Where to stay in Phuket for a month or 2?

[Mama Noodle]

Getting very bored in Buriram, and there's no way ill be leaving thailand anytime soon to get back to work, so Im thinking about taking advantage of the lack of tourists and the extremely low cost of accommodation and going to Phuket for a month or 2. 

 

Its been ages since ive been there. I have a few questions. 

 

1 - Wheres the best area to stay? I want to stay somewhere on the west side of the island, clean beaches, but in a "town" big enough that there's still plenty of food/resturants/grocery stores and grabfood/foodpanda still works all the time.

 

2 - Ive been looking at airbnb and there's some great deals going on, but can anyone recommend any other websites that have longer term holiday rentals that ALSO take credit cards? Ive got a 0% for 18 months card that I want to use for the holiday. 

 

3 - How is the power grid/internet lately? Stable or should I expect long outages sweating by balls off? 

 

Thanks. 

[Dart12]

I'd like to hear suggestions as well.  We like being in the "city" busy areas (this is now a relative term with the situation. I get it).

Edited September 19, 2020 by Dart12

[Mama Noodle]

How is "Ao Yon" area? 

 

Theres a few really nice, cheap rentals down there. Is it pretty isolated? 

[stuarty]

28 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

I'd like to hear suggestions as well.  We like being in the "city" busy areas (this is now a relative term with the situation. I get it).

Laguna area or around the fringes, i.e. Cherngtalay.  Good range of cheap accommodation, plenty of bars and variety of restaurants open, popular with Expats, 2 big supermarts and other local shops, Boat Avenue, Porto de Phuket (Central), golf, good beach, blue tree water park etc.  No brainer.

[Mama Noodle]

2 minutes ago, stuarty said:

Laguna area or around the fringes, i.e. Cherngtalay.  Good range of cheap accommodation, plenty of bars and variety of restaurants open, popular with Expats, 2 big supermarts and other local shops, Boat Avenue, Porto de Phuket (Central), golf, good beach, blue tree water park etc.  No brainer.

 

Thats bang tao beach area, right? 

[stuarty]

2 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Thats bang tao beach area, right? 

Correct.  But the middle (Laguna/Cherngtalay) and north (Layan) parts only.  Better beach and facilities.  The bottom end (Bangtao) is touristy and mostly shut.

[stuarty]

For accommodation, if you want a hotel, contact hotels directly and ask for a weekly or monthly rate.  If you want to rent a  villa or condo for a month or 2, ask a local property agent, or there are various options/deals on this site, across the island  https://www.facebook.com/groups/126101298046115/

Edited September 19, 2020 by stuarty

[Mama Noodle]

7 minutes ago, stuarty said:

If you want to rent a  villa or condo for a month or 2, ask a local property agent, or there are various options/deals on this site, across the island

 

Problem is most of those people only want to take cash, and they want massive deposits as well. 

[stuarty]

10 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Problem is most of those people only want to take cash, and they want massive deposits as well. 

Yeah, so a hotel then initially?

[Mama Noodle]

1 minute ago, stuarty said:

Yeah, so a hotel then initially?

 

Airbnb has some good listings, mostly no deposit and accepts credit cards. 

[zzzzz]

1 hour ago, stuarty said:

Laguna area or around the fringes, i.e. Cherngtalay.  Good range of cheap accommodation, plenty of bars and variety of restaurants open, popular with Expats, 2 big supermarts and other local shops, Boat Avenue, Porto de Phuket (Central), golf, good beach, blue tree water park etc.  No brainer.

+++cheap accommodation in CT? where? and no beach in chern talay, (unless you mean Laguna/Layan or Bang Tao)
Kamala has a good beach, (no west coast beaches are truly "clean" this time of year)

enough bars with expats drinking daily, 8 ( or is it 9 now) 7/11's, restaurants and supermarkets open that you dont really need head over the hills more than once a week

Lots of affordable accommodation; houses an condos from 10,000...

Hotels from 6,000/month

[ChipButty]

I live in the south of the island Rawai/Nai Harn the area is fairly busy as lots of expats live here everything is still operating although not 100% then you have Nai Harn beach today is a bit wild with the storm always clean obviously not many people.

As for accommodation it depends on what standard you want from basic rooms to luxury condo's and villas.

The photo was Nai Harn beach the other day.

[stuarty]

Don't go to Kamala unless you like to sit and watch expats drinking all day and enjoy a variety of 7/11s. Used to be a nice beach 30 years ago though, when Diver's was the only shack on that beach.

[Dart12]

Personally, I'm looking for a place that preferably has a sea view.  or a nice villa.

Looked on airbnb for a second and seems to be some really nice villas between 25000 and30000.  Except I had NO idea if there were located anywhere central.

Those prices also shocked me, as I thought Phuket was more expensive than Pattaya in general.

[London Lowf]

2 hours ago, stuarty said:

Don't go to Kamala unless you like to sit and watch expats drinking all day and enjoy a variety of 7/11s. Used to be a nice beach 30 years ago though, when Diver's was the only shack on that beach.

 

I would guess that you have never been to Buriram!

