Ask us about visiting Phuket, Thailand
Mar 25, 2015, 11:55 am
#601
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,582
Staying 3 nights at Amanpuri the first week in April. Looking to explore the islands/cliffs/waters, etc.
I hear that boat tours come up and get you right from the water in front of your hotel. Any experience doing this at Amanpuri, and if so, which boat tour did you use?
Thx!
I hear that boat tours come up and get you right from the water in front of your hotel. Any experience doing this at Amanpuri, and if so, which boat tour did you use?
Thx!
Apr 10, 2015, 8:15 pm
#602
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Tennessee
Programs: SPG, Marriott, United, SWA, AA
Posts: 700
Planning a trip for 2016. We almost have AA miles for 2 Biz seats RT. BNA-BKK and then maybe HKT-BNA. Hoping to find something on CX but that is another topic 
This will be our first visit to Thailand,or anywhere in Asia for that matter. We are looking at Nov, Dec. I would consider Feb of the following year but I don't think I can wait that long! Thailand has been high on our list for a few years now. This will be just my wife and I who are active and in our 40's and this will be for a 5 year anniversary trip.
Right now it is a bit overwhelming after reading this thread and others in the past week, but i think i have ruled out a visit to the north and will focus on BKK and then either Phuket or the Krabi area for some beach time. It should be easy enough for me to fill about 3-days for BKK what is giving me trouble is the beach part choosing between Krabi or Phuket.
High on our list is a resort with a nice beach. We are not late night partying people. Also high on the list is visiting Phi Phi islands group or Similan Islands/ Ko Tackai island. It looks like If I choose Krabi I would be limited to Phi Phi? And likewise Phuket gives us assess to Similan but Phi Phi would be too far? Thoughts on one group being nicer than the other and the ease/cost of getting to each? We would love to spend a 1 or 2 full days exploring these islands at a leisurely pace and it would be nice to find some other spots with great beaches that are not overrun with people too for some snorkeling.
So I am torn. Krabi seems, from the 20 pages I have read in this thread to be the more laid back and better fit, but I have also read if I choose the right resort in Phuket that could be great too. The hotels I have looked at are mostly the Marriots and SPG. I am sure I have overlooked some great options that may be outside of the those chains. I am thinking something about $300 USD a night as the high end-less is acceptable too. The JW Phuket looks seems be at the top of that list for Phuket area. I would also consider the SPG ones like Naka resort but of course that is in another area altogether. I am concerned about how isolated it is though. Other than that I am not sure about really just how nice the rest of Starwoods offerings are there. We could spend 5-8 days in the Krabi/Phuket area in addition to the 3-4 for BKK. Please help me figure out which area and resort will be best for us.
This will be our first visit to Thailand,or anywhere in Asia for that matter. We are looking at Nov, Dec. I would consider Feb of the following year but I don't think I can wait that long! Thailand has been high on our list for a few years now. This will be just my wife and I who are active and in our 40's and this will be for a 5 year anniversary trip.
Right now it is a bit overwhelming after reading this thread and others in the past week, but i think i have ruled out a visit to the north and will focus on BKK and then either Phuket or the Krabi area for some beach time. It should be easy enough for me to fill about 3-days for BKK what is giving me trouble is the beach part choosing between Krabi or Phuket.
High on our list is a resort with a nice beach. We are not late night partying people. Also high on the list is visiting Phi Phi islands group or Similan Islands/ Ko Tackai island. It looks like If I choose Krabi I would be limited to Phi Phi? And likewise Phuket gives us assess to Similan but Phi Phi would be too far? Thoughts on one group being nicer than the other and the ease/cost of getting to each? We would love to spend a 1 or 2 full days exploring these islands at a leisurely pace and it would be nice to find some other spots with great beaches that are not overrun with people too for some snorkeling.
So I am torn. Krabi seems, from the 20 pages I have read in this thread to be the more laid back and better fit, but I have also read if I choose the right resort in Phuket that could be great too. The hotels I have looked at are mostly the Marriots and SPG. I am sure I have overlooked some great options that may be outside of the those chains. I am thinking something about $300 USD a night as the high end-less is acceptable too. The JW Phuket looks seems be at the top of that list for Phuket area. I would also consider the SPG ones like Naka resort but of course that is in another area altogether. I am concerned about how isolated it is though. Other than that I am not sure about really just how nice the rest of Starwoods offerings are there. We could spend 5-8 days in the Krabi/Phuket area in addition to the 3-4 for BKK. Please help me figure out which area and resort will be best for us.
