There are hundreds of Thai dishes and each dish has its own characteristics in flavor and feature. The south has a very strong flavour of food with spicy herbs, like turmeric (Curcuma longa), and tend to contain coconut milk. Turmeric is a popular spice in many Indian and Asian dishes and a critical ingredient of curry. The food of southern Thailand is noted for its sharp, intense flavors such as Kua Kling.
Kua Kling is a signature dish of the south that you must try if you are in Phuket, Samui or Krabi. It isan extremely spicy, dry curry dish like Rendang, one of the more popular Indonesians dishes in Singapore and throughout Asia. There are numerous recipes that you can try out. You can use minced pork, beef, chicken or fish at your choice. Garnish it with some finely chopped Kaffir lime leaves and served it with fresh vegetables and jasmine rice.
Kua Kling is one of my favourite Southern Thai dishes and this is a dish you just want to try again and again despite the “tongue burning sensation”. Yummy!!!
Let’s Take a Coffee Break at Phuket’s Big Buddha Hill
Many new cafe and food outlets have popped up in Nakkerd Hill (Big Buddha Hill) between Chalong and Karon Beach where the Big Buddha of Phuket is being constructed offering some of the most spectacular views in Phuket. Let’s take a coffee break and relax with natural beauty surrounding you.
Phuket has a population of 335 913 (31st Dec 2009) and the residents of Phuket consist of Thai, Muslim, Thai-Chinese and sea gypsies (chao leh in Thai). The sea gypsies are one of the most interesting sections of the population on Phuket.
Sea Gypsy Village (Rawai Beach, Phuket)
There are three sea gypsy settlements on Phuket. I visited the sea gypsy village at the Rawai Beach on my first visit to Thailand. Others reside at the Sapam coast and on the island of Siray which is connected to Phuket Town by a bridge.
I love ice cream (Sea Gypsy Village, Phuket)
Since they don’t have any written language, they speak her own language related closely to Malay but influenced by Thai and have ther own religion. They have dark and dusky complexion. Sea gypsies consist of three ethnic groups and they adopt their way of life as marine nomads.
Seashells for sale (Sea Gypsy Village, Phuket)
In Thailand, there are three main groups of sea gypsies the Moken, the Moklen, and the Urak Lawoi. They are expert in swimming, diving and submerging in the sea and hence the names ” Sea-gypsy” or “Men of the Sea” .The Moken, today, still live the original, nomadic lifestyle located on Phuket and Phang Nga province.
Fishing is the usual source of income for the sea gypsies
The sea gypsy’s way of life has been changing rapidly in recent years, but seeing the smiles of the locals has become the highlight of every day.
