Better Place To Live In Phuket Or Kok Samui

[EUFCB5]

Hi to the expats and thai members of this forum Im planning to move to Thailand but at the same time Im wondering where is the better place to live on Phuket or Perhaps Samui what the people think about it where is more cheaper to live in for a middle european pensionist(real estate,etc etc...) which place have more western expats? I wait for your responses byee!!

[Birdman]

Phuket has everything much more than Samui, except that island feeling, which you still can get at some places on Samui and Samui is not that hectic and not that commercialized.

BTW that topic would better fit in the General Forum than here.

Edited July 16, 2009 by Birdman

[paulfromphuket]

Phuket has everything much more than Samui, except that island feeling, which you still can get at some places on Samui and Samui is not that hectic and not that commercialized.

BTW that topic would better fit in the General Forum than here.

Phuket anytime, it has the lot, ok it's the most expensive place to live in Thailand but for good reason and still miles cheaper than anywhere in the west.

world class hospitals, shopping, dining,entertainment, beaches, diving, sailing, golf, hot spots, quiet spots, international airport and a bridge to Phang Nga which is real Tailand.

Samui is a mafia run dump.

[ozymandious]

Phuket. I visited Samui once, saw everything I needed to see in a 3 day trip. Very beautiful, but a bit too small for me.

[Benjie]

Another vote for Phuket, it's not that I dislike Samui - Phuket is just better,

[Birdman]

Phuket has everything much more than Samui, except that island feeling, which you still can get at some places on Samui and Samui is not that hectic and not that commercialized.

BTW that topic would better fit in the General Forum than here.

Phuket anytime, it has the lot, ok it's the most expensive place to live in Thailand but for good reason and still miles cheaper than anywhere in the west.

world class hospitals, shopping, dining,entertainment, beaches, diving, sailing, golf, hot spots, quiet spots, international airport and a bridge to Phang Nga which is real Tailand.

Samui is a mafia run dump.

Koh Samui has all the same, except the bridge, in a smaller version. It's not a dump. It's much more exotic than Phuket. An island with still millions of coconut palm trees and at many places the natural, wild feeling you do not have on Phuket. By far not so commercialised. Not such tourist hordes. While the main clients on Samui are Europeans, who stay average 12 days, in Phuket there are countless tourist masses from Asia, who stay average 4 days. Samui's rainy season lasts 2 months only, Nov & Dec, while on Phuket from May till October.

So, it just depends on what one wants.

[peridot]

Phuket is better by far. Samui is the only place I have ever hated in Thailand. The only place I have ever been told to f--- off, by a motorcycle taxi driver who wanted to charge me 200 baht to go 5km. Most Thai people on Samui are from somewhere else, moved there to get money from the tourists. Expensive, pushy, overpriced and no where to go to get away. Phuket has Patong Beach, which is touristy and crowded, but just over the ridge is Phuket Town, which is real Thailand. There are small town all along the coast, with forest and rubber farms in between. There are busy places and quiet places on the huge island, some overdeveloped places and some places that look like the rest of the country. Just be sure to look beyond Patong Beach.

[DMasut]

Phuket has everything much more than Samui, except that island feeling, which you still can get at some places on Samui and Samui is not that hectic and not that commercialized.

BTW that topic would better fit in the General Forum than here.

Phuket anytime, it has the lot, ok it's the most expensive place to live in Thailand but for good reason and still miles cheaper than anywhere in the west.

world class hospitals, shopping, dining,entertainment, beaches, diving, sailing, golf, hot spots, quiet spots, international airport and a bridge to Phang Nga which is real Tailand.

Samui is a mafia run dump.

Samui definitely has a large Mafia contigent. But Phuket does as well. I think you feel it more on Samui because it is tighter knit with the local and Police. Chaweng, Lamai and Tourist Police are immediate relatives of the "MADE" guys that it has become a cooperative.

I think the cost of living between Phuket and Samui are identical! Anywhere else in Thailand is less expensive.

Samui has everything Phuket does...just fewer of them.

Edited July 21, 2009 by DMasut

[chillibilly]

By the way, I live in the Pattaya area and I certainly would not come here and retire. It is as organized and clean as a garbage dump (but a cheap place to live for those who are retired and want to be close to the airport and chase the bar girls.).

