WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT PHUKET FANTASEA THEME PARK
★★★★★ 5/5
PHUKET FANTASEA Overview
Phuket FantaSea Is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Phuket but what makes it more special is that it is the very first Thai cultural theme park in the world.
Set in Kamala beach, only 50 metres from Glam Habitat Hotel, Phuket FantaSea operates daily (except on Thursday) from 17.30 – 23.30 o’clock. Its highlight is the “Fantasy of a Kingdom” show, which combines traditional Thai art with modern special effects. There is also elephant and animal shows in a massive theatre, Palace of the Elephants Theatre. Not to mention an international buffet provided for you and other shows as well as attractions in the park. This place is truly a paradise for both children and adults. Just pack your adventurous heart and enjoy the show. It will surely leave you wanting more.
Oh, and don’t forget to stay with Glam Habitat so you can fully enjoy the night without having to travel so far away just to get home!
Around the Fantasea
The Phuket FantaSea park is immense and designed to entertain you for several hours before the show. You can enjoy shops, shops and more shops plus some coffee shops. A couple of funfairs keep the kids busy, and you might even win a couple of stuffed animals. Of course, you have to pay to play the games (on top of the entrance fee), and the prize is probbly cheaper than the game, but you get the bragging rights.
Phuket FantaSea park is beautifully crafted, designed around Thai mythology and legends theme, with endless photo and selfies opportunities. The restaurant and the main building where you will see the show are particularly impressive.
oats, we reach the Golden Kinaree restaurant resembling a vast golden temple. The dinner is optional, but we decided to give it a try so we could at least write about it. Passed the large doors, we just froze for a second: We never saw such humongous dining room in our entire life!
Fantasea Theatre
A room capable of hosting 4,000 seats is larger than a soccer field! The decor at Golden Kinaree is beautiful, and the buffet is acceptable, but it’s the opposite of an intimate restaurant. You better to enjoy a nice dinner in Kamala Beach before coming to the FantaSea Phuket show.
The crowd rushes to the theatre as soon as they announce the show. Even though everyone booked their seats in advance, there seem always to be an urge to get in first!
Visitors are not allowed to take photos inside the theatre and must deposit your cameras at dedicated counters. Phuket FantaSea has always been very strict on this point. We never managed to get an authorisation to shoot inside the theatre, sorry!
The large theatre accommodates 3,000 persons. If you get bad luck and end up in a back seat or on the 2nd floor, the elephants will look as big as frogs. Book a ‘gold seat’, it’s not much more, and you get to be closer.
The Show
The show starts with a caravan of massive elephants walking through the audience, followed by performers in Thai costumes. It’s impressive and surreal, probably the best part of the show. The show starts once everyone reaches the stage in a great display of sound and light effects.
The FantaSea show narrates the history of Kamala, but we suspect nobody follows the story past the first 5 minutes. Actors, dancers and acrobats smoothly perform a well-rehearsed play. The flying Thai angels and the acrobats spinning above the audience’s head get all the attention. Some scary clowns coming straight out of a Stephen King novel do a bit of magic. They didn’t seem to have anything to do with Thai mythology, but front stage performance allows the crew to change the set behind closed curtains!
Epic battles, scenes and traditional dances end with the return of the elephants. That part is has a little disturbing ‘circus’ feel to it. For the grand final, the good guys rescue the princess: the audience is happy and cheers. The bunch of crazy chickens that run in a neat line across the stage is a fun touch. How do they do that?
Phuket FantaSea is a pretty good show and a decent attraction park. It might feel a bit ‘mass tourism’ to some. Kids will love the colourful game zones and the brightly lit buildings, and the massive temples might impress adults. There is a bit of controversy regarding the elephants involved in the show — some elephants standby near the restaurant for a photo or a short ride. Lately riding elephants isn’t cool anymore, and Elephant Sanctuaries are becoming more popular.
Credit:Phuket 101
