In Phuket, we only really have 2 seasons. They’re called by a variety of names – the dry season and the wet season, the hot season and the rainy season or monsoon season, and the high season and low season.

High season in Phuket generally starts in November and runs through to May. It can be a crazy busy time as we start work when the sun rises and work through until late in the evening. Tourists flock to the island, and our boat, MV Champagne, is out every day taking sightseers to the most beautiful places as Phi Phi Islands and Phang Nga Bay.  

We can be busy from early morning to late evening as thousands of tourists arrive on the island daily. The time goes so quickly, it always seems that high season is over in a flash. Suddenly low season is with us again.

Seasons

After May things start to slow down and low season really kicks in. There aren’t as many visitors during these months because of the monsoon rains. The rain is unpredictable in Phuket, we can’t say for sure that it will rain every day during July, for example. Every year the amount of rainfall differs.

Rainy Season

Some years the rain can be constant and the skies grey for days on end. Others it can be especially dry with weeks and weeks of sunshine scattered with a few heavy showers. Sometimes there is so little rain that the reservoirs can’t cope with high demand during the busy season.

Monsoon here isn’t that bad. You could wake up to a big storm with high winds and heavy rainfall, then by the afternoon the skies are blue again and the rain has disappeared. May and September are usually the wettest months, but not always. The sea can be rough during the low season and not always suitable for swimming and sailing.

This is the time to take stock. There’s a lot of maintenance to do on a wooden boat as big as MV Champagne.

Once the busy season is over we send her to the shipyard where she gets her beauty treatments. She gets her botox and fillers, and has a mini-facelift to get her looking beautiful in time for the busy months. We want her looking her absolute best for all the tourists.

The deck is scrubbed down, new paint applied, the wood sanded in preparation to be varnished, and faded furnishings are replaced, ready for more Phuket boat trips. 

The kitchen gets a face-lift too and old appliances are thrown away and replaced. We look at our menu and come up with some new recipes that we are sure guests will enjoy.

Our carpenters have over 100 years of experience, and we call in the painters, mechanic’s and welders to get Champagne looking ship-shape. Even the engine room gets a tweak and oil to keep her running smoothly and to provide relaxed boat tours in Phuket.

Don’t think while they are working hard that we are sitting back relaxing! At La Moet, we see our team as family, and family are great for helping out! We take up a paintbrush, get on our hands and knees to scrub and varnish and run out for supplies and snacks.

Visit Phang Nga Bay by boat with La Moet and view its dramatic scenery, unique cave systems and tropical lagoons.

There are stray dogs and feral cats all over Thailand, and Phuket is no different. They roam the streets and sleep in the bush where they won’t be bothered. Some join a pack, whilst others prefer to go solo.

In Thailand, dogs with no owner are called soi dogs, which means ‘street dog’. In Phuket, we have stray dogs on the streets, at the beach and on the mountains. Many of them have staked out their territory and don’t wander too far from it. If you enjoy Phuket hiking, you’ll meet many of these dogs.

At Nai Harn Beach for instance, you’ll see the same dogs every day, that’s where they live and know they are safe. They are either fed by the locals or depend on food donated by well-meaning people.

Mostly these dogs are very friendly, and will even shy away from you if they feel threatened. However, you should always be wary of dogs no matter how friendly they seem, as you never know what has happened to them in the past.

Food Donations

Phuket has lots of good-hearted people who make food drops at places where the dogs hang out. The dogs get to know the individuals who do this and make sure they get their fair share of the food donated. If an animal is in distress these volunteers will call one of the charities to come and pick it up.

Visitors often ask us why there are so many stray dogs?  There are all kinds of reasons. Some of the dogs were born and grew up on the streets, and then have gone on to have more puppies of their own.

Others have been abandoned, either because their owners are going back home and don’t want to take the dog, or because they’re not as cute as when they were puppies. Or perhaps they’ve become too expensive to take care of. Some dogs are simply lost or uncared for, and so have wandered away looking for comfort elsewhere.