I have visited both Samui and Phuket islands...and suggest Phuket. Just stay outside of Patong city area - plenty of quiet areas. What is important, (which I am sure you are aware of) is access to a good hospital, airport, and shopping for those home improvement needs. I read where real estate is at a low so maybe you can get a good deal on a house/condo.

Edited July 21, 2009 by chillibilly

[Scottbiker76]

Phuket has everything much more than Samui, except that island feeling, which you still can get at some places on Samui and Samui is not that hectic and not that commercialized.

BTW that topic would better fit in the General Forum than here.

Phuket anytime, it has the lot, ok it's the most expensive place to live in Thailand but for good reason and still miles cheaper than anywhere in the west.

Sorry to tell but Samui is more expensive then Phuket, you can ask any Thai person, they will confirm this. Go to any market and compare, check the oil prices, they are 2-3 baht higher then Phuket, etc...

I lived on Samui for 1 year and 1 year in Phuket and soon will go back to Samui, if you don't mind the small size of the island and if you don't mind buying your own car or motobike it still is paradise over here, the true island feeling with all the western standards available.

Greets

[reallyok]

Phuket has everything much more than Samui, except that island feeling, which you still can get at some places on Samui and Samui is not that hectic and not that commercialized.

BTW that topic would better fit in the General Forum than here.

Phuket anytime, it has the lot, ok it's the most expensive place to live in Thailand but for good reason and still miles cheaper than anywhere in the west.

Sorry to tell but Samui is more expensive then Phuket, you can ask any Thai person, they will confirm this. Go to any market and compare, check the oil prices, they are 2-3 baht higher then Phuket, etc...

I lived on Samui for 1 year and 1 year in Phuket and soon will go back to Samui, if you don't mind the small size of the island and if you don't mind buying your own car or motobike it still is paradise over here, the true island feeling with all the western standards available.

Greets

I have friends in Kanchanaburi , Isaan and Puket but still prefer Samui which i visit every year.

[zazo]

If you are going to live on your Pension come and have a look at Bangsaphan, we lived on Phuket for 15 years it was nice, but here the people are still Thai kind, u can rent a house for 2500 baht per month. iff you want land still you can still buy for less than 300,000 baht per rai, you will not be sorry, but no tesco no Big C etc that is good for us, and miles of sandy beach,

[Samuian]

Is this a Samui bashing PR Thread for Puket?

Are things that bad now on Puket that people have to turn to such measures?

What has Puket what Samui doesn't have except the bridge, the larger airport

and the couple of square miles more... ?

[robertsonmartin]

Another vote for Phuket, it's not that I dislike Samui - Phuket is just better,

Agree with Benjie.

[steelepulse]

Is this a Samui bashing PR Thread for Puket?

Are things that bad now on Puket that people have to turn to such measures?

What has Puket what Samui doesn't have except the bridge, the larger airport

and the couple of square miles more... ?

Hilarious!  Yes go live in Samui as it's too crowded here in Phuket .

[losworld]

Phuket is better by far. Samui is the only place I have ever hated in Thailand. The only place I have ever been told to f--- off, by a motorcycle taxi driver who wanted to charge me 200 baht to go 5km. Most Thai people on Samui are from somewhere else, moved there to get money from the tourists. Expensive, pushy, overpriced and no where to go to get away. Phuket has Patong Beach, which is touristy and crowded, but just over the ridge is Phuket Town, which is real Thailand. There are small town all along the coast, with forest and rubber farms in between. There are busy places and quiet places on the huge island, some overdeveloped places and some places that look like the rest of the country. Just be sure to look beyond Patong Beach.

A friend informed me that the tuk tuk drivers in Phuket have been replaced with drivers from Isaan as there were too many altercations. I personally have noticed that the southerners are less friendly.

[Samuian]

Is this a Samui bashing PR Thread for Puket?

Are things that bad now on Puket that people have to turn to such measures?

What has Puket what Samui doesn't have except the bridge, the larger airport

and the couple of square miles more... ?

Hilarious!  Yes go live in Samui as it's too crowded here in Phuket .

At least!

Don't worry.... been there, done it...Samui convinced me 19 years ago and going..!

so everyone has certain preferences - and Chaweng or Lamai isn't Samui as Patong and Bangla isn't Puket really - but this isn't what i was referring to... if it's fine for U - and others...then it is so.. it's like comparing apples with pears...

