Phuket and Khao Lak Adventure.

[aging one]

Last year I took the wife and kids to Phuket and Khao Lak and it turned into a disaster. The wifes mother and the kids grandmother passed away only 3 days into our 8 day trip. It was over. Cancelled. Finished. But this year we decided to try again as it was 19 years of marraige for the wife and I.

Through careful booking I got round trip tickets on Air Asia, who were great, for 2200 baht for the 4 of us.

I booked Boomerang Cottages in Kata as its Italian owned and its own special world up on a hill overlooking the Club Med.

Our pool villa.



The pool at the end of the path you see.

Our bed set up



Living area



The kids bunks.



the bath in two shots.





View of Kata Noi, Kata, and Karon

[kingwilly]

Wow, lovely pics mate.

[jandajoy]

Looks great.

[aging one]

A jacuzzi that actually worked. A years worth of frustration and angst went away in that pool.



The Italian restaurant is excellent there. Pizza Margarita for a starter, then onto seafood linguini and spinach tortellini.





a bit blurry, the water bottles held vodka and white rum.



Off to the beach. Kata. First day had bigger waves but the second the kids still got 25 or 30 good rides in an afternoon.



Tired, dead tired coming in for a club sandwich.

[good2bhappy]

great pics
looks like you had a great time this time

[Davis Knowlton]

Nice. Looks like a great spot!

[aging one]

Thanks so much everybody. The vacation was only 7 nights. Four in Kata and 3 up in Phanga-nga Khao Lak.

Here is Laem Promthep on a very hot afternoon, but it was also very clear, the second shot is from the Big Buddha down to Phuket town.

[jandajoy]

The Boomerang resort looks great AO. I just checked their website.

Did you have the double suite with pool?

They quote 2,900

[aging one]

Yup but I got it for quite a bit less as I was there the year before and had to leave. Its really a good deal at that price as it includes breakfast for 4 and its served till 1pm if you want to lay in. Very nice buffet that includes the local Parma ham, and eggs and omelets to order. That is the off season price though.

[Orroz]

a bit blurry, the water bottles held vodka and white rum.

Drinking grog out of plastic bottles. Must have been Buddha day

[Davis Knowlton]

Your twins are certainly growing up. My twins will be eleven in August. The girl is already 4'10"; the boy is lagging behind a bit, as they will at that age, at 4'7". Amazing how fast they grow up. Can't imagine having TWO girls; my one little drama queen is the only girl with three brothers. Hard to imagine what life would be like if she had a female partner in crime. Anyway, fine looking family!

[aging one]

Thanks Dennis, and yes I was 4 foot 10 at their age. Most of the time its heaven, but its worth than hell when they go off.

One thing about Kata I like is there is so much to do for the family. The kids love Dino Park Mini Golf for the fun, the wife enjoys it for the food. A bit pricey but hell the waiters dress like Fred Flintstone. Here are a few shots of the course. It was like 11 at night before we finished and I was a bit tipsy as well.



"Who got the three, and who made a bogey"



Kayleigh got a hole in one here last year, damned if she did not do it again.

[aging one]

Just to the north of the airport is the new Splash Jungle Water Park. The first here in the country with international rides. Its still new and not really landscaped well, but it was really fun.

The Superbowl and the Boomerang, you can see the half pipe of the Boomerang and the bowl of the other.



Coming back down the half pipe



getting flushed.



The exits

[Davis Knowlton]

Those both look great; my guys would love them. I took the twins to an amusement park near Manila last week, but we got there at 11AM and it didn't open until 2. So, we went to the Ocean World Aquarium in Manila, which was surprisingly good. Not Sydney Harbor level, but good for Manila. Philippines is still pretty lacking in things like that other than in the bigger beach resort areas like Boracay, but it's a pretty fair haul to get to any of them from where I live. I do live near the mountain resort town of Tagaytay, however, and there is a zoo there, horses to ride, AND, it is cooler at that altitude. This is the hottest summer I remember in the 14 years I've been here.

[aging one]

Hot as hell here as well mate. Was amazed how much more it cooled off down on the beaches. This water park was going bust from the day it opened Jan 10th. They tried to get 2000 baht per person plus 17% tax and service. Well it did not work. It was boycotted until they brought the rate down to 750 for Thais or locals with an ID and half that for under 13 years old.

[Davis Knowlton]

Kind of the same deal with the aquarium here. They have also come down on their entry prices. They do kids by height. I had to pay adult price for my daughter. Her twin, the boy, slid in under the wire and got in for half price, much to his great amusement.

[Norton]

Sister watching closely to make sure the foot wedge is not used.

[aging one]

Oh boy you bet your ass on that. They refused to believe you get one club length if the damn ball is wedged in.

[aging one]

Kind of the same deal with the aquarium here. They have also come down on their entry prices. They do kids by height. I had to pay adult price for my daughter. Her twin, the boy, slid in under the wire and got in for half price, much to his great amusement.

Same kind of deal at the water park. To go alone you have to weigh 35 kilos, one does one is 34. So the 35 kilo one got weighed every time. They are not identical but unless you look a while its hard to tell.

They did not like the single ride as it was not as fast as when they went together.

[aging one]

We stayed at the Orchid Beach Hotel at Khao Lak, its on its own beach and there is not a thing around for miles. Left the water park about 5pm for the one hour drive up. I wanted to get there for sunset.

sunset.





We had a family suite there which was two huge adjoining rooms. The kids was about 70 meters and ours 90. Was nice to really stretch out, and have privacy if you wanted.

The kids room looking from the TV area past the beds and out the balcony



Our room



Looking through the door.



Make up area of the bath, the wifes side.



The main pool and grounds which are kept beautifully



The infinity pool we preferred.

[smeden]

nice pics a green is sent

[aging one]

thanks very much, it will close with a tour of caves and Phang-nga bay.

[aging one]

Ya gotta get there and were lucky it was low season so we had the van and the long tail to ourselves. It was sweet.

You have to get there.



The first nice outcrop.



Koh Panyee, a Muslim village built out in the bay. Started by a few families from Indonesia a couple of hundred years ago.



One more they even have there own school from P1- M3.



The first of the grottos.




pretty relaxed in the shade and out of the heat.




Another nice grotto.



Ancient wall paintings.



What the wife really wanted to see. Koh Tapu.




From here we headed to the caves.

[phomsanuk]

Bravo, been too long since we've had a really good photographic tour with a lovely family.

[CalEden]

Did the same tour April 2005. It was very nice, but alot more crowded on the tour. Yes, your family is very lovely! Great photos!