Phuket lockdown situation

[Russel]

Hi 

My girlfriend and I planning to fly to Phuket from Bangkok but before to booking our flight and hotel I need to know how's going regarding the restaurants, bar and malls  closing time. We are currently in Pattaya  and it's not too bad in here about the closure time, so if Phuket would be a ghost island we won't come

[zzzzz]

no lockdowns in Phuket

Patong, Karon, Kata, Bangtao thou are empty of open businesses and people.

 

[Pattaya Spotter]

As zzzzz sez, the western side of the island is mostly shutdown. However, this means you have all the beautiful beaches to yourselves. There are enough restos, shops, and massages ????‍♀️ shops open to fill the day. If you fancy a bit of nite life, Bangla Road is open but it's a shadow of it's former self...maybe a dozen or so (out of a hundred bars) are open. If you're like me and here for scuba diving, though 80% of the boats/shops are closed, there are enough open to dive everyday if you wish. The hotel prices will never be this low again (absent another pandemic) and the island and beaches are in pristine condition after a year of no tourism. I'm from Pattaya and have been in Phuket going on a month and intend to stay at least another 2-3 months.

 

An example of current hotel discounts...

 

[Seeall]

I have my hot katoys.. can lock me down enjoy....

[jim1953]

For me , as an 18 tears expar, Kamala is the best place to stay! Kata-karon and Patong have to much closed business !

[Unify]

Rawai, Chalong, and Phuket Town are reasonably active now.

[Seeall]

4 minutes ago, jim1953 said:

For me , as an 18 tears expar, Kamala is the best place to stay! Kata-karon and Patong have to much closed business !

ha ha u know nothing... talk little.. ok thanks

[DFPhuket]

For shopping options, Central, nearer to Phuket Town, is open as usual. Jungceylon in Patong is closed. Those are the only two malls in Phuket. 

 

There are enough bars open on Bangla if that's your thing. A couple of the big clubs on Bangla are open and busy on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from around 11 or 12 until 3 or 4 AM. Kamala and Rawai have more restaurants and bars open, but it's not really a clubbing area. Laguna/Boat Avenue has several restaurants open as well. 

 

All of the beaches are pristine. It would be a good time to rent a car (or a motorbike) for a few days. The roads are empty so it's a good time to explore the west coast. 

[zzzzz]

Quote

Those are the only two malls in Phuket. 

depends on what u consider a mall>
Phuket home pro in Chalong where Villa is
central Mall

central festival

Big C Phuket town
turtle village
Robinsons

Premium Outlet

Index shopping mall
tesco on bypass
Thalang Tesco
central patong (currently closed)
Jung Ceylon ( partial closed)
Boat Avenue Chen talay

Porto de phuket chern talay
 

[petermik]

Stay where you are in Pattaya is my suggestion....much more activity and cheaper prices.

[schlog]

35 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

depends on what u consider a mall>
Phuket home pro in Chalong where Villa is
central Mall

central festival

Big C Phuket town
turtle village
Robinsons

Premium Outlet

Index shopping mall
tesco on bypass
Thalang Tesco
central patong (currently closed)
Jung Ceylon ( partial closed)
Boat Avenue Chen talay

Porto de phuket chern talay
 

+ Big SuperCheap in town.

[Pattaya Spotter]

17 hours ago, jim1953 said:

For me , as an 18 tears expar, Kamala is the best place to stay! Kata-karon and Patong have to much closed business !

I agree Patong is pretty dead...fortunately my hotel has large beautiful gardens and 4 pools so I just lull away the day reading ???? and relaxing and just pop out for a massage or to eat dinner. Its too depressing to walk around and see all the economic devastation the pandemic has caused and all the jobs that have been lost. I will relocate back to the Chalong/Rawai area next week, where things are more lively, with 50-60% of businesses open.

[eyup]

Patong Kata Karon. are dead. Little bit of nightlife in Kamala,. The beach in Kamala as most beaches in Phuket are, is pretty much deserted. Rawai is still relatively busy but it's beach is not a patch on others. Cassia in Laguna area doing great deals if you ring them and want a base to explore Phuket . Laguna area has a few bars and restaurants open.

[Chainsaw]

Rawai is fully open! Live music every night of the week with some top-notch musicians. Many restaurants and resorts open. More and more domestic tourists arriving every weekend. We've got the best beaches too!

Come on down!

[ChasingTheSun]

On 3/29/2021 at 6:01 AM, jim1953 said:

For me , as an 18 tears expar, Kamala is the best place to stay! Kata-karon and Patong have to much closed business !

 

OP,

 

As Jimi and others have said, Kamala is indeed the best place overall to be in Phuket during covid times(or even after covid is in the history books).

 

Kamala is a living and breathing thai beach community that hasn't shutdown like the other west coast beach towns have.
 

Plenty of bars and restaurants are still open right on and around the beautiful Kamala beach. You have a choice of beach bars/restaurants ranging from cheap local thai, or swanky 5 star hotels, or the world famous Cafe del mar.
 

The best part about Kamala is that you can easily WALK to everything, and you’re only a 10 drive minute drive from Patong should you feel the need to checkout bangla. 
 

have fun!

[KarenBravo]

3 hours ago, ChasingTheSun said:

 

OP,

 

As Jimi and others have said, Kamala is indeed the best place overall to be in Phuket during covid times(or even after covid is in the history books).

 

Kamala is a living and breathing thai beach community that hasn't shutdown like the other west coast beach towns have.
 

