this tour. The clear, warm water is just
Un. Believable.

After all the snorkeling it was time for lunch. They brought us to a private beach called Phi Phi Natural Resort to enjoy a wonderful lunch with our new friends from Russia, Australia + South Africa. We were the only Americans on this tour so we did our best to represent. The company was awesome + the lunch was quite good for “tour” food.

Bamboo Island

Almost shaped like a heart, this island is entirely surrounded by a strip of soft, white sand. We spent some time on the beach here just relaxing + soaking up that gorgeous sun. 

The day went by too quickly. We were all pretty tired when we got back to the Royal Phuket Marina. The guides were great, giving us just enough time at each stop. I would highly recommend this speedboat tour to the Phi Phi Islands.

I would do it again in a heartbeat. Or maybe someone can just drop me off on Phi Phi Don + I’ll just stay in the water all day. That might be the perfect day for me.

Our final night and morning

After a short nap at our apartment wouldn’t you know it we found ourselves back at Bangla Road. I have to admit the food was pretty delicious so a great reason to “tough through” another night of pamphlet-pushing, half-naked girls seeking the attention of anyone who would look their way. (Oh, did I leave those details out earlier?)

Dinner + a leisurely stroll past the seafood vendors was a perfecting ending to this incredible day.

In the morning we had breakfast at a cute little place around the corner. 

Do you see now why I said in my opening statement that Phuket is a dichotomy? It is action-packed + it is laid-back. It is eventful + it is relaxing. It is pristine + it is raw. It was quiet + it is loud. You can have it all or you can have nothing. But any way you have it put it on your bucket list. You won’t regret it.

Thailand has been an experience I’ll never forget. Hopefully one day I’ll get back there to explore more of the islands. I think I’d like to stay in Koh Phi Phi Don + spend my entire time there snorkeling + swimming + boating. I think that would be my ideal trip there…

Goodbye beautiful Phuket, I’ll surely be back to visit you again.

Tips just for you ::

1. I have two words for you. Packing Cubes. They are game-changers.  They save me so much time! I’m organized, at a moment’s notice I can find what I’m looking for + there is no unpacking them. Just unzip + lay them in the drawers. Done! You can find them online here.
2. BYD Lofts in Phuket is located at 5/28 Haad Patong, Patong, Kathu. They have several buildings located 5 minutes’ walking distance from the beach. Check them out: Click here!
3. Ping Pong is not a game in Phuket. It is big business. Consider yourself warned.

You may also like ::

How to See Bangkok in 3 Days

Why Not Have Your Destination Birthday in Bali

The post Phuket: Where the Action is… and Not appeared first on Where in the World is Louise?.