Edited July 25, 2009 by Samuian

[bojo]

Samui is still quite beautiful and an excellent tourist destination as is Phuket. However as a foreign resident, IMO Phuket wins hands down as it's more diverse, bigger by far, has better infrastructure/flight connections and you can escape at any time of day or night. That subconscious alcatraz feeling in Samui together with queues for ferries got to me in the end. Other than that they are pretty much the same.

Regards Bojo

[stevehaigh]

Koh Samui has all the same, except the bridge

yep, but that's a BIG difference. been able to get in the car and just drive without dicking around with a car ferry would be a dream come true for me.

[LaoPo]

Phuket or Samui ?

Nobody can answer that question for someone else. You have to experience the feeling for yourself.

I was lucky to have known Phuket 30 years ago when it was paradise and Patong Beach the ultimate beach experience. I explored many beaches and most of them were still empty virgin beaches.

I came many years in a row and enjoyed it until I missed 2 or 3 years and got the shock of my life when I looked downhill at Patong coming from the airport

Patong Beach, the virgin beach, was killed and the other beaches followed. The days were gone that you could park your motorbike against a palmtree right ON the beach, staying in a simple bungalow at Patong Beach Bungalows....

In 1989/90 I visited Samui for the first time and fell in love with the place and recaptured the island feeling and that same feeling still stands.

The island has so many places and beaches to go and sit and swim relaxed, apart from the more crowded well known beaches as Chaweng, Lamai and Bophut.

True, you need transport (preferably a car since a motorbike is so dangerous) but other than that I still prefer Samui over Phuket.

Also, I think that city people (from the West), where ever they come from are more towards Phuket rather than Samui.

Maybe Samui is too relaxed for them ? I don't know.

Cheers

PS: to my own shame I have to admit I never visited Koh Phangan and therefore not able to judge the Phangan feeling but I'm sure I will love it

LaoPo

[PatinBKk]

Lived and worked in both Samui and Phuket....left for a number of negative reasons that wont mention, neither are the perfect place, I found my ideal in Cha am.....look furher afield from those two places, unless of course you already have...

[Northbank]

To get a proper answer on this you would have to give more detail on what your looking for, whats important to you to make your life fuller, if cheapest is the main criteria, i spent a year and a half on one and nearly a year on the other and imo there is little difference across the board between the two, it would all be dependent on what part of the island you lived on and what kind of accom you were looking for.

If cheaper is the main criteria you may be better off looking at Pattaya or Jomtien, but again this would depend on what your other criteria is, things like whether you had your own transport or not, what kind of scenery you require, do you want to be near a large expat community or not and what your nightlife/female requirements are if any.

Do you specifically want to be on an island, do you want the smaller tropical island feel of samui or a bigger island with a more western feel and infrastructure, or would you prefer being closer to BKK in Pattaya or Jomtien, there are so many things to take into consideration.

Tbh if i were you i would spend a week in each place to get a feel for it and see which you prefer, imo they are all different but all great fun, which you would prefer will be down to your own personal taste and needs.

[PoorSucker]

This is so simple, just look at the stats.

Phuket average rainfall.

Samui average rainfall.

[paulfromphuket]

This is so simple, just look at the stats.

Phuket average rainfall.

Samui average rainfall.

yep my gardens love it. no brainer really.

[spidermike007]

I have visited Phuket a number of times, but have spent alot of time in Samui over the years. Definitely prefer Samui. Less developed than Phuket, and less 10Mil plus villas, and the types associated with that. Also, it is quite beautiful, and easy to get away from it all, if you just leave Chaweng or Lamai. Nathon is cool, and funky, and cheaper. I like the fact that it is not linked by a bridge. People are OK. Many are quite friendly. Food is great, and reasonable. The climate is WAY better than Phuket. Rains MUCH less. Always breezy. The advantages with Phuket are the access to world class diving, and it is less expensive to fly in and out of. The disadvantages of Samui are chiefly the monopoly that Bangkok Airways has on the airport, the mafia presense, which is real, and the police. The Police there are ABSOLUTELY USELESS. I have had friends who have had major problems, and if you can buy your way out of it, fine. But, do not ever go to the police here, for help. They are useless and totally corrupt. Also, I believe the central government gives more funds to Phuket, so the infrastructure may be better. But, I still prefer Samui. It has alot of charm. So does Koh Phangan.

