Phuket lovers?

Hello people!

I am planning my first ever trip to Phuket in February next year.

So those of you who have some experience of Phuket recently, do let me have your tips and ideas of how to make the best of my trip.

Cheers!

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[krobbie]

The best tip I can give you is not to over plan.

Phuket is a relatively small island. Wonder around Patong for a couple of days and just get the lay of the land. Have a few drinks in the bars at the Paradise Complex at night and you will soon be getting into the swing of things.

Hire a motorbike after that (150 baht per day) and just go for rides around the beaches around the southern end of the island. There are some very beautiful bays and beaches. Hopefully by this time you will be having company on your sojourns. It's always better to share an experience with someone.

Phuket is laid back, even at night. A trip to Bangla Road is always a treat. The lights, the hustling and the sheer audacity of the place. Go to Katoys 'R' Us for the show and stay for hours. The lady boys there are a hoot. Shows v. good and head lady beeeauuuutiful and friendly.

What time of year are you going? It is fine up until May. You may get the odd rainy day if you go late May and the humidity is killer ... but it's still fun and fewer farang about before monsoon.

Relax and enjoy and let your experience occur organically. There';s no rush to do anything. Make sure you have a pool at your disposal. Essential.

Regards
krobbie

[Sen Yai]

TrickyRich, I am a fan of Phuket and I think Krobbie's advice is spot on. Phuket is very laid back and it's best to just go with the flow!

Staying in Patong means you can walk to the beach, bars and restaurants, which might be all you need for a few days stay. I also recommend renting a motorbike to explore other places too - you can ride around the whole island in a day. Roads everywhere are dangerous, but I don't think Phuket is any worse than elsewhere.

February is high season. The beaches will be full, but there will still be plenty of sun-beds and umbrellas available for 100 baht per day (plastic or wooden sun-loungers in Phuket, not deck chairs like Jomtien) and you are very unlikely to see any rain.

The gay bars in the Paradise Complex can be fun and the shows at My Way and Tangmo are often very good. But if you stay a week or more the scene might feel a bit limited, unless you are the type that enjoys adopting a bar as your 'local' - in which case it won't take long to settle in.

A tip on eating out. The seafood restaurants along Thaweewong Road (beach road) at night display fantastic fish, prawns and lobsters but they are all quite expensive and the cooking style is often disappointing. Overall, not good value for money and you can get the same fresh seafood, cooked with Thai style, at much better prices in the open air restaurants in the back Sois and also the large 'market area' on Rat-U-Thit road, opposite the Paradise complex.

Enjoy your trip and please post a report here - we rarely hear news from Phuket to break the tedium of Shitsville gossip!

Phuket is one of my favorite places to visit. I stay at the Club One Seven Bed and Breakfast http://www.cluboneseven.net on my visits and really enjoy it. Daniel, the manager, and his staff make you feel at home and relaxed. They have a great pool garden, a happy hour, and bringing a guest home is no problem what so ever. You get two breakfast with your room.

You can book anything you like out of the hotel. The things I really like in Phuket for tours are Phuket Fantasea (not ot be missed), a Phi Phi Island trip if you have the time (all day), and I had a great time with my Thia bf on the ATV adventure. At night the Paradise complex is nice, and I always end my evening with a quite drink at Sby Sby bar on the soi next to the main Paradise soi. I also usually visit Passport Pub in Paradise, as it has become my "family' bar.

You can't go wrong contacting Daniel, the manager at Club One Seven directly by phone or e-mail, and he will help you set up your entire visit, including airport pickup.

Have a good trip...it is a great place to visit. Tell Daniel that Rich sent you.

[bbf-old]

One-Seven a great place to stay. Rent a motorbike as the transport charges, except for public buses, on Phuket are criminal.

[Nathan B]

Take at least one boat trip while you're in Phuket. Trips to Phi Phi island are available either by speedboat or slow boat (I much prefer slow boats, they're much more relaxing). I'd also recommend a sea canoe trip to Phang Nga bay - the scenery is spectacular, and canoeing around the lagoons and caves is fun (yes, its safe). I've used a company called Phuket Siam Sea Canoe many times and the service is really excellent - you'll find their details at any tourist booth. Negotiate hard on prices. Any boat trip will make several stops for snorkelling and sun bathing, often at idyllic islands. If you're alone, the Connect guesthouse & bar in the Paradise complex has regular gay boat trips with staff from the bar that look like fun (but I've never tried one).

