This post is a collection of some of my favorite parts of the trip. They are highlights that needed to be grouped together because of what they have in common: necessities for the quintessential vacation!

Paradise Beach

Follow me back to Day 2 of the trip, when we visited Paradise Beach. We haggled down a taxi to take us to the beach entrance for cheap. When we got to the top of the steep hill, there was a shuttle bus that drives groups of people up and down the inclined road. We boarded and held on for the short ride until we finally got to “paradise.” They checked our bags before walking onto the beach, and somehow I was able to sneak my mini bottle of water through the gate. We stepped onto the white sand— umbrellas and chairs lined the middle of the beach. Beyond the chairs lay sunbathers and an expanse of crystal blue water filled with tropical fish. We soon discovered that there was a walkway to another area of the beach that was more secluded and had less people. We traveled to the other side of the beach, threw our stuff down on a rock, and ran into the Andaman Sea. Heavy gray clouds hung over the water, but the air was hot enough that it was actually a relief having no sun.

In the water, I pulled my goggles over my eyes to see tons and tons of exotically colored fish… electric blue, lemon yellow, shimmery silver. They weaved in and out of brightly colored coral at the seafloor. Suddenly, it started to sprinkle, and then pour. We were floating out in the middle of the water, pretty far away from the coast. In that moment, we had an unspoken agreement that we didn’t care about the rain. We stayed out there in the middle of the water, taking in the fact that we were alone in the sea, no people around, mist settling over the water, surrounded by green mountains, in the pouring rain. It was really beautiful, and we took satisfaction in the fact that we stayed out while everyone else ran for shelter. It wasn’t lightning or thundering, just some rain. And most people were in swimsuits anyway!

As the sun came back out, we decided maybe we should get beach chairs, so we headed back over to the other side of “paradise.” We relaxed on the chairs for a while… I read my book and Megan slept. More rain came later in the afternoon and scared off lots of people. We were happy to have more of the beach to ourselves. As always in Thailand, the sun came back out afterwards, and then we started noticing groups of bubbles flying through the sky. We looked backwards, and there was a gigantic bubble machine. Party music came through the speakers. The mass of soapy foam was growing larger and larger as people ran through it taking selfies and throwing bubbles at each other. We ran into the soapy frenzy too.

At one point I went a little too far in and inhaled some bubbles. Then I decided to go detox back in the water.

Soon it was late afternoon heading on early evening and we were questioning where the day went. We headed up the steep hill in the shuttle bus and took the free bus back to Patong, meeting even more Australians on the way. Another perfect day in paradise.

Thai “Fried” Ice Cream

As with every vacation, you need to try the local ice cream or it’s not really vacation. So we stopped at a street stand that appeared to be a husband and wife team, each with a freezer top. We walked up to the stand and looked at the menu, which hung on the side of the cart. You could choose two of the flavors and they would literally mash up the fresh ingredients you chose into a pulp, mix it with milk, and chop at it until it freezes into ice cream on the freezer top. I got banana and coconut.

Step 1

I watched him peel a banana and scoop out wet slices of fresh coconut into a container. Then, he poured a milky liquid into the container and emptied it onto the frozen table.

Step 2

He took two flat, metal tools and chopped at it like a ninja until it was practically smooth. The cold surface began to make the liquid turn solid, and he would scrape it off the freezer top using the edge of his metal spatula tool and continue chopping at it.

Step 3

Finally, when it was frozen enough to be considered ice cream, he spread it out into a thin layer on the table. He used the corner of the spatula to carve strips into the concoction. Then, he used the flat edge of the tool to roll the ice cream into rolls, carefully placing them into a cup.

Step 4

In the end, about six rolls fit into the cup, and he topped it with whipped cream and chocolate. It was some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had.

Megan and I couldn’t believe the people choosing chocolate and M&Ms over fresh banana, coconut, pineapple, mango, and kiwi. How could you turn down fresh fruit grown in Thailand mashed into your ice cream? We weren’t sure, but we knew we made the right choice. Needless to say, we returned to the stand. We probably would have gotten more if it weren’t for being full from all the other amazing meals we had. It was a good problem to have.

Freedom Beach

We were unsure if we’d find a beach better than Paradise, so on our second beach day of the trip, Day 6, we had to decide whether to go back to Paradise Beach or try a new one. I had read great things about Freedom Beach online, so I was inclined to try the new beach. We read that the hike down would be challenging, so we questioned whether it was a good decision. We figured, we’re two healthy girls in our twenties, how hard could it be? It was a decision that paid off. We haggled down a cab (as we do in the beginning of every adventure) and rode up the rocky, very untraveled path to the top of the infamous hike. We paid a small admission fee to enter the path. The only two ways to get to this beach are this hike, or by taking a longboat (which costs even more), so it’s touted as one of the more exclusive beaches in the area. We began walking down the path, talking about how we thought the reviews of how difficult it would be were overrated, and that this was nothing compared to Colorado. We did get to some steeper areas where we had to hold onto ropes for balance, but it really wasn’t that bad. It was short too. Before we knew it, we were on the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen in my life. White sand, perfect blue water, palm trees, leafy green plants… I couldn’t wait for the day; this was just the beginning. We went over to the beach chairs, which were shaded by large, leafy trees, and put our stuff down.

