Heading there next month for the 1st time, looking for advice and tips on all things Phuket, ie: where to visit, eat and shop.
Phuket
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standingroomonly
Club Legend
I've been a couple of times. Where have you booked to stay? Patong Beach is the main tourist area. Are you there to sit on the beach and shop, get some clothes tailored etc. or are you wanting to be out to all hours partying etc.?
Im going there also in November but just to the airport.
I'll be getting a ferry straight to Koh Lanta the next day.
Phukets a seedy dive mate, seriously, dont waste your time and money. Its worth a night or two as a gateway to other places but there are better places within a few hours ferry ride.
I recommend getting on a ferry and go and check out some of the other islands nearby like Koh Lanta, Koh Tao (a diving & snorkelling paradise) and maybe a night or 2 at Koh Phi Phi (very touristy but stunning)
If you've already booked a package then disregard this info and have a great trip and sorry for not being much help.
I'll be getting a ferry straight to Koh Lanta the next day.
Phukets a seedy dive mate, seriously, dont waste your time and money. Its worth a night or two as a gateway to other places but there are better places within a few hours ferry ride.
I recommend getting on a ferry and go and check out some of the other islands nearby like Koh Lanta, Koh Tao (a diving & snorkelling paradise) and maybe a night or 2 at Koh Phi Phi (very touristy but stunning)
If you've already booked a package then disregard this info and have a great trip and sorry for not being much help.
- Thread starter
- #4
Staying in Patong, Phuket was the last place i thought i'd go to, my wifes brother has decided to get married up there, so it's a big family thing. I'm a non drinker and not really a shopper, but i thought i might as well find out whats the go up there.
I am looking to get some clothes for work, so i guess if anyone knows a decent tailor that would be a start.
Definately won't be out partying all night, but i will have a look at the nightlife.
Mate Fantasea is an amazing show & dinner, although a bit expensive for the area it is quite an awesome spectacle. Go see a real Thai kick-boxing match (Not the overpriced & staged stuff) There are some great fighters to watch only if you're into that?
Nice golf course to spend half a day at, The main original Town is worth a visit & to see how the real Thai people live. As others said getting a suit made is well worth it, Really cheap & good quality.
Went on a fishing charter with some mates & had a great day out, Crew were funny bastards & new where the fish were to, awesome experience hooking onto Giant Trevally & Sailfish. recommend it as a boys thing.
I really like the place & go every few years, I stay at Le Meridien which is about a 10 minute drive from the main area which is a bit more expensive but nice to get away from the madness of it all sometimes & has it's own beach.
Enjoy mate, There is tons of stuff to do there for free or reasonably cheap.
Nice golf course to spend half a day at, The main original Town is worth a visit & to see how the real Thai people live. As others said getting a suit made is well worth it, Really cheap & good quality.
Went on a fishing charter with some mates & had a great day out, Crew were funny bastards & new where the fish were to, awesome experience hooking onto Giant Trevally & Sailfish. recommend it as a boys thing.
I really like the place & go every few years, I stay at Le Meridien which is about a 10 minute drive from the main area which is a bit more expensive but nice to get away from the madness of it all sometimes & has it's own beach.
Enjoy mate, There is tons of stuff to do there for free or reasonably cheap.
standingroomonly
Club Legend
Both times i've been i've got suits made at a tailor called Rajah's, it's on the beach rd, about halfway between Bangla Rd and the Merlin Hotel. It's got a real estate agency in the same shopfront but i can't recommend them enough. I've had business suits, tuxedos, shirts etc. all made up by them.
My rule buying suits overseas is if there is some dodgy bloke putting a fake aussie accent on trying to get you to buy their suit then stay away! These guys don't have someone spruiking and their suits have lasted day to day use for me.
That being said there is heaps of tailors around so there is no harm in getting some prices, just make sure the tailor is going to do 3 fittings, the initial measure, a second one with rough cuts of your clothes, then a final fitting. This will make sure everything is spot on.
As far as food goes you can't really go wrong with the price, we ate at a place called the Orchid a lot, it's a block back from the beach, just down from the big shopping plaza.
If you've got a whole day to spare book a tuk tuk or van for the day, negotiate a price with the driver and he'll just drive you around wherever you want to go, if you want to check out a beach he'll take you, then wait around while you have a swim or whatever. I prefer this to hiring a bike.
