Phuket Or Pattaya

[grommit]

Hi

We are planning a trip to Thailand at the end of February, Going to visit Bangkok 3 nights, Chaing Mai 3 nights then onto one of the beach resorts. Either Phuket or Pattaya for 5 or 6 nights

We are in our late 40's, do not like spending day after day on the beach. Enjoy sight seeing, and like to have evening meal then middle range entertainment in the evenings.

Your comments on the above places would be appreciated.

[londonthai]

fly from chiang mai to phuket - pattaya is not for couples

[bmanly]

Hi grommit and welcome to Thaivisa.com, I see it's your first post. With such a short time frame it is a pity you have to pick one over the other as both have their good and bad points.

Pattaya is only 133 kms from Bangkok so it is easy to get to. Pattaya is best known for its bars and night life but as you say beaches aren't of much interest to you so that doesn't matter. There are many things to do during the day like go to Nong Nooch, the Tiger Zoo, Big Buddha up on the Hill, Koh larn (island) a 45 minute ferry ride away...etc etc... There is one big benefit of Pattaya over Phuket, it is less expensive and the entertainment offered is of high quality, there is literally 1000's of venues to choose from. Pattaya is not or prudes though, if you are offended by looking at bar girls working in open air bars then perhaps it may not be for you. It shouldn't affect you if you and your partner are broad minded.

Phuket is about 900 kms south. Will take you all night to get there by bus or you can fly in an hour. Phuket is a beautiful place with everything on offer for the tourist, trouble is it is expensive. The beaches are better but that does not concern you anyway but it is very beautiful. I always hire a motorbike and Phuket is an ideal place for riding around on. Plenty of bars and venues there too but just more expensive hope that helps.

Good luck with your decision.

[soihok]

I disagree ,Pattaya can be for couples,depends on what you want to be doing.

The beaches in Phuket are far superior to the sad beaches around Pattaya.

If you want a party....big time...and dont care the beach ...go to Pattaya

If you want a party and nice beaches ....go to Phuket

[soihok]

Respect bmanly!

I disagreed with londonthai,s comments,

I totally agree with your comments

Edited January 6, 2007 by soihok

[grommit]

Thanks very much for your comments

I think we will go for pattaya as we very broad minded and would not be shocked.

i think if we get a good hotel with nice pool area we can sit there in the day time which suites us better than the beaches anyway, and we will see the sites by night and spend less

[soihok]

Have a good time.

Can I come?

[sonthaya]

Hope you will have a nice time in Pattaya, but I would have suggested Phuket, it's a beautiful island and a lot of things to see and do. Like boat trips to the islands, and a lot on Phuket itself, but that's just my opinion, you have the choice.

Edited January 6, 2007 by sonthaya

[Mighty Mouse]

I am a Pattaya man through and through but appreciate Phuket for what it has to offer.

Bmanly's post is excellent. Pattaya is much cheaper for accommodation and it IS a place where couples can relax and enjoy themselves.

Pattaya comes alive at night time. Lots of great restaurants, good cinemas, plenty of shopping areas, a vast selection of drinking venues with or without entertainment.

Sight seeing is very limited though unless one travels outside Pattaya City.

On the other hand Phuket is more of a daytime place. In my opinion it offers a more picturesque and relaxed coast line if you are prepared to hire a car or motor cycle and explore. Boat trips around Phuket are superior to Pattaya as far as sight seeing is concerned. Phukets beaches are superior.

Hotel accommodation by comparison to Pattaya is expensive.

One trip to Thailand usually means that more will follow. Perhaps Pattaya this year and Phuket on the next trip. Whichever you choose you are sure to have an enjoyable, relaxing holiday.

Edited January 6, 2007 by Mighty Mouse

[cdnvic]

I'd avoid them both and go to HuaHin where the beaches are nice and the atmosphere (and the price) is a little more relaxed.

[warwick7735]

Hi

Look on here every week or so, but dont write on here much. Pattaya is better by day, at night it becomes full of your typical drunks out for one thing (fine if thats your bag). Hotels are cheap if you dont mind staying in a dump, the second worst hotel I've come accross was in Pattaya only stayed for one night, thats was enough then moved to the Royal cliff. Basically I'd say it was like Brighton or Blackpool just hotter.

Phuket I'd move there tomorrow, still has a night life but it's not thrown in your face, theres more to do during the day with all the island tours, there you can sit on a secluded beach all day. You can hire a Jeep for £9/day and go site seeing, there isn't only patong you can explore the whole island and see what it has to offer. I think the cost is no more than pattaya but it's 1000 times better.

Been there got the T shirt never again.

Now wheres my crash helmet as I get pelted with rotten eggs

Picture at Laem Phrom Thep Phuket

Warwick

[britmaveric]

Pattaya hands down since beaches aren't your thing!!!

[grommit]

Hi Guys

Thanks for all your comments, these are appreciated as it is our 1st and hopefully not our last visit to Thailand. We will wait and see what is offered at the Travel agent this lunch time to see where we end up?? Im sure by the comments made that which ever we finnaly choose, we will have a fantastic time.

