best places to stay

[beenaroundawhile01]

hey guys haven't been on for a while as been back in aust. My brother just called me as a friend of his is headed up to Phucket. can anyone advise on a good area to stay. She is going up with her bfriend and looking for a great holiday. Any advice?

[Strongarm]

My advice: don't go to Phuket.

[mobs00]

Go to Krabi

[Edge]

Split the hol. Half in Patong and half in Phi Phi.

[harrybarracuda]

Don't go to Phuket. Perhaps Krabi, and go to Phi Phi from there if you want a two centre holiday.

Or go up north of Phuket to Khao Lak.

Phuket is a rip off shit hole.

[Simon43]

Tell you what, stay up at Nai Yang Beach in Phuket for a few days - stay at my hotel with the pleasure of my company...

and then cruise over to Ao Nang on the speedboat and stay at my other hotel with the pleasure of my wife to look after you...

Sorted... and I didn't even have to pay DD for an advert

Simon

[Thetyim]

^
Do you have a room with a view ?
Oh hell, just a window will do

[Phuketrichard]

to all u that say Phuket is a hole;
fuck off.
Its a great place to live and vacation.
Just Avoid Patong except for one night out.

Note its heading into the low season and the winds are shifting so travel by boat is iffy.

Cape Sienne in Kamala is a great luxury place to stay with absolutley fantastic views and food. It ain't cheap thou and there is not much to do in Kamala.
The Marriot Courtyard in Surin or Kamala are nice as well.

[yaangcome]

I love Patong, you will end up having a crap time if you expect everything for nothing and hang around in the seedy parts of Patong. Just treat the Thai people with the recpect most of them are due. Offer fair prices to Tuk Tuk drivers or better still hire private car & driver, stay away from Jet Ski's & be polite in your bartering. If you make a deal by it do not just laugh and walk away. We have stayed every year for past 4 years & will be back this year, never had a problem.

[thaigirlwatcher]

I have been to Phuket and Patong on six different trips from the US. You can find whatever you are looking for on the island from beautiful beaches, five star resorts, wild nightlife on Bangla Road, rockin' discos like Tiger and great house bands like those at Margarita Bar on Bangla. The downside is that you are seen as a mark by the locals who will every trick at their disposal to try to separate you from your baht. Enjoy, but with caution.

[Logician]

I have been to Phuket and Patong on six different trips from the US. You can find whatever you are looking for on the island from beautiful beaches, five star resorts, wild nightlife on Bangla Road, rockin' discos like Tiger and great house bands like those at Margarita Bar on Bangla. The downside is that you are seen as a mark by the locals who will every trick at their disposal to try to separate you from your baht. Enjoy, but with caution.

Which they will be able to avoid, if they have the inteligence and common sense of an 8 year old.

It's impossible to say without knowing what kind of holiday they want. Flat out partying, or romantic walks, and dinner on the beach. Weather they will have transport or not is another major issue. Phuket's a bitch if you're stuck in one place. Tell them to alocate a decent amount of money for cabs, and stay well clear of mopeds. Tell them to read the recent news (9 deaths this month) if they not sure.

A few more details and you should be able to get some better advice.

P.S Anyone that replies to a thread, where someone has already said they are going to Phuket, by telling them not to go, is an obsessed wierdo. You don't like Phuket, get over yourself, no one gives a rats arse.

[Logician]

Don't go to Phuket. Perhaps Krabi, and go to Phi Phi from there if you want a two centre holiday.

Or go up north of Phuket to Khao Lak.

Phuket is a rip off shit hole.

That's hilarious. You say don't go to Phuket because it's a rip off, and then suggest Phi Phi.

Don't get me wrong, I love Phi Phi, first time I went there 10 years back, I didn't leave for 6 months! But there is no getting away from the fact, that PP is the most expensive, mafia controlled place in Thailand. The very things you're saying to avoid in Phuket.

[Phuketrichard]

Haven't been to Phi Phi in over 18 years and no plans to ever go back,
Krabi is ok but still more expensive and less to do than Phuket, ( unless ur into rock climbing)

If ur really looking for a very peaceful experience head to Ko Lanta from May-Nov or better still one of the islands off of Trang.

I stand by my words. Phuket is a great place to vaction and or live. Everything u want and places to go that are pristine as well

Where people have problems is when they travel away from home they leave their common sense at home.

