Phuket

Does anyone know of a good hotel which is near the Harbour in Phuket, as good as the web is I can't find this direct question!

[Brad the Impala]

Which harbour?

www.phuket-tourism.com/how_to_go/harbour.htm (http://www.phuket-tourism.com/how_to_go/harbour.htm)

www.thaiwave.com/benjarong/variety/afishytale.htm (http://www.thaiwave.com/benjarong/variety/afishytale.htm)

www.sailing-asia.com/phuket.htm (http://www.sailing-asia.com/phuket.htm)

Tell us why you want to be next to the harbour, and we could help with which harbour, or which of the various piers, would be appropriate.

As good as the web is, it gave the above three links which cover different harbours, after googling Phuket Harbour.

Want to go to Phi Phi and Krabi not sure in what order, but want to be near the harbour so I can be there early one morning and get the boat.

[Brad the Impala]

I wouldn't bother to stay by any dock just to catch a boat to Phi Phi, unless you are there for the sailors!

This link will give you details of boats to Phi Phi and Krabi, with pickups from all over Phuket, and even afternoon departures.



www.phiphi.phuket.com/schedule.htm (http://www.phiphi.phuket.com/schedule.htm)

.. to stay there is to pick up the boat - a walk across the road - I'm not interested in Phuket town at all, will only be there literally overnight.

[Brad the Impala]

There is no hotel that is a walk across the road from the main Phuket harbours.

You will need transport from any hotel to the main harbours from which large tour boats leave. On the other hand you can leave from several of the piers, or even the beaches around the island, if you want to travel by speedboat. Which piers or beaches depends on the time of year.

Perhaps you will get a better idea if you actually follow the links provided.

[lonelywombat]

I might get shot down in flames but Phuket Town is not on the bay

The main area and also for the small gay scene is Patong Beach

This is where the big cruise ships from Singapore come in and berth overnight

I am not an expert but have visited Phuket 4 times in the last 5 years, but I would look for

a hotel in Patong Beach for your one night stay

Try asia-rooms.com

There is a gay patong beach website and a few tourist sites that will give you an indication of

where the wharves are

[krobbie]

www.phuket.net/things-to-do/island-tours.htm (http://www.phuket.net/things-to-do/island-tours.htm)

[Shuee]

i wanna go phi phi - hang on, i will be back in a bit!!

i stayed at the paradise complex (where all the main gogo bars are) at phuket, just stroll around to find a travel agent, they will all do all kinds of tours, tailored to you, & pickup from your hotel/guest house, if you are going to islands trip

[TrongpaiExpat]

Want to go to Phi Phi and Krabi not sure in what order

There's a boat that goes to Phi Phi from Phuket and another that goes between Phi Phi and Krabi, so going to Phi Phi first makes more sense.

It's been a few years (pre tsunami) but when I was in Phi Phi there was only one boat to Krabi and it was around 2 or 3 pm. Songtows meet the boat in Krabi for all destinations, free I think.

The order I did things in was to fly to Phuket, few days there, then boat to Phi Phi for a few more days and then boat to Krabi. After a stay in Krabi flew out of Krabi airport back to BKK.

... think it has to in town where to stay, help appreciated

[Smiles]

There is no "harbour" in Phuket. Take away the tourist aspect of the island, and what you have is a fishing economy plus some agriculture.
The cruise ships mentioned above don't 'dock' in Patong or Phuket Town, they anchor out in the bay and shuttle their load back and forth by landing craft.

The "harbour" you are looking for does not exist, except for fishing "docks" scattered all over the island.
It is from one (or more than one I'm sure) of these small docks that you will be able to cross over to the mainland to visit Phi Phi or Krabi. As to which one is best and busiest, you will be able to get a brochure at most hotels in Patong Beach which will lead you to a way to get across the water to Phi Phi/Krabi.

Phuket is a small island, and getting to the dock on time on any given day will be easy by bus, tuk tuk, or (maybe) taxi. Don't sweat the small stuff.



Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come
Watching the ships roll in
And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Ooo, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time .....

I left my home in (Basingstoke)
Headed for the 'Frisco bay
'Cause I've had nothing to live for
And look like nothin's gonna come my way

So I'm just gonna sit on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Ooo, I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time ....


http://my.photodump.com/sawatdee/phuket1.jpg

http://www.phuket.com/island/travel.htm
http://www.hotelthailand.com/transfer/pp_ferry.html

Click here ( BIG HONKING MAP!!! (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sunrise-divers.com/images/karon_map/phuket_map.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.sunrise-divers.com/phuket_map.php&h=1320&w=960&sz=94&tbnid=VcD5Si3brdIvgM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=109&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dphuket%2Bmap%26um%3D1&start=3&ei=LuXrRsPHMJ--gQOd6qm8AQ&sig2=u8WWNv4BYFXtIzLf973JKw&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=3) ) and this huge map will show you the ferry routes from Phuket to Phi Phi etc etc.


