Thailand > Phuket

[Jing]

Anyone here been to Phuket?I am considering to go there for a short get away but got quite confused by the various choices for the accommodation.

Can anyone share with me their experiences?TIA

[Smartcat]

I have been to Phuket 3 times! Wonderful place to rest and relax. Just hit the beach and chill out.

Patong beach is the most popular beach in Phuket. It is where all action is. For activities, you can visit one of the surrounding islands like Phi Phi (make famous by DiCaprio in the Beach) or James Bond Island. Activities includes snorkelling, parachutting and scuba diving.

No need to worry about food. Thai cuisine is one of the best around IMHO. Shopping is real fun. Here you will need your bargaining skill to drive a good bargain.

Below is a link where you can find out more. Have Fun!

Phuket Guide

Oh! I stayed in Burasari Resort the last year. It is just opposite Holiday Inn.

[Jing]

Hey smartcat,thanks for your reply!

How many days do you usually spend at Phuket and how much did you spend for the trip?(excluding your shopping).

How are the expenses there?Is the food affordable?

[mango]

Phuket is a great place! I forgot which hotel we stayed at (some 4 star hotel ploped right in the middle where patong beach is). We go around phuket by renting and driving since that place is really small and easy to get around with the help of a map (and a hubby with a good sense of direction LOL). Excluding our free n easy tour package, we spent arpund 1.6 K for 4 days on food, shopping, transport(car rental) etc. My shopping took up around $600++ I think.

I would say that you can definitely get GOOD food there at rather low prices(compared to here). S$20-S$30 will fetch you a sumptous dinner with authentic tom yam soup and few other dishes of seafood(think GIANT prawns and crab) and veggies. Very worthwhile. But this applies to non-air conditioned places. If you just want to chill and relax over dinner at a proper prestaurant that also provides entertainment (singers, dancers), then S$50-S$80 should cover a good seafood meal for two. We feasted for 4 days and had the time of our lives when we were there. Go and have fun!

[Smartcat]

I spend 4 days and 3 nights at Phuket last year, hopping on a Travel promotion @ $248 including airfare and hotel stay. The resort i stayed in Burasari is at the end of the Patong Beach opposite Holiday Inn. The hotel is very new and the rooms are clean and beautifully decorated.

Thai air reached Phuket around noon. By the time I checked in the hotel, it's late noon. Evening was just walking around their little streets looking and browsing.

2nd day, me and gang hit the beach from morning till late afternoon. You need to pay say 100 Baht to rent a couple of beach chairs. You can sit from morning to night. While relaxing, there will be many hawkers selling their food. They have everything, including Pomelo, fruits, chicken wing, Popian etc. My favourite is the Popian. Still hot and crispy when served and costed only 60 baht.

3rd day, I went to Phuket town while my cousin went to Phi Phi island.

Dinners are expensive if you choose the restaurants fronting Patong Beach. For a normal seafood meal with lobster and prawns etc, it cost about S$40 per person. Compared to Sing for a similar meal Phuket is cheaper. But they are still pricey for local standards. Me and gang chose to go to sidewalk cafe for their local food. Cheap and good!

Overall I think I spend approx 1k (maximum) for me and hubby. Shopping depends on yourself. Since it's my 3rd time, I did not buy much except lingerie, which cost me about S$200.

Check up my hotel Burasari Resort

[sista]

smartCat : Your hotel is really beautiful! May I ask which tour agency did you book through? 4 days and 3 nights @ $248 including airfare and hotel stay is really a good deal!

[Smartcat]

Sista,

I took advantage of the Thai Orchid Special last year that's why the package was especially cheap! My tour agency was Comet Travel Pte Ltd located at Hong Lim Complex. Hope this help!

[gwennie]

Promtep Cape for dinner under the stars and the great view of the Andaman Sea below. No worries about the amount spent on dinner coz the prices are really low and you get to enjoy good food!

[april]

my bf n i really missed the food there! there were the roadside stores which serves delicious n cheap food... theres the big hotdogs... fried chicken... deserts! all so yummy!!

remembered we went to this thai restaurant to try their tomyam(my fav) , green curry n local delights.... then halfway during our meal... BLACKOUT!!! given candles by the staff n we were like having romantic dinner like tt... haha

shopping is another enjoyable part of the trip! the nite market that got lots of stuff... n there is still "nite shop" there where those '****' were standing outside getting customers.. eyeopener for me...

if got chance would sure lov to go back.. but for now, bangkok 's my next target

[girlfriday]

Originally posted by Smartcat
Sista,

I took advantage of the Thai Orchid Special last year that's why the package was especially cheap! My tour agency was Comet Travel Pte Ltd located at Hong Lim Complex. Hope this help!

Burasari is having a promo right now. buy 2 nights get 1 free.
3 nights with silk air less than S$400.

[Baileys]

Hi all,

Just read that some muslim seperatist/militant groups warn tourist against going to Phuket... sigh, just when I was intending to go thei Thurs... sway ah...

[girlfriday]

I wonder how things will be. How will travel agents handle this????? If SGP issue warning, will they refund???

help!

[tiemmie]

if you going phuket you can do the para-chuting.. abit expensive.. about S$50 when i did it like 3 yrs ago?

you might want to check out this theme place - Phuket Fantasea. Very nice place with all the nice architectual, typical traditional buildings. Also about S$50 to go in.. there is a show to watch, the cultural performance, and elephants performance etc. there is also a restaurant inside where you can have your meal there, i recalled that it is not that expensive, surprising.

U might want to check out the simon cabaret (Ah gua show) as well. Pretty funny.

[raebelasian]

Phuket is a place where I will only go once just to see how the place is like. I wouldn't pay to go back there anytime. I will rather spend my money on some other islands around the region. The waterlife was really disappointing and honestly, I do not understand the hype about Phi Phi Island and etc. Whatever it is, if there's a good promotion and you haven't been there, why not? We just chilled and ate ate and ate for our trip.

Here's some pictures of the special package I took on my trip last month.

Like the link Smartcat posted, what you see on their website is really what you get.

Pool

Free Dinner

Suite

[jesdreamz]

Can anyone advise roughly how much i should bring there (average) n what type of shopping they have in the night market?? Have anyone been to phuket for manicure n hair coloring.. is it good n cheap? TIA.