Spending the holidays away from home, in Phuket

Categories abroad
The rather ubiquitous architecture in Phuket is the shophous
The rather ubiquitous architecture in Phuket is the shophous

I was staring forlornly at my piece of tortilla pizza while comfortably ensconced at the chair at Tom N Toms Coffee at the Limelight branch in Phuket Town. It was New Years Eve and while the new year was earlier celebrated back in the home country, it was still a few minutes more in Thailand. I’m having my own media noche as it’s just another day in a predominantly Buddhist country.

I should be in Thailand before 2015 ends.

That was my resolve and it had to happen. At midnight of 23 December, I arrived at Phuket International Airport, contemplating of booking hotels in Phuket just near the airport or change my Airbnb booking. But still with mixed feelings as to what I am embarking on. Work, primarily as a photographer and I’ve been toying about this idea ever since I extended my stay in Bangkok last October to shoot.


I’m actually okay here but from time to time, adjusting of being in a foreign country not as a full time tourist but as travel blogger, working photographer and tourist. And being a Filipino during the holidays away from home, kind of discomforting. And that’s how I can now understand how OFWs feel when their not home for Christmas. Or when pangs of craving for Cebu lechon hit me. Of all places.

It’s the first day of 2016 and I will be here for a few more weeks before heading to another country and back home again in February.

A beautifully lit tree at a park in Old town #phuket #thailand

A photo posted by Estan Cabigas (@langyawmedia) on

Colorful #shophouses at the neighborhood where I'm staying. #phuket #thailand #design #architecture

A photo posted by Estan Cabigas (@langyawmedia) on


I'm a Travel and Architecture photographer, blogger and writer based in Cebu, the Philippines.

A true blue Cebuano, I make stunning images and meaningful stories. My work has been published in various coffee table books as well as local and international publications including Geo (Germany), Sunday Times Magazine (London), done photo assignments for Mabuhay and written posts in Smile.

My personal Photography work has been exhibited around Asia and Europe including Paris in France, Germany, The Netherlands, South Korea, China and around the ASEAN regional capitals.

I am a peripatetic traveler and have been to all 81 Philippine provinces and abroad.

Check out my portfolio site at StanCabigas.

1 thought on “Spending the holidays away from home, in Phuket

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.