Last edited by 1readyset2go; Apr 11, 2015 at 11:11 am
Apr 11, 2015, 9:25 pm
#604
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,833
Also you might want to look at this before considering Phi Phi, also he has lots of useful Thai travel info
https://twitter.com/richardbarrow/st...39172331622400
https://twitter.com/richardbarrow/st...39172331622400
Apr 12, 2015, 8:15 am
#605
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Tennessee
Programs: SPG, Marriott, United, SWA, AA
Posts: 700
Wow that picture of Phi Phi is crazy! I had no idea. I will have to mark that off my list. I can't believe they have let it get that bad-what a loss. I hope I won't find crowds like that around Similan Islands/ Ko Tackai island? We will have our fill our crowds after the first few days in BKK so finding a pretty and quiet stretch of sand is paramount for the second part of the trip.
So it looks like Jan and Feb are the driest months so outside of that what months would be best for Phuket? I don't mind a passing shower, but rain all day for days on end is another story. Sept and Oct work well for us too.
Does anyone have a strong preference for either one of the two locations of Krabi or Phuket and why?
So it looks like Jan and Feb are the driest months so outside of that what months would be best for Phuket? I don't mind a passing shower, but rain all day for days on end is another story. Sept and Oct work well for us too.
Does anyone have a strong preference for either one of the two locations of Krabi or Phuket and why?
Apr 12, 2015, 8:58 pm
#606
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brunei
Programs: Enrich Sapphire. Kris Flyer Silver.Le Club Accorhotels,Starwood.
Posts: 2,201
Having been to Phi Phi myself, it was 'that bad.'
I was lucky I went with a dive company and we anchored off the beach but...boy...it was PACKED with tourists and extremely noisy and annoying.
I was lucky I went with a dive company and we anchored off the beach but...boy...it was PACKED with tourists and extremely noisy and annoying.
Apr 12, 2015, 10:45 pm
#607
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Tennessee
Programs: SPG, Marriott, United, SWA, AA
Posts: 700
Well Phi Phi is definitely off the list then. I hate crowded beaches. I guess I am a few years late to the party on that one 
What a let down maybe there are other islands we can explore that would be similar in beauty with nice beaches and some snorkeling but far less crowded? I saw earlier in the thread someone mention Similan island? Is that comparable and are there other in that same vein that we could arrange to go on a day cruise tour of from Phuket?
What kind of cost should I expect for a nice day cruise to places like this?
Has anyone stayed at Anantara or Aleenta and do you think they would be good choices?
I don't know if I want to risk a Nov or Dec trip since it is rainy season. I don't mind some rain but I can't handle a washout. If you could not go in Jan-march when would you go?
What a let down maybe there are other islands we can explore that would be similar in beauty with nice beaches and some snorkeling but far less crowded? I saw earlier in the thread someone mention Similan island? Is that comparable and are there other in that same vein that we could arrange to go on a day cruise tour of from Phuket?What kind of cost should I expect for a nice day cruise to places like this?
Has anyone stayed at Anantara or Aleenta and do you think they would be good choices?
I don't know if I want to risk a Nov or Dec trip since it is rainy season. I don't mind some rain but I can't handle a washout. If you could not go in Jan-march when would you go?
Apr 13, 2015, 2:38 am
#608
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brunei
Programs: Enrich Sapphire. Kris Flyer Silver.Le Club Accorhotels,Starwood.
Posts: 2,201
Well Phi Phi is definitely off the list then. I hate crowded beaches. I guess I am a few years late to the party on that one What a let down maybe there are other islands we can explore that would be similar in beauty with nice beaches and some snorkeling but far less crowded? I saw earlier in the thread someone mention Similan island? Is that comparable and are there other in that same vein that we could arrange to go on a day cruise tour of from Phuket?
What kind of cost should I expect for a nice day cruise to places like this?
Has anyone stayed at Anantara or Aleenta and do you think they would be good choices?
I don't know if I want to risk a Nov or Dec trip since it is rainy season. I don't mind some rain but I can't handle a washout. If you could not go in Jan-march when would you go?
