Saturday, July 14, 2018

Phuket FantaSea

Hello readers! It was our third day and last night in Phuket. Finally a day for us to sleep in slightly later, but not later enough for us to skip our breakfast! Hahaha because i dragged Jeremy out of the bed for breakfast!
Our breakfast for the day! He order ramen during morning, and i was like 'are you serious?' Apparently he say this is not bad.

Love their soft waffles!
We was going to Fanta Sea this evening but we had nothing plan during the daytime, initially i thought of going to Phuket town. But the weather was pretty hot that day, and since we were lazing around because of the hot weather outside i thought maybe we could just catch a movie at the Juncelyon mall, before heading back to the hotel to change and prepare to get pickup to FantaSea in the evening.

I wanted to try the mango sticky rice since i haven't had any since we reach in Phuket, so we ordered in room dining for their mango sticky rice and this is good!
Took the hotel shuttle service to the mall, there were not any good movie screening so we ended up checking the stores in the mall, and went in Big C again, this time round, i found their original Siam banana, this is more pricey than the Le Pan banana that i will usually buy when i visit Thailand. But i couldn't taste the difference except for the price,Siam Banana is more expensive than Le Pan so i would strongly recommend to buy the Le Pan banana as it's readily available in 7-11 stores but finding them in Phuket was a challenge, we went to many stores before finding one that sell, even so, they only sell about 2-3 pieces?

It was such a comfort to know we can stay inside our room as long as we want (immediately adjust our air con temperature to 15 degree celsius) when we came back . Hahaha. The weather was ridiculously hot and humid,  the clothes that i was hanging at the balcony was dry by the time we came back. We decided not to head out until it's time for us to wait at the lobby for the pickup to FantaSea.

I wanted to go for the cocktail reception but Jeremy was saying that we might be late as we had to be at the lobby at 6pm, so we skipped the cocktail session, but imagine my frustration when we ended up waiting for more than 30mins at the lobby. 

I was so frustrated because our driver was late! No calls or text to at least inform that we hae to wait, we waited for 15min and seeing no sight of any van coming to pick us, so i text the person-in-charge, when there was no response, i called the number to enquire about our van because no carplate number was given to us beforehand to keep a look out and we look stupid standing there wondering if we had missed the pickup. I was boiling.

During the phone conversation, i was so angry that the driver is making me to wait and i was speaking so fast that i had to slow down because the staff was asking me to slow down and calm down when i informed them the driver is not here YET. To me, i think it's ok if you had informed us beforehand, at least i can still plan my time, but here you are wasting my time and i had to clarified and check myself before understanding that there is a jam so driver is late. If you know there will be a jam, shouldn't you come out early?! Phuket is not Bangkok, the chances of being caught in a heavy jam is very unlikely. The staff told me that the driver is on his way and asked us to wait patiently before getting our room number, i was wondering if there is such a need, until the driver finally reached and was scrolling his line conversation with the staff that i probably communicated earlier to confirm that he was picking up the correct person.

I was so pissed because i know we are going to be late, and that means everything will get pushed back, i don't really like to take photos at night because it's a challenge compare to taking photos during the daytime,so by the time we reach the theme park, its already dark!
When we board the van, there were no empty seats, i guess the existing passengers had assumed there is nobody boarding the van under the driver drove to our hotel and picked us up. 

Just when i thought we was the last to get picked up to FantaSea, the driver was picking up another 2 ladies and 1 kid!! We were super late by the time we reach the park. There were only one seat left, the arabic tourists was a family of 5, 3 of them were kids so they took up 4 seats, for this seating arrangement, we was not too sure how they was being charged, but the driver told the arabic family, especially the wife who was seated beside me to move in front to sit with her husband and three kids, it seems that their kids are not entitled to a seat. It was so confusing and causing so much delay that i swear would never book from the agency anymore when i am visiting FantaSea next time. I will rather book from the hotel directly because we saw there was the FantaSea van pickup at 6pm but we only get picked up at least half an hour later!

The driver couldn't speak english and spend some effort trying to get the arabic wife to sit in front, and finally we were on our way to Fanta Sea. We was informed to be at the bus stop number by 10.30pm for the transfer back to hotel. Finally after all the delay, we arrived at FantaSea park, we have the slip to go to their ticketing booth to change for our tickets and  By then, i think it was already 7pm. 

The buffet time started at 5.30pm! And we reached only close to 7pm! when pick up time was suppose to be at 6pm. Grr

The themepark highlight show will start at 9pm
After exchanging for this ticket, we enter the park, and we were so hungry by then, so we try to look for the restaurant to have our dinner first.





They have some stalls selling all the different type of souvenirs






We went inside the Golden Kinnaree restaurant after handing the staff our coupon at the entrance. We were given a table number to be seated and since it's a buffet so we went to get out food. Jeremy went to the restroom first and he was texting me because he saw this  section that was serving Thai and international seafood cuisine separately, those seated inside are visitors that goes for the upgrade, they will be directed to this Sun Pavilion, they called it their Suriyamas Seafood buffet restaurant and it look really classy.