This is Asia – it’s not the same as some European countries where pet owners must register their dogs. Many owners fail to spay and neuter their pets resulting in unwelcome puppies or kittens. These are often dumped at temples or in remote areas where they can be hurt, catch a disease, starve or die from neglect.

Animal Charities

There are some great animal charities on Phuket that help these animals. Soi Dog Foundation is a non-profit organisation helping to improve the lives of dogs and cats, in Phuket and Asia.

PAWS are a fully licensed and registered charity foundation. They help reduce the stray population and educate the local people on how to take care of their pets responsibly.

With the donations and support of animal lovers worldwide and help from the local Thai authorities, these organizations have managed to decrease the number of strays in Phuket.  They have sterilization programs in place as well as offering medical treatment, vaccination and sheltering and great results in finding new homes for them.

After been visiting one of those shelter you deserve a to join on of Phuket boat tour for a Phuket sunset cruise, or discover snorkelling, enjoy a swim or simply lay back and relax on the sundeck.

Tourists often visit us here in Phuket and ask, ‘Where can we catch a bus to get to town, Patong or Kata?’ Unfortunately, transport is a big issue on the island. There simply isn’t the efficient public bus system available for visiting Phuket attractions that you’d expect from a popular holiday destination.

The only public transport service in Phuket are songthaews, these are blue pick-ups that operate specific routes. They are very cheap and cheerful, but not particularly comfortable, as most are open-air and the seats wooden benches. Also, they only operate from town to and from the main tourist beaches, so services are very limited.

Apart from that you are left with taxi’s and tuk-tuks, which are very expensive. Motorbike taxis are also available if you are an independent traveller, and don’t mind riding pillion.

Advantages of Renting a Motorbike

For these reasons, many travellers decide to rent a scooter to explore other parts of the island. Renting has its advantages. You have a lot more freedom, stopping off when and where you like and taking as much time as you wish to visit attractions.

Then there is the cost. Renting a motorbike is very cheap compared to renting a car or getting a taxi. Bikes are generally 150-250 baht a day. Gas is very cheap too, 100 baht should fill the tank of an automatic scooter.

You need to be in possession of a motorbike license, although most places are very unlikely to ask to see it. Be warned however, that if the police do stop you and you have no license they will fine you.

Disadvantages

We wouldn’t be honest with you if we didn’t point out that Phuket can be a challenging place to ride a motorbike. There are a lot of accidents on the roads here, many involving foreign tourists.

The reasons for this are several. Tourists either arrive here with no previous experience, or drive recklessly because they are on holiday. Some even drive when drunk, wear skimpy beach clothing and don’t wear a safety helmet.

Most Thai people have grown-up riding a scooter but they also have a unique way of riding that you will have to get used to. They can take no notice of the speed limit, pass on the left, don’t use indication and talk on their phones whilst driving. Some on-coming traffic will even drive on your side of the road as they overtake, expecting you to move, even though they are in the wrong!

The main roads can be very busy with minivans and big tourist buses speeding along. The larger vehicles will try to push you out of the way, blasting their horns with no intention of slowing down.

We’re not trying to be scaremongers here, we just want you to realise the dangers involved. There are lanes intended for scooters so try to stay within those for safety. Keep your speed to a minimum and keep an eye on traffic. If you intend to turn left always check behind you, as motorbikes will overtake on your left even if you are indicating to turn.

Make sure you have full insurance and always wear a helmet. Saying all that, riding a bike can be a lot of fun and a great way to experience Phuket.

If you instead decide to be on the safe side to be pick up with and air-conditioned van to go on a join in Phuket boat tour with MV Champagne, you will see the most remarkable places and beauty spots for snorkelling and swimming around Phuket. You’re certain of a great day out and memories to last a lifetime.

Holidays are for spoiling yourself. After months of hard work and saving madly it’s time to chill out on a beautiful tropical island, and indulge your body and mind with some luxurious pampering. Lots of people travel here to get married or for a Phuket honeymoon and want to feel and look their best whilst on holiday.