There are heaps of tours out to the islands, the James Bond tour is a good one. It comes down to how much you want to spend, i went on a tour last time that was an adventure tour so there was off road motorbikes, kayaking, jetskis etc.
A lot of the better golf courses are out on the airport side of the island so thats a half our or so by car to get out there. can be expensive since you have to hire EVERYTHING, but still worth it as the courses are top notch.
As far as the nightlife goes Bangla Rd is the main drag. There is an Aussie bar there which might be a good place to start, it will have whatever aussie sport is on at the time if thats a priority for you. After that just have a wander up and down Bangla Rd, it really is a sleazy hole so there is heaps of ladyboys, totes for ping pong shows, blokes carrying animals to get photos with you etc.
A bar i drank at a bit was the Blue Lotus bar, it's kind of opposite the Aussie Bar but it isn't a girly bar so you just have a few beers and not get hassled flat out.
My rule buying suits overseas is if there is some dodgy bloke putting a fake aussie accent on trying to get you to buy their suit then stay away! These guys don't have someone spruiking and their suits have lasted day to day use for me.
That being said there is heaps of tailors around so there is no harm in getting some prices, just make sure the tailor is going to do 3 fittings, the initial measure, a second one with rough cuts of your clothes, then a final fitting. This will make sure everything is spot on.
As far as food goes you can't really go wrong with the price, we ate at a place called the Orchid a lot, it's a block back from the beach, just down from the big shopping plaza.
If you've got a whole day to spare book a tuk tuk or van for the day, negotiate a price with the driver and he'll just drive you around wherever you want to go, if you want to check out a beach he'll take you, then wait around while you have a swim or whatever. I prefer this to hiring a bike.
There are heaps of tours out to the islands, the James Bond tour is a good one. It comes down to how much you want to spend, i went on a tour last time that was an adventure tour so there was off road motorbikes, kayaking, jetskis etc.
A lot of the better golf courses are out on the airport side of the island so thats a half our or so by car to get out there. can be expensive since you have to hire EVERYTHING, but still worth it as the courses are top notch.
As far as the nightlife goes Bangla Rd is the main drag. There is an Aussie bar there which might be a good place to start, it will have whatever aussie sport is on at the time if thats a priority for you. After that just have a wander up and down Bangla Rd, it really is a sleazy hole so there is heaps of ladyboys, totes for ping pong shows, blokes carrying animals to get photos with you etc.
A bar i drank at a bit was the Blue Lotus bar, it's kind of opposite the Aussie Bar but it isn't a girly bar so you just have a few beers and not get hassled flat out.
- Banned
- #7
i reccomend kamala, its about $3AUD to get to phuket and the beach is way better
- Banned
- #8
????
By Kamala, one assumes you mean Kamala Beach which is a beach in Phuket.
If by saying Kamala is better than Phuket, you meant Kamala is better than Patong, then fair enough, it is.
Why people all go and stay in Patong continues to be one of lifes great mysteries. It is more or less a s**t hole, the Thai version of Kuta in many respects. If you want to go to Phuket for a family wedding, then Patong would be pretty much the worst place to have it. Is your wifes brother a complete ****ing bogan or is he just clueless about Phuket? (It is one or the other).
The best beach on Phuket is Nai Harn Beach at the south end of the island. It does have relatively limited accommodation.
Patong has an ordinary beach, a series of ordinary/average hotels, a lot of shitty tourist targetting establishments and frankly it even does its sleaze pretty poorly (much like Patpong in BKK - a sort of packaged sleaze for tourists).
So enjoy.
There was a comment earlier suggesting to visit Phuket Old Town to see how the real Thais live .... ok, I am pretty sure thats what the brochures say and if that makes one feel like they have seen the "real Thailand" then I guess no harm is done.
Its bollocks though.
Phuket is fine depending on what you want from it. Packaged sleaze and adequate nightlife, Patong. Decent beaches - many places other than Patong. A nice relaxing holiday away from it all with outstanding views. Many places - all a fair way from Patong.
I am pretty sure that the guy who said "Phuket is a seedy dive" was also referring to Patong. You see a theme recurring?
