Some touristy questions if u don't mind

[mrsnake3695]

Like I said in my introductory thread, my wife and I will be visiting Phuket for the first time on July 11. We will be flying to China on JUly 16 so we won;t be there long, only 4 full days. We will be staying at the Bann Yin Dee which seems like a nice place not far away from the action but not too close either.

As a frist time tourist we of course face lots of unknowns. I have used the search tool and have had many questions answered but some of the questions we have either I can't find answers for or they are a little out dated.

So any input from BMs would be greatly appreciated, so here goes:

We would like to do a boat/island thing for one of the days but since we are only going to be there a short time we will only dedicate one day to this and I know there are lots of choices. So our questions are:

1) Which trip would you recommend if you can only do one?
2) About how much is a decent price in the off-season?
3) Where should I book the trip, online before we go, at the hotel conceirge or someplace else bearing in mind that we don't have a lot of time to go around bargin shopping?

On another day we will probably do a rafting/elephant ride kind of thing. Pretty much the same questions as above, I know it would probably be better to do these (along with zipline, etc) seperately but due to the limited time I have seen tours with several of the activities in one day trip so we'd like to do that? Any specific recommended trips or tours along this line?

We will probably go to Fantasea one night and definately spend at least one evening in Bangla.

Are there any other things that you would say are must do's or must sees?

Also, I read in a thread that the Bann Yin Dee was guest friendly but the last entry was about 2 years ago. Does anyone know if that's still current and would it apply for a 3rd person since we already will have 2 in the room?

Thanks for your patience and any answers or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[pablo]

Hotel concierge at the Baan Yin Dee can sort out all the recommends and bookings for you, upon arrival.

It is my understanding that the BYD is now under new ownership (last year or so), and that they indeed do charge a joiner fee now.

[mrsnake3695]

Originally Posted by pablo

Hotel concierge at the Baan Yin Dee can sort out all the recommends and bookings for you, upon arrival.

It is my understanding that the BYD is now under new ownership (last year or so), and that they indeed do charge a joiner fee now.

Thanks, I figured I would do that I just don;t want to pay too much over what should be the going rate and I sure don;t want to be stuck on one of those 1 hour at the site and 10 hours going to different kick-back stores (happened to me in China on a great wall trip).

Bad news about the joiner fee, just my luck.

[pablo]

Originally Posted by mrsnake3695

Thanks, I figured I would do that I just don;t want to pay too much over what should be the going rate and I sure don;t want to be stuck on one of those 1 hour at the site and 10 hours going to different kick-back stores (happened to me in China on a great wall trip).

Bad news about the joiner fee, just my luck.

I think the "going rate" is the "going rate", largely.

Most hotels have brochure after brochure in stands, adorning the check in areas. The rates seem to be fairly competitive, between operators. And, quite possibly the hotel has an agreement with some, to possibly discount some fees.

If you knew a guy on the street, who knew a guy on the street, you might save a little bit. But, we're not really talking about huge sums here.

If memory serves me, I think you can get a day tour of say Phang Nga Bay for around 1800thb per person...all transportation from your hotel, with beverages and lunch included. That's a good one and you certainly want a photo of you both by James Bond Island. 5555

[Pinot]

You're there for such a short time, why not just tour the Phuket beach areas? There are so much to see why waste time on boat rides? It's exhausting. Relax. You'll be in paradise.

[mrsnake3695]

Originally Posted by Pinot

You're there for such a short time, why not just tour the Phuket beach areas? There are so much to see why waste time on boat rides? It's exhausting. Relax. You'll be in paradise.

Yes I understand this which is why we were only going to do this one day. We live near a beach at home so relaxng on the beach isn't a priority for us and since we are retired we relax pretty much everyday so we like to experience what we can when we're on vacation especially in another country.

So what other things would you suggest we do while there? No sense in just lazing around the pool, why go to Thailand in the first place then?

[fotonut]

WTTB, how is the sunshine state?

If you are there on a Tuesday I'd recommend the Tuesday Sail with Phuket Richard (he is a BM here), it is a full day however.

