High Season In Phuket

[Ulysses G.]

I would guess that Phuket is the most popular tourist destination in Thailand for Westerners and the high point of high season is upon us. How does it look so far?

[stevenl]

Up and down.

[barka]

wont get any real idea untill xmas time and new year....this time of year you dont get the real tourists coming..a lot of expats coming back for there winter brakes..

[steelepulse]

The beaches seem busier than I recall over the past few years for this time of year.

[logbags]

Surin beach has been packed and a huge % are Russians. These people usually go home before Christmas and the real surge starts on the 26th onwards with the Scandanavians coming by the plane load. I dunno if the Russians celebrate Christmas but they are keeping Phuket going over this side of the island.

At night I drive around and the problem I see is similar to Australia. There is just too much of everything and the trade gets spread too thin for anybody to make any real money. This would be certain for restaurants. At Laguna, Peppers and the Pizza place always look busy but elsewhere it is spread pretty thin.

Along Bang Tao beach most of the restaurants at night have a few tables but not many ever look close to full. I had an American couple here last night and they were at Ao Nang this week and said the same, too much of everything, spoilt for choice.

They went to Patong and they said a lot of people were walking around but the bars were pretty empty. It was their first time in Thailand so I asked them their perceptions and they said it was ridiculous to go drink at bars when you can buy a large Chang for 45 baht at 7/11.

I always tell people there is a ridiculous disparity in prices between food and grog here. You can get a breakfast with toast, 2 eggs and bacon with coffee thrown in but a small beer at a bar costs almost the same price. Then you can pay more for a bottle of wine than you do for the whole meal.

If Thailand had smart leaders a lower tax rate would allow lower wine prices and people could enjoy it more and restaurants would do better. I see the real high season as being Dec 26th to April 20th or so now.

[ScubaBuddha]

Kata beach south end today is as busy as I have seen it. Just about every lounger occupied.

[katabeachbum]

Kata beach south end today is as busy as I have seen it. Just about every lounger occupied.

yepp, same thing on friday, crowded 3pm

however the lower end hotels in Kata Karon are still not fully occupied, and the +4 stars are still doing promotions.

[simon43]

As I'm getting back into the Phuket hotel business after an 18 month break...

Hotel was full last night ... and tonight. That only means 10 rooms, so not a huge pointer to whether or not Phuket is busy

But one interesting difference from previous years is that several of the rooms were booked by Russians, all who speak not a word of English (or any other language apparently, apart from Russian).

So, a good New Year's resolution for all us hoteliers in Phuket is:

Learn Russian!!

Simon

[BangTaoBoy]

So, a good New Year's resolution for all us hoteliers in Phuket is:

Learn Russian!!

Simon

And don't ever let your bar run dry of vodka.

[steelepulse]

I know if I had a restaurant or a bar, I'd get a sign made up in Cyrillic.

[madmitch]

What I used to think of as Kata's main street was completely dead last night.

EasyRiders had three customers at midnight, Roberts was slightly busier but not a lot.

The hotels are becoming increasingly reliant on the Russian market and that's not so good for the smaller business owners.

[katabeachbum]

What I used to think of as Kata's main street was completely dead last night.

EasyRiders had three customers at midnight, Roberts was slightly busier but not a lot.

The hotels are becoming increasingly reliant on the Russian market and that's not so good for the smaller business owners.

Tajna road has become more and more quiet by the years. Majority of hotelrooms are further south.

Kata is crowded with Russian couples, and most Scandinavians are couples too but at least they spend some money other places than restaurants and 7-elevens.

[Samuian]

Russians if orthodox celebrate "Christmas" early January... around 6./7.

do NOT ONLY drink Vodka...

and certainly filling a certain segment of the market..

"learn russian" - yes add arab and madarin!

Our place on Samui is booked out for peak season.

[BillR]

adapt or die

[keestha]

In Khao Lak it is definitely slow for the time of the year. Could have something to do with the exchange rate for the Euro, or with the extensive foreign news coverage of floodings in Thailand, or possibly still with political unrest earlier in the year. Oh well, there is always something.

[woodyleonhard]

Our restaurants are doing quite well - sales are up considerably from last year - but we tend to draw expats and long-stay folks, not tourists.

Which reminds me. Gotta get those Cyrillic signs up. Americanski spoken here...

[Lannatyne]

Came into Nai Harn on a yacht the other day, and, jeez, was the beach full.