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Posted

I just finished my second visit to Phuket this year.

1: Karon beach is nice. I love looking back and seeing the white big buddha statue up on the hill

2: Metal hammers and nail game at the bars doesn't seem to be a good idea to have with drunk people.

3: Kata and Karon beach areas do have some decent food.

4: Kata beach is about to open about 8 or so new beer bars right next to the existing bunch.

5: The Kata beach beer bars are very loud and you will hear the noise in many hotels around them. I changed hotels after one night.

6: Patong is hectic.

7: Patong fresh seafood was good. Lobsters were really alive just before cooking.

8: Patong prices are too high.

Bangla road is worth seeing once. Beer bar price for standard beers was 100 baht. Gogo beer prices were 150 baht. Most gogos make you pay as you go when you order a drink. I hated that. Beer bar fines were double that of Pattaya.

Patong beach was super crowded. Lounge chairs are 4,5,6 deep! After swimming in Kata and Karon, I didn't bother swimming in Patong.

9: Patong hotel The Gallery was clean and close to Bangla road and was quiet. (hehe except for one hour in the afternoon where the school next door had band practice! But I remember my young band days too!)

10: Phuket province has Findig shoes every where, but could not find Bata. Very redundant shopping

11: Transport between Kata/Karon and Patong is horrible. A simple 5 km journey should be easier with some songtaews or motor bike taxi. Tuk tuk/taxi fixed rates are the only option they give you unless you want to rent a motorbike. Or you can take big songtaew into town and then another one back to the other beach 35 baht each way.

12: Flight from Utapao to phuket on bangkok air was nice. Red slightly rundown bus from Phuket airport to Phuket Town bus station was 90 baht and was OK.

13: Flight from Phuket to Koh Samui to Utapao was nice. Taxi from Patong to phuket airport was 700 booked from a travel agent. Girl was on time at my hotel at exactly 0630.

14: On one of my trips I booked a minbus and ferry from Karon beach to Ao Nong. That was really nice. The ferry takes less than 2 hours and approaches Ao Nong on the mainland through some beautiful scenery.

15: Airport bus from Ao Nong to Krabi airport was a nice cheap option. 150 baht. Much easier than getting out of Phuket.

16: VIP bus from Korat to Phuket took 17 hours! Can't recommend that. The bus had vinyl seats not cloth seats. Not very comfortable, but it was convenient.

All in all, after two separate visits if I go again, I would stay in Karon beach again. Then go up to Patong via taxi share if possible.

Posted

what about

phuket town

mai khao

laem hin

phang nga

good attractions/shopping/food and away from the tourist-ghetto..rent a car and travel around next time!

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)

what about

phuket town

mai khao

laem hin

phang nga

good attractions/shopping/food and away from the tourist-ghetto..rent a car and travel around next time!

Phuket town did not impress me. Many dirty little shops. "famous" chinese restaurant was closed. Night market down by Robinsons was standard Thai food. Renting and driving is not viable for many people coming from countries that drive on the other side of the road. Phuket has many narrow and winding curving roads. Calling Kata and Karon beaches tourist ghettos? gosh they were pretty nice for swimming.

Edited by gk10002000
Posted

what about

phuket town

mai khao

laem hin

phang nga

good attractions/shopping/food and away from the tourist-ghetto..rent a car and travel around next time!

Phuket town did not impress me. Many dirty little shops. "famous" chinese restaurant was closed. Night market down by Robinsons was standard Thai food. Renting and driving is not viable for many people coming from countries that drive on the other side of the road. Phuket has many narrow and winding curving roads. Calling Kata and Karon beaches tourist ghettos? gosh they were pretty nice for swimming.

so you dont know left and right, giiiizz that's so hard to switch..oh well if you satisfied with your vacation then ok 555..

  • Like 1
Posted

I just finished my second visit to Phuket this year.

1: Karon beach is nice. I love looking back and seeing the white big buddha statue up on the hill

2: Metal hammers and nail game at the bars doesn't seem to be a good idea to have with drunk people.

3: Kata and Karon beach areas do have some decent food.

4: Kata beach is about to open about 8 or so new beer bars right next to the existing bunch.

5: The Kata beach beer bars are very loud and you will hear the noise in many hotels around them. I changed hotels after one night.

6: Patong is hectic.

7: Patong fresh seafood was good. Lobsters were really alive just before cooking.

8: Patong prices are too high.

Bangla road is worth seeing once. Beer bar price for standard beers was 100 baht. Gogo beer prices were 150 baht. Most gogos make you pay as you go when you order a drink. I hated that. Beer bar fines were double that of Pattaya.

Patong beach was super crowded. Lounge chairs are 4,5,6 deep! After swimming in Kata and Karon, I didn't bother swimming in Patong.

