Hi All, will be flying to Phuket early next week..........just wondering how these two above compare to eachother in your findings.........will be going to Rawai anyway have been to Aonang before also........all up 3 weeks in LOS.....may even head over to Samui etc after a 17yr break...... would be well intrested in all your info.......thanx fellas..................

If you haven't been to Samui for 17 years, your in for a shock. Even since my first trip in 2003, it has changed drastically...and not really for the better...IMHO. What are you looking to do? Party, relax on the beach, scuba????

Hi Craig, yep just wanted to chill out in the day have a ride around the island on a hired cruiser,hopefully the roads not to hectic,there still has to be some chill out zones there surely??? obviously Lamai/Chaweng goes off.........will be happy paying up to 1000 a day for accomodation..........and im thinking hopefully a tad less rain than Aonang etc.........will be heading to Rawai as well as ive got 3 weeks to kill;)

Hi Craig, yep just wanted to chill out in the day have a ride around the island on a hired cruiser,hopefully the roads not to hectic,there still has to be some chill out zones there surely??? obviously Lamai/Chaweng goes off.........will be happy paying up to 1000 a day for accomodation..........and im thinking hopefully a tad less rain than Aonang etc.........will be heading to Rawai as well as ive got 3 weeks to kill;)

The roads are crazy now. Traffic is a mess. I think Samui is the #1 most dangerous place for tourists....due to scooter accidents.

What about one of the other islands? Tao, KPN? Both have places where you can get away and chill on the beach...and not as crazy as Samui...and cheaper.

Maybe post a thread on this in the Samui forum????

Ao Nang for sure the tourist zone, Rawai an area of Phuket where most of your permanent longterm expats reside.

Ao Nang a jumping point to outer islands, a skiff ride away from Railei which used to be a backpacker scenario but is now quite built up with higher end resorts, still, a nice day on the beach.

Rawai has an assortment of restaurants from lower priced Thai options, to eating on the beach at Rawai, to higher end Italian options. Ao Nang pretty limited on food options, expensive/touristy.

Nightlife in Rawai much better than Ao Nang.

There's my 2 satangs worth. Cheers, GOM

P.S. and reason for edit: recently I have not heard good things about Samui, I hear its a bit of a mess, maybe consider Nakon Si Tammarat instead. Maybe Khao Sok.

Edited July 31, 201114 yr by grumpyoldman

Thanx for that fellas, seems Rawai may be a longer stay than planned then......as well as having a ride around the island in some direction???? looks like the Teelak must have pulled the short straw.......haha.......

You would do well to check out Big-A Resort in Rawai. Not so much a resort as a set of very nice cabins in a large green area. Usual pool, etc. Owner is swiss who races a large Swan (Big-A) sailboat. A bit off the main road and very affordable.

Thanx for the info......may well check that one out if its not to much of stagerring distance from the action....................cheers;)

Is that guy Swiss. I thought he was a drunk.... Can be found in many bars about the S.E. side. No shoes is his trade mark

I'm not there yet.........give me a chance.........but I will have some type of footware on