HONEYMOON cont'd Part 3 of 4

Woop!

Here we are- part 3.

If you've been following along- I mean it when I say thank you! It makes me smile knowing you enjoy reading as much as I love re-living & writing about it all. If you're new here, welcome friend! May I encourage you to check out Part 1 and Part 2 so you're caught up on all the happenings up until now.

I will humbly admit... after our magical day in Chiang Mai, I wasn't really sure how anything moving forward would compare. It was such an exciting, "major bucket list" kind of day...I didn't think it could be beat. Yet, we still had 2 more places to go...

What I found is that every day of our honeymoon brought new experiences and one never "outbeat" the other; they just came with their own special, unexpected, totally entrancing, and very different experiences. And with that said, I bring you:

P H U K E T, Thailand!

Phuket is a fairytale that seems entirely too good to be true... I swore the whole time my eyes were playing tricks on me, when really they were just experiencing colors and the grand scale of tropical scenery like never before.

We landed in Phuket a short plane ride over from Chiang Mai and upon pulling onto resort grounds, I knew we'd hit a Phuket treasure.

THE RESORT.

Situated right in a bend of the shoreline of Naithon Beach, and tucked into the oceanic hillside, you'll find the Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Resort.

This place knows how to work those water features, and as lovers of all things water, David and I were in aquatic heaven.

Of course, a view of the ocean outside of a huge sliding glass door is enough to make anyone's heart leap, but allow me to indulge you in resort grounds.

Some of our favorites were the on-site array of restaurants to please any tastebuds, infinity edge everything, open-air concept (including the showers in the rooms), beach access, and sleek modern architecture.

I'm borrowing these from the website, because they're so.much.prettier. than anything I'd be capable of capturing..

*picks up jaw from the ground*

I told you!

Pay attention to that giant rock formation leading into the ocean... they play a key role later on.

It truly is a spectacular place. The whole thing is beautiful enough but what I think we really indulged in most (aside from the beach/pool) was the assortment of organic and healthy breakfast options; egg white omelets, fresh made juices, and honey straight from the honeycomb just to name a few:

Our travel day in was much like the other travel days- getting acquainted with our new surroundings, grabbing a bite to eat (we tried the Italian restaurant...best red wine and Margherita pizza), a night time walk on the beach... still in disbelief that we get to talk about this for years to come and claim it as our honeymoon.

We often used the quiet that night time brings to keep in check with our bodies- how are we feeling mentally? Physically?

You can imagine that in the midst of all this excitement, our systems could easily get us down between travel, new foods, and go-go-go, but as the saying goes..."ain't nobody got time for that."

Again, and as always, we kept up with our wellness routines we follow back home:

Lifelong Vitality Vitamins: we each took our recommended amount daily. PACKED full of "good vibes", the LLV vitamins give our bodies what it needs to stay strong and sufficient. Alpha CRS+ for healthy cellular function, Microplex VMz for food nutrients we might not be getting otherwise, and xEO Megas for those marine and land sourced omegas and fatty acids.

Frankincense: when it's the "King of Oils"... how do you not reward yourself daily? (but scientifically, great for inflammation, soothing properties, immunity, and relaxing)

Balance: gotta keep those hormones in check, right? Grounding, centering, and "wholesome"... it's a go-to for us.

Lavender: wouldn't dare for a second leave the house without the "Swiss Army Knife" of oils... great for everything calming (emotions, jitters, bumps and bruises).

Lemon and Lime: ok I will admit- these actually were not a daily use for us. Why? Because they are photosensitive oils (reacts with the sun) when used topically, and we were out in the sun everyday. However, in order to reap its cleansing properties, on those more relaxed days when we were poolside we'd add a drop to our water (and cocktails). Just remember- glass, aluminum, or stainless only when taking EO's internally.

Healthy, happy, and honeymooning... let's talk our first full day, Day 1.

Ever seen the movie Jurassic Park? How about James Bond? Or even The Beach? Notice anything quasi-similar? At one point in time, they all feature a tropical place, and that place is Maya Bay and the Phi Phi islands in Phuket. On our "at sea" day, we got to see it all!

Maya Bay on Phi Phi Ley is quite indescribable, but I'll try. Surrounded on 3 sides by 328 foot cliffs, you'll feel completely minuscule in comparison to the vast areas of silky sand, crystal clear water, and tall coconut trees. The bay is a horseshoe shape, all encompassing one big coral reef full of smaller tropical fish that you can see from the shore. Before heading inwards of the bay, we put on the flippers and masks and snorkeled the outer edges. It is really hard to breathe normally in a snorkel mask when you want to gasp at the sights you see the second you put your face underwater. One word: brilliance.

On land, in addition to standing on the edge and just taking it all in, there were a few sights to see: some of the other boat's decor (*ahem*...see below if you can make out what it says), the backside of the bay where parts of the James Bond movies were filmed, and some wonky native-to-the-island landscape, including "Screw Trees."

Unfortunately, since 200 boats and 4,000 tourist a day visit Maya Bay, the Thailand National Wildlife Council is now temporarily closing the bay due to diminishing reefs and deforestation caused by tourist. We were some of the lucky ones that got to experience it, but we are so thankful this decision was made to protect such a beautiful place. We greatly look forward to the day it re-opens so we can visit again (right, David??)

After Maya Bay, we got back on our boat and ventured over to another snorkel spot on the outskirts of Phi Phi Koh island and then over to the Phi Phi Don side where locals make you lunch and you can walk around and enjoy the beach. We found a swing and spent most of our time after lunch taking turns.

One of the cutest stops along day, was Monkey Beach. Fiesty little monkeys roam the whole place, but beware! You cannot get off the boat because they would attack to get at whatever you had on you. However, we were able to throw them bananas from the boat and they wave in gratitude back at you!

The rest of our day was spent hoping around the smaller islands and relaxing with our new found favorite beer- Chang. At just .70 cents per bottle it was kind of an unbeatable price for a good cold one.

Day 2 was the first time in almost a week and a half now that we actually chilled out and took a day of rest. We laid out by the pool in the morning, and spent the afternoon on the beach- where we stumbled upon a great lunch spot, and a local market! MORE CHANG, crepes, street snacks, handmade clothing, and Thai massages! About Thai massages... we had heard how great and affordable they were but it wasn't until Phuket we actually decided to try it out, and instantly regretted not doing it sooner. It cost us $30 USD for us both to get an hour massage with tip included!

We also brought our AromaTouch massage blend and not only did we love it, but the massage therapist were pointing at it and giving us a thumbs up- seems they're all about that doTERRA too...then again, how can you not be?

Remember when I said to remember that rock formation?

Here's why: one of my most fond memories of Phuket was when we were walking back to our resort after getting those massages and Daredevil David said "let's climb those rocks." Surely he was kidding... I could see the steep falls and jagged edges, we were barefoot, but surprisingly "okay" slipped out of my mouth. I sure am glad we did, as we found a flat spot and watched the sunset with completely uninterrupted, totally secluded views as we said goodbye to Phuket.

It was everything we needed it to be- tropical, scenic, lush, gorgeous, and laid-back. We made some incredible memories in God's true work of art that is Phuket, Thailand, all while taking in the grand amenities the resort had to offer and getting that true R&R day.

Naturally,

Nicki and David