Cheers ...

[Sen Yai]

... think it has to in town where to stay, help appreciated

WhiteDesire, you still seem to be missing the point that most folk are telling you here. Phuket is not same-same Pattaya.

Phuket Town is not a tourist destination - there's not much there for the average tourist. The biggest beach and the largest collection of tourist hotels, bars and restaurants is at Patong, on the west coast, towards the south of the island. There are also popular resorts at Karon and Kata further south and a collection of 5-star resorts to the north, near the airport.

Here's a map:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v291/SenYai/phuket_map-1.gif

The best place for a ferry to Phi Phi is Chalong, but there's not many places to stay there, and no need.

If you really are a newbie to Phuket, expecting something similar to Pattaya, then stay in the Paradise Complex at Patong, in one of the cheap hotels or Guest houses often mentioned on this board - Connect, Aquarius, Rendezvous etc. You can easily arrange a minibus transfer to the ferry at Chalong for your trip to Phi Phi.

[Smiles]

" ... WhiteDesire, you still seem to be missing the point that most folk are telling you here.... "
Along those lines ... seems to me I recall a "Poll" thread not so long ago. :blackeye:

Cheers ...

Does anyone know of a good hotel which is near the Harbour in Phuket, as good as the web is I can't find this direct question!

Lonely Planet lists at least 2 dozen hotels in Phuket town. Try their website.

But, as has been pointed out already, there is no central harbor in Phuket town so the hotels are at least a taxi/tuk-tuk ride to anywhere.

I guess no one here stays in the old town. Im planning a trip there for the first time in Jan. and though I want to see the town I'll be staying in Patong where the "action" is.

[krobbie]

I was recently in Phuket town (just before monsson) and I full concur with kenc. I went as I was also interested in what the Old town might have instore for an excited traveler. The answer, unfortunately, is not a lot.

I mean it's harmless and all but really I had much more fun getting there on the bike around the bays (Karon, Kata, Ngawai etc) Beautiful and scenic. We went via the Chalong Police station at one point as my bf had omitted to tell me that he didn't, in fact have a licence to drive.

I thought this to be shocking and carried on like a trained seal and berated him for being so careless. I didn't realise that most of Thailand don't have licences and just prefer to pay the penalty if caught. I thought it was going to cost me a fortune. As it turned out it was a fine of 400 baht (NZ$16).

Anhow ... I digress - back to point - Phuket Town.

I was looking for the general things I look for when I travel ... churches (wots, in this case), museums and art galleries.

Well how stupid am I? Okay all ... I can here you guffawing now.

The town has some history but mostly it's just shabby. I did however assist the marketeers when the bf decided that there was nothing to do but shop at the market stalls on the outskirts. Also, as ever, good food to be had. Actually ... now I come to think of it it was ... peaceful, after the hustle and bustle of Patong.

But it was to Patong we raced back for a beer at our favourite bar in the Paradise Coplex in soi 2.

Yes, Patong is where I would stay and I think someone mentioned that you would be uplifted from your hotel in Patong and taken to wherever the boat may leave from.

Incidentally, doesn't the boat take bloody hours? You could fly to Krabi and take a boat out from there, but maybe you like the sea more than I.

Krobbie

... just for the night, got loads of names of hotels, thanks for the advice, and then get the boat to Phi Phi and Krabi. I am not interested at all in Phuket. But thanks for the advice on the hotels anyway.

[Brad the Impala]

If you are not at all interested in Phuket, why go there? Even for one night? If your interest is only in Krabi and Phi Phi, fly to Krabi not Phuket.

[krobbie]

If you are not at all interested in Phuket, why go there? Even for one night? If your interest is only in Krabi and Phi Phi, fly to Krabi not Phuket.

Yay Brad! Finally ... what we're all thinking.

Cheers
Krobbie.

[TrongpaiExpat]

Poor old (oldish?) Whitedesire. He is trying to get out of the arrive at the airport and being whisked off to Pattaya routine. Someone please take him by the hand from his Jomtiem chair and point him in the direction of someplace. Cut the poor guy some slack.

Whitedesire is not as geographically challenged as most Thai boys. Show a map of the world to most Thai boys and they can't show you where Thailand is located. Forget USA and Europe too.