Enjoy the wedding.
- Oct 7, 2002
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I guess it's a bit like the Gold Coast for our international visitors, people go there just because it is the location they've heard about and seen advertised even though there's better options available.
- Banned
- #10
True. Although 15 mins from Patong (even less), you can be in relative paradise. So its not that hard. Too many tourists don't try and get all their info from travel agents who haven't been anywhere much either.
I mean Phuket is 50 mins (max) from top to bottom and probably half that from East to West. So head anywhere else other than Patong and stay there. You can rent a car in Phuket for under 1,000 baht ($35) a day. You can hire a taxi all day including the driver for less than double that. By all means visit Patong but good god its average.
In the days of the internet, people visiting the Gold Coast because its the location they've heard about is pretty sad but at least its the whole Gold Coast... Patong is like limiting the Gold Coast visit to Broadbeach and nothing else....
By the way, I am currently in Phuket at Kata Beach (Mom Tri's Villa), a MUCH better option ....
- Thread starter
- #11
????
By Kamala, one assumes you mean Kamala Beach which is a beach in Phuket.
If by saying Kamala is better than Phuket, you meant Kamala is better than Patong, then fair enough, it is.
Why people all go and stay in Patong continues to be one of lifes great mysteries. It is more or less a s**t hole, the Thai version of Kuta in many respects. If you want to go to Phuket for a family wedding, then Patong would be pretty much the worst place to have it. Is your wifes brother a complete ****ing bogan or is he just clueless about Phuket? (It is one or the other).
The best beach on Phuket is Nai Harn Beach at the south end of the island. It does have relatively limited accommodation.
Patong has an ordinary beach, a series of ordinary/average hotels, a lot of shitty tourist targetting establishments and frankly it even does its sleaze pretty poorly (much like Patpong in BKK - a sort of packaged sleaze for tourists).
So enjoy.
There was a comment earlier suggesting to visit Phuket Old Town to see how the real Thais live .... ok, I am pretty sure thats what the brochures say and if that makes one feel like they have seen the "real Thailand" then I guess no harm is done.
Its bollocks though.
Phuket is fine depending on what you want from it. Packaged sleaze and adequate nightlife, Patong. Decent beaches - many places other than Patong. A nice relaxing holiday away from it all with outstanding views. Many places - all a fair way from Patong.
I am pretty sure that the guy who said "Phuket is a seedy dive" was also referring to Patong. You see a theme recurring?
Enjoy the wedding.
Not me getting married so i will
- Banned
- #12
Not me getting married so i will
Indeed.
Thats certainly the best way to enjoy them i.e. being a non-particpant.
By the way, i had a few beers before typing last night, probably overly negative. You can have fun in Patong, its just not that great a place IMHO. If you just want to get pissed with mates, there is probably enough there.
If you want to look around a bit, make sure you get to the Elephant Shrine at Promthep Cape - its the southern end of the island, its elevated, great views and a nice place for a visit. Its also close to Nai Harn Beach which most Thais reckon is the best beach. Nai Harn isnt necessarily kid friendly though - often has waves which might dump the little buggars...
Promthep is 20 mins from Patong. Hire a cab (not a tuk tuk) and get a round trip price (so they wait for you while you swim, shop, photograph, drink etc).
- Banned
- #13
kamala beach isnt in the crazy part of phuket.
much better
much better
ObaMartins
All Australian
TBH, unless your going to Phuket FOR Patong then I wouldnt bother. Much better places in Thailand if your after a nice beach.
Meh , Patong was a bit filthy but I miss it. Hoping to head back in the next 12 months or so. Just dont forget to barter , I got two pairs of boardies for 200baht ($9 i think) without even trying.
Didn't think it was worth another thread but i'm planning a boys trip next year to phuket, earlier half of the year. Have some questions if it's not too much hassle.
I've heard about the full moon parties but i've also been told there is one particular one which is bigger than the others
is this true, if so when is the big one?
Where are the best places to stay for young single guys (where other young single guys preferrably arent ..eg: bounty hotel in bali = s**t **** forrest)
Out of April/may/june are they all fairly similar as far as being a good time to go?
How easy is it to stay out of trouble? (i tend to find trouble easily)
Cheers guys and girls
I've heard about the full moon parties but i've also been told there is one particular one which is bigger than the others
is this true, if so when is the big one?