Richard & Megumi's Tuesday Sailing Cruise

Another option is the 1/2 day cruise/lunch to Coral island (Koh Heh). You can book on arrival, they will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel. A nice tour but not as nice as Koh Phi Phi (with 4 days you really don't have time to go there as I'd recommend at least spending 1 or more nights). A day tour to James Bond island is also a good day trip, again, you can book on arrival.

[edje123]

As said before a 1 day visit to phang nga bay (JB island) or a day trip to Phi Phi island and surrounding beaches are really nice.
Most full day trips in Thailand are well organised with foood and drinks and depending on the destination are about 1500 to 2500 bhat a person. Easiest to book in your hotel, prices should be almost the same everywhere (shop around a bit if you want to be sure).
Sometimes you can arrange nice deals.
Couldn't choose between two trips (one 1500bhat a person, the other 1800bhat a person), after some negotiation I had to pay only 2200 for the two of us and could choose all the spots I wanted to see "à la carte". Instead of getting a real guide + driver, I had a driver + a guy who was a tourism student. Turned out to be a very good trip.

[mrsnake3695]

Thanks for your input.

I will probably go with booking at the hotel since that will be the easiest.

My only fear is getting stuck on some ripoff tour like I did in China once. I was the only westerner on the bus, otherwise I would have strangled the tour guide, lol. How many Jade shops can you see in one day? Well the great wall was cool, just wish I could have spent more time there.

[edje123]

Happens sometimes you make a small stop at an arts shop or something like that, but not a shopping tour with a short temple visit for good measure. One of the reasons I prefer booking at the hotel is because those "in hotel" travel agencies can't really afford to sell rip off trips. If they do they also harm the hotel's reputation and would get kicked out fast.

[MisterT]

Just this week I contacted BYD about it being guest friendly and had the following reply:

"Thank you very much for your e-mail. The resort charge joiner fee at THB 1,000 per person per night excluded breakfast with check-out time 6.00 A.M."

Stopped me from booking, but up to you!

[mrsnake3695]

Originally Posted by MisterT

Just this week I contacted BYD about it being guest friendly and had the following reply:

"Thank you very much for your e-mail. The resort charge joiner fee at THB 1,000 per person per night excluded breakfast with check-out time 6.00 A.M."

Stopped me from booking, but up to you!

Thanks for the info but I already booked. My wife took one look at the pool suites and said that's where she wanted to stay. I couldn't figure out how to say"wait let me find out if it is girl friendly or not first" lol.

I did look it up here and the last entry said it was but that was in 07. Guess I'm stuck, I can aford the $30 USD.

[snowy]

the phang nga 3 island trip is a good day out, bus pickup hotel around 8am and return about 5pm, cave canoeing and james bond island, great lunch and a nice relaxed day out, always efficient and good fun on board the boat.

[mrsnake3695]

Originally Posted by snowy

the phang nga 3 island trip is a good day out, bus pickup hotel around 8am and return about 5pm, cave canoeing and james bond island, great lunch and a nice relaxed day out, always efficient and good fun on board the boat.

Thanks, sounds good.

During this season is it still worth while doing? Are the seas too rough, etc.?

[Happpy-Wanderer]

Originally Posted by mrsnake3695

Thanks for your input.

I will probably go with booking at the hotel since that will be the easiest.

My only fear is getting stuck on some ripoff tour like I did in China once. I was the only westerner on the bus, otherwise I would have strangled the tour guide, lol. How many Jade shops can you see in one day? Well the great wall was cool, just wish I could have spent more time there.

Unfortunately i made the same mistake, Tiannamen Sq to Badaling and a hundred other places on the way there and on the way back that i wasn't expecting, ended up only having about 30 -40 minutes on the wall and 15 minutes of that was because i wouldn't come down from the top when they asked me to, not until i had a chance to take it all in and get some good photos.
Nothing worse than some f*cker trying to hurry you up when you are somewhere so amazing, especially when they wasted something like 5 hours on shit that no one was interested in.

