Phuket Vs Bali (indonesia)

[BKKDUDE]

Hi,

I have been to phuket before and stayed for 3 months, so i know phuket very well

and love the place as well bangkok.

I browsed infos on bali and seems to be intersting place for 3 months stay,

but i trust my eyes more than internet resources.

WORLD'S BEST Islands

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest...cfm?cat=islands

WORLD'S BEST Islands: Asia

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest...cat=islandsasia

Those who knows phuket fairly well, please would comment on home rent

with DSL, food and resturants (I love thai food and spicy), fruits, girls quality

& availability (no hooker-Btw phuket sucks, bangkok rocks for this aspect),

people friendliness, shopping and markets, beaches and overall cost of living

compare to phuket .....

I have searched internet enough so i have some clue, so don't give me

net links (i know how to browse, thank you), i need to hear from phuketers

with first hand experiance

Thank you

[LadyinRed]

Home rent with ADSL: where I'm staying in Chalong there's phone line with ADSL inside (TOT-KSC). Works well. I paid about 12,000 THB a month including electricity, ADSL and phone bill, for a proper and modern (western-style) 2 bedroom bungalow in a nice neighbourhood.

Food and restaurants: you'll be spoilt for choice. From 10 baht khao tom and ka non jeen, to 25 baht fried rice (no kai dow ) to 60 baht tom yum kung, to Italian-made pizzas to English breakfast - all in this area! If you're into cooking there's a fresh market everyday around this area too.

Fruits: you get the usual papaya, pineapple, watermelon, thai oranges, pomelo in local stores, but if you head to big C/ Tesco you can find citrus oranges, cherries, strawberries and sometimes nectarines.

Girls quality & availability: erm, well I know I'm 5 stars but not available oh-oh, i'm getting overbored. I better leave this to the guys. Sorry can't help here.

People friendliness: Locals are friendly here. I have no problems with them at all, except for the occasional black sheep but it is not the norm here.

Shopping and market: I can surely say shopping kinda sucks here. You can the same stuff selling everywhere, or if you have money to throw, you can buy the same stuff but original in Central Festival. I shop in night markets for cheap (not quality) clothes, but for quality jackets and shoes I prefer BKK.

Beaches: FANTASTICA!

Overall cost of living in Phuket: Doable with minimum 25-40k a month. For that you're living quite well and you have a rental bike to get around. If you are after a car, minimum 35k a month to include car rental/ lease.

Hope that helps for the Phuket side of things.

[ben01]

cant help much with the living acc. for a prolonged stay, but bali does have alot to offer away from kuta beach ( same same patong ).active volcanoes were very interesting.!! and the villages were welcoming, as for 3 months there, if your after r&r then ok, nut after a month there it was time to move on for me, plenty of other islands to see.......and there was only one girly bar called appropriately....lips..!

[BKKDUDE]

Home rent with ADSL: where I'm staying in Chalong there's phone line with ADSL inside (TOT-KSC). Works well. I paid about 12,000 THB a month including electricity, ADSL and phone bill, for a proper and modern (western-style) 2 bedroom bungalow in a nice neighbourhood.

Food and restaurants: you'll be spoilt for choice. From 10 baht khao tom and ka non jeen, to 25 baht fried rice (no kai dow ) to 60 baht tom yum kung, to Italian-made pizzas to English breakfast - all in this area! If you're into cooking there's a fresh market everyday around this area too.

Fruits: you get the usual papaya, pineapple, watermelon, thai oranges, pomelo in local stores, but if you head to big C/ Tesco you can find citrus oranges, cherries, strawberries and sometimes nectarines.

Girls quality & availability: erm, well I know I'm 5 stars but not available oh-oh, i'm getting overbored. I better leave this to the guys. Sorry can't help here.

People friendliness: Locals are friendly here. I have no problems with them at all, except for the occasional black sheep but it is not the norm here.

Shopping and market: I can surely say shopping kinda sucks here. You can the same stuff selling everywhere, or if you have money to throw, you can buy the same stuff but original in Central Festival. I shop in night markets for cheap (not quality) clothes, but for quality jackets and shoes I prefer BKK.

Beaches: FANTASTICA!

Overall cost of living in Phuket: Doable with minimum 25-40k a month. For that you're living quite well and you have a rental bike to get around. If you are after a car, minimum 35k a month to include car rental/ lease.

Hope that helps for the Phuket side of things.

Hi,

I wanted to know about Bali, Not phuket as i mentioned already lived there

for 3 months.

