24 replies to this topic

[MrPhuket]

I live in Phuket and I love it, I would not live anywhere else in Thailand. There is always a part atmosphere, nice beaches around and great people (if you stay away from the touristy areas)
So If Phuket is not the best place to live in Thailand, where is? and why?

[Bonki]

Went there three times.
The constant rip offs put me off for life
It is an overcrowded tourist trap, I won't be going back

[SIAMPEDIA]

Totally agree with Bonkegral, the constant rip-offs made me put Phuket on my No-Go-List. Why pay double or triple for any given service? Phuket is for beer happy wasters and folks without knowledge on the real Thailand.

[Bonki]

I found the inhabitants of Phuket to be the worst people I have ever met in Thailand.
The constant rip off and overcharging is always accompanied by a sneer of contempt.

I once had my tuk-tuk driver attacked for only charging me double price instead of the 10 times price that they wanted

[PowerTrip]

Phuket is for Thailand Newbs. I do not really see much difference with Phuket and Koh Samui. Both places have there bunch of wanks who deserve a hiding.
Koh Chang and Koh Samet are much better

[SIAMPEDIA]

PowerTrip, on 19 December 2009 - 11:17 AM, said:

Phuket is for Thailand Newbs. I do not really see much difference with Phuket and Koh Samui. Both places have there bunch of wanks who deserve a hiding.
Koh Chang and Koh Samet are much better

I really agree on Koh Chang, it was a real pleasure to hang out there on 4 trips last summer. Ko Samet is on my Places-to-boycott list ever since the hold their greedy hands wide open with that stupid island-access fee for foreigners. I refuse to get ripped, Samet has nothing the other islands not have as well.

[Clinton]

I like Phuket, I know how not to get ripped and all there tricks. So it is not a bother to me. Just stay away from Patong and half your problems are gone instantly.

[MrPhuket]

Phuket is great, stay away from the touristy areas abd it's great, you get the odd weird expat, but I'm sure there all over Thailand

[SIAMPEDIA]

Chalong and Thalang are as infested with greedy folks nowadays too, where is Phuk@ suppesed to be untouristed?

[Clinton]

I dont see a problem with touristy Kata and Karon. I think the locals are much more friendly then the blood thirsty Patong idiots.

[newtronbom]

My wife and I both love Phuket, but we stay well clear of any "tourist" places. We usually stay at a friends house near Yacht Haven and my yacht is moored near his place. we have many good friends up at Sarasin Bridge at Thatachai Village, where I hauled out the yacht for a refit, at local rates about 5 months ago. There are some terrific beaches up that end of the Island. No tourists, no hotels, no "facilities" lol, no rubbish at all, and the locals are not trying to rip you off - the few that are around that is. Just down from the bridge a few Km, there is a lovely small resort, that I only saw used used once in the months we were up there. It has a beautiful golden beach about 400 meters long, with lots of palms and other native trees, to give natural shade. Has a small restaurant sitting out over the water. Don't know what the food is like, as we have not stayed there. Would never have seen the place, but I was "long tailing" it up to the bridge for over 2 months from Yacht haven, so passed the place every day. There is a small side-road that turns off the main road going into Phuket, not far past "the Phuket gate" on that same side. Dead quiet though, so don't go there for "night life" unless you create your own! The 5 or so Huge rooms (suites) are big, look to have all the modern accessories and are just 30 or so meters from the beach, with a terrific view out over the channel. There are a couple of small "Tiger Catamarans" pulled up on the beach, that are for rent. Not bad fishing around there either. Only saw 2 well off young Thais in their 30s, who had hired one of the cats, actually stay there. I have attached a jpg of a goolgle map showing the area. Also, not that far from the Bridge, are some good Thai restaurants sitting above a beach, that while not cheap, wont cost you an arm and a leg. The many times we ate at the 2 or 3 places there, the food was top quality. On the google map, is noted another huge stretch of beach, which runs right down to the JW Marriot Hotel & Spa Resort - not that you would go down that far, but the quality of the beaches, are fantastic - the "Marriot" type hotels don't go in for low quality - but there are no restaurants or facilities that I know of (no "touts" either), on that stretch of beach. Must be the only undeveloped place left in all of phuket!! Can't locate the photos we took, or I would attach them here as well. Sorry. Have put one in of a beach a few Kms down from the Marriot Hotel, that we take friends to some times, but it is on a small privately owned Island, with boat access only. Very exclusive and not cheap!