Where are the best places to stay for young single guys (where other young single guys preferrably arent ..eg: bounty hotel in bali = s**t **** forrest)
Out of April/may/june are they all fairly similar as far as being a good time to go?
How easy is it to stay out of trouble? (i tend to find trouble easily)
Cheers guys and girls
Didn't think it was worth another thread but i'm planning a boys trip next year to phuket, earlier half of the year. Have some questions if it's not too much hassle.
I've heard about the full moon parties but i've also been told there is one particular one which is bigger than the others
is this true, if so when is the big one?
Where are the best places to stay for young single guys (where other young single guys preferrably arent ..eg: bounty hotel in bali = s**t **** forrest)
Out of April/may/june are they all fairly similar as far as being a good time to go?
How easy is it to stay out of trouble? (i tend to find trouble easily)
Cheers guys and girls
Try and go as early in the year as possible. Jan/Feb are the driest times of they year. So out of those dates go April.
Like any place in the world, there is trouble everywhere if you try to find it. The nightlife, in particular on Bangla Rd, is packed and busy at all times. You have just as much chance of getting in a punch on here than in Thailand, however in Thailand locals could easily be carrying weapons. So look after yourself.
The big party is the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan Island which is quite a long way from Phuket. However, it is ****ing mental and a must if you are in Thailand at the right time.
In my boys trip we did Bangkok, Ko Samui, Koh Phangan, Ko Tao, Phuket, and Phi Phi in that order. I'd recommend going to all of them save Bangkok; i thought the place was very overrated and boring.
Accomodation wise you can find a nice 3 star place for around $30 a night if you look around on a few travel websites. If you want to go to the Full Moon Party you need to book accomodation very early - the island is tiny and the population swells 1000x times in the few days around each party.
- Banned
- #18
Didn't think it was worth another thread but i'm planning a boys trip next year to phuket, earlier half of the year. Have some questions if it's not too much hassle.
I've heard about the full moon parties but i've also been told there is one particular one which is bigger than the others
is this true, if so when is the big one?
Where are the best places to stay for young single guys (where other young single guys preferrably arent ..eg: bounty hotel in bali = s**t **** forrest)
Out of April/may/june are they all fairly similar as far as being a good time to go?
How easy is it to stay out of trouble? (i tend to find trouble easily)
Cheers guys and girls
April is the best of the 3 months you mention as its towards the end of the dry season but before the wet. It is however the hottest month of the year and is still wetter than any of the preceding 4 or 5 months. May & June can get very very wet but it is a bit of a lottery weather wise. April does have the advantage/disadvantage of being when the Thais celebrate Songkran which is a water festival. You will get hit with water bombs, water pistols and water generally (and can hit back) for 3 days. The first time its not too bad. By day 3 you are over it. Most expats dread Songkran but most newbies/visitors seem to like it.
Koh Phangan is full moon mecca http://www.fullmoon.phangan.info/ that site has the dates out to the end of next year ...
On trouble, just dont. You see less trouble IMO in Thailand than in most Aussie nightlife areas but thats because most people are a little more guarded here than in Oz. Rightly so. The little "bouncers" here are generally all proficient at Muay Thai and many of them, in key nightlife spots in Bangla (for example) are only too happy to kick the s**t out of an annoying farang.
So if trouble usually finds you, ummm, pull your head in
Again: just walk away. Best places to stay is fraught - depends what you want. Jonoman for example didnt like Bangkok, probably because he stayed in the wrong parts, didnt know where to go and had 2 days to cover the whole place. The other spots he mentioned are waaaaaaaaay more obvious, smaller and primarily tourist spots - so for newbies, easier. They are also mainly beach type spots - maybe he likes that. Each to there own. There are a million websites but if you go cheap option via a travel agent and stay in Patong, you will get the same sort of stuff you got in Kuta....
I spent 10 days in Phuket last year with my girlfriend and it was ok, got sick a couple of times which probably skewed my perception of the place. Didn't spend any time in Patong, only drove through there a couple of times on the motorbike. Stayed at Karon beach which was nice and quiet but I honestly don't really see any reason to go to Phuket, probably the worst example of a tourist haunt in Thailand that I've noticed. I'm not saying it's a bad place, just that it's an overpacked tourist haunt, nothing like the 'real' Thailand.
