Foreign married couple of 30 years, moving to Thailand under their retirement visa and having a difficult time where to settle down between Jomtien or Phuket.  The couple have been to both places for significant amounts of time and loves both for each specifics regional attractions.  For those expats that have lived in either location, can you indicate which place you live and why you choose to stay?  Thanks so much

Personally I wouldn't retire in a place for its attractions, attractions get old. Phuket is beautiful but if you want nature and beauty there are a lot better options. Jomtien's main selling point is its proximity to Bangkok. Even if you don't need to be in Bangkok its central location might be beneficial for traveling around the country if you enjoy road trips.

Don't overthink it, simply choose one place, if you get bored you can just move.

What's your budget? Jomtien is cheap and attracts mostly pensioners who don't want to or can't afford to live in Pattaya but want to be close. 

 

Jomtien itself is dead though, great if you like it quite 

20 Years in Phuket in the south of the island in Rawai surrounded by the ocean right now the air is beautiful with a lovely breeze Rawai is still fairly busy a decent choice of restaurants 

Having lived in both places, I settled for Jomtien. I found Phuket noticeably more expensive with less to do except for Fantasea.

Big mistake is to consider "settling".....why?

 

We have lived in Pattaya, Hua Hin, Bangkok, Korat..........don't settle......

 

Rent and move when you feel the urge for fresh fields.

11 minutes ago, madmen said:

What's your budget? Jomtien is cheap and attracts mostly pensioners who don't want to or can't afford to live in Pattaya but want to be close. 

 

Jomtien itself is dead though, great if you like it quite 

3000USD. looking for an house as two dogs will be adopted.

1 hour ago, dsmiththailand said:

3000USD. looking for an house as two dogs will be adopted.

 

Per month? You'll have a much better retirement in Jomtien then. There are plenty of other options though, as someone said above, don't fix yourself to one location straight away.

9 minutes ago, wprime said:

 

Per month? You'll have a much better retirement in Jomtien then. There are plenty of other options though, as someone said above, don't fix yourself to one location straight away.

yea, per month. thanks

stay in both for 3 months agian and then make your choice.

** although, it won't be a fair assessment as both are empty right now.  Once people start visiting again it changes the whole nuance of each place.  

Like right now, I live in central Pattaya off the sea in a high rise and love it.  Walking distance to anything I want daily.  But add back all the traffic  and the foul sewage smell and no way in the world would I live this location.

5 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

stay in both for 3 months agian and then make your choice.

** although, it won't be a fair assessment as both are empty right now.  Once people start visiting again it changes the whole nuance of each place.  

Like right now, I live in central Pattaya off the sea in a high rise and love it.  Walking distance to anything I want daily.  But add back all the traffic  and the foul sewage smell and no way in the world would I live this location.

so at the high of tourism, where would you prefer to live?

2 hours ago, dsmiththailand said:

3000USD. looking for an house as two dogs will be adopted.

That's just OK for 2 people 

If it were me I would go jomtien on that budget and not stress 

2 minutes ago, dsmiththailand said:

so at the high of tourism, where would you prefer to live?

Honestly, I havne't traveled Thailand enough to have that opinion.  But I would probably be closer to Jomtien than in Pattaya as I am now.  Rates are less, and the condos are nicer.  Not familiar with the villa/housing market though.

Right now is a great time (for bad reasons of the pandemic) to take advantage or cheap rental rates and easy to schedule rental locations though.

14 hours ago, ChipButty said:

20 Years in Phuket in the south of the island in Rawai surrounded by the ocean right now the air is beautiful with a lovely breeze Rawai is still fairly busy a decent choice of restaurants 

 

Yes, and 400 baht to get into a tuktuk.  ????

12 hours ago, madmen said:

That's just OK for 2 people 

If it were me I would go jomtien on that budget and not stress 

 

Or go to Vietnam and live like a King and Queen, and still no stress.   ????

15 hours ago, dsmiththailand said:

3000USD. looking for an house as two dogs will be adopted.

Please choose Jomtien and adopt a couple of the local soi dogs.

5 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

Or go to Vietnam and live like a King and Queen, and still no stress.   ????

We are in Vietnam now and have been here for two years now. 

5 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

Yes, and 400 baht to get into a tuktuk.  ????

Your normally quoting your friend,or is the 400baht your personal flagfall?????

2 hours ago, dsmiththailand said:

We are in Vietnam now and have been here for two years now. 

Why are you considering leaving Vietnam?

 

We're in Phuket now. We live south of Jomtien. Haven't been in Phuket in years and wanted to check it out.