The first thing you should do on arrival in Phuket is get a Thai massage. There are hundreds of places that offer massage of all kinds, and it is very affordable here. Thai massage dates back 2000 years and benefits include increased blood circulation, lower blood pressure, detoxification of the body, improved posture and balance, reduced stress and more energy.

Phuket Beauty Salons

After your relaxing massage head to one of the hundreds of beauty salons in Phuket – actually that’s an understatement – there are thousands. Thai women are renowned for their long, shiny hair and smooth clear skin, partly due to spending so much time at the beauty salon. In Thailand, the salon is almost as important to Thai women as food.

There are beauty salons everywhere you look, on every street corner you’ll find someone who can wash and cut your hair or give you a manicure.

Some are very basic and simple, whilst others have made more of an effort and are stylish and chic. With a wide range of services on offer, whether you want a wash and blow-dry or some fancy nail art, it’s easy enough to find.

Every beauty salon has its own list of services. Some can fix your hair and do your nails, and that’s about it. Others offer practically everything you’d expect from a resort spa, with top quality products, including Toni & Guy, L’oreal, Shellac, Vinylux and OPI.

Nails, hair, facials, eyelash extensions, eyebrows shaped, waxing and spa services, nearly every part of the body can be enhanced and indulged here in Phuket. Prices are a lot more affordable than Western prices too, so now really is the time to look your best.

Manicure & Pedicure

Treat yourself to a manicure and pedicure. Sit back in a cosy chair and listen to the relaxing music – it’s all part of the service. At most places, it includes a complimentary hand and foot massage.

Wedding nails are quite a speciality here too. If you’re getting married on this tropical island then why not indulge and have a truly unique design on your nails? We’ve seen some beautiful wedding manicures using lace, pearls and rhinestones for decoration.

Specially formulated acrylics and polish are used to create 3D designs on your nails or pre-made 3D designs of flowers and diamonds attached. You can even find kid-friendly nail art here, why not spoil your daughter too?

Head to Toe Package

A few hours at the salon and you can be pampered head to toe. Packages include anything from foot reflexology and Thai herbal steam massage, to a facial treatment or coffee body scrub.

Make yourself beautiful with eyelash extensions, be brave and have your eyebrows or lips tattooed. Get your eyebrows waxed or jump right in and have a full body wax. That’s what we love about Thailand. The choices are endless and the prices reasonable.

At La Moet Phuket we offer trips to Khao Lak and Phuket island tours, join us for a relaxing day surrounded by tropical scenery.

Apart from a Phuket cruise, there is nothing more exciting when travelling than stumbling across a used bookshop of paperbacks filled with interesting titles. In the past there were quite a few second-hand shops around the island, but sadly they closed for various reasons, including the rise of kindles and other e-readers.

We get it – electronic devices are easy to travel with and you can store thousands of books in that small machine. But at La Moet we are a very traditional team and prefer a story revealed with the turn of a paper page, rather than the touch of a button.

We read recently that books are making a comeback! This is great news for us, using the computer so much for work we don’t want to continue staring at it for the sake of pleasure too.

Here are some of our favourite bookshops on the island.

Explore Phuket Town Books

South Wind Books is the oldest bookshop in Phuket, located in Phang Nga Road it’s also the most well-known. The guy who runs it has a good selection, and just down the same road is an even bigger bookstore. You’re sure to find something that tickles your fancy between the two.

They offer anything from popular fiction and non-fiction to books on gardening and learning Thai language. They also have many other languages available, French, German, Italian and Swedish for sure.

Used bookshops in Phuket are generally quite cheap and work on the same principle. Buy a book and when you’ve finished with it return it to trade for another at a reduced price.

There’s a few bookshops in the beach areas too. What we like about second-hand shops is that some literary gems can be found if you really look. You can find a travel book to your next destination on a dusty shelf. Discover a long-forgotten story that you read in your teens, or pick-up a favourite classic for a few baht.

Used Books in Rawai

The Book Cafe is a small family-run business down in the south of the island, partway between Rawai and Nai Harn. As well as used books, mainly in English, it’s also a popular cafe with healthy smoothies and fruit juices, fresh coffee, herbal tea and a breakfast and lunch menu.