 

Kamala is heaven by comparison and there is far more to the place than "expats drinking all day" if you venture away from the main drag (strip) and one-day-it-will-be-walking-street Rim Hat.

 

Half-decent beach as well.

 

(And what on earth is wrong with 7/11s - wish we had them in the UK!)

Edited September 19, 2020 by London Lowf
To make it better.....

[zzzzz]

4 hours ago, stuarty said:

Don't go to Kamala unless you like to sit and watch expats drinking all day and enjoy a variety of 7/11s. Used to be a nice beach 30 years ago though, when Diver's was the only shack on that beach.

divers back in the day, was on Surin beach

he now has a bar in kamala

still saving lives  ????

 

PS:  why would someone wish/chose to sit and watch expats drinking??

Edited September 19, 2020 by zzzzz

[stuarty]

3 hours ago, London Lowf said:

 

I would guess that you have never been to Buriram!

 

Kamala is heaven by comparison and there is far more to the place than "expats drinking all day" if you venture away from the main drag (strip) and one-day-it-will-be-walking-street Rim Hat.

 

Half-decent beach as well.

 

(And what on earth is wrong with 7/11s - wish we had them in the UK!)

 Heaven, hardly my friend. Well where to begin.  There is virtually nothing apart from the main drag and the remains of the beach.  The corporates have taken over the crappyness of the top end of beach and polluted it (what have the locals said?).  It's just a bunch of beer bar worthies and and a racetrack through the middle.

Bejeesus I miss Ran's bar (the Bank on that turn in the old village), and  Diver's,  and the water buffalos at sunset.  It is sheete now.

[stuarty]

1 hour ago, zzzzz said:

divers back in the day, was on Surin beach

he now has a bar in kamala

still saving lives  ????

 

PS:  why would someone wish/chose to sit and watch expats drinking??

Diver's in the beginning,  in his 30's, was a legendary figure, and highly regarded as a visionary as catering to the expat few, and rescuing potential drowners on Kamala beach from his shack in year 1990 etc, where he has allowed to be, as his wife Pranee was as I understand, a Kamala Chief's daughter local. The only shack on that beach. Nothing else then. 

 

He reluctantly moved to that crappy shed in Surin and etc. thereafter. He saved several lives on each beach where he operated . Ask him.

 

Also, - Don't bandy words with me you Quizzling.

[stuarty]

PS:  why would someone wish/chose to sit and watch expats drinking??

 

Exactly. 

[stuarty]

 

Kamala is heaven by comparison and there is far more to the place than "expats drinking all day" if you venture away from the main drag (strip) and one-day-it-will-be-walking-street Rim Hat.

 

Heaven? What does you mean Rim Hat? What "far more" is there outside the main drag - not much? Please list it out. A coffee shop?  There's nothing of particular off the main raceway, and is aspiration to being Hat Rim walking street a thing for Kamala locals, or just you ? Is that what local residents want? Do you speak for Kamala? It is one of the most corrupt jurisdictions in Phuket.  

 

I helped pulled bodies out of the lake and painted their school after the tsunami btw and got no thanks at the end of the day except more hands sticking out.

[ChasingTheSun]

Kamala is probably your best choice on Phuket if you want a good beach, plenty of food/pub options, and everything within walking distance.

 

Its also a short hop to Patong should you feel the need to go to the mall or whatever.

 

[stevenl]

20 hours ago, Mama Noodle said:

How is "Ao Yon" area? 

 

Theres a few really nice, cheap rentals down there. Is it pretty isolated? 

Isolated.

 

Rawai would be your best choice, and we hardly have any outages.

[zzzzz]

11 hours ago, stuarty said:

Diver's in the beginning,  in his 30's, was a legendary figure, and highly regarded as a visionary as catering to the expat few, and rescuing potential drowners on Kamala beach from his shack in year 1990 etc, where he has allowed to be, as his wife Pranee was as I understand, a Kamala Chief's daughter local. The only shack on that beach. Nothing else then. 

 

He reluctantly moved to that crappy shed in Surin and etc. thereafter. He saved several lives on each beach where he operated . Ask him.

 

Also, - Don't bandy words with me you Quizzling.

he just turned 72 and has been here 34 years

I have been living in Kamala since 96, ( in Phuket since 85), yea its changed, yea miss the buffaloes at sunset an the many thais on the beach in the late afternoon, (after the Tsunami it all changed)  but.....so what? Its still a great place to live and its a true community, not like the other beach towns

 

Would you advise him to move to Patong, Karon or Kata beach?

[Ganesh108]

23 hours ago, Mama Noodle said:

How is "Ao Yon" area? 

 

Theres a few really nice, cheap rentals down there. Is it pretty isolated? 

It is quite isolated and without some kind of transport you will be pretty lost. It's a very quiet area in normal times, I think I can safely predict it will be dead now. Not sure you'll find any open restaurants.

Edited September 20, 2020 by Ganesh108

[Ganesh108]

23 hours ago, Dart12 said:

I'd like to hear suggestions as well.  We like being in the "city" busy areas (this is now a relative term with the situation. I get it).