Anyhow thanks for trying to help

cant help much with the living acc. for a prolonged stay, but bali does have alot to offer away from kuta beach ( same same patong ).active volcanoes were very interesting.!! and the villages were welcoming, as for 3 months there, if your after r&r then ok, nut after a month there it was time to move on for me, plenty of other islands to see.......and there was only one girly bar called appropriately....lips..!

"Bali does have alot to offer" some details please?

How the places compare with phuket and what overall comparing cost of living like ?

Thank you

[AsiaWolfie]

Bali is cheaper when it comes to daily expenses, of course depends at which area u wanna stay.... KUTA is rather same as Patong. Phuket is nice, no doubt, but BALI is just M A G I C and has so many things to offer.... its a huge island, compared to Phuket.... if your main aim is BEERS and PROSTITUTES, Bali will dissappoint you (though available anyway), and honestly, the beaches are not that beautiful, but for anything else, Bali is so much much better..... the culture is awesome..... so many quiet areas, so many things to explore.... and the REAL Balinese (not those "imported" nasty street vendors from Jawa along Jl. Legian) are very very friendly people.....

[Old Croc]

Bali is cheaper when it comes to daily expenses, of course depends at which area u wanna stay.... KUTA is rather same as Patong. Phuket is nice, no doubt, but BALI is just M A G I C and has so many things to offer.... its a huge island, compared to Phuket.... if your main aim is BEERS and PROSTITUTES, Bali will dissappoint you (though available anyway), and honestly, the beaches are not that beautiful, but for anything else, Bali is so much much better..... the culture is awesome..... so many quiet areas, so many things to explore.... and the REAL Balinese (not those "imported" nasty street vendors from Jawa along Jl. Legian) are very very friendly people.....

I've been to Bali about a dozen times, but haven't actually lived there. However, expanding on Asia Wolfie's comments, I can say that the Island can't be surpassed for physical beauty nor cultural fascination. A great place to visit, but I wouldn't live there before Phuket for many reasons.

As much as people complain on this forum about the Thai government, it is infinately better than the restrictive, backward, muslim government of Indonesia. Inferstructure and hygene on Bali are inferior to Phuket. Traffic (motorbikes) is chaotic. Vendors, particularly in tourist areas, pester you to the point of maddness.

Phuket is much more sophisticated and cosmopoliton. Restaurants and nightlife in Bali cannot compare. Medical facilities in Bali are third world (there is good reason why many rich Indonesians go to Australia for major procedures) The traditional Hindu Balinese are very friendly and hospitable, but as AW mentioned, many Javanese have flooded the island and, apart from wanting tourists money, hold westerners in contempt. Of course the political climate of the country makes further bombings possible.

While I love Bali for it's rural beauty and culture, I would never live there ahead of Phuket.

[LadyinRed]

Those who knows phuket fairly well, please would comment on home rent

with DSL, food and resturants.....

It was a typo error from you BKKdude.

Dang.. and I thought I was spot on in my post.

[BKKDUDE]

Bali is cheaper when it comes to daily expenses, of course depends at which area u wanna stay.... KUTA is rather same as Patong. Phuket is nice, no doubt, but BALI is just M A G I C and has so many things to offer.... its a huge island, compared to Phuket.... if your main aim is BEERS and PROSTITUTES, Bali will dissappoint you (though available anyway), and honestly, the beaches are not that beautiful, but for anything else, Bali is so much much better..... the culture is awesome..... so many quiet areas, so many things to explore.... and the REAL Balinese (not those "imported" nasty street vendors from Jawa along Jl. Legian) are very very friendly people.....

"Phuket is nice, no doubt, but BALI is just M A G I C and has so many things to offer.... its a huge island, compared to Phuket.... "

I knew bali was nearly 3 times bigger than phuket, but didn't know anything about the MAGIC part,

would you elaborate?

"if your main aim is BEERS and PROSTITUTES, Bali will dissappoint you (though available anyway)"

How about Normal girls?

and honestly, the beaches are not that beautiful, but for anything else, Bali is so much much better..... the culture is awesome..... so many quiet areas, so many things to explore....

what usualy tourist go to explore there?