Plenty of bars and restaurants are still open right on and around the beautiful Kamala beach. You have a choice of beach bars/restaurants ranging from cheap local thai, or swanky 5 star hotels, or the world famous Cafe del mar.
 

The best part about Kamala is that you can easily WALK to everything, and you’re only a 10 drive minute drive from Patong should you feel the need to checkout bangla. 
 

have fun!

 

This infomercial brought to you by the TAT (Kamala branch).

Motto: Semper Vero Frugi.

 

 

[Old Croc]

On 3/29/2021 at 5:01 PM, jim1953 said:

For me , as an 18 tears expar, Kamala is the best place to stay! Kata-karon and Patong have to much closed business !

Any connection to Jim House, rental accommodation in Kamala?

[bkk6060]

Just spent a week in Phuket.  Others comments on here are right on.

We stayed in the Patong area but were very glad we did. Not much going on which was great as we are not late partiers.

They do have a night market on Patong beach walk which seems to run Friday, Sat. and Sunday.

Not a lot open generally at Patong but there was in other areas, especially Phuket town.

We took 2 separate excursions to the islands for swimming, snorkling and relaxing.

It was awesome great prices for boats, not many people, water was crystal clear, plenty of life in the sea.

Rented motorbikes the entire time and cruised every where on the island very fun without much traffic.

 

Really enjoyed ourselves. I think It is a good time to go before the place does open to tourists in the future.

[JAS21]

Last week we stayed in Dewa Beach Resort for 1400thb inc breakfast.

 

We are now staying a week at the 5star Eden Beach Khoa Lak Resort for 1300thb inc BF.

 

Plenty of low priced very acceptable places to stay... same with golf course pricing

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

Headed to Phuket in 2 weeks,  that's the week after Songkran. Just landed in Chiang Mai and will return home to BKK tge Friday before the debacle of Songkran travel starts.

Booked rooms in Rawai for half of what they normally would run.

[notasmartassknowitallfarag]

I am going to Phuket solo this week and I'd like to stay in an area with some fun bars open at night. Not interested in clubs. 

Would Rawai, Kamala be best for that? I ususlly stay in Patong but have heard it's dead. 

[ChasingTheSun]

5 hours ago, notasmartassknowitallfarag said:

I am going to Phuket solo this week and I'd like to stay in an area with some fun bars open at night. Not interested in clubs. 

Would Rawai, Kamala be best for that? I ususlly stay in Patong but have heard it's dead. 

Kamala is probably your best choice. A great beach with plenty of nice bars and good restaurants still open....and EVERYTHING is within convenient walking distance.

 

Only a 10 Minutes taxi to bangla road if you want to check it out.

 

HAVE FUN! ???? 

[Henryford]

1 hour ago, ChasingTheSun said:

Kamala is probably your best choice. A great beach with plenty of nice bars and good restaurants still open....and EVERYTHING is within convenient walking distance.

 

Only a 10 Minutes taxi to bangla road if you want to check it out.

 

HAVE FUN! ???? 

But the taxi costs 1000 baht

[ChasingTheSun]

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

But the taxi costs 1000 baht

Nope.

 

grab taxi only about 300-400 baht one-way kamala to/from patong. 

[Henryford]

10 minutes ago, ChasingTheSun said:

Nope.

 

grab taxi only about 300-400 baht one-way kamala to/from patong. 

Only joking to highlight the Phuket taxi costs. 400 baht is a "bargain".

[ChasingTheSun]

7 minutes ago, Henryford said:

Only joking to highlight the Phuket taxi costs. 400 baht is a "bargain".

Yes, phuket taxi fares are a somewhat bitter pill to swallow compared to the super-cheap taxi fares in bangkok or elswhere in Thailand.

 

[stevenl]

9 hours ago, notasmartassknowitallfarag said:

I am going to Phuket solo this week and I'd like to stay in an area with some fun bars open at night. Not interested in clubs. 

Would Rawai, Kamala be best for that? I ususlly stay in Patong but have heard it's dead. 

Sone posters here prefer to tout their own area, see other answers to your post, but in reality both Kamala and Rawai would suit your purposes, with Rawai having much more choice in venues than Kamala.

[zzzzz]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Sone posters here prefer to tout their own area, see other answers to your post, but in reality both Kamala and Rawai would suit your purposes, with Rawai having much more choice in venues than Kamala.

what you say Might be true, BUT one can not get around Rawai walking,  you need transport 

and as far as i recall
there are no beach side restaurants, ( yes there sea view seafood  restaurants that are very overpriced) clubs or various sea view accommodations, ( priced from 700 -10,000 baht/night).

 

BUT Please by all means stay in Rawai, those living in Kamala love it without tourists  ????

[zzzzz]

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

Sone posters here prefer to tout their own area, see other answers to your post, but in reality both Kamala and Rawai would suit your purposes, with Rawai having much more choice in venues than Kamala.

FYI: there are at least 2 dozen bars within walking distance of each other

????

[LivinginKata]

2 hours ago, zzzzz said:

what you say Might be true, BUT one can not get around Rawai walking,  you need transport 

and as far as i recall
there are no beach side restaurants, ( yes there sea view seafood  restaurants that are very overpriced) clubs or various sea view accommodations, ( priced from 700 -10,000 baht/night).

 

BUT Please by all means stay in Rawai, those living in Kamala love it without tourists  ????

 

I have no dog in this show.  For me I find Rawai easy to walk about with many amenities with easy access. I have always found Kamalla more spread out. But hey what do I know.