It was a separate dining area compare to their common golden kinnaree buffet restaurant. I didn't want to upgrade because we were already running out of time, and i wanted to explore further after our dinner so we stay with our existing buffet option.

Anyway, the Golden Kinnaree restaurant is huge! It can accommodate up to 4000pax!



Since we were late, i guess the restaurant is not crowded as it might usually be, most of the visitors should already be outside exploring while we are still eating.
But nevertheless, i thought it is a good idea to opt for the buffet dinner together with the ticket because their foods is really good!


By the time we finish our dinner, it was about 745pm, so we was exploring outside and we saw visitors sitting on top of the elephant as they were making rounds.
Beside, there were a few other elephants standing at the side since no one called for their service, we could feed them with banana for a fee.

So Jeremy went to buy a basket full of banana to start our feeding of elephants!

I think this was the first time i get so close up with the elephants. Initially Jeremy passed me some to feed the bananas, but i was worried that the elephant might sucks my hand in too! Haha just kidding, then i realise, its not the mouth they are using to suck the banana, they are using their trunk to take  the banana from our hands to put inside their mouth. Hahaha.

There were some game stalls outside so we play a few, darts was my specialty and we won some toys that will be become Duffy's soft toys. Hahahaha

They will start allowing guests to enter the entrance of the theatre by 850pm as all phone has to be surrendered at the counter before entering the theatre. No photo-taking is allowed.

The show was quite an entertaining one, with lots of special effects and it's amazing how they could change the props so fast!
The show last for an hour, when the show end, most of the times, it also meant that visitors are leaving the theme park so being kiasu Singaporeans, we were able to get out of the theatre fast to collect our phone at the counter. I manage to shop for some souvenirs, we didn't get to explore all parts of the theme park so i guess i will be back again next time!

We was on time as we waited for our driver at the bus stop, but again, the Arabic family was giving us trouble when they was trying their luck and refused to take just 3 seats with their family of 5 as they put one of their girl seated in front. It just doesn't make sense! The van had just enough seats so i don't understand what's with them for not taking just 3 seats and causing so much inconvenience when the last two ladies that was picked up earlier had to ask them to put their girl at the back with them because the other western tourists that came back last has no seats. The driver had to ask them to bring their girl back before we were ready to leave.

Even when the driver was sending us back in groups,the driver dropped them halfway along the roadside of bangla street, they refused to get down, and there was a commotion because the driver claimed he doesn't know where he pick them up. He also told the other two ladies that if they alight here, it takes them 5 min to reach their hotel, but if they doesn't want, it takes them 15min, the ladies was reluctant to alight and couldn't make a decision.

I tried to explain what the driver was telling them, so eventually they alight at the road side of the bangla street, but the arabic family didn't alight and told the driver they will alight together with the other group of western tourists at the next stop.

We was the last stop as our hotel was the furthest, and there's no way he is going to tell us to alight at Bangla street and walk back because it's bloody far and i was already pissed off when he came to pick us late, so we was the last to drop off at the hotel, but i did some calculations that the two ladies shouldn't have alight because it doesn't really take him 15min to drive them back because it's actually along the way. Nevertheless, will never engage them when i want to go Fanta Sea next time!
Some souvenirs that i bought back, and the small little elephant and panda are prizes that i won at the game stalls. Haha. We had fun and it was time for some packing late at night as we had to check out early tomorrow. 
Our last breakfast at Amari Phuket before checking out.


The taxi picked us up at 9.30am as we was taking the 1240pm flight back Singapore.
Called for buggy service and waiting for the staff to help us carry our luggage up the stairs.

Thank god the driver was not late for this pickup, it was an hour plus journey as he drove pass all the other beaches and i actually dozed off.
Here we are at the departure hall, we was lucky to reach slightly early for check in because after us, there were a huge queue lining up just behind us. I used to buy assigned seats because i wanted to get out of the plane fast, and i thought the staff will put us sitting separately. But after our previous trip with JY & Terence when they didn't bought assigned seats but was seated beside, i thought it doesn't matters if i don't pay extra for assigned seats. So i was pretty surprised when the staff asked if we are ok with emergency exit seats.

I guess we was lucky because emergency exit seats means more leg space but not everyone is suitable sit at the emergency seat because you will have to assist and be the first few to help open the exit door should there be an emergency. 

Before checking in, i saw their 7-11 store and one of my fav buys will be their selection of hamburgers!


My favorite is this bacon with cheese burger! Hahaha, we bought 10 over back with different flavours. hurhur.
Since we are allocated emergency exit seats, we have priority to board first too! Hahaha, so i am not going to buy any assigned seats anymore liao. Haha this shall pretty wrap up our 4D3N Phuket trip. Looking forward to more holiday trips! Shall end this post now. Till then!