[warlord]

If you are going to live on your Pension come and have a look at Bangsaphan, we lived on Phuket for 15 years it was nice, but here the people are still Thai kind, u can rent a house for 2500 baht per month. iff you want land still you can still buy for less than 300,000 baht per rai, you will not be sorry, but no tesco no Big C etc that is good for us, and miles of sandy beach,

Any girls there!! just for companianship of coarse....

[spidermike007]

Probably not any girls there, unless you count the local farmer's daughters who want to hook up with a foreigner, so you

can support their families the rest of your life. One thing I did not mention about Samui, was the lack of enforcement of

the no smoking ban. If you are a smoker you will love Samui. If you are a non-smoker it is a nightmare. Only 2 no

smoking signs posted on the whole island. Oh, and did I mention that the mayor was useless?

[maccaroni man]

Samui is still quite beautiful and an excellent tourist destination as is Phuket. However as a foreign resident, IMO Phuket wins hands down as it's more diverse, bigger by far, has better infrastructure/flight connections and you can escape at any time of day or night. That subconscious alcatraz feeling in Samui together with queues for ferries got to me in the end. Other than that they are pretty much the same.

Regards Bojo

Have to agree with this 110% I would love to have the affordable air tickets to bkk that phucket has and the ability to cross a bridge to escape the island. having said this my wife and i have given serious consideration to phucket a couple and times and we always choose to stay with the more simple life on samui i.e. no traffic jams, looser law enforcement, off road 4x4, jungle and a short trip around the entire island. btw i have a gym friends that lived in samui moved to phucjet and has just returned after 2 yrs, his take on the difference was the hassle of time spent driving in phucket. I also have a friend who is managing a hotel in phuket and he has shared some very interesting stories about the mafia there so i would say both island have their own issues with the mob.

[spidermike007]

have to agree with Bojo. For all of it's problems, Samui remains quite a charming place. If you get away from Lamai or

Chaweng occasionally, there are still may unspoiled areas. And the lawlessness aspect is enjoyable for the most part,

except for the lack of enforcement of the non-smoking laws, and all of the 9 year olds on the roads, driving like kamikazes

without regard for life. Other than that, the place is great, and I love spending time in Samui.

[LaoPo]

I have visited Phuket a number of times, but have spent alot of time in Samui over the years. Definitely prefer Samui. Less developed than Phuket, and less 10Mil plus villas, and the types associated with that. Also, it is quite beautiful, and easy to get away from it all, if you just leave Chaweng or Lamai. Nathon is cool, and funky, and cheaper. I like the fact that it is not linked by a bridge. People are OK. Many are quite friendly. Food is great, and reasonable. The climate is WAY better than Phuket. Rains MUCH less. Always breezy. The advantages with Phuket are the access to world class diving, and it is less expensive to fly in and out of. The disadvantages of Samui are chiefly the monopoly that Bangkok Airways has on the airport, the mafia presense, which is real, and the police. The Police there are ABSOLUTELY USELESS. I have had friends who have had major problems, and if you can buy your way out of it, fine. But, do not ever go to the police here, for help. They are useless and totally corrupt. Also,

I believe the central government gives more funds to Phuket, so the infrastructure may be better. But, I still prefer Samui. It has alot of charm. So does Koh Phangan.

I can't judge that but there a few things to say about it:

1. Phuket island is a province; Samui is not and "belongs" to Surat Thani Province. They are depending on the funds they receive from the local government in Surat Thani city, apart from the recent boost in funds they received or were allowed from the Central Government in BKK. Phuket is and was always considered to be the richest province in Thailand due to it's natural resources like tin/pewter-mining, rubber plantations, fruits etc. and now tourism on a big scale.

2. The first tourists came to Phuket in the mid '70's when the bridge opened to the mainland and the airport opened in 1976; when I first landed about 2 or 3 years later there was just ONE airplane on the rampage...ours. It quickly developed into a large international airport with a long runway (3,000 meters) whilst Samui's is just 2,000 meters.

Samui's airport opened in 1989, 13 years later than Phuket airport.. Until then it had some backpackers via irregular boat/ferry service but not many.

Phuket, in the old days, was heaven.....it had an absolute relaxed feeling, completely deserted beaches and it was the tropical island feeling one dreamed of back home. It was spoiled very very soon.

Nowadays, I still prefer Samui, since I came there first in 1989/90.

But.....Bali has much more spectacular nature settings then where ever in Thailand, including Phuket and Samui.

LaoPo