- [Viktor] Awww!
- Hey, I'm Gunnarolla, world traveler, food lover.
After a year and a half of pandemic lockdowns,
I'm back out there exploring the world.
First stop Thailand,
thanks to a new reopening initiative that allows
fully vaccinated travelers to explore the country
safely and responsibly.
This is Phuket Sandbox.
You ready?
I think most people would associate Phuket with pristine
beaches, white sand, clear water, and
beautiful resort hotels.
It's a place to relax with a bit of a party vibe.
And if you're looking for that,
you can definitely find it here.
But if you're more of an adventure,
sightseeing oriented traveler Phuket actually
has a lot to offer.
And right now is an excellent time to visit because you can
really take your time to enjoy these experiences.
It's clean, it's safe.
The locals are friendly and ready to welcome you.
So in this video,
I'm sharing six adventure & sightseeing activities that you
can enjoy right now in Phuket, Thailand.
There are a few waterfalls that you can access,
if you don't mind, a little bit of a hike.
Hiking.
This national park is home to two waterfalls,
and it's actually the last remaining evergreen rainforest
on Phuket Island.
How long is our hike today?
- [June] About two kilometers.
- Two kilometers? We can do two kilometers.
Now entering the park,
you will find a beautifully maintained, paved path.
It's humid, it's lush, and it leads to
the Ton Sai Cascading Waterfall.
I thought we were done there,
but if you were feeling a little more adventurous,
you can venture a little deeper into the rain forest to the
Bang Pai Waterfall.
Okay, we are really hiking out here.
There is a little bit of a path but be warned,
It's a little bit of a challenge.
I was struggling a bit,
but then we ran into a man with his kids and his wife
holding a baby.
Okay, well, if a man carrying a baby can do this,
I can do this.
Mosquito repellent, a must, water bottle,
a must, water shoes, highly recommended because
you are basically going to be
wading through streams. It's unavoidable.
In the end, it was totally worth it.
It's a gorgeous waterfall to cool down under. And of course,
have a little photoshoot.
There is a gibbon sanctuary that was not accessible to us at
the time that we visited, but as things open up,
I'm sure it'll be worth a visit. On the way back,
you'll see tons of a massive plants and trees.
Keep an eye out for the 'Kerriodoxa elegans' or
the 'White Elephant Palm'.
It's a rare plant that was actually discovered
and thrives here.
We survived.
If hiking isn't your thing,
then you've definitely got to try an ATV.
We signed up for an experience with ATV Phuket.
They have a whole park set up. It's really fun.
Let's do this.
And during the rainy season, it's really, really wet.
If you're traveling during the rainy season,
the weather can be very unpredictable and in Phuket it can
change on a dime. So you just have to make the best of it.
I actually got stuck at one point,
but they have excellent staff to rescue you.
If you love being on the water Phuket is the place for you.
You can swim, you can rent a jet ski or
you can surf. Phuket is actually
becoming a premier destination for surfing.
I have never surfed in my life.
So we made our way out to Kata Beach,
which is one of the most popular beaches on the island
and it's kind of like the epicenter for surfing.
All right, first surfing lesson, let's do it.
We had a private lesson with a company called
Beyond Surf Kata Phuket.
I'm a great swimmer.
I love being in the water.
I thought I was getting all the steps.
I can surf on land. We're good.
I was hoping that I would discover a new passion today that
I would be great at surfing,
but I spent more time horizontal than vertical.
But it was great to watch the surfers in action in the
middle of a storm. The waves were very strong that day
so I'm going to try it again another time.
Julian, my instructor, thank you.
- Krub.
- How was that?
- Good.
- No! I'm pretty sure I kicked him in the head
at some point.
Phuket's Big Buddha is a really impressive monument
that is cherished by the locals.
You travel up a winding six kilometer road,
and then you see it.
Wow.
It's a really peaceful site with panoramic views of the
entire island.
Now it was a little foggy on the day that we went,
but that just added to how epic it was.
That's stunning.
Definitely make time to check it out,
not just for the views,
but it's just a very calming experience.
Now, one of the most special experiences
you can have in Thailand is spending some time at
an elephant sanctuary.
We went to Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Phuket.
Their mission is to rescue,
rehabilitate, and care for these elephants.
All right, we've disembarked
and I can see my first elephant.
It's a much more ethical way to interact with and learn
about these majestic creatures in the safety of their own
home.
All right, feeding time,
(laughing) Hi!
They might've been used for logging or maybe they came from
other attractions.
74 years old.
She's 74. Elephants tend to live as long as humans.
Still got a good couple of years in her.
You'll feed the elephants.
You'll play with the elephants, you'll bathe
the elephants, it's like an elephant spa.
This was the highlight of the entire trip, for me.
Elephants are really smart.
They've got a really long lifespan.
They are a symbol of Thailand,
and I think we've come a really long way in understanding
how to give people an opportunity to get up close and
personal with them while respecting them.
Bye-bye.
It's just a really special experience.
And if you are visiting Thailand,
it should be at the top of your list.
Now, if you're looking for a memorable experience,
that's just a little over the top, charter a boat.
Taking a catamaran.
This is a full day experience
and with Nikorn Marine Tours,
you can take a private catamaran out for the day.
So we went out to Kahung Beach.
And it wasn't just that we had a private boat.
It was like we had a private beach.
This is paradise.
Your footsteps are the only footsteps that you will see
Under normal circumstances, this beach would be packed,
but we are in a weird window of time between lockdowns and
reopening, where you can really just have
the place to yourself.
It's a very rare opportunity to enjoy clean pristine beaches
and the island without competing with other tourists.
It is unreal. I basically have the beach to myself.
It's a great time to come out to Thailand.
The ride home is like a movie.
It's you, the water, the sunset.
It's very magical and a very rare opportunity to experience
Phuket in this way.
Cap it all off with dinner at Suay.
They serve contemporary Thai. Phenomenal dining experience.
This was one of our favorites on the island.
This is the place to be and to be seen.
So those are my picks for six adventure and sightseeing
experiences you can have right now in Thailand.
In the comments below, let me know your
favorite and stay tuned because in this
series of breaking down more experiences and where to stay.
Thailand is reopening and thanks to Phuket Sandbox,
you can explore safely and responsibly, without
a lengthy quarantine.
I'll see you next week.
A la prochaine.
Next time on Gunnarolla.
We're not going to eat.
We're going to cook.
That's a very big gaping hole.
Time to eat some of our creations.
Today we are going to make...
a drink.
Do I get any assistance?
Lime juice.
- Nope.
- That was incredible.