Kamala Beach in Paradisal Phuket

Last August 7-9, 2015, I visited Phuket just in time for the national day holiday in Singapore. The moment I land in Phuket, there was heavy rain so I immediately grab a taxi so that I could already get to Swissotel, the hotel where I stayed. Since it was raining, I just opted to rest in the hotel and reserve my energy for next day's activities. 

Upon waking up, I prepared myself for a short walk to the beach. Just outside the hotel, I was amazed by this altar which is also a common sight in Bali.

A Buddhist street altar.

Walking farther, I saw these two ducks next to a French spa. Probably they are not stray ducks, but owned by someone living nearby.

Ducks at the Frech Spa.

Then I started to walk towards the beach. I passed by this forested area where I took a photo of myself. The trail is good for walking as it is a cemented pathway.  

Me walking at the trail to Kamala Beach.

With no one to ask, I just explored the area until I reached the beachfront and took these photos. The beach should have been much nicer if not for the typhoon in Taiwan.

   

Me at Kamala Beach

Nice view of Kamala Beach.

It was too windy that time and the sea had huge waves. It just reminded me of the tsunami in 2004, that when I walked further down, I found the memorial to the victims.

Memorial to the victims of 2004 tsunami.

On walking farther, I chanced upon an elegant Buddhist temple showcasing the statues of Buddha in perfect majesty. Its architectural design is distinctively Thai. 

An elegant Buddhist Temple.

Different statues of the Buddha.

Statues of Buddha in a prayer room.

The temple's main altar.

Walking again, I saw this boat in a nearby river. It gave me an impression that it is a kind of Thai gondola. It is not intended for tourists' use though. 

A Thai boat.

What amazed me about Phuket was that its streets are very much similar to that of the Philippines. Houses or commercial establishments next to one another and a lining of electrical posts. 

A street in Phuket near the beach.

Within the Kamala Beach area, you can find "Fantasea", a theme park offering fabulous presentations, though I was not able to watch their show. Instead, I just took these photos at the entrance of the theme park.

 

Front yard of FantaSea.

Signage of Phuket FantaSea.

A Thai mermaid at the front yard pond.

Though I had a limited time in Phuket, I really enjoyed my stay there. The beaches are superb, the foods are delectable, and the leisurely activities are enjoyable.