[BKKDUDE]

Bali is cheaper when it comes to daily expenses, of course depends at which area u wanna stay.... KUTA is rather same as Patong. Phuket is nice, no doubt, but BALI is just M A G I C and has so many things to offer.... its a huge island, compared to Phuket.... if your main aim is BEERS and PROSTITUTES, Bali will dissappoint you (though available anyway), and honestly, the beaches are not that beautiful, but for anything else, Bali is so much much better..... the culture is awesome..... so many quiet areas, so many things to explore.... and the REAL Balinese (not those "imported" nasty street vendors from Jawa along Jl. Legian) are very very friendly people.....

I've been to Bali about a dozen times, but haven't actually lived there. However, expanding on Asia Wolfie's comments, I can say that the Island can't be surpassed for physical beauty nor cultural fascination. A great place to visit, but I wouldn't live there before Phuket for many reasons.

As much as people complain on this forum about the Thai government, it is infinately better than the restrictive, backward, muslim government of Indonesia. Inferstructure and hygene on Bali are inferior to Phuket. Traffic (motorbikes) is chaotic. Vendors, particularly in tourist areas, pester you to the point of maddness.

Phuket is much more sophisticated and cosmopoliton. Restaurants and nightlife in Bali cannot compare. Medical facilities in Bali are third world (there is good reason why many rich Indonesians go to Australia for major procedures) The traditional Hindu Balinese are very friendly and hospitable, but as AW mentioned, many Javanese have flooded the island and, apart from wanting tourists money, hold westerners in contempt. Of course the political climate of the country makes further bombings possible.

While I love Bali for it's rural beauty and culture, I would never live there ahead of Phuket.

Very good comparsion jsut what i needed to know, i realy appriciate the details cleared my mind.

I hope someone can confirm what "old croc" said about city inferstructure, hygene, Restaurants,

Medical,......inferiority

Thanks everyone

Edited January 7, 2006 by BKKDUDE

[BKKDUDE]

Someone here is not confirming what being said (I think infrastructure wise Chiang mai=phuket )

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=54992&st=0

Bali has such a strong focus on aesthetics – many call it the most beautiful place they have been to. It’s not just the magnificent terraced rice fields or the fancy and funky shops, even a little house poking out of a crouded city street is likely to have a cool 3-D wall mural and attractive and comfortable covered outdoor living room. People pay attention to their surroundings, and not just with trimmed green lawn, but with flair. A lot of arfully placed flowering plants, a lot of sculpture, ponds, trees, it makes a big difference to the state of mind. Many of the apartments are located in private gardened and tree shaded compounds, with an alsmost mini-village feel to them. What a difference and I’m so glad I’m here instead of in Cebu City.

Plenty of restaurants and clubs, the prices seem just fine. I’ll report more exactly later, but off the top of my head it seemed a good fish dinner can be had for about 2 bucks, and beer will be somewhere around 75 cents in a touristy restaurant, and 50 cents at the store. Give or take 20 cents or something. Although it’s more developed and touristy, the prices are in line with the larger region.

The big downside of Kuta has always been the aggressive street and beach touts. They are still here and aggressive, but it seems better than 3 years ago. Perhaps the locals don’t’ tolerate the touts who come from Muslim Java as much, after some radical Muslims devastated their economy again with another bombing. It still does lower the quality of living – a lot – to be harassed while walking down a pleasant street by people who seem to have no respect for you as a person whatsoever and see you as an ATM to be shaken and shaken until money drops out. I could stay relaxed after someone asks me if I want a taxi and I say no, but going on and on and on is just a kind of torture. Of course it’s going to get to you after a while. “Taxi?” I just smile and don’t make eye contact and wave my left hand no as agnowledgment. I don’t look all touristy and green and open to their social manipulation. That might work – that’s the best strategy, I think. But some are stuck in a rut – even if you are holding your motorcycle keys in your hand and walking to your bike they’ll ask if you want a taxi. “Girl? Marijuana? Where you go? Hey boss! Boss!” They’ll often try to block your path, and will walk all the way across the street to do it. Saying no won’t stop some of them. Even 5 times no, because they are hunting and you are the prey they try to outsmart. It’s not a good form of social interaction, I really don’t like that game at all, it seems way too disrespectful.

Comparing Kuta to Chiang Mai, the air quality is better here, the tourist infrastructure is way more built up with restaurants and shops and clubs everywhere, there is beach bounding the island, and the culture seems less closed off. There is no nearby forest, unfortunately, but there are many public little and large gardens and hideaways. I could easily step off of a busy mainstreet to practice Thai-Chi in a beautiful spot. The Balinese still have a very strong sense of communal property, and Warungs are everywhere. Many of the big hotels have heavenly landscaped acreage – I couldn’t imagine more beauty.