What a let down maybe there are other islands we can explore that would be similar in beauty with nice beaches and some snorkeling but far less crowded? I saw earlier in the thread someone mention Similan island? Is that comparable and are there other in that same vein that we could arrange to go on a day cruise tour of from Phuket?What kind of cost should I expect for a nice day cruise to places like this?
Has anyone stayed at Anantara or Aleenta and do you think they would be good choices?
I don't know if I want to risk a Nov or Dec trip since it is rainy season. I don't mind some rain but I can't handle a washout. If you could not go in Jan-march when would you go?
It was pretty bad last November/December though we had sunny mornings and then cloudy afternoons with the rain hitting in the evenings. Though we had rain free nights on the last few days we were in Phuket at the end of November.
It really comes down to a bit of luck as well.
Apr 17, 2015, 2:04 pm
#609
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
Apr 19, 2015, 3:15 pm
#610
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Tennessee
Programs: SPG, Marriott, United, SWA, AA
Posts: 700
Comparing Nashville to to Little Rock is not very nice. They don't have anything in common other than being state capitals in the south.
Apr 20, 2015, 8:34 am
#611
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
Apr 20, 2015, 11:00 am
#612
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Tennessee
Programs: SPG, Marriott, United, SWA, AA
Posts: 700
Back on topic and hoping for a little more feedback...
The more i read the more i wonder now if Phuket is right for us. Although maybe with the right resort it would still be nice for a few days before moving on to another part of Thailand. How you guys feel about the Trang? Looking for a little more peace and quiet to go with scenic natural beauty. Ko Muk looks really nice but I wonder how hard it would be to get there? Also there is an Anantara resort (Si Kao) in that area too.
PS: SHould I move the second part of my question to another forum since it is not Phuket related?
The more i read the more i wonder now if Phuket is right for us. Although maybe with the right resort it would still be nice for a few days before moving on to another part of Thailand. How you guys feel about the Trang? Looking for a little more peace and quiet to go with scenic natural beauty. Ko Muk looks really nice but I wonder how hard it would be to get there? Also there is an Anantara resort (Si Kao) in that area too.
PS: SHould I move the second part of my question to another forum since it is not Phuket related?
Apr 20, 2015, 2:37 pm
#613
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Seattle, WA USA
Programs: UA Prem, HH Diamond, Alaska MVP
Posts: 99
Back on topic and hoping for a little more feedback...
The more i read the more i wonder now if Phuket is right for us. Although maybe with the right resort it would still be nice for a few days before moving on to another part of Thailand. How you guys feel about the Trang? Looking for a little more peace and quiet to go with scenic natural beauty. Ko Muk looks really nice but I wonder how hard it would be to get there? Also there is an Anantara resort (Si Kao) in that area too.
PS: SHould I move the second part of my question to another forum since it is not Phuket related?
The more i read the more i wonder now if Phuket is right for us. Although maybe with the right resort it would still be nice for a few days before moving on to another part of Thailand. How you guys feel about the Trang? Looking for a little more peace and quiet to go with scenic natural beauty. Ko Muk looks really nice but I wonder how hard it would be to get there? Also there is an Anantara resort (Si Kao) in that area too.
PS: SHould I move the second part of my question to another forum since it is not Phuket related?
Apr 20, 2015, 3:10 pm
#614
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: SAN
Posts: 487
I stayed down in Kata beach (the hilton), and it was great! Really wanted to avoid patong as I didn't want the "party" scene. A bit quieter down there and it was perfect, for us at least.
Phi Phi was great too, I'm sure it was less-known 10-20 years ago but it was still awesome. I won't ever forget the sights of the islands and Maya bay, it was that beautiful. If you choose to forgo Phi Phi, don't regret it!!
Phi Phi was great too, I'm sure it was less-known 10-20 years ago but it was still awesome. I won't ever forget the sights of the islands and Maya bay, it was that beautiful. If you choose to forgo Phi Phi, don't regret it!!
Apr 23, 2015, 9:02 pm
#615
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brunei
Programs: Enrich Sapphire. Kris Flyer Silver.Le Club Accorhotels,Starwood.
Posts: 2,201
Agreed with the comments above. Discovering Phuket boils down to what you want and what you don't want. Patong is fine for a day (or night) visit and then a taxi cab ride back to your hotel after you finish..it could be a 20 minute drive or 45 minute drive back to you hotel or resort that could be quiet as a mouse in another part of Phuket.
It just depends on what you want.
It just depends on what you want.