[Marmite the Dog]

Advise them to go to somewhere shitty, like Brunei or the boyfriend might not want to hang around with a fat, aggressive 'woman' any more.

[aging one]

Go to Kata Phuket and stay in Boomerang Cottages, its up on the hill very private, great view, Italian owned, so the food and included breakfasts are great.
Phuket - Boomerang Village Resort

[DrAndy]

nothing wrong with Phuket, per se

just there are some places that are over-touristified and fullof rip-off merchants

but it is a big island with lots of choice

OK, maybe the prices are higher than some of the less popular islands

[redbaron]

If you're after a peaceful holiday in Phuket, Kata is a nice spot. Karon a bit more busy that Kata with a massive big beach. Patong is flat out.
Haven't been for a few years but still keep in contact with people who go there regularly, and by all accounts it is getting busier, and rip offs do happen (as anywhere) but it is still a good place to holiday.

IMO Phi Phi, while pretty, is was more over priced than Phuket, and a lot less to do. Krabi isn't a bad base to check out the islands from, and if you want a VERY quiet holiday, give Koh Lanta a shot, although the only way to get there (last time I checked) was by boat. Last time I was there there wasn't a great deal to do, but the people were friendly, and prices were probably the cheapest of the islands. Beaches didn't compare to a lot of the other islands though.

Have a good trip.

[Phuketrichard]

YOu can ONLY get to Ko Lanta by boat from Oct-April as after that the seas are to rough, but it is a very easy bus ride. Phuket to Krabi to Ko Lanta, about 5-6 hours., I drive it in 4.

still not much to do and is muslem so not much nihgt life and if u go bring ur own girl.
If u want island life head to trat and take a boat

AS far as kata, it has a nice beach but its very very crowded with Club med and some big hotels, and Plenty of back packer style places to stay and low /run down bars.

I still can not understand why 90% of the people that comment on this board only comment on Patong, Kata and karon beach while north of Patong are some of the nicest places to stay

[Lemonizer]

YOu can ONLY get to Ko Lanta by boat from Oct-April as after that the seas are to rough, but it is a very easy bus ride. Phuket to Krabi to Ko Lanta, about 5-6 hours., I drive it in 4.

still not much to do and is muslem so not much nihgt life and if u go bring ur own girl.
If u want island life head to trat and take a boat

AS far as kata, it has a nice beach but its very very crowded with Club med and some big hotels, and Plenty of back packer style places to stay and low /run down bars.

I still can not understand why 90% of the people that comment on this board only comment on Patong, Kata and karon beach while north of Patong are some of the nicest places to stay

Kata and Karon are SOUTH of Patong on the way to Rawai which is one of the best places to stay on Phuket. Lots of small resorts, great restaurants of all nationalities, very cosmopolitan. A popular residential area for ex-pats too.

[Phuketrichard]

YOu can ONLY get to Ko Lanta by boat from Oct-April as after that the seas are to rough, but it is a very easy bus ride. Phuket to Krabi to Ko Lanta, about 5-6 hours., I drive it in 4.

still not much to do and is muslem so not much nihgt life and if u go bring ur own girl.
If u want island life head to trat and take a boat

AS far as kata, it has a nice beach but its very very crowded with Club med and some big hotels, and Plenty of back packer style places to stay and low /run down bars.

I still can not understand why 90% of the people that comment on this board only comment on Patong, Kata and karon beach while north of Patong are some of the nicest places to stay

Kata and Karon are SOUTH of Patong on the way to Rawai which is one of the best places to stay on Phuket. Lots of small resorts, great restaurants of all nationalities, very cosmopolitan. A popular residential area for ex-pats too.

Exactly;
Rawaii ( where 20 years ago there was nothing but Rubber trees) is a farang gheto and not thai at all (Unless u include the sea gyspys living in poverty on the edge of the sea cause they don't even own there own land) and no real beach, Even Nai Harn has turned into a Farang gheto


Head north and u can see the real phuket, Kamala, one of the oldest fishing villages on the coast and still populated by Local thai's, Surin, which had the oldest golf course in Thailand, ( had to watch out for the water buffaloes on the holes) Laguana, which 20 years ago was nothing but abandoned tin mines and now boasts some great 5 star resorts, Bang tao still retains its charm as a Fishing village with a few excellent resorts to enjoy.
Nai thon and Nai Yang are great beach's and in the low seaon nearly empty but watch out for the rip tides.

Head north and forget the south.