South East Asia trip 2014: MARCH 22, 2014: POOL, NAI HARN BEACH, POOL, DINNER-KATA MAMA'S, MOVENPICK-ICE CREAM AND MACAROON

March 22, 2014

Breakfast a bit later than we're used to as we wait for Dorie and Ronan. Ronan is a very picky eater. He eats all the fruit I managed to get before it was all gone. Orange juice, watermelon/pineapple and a bite of a pancake is all he eats. I have my usual-nothing wrong with my appetite! Ronan is anxious to get to go swimming.

POOL Ronan loves the donut I bought him. He is definitely not afraid of the water. He's still learning to swim. He's got so much energy. We spend about 2 hrs. at the pool. Dorie goes across the street to use the ATM to get some baht. This hotel has a good location. Walking distance to shops, restaurants, etc. Too bad the wifi still won't work for me as I need to send a deposit for our Phi Phi Island trip via paypal.

We are going to the beach but not the busy Kata beach across the street. We have a rental car so NAI HARN BEACH-here we come! Before getting in the car we stop across the street to get some beach toys for Ronan. He picks a set and doesn't want to look at anything else. The set is 300 baht, bargained down from 350. Dorie thinks she paid way too much but Ronan wants this one. Now we pack up the car with towels, some snacks, the new beach toy set, the donut. Oh-sunscreen and water-the most important items. We are driving in circles. There are signs but for some reason we can't find NAI HARN BEACH. Stop the car, Dorie goes into a store (we've passed this at least twice now!) to get directions, comes back pissed as in this store is the same beach toy set for 170 baht!! We do eventually find the beach. NAI HARN BEACH is a quiet beach located near the southern tip of Phuket island. It's beautiful and supposed to be popular with the locals. It's a popular anchorage for boats. One of the hotels nearby is the Royal Phuket Yacht Club. The beach is encompassed on both sides by tree/jungle covered mountains. A shallow beach, pleasantly isolated with few tourists. The beach is 1 km long. There are public pay toilets. We park, gather everything and rent 3 sun beds for 300 baht or 100 each. Ronan is hungry-not surprising since he didn't eat much for breakfast-and we order french fries, a ham/cheese sandwich, spring rolls, coke, and an orange smoothie-410 baht. It's delivered to our sun beds. Ronan, Dorie, and my husband love this beach but the waves intimidate me as I'm not a swimmer nor am I comfortable in the water. After getting knocked over a few times by the waves I give up and lay on the sun bed relaxing. We spend a little over 2 hrs. at the beach. We drive back to our hotel knowing how to get there. It takes us around 10 minutes. LOL!! Back to the POOL. Ronan could stay in the water all day.

These are the sun beds we rented

Nai Harn beach

Watching out for the waves

Looking at all the boats

Ronan likes the waves to push him in

Popular boat anchorage spot

Ronan would run out to the water and then when the waves would come he'd run back up on to the safety of the sand!

Having so much fun

Some mighty big waves but I'm ready for them!

Swimming to mom

Dinner We decide to try the restaurant right next to the one Richard and I were at last night. KATA MAMA'S This place is right on the beach with a good view. Ronan-plate of raw carrots, steamed rice, and a strawberry smoothie. Me-snapper with garden salad and coke. Dorie-Thai green curry/chicken with rice and beer. Richard-for the life of me I have no idea what he had but the picture looks like vegetables with rice and beer. Cost 1100 baht. Food was good and service ok but a bit on the slow side.

Strawberry smoothie is yummy

Ronan's dinner-raw carrots and rice

Thai green curry with chicken served with rice

Don't remember what Richard ordered-looks like a lot of different vegetables-but it also came with rice

My snapper with garden salad

This came with something but I don't know what!

Busy place

As we're walking back to the hotel we stop at MOVENPICK. The store sells clothes on one side and ice cream and desserts on the other. Dorie looks at the clothes but doesn't find anything. She's picky about her clothes like her son is about what he will or will not eat. Two peas in a pod. Dorie and my husband each order a scoop of ice cream and Ronan begins his love affair with the French macaroon. He gives thumbs up to his pink/strawberry macaroon. Back at the hotel Dorie and I both are not able to access our e-mail. We had no problem at the restaurant. I don't relish running to the beach all the time to use and check things on my I Pad. I am determined to figure this out on my own as no one here on staff can explain what the problem is as it's just at the hotel that this is happening.