Day 12: Hat Thai Mueang - Phuket (Patong Beach) - Frankie goes to.....the South of Thailand (2018)

November 12, 2018

Day 12: Hat Thai Mueang - Phuket (Patong Beach)

I hope I managed to bring across how much I enjoyed my time at Hat Thai Mueang and the Garden Bungalows. Certainly a regular stop if I should be travelling this coast again and one of the few places I would even consider for a long-term stay. The friendly owner Mr. Uthai offered me a monthly rate of 9000 Baht (240 € / 270 USD) for any of the a/c bungalows. They do have attractive fan bungalows for 250 Baht per day too but I guess it may be difficult to find any sleep in them in the hot season.

That´s talking future though - time to get rolling again. I have avoided going to Phuket over the last few years but couldn´t give you any better reason than the entire sell-out to mass tourism which already started years ago. There were and are undoubtedly several lovely beaches but the whole hinterland is not the Thailand I do come here for. All the same, I have never been to the island on a bicycle and with plenty of time in hand I find it is about time to do so. The advantage of travelling individually is that I can leave again the very next day if I am not happy. Different to the package tourists. And while talking about them: One thing I usually don´t do is going at people of one particular nationality, except when I feel I have to say something about my fellow Germans which I believe I am entitled to do. Who I am referring to now are the large amount of Russians who seem to care very little about the Thai culture, dress codes in temples and restaurants in particular. If it is hot, I don´t wear a top! Mind you I am talking about the males, otherwise I could possibly even see something positive in it. What annoys me most about this habit is the utter disrespect towards the host nation and I´d love to see their reaction if an Asian person would walk into an orthodox church with just swimming togs on.

Anyways, that was the dominating observation last night after arrival, but first of all I wish to let you know about the hardship getting here. I am not referring to the initial section on the mainland, that was an entirely nice experience. Leaving Thai Mueang there was no need to go back onto the dreaded Hway 4 but I could stay entirely on the #3025, later #3006 running parallel but closer to the shore, allowing for short sidekicks to the various attractive beaches. Just a few kilometers north of the Gateway to Phuket, a strange compound that reminded me of an international border crossing, you will be back on the major dual carriageway #402 that takes you onto the island until the turnoff for Surin Beach. This "minor" road #4030 starts off nicely but becomes a cyclists nightmare on the brutal hills between the various beaches, on the last long climb between Kamala and Patong in particular. Very steep with masses of commercial tourism traffic trying to chase you off the road and blowing their exhausts right into your nostrals due to the lack of a shoulder. Not nice at all.

I had originally planned to stay at Surin Beach but this place has really changed over the last years. Not the beach itself but as I already said the infrastructure behind it. I asked for a room at three smaller hotels and nobody wanted less than 1500 Baht, a huge number here in Thailand. So in the end I decided to continue into Patong Beach, very much the Pattaya of Southern Thailand. I hadn´t even looked at agoda or booking.com but wanted to get a first impression before checking in somewhere. And soon after the first right-turn towards the beach I saw that motel-like resort on my left. The P.S. 2 is a longish compound built away from the road with a nice pool embedded in the green median. I decided to stop and ask about a fan room which they offered for only 600 Baht. And a lovely large room with fridge and terrace it is. I instantly decided to stay for two nights not knowing how much I would dislike Patong itself. I already said something about the sparsely dressed fellow-tourists but even that aggressive touting of the locals at restaurants, bars and massage parlours really puts me off. At least I have a good place to stay.

A last late morning swim on my beloved Thai Mueang Beach with Phuket already visible on the horizon. Then...

...a last portion of pork leg (khao ka moo) and then off...

The Chinese temple at the start of the #3025 in Thai Mueang

The next one please! Tired of looking at beaches? Not when you have the chance to ride your bike along here. This is Natai Beach.

Fishing from Natai Pier - there are worse places to try and get your dinner

Surin Beach would have been my first choice for staying on Phuket but I found the accommodation situation far overpriced

Instead I landed here at the P.S. 2 Resort in Patong. Lovely pool with the low-rising brown building in the background being the block with my room on the ground floor.

Today's ride: 75 km (47 miles)
Total: 879 km (546 miles)

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