Megan opted to rest and I went straight for the water. When I came back we found a hermit crab making a journey through the sand.

The beach chair employee saw us and brought over a bunch of hermit crabs for us to look at.

Later in the day, he brought over a small gecko that he caught by the tail. We couldn’t believe he was able to catch one of those lizards; they’re lightning fast.

In the afternoon I walked over to the only restaurant on the beach and ordered a plate of fresh fruit and fried rice. My table was literally on the beach under palm trees, and the food wasn’t even expensive. I couldn’t believe my scenery; it looked too much like a postcard or a desktop wallpaper to be real.

Later, I showed Megan my favorite spot at the restaurant and we ordered pineapple juice. I saw someone blowing up a big, purple inflatable chair that looked like Nassim, but then I thought there’s no way that’s him… what are the chances that I would see the one person I know in Phuket here? (Later, we found out that it was.) We continued relaxing on the beach chairs post-pineapple juice, and I was so comfortable that I actually fell asleep reading. We decided to catch the last longboat back to Patong. The sun set over the water, and the breeze swirled around us as the boat bounced on small waves. We would absolutely return to Freedom Beach.

When I was planning the trip, I left the last two days completely open, figuring we could decide what we wanted to do after having been there for a week. Maybe we would want to return to something we already did, or maybe there would be something to do that I didn’t see in my online research. Needless to say, both days we returned to our favorite place in Phuket: Freedom Beach.

On our last day we were able to reconnect with Nassim and Yasser, our Moroccan friends. Highlights of those two days include playing beach volleyball with a group of Thai and Italian people, running at a sprint and tripping face-first over one of the longboat ropes into the sand, attempting to say a few French-Arabic words, and spending time in Thailand with one my best friends. When I tripped in the sand, all of the longboat guys let out an “Ohhhhh” at once; it was that bad. Luckily,  it didn’t really hurt since it was sand. I got up slowly for fear of passing out, and all was well. I took special note of the ropes after that.

Last night in Phuket

All day we hung out at Freedom Beach, and half way through our time there we connected with Nassim and Yasser. After we took the longboat back (per our routine of hiking down and boating back), they asked if we wanted to get dinner. So we all went to a restaurant with Egyptian food. We had a nice dinner, talking about Morocco and what it’s like there. They talked of beautiful landscapes, great food, and cheap prices. Who knows, maybe Megan and I will end up in Morocco one day. Another thing they told us is that in Morocco, guys always pay. It doesn’t matter if it’s a date, friends, or relatives. If it’s guys and girls, the guys always pay. If they don’t, word gets around and everyone finds out about it. Then, in Moroccan fashion, they wouldn’t let Megan and I pay for dinner. It was such a nice treat!

We agreed to split up, change out of our swimsuits, shower, and then meet up again for massages later. When we found a massage parlor that would take us (many were full), we all went into individual stalls where small Thai women pulled at our arms and legs with their full body weight. It was intense. It was hard not to let out a groan, causing them to worry about us. Then we’d say, “No, keep going, it’s okay!” It was the painful kind of pleasure— it felt good, but it also hurt at the same time. Then Megan and I got pedicures, both coincidentally picking a crimson red for our toenails. All four of us chatted with the salon owner for hours; she was pretty hilarious. She had lots of stories about her younger, long-distance Moroccan boyfriend being jealous of her massaging male clients. Again, in Moroccan, chivalrous fashion, they paid for the whole spa trip, which was such a treat for us American girls who often split the bill with guys.

Then we decided to walk around Bangla Road, the crazy street with everything you could imagine. We had talked to the salon owner for so long that by that point, a lot of the bars and clubs were closing for the night. We went in one that was still playing music and danced to the DJ’s mixes under flashing lights. I got a couple of coconut/pineapple drinks, a stellar combo. It wasn’t too long before that club closed for the night too.

We still weren’t ready for the night to be over, so we went to an arcade and shot basketballs in one of those timed, moving hoop games. Megan beat us all, and I came in second (girls won!). Finally there was hardly anyone left on the streets and it was starting to rain. We decided to call it a night. And what a night it was! Still in denial we’d be leaving the next day, we reluctantly set our alarms to enjoy our last Thai breakfast buffet. It was the close of one of our best memories to date. It will be hard to top this one, but I know we will try.