Food at the tourist trap restaurants on beach road can be expensive. I would strongly recommend Sea Hag or Lair Lay Tong restuarants on Soi Wattana (look for the Wattana clinic green cross on beach road) - both gay owned with great food. In my opinion Lair Lay Tong has the best food anywhere in Phuket. For a special treat, I'd recommend Baan Rim Pa restaurant, a traditional wooden building on a cliff directly over the sea at the North end of Patong bay. It's expensive (plan on at least ┬г50 sterling for 2), but a great experience. The food is slightly Westernised, but good quality nonetheless. Make a reservation in peak season, it gets busy; and ask for a table on the outside edge of the restuarant over the sea when you book.

[krobbie]

There is a a restaurant on Thaweewong Road (beach road) which I went to 4 times during my 3 weeks on Phuket. It is caleed Savoey Seafood. They usually have a duo singing international songs and the food is good (says bf). It is not enclosed by a roof, so the experience can be quite personal. However, these were special occassion nights and the prices are what you would expect from a good reataurant.

We usually went down the soi not far from Paradise, on the other side of R U Thit Road. There is a group of about 8 restaurants all selling seafood plus the usual delicious Thai fare and the prices are very reasonable (inexpensive rather than cheap). We used to go to the restaurant at the very back with the red plastic chairs. Good service a perfect to people watch also.

I could kick myself for not going to Fantasea or to Simon Cabaret while I was there. I did go to My Way a few times, which was fun, but the owner or MC or whoever he is, can be a bit tiresome when he gets on that micraphone. However, that being said, no trip would be complete without you go at least once. Between the ladyboy lip sync routines, and I use that phrase rather lightly, there is the usual coyote boy line-up to choose some company. Some very nice young men (as opposed to boys) to converse with but usually the same old "where you from?" and "how long you stay Phuket?". But let's face it, their English is better than our Thai (in most cases) so persevere and you will have a good time.

There a many bars in Paradise and one will turn out to be just your cup of tea. Use that as your night time starting point to meet friends, new and existing.

There are of course one two scallywags about, mostly free lancers late at night, early morning, but if you stick to the bar boys / men, you can't go far wrong. Better to pay the bar fine / off fee (usuallt 200 baht) than save 200 baht and get something you weren't really wanting.

Phuket is an easy place to enjoy. It really is relaxed and the people gentle.

TrickyRich ... have a ball.

Cheers
krobbie

[zinzone]

Have a nice time in Phuket, I have just returned from a week there, and I live in another part of Thailand.

A few tips:

1. Stay in a decent hotel/guest house with either a secure safe in the room or a secure hotel security box for keeping valuables.
-Phuket no different from anywhere else, but if you lose say a passport or credit card you also lose a good holiday;

2. Plan in advance ,even a day ahead ,for daytime trips, like to islands, temples, zoo, beaches etc. If your budget allows hire a car and driver daily or go on group tours to islands etc, in either case your hotel can arrange and maybe you take a Thai with you;

3. Go to Fantasea and another night Simon Cabaret;

4. The best bars in the Paradise Gay Area some would say are 'Tangmoy' and 'My Way',both have fun cabaret shows and plenty to "off";

5. When you take a boy always use protection and before "offing" agree that he "can do" what you want and whether you want him short time or longer.

6.The beach road type area in Patong Beach is full of pushy hawkers and the likes so be wary.

7. The sun is great but wear a hat often as even when it ain't shining one can still burn.

8. Some excellent seafood and other restaurants. but try to make sure what you get is fresh and properly cooked.

9 Keep fit when you are there, maybe an occasional or more visit to a gym or other exercise, and drink plenty of water.

Enjoy!

[jinks]

If anyone is interested....


I'm at Club 17

December 26 to January 4 if you want to visit.

Thanks for all your replies!

Sorry I will miss you again Jinks!!

I am really looking forward to my trip, and now I have some great ideas for things to do and where to stay.

Cheers!