Attached Files

•  Good Beachs in Phuket.jpg   247.83K   43 downloads
•  My yacht, ready for sails and canopies.jpg   118.45K   41 downloads
•  One of our favourite spots in Phuket. Very exclusive and not cheap..jpg   66.81K   46 downloads

[Cage]

Nice photo's. I do think Phuket is nice if you stay away from the tourist hot spots. Because majority of the young tourists are getting really drunk and trashing the place. Many abuse the locals and this has done it's damage overtime. Phuket used to have nice locals about 20 years ago. But now it is infested with locals who do not care about foreigners and only care about making money off you.

[SIAMPEDIA]

@ neutronbom

Howdy! Great spots you seem to have located there! You are privileged as a skipper of your own yacht to go into areas, where us normal folks can't penetrate easily. That is probably the reason for them being unspoiled as well

Also you probably have more guts to venture into the "unknown" and that is often being rewarded. Have you sailed Cambodian waters yet?

[newtronbom]

SIAMPEDIA, on 23 December 2009 - 12:56 PM, said:

@ neutronbom

Howdy! Great spots you seem to have located there! You are privileged as a skipper of your own yacht to go into areas, where us normal folks can't penetrate easily. That is probably the reason for them being unspoiled as well

Also you probably have more guts to venture into the "unknown" and that is often being rewarded. Have you sailed Cambodian waters yet?

Hi there. Not yet ventured into Cambodia. Still trying to find a cheap way into Burma, as it has some of the best unspoiled coral reef diving in Asia. Troubles are many, apart from the bribes needed to smooth the waters etc. Cambodia is most definitely on my list. I hear that Kao Rung and Kao Rung Samoloem are nice Islands to visit. Will keep you updated on progress. In Phuket, you just have to go the opposite direction that the "tourists" all go and hope for some luck. Speaking Thai fluently also helps a lot. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and all others on this forum!

[newtronbom]

Cage, on 22 December 2009 - 05:41 PM, said:

Nice photo's. I do think Phuket is nice if you stay away from the tourist hot spots. Because majority of the young tourists are getting really drunk and trashing the place. Many abuse the locals and this has done it's damage overtime. Phuket used to have nice locals about 20 years ago. But now it is infested with locals who do not care about foreigners and only care about making money off you.

Hi. Yes you are right. I first visited Phuket in 1988. Wow. Have things changed since back then. In those days, Phuket was just a sleepy little town, where you had trouble finding any accomodation, let alone having a 100 touts crawling down your throat vying to get your $$. A lot has changed since then unfortunately. Like you say. Stay away from the "hot spots" and spend some time searching around. I also found some great places by taking the road to "Phuket Mission Hills, Golf Resort and Spa"(highway 4027) which is on the opposite side of the road as the airport if you are coming into Phuket from BKK, or do a U-turn at the airport intersection if coming out from Phuket town, then go back towards town a few Km, then following that country lane until it meets the 4006 road on the left, then follow that road down to the beach. Takes a while, but it is worth it and the locals are not so "jaded" as in the main areas. Nice inland scenery too, as well as an occasional restaurant that offered good food at local prices. Also some nice beaches to be found around there if you look:)

[TheDon]

I just like your avatar

[PowerTrip]

Do you ever wonder why the thai's in the touristy places tend to be aggressive towards farangs? It is because of all the idiots who come here, get drunk and start abusing the Thai people. Over time it has pissed them off and many simply do not respect us anymore.
Too many wanks go there!

[ROY]

Phuket. Farang overload.

[MrPhuket]

Phuket is not really that bad, I am here, that has got to count for something.

[Tigmond]

MrPhuket, on 08 January 2010 - 04:36 PM, said:

Phuket is not really that bad, I am here, that has got to count for something.

I have not been to Phuket for 3 years now, I may go back soon for a visit and see......I am told that everything has gone up in price... I guess thats the price for having an international airport there. A captive audience so to speak