The main beaches of Phuket and Phi Phi lacked the tranquility we had enjoyed in Ao Nang. They were, however, still beautiful, with soft white sand, clear blue water, and coral reefs within swimming distance of the shore. We enjoyed a long, lazy afternoon reading and watching parasailors on Patong Beach. On Ao Sane Beach, we rented snorkel masks and explored the underwater ecosystem until the undertow of the current became too strong as the tide went out in the evening.
Once the sun goes down, both Phi Phi and Phuket light up 
with bars, clubs, and similar attractions. Though Ellsa and I did walk down Phuket’s Bangla Street – known for its night life, and full of scantily clad women and poles – we found our fun for the night elsewhere. Specifically, we wandered into the Jung Ceylon shopping center, and came across a Japanese amusement park for children. We were not permitted to enter the bouncy castles or ball pits, but the arcade section was open to all ages, and it was full of novelties to enjoy!
The first game that caught my eye was a drumming game, reminiscent of Rock Band but with the bright, colourful, overly cute animations one would expect from a Japanese children’s arcade. I rocked it 
(obviously). Ellsa then came first in a horse race, her steed a plastic horse perhaps just a little too small for her, which glowed different colours and rocked back and forth as the game was played. Teaming up, we successfully sprayed water at rubber ducks to send them bobbing through a doorway (though we had to kneel on the floor in order to reach the spray guns), and fought off hungry piranhas and skeleton ghosts while sitting inside a fairly convincing pirate ship. We finished off by throwing plastic balls into the open mouth of a dinosaur, who looked suspiciously like a hungry hungry hippo. Overall, in my opinion, we had way more fun than anyone on Bangla Street.
Another fun time to be had on the Thai islands is visiting a fish spa. Ellsa opted out of this one, nervous that her feet would be too ticklish, but I had to give it a try, and I’m glad I did. I went to Doctor Fish on Koh Phi Phi, and I would highly recommend them if you’re ever in the neighbourhood. The two ladies working there were extremely friendly, helping me to bandage my toe (I had ripped off half my toenail the day prior) both before and after the spa experience. They even provided me with extra bandages and care advice! Before I put my feet into the tank, I was assured that the nibbling fish would tickle only for the first two minutes or so, and then I would grow accustomed to it. I didn’t, and struggled to keep still for most of the twenty minutes I was there. Regardless, it was a thoroughly enjoyable and unique experience.
Just watching the fish consume their meal of dead skin cells was fascinating on its own. They varied in size, pattern, and colour, but were all toothless and had big mouths for sucking up debris. I kept an eye out for the biggest fish, about the length of my middle finger and the width of my thumb, since they tickled me the most, and I needed to prepare myself for when they came for a nibble, lest I kick and scare all the fish away. Despite my need to focus on the swimming around my feet, the setting of the spa was very peaceful. A soundtrack of tropical bird calls distracted from the hustle and bustle of the market just outside, and the coolness of the air-conditioned room was an immensely welcome feeling. All in all, it was a great way to forget about my hangover from the night before.
(Yes, I had been pulled in by the lure of 150 baht ($6) bucket cocktails. Ellsa and I decided that if we were on a party island, we might as well have a night out. It was fun, and made Go Fish a far more entertaining game, but a bucket is a large amount of booze to consume all at once, and I don’t think I’ll be doing it again. What drives people to drink that much night after night is beyond me!)