Skip Phuket?

[Ricardo Galbis]

Phuket is one of the most beautiful place(s) in the world: the people of Phuket (Island) too.

If, you are a paranoid, skeptic, opinionated, self-absorb, cynical, self-righteous, narrow-minded, confused, and pathetic

person: "stay at home" in your 'little world'.

If not, then: "The world is your pearled oyster"

Enjoy!!

[gandalf12]

20 years ago it was fine. Too many farang now.

Who keep a lot of locals wit an income, dont forget that

[gandalf12]

Phuket is one of the most beautiful place(s) in the world: the people of Phuket (Island) too.

If, you are a paranoid, skeptic, opinionated, self-absorb, cynical, self-righteous, narrow-minded, confused, and pathetic

person: "stay at home" in your 'little world'.

If not, then: "The world is your pearled oyster"

Enjoy!!

If you think it is one of the most beautiful places in the world, I suggest you get out a bit more

[gandalf12]

What is it with all the losers personally attacking me?

They are not attacking you. It is just that they dont like indecisive losers like you

[Ricardo Galbis]

Phuket is one of the most beautiful place(s) in the world: the people of Phuket (Island) too.

If, you are a paranoid, skeptic, opinionated, self-absorb, cynical, self-righteous, narrow-minded, confused, and pathetic

person: "stay at home" in your 'little world'.

If not, then: "The world is your pearled oyster"

Enjoy!!

If you think it is one of the most beautiful places in the world, I suggest you get out a bit more

I suggest you open your eyes...and think before you speak

[steve73]

I spent less than 12 hours on Phuket about 9 years ago during a 3 week driving holiday around the south...

After paying 1000 bt for a som-tam, fried rice, one small beer and a coke on one of the popular (but crowded) beaches (I can get the same on my local beach even now for less than 200 bt), and then driving around Phuket town about 4 times trying to find a place to park close to the "reasonably priced" hotel I'd agreed to check into, we got totally fed up and went back on to the mainland.

We found a lovely little village about 10k north of the bridge, and stayed in a brand new bungalow (remember this was just a couple of years after the tsunami, so things were only just getting on their feet again). Great food in small local beach restaurants, so we decided to stay a couple of nights there before going on to Ranong.

Would I go back? Not in this life...!

If you have to go there, as someone else said - rent a car so you can get away from the place.....

[Meena999]

Mate, I recon your an absolute flogger, the best thing you can do is go to Phuket and hope a gang beats the living day lights out of you and maybe just maybe knock some sence into you.

And remember to take your dummy and baby bottle with you so you an have a feed, big girls blouse, how pathetic are you.

[Meena999]

Mate, I recon your an absolute flogger, the best thing you can do is go to Phuket and hope a gang beats the living day lights out of you and maybe just maybe knock some sence into you.

And remember to take your dummy and baby bottle with you so you an have a feed, big girls blouse, how pathetic are you.

[Thaidream]

It's too bad many posters who have been to Phuket in the last few years had not seen it like I did almost 50 years ago. Quiet. pristine and fun. No scamming; violence or hordes of tourists polluting the place. The same situation in Pattaya. Absolute beauty and real Thai smiles. Fast forward to the present. I would never go back to Phuket and I avoid Pataya as well. Both places are over populated with tourists seeking what the tourist guides try to sell and locals trying to get as much as possible from them. The water is polluted and the beaches in horrid shape. The prices in both places are too high for what you get.The locals have become surly due to their overexposure to rude foreigners and thus you get the fake smiles irf you get them at all. Mass tourism without any type of control has ruined both places forever. It really is a shame because had greed not set in and the International hotel chains conducted their businesses with restraint- they would still be viable destinations.

There are many other places in Thailand like Krabi and along the coast where you find friendly local people; fewer tourists; and reasonable , clean places to stay with delicious food. Unfortunately, these places too will eventually be found and ruined for the same reasons Phuket and Patttaya have been destroyed. I can only hope that some future government recognizes the problems mass tourism creates and starts to limit its growth. The OP is more than welcome to see for himself what it is like but unless he has traveled the World he won't be able to compare it with anything.

[wump]

I've lived in Patong for two years 2010-2012 and I can't agree with what you guys say. My large A/C room just behind the biggest Mall was 6,000 per month and food from the local restaurant was 50 Baht for most dishes.... hardly expensive. Of course the beaches are much nicer and the water quality is much better than in Pattaya... Pattaya is just too disgusting to even consider swimming.

IMO the best beach in Thailand is also located on Phuket, Freedom Beach just 2 kms from Patong that is. Go google some pictures.

And what's with the ladyboys? If you don't like them just stay away from them, they don't rob you in Phuket like they do in Pattaya. Or does just seeing them make you feel sick?

My advice to the op is: Just rent a scooter (don't EVER leave your passport!) and ride north along the coast and explore the island. There is some truly beautiful spots in this lovely place.

The only thing I agree with is that the "locals" are a bit sour, but go away from the main drags and even that changes. If I was confronted by obnoxious Russians/Chinese/Israelis/Indians on a daily basis and wouldn't even get any tip, I guess I'd turn sour too.