The beaches being pretty dead now, and as it's the rainy season anyway, I'd mainly recommend Phuket Town as a base, particularly the quite scenic Old Town area. Plenty of good accommodation and a good variety of restaurants.

 

If it's gotta be beachside, I'd also recommend the Lagoon area in Bang Tao, as someone else has done here. Keep in mind the restaurants there are fairly upmarket (if open) and the area is very spread out. Without a motorbike at least you'll be very limited.

[Dart12]

40 minutes ago, Ganesh108 said:

The beaches being pretty dead now, and as it's the rainy season anyway, I'd mainly recommend Phuket Town as a base, particularly the quite scenic Old Town area. Plenty of good accommodation and a good variety of restaurants.

 

If it's gotta be beachside, I'd also recommend the Lagoon area in Bang Tao, as someone else has done here. Keep in mind the restaurants there are fairly upmarket (if open) and the area is very spread out. Without a motorbike at least you'll be very limited.

thank you for your suggestions.

Yeah, I have no idea of the layout of phuket.  I assumed there could be both beach view and busy area like Central Pattaya.  But maybe not?


Is Old Town central?

If So,   Sounds best to maybe get a hotel in Old town if it is central then do some real estate shopping of what's around.

[Ganesh108]

16 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

thank you for your suggestions.

Yeah, I have no idea of the layout of phuket.  I assumed there could be both beach view and busy area like Central Pattaya.  But maybe not?


Is Old Town central?

If So,   Sounds best to maybe get a hotel in Old town if it is central then do some real estate shopping of what's around.

 

16 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

thank you for your suggestions.

Yeah, I have no idea of the layout of phuket.  I assumed there could be both beach view and busy area like Central Pattaya.  But maybe not?


Is Old Town central?

If So,   Sounds best to maybe get a hotel in Old town if it is central then do some real estate shopping of what's around.

"Is Old Town Central?"

 

Phuket Town is two distinctly different parts, the Old Town, which is only about 400m by 1km in area, then south of that there is the more modern part with some more restaurants and a couple of shopping centers. Distance between the two is roughly 1 km. Unless you want to go to the large shopping centers like Big C or Central Phuket on the outskirts of town, most distances are walkable. 

 

What's your budget for accommodation?  

 

"Like Pattaya"

 

Unless we're talking Patong, Phuket isn't anything like Pattaya. But Patong is virtually dead right now.

 

Edited September 20, 2020 by Ganesh108

[Sundown]

13 hours ago, ChasingTheSun said:

Kamala is probably your best choice on Phuket if you want a good beach, plenty of food/pub options, and everything within walking distance.

 

Its also a short hop to Patong should you feel the need to go to the mall or whatever.

 

It's all up to one's tastes. For example for me Kamala is terrible, terrible town, terrible beach.

 

I suggest the OP to come down visit all places and then make a decision.

 

For what matters this is my opinion:

 

- if you are a beach/scooter person, Nai Harn is a no brainer.

 

- if you are looking for more upscale supermarkets/restaurants and city live, stay near Central Floresta.(no that's not Phuket Town)

 

- Laguna area is a mix between upscale places and good beach life. High prices. Cheaper is Cherngtalay, still close to Laguna, lower prices.

 

- if you like everyday the happy Thai girls with silicon valleys on the chest go to Patong.

 

All other areas are in the middle of these three categories. Avoid Phuket Town. Mai Khao is relaxed but very remote from everything. Surin beach ok if you have a 150000 THB/month villa and you hate people. Kamala is cr*ap (555). Just kidding, I know many Australian/British people love Kamala. Maybe because they have the pub culture.

 

Edited September 20, 2020 by Sundown

[Ganesh108]

3 minutes ago, Sundown said:

It's all up to one's tastes. For example for me Kamala is terrible, terrible town, terrible beach.

 

I suggest the OP to come down visit all places and then make a decision.

 

For what matters this is my opinion:

 

- if you are a beach/scooter person, Nai Harn is a no brainer.

 

- if you are looking for more upscale supermarkets/restaurants and city live, stay near Central Floresta.(no that's not Phuket Town)

 

- if you like everyday the happy Thai girls with silicon valleys on the chest go to Patong.

 

All other areas are in the middle of these three categories. Avoid Phuket Town. Mai Khao is relaxed but very remote from everything. Surin beach ok if you have a 150000 THB/month villa and you hate people. Kamala is cr*ap (555)

 

Central Floresta IS on the outskirts of Phuket Town, 4 km from the centre, pretty much in the middle of nowhere, except for a bunch of other shopping centers in the vicinity.

[Sundown]

5 minutes ago, Ganesh108 said:

Central Floresta IS on the outskirts of Phuket Town, 4 km from the centre, pretty much in the middle of nowhere, except for a bunch of other shopping centers in the vicinity.

It's not in the middle of nowhere. 10 minutes from patong. 20 min from Kata/Nai Harn. Can shop everyday at Tops Market, have a Starbucks or a real sushi, eat at Central Buffet which is excellent. Stuff you cannot have everywhere in Phuket except in Laguna.

Just giving options, I know everybody has their own needs.

Edited September 20, 2020 by Sundown