Phuket advice

[briangriffin]

Can anyone advise where best to stay in Phuket for about 2 weeks in November. Want to be within walking distance of beach and the nightlife if possible. Where abouts is best to be searching for hotels?

Any advice on the logistics of going somewhere for a full moon party and maybe ko samui would be great too.

thanks

[Corpulent Tosser]

briangriffin said:

Can anyone advise where best to stay in Phuket for about 2 weeks in November. Want to be within walking distance of beach and the nightlife if possible. Where abouts is best to be searching for hotels?

Any advice on the logistics of going somewhere for a full moon party and maybe ko samui would be great too.

thanks

In March we stayed at Movenpick Hotel in Karon, I thought Karon was a good choice as it has some nightlife and is close enough to Pataya if you want the hectic nightlife scene, huge beach there and Kata is just a Tuk Tuk ride away.

A friend who likes things quieter swears by Bangtao, but I think that might be too quiet.

Easy to get a boat to Phi Phi from Phuket either for a day trip or longer but Ko Samui would need a flight, the full moon parties I know of, but never been, are on Ko Pha Ngan a boat trip away from Ko Samui.

We are going to Ao Nang in the Krabi region in Jan, not because we didn't like Phuket but just to see someplace different.

If you have time a couple of days in Bangkok is worthwhile, amazingly mental place.

[briangriffin]

cheers mate, how much does the boat to phi phi cost? may look at having a week on the beach in Phuket, a few days in phi phi and then a few days back at phuket

[rsv gone!]

briangriffin said:

cheers mate, how much does the boat to phi phi cost? may look at having a week on the beach in Phuket, a few days in phi phi and then a few days back at phuket

In the region of $10 each way, per person, so long as you take the public boats and don't end up on some chartered speedboat.

[Corpulent Tosser]

We snorkelled at an island to the south of Phuket, Racha is one of the spellings, nice place and decent snorkelling, another good activity was a boat trip to the islands to the north, Hong, the bat caves, James Bond Island, we booked a trip which included kayaking and a very nice buffet meal cooked on the boat, I think we paid around 15-20 pound for that.

One tip I would give is don't book excursions at the hotel, go to one of the street booths and you will save a lot of money.

[briangriffin]

thanks for the advice guys, has anyone got experience of just finding accommodation when they get there rather than booking on expedia etc now?

the missus seems to think it'd be cheaper but i'd have thought the price online is the price especially when it's 4 star hotels we're looking at.

[Corpulent Tosser]

My son has travelled fairly extensively in SE Asia and has rarely bothered booking in advance, but then he has been staying at the cheaper end of the market.

I think if you want to go that route you would be fine and probably could get a better deal on the day but would be inclined to book the first couple of days in advance to give you time to look around when you get there.

I didn't do it there but have done it in the US with good results.

[anonymous-user]

Any where is OK, Phuket is what you want it to be, I'f had great family holidays in Patong, (Coconut Village is good for turn up without a booking or 2nd Bungalow on the street 1 back from the beach) any of the beaches on the West side, Ah Nang in Krabbie is nearly as close to Phuket airport and is easier to get to the islands, it is like Phuket 10 15 years ago, but gets worse and more seedy each year, as the Indians move in, the further S E you go from Krabbie the quieter it gets. A week on Phi PHi is to long unless you really like snorkeling, Krabbie to Ko Samoi by public transport is not nice, you can get a bus or a private taxi and then get the ferry, ferry runes all day every 20 minutes or so, if you ave car it's OK and on a bike its a great journey. Ferry terminal is the midle of nowhare and then on the wrong side of Ko Samoui
If ypou don;t book then the Beach Terrece in Ah Nang is very good right on the North end of the beach Thai owned on not on the pacjage tour circuit. My kids still love it and drag their university friends there, when they were little they could play n the beach while I finished my breakfast, not 5 star but one of my favorite hotels in the world. There is no need to book you will always get a room, but do not let the taxi driver from the airport recommend a room.

[Corpulent Tosser]

Berw

We are going to Ao Nang in Jan, staying at the Krabi Resort, north end of Ao Nang beach. A bit late to be asking as it is booked but do you have any idea if there are any issues with it or if it is a good location ?

