Mother Is Coming, Help Required.

[Deserted]

Hi all. After 15 years of dilly-dallying, my mother has booked herself on a flight to Thailand and plans to visit Phuket. I'm not sure which attractions are most suitable for a 64 year old woman and also which hotel is best. She wants to find one for 2-3000 a night, preferably with beach access. I thought Karon might be okay as its not too busy and near many things but I have only ever been to phuket once and that was a very long time ago. If someone could personally recommend a hotelin that price bracket, and suggest a few relaxing trips other than the obvious ko-phi phi / pang nga bay stuff, I would be very grateful.

[g00dgirl]

Big Buddha, Wat Chalong, Phuket Butterfly Garden, Shopping at Central Festival, Jungceylon Patong, walking through Bangla road, then Muay Thai fights at night, Kata-Karon viewpoint, Promthep Cape viewpoint, Botanic garden

[pagallim]

Visit the Aquarium at the tip of Cape Panwa, take the Khao Khad road back for it's scenery and views of Chalong Bay, and stop at the Beach Bar on the way for a good lunch. All of this assuming that you're going to have your own transport of course, and that it will be a car.

[Somtamnication]

Soi crocodile. She will leave with the fondest of memories.

[NamKangMan]

Soi crocodile. She will leave with the fondest of memories.

Soi Paradise. She will leave with even fonder memories and perhaps a new step father for you. :) :)

[pagallim]

Take her to Laem Hin (north of Phuket Town), and get one of the free longtails that take you to the floating restaurants. Very pleasant way to spend an afternoon.

[NamKangMan]

Seriously now, I think g00dgirl named most. I would just add a look around Phuket Town and maybe a show or two at night. Eg. FantaSea, Simon Caberet etc.

Also, all the ladies things like massages, nails, hair, facials etc.

Do yourself a favour and keep her away from real estate shops. Otherwise, you might find mum becomes your new neighbour.

Edited January 20, 2013 by NamKangMan

[Guest]

Take her to see some waterfalls..

And of course pampering, lots of pampering. Massages, facial works, hairdo, nails, body scrub... etc. etc.

You'd probably die of boredom during the pampering time.. but that's your duty to her for years she did the same for you

[whybother]

What about "James Bond" island or Similan Islands? An elephant ride?

[Deserted]

Erm, wel; elephant rides are out. James bond island hasn't got the greatest rep but maybe its worth a visit. The reason I posted this is because so many people on thaivisa know stuff that doesn't appear in the guidebooks, and again, I know very little about Phuket. I'm stuck, help appreciated.

[Deserted]

I should point out again that the hotel is the main concern. She will be coming in april, so ideally, we want a hotel that has enough in it so that she doesn't need to venture outside all the time.

[JetsetBkk]

Don't forget to suggest she takes a few aspirin for the flight - to prevent DVT.

[Old Croc]

New bird park and show on Big Bhudda road.

But really, does she need to be treated like a geriatric and be carefully led around through all the safe and boring places?

She's only 64, same age as me. (and before the hilarious ones start, I'm not looking)

Let her decide what she wants to do.

[phuketrichard]

alos go to junk ceylon and listen to one of the people selling condos homes, usually for listening they will give ya a free ticket for Fantasy in kamala

as stated by others

an elephant ride, walk around Central mall . lunch, shopping at the local markets, night market in Phuket town is cool.

walk around the old parts of phuket in ate afternoon (avoid the heat)

Rent a car for the day an drive the beach road thru kata/karon, Patong, Kamala, Surin, Bang Tao, stop for a swim at layan beach, then out to the airport and head back and stop at Wat chalong than Promthep for sunset .....makes a great day

Look at agoda for a hotel and decide where u want her based

[NamKangMan]

I should point out again that the hotel is the main concern. She will be coming in april, so ideally, we want a hotel that has enough in it so that she doesn't need to venture outside all the time.

If she is coming in April (you did not state the dates) you may have to take into consideration The Songkran Festival as something for her to see, and also something to avoid. Songkran is the 12th - 15th April.

[Deserted]

She will leave around the 7th, so songkran won't affect us. COuld someone confirm whether I have got this right. Is Karon beach a reasonable trade of between natural beauty and having enough things nearby to do? I think Patong would be too busy but I've never been to any of the beaches north of that, so I really don't know. My mother would also prefer a hotel by the beach, which seems particuarly difficult to get in the most popular beaches. Again, personal recommendations would be much appreciated. I've spent hours on booking.com but there are simply too many that look nice enough.

[zulugutt]

She will leave around the 7th, so songkran won't affect us. COuld someone confirm whether I have got this right. Is Karon beach a reasonable trade of between natural beauty and having enough things nearby to do? I think Patong would be too busy but I've never been to any of the beaches north of that, so I really don't know. My mother would also prefer a hotel by the beach, which seems particuarly difficult to get in the most popular beaches. Again, personal recommendations would be much appreciated. I've spent hours on booking.com but there are simply too many that look nice enough.

Personally I prefer Kata before Karon, even when it's more or less the same. I find the beach a litle bit friendlier. Just one hotel is "on the beach", Kata Beach Resort&Spa, but a lot of nice hotels in 2-300 meter distance from the beach that are in the price range you mention, Like Kata Poolside Hotel, Sugar Palm Resort (when it's a little bit off season), Tropical Resort and Serene Resort. I have stayed at all these hotels when I build house down here, and they are all 3 star (Tropical claim they are 4 star), and you walk down to the beach in less than 5 minutes. I brought my mother (at that time 74 year old) to Kata, and she enjoyed the beach very much.

I have friends that enjoy Kamala a lot, with some more hotels close to the beach, but not so much happening in the evenings.

Good luck!

[simon43]

... Is Karon beach a reasonable trade of between natural beauty and...

The phrase 'natural beauty' is not one that I would normally associate nowadays with Karon Beach, - nor indeed with most areas of Phuket

Simon

[phuketsub]

Soi crocodile. She will leave with the fondest of memories.

I had the same conundrum with both of my parents about ten years ago -- after a 15 year wait. I put them up in Cherng Talay and they quickly got bored, in part because they live in a beachfront condo in Florida. Then I took them to Karon, which they liked. I decided they had to see Bangla and, to my surprise, they loved Soi Crocodile. It was the highlight of their trip and they still talk about it to this day. Go figure.

Edited January 22, 2013 by phuketsub

[Deserted]

Soi crocodile. She will leave with the fondest of memories.

I had the same conundrum with both of my parents about ten years ago -- after a 15 year wait. I put them up in Cherng Talay and they quickly got bored, in part because they live in a beachfront condo in Florida. Then I took them to Karon, which they liked. I decided they had to see Bangla and, to my surprise, they loved Soi Crocodile. It was the highlight of their trip and they still talk about it to this day. Go figure.

I suspect I will have the exact same experience.

[honoluabay]

Kata Villa is nice super close to the beach , has pool and good restaurant. At the end of Karon beach and the start of Kata area. Maybe Kata Delight hotel behind Ska bar. Aspasia is great also. Pools and view, have stayed here before was very nice. Good luck

[slimmatt]

i would also suggest surin or bangtao for hotels that are on the beach, but both have a number of restaurants up there as well. i would check sky scanner . com as well as they usually have some good rates. ive stayed at the double trees for less than 2k per night through that site