Will keep you posted

Thanx

[Mighty Mouse]

Hotels are cheap if you dont mind staying in a dump, the second worst hotel I've come accross was in Pattaya only stayed for one night, thats was enough then moved to the Royal cliff.

Just out of interest, what Pattaya hotel did you stay in that you considered to be a "dump."?

[grommit]

We have now booked our holiday to Thailand for the end of February... Cannot wait

We have 3 nights in Bangkok, 3 nights in Chaing MAi and 6 nights in Phuket.

All we need now is a little advise on what to see and what not to bother with....?

[warwick7735]

Hi there

What to see and what not to see, Its a hard question to answer because everybody likes different things. All I'd say is take a camera with plenty of memory if its digital or plenty of films. You can take hundreds of pictures, just walking along you will see things that are worth taking a photo of.

In Bkk just go and visit the normal tourist places like the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaeo, Wat Po, Chinatown, Wat Traimit. If you take a river trip you can hop on and off as you make your way along. Visit Patpong at night you get a better atmosphere. Go and see the floating market, get there for 9am if posible. If you like shopping, take a few hours to explore the MBK shopping mall it is well worth a visit, all the designer brands under one roof. You can even buy a Ferrari there if you want.

Phuket is much more of a scenic place to visit where you leave the hussle and bussle behind, like I said before hire a jeep or car and explore.

The AA do books on Bkk & Phuket, they are

The AA map & guide to Bangkok £6.99

AA Essential range of books on Phuket £4.99

All the info you need and maps to stop you getting lost are there.

If your there for mid Feb you will be there for Chinese new year, there are usually celebrations in the streets.

Have fun

Warwick

[SteveF2]

As far as Chiang Mai goes, I would say 'must do' is a Golden Triangle tour. That should take you over to Chiang Rai and across the border into Myanmar, also across to Laos, or the Islands in the river (which belong to Laos) depending on the border situation. I would skip the hill tribe visit, bit too staged; like a show put on for tourists.

Phuket is my favourite part of Thailand, so I am biased, but I've never tired of it. Patong is the busiest and liveliest, Karon is probably the hippiest/funkiest and Rawai seems to be getting a lot more visitors these days.

A car or jeep, as has been said, is a good idea but be aware that the parking situation in Patong seems to be getting worse. I felt like a car was a liability in Patong last time I was there.

Personally, I'm a keen photographer and Phuket is one of the most photogenic places I have ever seen. Further to the last post, The lonely Planet guides are excellent as well.

Edited January 16, 2007 by SteveF2

[enyaw]

Phuket is a great base to enjoy the delights of what southern Thailand has to offer and I would recommend Kata yai beach mid way down on the west coast of Phuket, it has a wide variety of accommodations on offer from staying in a top end hotel over looking the beach to staying in a comfortable guest house a short stroll from the sea front.

Beachwise it is broad white and sandy with clear crystal water, night-life is fairly low key offering mainly locally run restaurants and a few bars which stay open late but if you feel like a more lively night out then Patong which is similar to Pattaya but more compact is just a 10 - 20 min ride away.

The actual Island of Phuket is very scenic and car is recommended to check out the scenery and the various viewpoints on offer and as I said at the beginning it is a great base to explore the surrounding region: The beautiful limestone scenery of Phang Nga Bay; The magnificent Koh Phi Phi; Similian Islands which is great for snorkeling/diving, 30 meters clarity with excellent coral and tropical fish; Racha Island, Elephant Trekking in the islands interior.. etc.

Quite simply in a nutshell IMO phuket as much more to offer than Pattaya. Although I'm not knockin Pattaya as I also enjoy that part of Thailand aswell.

[brahmburgers]

If you don't mind touts, rip-offs and generally unfriendly locals - either Pattaya or Phuket might suit you just fine. There is a rule of thumb in Thailand and most tourist destinations: The more familiar (and innured) the local populace, the less genuinely interested they are in foreigners. The ONLY interest they wind up having in you or me - is how to get our money. All else is window dressing. Pardon me if I sound too cynical, but I've been to other parts of Thailand and to neighboring countries, and it's not hard to see the friendly factor go up - in direct correlation with the distance from tourist traps.

[Fielder]

If you are looking for a hotel in Pattaya, Check out the Montien. It is located on the beach front, but set well back, and surrounded by gardens and pools. It is situated in a relatively quiet area in about the middle of town, Therefore, one can easily walk every where. It has great, but not cheap restaraunts, but its location lends itself to eating cheaply at many of the other eating houses on threstrip. Also check out the restaraunts on the old piers around Walking St.

[roamer]

If you don't mind touts, rip-offs and generally unfriendly locals - either Pattaya or Phuket might suit you just fine. There is a rule of thumb in Thailand and most tourist destinations: The more familiar (and innured) the local populace, the less genuinely interested they are in foreigners. The ONLY interest they wind up having in you or me - is how to get our money. All else is window dressing. Pardon me if I sound too cynical, but I've been to other parts of Thailand and to neighboring countries, and it's not hard to see the friendly factor go up - in direct correlation with the distance from tourist traps.

And now that Airasia fly direct to Langkawi from Bangkok I now miss out overpriced, overpopulated Thai islands altogether.