9: Patong hotel The Gallery was clean and close to Bangla road and was quiet. (hehe except for one hour in the afternoon where the school next door had band practice! But I remember my young band days too!)

10: Phuket province has Findig shoes every where, but could not find Bata. Very redundant shopping

11: Transport between Kata/Karon and Patong is horrible. A simple 5 km journey should be easier with some songtaews or motor bike taxi. Tuk tuk/taxi fixed rates are the only option they give you unless you want to rent a motorbike. Or you can take big songtaew into town and then another one back to the other beach 35 baht each way.

12: Flight from Utapao to phuket on bangkok air was nice. Red slightly rundown bus from Phuket airport to Phuket Town bus station was 90 baht and was OK.

13: Flight from Phuket to Koh Samui to Utapao was nice. Taxi from Patong to phuket airport was 700 booked from a travel agent. Girl was on time at my hotel at exactly 0630.

14: On one of my trips I booked a minbus and ferry from Karon beach to Ao Nong. That was really nice. The ferry takes less than 2 hours and approaches Ao Nong on the mainland through some beautiful scenery.

15: Airport bus from Ao Nong to Krabi airport was a nice cheap option. 150 baht. Much easier than getting out of Phuket.

16: VIP bus from Korat to Phuket took 17 hours! Can't recommend that. The bus had vinyl seats not cloth seats. Not very comfortable, but it was convenient.

All in all, after two separate visits if I go again, I would stay in Karon beach again. Then go up to Patong via taxi share if possible.

Well done for being honest and open and not bashing Phuket....

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

  • Like 2
Posted

I find anywhere out side Patong pleasant.

Glad you enjoyed kata and Karon. The place isn't so bad as the dooms dayers want you to believe.

Totally agree, likewise, anything outside of Patong is Pleasant.....

Phuket is a beautiful island...

  • Like 1
Posted

what about

phuket town

mai khao

laem hin

phang nga

good attractions/shopping/food and away from the tourist-ghetto..rent a car and travel around next time!

Why would you use the term "ghetto"? Falkan, you've been to Watts ? Been 5 miles outside Washington DC? Kata/Karon are complete paradise compared to those true ghettos.

Maybe the OP just wanted to chill on the beach instead of being stuck in a car travelling around to the places you mentioned.

Phuket Town-already posted not his cup of tea.

Mai Khao- dead quiet and far

Laem Hin-talk about tourist seafood trap, c'mon

Phang-Nga - quite a large area, so really,it's like, well why didn't you visit NSW?

OP, thank you for the post and hope you will come back.

  • Like 1
Posted

what about

phuket town

mai khao

laem hin

phang nga

good attractions/shopping/food and away from the tourist-ghetto..rent a car and travel around next time!

Why would you use the term "ghetto"? Falkan, you've been to Watts ? Been 5 miles outside Washington DC? Kata/Karon are complete paradise compared to those true ghettos.

Maybe the OP just wanted to chill on the beach instead of being stuck in a car travelling around to the places you mentioned.

Phuket Town-already posted not his cup of tea.

Mai Khao- dead quiet and far

Laem Hin-talk about tourist seafood trap, c'mon

Phang-Nga - quite a large area, so really,it's like, well why didn't you visit NSW?

OP, thank you for the post and hope you will come back.

I am in Pattaya for a week and probably going to do another quick land visa border run. New rule as of Nov 1 lets the G-7 countries get 30 days on a land exit/re-entry run. I probably will visit either Chiang Mai or go see more of Isaan. I only made it as far as Korat. I live in Florida in the USA and love to swim, so the Indian Ocean side of things appeals to me so I may jet back down to Phuket again. the islands off shore betwen Phuket and Krabi are beautiful, but the crowds are getting pretty huge. I actually had booked a day island James Bond, etc. tour last month when I stopped at Ao Nang, but I decided to sleep in and avoid the sun a bit. I had gotten too much sun the days before.

Posted

Two observations from today;

sat chatting to a Thai friend looking towards Police point at Junction of Beach Rd and Bangla, usual whistles blown and farangs without helmets being pulled in, all now report into the shop with the sign above for an attraction (blue and yellow/gold words: A Sight Not To Miss In Thailand) Yep I am sure all the farangs walking in to pay the fines will remember this sight lol,

If I was Thai I would be slightly annoyed as several Thai people rode right on by without being stopped by the same officer in full view of him, obviously the Thai skull is impervious to head trauma, hence this law does not apply to thais but if I was a Thai person the question begs "is my Bhat not as good as the Farangs"...???

Cement mixer Trucks;

Is Patong the graveyard for cement mixer trucks? you know like the mythical Elephants graveyard in Africa where they all go to die?? I see lots everyday on nearly every road around Patong that look like they should be in the Knackers yard... TIT

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