Life in Kathu

[britpop]

does the 1 or 2 times a month you will go out in Patong negate any savings you have made living in Kathu because there is cheaper accommodation there?

Did you simply miss the fact that i have written, several times, that i don't WANT to live in Patong? It's not only about the pricing difference on accommodations, i don't want the stress and noice that follows daily life in Patong, as many other people who wants to live on the Island for an extended period. But like many others i want to have the opportunity to once in a while visit the Patong nightlife. Are you saying that experiencing the nightlife of Patong is exclusively for the people living in Patong?

Dear Dualeck, sometime it's like trying to get your point across to some TV members, i hear what you are saying, a quieter, simple life, but when it suites you maybe visit patong, a great way to live!!!!!!, visit the caddyshack bar to experience the expats who live in kathu

[Dualeck]

Dear Dualeck, sometime it's like trying to get your point across to some TV members, i hear what you are saying, a quieter, simple life, but when it suites you maybe visit patong, a great way to live!!!!!!, visit the caddyshack bar to experience the expats who live in kathu

Yeas and today i took my bike and went for a drive around Kathu to have a look. Have to say I really like the area and i'm pretty convinced that its the right place for me.

Where is Caddyshack? Are we talking food market area?

[NomadJoe]

It's cheaper because it's not near the beaches. Much of the staff from Patongs tourism sector lives there. It's no more The road between Patong and Kathu is steep, twisty, and treacherous. Many accidents occur there. There is no more criminal element than other parts of Phuket. It's too far from the beaches for me but I have a lot of friends that live in that area and they seem to like it.

BTW, Patong is Kathu district but the area east of the Patong hills but before you reach town is referred to as Kathu, so don't get confused when you try to find the Kathu police station then learn it's in Patong.

Is there any alternatives to transportation from Kathu to Patong then? Because i only have a bike. Like Sonthaew or something. And does anyone have an idea about approximately how much it cost to take taxi from Kathu to Patong?

No songtheaws here.

Ummm...there are loads of song-thaew here:

Main destinations include Patong, Chalong, Kamala, Kata, Karon, Makham Bay, Nai Harn, Nai Yang, Rawai, Surin and Thalang. Buses leave approximately every 30mins, although this may vary considerably. Drivers tend to wait until they have enough passengers to make the trip worthwhile. Fares start at 15 baht. Song-thaews run from 6am to 6pm, seven days a week.

In Patong, the best place to flag one down is near the Tourist Police Box on Patong Beach road (Thaweewong rd.), at the end of Bangla road. At the southern end of Patong, another popular place to catch a songthaew is opposite the Patong Merlin hotel, at the end of Prachnukhro road. A trip between Patong and Phuket City should cost around 15-20 baht

These are not song theaws as the OP is referring to them. The longest you have to wait for a seang theaw in the many parts of Thailand that has them is 1-2 minutes. Usually 10 baht, and often "tilac rides for free". And they run 24 hours. What we have aren't song-theaws by definition either, (95% of them anyway) as they do not have two rows of seats in the back, but three; "song threaw" means "two rows." He have baht buses on a few routes.

[Peterocket]

These are not song theaws as the OP is referring to them. The longest you have to wait for a seang theaw in the many parts of Thailand that has them is 1-2 minutes. Usually 10 baht, and often "tilac rides for free". And they run 24 hours. What we have aren't song-theaws by definition either, (95% of them anyway) as they do not have two rows of seats in the back, but three; "song threaw" means "two rows." He have baht buses on a few routes.

A blue charabanc thing that goes every 30 minutes during the day for a cheap price.......that sums it up

[NamKangMan]

These are not song theaws as the OP is referring to them. The longest you have to wait for a seang theaw in the many parts of Thailand that has them is 1-2 minutes. Usually 10 baht, and often "tilac rides for free". And they run 24 hours. What we have aren't song-theaws by definition either, (95% of them anyway) as they do not have two rows of seats in the back, but three; "song threaw" means "two rows." He have baht buses on a few routes.

A blue charabanc thing that goes every 30 minutes during the day for a cheap price.......that sums it up

Unfortunately, that does sum it up. Providing tourists with that "world class" Phuket transport service. :)

[IAMSOBAD]

While this thread is open may I ask one question that is really important to me.

Where is the best place to live there..Your replies will help me a lot.

[NamKangMan]

While this thread is open may I ask one question that is really important to me.

Where is the best place to live there..Your replies will help me a lot.

That is a very broad question. Can you narrow it down a little to what things are important to you in the area you live?

[IAMSOBAD]

A good road...beach...quiet but not lonely.

An area with Expats and grocery stores.

I'm open.

[IAMSOBAD]

I have a scooter and would like a car.

I have a dog and have been in BKK and Pattaya.

Looking for a good area for retirement.

[IAMSOBAD]

Any good ideas on the area is appreciated.

[johnnycthedog]

I GO TO BANGLA ROAD FOR NIGHT LIFE JUST 10 MIN BY BIKE AND ALSO YOU CAN GO TO PHUKET TOWN.

EDIT:

Please do not post in all caps. It is considered shouting and as such rude!

This is also one thing i consider a major plus about Kathu. I'm not at particularly big fan of Bangla Road but think its ok to go a couple of times a month. Therefore its perfect that I can go to Bangla Road when it suits me, instead of Bangla Road being around me all the time. A major implication about this though, is that i think driving a bike and going out for a drink is a bad mix. Especially driving the road between Kathu and Patong. Thats why i wonder about the prices and possibilities for Taxi. As i said earlier, i know its expensive, I just want to know how big the damage will be.