New books in Thailand can be more expensive than you’d pay at home. B2S has quite a large choice. The biggest branches are located at Central Festival Shopping Centre and Jungceylon. They have fiction and non-fiction, a good range of books for youngsters, and English-language magazines.

Pick up an interesting book before you board MV Phuket Champagne. Join one of our snorkelling boat trips out to the stunning archipelago that surrounds our island.

Phuket is the main holiday destination in Thailand. There are plenty of people who come here to get a tan, get drunk, or pick up a bar girl. However, there is a whole lot more to the island than that, its culture and traditions are fun to explore and the food is so tasty you’ll return again and again just to eat.

The type of holidaymakers we see arrive on the island these days seem far more interested in getting fit and healthy.  Students of Muay Thai and Mixed Martial Arts flock here not only for Phuket attractions, but also as it’s an ideal destination to train. The gorgeous mountains and spectacular coastline are perfect for running, cycling, walking and swimming. Add to this magical mix friendly people and mouth-watering food, and it becomes obvious why it’s become a fitness destination. 

There are a lot of Muay Thai camps in Thailand, particularly Phuket, and more opening all the time to keep up with the numbers of fitness fanatics arriving daily. First-class facilities offering regular fitness classes and English-speaking personal trainers attract trainees from all over the world.

Tiger Muay Thai

This is a large and well-established training camp for Thai boxing and Mixed Martial Arts, including Brazilian Jui-Jitsu. The standard is high with highly-experienced instructors and coaches. The camp is very impressive with anything from 250 to 400 trainees arriving every month. They also host professional fighters who are preparing for their next fight.

AKA

AKA offers classes and training in traditional Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, MMA and Strength & Conditioning. Their boxing facilities include a 6,000 sq. ft. open air training building and 2 huge boxing rings. The BJJ and MMA programs are held in the air-conditioned main training building and there’s a fully equipped, weight and cardio room.

PhuketFit

PhuketFit is a gym with a yoga studio, fitness studio, boxing gym, TRX area, assault course, fitness area and health food restaurant. They offer 3 specialist programs that include Detox & Cleanse, Weight Loss, and Complete Fitness.

Top Team

Phuket Top Team Training Camp offers training programs in Submission Wrestling, Gi Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Freestyle Wrestling, Western Boxing, Muay Thai K-1 striking and MMA classes. They have a large area outdoors for Muay Thai and an impressive line-up of champions amongst their trainers.  The indoor area covers 300sqm and there’s even a full sized professional MMA cage.

If you prefer something a little more low-key, then there are much smaller boxing camps too, mainly providing Muay Thai training. At the southern end of the island there’s Lion Muay Thai, Sinbi, Kingka Supa and Suwit Gym.

Tai Chi and Qi Gong

Tai Chi and Qigong classes on the island are harder to find. There are classes run by Sifu Curtis Brough, an inner-door disciple of Sifu Adam Mizner for more than a decade. He teaches mainly Yang Style Family Qigong with various sets aimed at health and longevity and is based in Nai Harn.

Private sessions can also be arranged at CC’s Hideaway and Santosa Detox & Wellness Center, both located in Kata.

Our comfortable boat, MV Phuket Champagne, can be used for a private charter or join one of our daily tours. We also offer trips on one of our ‘sister boats’, with an option of a catamaran, sailing boat or a motor yacht.

Thailand is a hot country, one of the main reasons tourists choose to holiday here. Phuket is the most popular island in the country, mainly for its brilliant sunshine and gorgeous beaches.

Even when it’s raining the Phuket weather is still hot. Our monsoon season generally starts around May and goes right through to October. Although it doesn’t rain every single day it can be wet and damp, but it’s never very cold here.

If you do visit during these months it might not be possible to swim or sunbathe because of the weather. We’ve made a list of things to do, all suitable for a rainy day.

