Phuket hidden travel gems advice from locals

[Xaos]

Hi, I live in old good Pattaya, been Phuket couple times but didnt go around much. Patong, Kata, Karon and bit of Rawai for Muay Thai.

 

Im going for 5 days now biz with leisure.

 

Rented yaris on airport so I be mobile.

 

Any ideas? Like nice beaches, waterfalls, speedboat trips? Im thinking day trip to phi phi, saw speedoat trip for 1900 pp.

 

Also I just got Mavic drone, so thinking view points.

 

Google maps links be usefull.

 

Thank You

 

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[csabo]

Jamie has you covered

 

http://www.jamiesphuketblog.com/

[anfh]

Nai Harn beach is quite nice, Try Bang Tao and Laguna beaches at north end. There are some nice up market beach bars up there, also on Kamala beach at the north end. 

A visit to Big Buddha is also a must, inland from Kata. 

 

Also, go and try the floating fish restaurants early evening, they are at north end of Phuket town, drive over there and they run free long tail boats out to the various restaurants :- https://www.phuket101.net/phuket-floating-restaurant/

 

 

[Scott]

Troll post removed.  

[Lokie]

1 hour ago, anfh said:

Nai Harn beach is quite nice, Try Bang Tao and Laguna beaches at north end. There are some nice up market beach bars up there, also on Kamala beach at the north end. 

A visit to Big Buddha is also a must, inland from Kata. 

 

Also, go and try the floating fish restaurants early evening, they are at north end of Phuket town, drive over there and they run free long tail boats out to the various restaurants :- https://www.phuket101.net/phuket-floating-restaurant/

 

 

+1 

 

I would check weather re doing speed boat trip/s though this time of year, it will be a tad choppy...

[csabo]

8 hours ago, anfh said:

Nai Harn beach is quite nice, Try Bang Tao and Laguna beaches at north end. There are some nice up market beach bars up there, also on Kamala beach at the north end. 

A visit to Big Buddha is also a must, inland from Kata. 

 

Also, go and try the floating fish restaurants early evening, they are at north end of Phuket town, drive over there and they run free long tail boats out to the various restaurants :- https://www.phuket101.net/phuket-floating-restaurant/

 

 

Kruvit floating restaurant is a known tourist trap with way over priced food. 

[Mansell]

My understanding is that Phi Phi and James Bond Island are just tourist traps with masses of boats and Chinese and nothing to do there. There are better islands to visit. Good luck.

[LivinginKata]

2 hours ago, Mansell said:

My understanding is that Phi Phi and James Bond Island are just tourist traps with masses of boats and Chinese and nothing to do there. There are better islands to visit. Good luck.

 

Very much agree.

[Xaos]

My understanding is that Phi Phi and James Bond Island are just tourist traps with masses of boats and Chinese and nothing to do there. There are better islands to visit. Good luck.

Been James Bond before, about 2 years ago, and it was acctually nice, no regrets there.

I go where tours go, and I been most main islands but not pp.

I know theres some islands but u have to hire speedboat and its like 20k pass.

But will look in to that again.

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[Xaos]

Jamie has you covered
 
http://www.jamiesphuketblog.com/

Nice 1

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[wump]

Go to Freedom Beach. Best beach on the island and only a couple of minutes from Patong.

[Xaos]

Go to Freedom Beach. Best beach on the island and only a couple of minutes from Patong.

Noted.



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[paahlman]

Also.. if beaches are your thing... Try ya nui in Nai Harn area.. Also Nui beach close to view point kata(difficult to get to).

 

Go to cinemas.. if you like movies. The fishermen people in Rawai and seafood restaurants in paklok.

 

Walk around Phuket Town for a change.. Lots of stuff happening... Take a lunch at Rang Hill.

 

Basicly... Do nothing...  :)

[anfh]

Kruvit floating restaurant is a known tourist trap with way over priced food. 

Been a couple of times, and friends who live on Phuket permanently, use it regularly, was good food and very reasonable price.

[wump]

Nui Beach is absolutely stunning and peaceful. You need to bring along your motorbike skills though. Tough road.

[phuketrichard]

On 8/9/2017 at 6:21 PM, wump said:

Go to Freedom Beach. Best beach on the island and only a couple of minutes from Patong.

LOL:

If u enjoy being around Russians and hipsters

probably the ONLY Beach on phuket u need pay to visit now that Lam Singh is closed.

wouldn't  catch me dead there.

 

Layan beach is nice

Koh Ring hill for lunch

Kaen Eang in Chalong for lunch

[csabo]

On 8/9/2017 at 7:54 AM, Mansell said:

My understanding is that Phi Phi and James Bond Island are just tourist traps with masses of boats and Chinese and nothing to do there. There are better islands to visit. Good luck.

I took a boat tour of Phang Nga bay and the operator refused to go on shore at Koh Tapu (JBI)  because it was over run with souvenier sellers and hunters alike who were destroying it. One of the reasons I moved here is because watching that movie as a kid fascinated me. I was very appreciative or my tour operator who was probably the only guy in the business who made any attempt to protect the natural marvel. Thanks for the inspiration Sir Roger. 

 

[csabo]

47 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

 

probably the ONLY Beach on phuket u need pay to visit now 

You must have missed this outrageous story of Thais completely fencing off a public beach and threatening those who don't pay with guns. 

