If you like crowds (mostly Russian or Chineese), traffic jams, skin contact with random, fellow human beings on the beach, boats in a bay parked like cars in a shopping mall then Phuket and Phi Phi is your dream destination.

We were to meet our friends there but otherwise we would have never even come close to this place. Especially that it was a peak of tourist season and crowds came to celebrate New Year.

On the biggest of Thailand’s islands we wanted to rent a car, drive around and find spots worth visiting. Unfortunately none of rental companies had any cars available and we gave up after calling seven of them. Taxis, tuk-tuks or ubers did not want to pick us up due to traffic. In restaurants there were lines to place an order or sky-high prices. In many bars there were old white fat men in company of very young, barely dressed Thai girls, almost always keeping a firm grip on their asses. It is human nature and I am not to judge anyone, yet it ever leaves this sad-disgusting feeling inside.

In most places the prices are easily 2 times higher than on islands we visited before. On Koh Phi Phi, the elegendary Maya beach (from “The Beach” movie starred by Leonardo di Caprio) was packed with boats and snorkeling was impossible, not mentioning the fact that you have to pay $15 to set your foot on this legendary sand and take a selfie in a crowd. Well, to be honest it is really not my thing.

There is a saying that if life gives you lemons, make a lemonade. So we managed to find a small, beautiful and deserted beach. We ate the best pad thai in a small, shady bar made of tin-plate and it costed peanuts. After this experience our kids finally realized that it is best to eat where locals do.

Thanks to our company we had a great time in this Thai Wladyslawowo (Polish seaside village, very crowded) and thanks to Kasia I had one more try on Durian (covered my nose first). I still do not know how people can call it “the king of fruits” but perhaps it works similar to stinky blue cheese.

We left Phuket very tired. If I ever happen to be there again it will be only to visit Similan Islands.