Phuket

banglaman · #1 25-01-2005, 10:00

Hi All I am looking to make a flying visit to either Patong or Bali for 5 or 6 nights on the 11/02/05. I cannot decide where to go.

Like everybody on the site Patong is my preference but not sure if Patong will be as good due to it being so quiet. Somebody who is there now or has just been there, how is the atmosphere and vibe? Are there still plenty of girls there?

I live in Perth so it is much cheaper for me to go to BAli than Phuket.
Bali $850.00 Aussie or Patong $1398 Aussie. So you can see there is a bit of difference in the price. I do not mind spending the extra money if I will enjoy myself as I always do in Patong.

Or should I just forget all the hipe and bad press and just get my butt to Patong?

Your advise would be much appreciated.

The price I have received is to stay at the Patong Beach Resort. I am assuming that this is not guest friendly. HAs anybody stayed there before and can advise me on this? I have the option of just booking an airfare for $1167 Aussie. But im not sure what prices of guest friendly hotels will cost at the moment. Any tips would be much appreciated.

My apologises for the long thread.

jimholio · #2 25-01-2005, 10:14

Book the flight, sort the hotel when you get there.

no1patto · #3 25-01-2005, 11:01

Take the flight to phuket 1169 is what i got non stop from melbourne with thai air on the 14/2 i thought it would b cheaper from perth i was going to move my trip forward to around the 12 it was going to cost 1379 bacuse it was classed as hi season you can book a guest friendly hotel for 1200B to 1500B on line I booked at http://www.stoneymondayhotels.com if you tell them your a board member at this forum you can get a 10% discount

aussie dollar · #4 25-01-2005, 11:29

Patong -hits On Bali For Nightlife And As Cheap

tintin · #5 25-01-2005, 14:26

Phuket need tourists for the moment, you will

help to get the economy started again

Better rates in hotels

Cheaper girls the in Bali

Better athmosphere in evening

And ...great food!!

IRISH JONNY · #6 25-01-2005, 14:55

WHERES BALI?55555555555555555555
IJ

geespot · #7 25-01-2005, 17:23

Bali V Phuket - Patong

Come on be serious, Patong everytime and Im not biased 5555555555555

G

Hookey · #8 25-01-2005, 18:01

Isn't Bali like Majorca for Australians?

Barathea · #9 25-01-2005, 18:54

Is the low season in Bali now. Main beaches kuta & legian basically unswimmable because high wind each day makes beach uncomfortable.

Also because rainy season now the canals where people dump rubbish,crap etc are washed out to sea then driven straight back on to these beaches.
They look like 1 big garbage dump.

So u need a hotel with good swimming pool if u go to Bali now.

IMHO the balinese girls ( they are of Indian descent ) not a patch on Thai
girls

Of course if u into surfing then Bali very good now - nice breaks at Sanur
when I was there.

I don't agree with tintin (sorry) - Bali much less costly than Phuket plus
they also need tourist dollar desperately.

My thoughts - Phuket now - take another week off Jun - Sep for Bali

Jaysen · #10 25-01-2005, 19:00

I'm with the rest of the guy's
Go to patong.... Forget Bali, does not even compare

.
My friend's parents just got back and they were raving on about how cheap it was for food/alcohol, when i told them phuket prices they just loked at me, shocked, they had paid near on $40 for a crayfish, (compared to my $20 odd dollars when last in phuket, and i even got a couple of prawns and a beer too)..... this price is what you would pay in australia, also the bar scene is not quite as good

.
May be things are a bit more quite in patong than normal, but this is the time to go as they really need tyhe tourists...... Plus there is nowwhere that could compare to Bangla road!!!!
Not saying that Bali is a bad place, but in my oppinion, phuket is just a whole lot better.....!!!!

dizbuster · #11 25-01-2005, 21:20

If you choose Bali, then how can you justify calling yourself "Banglaman" ??

tintin · #12 25-01-2005, 21:27

Quote:

I don't agree with tintin (sorry) - Bali much less costly than Phuket plus

Iunderstand, but I meant :

THE GIRLS

If you got Bg, mostely in Kuta, they are more expensive and not so friendly imo then th Thai girls!

This said I would love to go back once, because, as a couple it is less tainting then Los! I loved Ubud and the setings, but for pure fun, then you have to go to Los!

chucky66 · #13 25-01-2005, 23:28

The tsunami has really thrown the Thai tourist industry all over the place at the moment. Contrary to reports, I have still yet to see evidence of hotel prices dropping. The east coast is stretched to full capacity and it seems like some thais are beginning to take the pi** with putting up prices because of increased demand. My advice would be to go to gorgeous Bali where prices are SOooooo cheap and the atmosphere is not one of desperate exploitation of tourists. Im sure people on the board will mention otherwise but thats my honest opinion on the state of things at the moment. Take my advice or leave it.

geespot · #14 26-01-2005, 16:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by chucky66

The tsunami has really thrown the Thai tourist industry all over the place at the moment. Contrary to reports, I have still yet to see evidence of hotel prices dropping. The east coast is stretched to full capacity and it seems like some thais are beginning to take the pi** with putting up prices because of increased demand. My advice would be to go to gorgeous Bali where prices are SOooooo cheap and the atmosphere is not one of desperate exploitation of tourists. Im sure people on the board will mention otherwise but thats my honest opinion on the state of things at the moment. Take my advice or leave it.