I booked it as it gets some good reviews and it is close to the main entertainment area without being right on it, but never having been to Krabi I don't know if it was a good choice.

Thanks

[anonymous-user]

Ah Nang is great, I go there a lot, it is a 10 hour bike ride for me up Saturday down Sunday couple of beers has been known.
Ah Nang resort is (I think) actually on the next little bay N of the main beach, (this is not a problem it only 200m), and you have beach access and not get the long tail boats coming in and out. The problem with the 'package' hotels in Ah Nang main bay is they are not on the beach, the road is between them and the beach, except for the Beach Terrace which as I say is not a 'European Package' hotel. I think you have booked the right hotel for you.
Ah Nang is changing, when I first went there was almost nothing, now the main beach is McDs and Starbucks and Indian tailors, there used to be a brilliant Italian owned by a Italian married to a Thai but those things are gone now for main stream.
Do a day in Ray Lay walk to Princes Cave Beach not the main beach, the Island trip, Phi Phi, the Elephant track and the white water or OK, snorkeling and diving can all e arranged, good tourist things and easy to organize at the desk in the hotel. I like the Gibbon sanctuary very simple owned by a Thia guy and the gibbons live wild. A trip and a walk to the Tiger cave temple is worth while. Do not buy made to measure clothes on a 24 hour deal, pick your cloth take a few days for a fitting and you can do OK but the 24 hour deals are rubbish. The brands outlet mall, which will be almost opposite your hotel is worth a look, they sometimes have good prices.
As I say Thailand is what you make of it, you can do seedy girly weekends (South end of the beach second follow the main road round, second lane in on the right), or have great family holidays, my Kids are all grown up know but we used Ah Nang for weekends when they were little and they still love it. Climbing at Ray Lay OK if you don't climb, both Tex and King have good reputations and are safe, if you can climb don't bother you will just be top roped up French 6a.
The trip to James Bond Island is good but very commercial,
The sea is warm and safe the swimming at Princess cave is fantastic.

[themanwithnoname]

I've stayed in Kata/Karon which meet your criteria for the beach, but this year seemed to have gone downhill a little bit - still nice enough though. Sadly the place that we stayed has had focus taken away in favour of a much larger complex, however if you like Kata/Karon I'd thoroughly recommend taking a look at Manohra (Cozy Village is the smaller, Cozy Resort is the new larger) as the owner is amazing and genuinely cannot do enough to help.

I can't recommend the Friendship Beach resort in Rawai enough though, its out of the way, luxurious, not cheap, but worth every penny (though we did find out when we got there its quite focused on fitness and wellness so there are spandex people about, and lots of health food!). We booked a beachfront bungalow, and when I say beachfront, we were 4ft from the sand and 10ft from the high tide line. Its out of the way, but as with everything in Phuket its only 20 minutes from everything! That said, I am told by friends who live on Phuket that the main highway from Rawai to Phuket City is being dug up through Chalong meaning that unless you are on two wheels, the east side of the island is a nightmare - seeing how Phuket City was when they were doing the same over the past 3 years I can only imagine.

PhiPhi - for me is a day and maybe one night, its horrendously busy, and has been ruined by over building and too much everything. It felt like 1000 dive schools, 1000 tattoo parlours, 50000 bars, etc etc and for me it was too much. I've only ever stayed on one nighters on a dive charter though so maybe after 4 dives in the day was too tired to appreciate it properly.

Anyway, lovely island, you'll have a fantastic time. Its not often I revisit a place. Can't get enough of Phuket, and Thailand at large.

[Corpulent Tosser]

Berw said:

Interesting stuff about Ao Nang.

Many Thanks

Where do you cycle from ?
We did the James Bond Island as part of a longer tour which took in a few other island including kayaking through hongs and the bat caves, so probably not go there again.
The Tiger Caves is something I fancy, quite a gruelling climb though I believe, I am fairly fit but not so young (over 60), I think we will give it a go though.
The Emerald Pool is something else I read about and will probably do.
Thanks for the other suggestions.