Used Bookshops

Luckily, Phuket is well developed, which means there are lots of activities. If it’s raining too hard then we often head to one of the used bookstores on the island. On Phang Nga Road in town is South Wind Books, and just down the road is an even larger store. You can find anything here from Tom Clancy and Stephen King to the classics. Pick up a book or two then head to Thalang Road and settle yourself into one of the funky coffee shops for a quiet read.

Talking about funky coffee shops, at the southern end of the island in Rawai is The Book Cafe. A great little find with used books for sale, delicious fresh food and healthy smoothies, and lots of space to hang out for hours.

Shop ‘till you Drop

Shopping is another option when it’s raining. Jungceylon in Patong and Central Festival near Phuket Town are air-conditioned shopping centres. As well as hundreds of shops to explore, they both have a cinema complex, countless places to eat, and great ice-cream! You can get a massage, have a manicure or beauty treatment, or just wander around window shopping.

Go Bowling!

Thai people love bowling and there are quite a few ten-pin bowling alleys in Phuket. The main ones are located at Big C shopping centre and in Jungceylon. The venues are large, the music’s loud and tasty nibbles available.

In town, there are some bars and restaurants where you can book a small room and sing karaoke! It’s heaps of fun – even if you feel shy at first you soon lose all your inhibitions when a favourite tune comes on.

If you have kids to entertain then check out Phuket Trickeye Museum, a popular attraction with families as it’s very interactive. The photo opportunities are hilarious with creative 3D paintings and it can be a real laugh on a wet day.

A new attraction is The Upside Down House, perfect for families or groups of friends. There’s a 1000sqm maze to lose yourselves in, and a room where you’re trapped until you answer some trivial questions correctly and can escape.

A Phang Nga Bay day tour aboard MV Phuket Champagne can be good fun even when it’s raining as you’re going to get wet anyway! This is a very beautiful area with hidden caves to explore.

It’s often claimed that Thai is a difficult language to learn, and there are plenty of people who use this as an excuse to not even try. After more than a decade living here, and organising Phuket boat tours on this beautiful island, we like to claim we can speak Thai. Perhaps not very well, but we can get by. It’s fun to be able to speak to the local people and they always appreciate the effort.

We believe that learning some basic words of the local language is all part of the adventure when travelling. As a holidaymaker, it’s a good idea to learn some easy words and phrases. ‘Hello’, ‘How are you?’, and ‘Thank you’ are sure to be met with a big smile as Thai people love it that you’re trying to chat with them.

Attempting to speak someone else’s language is a way of showing respect, and that you’re interested enough to make the effort. We can guarantee that in Thailand any attempt will be met with delight.

Thai Tones

The Thai language is very different from the English language. It took us a while before we started to pick out common words and phrases. The most difficult part is that it has 5 tones, if you don’t know the tone it’s easy to pronounce the word wrong and be misunderstood. Even after 20 years living here we still have a problem getting them right.

We find it useful to write new vocabulary down, then try and use it as often as possible as a way of remembering it. There are plenty of textbooks for beginners if you’re keen. Or a fun way to learn is to try to order food and drinks in Thai, and find yourself some local friends to practice on.

Simple Phrases

It’s worth knowing too that in Thailand, we don’t generally say please at the end of a sentence. Instead men end the sentence with the word krap, and women with the word ka. This makes the sentence or question polite and respectful.

Here are some easy words and phrases to get you started.

Hello – Sawadee khrup/ka

How are you? – Sa bai dee mai khrup/ka

Thank you – khop khun khrup/ka

You’ll hear, ‘Mai pen rai’ a lot in Phuket. It means a lot of things including, ‘Never mind’, ‘Don’t worry’, It’s no problem’, and, ‘It’s fine, everything will be alright’.

Why not join us on board MV Phuket Champagne and in between your snorkelling exploring try your new language skills out on our excellent staff. We arrange day trips and join-in charters.

Why not break away from tradition and have a Phuket honeymoon or wedding day on a beautiful tropical island? These days, more and more couples choose to do this due to lower air fares, affordable accomodation and people’s growing sense of adventure.

