Panyee Bungalow Restaurant - Phang Nga Bay

Last Saturday we did an inspection tour at Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island to refresh a bit our best seller private tour. This time we left from Tadang Pier near Phang Nga Town, with the longtail boat went to see Koh Ping Ngan, James Bond Island and last stop was for lunch at Koh Panyee.

Koh Panyee from North East

Koh Panyee is a tiny Muslim village built on stilts next to a small cliff that is an island itself, despite the small dimension the island has two very different souls. The south side is taken by tours package restaurants, where all massive tours to James Bond come to have lunch and do some shopping at souvenirs shop. While the north side, near the cliff, is where can see the island and village life there, at the extreme north east side, we found the Panyee Bungalow Restaurant. There were some local people from Phang Nga Town, small tour groups and some independent travelers that made their way to the piers and then to the island.

Koh Tam Loe

Panyee Bungalow Restaurant

So we decided to give a trial and we ordered the House Dish, snapper fish cooked three times, the fish is fried, then passed again in the pan with chilly paste and then in sweet and sour sauce. The staff asked if we liked spicy or more sweet...surely spicy.

Food is ready..and a lot

Then prawns Tempura, mixed vegetables in Thai style with soy sauce, fried rice with sea food and steamed rice. Everything was fresh, tasty and in large portions, we couldn't eat all because too much for two people.

Souvenir shop at restaurant

Terrace on the sea

Fish cages next to the restaurant ..fresh sea food

Must say that Muslim cuisine is always a bit sweet so ask for fish sauce, salt or lemon if like a more bitter flavor or simply ask to not add sugar.

The Island is traditional and so won't have any pork on the menu and alcohol is banned.

We think all was good from staff to food, location to kindness and so we are now using this as "our" restaurant for the private Phang Nga tour.

Panyee Bungalow Sea Food Restaurant

A note about the name, the owner Mr "Bao" is planning to build first Koh Panyee bungalows next to the restaurant, may be next year. In the hope he can make his dream come true he started with the name "Panyee Bungalows".

Diego at Panyee Bungalow -what great day !

If you have there at this restaurant please leave your comment.

Phuket Weather 6, 7, 8 and 9 September 2013

First week of September passed and can only say that everything was normal, from flash floods to hot sunny afternoons. This is the month of rain that can be slow, lasting all day long, or just heavy and crazy for one or two hours.

First have a look to our river at Kathu Waterfall,  heavy rains at night he was running much faster then previous months and water level is rising.

Kathu River on 6 September 2013

During week end we also went around Phang Nga Bay for an inspection tour at the island where we do our special private Phang Nga bay tour, all day the Sun was playing with clouds and rain could be seen at distance, luckily we haven't got any and really enjoyed the fresh air.

Phang  Nga Bay on 7 September 2013

James Bond Island - Phang Nga Bay 7 Sept 2013

On Sunday was time for bicycles, we participated at Phuket Old Town Bike day organized by Tourism Authority of Thailand in Phuket, meeting was before dawn and thought nobody was there as rain was really heavy, but then by the time we started , at 7:00 am, only grey clouds soon we reached Kathu Chinese shire sun was out, everyone was soon dry and we did last part to the dam easy and faster.

Meeting point at 6:00 am - 8 Sept 2013

Kathu Chinese Shrine - 8 Sept 2013

HuaiKhwang Night Market - Bangkok

When I go to a country that I have never been to before, I normally try to do as a local does, eat like local eat and shop where a local goes, so tonight I have been to HuaiKhwang Night Market. It’s one of the biggest wet local markets in Bangkok. As a local Thai people who actually live in Bangkok more than 15 years like me. I don’t even feel like this could be some place that for a tourist ever wants to see, but as I said if you feel like be in the country and get to know about the way for life of the local people here instead of the tourist attractions place.  “Why not!?”

  HuaiKhwang Market is actually spread out along Ratchadaphisek road. You can easily get to this market by Subway (MRT) at              HuaiKhwang station. From there you can walk and wander around the place which miles and miles away on every corner or the little small ally and side walk. Here is where all the local people go to get food for cooking, lot of great Street Food. Everything here is so fresh and sometimes I can just find myself that also here must of the stuff are incredible cheap too. It seems like everything got brought here from everywhere in Thailand. No matter what and how local and strange of Thai ingredient food need, you can probably find it here.

