Ao Chalong, Phuket

Jackamy
Paul & Derry Harper
Sun 12 Dec 2010 10:27
07:49.262N 098:21.367E
Sunday 12th December
Having now spent nearly 6 days sailing
around Thailand without checking in we needed to make a stop at Ao Chalong to
complete the necessary paperwork with customs, immigration and the port
authority. There were hundreds of boats in the harbour, some were on buoys
and others at anchor so it was difficult finding a safe spot in which to anchor
and when we did we couldn't get a good hold, others had the same problem too. We
weren't dragging so decided to go ashore and check in anyway and pray that the
wind didn't pick up!
![]() ![]() A budda up high on the mountain
in front of the harbour - not great quality pictures I'm afraid, we've had bad
weather recently
![]() Welcoming us in to
Phuket
Once officially checked in we set off for a
wander around Ao Chalong, our first glimpse of Phuket. First observation, there
were lots of dive shops, second observation, there were lots of massage parlours
and third observation there were lots of old white men with tiny thai women. We
were constantly haggled by women to go into bars and massage parlours and it was
all a bit seedy. We did however manage to buy a local sim card for our phone,
which will save us large amounts of money on phone bills, we should have done it
from the start. We also found a little supermarket full of food from home,
things like Tyrell's crisps, Ribena and lots more, all at a price
though!
We weren't late back to the boat because we
have an early start in the morning as we're making our way all the way up the
west coast of Phuket to the Yacht Haven Marina.
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