Phuket has some very experienced wedding planners and professional celebrants to make your day run smoothly. It is also a spectacular location, and just think how jealous your friends will be!

It’s not that easy to arrange a wedding abroad, but it’s a lot easier if you have the help of a wedding planner. Using their services means you can avoid what can be a stressful process if doing all the planning, preparation and paperwork yourself.

Wedding Planners Phuket

A wedding planner is used to working with couples to ensure they get exactly what they dream of, and help them make the right choices for the wedding. There are a lot of aspects to consider in the planning stages.

There’s the most important, the venue, and accommodation options for the bridal party and the guests. Then there’s the celebrant to consider, the theme and decoration, the refreshments and activities, and the make-up and hair stylist. Don’t forget the lighting and music, entertainment and transportation and the right documentation. Phew! As you can see that is a lot of work!

There are a varied range of packages available for the bride and groom to choose from. It all depends on what your budget allows for. Between you and the planner every detail can be personalised to make an exclusive, special celebration.

In Phuket, there is the choice of a traditional Thai wedding or a Western ceremony. As you are in Thailand, we think it’s nice to have the opportunity to mix and match and take some ideas from each.

Thai Ceremony

In a Thai Buddhist ceremony, the couple arrive at the venue separately. The couple are blessed by Buddhist monks dressed in traditional orange robes. In some ceremonies, the monks hold a thread that is linked to the heads of the bride and groom and chant Sanskrit hymns. It’s quite a special experience if you’re coming from the west where the culture is so different.

At La Moet we sometimes host hen and stag parties on a Private Charter or Phang Nga Bay tour, which is always a lot of fun. Our traditional wooden boat is also a fantastic venue for a wedding, and we can organise food, music, entertainment and even a celebrant to attend.

Walk along the beach at sunset or visit one of the viewpoints and you are sure to see a couple in wedding attire on a photo shoot. Phuket is a very popular destination for stag parties and hen nights, honeymoons and weddings, and for those couples who wish to renew their vows.

The tropical climate, beautiful backdrops and affordable accommodation are big attractions and make it ideal for a Phuket honeymoon too. Although arranging a wedding may look easy, there is a lot of planning involved beforehand. Here are some guidelines to help you.

To make a marriage legal in Thailand, it’s required to obtain a Letter of Intent from your embassy or consulate. This generally means a trip to Bangkok, unless your country has a consulate in Phuket with this service available. You can check the details online at the embassy’s website, or give them a call to confirm.
 

Wedding Planners

Your wedding day can be whatever you want it to be, and Phuket is the ideal place to be creative in your thinking and planning. There are some very good and reliable wedding planners living here on the island who can help you have the best day of your life. They specialise in weddings and prices will depend on what you want, group sizes, and your budget.

An experienced wedding planner will ask hundreds of questions about how you want the day to go, and tailor them to suit your personal wants and needs. They can help with legal matters and finding the right venue, to buying a wedding dress, organizing the reception, and choosing flowers.

Finding a reliable local wedding planner ensures they have all the best contacts. Check the wedding celebrants speak your language, and arrange a meeting with them to discuss your personal vows and customise the ceremony.

Choose a Theme

Theme is important for a wedding as it’s reflected in all the small details, from the flowers and decoration of the venue to the wedding outfits and colour scheme. The theme can be simple, such as the colour, style or era.

Accommodation is central to a successful wedding too as you want to be spoilt on this special occasion. You also want guests to be comfortable and happy with the arrangements whilst staying within budget.

Then there are all the other details involved in a wedding. They may seem small but they all add up to make the day one to remember. Make-up and hair stylist, celebrant, flowers and decoration, where to stay, the venue – the list is long!

Phuket attracts thousands seeking a tropical island to marry, we have the beach, the sea, the mountains and temples. We also have luxury private villas that offer beautiful backdrops, and the perfect weather for photographs.

If you are seriously thinking of getting married abroad then make sure you do plenty of research beforehand, so that everything runs smoothly on your big day!

A day cruise along Phuket’s beaches and a Phang Nga Bay tour with La Moet is a must-do-in phuket when on holiday. Our trips are about the journey, not just the destination.