A good time to visit here is from 6 pm till 10 pm. It will get busy after work as everyone goes home and need to get dinner or something to cook at home or even shopping for clothes, kitchenware and all kind of things. Also if you walk farther away from MRT station around a kilometer you will find yourself in the middle of a playground and basket ball court. Here is more like for young local people to hang out play football and basketball. It is surrounded by lot of mobile clothing shops. It’s a good place for shopping for cheap fashion clothing. After this if you feel hungry why don’t you try some Street Food here?

When people talk about “Street Food” most of the people will think about some kind of cheap and dirty restaurant which all kinds of rat and cockroaches running around in the kitchen, but here in Bangkok Street Food actually feeds most of the population in this city. I also usually eat out. It’s just better and cheaper here. Some of the Street Food here even tastes better than in the big restaurants. So, for someone who is here in Thailand for the first time, I would recommend you to start with something that has been cooked hot before you take it. Well from here I hope you enjoy your shopping and tasty food.

Sugar Palm Grand Hillside - Kata Holiday packages

Sugar palm Grand Hillside is set on the hill just behind Kata Beach  on the southern west coast of Phuketand is only a two minute walk from the beach.

This hotel which opened in 2008 is tucked into the southern corner of Kata beach and climbs up the hill along the natural contours, also incorporating terraces, infinity pools and gardens.  The eleven infinity edged pools are designed as a virtual waterfall.  The 108 rooms are appointed in a modern minimalist style.  The upper floor have magnificent views of Kata bay.

• Four different styles of room perfect for couples and families
• Two minutes from the beach, just a short walk down the hill. 
• Among the eleven pools is a dedicated children pool.
• Facilities include a Spa, Sauna and fitness room.
• Free wifi in the rooms and throughout the hotel

Modern minimalist design combined with classic Thai style hospitality, just few minutes walk to Kata beach and close to many different styles of restaurants, bars and shops.  Also a convenient starting point for tours around the island and beyond.

Enjoy your holidays at Sugar Palm Grand Hillside starting from

3,250 Thai Baht per person
Three days two nights

Inclusive of private return airport transfer, two nights accommodation in twin or double sharing Grand Pool View room with breakfast, tax and insurance


For information and booking don't hesitate to ask Easy Day Thailand team

How to get there - from Phuket airport you take the main highway south towards the centre of the highway, then following the signs for the beaches turn onto the bypass road.  Follow this road until you reach a roundabout, here take the fourth exit (right turn).  Stay on this road as it goes up over a hill just as you reach the bottom of the far side of the hill there is a turning to the left, take this at follow it until the next major junction. Here take the small road to your left and follow this up the hill and you are at your hotel

Sugar Palm Grand Hillside

1 Koktanod Soi 3, Tambon Karon, Amphur Muang
Phuket 83100 Thailand
For more information about Phuket see our travel guide

Phuket weather 3, 4 and 5 September 2013

It is really September, wind is now down so clouds start to gather around the top of Phuket hills and rain can be heavy for one or two hours. However this doesn't mean that rain all over the region at same time.

Can be in one side or Phuket where is heavy raining talking on the phone to someone on the other side of the island complaining about hot weather and sun.

The picture taken this morning in Kathu show this perfectly, on left side rain is falling on the hill while on right side clear cloud and sun strays
.

Kathu on 5 September 2013 - morning

Clouds and humidity come from West so as soon they meet with the hiils rain start but to East in places such as Phi Phi islands could be a very nice and dry day as it was today.

Phuket weather 1 and 2 September 2013

Welcome into the month of rain, in fact September has highest humidity, mots of days will rain and surprise lowest temperatures, still around the 30 Celsius. But no wind and almost flat sea.

The photo below give the right picture, flat sea in Patong Beach clouds at horizon but still enough blue sky to enjoy a sun bath.

Patong Beach on 1st September 2013

Rain can be just for few hours every day, for few drops to an heavy shower that can flood an entire area, or keep going for days an alternation of drops and heavy rain.

I have took a photo of Kathu Waterfall stream, reason is to compare how is now at begin of September and how will be after few days rain, if rain will come. However will need rain to fill up the water reservoirs, that water will be used during Phuket dry season from January to mid May.

Kathu Waterfall river  on 2nd September 2013