Best Island With Solid Internet Access This Time Of Year?

[eyver]

Hey everyone, my friend and I have been in Bangkok for the last month and just renewed our visas so we can spend more time in Thailand.

We're looking to get out of Bangkok and settle into a nice beach town for the next month or so... and we're struggling to find which town will work for us at this time of year!

Our only requirements:

-Solid, fast internet connection - fast enough for a Skype video chat (we work from our computers online, and this is what we'll be doing most of the day). This is a HUGE priority - we need a reliable, consistent connection!

-Ability to rent an apartment with a kitchen and have that internet connection in the apartment

-Basic gym with weight equipment

-Access to lots of meat, eggs, and vegetables (the primary foods in our diet) - grocery store would be awesome, thus why an apartment with a kitchen would be awesome

That's really it. Living in a dive location is not a problem if we have the above requirements because we're just going to be working from our computers all day and aren't going to dive. We also aren't necessarily looking to party into the wee hours of the night. We just want to work from heaven.

We'd be leaving in the next couple days - so what are the best places to check out? We originally had it down to Koh Lanta and Koh Tao, but it sounds like Koh Lanta is completely shut down this time of year. Koh Tao still seems like a good possibility, but we're unclear on apartments/houses and internet access. We'd love to hear ANY other suggestions!

Thank you for any tips!

[gotlost]

No such animal anywhere in Thailand. Unless you pay 20,000 baht per month.

[ukrules]

No such animal anywhere in Thailand. Unless you pay 20,000 baht per month.

Well if you have two guys working all day every day that should be a breeze. You wouldn't get much for 20,000 in Bangkok, I wonder if they've been working there ok ?

In my experience a lot of home net connections have crappy upload speeds, especially at peak times.

[eyver]

No such animal anywhere in Thailand. Unless you pay 20,000 baht per month.

20,000 baht for a two bedroom place for a month with solid internet access and a kitchen? So 10,000 baht per person?

That sounds like an AWESOME price to us!

If you've got more information on that, I'd love to hear it!

[ukrules]

That sounds like an AWESOME price to us!

If you've got more information on that, I'd love to hear it!

It sounds like a fantasy to me.

[Artamus]

solid, fast and reliable internet in Thailand is a business opportunity for someone waiting to be discovered.

[gotlost]

That's 20K per month just for the Internet and that does not count the connection fee. Rent of apartment is extra.

[Bullie]

Koh Tao does not have a gym, as far as I know.

There is, however, a good steakhouse (australian beef) near the pier.

It certainly does NOT have a good, reliable internet connection.

[BB1950]

There are lot's of guest-houses, condos, bungalows, and apartments in the Jomtien/Pattaya area close to the beach. Jomtien Beach is not a party town like Pattaya. Most places with Internet access have WiFi connections, some have ADSL connections. There are far too many to list.

My friend prefers to rent a bungalow at a place called Winfield Residence, because it's quiet, peaceful, and not far from the beach in Jomtien. email: [email protected].

Check with any Real Estate/Property Management services in the area, or you can browse on-line for many others. Most places don't have gyms on-site. The ones that do, are more expensive. But there are lots of gyms around. This is low season now, so you stand the best bet of finding a place available. There are lots of stores, markets, cafes, and restaurants to meet your dietary requirements.

Hua Hin, is another popular beach resort town you might consider. It's not a party town.

As far as islands go, very few places can meet any of your requirements (Internet, kitchen, stores, and gyms). In fact I don't know of any, except for maybe Phuket. But you'll pay a premium there.

Edited June 16, 2010 by BB1950

[smokie36]

As far as islands go, very few places can meet any of your requirements (Internet, kitchen, stores, and gyms). In fact I don't know of any, except for maybe Phuket. But you'll pay a premium there.

Umm maybe Phuket..only maybe??

Phuket or Samui have plenty of kitchens shops and gyms.......in fact most houses have kitchens.....bathrooms and showers even.....yes you can even have a choice. Amazing ignorance.

Decent internet speeds are another thing altogether but not any worse than in Bangkok.

As for price a 2 bed can easily be had for 10k a month. Hardly expensive now is it?

'In fact, I don't know' is the most accurate part of your statement.

Edited June 16, 2010 by smokie36

[fatfather]

FAST, GOOD, RELIABLE INTERNET CONNECTION IN THAILAND.......