Are you in Phuket at the moment? I'll leave it at that for the moment, until you answer back.

I know where I am, I'll comment when you answer back

G

chucky66 · #15 26-01-2005, 18:40

Hi geespot.

No Im now back in Singapore (on work business) but I spent 4 days in Phuket last week and was on samui before that. Despite low occupancy in many hotels on Phuket I failed to experience any drop in rates during my stay.

If you look at the gulf side of things (samui, phangan etc). They are benefitting tremendously because of the tsunami. According to my own observations and TAT numbers occupancy over there are up to very high levels. In response there have been large increases in hoteliers charges for accomodation. This is exploitation of the worst kind but also is business. The two are linked and I dont argue this. Hoteliers in Thailand have always charged far more during busy periods than quiet periods.

My point was that at the moment in my opinion the likes of Bali are not pushing up prices to account for any increase in tourist numbers they are receiving as a result of the tsunami. Nor did they keep prices at normal levels following the bombing in 2002 when tourism dropped to an all time low.

Mav · #16 27-01-2005, 06:59

Bali.....Bleedin Awful Like Iraq

jimholio · #17 27-01-2005, 07:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by chucky66

the atmosphere is not one of desperate exploitation of tourists. Im sure people on the board will mention otherwise but thats my honest opinion on the state of things at the moment. Take my advice or leave it.

Im pretty sure he will leave it, because that is no advice at all. Im sorry but i dont think you have a clue and i needed you to know that.

fishead · #18 27-01-2005, 09:05

Don't check into a hotel that doesn't let you take guests into your room
Technically you can use the short time hotels but its better to get the girl overnight

banglaman · #19 27-01-2005, 10:44

Thanks everybody for offering your opinions.

I will flying into Bangkok on 11th February then I will head down to Phuket for a couple of days. I hope to see some of you there.

Cheers

geespot · #20 28-01-2005, 16:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by chucky66

Hi geespot.

No Im now back in Singapore (on work business) but I spent 4 days in Phuket last week and was on samui before that. Despite low occupancy in many hotels on Phuket I failed to experience any drop in rates during my stay.

If you look at the gulf side of things (samui, phangan etc). They are benefitting tremendously because of the tsunami. According to my own observations and TAT numbers occupancy over there are up to very high levels. In response there have been large increases in hoteliers charges for accomodation. This is exploitation of the worst kind but also is business. The two are linked and I dont argue this. Hoteliers in Thailand have always charged far more during busy periods than quiet periods.

My point was that at the moment in my opinion the likes of Bali are not pushing up prices to account for any increase in tourist numbers they are receiving as a result of the tsunami. Nor did they keep prices at normal levels following the bombing in 2002 when tourism dropped to an all time low.

Okay your points are noted

I think exploitation of tourists is a national sport in Thailand, I dont think its any worse now than before the tsunami. I agree that hotels should now be charging low season prices, but as you probably know if business is bad the Thai style is to pit the prices up not down.

As someone said before I am biast towards Phuket & Thiailand so no Bali for me price or otherwise

G

G

Jaysen · #21 29-01-2005, 16:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by chucky66

Hi geespot.

No Im now back in Singapore (on work business) but I spent 4 days in Phuket last week and was on samui before that. Despite low occupancy in many hotels on Phuket I failed to experience any drop in rates during my stay.

If you look at the gulf side of things (samui, phangan etc). They are benefitting tremendously because of the tsunami. According to my own observations and TAT numbers occupancy over there are up to very high levels. In response there have been large increases in hoteliers charges for accomodation. This is exploitation of the worst kind but also is business. The two are linked and I dont argue this. Hoteliers in Thailand have always charged far more during busy periods than quiet periods.

My point was that at the moment in my opinion the likes of Bali are not pushing up prices to account for any increase in tourist numbers they are receiving as a result of the tsunami. Nor did they keep prices at normal levels following the bombing in 2002 when tourism dropped to an all time low.

Hi chucky66
I can see you point here, but in all fairness it is the tourists who are willing to travel to places like Samui etc and possibly pay more due to increased demand for accommodation, and whilst there have been reports of places in phuket decreasing rates, the east cost is experiencing an increasing shortage in availability of accommodation.
You mentioned exploitation in you post, but i don't feel that this would be the best word to use here, as the definition of exploitation reads as "an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)", so as per the definition we must ask ourselves "are people being exploited"? In a sense not really, as people are not forced into paying these increased prices, people choose to pay these prices (there is a difference).
Some may call this exploitation; others may argue that this is a prime example of the economic principle known as Supply and Demand. Places on the east coast like Samui are experiencing huge increases in the number of tourists wanting to visit, so from an economics perspective, this was inevitable.
As you stated in your post that Bali had decreased prices after the bombings, my reply would be that Bali was a different story, you cannot compare an act of terrorism to a natural disaster and the effects that it will have on tourism. people will at first be deterred from places like Phuket, Kao Lak etc, but for completely different reasons to people who were deterred from Bali.... it will take time, but people will venture back to Patong.
In my opinion this would not be considered "desperate exploitation of tourists" just merely business practice..... After all we all have a choice to pay these prices or go somewhere else.