Visiting Phuket, Thailand

We are currently in Phuket, Thailand, for a couple of days. We are staying at the Surin Beach Resort. Yes, the beach was hit by the tsunami, but the hotel was far enough from the water that there was no damage here. (Pictures here.) In fact, we are up a little hill from the water. Normally, I would be put out that our hotel was not "right on the beach", but, for some strange reason, it doesn't bother me at all.

The resort that we are staying at is truly wonderful. We got a fabulous room rate. The hotel has twin water slides into a huge free-form pool. My kids love it here. Our connecting rooms even have a kitchenette and balconies with ceiling fans and tables and chairs. It is about a 5 minute walk to the beach. We spent the afternoon there in the waves. We are all a little sunburned.

Tomorrow, we are going out for a half-day snorkeling adventure. Due to the fact that it is "low season" and that the Thai New Year's is mostly celebrated in Chiang Mai and/or Bangkok, we will have the boat for our little group and can tailor it to our liking. I am excited about going, since I had my LASIK surgery last year. My wife has had the surgery, but hasn't been snorkeling with her new eyes yet.

The hotel food is pretty good. We attended a New Year's Gala buffet last night. They had balloons for the kids and a live band. We left before the Thai dancers started, but I heard they weren't that great, anyway. The buffet breakfast this morning was very good and I am looking forward to it again tomorrow. We ate at a restaurant on the beach this evening. The food was OK and a little expensive for Thai food. But, we are in Phuket and we are in the tourist areas.