Wat's at Phuket?

[JermsDayOut]

Hi guys, I'm gonna be away to phuket next week and i wanna see what you have experienced there before. The last time i went to phuket was like 12 years back. This time going up with girlfriend so please suggest clean fun. No sleazy massages and stuff...

I hope I can gain info on:
1. Where's the best place for photography
2. Any temples worth visiting
3. Best seafood place! (Good and cheap lobsters??)
4. Good haunts to visit during the day
5. Vehicle rental or how to get around?
6. Best sands on the entire phuket stretch
7. Best island during island hopping
8. Best resort

Please give me info on your various expenditure for your suggestions. Prices included would be great! Please keep all your information coming! I'm pretty sure there are lots of CSers who've been to phuket and back with wonderful pictures to share! :bigeyes:

Gonna bring my Fujifilm TX-1 and my Olympus 730UZ.

Thanks in advance guys! I'm counting on you... and not some cheapskate website that claims they got the best deals. Nothing beats word of mouth man... absolutely nothing...

 

[AReality]

Stay at patong beach, not the town centre. Patong beach is for tourists. Entertainment ends at ard 2am, town 11pm...Hotels are cheaper if U do not book via a tour operator... just look around...

go to the islands by speedboat...
The larger ferries would not have taken U to most of the nicer places...
Let U in on a secret... There's a late bird special... Register at the 11th hour the night B4 & U may get as much as 50% off the regualr price... The tour operators to the islands will still gladly take U in... Dun bring your expensive cams for island hopping... most of the time U'll leave all your valuables on the speedboat, dive down & snorkel/swim with fishes.

If U like dirty fun :blah: , try the All terrain vehicle... :angel: wat were U thinking ;p It's about 800 baht for 30 mins for pure dirty fun on the single person vehicle in the jungle tracks... U'll never regret it. DON't try the go-kart.

Don't go to any waterfalls. there the waterfalls all no water 1..

THere's a sunset viewing spot somewhere up a hill... I didn't go. But it should be nice...

 

[AReality]

seafood is not cheap. eat at your own $$$.
try the roadside stalls better, U'll never find those delicious chicken rice for S$1.00 ;p

BTW, there got macs/KFC/pizzahut/& whole lot more if U miss S'pore...

 

[AReality]

vehicle rental varies from place to place..

me & 4 other friends got a jeep for 600baht.. a real steal man...

 

[JermsDayOut]

whoa fantastic!!!! more more more AReality!!! you're power! just the kind of tips i need to prepare... hmmm i'm actually hopping to stuff myself with fresh lobster man... how much for a nice 6 course seafood meal over there? and where's best? thanks for the tip about not bringing expensive cameras for island hopping too.. hmmm that rules out my TX-1 then...

 

[tert]

hmmm that rules out my TX-1 then...

For old times sake, i'll baby-sit your TX-1 while you're away so it wouldn't miss you too much...

No charge, no charge... dai mai (can)? Give me more... give me more...

 

[Pinoy]

I would suggest you post a copy of your questions at Phuket Travel Forum. You'll find lots of useful information / replies there. I found it extremely useful when I was in the planning stage last year.

Should you decide to go Sea Canoeing, opt for a company named South Siam. Excellent service! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Have a nice trip!

:Later,

 

[toomz]

Hi JamesDayOut, the following are some pics from my recent trip to phuket for your eyes :bigeyes:

Phuket

Koh Phi Phi

Phang Nga

Have fun pal

 

[soojin]

Seafood is cheap...but make sure you order stuff that is locally caught...
I think lobsters are flown in so super ex, better off sticking with the prawns and flower/thai crabs...
You can try the Chinese restaurants there or the road side stalls...if yr group is sufficiently big, it's cheap, cheap, cheap!

 

[mpenza]

Some questions.... is the price of 1200 baht per person for a full day Island hopping trip to Phi Phi and one or two other islands with lunch considered cheap?

There're some seafood stalls on the second road from the Patong beach. Think lobsters are around 70?-90 baht per 100g compared to ~150 baht per 100g at the restaurants along the main road besides Patong Beach.

 

[JermsDayOut]

For old times sake, i'll baby-sit your TX-1 while you're away so it wouldn't miss you too much...

No charge, no charge... dai mai (can)? Give me more... give me more...

hahha!!! you wish bro! mai chai... koon tert mai di

 

[tert]

hahha!!! you wish bro! mai chai... koon tert mai di

chai chai!... phom di mak.

khon ruu phasaa thay mai? khon ca pay chiangrai thii december mai?

Better stop cluttering your thread with my broken thai...

 

[AReality]

an ultra wide lens will be great for landscape photos...

Took some pix with 35mm. cannot make it... not wide enuff... Most areas are small lagoons with mile high mountains surrounding the perimeter...

 

[JermsDayOut]

this goes out espeically to AReality and toonz...

how you guys take care of your equipment when you're there? some dilemmas i'll be facing.
1. going out for canoe expedition / island hopping. i scared equipment wet. how?

