Day 120, May 13, 2023 Phuket, Thailand 8:00 to Overnight

Day 120, May 13, 2023 Phuket, Thailand  8:00 to Overnight 

Day 120 Sat. May 13, 2023 Phuket, Thailand Overnight to 17:00

Sadly I had a bad day technologically.   Somehow I deleted the notes I took on my phone and then I could not download the pictures I took with my camera.  I wrote what I remembered.  

Scenic Phuket & Elephant Camp  9:00 or 9:15 4.5 hours  $149.00

Broaden your understanding of Thai culture through attractions that reflect various perspectives of daily life, beginning with a factory that processes cashews.  The Sri Bhurapa Orchid Company is devoted solely to the production of cashews, an important cash crop on the island.  Products range from cashew juice said to have medicinal qualities to raw cashews flavored with butter and sweet chilis.  The island’s devotion to Buddhist comes to light at Wat Chalong, the island’s largest temple.  If you hear firecrackers going off, don’t be alarmed - that’s how worshippers traditionally express gratitude for answered prayers.  Elephants are also synonomous with Thai culture, and they once roamed wild on Phuket.  You will see these extraordinary creatures up close at an elephant camp, where you may watch them demonstrate their intelligence and ability to use tools.  A brief stop will also be made at a local store where you may browse for souvenirs.  

Understanding the importance of cashews to Phuket’s economy at a nut-processing factory.

Visit Phuket’s largest Buddhist temple and see the statue of a former heroic monk.

Watch elephants demonstrate their prodigious intelligence and abilities.

Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.

Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

This tour includes 3.5 hours of walking/standing on mostly uneven ground and numerous steps to negotiate.  This tour is not available for wheel chair guests and not recommended for those with walking or mobility concerns.  Actual tour duration is dependent of traffic conditions, which can be heavy at peak times.  Dress modestly and cover your knees and shoulders to enter the temple.  Shoes must be removed when visiting temples. 

***Our guide told us that many elephants live in camps now.  Each elephant is assigned an attendant or mahout and the two bond.   The mahout can be the only one who can handle the elephant at times.  We mashed up some food with a banana into a ball and fed the elephants.  We also watched two elephants stand around and get hose down and a baby elephant played in the water in a pool.  There were elephants saddled up for riding but we did not ride them and I was happy about that.  

We went to a temple and had access to all the buildings if we took off our shoes and hats.  The temples were beautiful.

After that we went to the "cashew factory" which was really a sales room.  You could taste different cashews and then purchase what you wanted.  There were two women sitting there shelling the cashews. The factory is no longer in this town as the real estate is too valuable.  

Visit Phuket’s largest Buddhist temple and see the statue of a former heroic monk.  We really did not get a lot of information about this temple we were sent out to walk around on our own.  

 

We also stopped at a jewelry store where I looked around and then went and waited on the bus.