Phuket in October!

[BryanL]

Hey all,

My fiancé and I will be going to Thailand in October (11-16) and will be staying at Karon beach. Does anyone have any recommended hotels to stay at? Preferably with a free shuttle bus from the airport to the hotel. We plan to stay at two different hotels, so any suggestions would be great.

Also, does anyone have any suggestions on what to do at Karon beach or Padong? Also good places to eat some yummy food? We have never been and very excited. Some things we were thinking about would be diving, snorkeling, beach, maybe ride an elephant or something along that.

Any ideas would be great, thanks!

[wtbhotia]

I highly recommend amari coral beach resort, i have stayed there everytime i go to Phuket and taken my friends with me (Yanks), they loved the place as well, has its own private beach and jetty where you can go snorkling (hotel has shop to hire snorking gear and its not expensive), some long tail boat come by and you can hire them to take you to other remote beaches near buy for 2500 bhat (full day), its very close to patong beach but far enough so you dont hear the noise, the breakfast buffet is amazing. They can arrange the elephant rides, the night time spa is also amazing, on the hill side next to the sea you have your own special huts and getting a massage while you hear the waves rolling in at night is so relaxing.

you can also hire the mopeds from paton beach and drive yourself around, only 200 bhat per day (fully automatic), Karon beach is towards the south and easy to get to.

2 Meun Ngern Road, Patong Beach, Kathu, Phuket 83150 Situated on a secluded private beach at the Southern end of Patong Beach, the Amari Coral Beach Phuket offers a unique location with panoramic views over Patong Bay. The resorts unique location means absolutely everything is within easy reach. From the quiet of the two swimming pools and a secluded small private beach to the colourful action in nearby Patong, where theres all manner of watersports, together with a wide variety of shopping, entertainment and dining experiences.

[BryanL]

Thanks for the tip. Do they offer a free shuttle bus from the airport to the hotel?

Any other recommendations?

[jrock2118]

Bryan,

I was just there last weekend. I'm not sure any of the hotels have free shuttle service. You are probably at least 45min from the airport maybe more, so its quite far away. But I recommend having your hotel arrange for someone to pick you up. Will prob run you around 700 baht (~$175hkd). Garuntees you a good rate and someone that knows where they are going. There will be plenty of taxi people outside the airport trying to convince you to go with them.

If you're interested in going to Phi Phi, I recomend Simba Sea Trips. There were only 12 people plus a crew of 5. Well worth the money after I saw boats with 50 people on them.

[BryanL]

Thanks jrock for the suggestion. Ill definitely take a look into that.

Does anyone else have any suggestions for bookings tours? Is it best to book online prior to going to Phuket or should we wait until we are at our hotel to find tours? Also, if online, what are some good reliable websites?

So far I have found Phuket Tours and Excursions - Travel Information on Day Trips and Tours but want to make sure everything goes smooth.

Thanks!

[hkwoman]

i recommand Hilton in Karon beach. stayed there once and really enjoyed it!

[gilleshk]

A good friend of mine always stays at the Amari with his wife and they both like it. There are very few hotels with free shuttles except the expensive ones but all of them can arrange a pick up. If you do it by yourself, it should be around 500Baht but hotels usually charge a higher rate up to 1000Baht. There's even a cheap minibus that goes around hotels if you're feeling thrifty but it'll take longer.

Best to wait until you are there to book tours as you can get a better feel for it and check the weather forecast. The hotels will do that for you but once again, it'll be cheaper if you go out and do some shopping. October is low season so you should be able to find good deals.

[BryanL]

Thanks for the info

If anyone else has some great advice that would be appreciated!

[BryanL]

Thailand gives you value for money for your holidays, though Phuket costs a bit more than Bangkok or other cities. And it is good not to prevent rip offs by asking some questions, etc. But the way I see the questions and answers going around herre, free shuttle buses etc, its getting absurb.

Spend some of your hard earned money and enjoy your holiday. If you still worry about every dollar and cent, grab a cheao knapsack and go on the slow ferry to Cheung Chau. If you think your spouse or partner is not worth the money to be sent on the holiday, you are either in the wrong world or one of you have the wrong partner.

Spend a few dollars and have a great time - you cannot take it with you!

I am sorry that I am not as rich as you and I must resort to having to find ways to cut on costs. Maybe I am a bit strange trying to find the best deals whether it be with tours, airfare, or hotels while someone like you would give your Black AMEX card and throw caution to the wind.

I only hope that one day I can be as lucky and rich as you, where I can travel the world without worrying about anything. You sir, are my inspiration...

[WalkAbout]

Thailand gives you value for money for your holidays, though Phuket costs a bit more than Bangkok or other cities. And it is good not to prevent rip offs by asking some questions, etc. But the way I see the questions and answers going around herre, free shuttle buses etc, its getting absurb.

Spend some of your hard earned money and enjoy your holiday. If you still worry about every dollar and cent, grab a cheao knapsack and go on the slow ferry to Cheung Chau. If you think your spouse or partner is not worth the money to be sent on the holiday, you are either in the wrong world or one of you have the wrong partner.

Spend a few dollars and have a great time - you cannot take it with you!

Nothing wrong with asking as there certainly are scams around Thailand. I found myself victim to a transportation scam trying to go from Surat Thani to Phuket by multiple consilidations of a minivan. Only when i threatened to call the Police did they drop me near my intended destination, Phuket town, and not Phuket Beach. All was well, as i learned how to take the local bus all the way to Phuket Beach which was about 45bhat.

IMHO Phuket was the most expensive area in Thailand I have been. Most of the Thai's are not from Phuket and are only there to make money, and not without attitude (rudeness-shrewdness). If you buy fruit at a fruit stand you will be price shocked.

The Taxi business has a price lock on fares to and from the airport and you will not find for less than 600bhat each way.

Karon beach to me was far more enjoyable than Patong but to each his own there is something for everyone. Karon beach is a less crowded and little more quiet. The area surrounding Karon is quaint and more of a local feel than Patong.

Good diving (meaning the prime sites) are quite dependent on the weather and currents because of the position of phuket in the ocean and the currents. The two most prime dive spots are Similan & PhiPhi. Phi Phi is much closer to Phuket than Similan. Plus the conditions at PhiPhi are less prone to visibility issues.

Even further south than Karon is Kata Yai, this is also nice swimming less crowded and more local feel. To give you an idea, Patong beach is at the end of a strip of bars and night clubs, (which is fun for one day).

Make a trip to the most southern point Laem Prom Thep for a nice view and sunset watch.