The other face of Phuket

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As many I am appalled at the many negative aspects of Phuket Province. It seems that it is modeling itself on the Pattaya model of tourism rather than the "protect the environment attitude of Krabbi Province.

Having said that I am still in awe at the outstanding beauty and the quality of life that still can be found in the area.

So I have shank my picts, fe-filed them, uploaded them and then loaded them on the page. I hope you enjoy, To me it is truly one of the most beautiful places I have seen.

So here goes, just holiday snaps.

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One of those tourist trap Hongs! We chartered a long tail of a pier on Yoh Yao Yai $50 for 9 hours and with lunch. GReat day! told him to avoid crowds, not bothered about normal tourist spots! We spent hours often on our own in a very beautiful area. Stay as long as you like or as short, then onto another spot.

[forreachingme]

Pukhet and surrounding Island are true jewel of beauty !

Problem is place is mostly overpriced now, food is very expensive and the other problems related with taxi and scammers makes it bad or dangerous...

Many people still leave happily there in beautifull homes and they know how to bypass the problems.

Go on with pics !

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A short Boat ride from the Island of Phuket, lies an island that could be on a different planet. Perhaps a throw back to what Phuket was 50 years ago. Koh Yao Yai has nothing for your tourist who wants bright lights, load music, Jet ski's, whores, and scam agents. No tour operators, tuk tuk's Nothing. Absolutely bloody boring, the sort of place that Social would never think of stepping foot in.

You have to hang around with Muslim's, put up with people who smile because they mean it, eat good food with the locals, meet people who will go out of their way to be friendly without any hint that they want something. Venture out of your resort hotel from paradise and you have to put up with authentic village life and deserted beaches devoid of tourists, and anyone else for that matter.



Koh Yah Yai Village is probably the only place I have gone that in my wildest dreams I could not imagine how good it was. Sorry about the typical Thai poser she kept on ruining my scenic shots

[sabang]

modeling itself on the Pattaya model of tourism

Not really- Pattaya is an anarchic kind of place, there is little in the way of price fixing or barriers to entry for 'outsiders' to do business. This is not to say you can set up your own song thaew run, of course, but the 5bht local or 10bht tourist price to go anywhere in Pattaya Beach hardly compares to the routine nightmare involved in getting a Phuket tuktuk. Phuket in comparison is very much a cartel controlled place. The atmosphere is quite different.

These cartels have certainly taken the shine off Phuket as a tourist destination for me, and many other people. This is indeed a shame, because there is much beauty there- especially Phang Nga Bay, which is magnificent- but you are actually closer to that in Krabi than you are on the touristed west side of Phuket anyway. If I ever make it to Phuket again, I'd be more interested to check out the Phuket town/ Rawaii area, and probably wouldn't even bother going to Patong. Definitely not if I had to rely on getting a tuk tuk- I boycotted them two or three visits ago in 2001, and haven't caught one since.

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Fair comment, never been to Pat. Always thought it was the crazy town. I agree with you about Phuket, real sad that it has lost the plot. Many years ago I climbed in Yosemite. Blown away with how it coped with the visitor traffic, even so you could loose yourself in the valley, and it was pristine. It could have gone the phuket way and been ruined many times over.

The east side of the Island still has normalcy, apart from the roads.

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The resort was almost deserted the 7 days we stayed in the middle of July. It has a very small footprint. The buildings you see are the pool front , bar/restaurant. Individual bungalows are in the forest behind. One day we had to share the place with 10 other people! Thankfully they did not stay long and we often had the pool to ourselves.

[Travelmate]

Great pics, some more of the chick as well

[aging one]

My family and I love southern Phuket. I think this is a good picture capturing Kata Noi, Kata, and Karon beaches from a vista point just above them.

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Great pics, some more of the chick as well

The chick is the Mrs

My Mrs worked in a real estate office in karron so spent many happy hours on and arund the area. As you say very beautiful

My family and I love southern Phuket. I think this is a good picture capturing Kata Noi, Kata, and Karon beaches from a vista point just above them.

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SO about 3 mins after getting our bugalow which was only a little bigger than the house our family grew up in in Wigan, we took a dip in the little pool. Again the July holiday crush was terrible

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So it rains in July, Always wanted to experience a monsoon.
Great that it only lasted an hour and then back to the pool.

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God the crowds, the harassment of the touts, and the terrible roads......... Just us! No joking. I am used to seeing beauty and mind blowing scenery, but Phang Na BAy Gob smacked...... Plus your own pool with cheap beer, and well she is very nice

[Bangyai]

Sorry about the typical Thai poser she kept on ruining my scenic shots

Carry on ruining !! The highlight of every picture

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At times we got tired of the crowed resort and headed out onto the local beaches. Not as clean as Pattaya, as Social will tell you, but then you can't have everything. Dam it no one tried to sell us a watch or a little boy all day!

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One Morning we decided to have a look at the islands in the Bay. The resort told us that we should try the locals. So we walked up the beach to the local wharf.



It was quite a lonely walk. Sun, sea, beautiful vista's it was hard to take. Not one fat cop to give us grief.

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Now as many will know this island is muslim!!!!! We were ready for those black hateful eyes. The dangerous and spiteful attitude that comes hand in hand with that religion. So when we asked a fisherman about chartering a boat for a day and were told that all the young guys had gone fishing we were not surprised.

[Lorenzo]

As many I am appalled at the many negative aspects of Phuket Province. It seems that it is modeling itself on the Pattaya model of tourism

Pattaya beats Phuket hands down. You want nice beaches and women go to Cambo or Phills

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We knew it was a trick when he offered us the use of his boat ( for the price of the fuel) He was very apologetic that no one from his village was available, and he had to mend his nets so he could fish the next day. Right a real story! ( didn't take him up since I am an experienced boater and since no local knowledge and he had no charts depth sounder gps etc and that bloody chevy engine hanging off the back...)

Disappointed we decided to walk back, along the deserted beach, to our deserted hotel, resigned to spend the day in the pool alone. Then bugger me this old muslim bloke buggered off to the village, only to return to inform us that he had phoned a guy with a boat that did tours and if we could wait a little while and arrange a price his son who he had brought on his motor bike would call him.

Devious buggers these Muslims but we knew the rates from the hotel! and from the Big Island. So we said 8 hours for $40. Then he agreed! Crafty buggers these Muslims

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Pattaya beats Phuket hands down. You want nice beaches and women go to Cambo or Phills

Never been to PAttaya, Must have nice beaches don't need women! Got all I can handle Just incase it is not obvious, I have never liked the Patong or Pattaya, type scene, so much of this thread has a little sarcasm laced into the story line.

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So we had this boat, told him to stay away from Tourists and anything to do with James Bond.

So again we moved around stayed at various islands, saw stuff did things, didn't like he took us some place else.

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