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-nui-beach-club-still-open-despite-heat-from-navy-56055.php

[thaibutty]

19 hours ago, anfh said:

 

Been a couple of times, and friends who live on Phuket permanently, use it regularly, was good food and very reasonable price.

 

Same here. Usually more Thais than tourists there too

[schlog]

4 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

LOL:

If u enjoy being around Russians and hipsters

probably the ONLY Beach on phuket u need pay to visit now that Lam Singh is closed.

wouldn't  catch me dead there.

 

Layan beach is nice

Koh Ring hill for lunch

Kaen Eang in Chalong for lunch

 

I'm absolutely with you about freedom beach.

 

Can't find in all answers till now only 1 hidden gem. Would not go there with visitors. But maybe you have something i don't know.

 

Where the hell is Koh Ring hill and what restaurant there? Never heard it.

 

[pagallim]

17 minutes ago, schlog said:

 

I'm absolutely with you about freedom beach.

 

Can't find in all answers till now only 1 hidden gem. Would not go there with visitors. But maybe you have something i don't know.

 

Where the hell is Koh Ring hill and what restaurant there? Never heard it.

 

Think he means Khao Rang Hill in Phuket Town.   Couple of good restaurants at the top, my preference is the Thai food one rather than the 'international' one.   Both with great views over southern Phuket.

[csabo]

20 hours ago, anfh said:

 

Been a couple of times, and friends who live on Phuket permanently, use it regularly, was good food and very reasonable price.

 

Bullshit

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1893005-d6945114-Reviews-Kruvit_Raft-Koh_Kaew_Phuket_Town_Phuket.html

[csabo]

 

7 hours ago, wump said:

Nui Beach is absolutely stunning and peaceful. You need to bring along your motorbike skills though. Tough road.

Do not give money to the Nui Beach Mafia

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Guns-seized-staff-test-positive-drugs-Phuket-beach-mafia-thug-raid

[Tapster]

Rang Hill or Khao Rang ("Khao" means mountain or hill) is in Phuket Town.

 

It has two restaurants as pagallim says. I've only been to the 'international' one, which has great views. The food is good and their Thai food is OK as well. I have heard good things about the Thai restaurant as well.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@7.8929776,98.3799375,19z

 

[csabo]

On 8/9/2017 at 7:54 AM, Mansell said:

My understanding is that Phi Phi and James Bond Island are just tourist traps with masses of boats and Chinese and nothing to do there. There are better islands to visit. Good luck.

When you say "your understanding" it implies you have never been there.  To be fair you should reserve comment if you have not, not to say you are wrong.  I actually took the ferry to Phi Phi to see for myself and have to say I did not see one Chinese person.  I think the ferry is too expensive for them at 1900 baht per person.  Worse yet...Indians.  A hundred shouting smelly rude Indians.  The staff was first begging then shouting at them to sit down and quiet down.  It was awful BUT, once at Phi Phi we grabbed a 200 baht longtail to Long Beach and had a beautiful afternoon and again not one Chinese (or Indian) made the added effort to escape the masses.  Would I go again?  No.  Too expensive for the ferry for the amount of time allowed with too many bottom dwellers.  GF enjoyed the trip because she A. didn't pay for it and B. Is a much more laid back person then myself but she was also appalled by the actions of the others on board.  If you want to take a boat ride to an island, for 1600 baht (not really negotiable under that) you can take a longtail about 30 minutes away to Koh Heh's Banana Beach.  The ride will take you past the first beach (another Long Beach)  which is loaded with visitors and yes mostly Chinese but the second beach (Banana) is rarely crowded and quite nice.  You have a choice of recliners (200 each) or farther back under the trees cheaper beach chairs or just bring a mat and lounge under the tree at the end of of the beach.  The restaurant is quite good and not too expensive considering you have few options and the staff primarily focus on some tour groups but again this time of year it was not bad at all.  I have been on this ride twice in the past few months because had visitors come in June and July and they all said it was a lot of fun (again nice to go for free).  The water is sparkling clear as it is on most of the islands off the Phuket shores.

 

Banana Beach Koh Heh

[schlog]

31 minutes ago, pagallim said:

Think he means Khao Rang Hill in Phuket Town.   Couple of good restaurants at the top, my preference is the Thai food one rather than the 'international' one.   Both with great views over southern Phuket.

Oh this he mean, thanks. I know both. Yupp i also prefer the thai food one.

 

[madmax2]

5 hours ago, csabo said:

You must have missed this outrageous story of Thais completely fencing off a public beach and threatening those who don't pay with guns. 

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-nui-beach-club-still-open-despite-heat-from-navy-56055.php

They are long gone ( evicted by army/navy)  , now a public beach again

[xylophone]

I take friends who visit here to Wat Chalong and they've enjoyed it as have I.........take time to look around and look at the various buildings and the view from the top of the main one.

[phuketrichard]

yes meant Khao Rang ....not thinking 55555

nice in the late afternoon

[csabo]

18 hours ago, madmax2 said:

They are long gone ( evicted by army/navy)  , now a public beach again

That's great news.  Thanks for the update.  The last articles I saw in February said it was tied up in court.  I might go down and have a look tomorrow.