Kuay Jap Noodles - A new restaurant in Phuket Town

Last weekend, after a little drive around Sirey Island to the east of Phuket town - where I finally got to see the reclining Buddha (the other times I have been there the temple had been closed) - we were heading home and I had half a mind to cook some pasta, but we passed a new looking noodle shop which looked interesting. Most noodle shops look the same, rather basic and cheap with plastic chairs and questionable hygiene (don't look too close - a good motto for Thailand!).



The Kuay Jap Champ Suphan noodle shop is in the Sam Kong area in the north of Phuket Town, just half a kilometer east of the Tesco Lotus store on the way into town. It has been open about 6 months they told us, somehow we'd not noticed before. Or maybe we were in the mood for Kuay Jap which is a kind of noodle soup made with rolled up thick noodles, crispy pork, "moo daeng" (roast red pork) and (unless you ask them NOT to include it) things like liver, heart, intestines, congealed blood.. aka "offal". If you are an ex vegetarian like me, some meaty things are still considered inedible - so if you don't want all the bits, just say "Mai Sai Kruang Nai".





This noodle shop makes an effort. The place has a little style, the tables are wood, not plastic, there are decorations, and it is clean! This is no local backstreet noodle stall, it's much nicer and yet.. it's still cheap. We paid 210 Baht for 4 dishes and 5 drinks. I had a delicious Kuay Jap with the Moo Grob ("crispy pork") and the Moo Daeng plus some egg; my wife had the full monty with all the bits, and our kids had Khao Moo Daeng - red pork on rice with a kind of sauce/gravy. Very tasty.





I do love a bit of moo grob! Crispy pork.. like porky scratchings/hog lumps in a soup. I think we will go again tomorrow!

Update 2011 - they have opened a 2nd branch in Kathu, opposite the entrance road to the Prince of Songkhla University, we have tried this one too - just as tasty.. and it's close to our house. Bonus!







(above) Kuay Jap Champsuphan noodle shop in Kathu near the Prince of Songkhla University (PSU) - it's just a couple of hundred meters from another favourite local restaurant of ours called The Big Chicken. It's much easier to find good local food when you are not in a tourist area!

Kukup Island - The Red Mangrove Island, Johor

The boat was waiting for us when we reach the Jetty.


The boat ride was in our package, we were requested the boat man to drop us at the Kukup Island Jetty. (Please remember to take the mobile phone number of the boatman, once you finish the walk at the island....give them a call, and they will pick you up and return to Kukup)

Along the way, the boatman became our Tour Guide! He was good in explaining about Kukup village and the history behind. He's also trying to sell some souvenirs, but you can reject it if you don't like it.

The new Kukup Jetty

Scenic view of Kukup

His name is 'Ah Long', he was the boatman and 'Tour Guide'.

It's just less than 10 minutes ride, we reached the Kukup Island Jetty.

Kukup Island is an island entirely covered by mangrove forest and surrounded by mudflats - the mudflats extend up to a few kilometres on the West and Northwest of the island. There is currently no human habitation or man made structures on the island.

In order to promote preservation of this unique mangrove habitat, Kukup Island is designated as a Ramsar site (or otherwise known as a Wetlands of International Importance) on 31 January 2003, it is also protected as a national park under the Johor State Park Corporation Enactment 1989 since 27 March 1997.....for more info, please click here.

The mangrove also become a rubbish trap during high tide. I think it will be much easier to clean at the mangrove area rather than the sea.

The Kukup Island Jetty (N1°19.663' E103°26.180')

The Counter - (Remove nothing from the park except rubbish)

The entrance fee :
Malaysian :
Adult : MYR5.00
Student : MYR3.00

Foreigner :
Adult : MYR10.00
Student : MYR5.00

Guide :
Adult : MYR3.00
Student : MYR1.00

Boat ride at Snake River :
Adult : MYR3.00
Student below 12 years : MYR2.00

Kayaking :
Adult : MYR6.00
Student : MYR5.00
Certificate : MYR3.00

After the counter, we start to explore the Island.

The first stop, the Suspension Bridge. It's about 10 - 15 meter height. (No fear!)

The washroom located at the ground level.



The stretch after the Suspension Bridge. I love the view over here...

For rent, but not the guy....

Snake River

The staff of Kukup Island National Park Corporation

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.

During the high tide, most of the Mangrove Crab escape from the water to the tree....

The Mangrove Tree around the area...

Old Logging Settlement

I noticed along the way, you will see many signage......but some of them, I can't understand....will you?

The way which lead us to the 'Observation Tower'.

It's about 5-10 minutes walk, you reach the Tower.

Too bad it's under maintenance! What a MISS! Look at the ribbon block the way to the top of the tower.

The Mudskipper around the area...

That's finish our trip to Kukup Island. We waited about 10 minutes at the jetty for the boat to bring us to the next stop - The Kelong.


They are total of 72 Kelong along the Kukup sea...
On the Kelong (N1°19.500' E103°26.367'), they are selling some dried foods, you will also experience touching the small Shark and other fish over there. We spent about 30 minutes on it, and going back to Kukup for our Seafood lunch....

