Best Beach To Stay For Couples

[HedKeeQuai]

OK so I'm planning a trip to Phuket early July with my future wife (never thought I would go to Thailand to hang out with a western girl but whatever).... so anyway I've only ever been to Patong and it's not the greatest place.

What would be the best beach for us to stay at?

I would like somewhere that's relatively quiet, nice clean beach, but still has maybe some bars close or somewhere where something is going on at night.

Also around the 3000bt a night price range for a room so any hotel recommendations are welcome too.

TIA

[tonititan]

I agree, stay away from Patong. Your fiance will probably hate it. I've stayed at Kata & Karon beaches, and they're both nice.

[BangTaoBoy]

Surin Beach. Good place to be based to explore further North during the day, and south some nights to Kamala and Patong. ( You will enjoy Patong a lot more, when you aren't staying there. One or two nights is ample)

[seriouseats]

Taking a trip to koh samet and staying there for the whole time would be a lot better IMO for a couple willing to spend 3000 a day. They have a few friendly, spacious and comfortable bungalows priced at those price(modern) right next to the beach.. All there is on the island is a small city, very few bars, tons of good restaurant/BBQ's show's all directly on the beach .. it's just a lovely family/couple place. It's very active on the beach at night, and unlike phuket it won't be ladyboys and bargirls.

Koh samet definately feels like a small city in dominican republic. You'll make your future bride very happy 100% sure, in phuket it will be a hit or miss

Can't comment on closer islands as i have no visited many of them in the south

Edited May 19, 2011 by seriouseats

[madmitch]

Taking a trip to koh samet and staying there for the whole time would be a lot better IMO for a couple willing to spend 3000 a day. They have a few friendly, spacious and comfortable bungalows priced at those price(modern) right next to the beach.. All there is on the island is a small city, very few bars, tons of good restaurant/BBQ's show's all directly on the beach .. it's just a lovely family/couple place. It's very active on the beach at night, and unlike phuket it won't be ladyboys and bargirls.

Koh samet definately feels like a small city in dominican republic. You'll make your future bride very happy 100% sure, in phuket it will be a hit or miss

Can't comment on closer islands as i have no visited many of them in the south

Only about 1200 km from Phuket!

OP: Look at last minute booking sites and you'll get some great prices on Phuket hotels. Just avoid Patong!

[Shot]

Definitely spend half a day in Kamala, and have some dinner there. That time of year is best for a great dinner, in a quiet town. Also, a great place to get your clothes laundered. (My wife made me say that last part)

Enjoy your trip

[BangTaoBoy]

Taking a trip to koh samet and staying there for the whole time would be a lot better IMO for a couple willing to spend 3000 a day. They have a few friendly, spacious and comfortable bungalows priced at those price(modern) right next to the beach.. All there is on the island is a small city, very few bars, tons of good restaurant/BBQ's show's all directly on the beach .. it's just a lovely family/couple place. It's very active on the beach at night, and unlike phuket it won't be ladyboys and bargirls.

Koh samet definately feels like a small city in dominican republic. You'll make your future bride very happy 100% sure, in phuket it will be a hit or miss

Can't comment on closer islands as i have no visited many of them in the south

Why isn't this drivel deleted for being off topic? The OP has made it quite clear they are coming to Phuket.

[grumpyoldman]

and unlike phuket it won't be ladyboys and bargirls.

seriouseats you are going to paint all of Phuket with that nonsense? Another that's been to Patong and calls it Phuket.......................

OP, Kata Beach Resort. Walking distance to many good restaurants (Capanina, The Boathouse) and if there comes an evening you don't want to change out of your swimwear after sunset cocktails, you can walk down the beach and eat relatively inexpensive Thai food and get more drinks at the reggae bar.

[seriouseats]

and unlike phuket it won't be ladyboys and bargirls.

seriouseats you are going to paint all of Phuket with that nonsense? Another that's been to Patong and calls it Phuket.......................

OP, Kata Beach Resort. Walking distance to many good restaurants (Capanina, The Boathouse) and if there comes an evening you don't want to change out of your swimwear after sunset cocktails, you can walk down the beach and eat relatively inexpensive Thai food and get more drinks at the reggae bar.

They are getting married, they are young. Phuket's beaches at night outside of patong are for retired couples and patong is for any sex depraved person with easly pleased taste buds they really don't come anywhere close to koh samet for young couples. They could even do it on the beach there at night, as new couples like to do.

They could also rent a ATV/motorbike for a few days, at the price of one 500meters ride of a tuktuk in phuket. Phuket might be decent to go snorkling/seeing waterfalls and other touristy stuff but for the beaches? cmon. They are fine beaches for expat but pretty sub-par for someone coming here for a week looking to hcelebrate and not just sit there.

[grumpyoldman]

and unlike phuket it won't be ladyboys and bargirls.

seriouseats you are going to paint all of Phuket with that nonsense? Another that's been to Patong and calls it Phuket.......................