There is nothing we love more than taking a break from our busy schedule and getting a massage. In most western countries massage and other kinds of pampering sessions can be expensive. A treat for a birthday or special occasion perhaps but certainly not a weekly event. But in Thailand they are very affordable, so we like to spoil ourselves as often as we can!

There are heaps of places offering treatments in Phuket and prices in the smaller venues are around the same, give or take a few baht. Take a walk from your hotel and you’re sure to see girls in colourful fisherman trousers, sat outside parlours waiting to entice passing customers in.

After a long day running around on the boat showing our customers the Phuket attractions, or a days shopping around Central Festival, a foot massage is in order. The parlours have reclining chairs to sit back in and relax whilst having your feet massaged – just check out the blissful look on peoples faces. Then there are single beds with curtains around them for privacy, this is where the body massages take place.

We like to have a massage on the beach sometimes. It’s a simple luxury to stretch out in the shade on mats and pillows and be revived by one of the local thai ladies.

Foot Massage

Foot massage is otherwise known as reflexology and originally practised by the Chinese.  Each part of the sole of the foot is said to stimulate a different part of the body. Manipulating that area will help that organ and reduce stress, aswell as improving energy levels and releasing tension.

Thai Traditional Massage

A Thai traditional massage can be a bit of a workout but it has heaps of benefits. Lowered stress levels, tension relief and stiffness in muscles and joints, and better energy levels and blood circulation are just a few. You strip down to your underwear and cover up with a sarong, or fisherman trousers, for the massage.

Fish Spa

A fish spa is something quite new to Phuket but seems to have taken off with tourists. You sit with your feet in the fish tank whilst the fish inside nibble away at the dead skin. The species is Garra Rufa and they seem to do an excellent job of cleaning your toes and soles.

On a private charter on MV Phuket Champagne you can bring masseurs along, have space, comfort and shade. Perfect for the most relaxing day. Sit back on our colourful cushions up on deck and take in the stunning scenes of the island tours Phuket.

Gibbons are very cute creatures, and years ago the white-handed gibbon was a common sight in the forests of Thailand. These days you’d be lucky to see one in the wild. They’re more commonly seen out in Phuket shopping areas, looking terrified as they cling to their ‘owners’, or in other words touts that parade them around the noisy tourist streets.

The touts are looking for gullible tourists who will stop to coo at the young gibbons and agree to have their photo taken for a fee. What they don’t realise is that these animals have probably been taken away from their mothers so they can be used to make money. They are often seen in areas of busy Phuket nightlife, such as Patong.

When gibbons get older they also get a lot stronger, aggressive and are not as cute. The owners don’t want them anymore as they are hard to handle and can’t be taken around in public places. They are often abandoned in the forests where they will die as they can’t fend for themselves. In some cases, they get lucky and are handed over to The Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre.

The Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre  

The GRC take in abandoned gibbons at their location in the Khao Pra Theaw Non-Hunting Area at the Bang Pae Waterfall. The gibbons are kept separate from visitors, but it’s possible to see them in their natural habitat from the viewing platform. You can’t touch or hold the gibbons, but photographs are fine. 

There is an adoption programme run by the WARF for the centre’s gibbons and langurs. If you adopt one, it is for a specific amount of time and you receive a certificate and a photo of your chosen gibbon. You even get a T-shirt and regular updates about what’s going on at the centre.

There can be more than 60 gibbons being taken care of at a time. When they first arrive, they are put into quarantine to check they are healthy and fit. After they have been given the all-clear, they move to large cages for further observation and to let them get used to being out in the forest. When the staff are happy with their acclimatisation they are released deep into the jungle where they won’t be bothered by people. 

Volunteers

You can watch a presentation about the GRP’s work and even become a volunteer, if you are interested and have the time. With expenses running into hundreds of thousands of baht a month, the centre is dependent upon the help of volunteers and generous donations.

La Moet organises Phuket island tours out and about to Koh Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay. Our boat is cosy and stylish, book a tour today and see for yourself.