High King Seafood Restaurant (N1°19.524' E103°26.500')

The dishes were delicious!! I forgot to snap the fish, because I'm too hungry! :)
Among all, the chili crab was the Best!

Our package :-
* Adult : MYR80.00 (Inclusive of 2 seafood lunch, 1 seafood dinner and a simple breakfast)
* Children : ?? ( Ops! I forgot)
If you come with more peoples, the package price will be more cheaper. Basically it's between MYR75.00 to MYR150.00.

If you are interested to goto Kukup, you can contact this guy : Mr Gay Kui Seng (Ah Seng) with his mobile phone number : +6-012-7657463

Some history of Kukup.....

The District which is now known as PONTIAN, was called KUKUP or KUKUB with its administrative center located somewhere near the present harbour in Kukup Laut. In those ancient time, the West Coast of Johor, from Kukup to Benut was the stop and rest place of the sea pirates based in the Straits of Kukup. They stationed and based at the river mouths of the Perhentian Besar River, and the Perhentian Kechil River. (In Malay "Perhentian" means Stopping Place (Mooring Place), "Besar" means big, "Kechil" means small, and "Sungai" means river.) These two rivers were then called the Pontian Besar River (Sungai Pontian Besar) and Pontian Kechil River (Sungai Pontian Kechil). Thus it was obvious that the name PONTIAN, came from the Malay word Perhentian meaning the Stoping Place (mooring place)....for more, please click here.

About Kukup :-

This is an old fishing village with history of a century old. Its unique of a fishing village built entirely on stilts above the sea, linked by concrete jetty from house to house. As recent statistic shown, this old fishing village is occupied by some 1,000 residents wholly from the Chinese race. Out of a total of 172 houses, about 57 are used as Holiday Chalets. The village will be flooded with flow of tourists on Saturdays and Sundays. Tourists especially from Singapore like to tour and stay here in groups very frequently because of the economic and cheap expenditures, warm hospitality and many interesting places to be visited. Source from here....

To us, this place is a Good Breakaway from your stressful city life. I will definitely visit here more often if time allow.....

The only comment I have : The way they discharges everything direct to the sea!! It's really bad and polluted!

Related post :-
* Kukup Fishing Village Trip 15th & 16th November 2008
* Dinner at Kukup (Day 1)
* Kukup Trip - Day 2

MY TRIPS - Home

Phuket Thai Hua Museum

I have said it before and will say it again - I like Phuket Town, especially the old part of town which comprises a few blocks around Phang Nga Road, Thalang Road, Krabi Road and Dibuk Road. The narrow roads and turn of the century architecture combined with the old Chinese shops make a welcome break from the busier parts of town, and if you come from the tourist beaches it's like another world. Yes, you are in the real Phuket, which is what this blog tries to show!

The Phuket Thai Hua Museum is found on Krabi road, a block North and half a block west of the traffic circle near the market. Krabi road is pretty quiet, most of the buildings are of the "Sino-Portugese" style and life itself seems slightly old fashioned in this part of town.





The museum has been open a couple of years, and still has a museum-in-progress feeling. It has been used for art exhibitions too. The building dates back to 1934 when it was established as the Phuket Thai Hua School, a Thai-Chinese language school mostly for the families of local families of Chinese origin (there are many due to the arrival of many Chinese in the 19th century in the tin mining boom years). The Thai Hua School moved to a new larger home on the edge of town in the 1990's. We know people whose kids study there and the Chinese language is still part of the curriculum.





Inside the front gates, the car park is decorated with photos of the old school.



When my daughter and I arrived, there were loads of guys with fancy cameras all over the place. With my little Canon Powershot I felt quite inadequate! I asked a guy what was going on. Turns out to be a photo assignment for Canon. I looked closer, yep they all had Canon cameras. A model was posing for photos inside the museum. Well, even with a Powershot you can snap a nice photo!



My daughter and I then wandered around the rooms of the old school. Some still with old school desks, lots of photos on the walls of past students. I did feel a sense of history, and we even met a former student sitting in her old classroom. She told us she had been at the school in the 1970's, and her mother had been to the same school before her.





One room was full of old school books. The Chinese connection is clear! There was a wall full of little reading books ranging from Snoopy to what looked like "Why China is the best country in the world" type books! There were also old Chinese dictionaries and such. We did consider the Thai Hua school for our daughter some years ago, thinking Chinese would be a useful skill if they decide to take over the world, but in the end we opted for a school that teaches more in English.





As I say, the museum is still growing, but it's certainly worth a visit. Phuket has plenty of history and culture, but you are not going to find it in Patong Beach! The brochure I picked up says it's open every day except Monday. If you are in Phuket Town, have a look. If you are a backpacker and stay at the Old Town Hostel, no excuses, it's about 1 minute down the road!

(update 2010) - the museum has been renovated and there is more to see now, but there is also an entry fee of 200 Baht per person :)