2. taking out cameras on the streets along bangala. issit safe at night with all the bars and girls around?

3. can i safely leave equipment on the boat if i go down and snorkel / swim awhile during my island hopping trips?

4. toonz... did you rent a car to get to the temples? where did you find those beautiful fishing boats to take pictures of?

thanks guys.

to tert: not going chiang rai in december liao. gotta head down to indon for work. looks like i'll visit my guys in the villages in march or something... yup, can speak a little thai. but phassa-anggkit is much better

 

[toomz]

this goes out espeically to AReality and toonz...

how you guys take care of your equipment when you're there? some dilemmas i'll be facing.
1. going out for canoe expedition / island hopping. i scared equipment wet. how?

2. taking out cameras on the streets along bangala. issit safe at night with all the bars and girls around?

3. can i safely leave equipment on the boat if i go down and snorkel / swim awhile during my island hopping trips?

4. toonz... did you rent a car to get to the temples? where did you find those beautiful fishing boats to take pictures of?

thanks guys.

to tert: not going chiang rai in december liao. gotta head down to indon for work. looks like i'll visit my guys in the villages in march or something... yup, can speak a little thai. but phassa-anggkit is much better

Q1 : I put my cam inside a plastic bag while on the canoe, waters were calm. Just be alert of playful canoe guide, hehe they might splash water around

Q2 : well I felt quite okay around bangala, the place should be infested by angmoh tourist by time time. just be beware of ah kuahs though. Keep ur cam inside bag when not in use.

Q3 : Had no choice but to leave cam onbroard ferry while snorkelling as all my friends wanted to snorkel too. Well I locked up my bag using a number lock hehe. During island hopping I carried my cam along to take pics on the island, just rem to water proof it and hang on to it for dear life

Q4 : Nope didnt rent car. Went to the Chalong temple during the complimentary city tour so transport was provided by travel agent. The pics of fishing boats or "longtails" were taken on phi phi island. U might just catch some at patong beach but the waters there is just like our east coast haha.

 

[Pinoy]

Some questions.... is the price of 1200 baht per person for a full day Island hopping trip to Phi Phi and one or two other islands with lunch considered cheap?

That's just about right. I paid 1400 Baht per head for an Island Hopping Trip to Phi Phi / Maya Bay / Khai Island (with lunch) October last year.

:Later,

 

[Pinoy]

this goes out espeically to AReality and toonz...

how you guys take care of your equipment when you're there? some dilemmas i'll be facing.
1. going out for canoe expedition / island hopping. i scared equipment wet. how?

2. taking out cameras on the streets along bangala. issit safe at night with all the bars and girls around?

3. can i safely leave equipment on the boat if i go down and snorkel / swim awhile during my island hopping trips?

Allow me to chip in on these questions. :sweat:

1. For Sea Canoeing, the guides will usually hand you some plastic bag to help you protect your camera / videocams. As for Island Hopping, you can do the same, or just keep it in a safe place (in your bag, under some shirt etc) while you're happily swimming / snorkelling away.

2. Patong area is generally safe, what with so many people hanging around, a well-lit place, and the quite visible police presence. Don't forget to take / exercise the usual precautions though.

3. Yes, especially if you take the Island Hopping Tour via Speedboat. In the speedboat, you only have about < 20 persons. The company tour guides (usually, there's 3 of them) will always be on the speedboat to watch things for you. When you're on-shore though, do bring your valuable equipments with you.

BTW, if you take the speedboat, do sit on the front!

:Later,

 

[JermsDayOut]

thanks guys! really great help!

pinoy... did you book with Grey's eco-sea kayak expedition? or do you have someone can recommend in terms of sea-kayaking and renting of cars? if you do, tell me the location and approx. price to pay for your recommendations. thanks!

 

[Pinoy]

thanks guys! really great help!

pinoy... did you book with Grey's eco-sea kayak expedition? or do you have someone can recommend in terms of sea-kayaking and renting of cars? if you do, tell me the location and approx. price to pay for your recommendations. thanks!

Some dudes say that Grey's provide excellent service but at a "stiff" price. I booked mine with South Siam and as I said, they provided us a top-notch service. There was plenty of food, drinks, snacks and fruits all throughout the trip (they're part of the package), and the staffs were so approachable. The staffs would even approach us and ask if we want some drinks, etc. They'd even offer to collect & throw your food plates and plastic cups. :sweatsm: You can get this package at any of the shops along Patong. I paid 1500 Baht per head for this package last year (October). Don't forget to bargain

As for car rental, I can't help you there, since I didn't get one (no international license). But looking at the state of the traffic there, be on the defensive at all times since some roads are quite narrow (take special note of the motorbikes... they can appear out of nowhere! :sweat: ).

Other places to go / things to do:

o Simon Cabaret - basically a gay show. Clean and fun, I must say. :sweat:
o Phuket Fantasea
o Take the Elephant Ride. 30 minutes will do. Anything more than that, you'll probably be in badly need of a massage.

That's all for now.. :sweatsm:

:Later,