[stuandchris]

Uk, Ireland, NZ, Hawaii, Guernsey, Jersey, Rhode Island, Jamaica. Plenty of these islands my friend but not here.

Bt in the UK are offering a 50MB connection as standard soon.

Here I am on TOT 6MB and am lucky to get 512KB. Now and again.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Another possibility is using 3G on Samui as TRUEMOVE has base stations there.

[earthpig]

Uk, Ireland, NZ, Hawaii, Guernsey, Jersey, Rhode Island, Jamaica. Plenty of these islands my friend but not here.

Bt in the UK are offering a 50MB connection as standard soon.

Here I am on TOT 6MB and am lucky to get 512KB. Now and again.

you will get much better internet if you pay up for a premium plan, usually called an SME plan. No, you dont actually have to be a business to get it, you just have to pay.

I have such service from both TOT and TRUE in Bangkok, both around 2.4 advirtised speed for around Baht 2,300 per month. TOT has a one year contract, but True required no minumum length of time. Nor did True require a telephone subscription either, they just ran the cable to my house without a phone. In my experience TOT is a bit more reliable than TRUE, but many experience the opposite.

note that i get around half the rated speed for international connections, though i do generally get the full rated download speed for domestic connections.

also note that in the rainy season in phuket there as been a history of internet outages due to flooding, but someone actually there can update you on this.

[phuketrichard]

No such animal anywhere in Thailand. Unless you pay 20,000 baht per month.

Bullshit;

Phuket you can easily rent a 2 bedroom house for 12-15,000/month Then if they have a phone line you can get interent for under 1,00 a month

if not u can get the CAT cdma card for 6,000 baht and pay 800 baht/month and use it ANYWHERE (but Bangkok) Thats what i have and no problem on skype calls to the states or anywhere Triple B here will set you up for 800 a month as well

Samui btw is more expensive than Phuket for everything

Forget Ko Lanta/Ko Tao

Edited June 20, 2010 by phuketrichard

[smokie36]

Samui btw is more expensive than Phuket for everything

Another sweeping statement without substantiation. Care to elaborate on a few things which are more expensive?

[woodyleonhard]

PhuketRichard -

The price on CAT cards has come down - it's now about B 4,000. Still at B 800/month.

OP -

Phuket would meet all of your requirements, I think. To see what the Internet in Phuket's been doing lately, visit the speed reporting site, http://www.live-access.com/PhuketInternet.aspx/ . Those are real international speeds, posted by real users.

I'm biased, but I think Phuket's a fantastic place to stay. (I've lived here for ten years.) Much to do on the island, but much more is nearby - all sorts of things to see and do within, say, a few hours from Patong.

You can get a very nice place for B 20,000 a month - including high quality internet. The reliability is usually pretty good, although we've had a round of problems with TOT lately. Check the speed reporting site for details. I'd offer to rent you the place next door, but it's already taken.

Edited June 20, 2010 by woodyleonhard

[angiud]

Koh Phangan has everything you looking for:

Good internet connection

Many small house/bungalow with kitchen, sat tv, internet for rent 12/20.000 baht month

3 different Gym

One small Tesco + another big supermarket and a couple of farang food shops where you can find everything (almost) you need

A beautiful island

[bangkokburning]

Pha Ngan perhaps is your best bet - the internet thing is a show stopper. BEWARE AND CARRY AL YOUR VALUABLES DO NOT LEAVE ELECTRONICS N YOUR ROOM>

[thedistillers]

Pha Ngan perhaps is your best bet - the internet thing is a show stopper. BEWARE AND CARRY AL YOUR VALUABLES DO NOT LEAVE ELECTRONICS N YOUR ROOM>

That's not reasonable at all.

[neilf]

i think you can assume the smaller the resort or island the harder it will be to fill the list you need

pattaya can offer about 1.6 megabits / sec down and about 0.45 up---------thats it they call it hi speed ha ha but this technology is in its infancy even in populated cities------------islands and countryside forget it-------------even phone sim stuff is slow----------edge no 3g

best place is bangkok cos its the capital dont you know !!

a friend of mine can do a good 2 bed apart for 25k month with internet but as above ie. 1.6 etc. not fast but ok and big pool / fitness centre very close to baht bus route and 10 mins from walking st with many bars resrs etc. but not noisy

pm me more infoif wish

neil

Edited July 5, 2010 by neilf