Mind you, I haven't spent too much time on that side of the coast, spent more time on Koh Samui and Koh Phangan than Phuket and prefer places like Kanchanaburi, Sangkhlaburi and Chiang Mai tbh.
Mind you, I haven't spent too much time on that side of the coast, spent more time on Koh Samui and Koh Phangan than Phuket and prefer places like Kanchanaburi, Sangkhlaburi and Chiang Mai tbh.
Thanks heaps for the info guys. I've heard of the water festival but assumed it would only be one day, 3 days would be annoying.
I don't go looking for trouble and never try be a hero, i'm not the tryhard with my shirt off and 3 massive tatts. It just finds me, not from locals or staff either other tourists.
Eg: in bali last year, bloke randomly comes up and suggests i buy him and his 3 bogan mates drinks, to which i reply "ahaha they're not expensive mate sure you can handle it" to which he goes off his head and pushes me down stairs
overreaction i thought no?
Is one full moon party bigger than the rest or is every months full moon party the same?
I don't go looking for trouble and never try be a hero, i'm not the tryhard with my shirt off and 3 massive tatts. It just finds me, not from locals or staff either other tourists.
Eg: in bali last year, bloke randomly comes up and suggests i buy him and his 3 bogan mates drinks, to which i reply "ahaha they're not expensive mate sure you can handle it" to which he goes off his head and pushes me down stairs
overreaction i thought no?
Is one full moon party bigger than the rest or is every months full moon party the same?
- Banned
- #21
dont go to the one that is enourmous, the full moon on new years eve there was apparantly 40000 odd, and it makes it impossible to move, and impossible to find somewhere cheapish to stay.
stay in haad rin if your looking for a party, bu makesure you stay for a few days after the party, there is no point trying to get off straight away or youll get hit with a 4 hour wait on the pier
stay in haad rin if your looking for a party, bu makesure you stay for a few days after the party, there is no point trying to get off straight away or youll get hit with a 4 hour wait on the pier
I think you will find the Dec/Jan/Feb full moon parties are quite large going on what I've heard so all hearsay. I went to a March one, and it was still ****ing crazy so many people there had the time of my life. We organised it too late and couldn't stay on the island so we caught a boat from Samui over before the party and left in the morning, long night with no accommodation but plenty of alcohol and mushy shakes to fuel you through to the next morning if your in a similar predicament to that. Many people stay on Samui and commute over there. I would recommend looking in to Tommy's resort though, which is on Koh Phagnan or however spelt, a few mates stayed there looked awesome and i'll be trying that next time.
I found most people there to be quite chill, heaps more nationalities there than Bali. Just be cautious of locals offering drugs if you get tempted by that sort of stuff there. Choose wisely.
I found most people there to be quite chill, heaps more nationalities there than Bali. Just be cautious of locals offering drugs if you get tempted by that sort of stuff there. Choose wisely.
Sweet so no matter when the full moon party will be awesome. I'm hoping to avoid any wet season, am a bit tied up though because my best mate also is going to new zealand late feb/early march so april was the general consensus, don't fancy waiting until the next october/november etc.
Getting accommodation for the full moon sounds like a bit of a good idea for me, it'd be nice to have somewhere to crash / take bitches home (dont fancy going in the water i imagine it'd be piss infested lol). Drugs are not a problem for me i can easily say no and am rather street smart when it comes to dodgy deals.
So much on my mind now, some serious processing required at the expense of work productivity. joy
Getting accommodation for the full moon sounds like a bit of a good idea for me, it'd be nice to have somewhere to crash / take bitches home (dont fancy going in the water i imagine it'd be piss infested lol). Drugs are not a problem for me i can easily say no and am rather street smart when it comes to dodgy deals.
So much on my mind now, some serious processing required at the expense of work productivity. joy
**** work you will have a better time planning and thinking of your trip. Yea stayin on the island would be the go, start looking half soon if you guys know your dates and are serious about it.
Don't root in the water saw plenty of people pissing, chucking etc in there haha.
Don't root in the water saw plenty of people pissing, chucking etc in there haha.