 

What turned us off before, and are still issues:

 

Lousy roads. Going up and down these mountains is no fun. We were passed on the left, passed on the right, trucks inches away from our bumper. I'm a relatively fast driver. No fun trying to get around the island. And once this pandemic is over, traffic will only get worse.

 

We've got our car now, but last time relied on public transport. Dealing with the local mafia sucked.

 

If you live in, say, Kamala. It's a long and lousy drive to makro or the big box stores.

 

Housing prices are way more expensive.

 

If you travel a lot, like we do, a hop to Bangkok is normally required.

 

Pros:

 

The beaches are way better and the quality of the water is much better.

 

Phuket old Town is really cool. Though traffic is a Pain.

 

IMHO

 

23 hours ago, dsmiththailand said:

Foreign married couple of 30 years, moving to Thailand under their retirement visa and having a difficult time where to settle down between Jomtien or Phuket.  The couple have been to both places for significant amounts of time and loves both for each specifics regional attractions.  For those expats that have lived in either location, can you indicate which place you live and why you choose to stay?  Thanks so much

I never lived in Phuket, but that was because I hated the place as it became this century. I'd never recommend it for anyone except an enemy. I did like it in the mid 90s.

Jomptien is certainly a better option than Pattaya, but if I had the choice I'd live on Phangan- not yet destroyed like Samui, but close enough to the mainland if necessary.

37 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I never lived in Phuket, but that was because I hated the place as it became this century. I'd never recommend it for anyone except an enemy. I did like it in the mid 90s.

Jomptien is certainly a better option than Pattaya, but if I had the choice I'd live on Phangan- not yet destroyed like Samui, but close enough to the mainland if necessary.

U Never lived there. 30yrs later u recommend Phangan? Hows NZ! 

Just now, Olmate said:

U Never lived there. 30yrs later u recommend Phangan? Hows NZ! 

I have no idea what you are talking about, and my Phuket experience is far more recent than 30 years ago, but I'd rather be in Phangan right now. Failing Phangan I'd rather be in Pattaya. It must be great without the tourist horde.

44 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I never lived in Phuket, but that was because I hated the place as it became this century. I'd never recommend it for anyone except an enemy. I did like it in the mid 90s.

Jomptien is certainly a better option than Pattaya, but if I had the choice I'd live on Phangan- not yet destroyed like Samui, but close enough to the mainland if necessary.

Phangnan would be great if it didn't have those insane parties that draw the most insane nuts.

23 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Rent and move when you feel the urge for fresh fields.

A good philosophy for most, I think, but not for all... there is something to be said for ownership, maybe many things - it depends on your preferences and situation in life... 

Just now, Jeffr2 said:

Phangnan would be great if it didn't have those insane parties that draw the most insane nuts.

Beaches like Than Sadet never had a party problem-  difficult to get to but all the better for it. Anyway, no parties at Had Rin now, I gather.

I went to a few FMPs as they used to be quite entertaining, but from what I see on the internet, IMO grew too big and too bad to enjoy for someone not drunk or drugged.

If corona stopped some of the Had Rin excess, driven by hotels wanting to make lotsacash, all to the better. I first visited Had Rin in late 90s and it was quite delightful, but last time I went huge resorts/ hotels had replaced the charming low key bungalow places, and prices were ridiculous.

21 hours ago, dsmiththailand said:

21 hours ago, Dart12 said:

 

so at the high of tourism, where would you prefer to live?

about 20 miles outside of Chiang Mai - in the countryside, and a much more Thai environment... I came to Thailand to live w/Thai people in Thailand, but nice to have the Western influence not too far away... and I can fly to the beach whenever i want... just waiting for my wings to grow in...

4 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

A good philosophy for most, I think, but not for all... there is something to be said for ownership, maybe many things - it depends on your preferences and situation in life... 

In LOS IMO renting is the only sane policy. No one knows when an all night karaoke place/ or similar will open next door. I've seen so many posters on TVF complaining that their previous perfect life had been ruined and they couldn't move because no one was going to buy their place.

Just now, 1FinickyOne said:

about 20 miles outside of Chiang Mai - in the countryside, and a much more Thai environment... I came to Thailand to live w/Thai people in Thailand, but nice to have the Western influence not too far away... and I can fly to the beach whenever i want... just waiting for my wings to grow in...

What about burning season?

11 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Phangnan would be great if it didn't have those insane parties that draw the most insane nuts.

LOL. The insane nuts were the entertainment I went to see.

Great fun in the morning seeing still drunk young guys going into the bushes with one of the many katoeys touting for business, and 5 minutes later the katoey running away with the guy far behind.