OP, Kata Beach Resort. Walking distance to many good restaurants (Capanina, The Boathouse) and if there comes an evening you don't want to change out of your swimwear after sunset cocktails, you can walk down the beach and eat relatively inexpensive Thai food and get more drinks at the reggae bar.

They are getting married, they are young. Phuket's beaches at night outside of patong are for retired couples and patong is for any sex depraved person with easly pleased taste buds they really don't come anywhere close to koh samet for young couples. They could even do it on the beach there at night, as new couples like to do.

They could also rent a ATV/motorbike for a few days, at the price of one 500meters ride of a tuktuk in phuket. Phuket might be decent to go snorkling/seeing waterfalls and other touristy stuff but for the beaches? cmon. They are fine beaches for expat but pretty sub-par for someone coming here for a week looking to hcelebrate and not just sit there.

What a load of drivel and now I am curious as to how much time you actually have spent in Phuket, as you are way off base.

Patong for sex deprived yet you tout having sex on the beach in Samet......................hmmmmm........

Beaches are for retired people, yeah, that's why I was surrounded by hot chicks in thongs after getting out of the water surfing at Kata last weekend, oh yeah, and lots of retired people hanging at the reggae bar.

Seeing waterfalls in Phuket? Now I know you have spent little to no time in Phuket and therefore any advice or opinions you give, are worthless as you don't know what you are posting about.

[stevenl]

They are getting married, they are young. Phuket's beaches at night outside of patong are for retired couples and patong is for any sex depraved person with easly pleased taste buds they really don't come anywhere close to koh samet for young couples. They could even do it on the beach there at night, as new couples like to do.

They could also rent a ATV/motorbike for a few days, at the price of one 500meters ride of a tuktuk in phuket. Phuket might be decent to go snorkling/seeing waterfalls and other touristy stuff but for the beaches? cmon. They are fine beaches for expat but pretty sub-par for someone coming here for a week looking to hcelebrate and not just sit there.

You really don't know Phuket, not even Patong.

[seriouseats]

Im sorry, as someone who isnt poor, i dont enjoy a beach full of redneck and redneck attractions with subpar restaurants, cigaret butts in the sand and beach vendor getting their own beach even dirtier. Koh samet is clean and calm in some spots and joyous in others. Some people have more experience in life than being stuck in west phuket with a 40 000baht salary and under. Some of us have gone around the world and expect more from a 'good beach' than just sand

Only beaches i can stomach in phuket are the north's and kata noi and even then, i feel like im Old Orchard beach (major low cost beach in the USA), xcept there the accommodation are cheaper for the same standards mand the sea food is actually cooked correctly (not complaining about real sea food places like bypass seafood, Laem Thip or wtvr is next to nissan and pak nam). Nai yang is very nice you get food, airplane landing and corals but you also have a ton of dirty stray dog, tons of ants because thais dont bring their food back to the garbage cans and cigarette butts in samsong bottle leftovers. I sincerly have no negative things to say about koh samet outside of them having no free rooms in the nicer resorts/bungalows most of the time when i don't plan ahead.

If your standard are lower you don't have to rush to deny everything i have said, when people ask for help i would rather use higher standard to make sure they enjoy. It's not everyone who has fun in a barn nok environment. Lots of tourist think of phuket has an exotic place like in the movies, very calm and relaxing. West phuket for the most part is just effin crazy with traffic, a million crappy shops. They deal with it and find the positive but why not be NICE TO THEM and offer them advice that would give them a journey closer to what movies portray? Koh samet is only 9hrs away by minibus.. or they can just land in bangkok and get a drive from there.

Always amazes me how the dive industry guys always trying to promote their dank dive that is south-west phuket. You really think that denying every negative thing online will make google searches look better for phuket?

[grumpyoldman]

seriouseats, did you even read the first eight words of the OP's post?

Please , do us a favor, go back to the Bangkok Forum. Thanks, GOM

[F1fanatic]

You are not going to find somewhere quiet if you're also looking for an active nightlife. The two just don't go together.

You need to decide on your (and your future wife's) priorities. If a nice quiet beach is your priority, then the Northern end of Phuket is your best bet. Many years ago we stayed at the Pearl (or something) in N Phuket, and it had virtually empty, clean beaches. No idea what it is like now, but it will undoubtedly be quieter than Southern Phuket.

If your priority is finding somewhere with some life at night, then Kata, Karon and Nai Hairn all have good (but busy) beaches and offer an 'active' nightlife

Edit - just thought, Yanui is relatively quiet (but still fairly packed during the high season), but being close to Rawai also offers a night life. The beach is tiny though (but v nice).