What some people do if going out for a big night in Patong. Rent a hotel room for one night in Patong. Drive your bike down there sober during the day and return the next day again sober. You'll avoid the evening traffic jam, erratic & drunk drivers etc etc. If you can arrange that it's the smartest thing to do.

[NamKangMan]

I GO TO BANGLA ROAD FOR NIGHT LIFE JUST 10 MIN BY BIKE AND ALSO YOU CAN GO TO PHUKET TOWN.

EDIT:

Please do not post in all caps. It is considered shouting and as such rude!

This is also one thing i consider a major plus about Kathu. I'm not at particularly big fan of Bangla Road but think its ok to go a couple of times a month. Therefore its perfect that I can go to Bangla Road when it suits me, instead of Bangla Road being around me all the time. A major implication about this though, is that i think driving a bike and going out for a drink is a bad mix. Especially driving the road between Kathu and Patong. Thats why i wonder about the prices and possibilities for Taxi. As i said earlier, i know its expensive, I just want to know how big the damage will be.

What some people do if going out for a big night in Patong. Rent a hotel room for one night in Patong. Drive your bike down there sober during the day and return the next day again sober. You'll avoid the evening traffic jam, erratic & drunk drivers etc etc. If you can arrange that it's the smartest thing to do.

Yes, once the tuk-tuk driver says "400 baht" to get there, it's going to be about 800 baht to get back, so, you are better off making it an "overnight" trip, even though your destination is a few kilometers away, as ridiculous as that sounds.

[IrishIvan]

It's cheaper because it's not near the beaches. Much of the staff from Patongs tourism sector lives there. It's no more The road between Patong and Kathu is steep, twisty, and treacherous. Many accidents occur there. There is no more criminal element than other parts of Phuket. It's too far from the beaches for me but I have a lot of friends that live in that area and they seem to like it.

BTW, Patong is Kathu district but the area east of the Patong hills but before you reach town is referred to as Kathu, so don't get confused when you try to find the Kathu police station then learn it's in Patong.

Is there any alternatives to transportation from Kathu to Patong then? Because i only have a bike. Like Sonthaew or something. And does anyone have an idea about approximately how much it cost to take taxi from Kathu to Patong?

No songtheaws here. Be aware that transport in Phuket is unlike any other parts of Thailand. It is priced to be used by only to tourists, and designed to be able to the highest possible fares from tourists that have no idea how far their destination may be, or what a reasonable fare is. No meters and no posted fares on the tuk tuks. It is open to abuse, but that is by design. Tuk tuk (which for Phuket means a little red truck) co-ops and taxi "federations" have all colluded in price-fixing, often using threats and intimidation in order to slowly increase fares over the years so now some of the prices being asked are more expensive than anywhere in the world. A taxi ride from the airport to the main beaches is now "officially" 800B+, if you manage to get the "official" price. I have had many of my customers charged between 1800B and 4000B. This trip in a Bangkok metered taxi would be around 275B. Often your taxi ride from the airport will cost more than your regional flights airfare. Getting from one beach to the next, a 10-15m ride, might be 400B, getting back, 1200B. There is a rudimentary bus system, but the schedules are irregular and as LIK mentioned, they stop around 6pm. And there is no bus system between the beach towns. The last time that was tried, tuk tuk drivers dragged the bus driver from his bus and beat him.

Good post NJ - accurately describes the woeful transport situation on Phuket.

If Phuket ever did get proper metered taxis, or a baht bus system, similar to Pattaya, it makes you wonder what a massive effect on real estate prices, across the island, it would have, both for sales, and for rentals.

Baht bus prices are now up to 20 baht in Pattaya, 30 baht for the longer trips

[danphuket]

While this thread is open may I ask one question that is really important to me.

Where is the best place to live there..Your replies will help me a lot.

When I stayed in Kathu I lived near Kathu waterfall. For expat working here with own transportation I think it is a good place to live.

Several things that I liked there:

1) Fresh air and nice view on the hills surrounding. Feels cooler then in Patong

2) Central location. If you go to Central Festival, Big C or Macro you will not be stuck in traffic. If you go to Thalang, there is a shortcut through British school; if you go to the south, there is again a shortcut though Prince of Songkla University. The longest time I have awaited was at the Central Festival intersection when I went to Phuket Town. Of course there are traffic jams on the way to Patong. For me it was only 10 minutes to get there on the motorcycle.

3) Siam commercial bank branch nearby, local Thai market, professional laundry service (not the 30 baht self service machines), sauna and massage (at the time that I stayed it cost around 100 baht to get in), several decent European-oriented restaurants. There used to be a really nice place called Lunch Room. Now there is another restaurant there which I haven't tried yet. There is a big lake at Phuket Wake Park; concrete block road around it. Can run in the evening as well, as they installed stadium lights.

4) It is a quit place. Should be good for family. It is not as crowded and commercialized as beach areas.

If you ask me I would prefer to stay in the area near Kathu waterfall then anywhere else in the area.

[NamKangMan]

@ IrishIvan

I haven't heard this from friends living there, but will check it out next time I am up there and report back.

[merijn]

The lunchroom is sold to another Dutchman, still has good food.

[NamKangMan]

@ IrishIvan

I spoke on the phone to a friend who lives in Pattaya today. He told me the baht buses are still 10 baht for a journey, and the last time he used one was on Friday night.

I'm not sure where you got your information from, but it appears to be incorrect.