Edited May 8, 2016 by wump

[OLDMANHARRY]

Thaidream

Well populated words,indeed.

Me and the missus own a place in Phuket now for many years anyone that lives here would agree 100% the place has gone to shit, for touristy people they don't know anything different, so let them enjoy, I have only been ripped once in Patong pissed and fell asleep in a shit house,the missus saved me,from a pack ladyboys. Anyway we spend more time away from the place on our farms in Khon Kaen and love it .

Still have the palace in Patong and friends and family use it, I just pay for the cleaner each week, well going down there next it's to <deleted>--ing hot here.

I don't care what the op does,just let him enjoy himself,with missus palmer and the 5 daughters.

[leggo]

First went therb 30 yeats ago and it was a paradise( like most of Thailand then!) - went back two years ago and it was a concrete jungle for the most part -overdeveloped almost evertwhere - horrendous pollution and full of fat tourists - if you like that sort of thing! There are plenty of islands which are much much nicer!

[Gonsalviz]

20 years ago it was fine. Too many farang now.

45 years ago it was fantastic. I only saw one other farang while I was there.

I first went there in 1978. Patong had 1 hotel. The original Patong Beach Hotel. I stayed in a little cement bungalow with a fan. Thought it was awesome having the beach to myself. I did see one other farang. A friend that came with me.

[Gonsalviz]

I'm concerned about the safety too.

I don't want to get beat up by a Thai gang!

What a pathetic comment !

I have been here for many tears and have never been "beat up" by a Thai gang.

If you are one that attracts or looks for trouble then stay away!

edit

Removed typo

Stay away from Hua Hin.

[Gonsalviz]

Go, it's very Beautiful

It was before all the resorts ruined it.

[Gonsalviz]

For the life of me, I don't know why anyone goes to Phuket other than Thais taking advantage of and scamming first time tourists in every way imaginable.

The Thai learned it from the farang.

[alofthailand]

Pattaya for real fun for adults families and kids. Cheap - international yet quintisentially Thai. Phuket very Muslim and Russian and these scene is tourist ladyboy rubbish.

[Skeptic7]

Skip it in my opinion. Was there 15 years ago and loved it. Was there just this past January and hated it. Overpriced tourist trap now. Maybe better in low season, but I'm never going back again. Much better options abound.

[Bender]

if you read most of the comments here,

if you really want to enjoy pucket, you need a time machine, so you can go back 50 years ago in the past.

Now its tooooo late, just skip it, you will miss nothing of this over rated place.

[wooloomooloo]

I'm concerned about the safety too.

I don't want to get beat up by a Thai gang!

Don't worry, you'll get beaten up, though might have to pay for the privilege.

[johnatong]

if you read most of the comments here,

if you really want to enjoy pucket, you need a time machine, so you can go back 50 years ago in the past.

Now its tooooo late, just skip it, you will miss nothing of this over rated place.

So says someone who must be very old and who now is reduced to making silly comment on a forum !

Where is "pucket" to be found ?

[Bender]

if you read most of the comments here,

if you really want to enjoy pucket, you need a time machine, so you can go back 50 years ago in the past.

Now its tooooo late, just skip it, you will miss nothing of this over rated place.

So says someone who must be very old and who now is reduced to making silly comment on a forum !

Where is "pucket" to be found ?

listen even if someone give me a free house palace in pucket. I will still not move there.

Either i will sell the hut with a 90 percent discount, either i will burn the place, and move away.

[johnatong]

if you read most of the comments here,

if you really want to enjoy pucket, you need a time machine, so you can go back 50 years ago in the past.

Now its tooooo late, just skip it, you will miss nothing of this over rated place.

So says someone who must be very old and who now is reduced to making silly comment on a forum !

Where is "pucket" to be found ?

listen even if someone give me a free house palace in pucket. I will still not move there.

Either i will sell the hut with a 90 percent discount, either i will burn the place, and move away.

Excess Chang or maybe Thai "whisky" ? Must be one or the other !

[Sharp]

Bender your funny!.... 'Pucket' is that near Phuket..

[gandalf12]

If you think it is one of the most beautiful places in the world, I suggest you get out a bit more

I suggest you open your eyes...and think before you speak

I have and I have traveled around the world. If you think Phuket is one of the most beautiful places you are seriously in need of medical attention

[elgenon]

There is a wonderful internet thingy called Google.

If you ask Mr Google nicely he will tell you all you could wish to know about Phuket.

If you do not feel like visiting then stay away because no one will miss you.

Always happy to find the person who is superior to us all. I want to be just like that.

[thai3]

went once in 1996, it was horrible so never went back

[IMA_FARANG]

20 years ago it was fine. Too many farang now.

-------------------------

i agree with you, only i was there in 1980.

You couldn't pay me enough to go there now.

As you say,"to many farang tourists there now"

[tw25rw]

I like Phuket. You don't have to stay in Patong and hang around Bangla.

[ev1lchris]

Kata Beach was nice and quaint. A bit too quiet but enjoyable.