Edited May 20, 2011 by F1fanatic

[Shot]

Im sorry, as someone who isnt poor, i dont enjoy a beach full of redneck and redneck attractions with subpar restaurants, cigaret butts in the sand and beach vendor getting their own beach even dirtier. Koh samet is clean and calm in some spots and joyous in others. Some people have more experience in life than being stuck in west phuket with a 40 000baht salary and under. Some of us have gone around the world and expect more from a 'good beach' than just sand

Only beaches i can stomach in phuket are the north's and kata noi and even then, i feel like im Old Orchard beach (major low cost beach in the USA), xcept there the accommodation are cheaper for the same standards mand the sea food is actually cooked correctly (not complaining about real sea food places like bypass seafood, Laem Thip or wtvr is next to nissan and pak nam). Nai yang is very nice you get food, airplane landing and corals but you also have a ton of dirty stray dog, tons of ants because thais dont bring their food back to the garbage cans and cigarette butts in samsong bottle leftovers. I sincerly have no negative things to say about koh samet outside of them having no free rooms in the nicer resorts/bungalows most of the time when i don't plan ahead.

If your standard are lower you don't have to rush to deny everything i have said, when people ask for help i would rather use higher standard to make sure they enjoy. It's not everyone who has fun in a barn nok environment. Lots of tourist think of phuket has an exotic place like in the movies, very calm and relaxing. West phuket for the most part is just effin crazy with traffic, a million crappy shops. They deal with it and find the positive but why not be NICE TO THEM and offer them advice that would give them a journey closer to what movies portray? Koh samet is only 9hrs away by minibus.. or they can just land in bangkok and get a drive from there.

Always amazes me how the dive industry guys always trying to promote their dank dive that is south-west phuket. You really think that denying every negative thing online will make google searches look better for phuket?

I agree with you.

Up 'till now I thought I was just an average redneck like everyone else on this forum, but now that yuz splained it all to me, and yunno yuz been all round this big world and all, me and yuz da same, maybe wez kin brotha? Maybe sometime wez can get together and drink a pack of Bud and then get some tattoos, and after that wez can go get a good steak (non of that Aussi stuff). OK if I bring my girlfriend? She kin too.

[grumpyoldman]

Im sorry, as someone who isnt poor, i dont enjoy a beach full of redneck and redneck attractions with subpar restaurants, cigaret butts in the sand and beach vendor getting their own beach even dirtier. Koh samet is clean and calm in some spots and joyous in others. Some people have more experience in life than being stuck in west phuket with a 40 000baht salary and under. Some of us have gone around the world and expect more from a 'good beach' than just sand

I agree with you.

Up 'till now I thought I was just an average redneck like everyone else on this forum, but now that yuz splained it all to me, and yunno yuz been all round this big world and all, me and yuz da same, maybe wez kin brotha? Maybe sometime wez can get together and drink a pack of Bud and then get some tattoos, and after that wez can go get a good steak (non of that Aussi stuff). OK if I bring my girlfriend? She kin too.

Humor..........I like it Shot. BTW, who uses the term "redneck" in Thailand? Yeeeeeesh..........

[HedKeeQuai]

Thanks for the replies everyone, yea Koh Samet is not an option, I'm flying straight to Phuket from Oz.

I should've been clearer but we're really just looking to stay inside our room for a week, or have a room that's very close to a beach.

Kata Beach sounds nice I'll check it out.

Also we're flying in from different countries (I'm arriving a day before), so any suggestions on a nice place/beach I can stay for 1 night that's relatively close to the airport?

Thanks again and wish me luck, Phuket is as good a place as any to propose right?

[tonititan]

Thanks again and wish me luck, Phuket is as good a place as any to propose right?

Awww! Do you have a plan yet?

[BangTaoBoy]

Thanks for the replies everyone, yea Koh Samet is not an option, I'm flying straight to Phuket from Oz.

I should've been clearer but we're really just looking to stay inside our room for a week, or have a room that's very close to a beach.

Kata Beach sounds nice I'll check it out.

Also we're flying in from different countries (I'm arriving a day before), so any suggestions on a nice place/beach I can stay for 1 night that's relatively close to the airport?

Thanks again and wish me luck, Phuket is as good a place as any to propose right?

It's a shame you have no intention of exploring the island, but each to their own.

PM regular member 'simon43'. He has a hotel very near the airport and Nai yang beach. I don't know him personally, but I get the feeling he's got a nice place and knows how to take care of his guests. Perhaps he could PM you the details?

[HedKeeQuai]

Awww! Do you have a plan yet?

heh not really, I know what to do I'll just wait for the right moment and if I feel it..

It's a shame you have no intention of exploring the island, but each to their own.

I've been to Phuket before (well, Patong) and I used to live in Thailand so I'm pretty familiar with what's to offer. This trip is simply to meet up, enjoy a nice beach and eat some nice food.

Thanks for the hotel tip

[seriouseats]

Hmm then any beach resort up north will do. Check agoda. Very nices places there and no rednecks for the most part.

[Old Croc]

Check latestaysdotcom 2 or3 weeks before your trip for a bargain.

10,000bht rooms in top Kata resorts are currently available for under 3000baht on this site. You wont miss out on a bargain.

[HedKeeQuai]

Check latestaysdotcom 2 or3 weeks before your trip for a bargain.

10,000bht rooms in top Kata resorts are currently available for under 3000baht on this site. You wont miss out on a bargain.

This is amazing, thank you very much