Personally i find it a little strange that you would come to phuket and have no interest in the beaches or just relaxing, i would have thought that BKK would have suited you more.
I would say you should go to phi phi and do a bit of diving, go out in a long tail boat or just kayak around the island it's very pretty. But if you are looking for a bit of nocturnal fun as you have mentioned only having four days you would probably regret wasting any of your few evenings any where else but patong, so you are probably best off doing things like the three island trip at least then you will get a little taster of something similar to phi phi and still have your evenings in Patong for some fun. Other than that i would suggest you hire a motorbike or a car and ride up the coasts a bit checking out the views, the beaches and some of the little towns along the way.

[mrsnake3695]

[QUOTE=Happpy-Wanderer;627960]Unfortunately i made the same mistake, Tiannamen Sq to Badaling and a hundred other places on the way there and on the way back that i wasn't expecting, ended up only having about 30 -40 minutes on the wall and 15 minutes of that was because i wouldn't come down from the top when they asked me to, not until i had a chance to take it all in and get some good photos.
Nothing worse than some f*cker trying to hurry you up when you are somewhere so amazing, especially when they wasted something like 5 hours on shit that no one was interested in.

Funny thing is, my wife is Chinese and booked the trip so I figured she would know what she was doing. At least I got to spend an hour and a half at the great wall before all the jade shops.

Funny story, at the last jade shop they hearded everyone into this room for some sort of lecture or something. I refused to go in and the tour guide basicaly ordered me to go in. I told her "what is this some sort of communist country or something?" She had no idea what to say or do then and I turned around and went outside to wait.

The problem was 1) Chinese are very cheap so since my wife booked the tour she went as cheap as possible and 2) the chinese just take sh** from anyone they feel is in a possition of authority and don't say anything so they get abused.

[JayBee]

If I had only 4 days in Phuket, and a wife who was up for a bit of naughty fun, then 4 nights on the bar sois of Bangla would be my first and foremost priority, with good fun til 4:00 AM at the bar and in the bed, sleep til noon, get up and do it again! Maybe take an afternoon cruise., or elephant ride. Take a BG to Fantasea with you. Even more fun!

How often do you get this kind of opportunity? Certainly you won't in FLA, as the girls of LOS are like nothing you will find outside of SEA and maybe the Philipines. They are fun girls, not like any ****** you ever met in your life, and spending an evening with them is not just about the sex(but then, of course, there is that, too, and it is great!).

P.S. And don't forget to get a massage or 3 or 4 of them. I highly recommend the two-hour traditional Thai massage, which is a very healthy massage, or the oil massage, which is more of a feel-good muscle massage, but also good for you. I would pass on the happy-ending stuff, and go for the real massage. I save myself for the BGs, when it comes to fooling around!

[mrsnake3695]

Originally Posted by JayBee

If I had only 4 days in Phuket, and a wife who was up for a bit of naughty fun, then 4 nights on the bar sois of Bangla would be my first and foremost priority, with good fun til 4:00 AM at the bar and in the bed, sleep til noon, get up and do it again! Maybe take an afternoon cruise., or elephant ride. Take a BG to Fantasea with you. Even more fun!

How often do you get this kind of opportunity? Certainly you won't in FLA, as the girls of LOS are like nothing you will find outside of SEA and maybe the Philipines. They are fun girls, not like any ****** you ever met in your life, and spending an evening with them is not just about the sex(but then, of course, there is that, too, and it is great!).

P.S. And don't forget to get a massage or 3 or 4 of them. I highly recommend the two-hour traditional Thai massage, which is a very healthy massage, or the oil massage, which is more of a feel-good muscle massage, but also good for you. I would pass on the happy-ending stuff, and go for the real massage. I save myself for the BGs, when it comes to fooling around!

Sounds like a great idea if I was 20 years younger, lol. Although my wife is OK with the extra sex part, I'm not sure she would want us to "date" one, although that could be interesting lol. So probably only one or two nights in Bangla. The massages are definate. I had lots in China (very cheap there too) and will certainly have my share in Thailand. Any recommendations on places that give good reasonable priced massages (not happy-ending) by professionals. I don;t think Baan Yin Dee has a spa on premis.

[MisterT]

BYD definitely has massage on the premises

[mrsnake3695]

Originally Posted by MisterT

BYD definitely has massage on the premises

I saw their website and it says "Spa nearby". Not sure if that means it's associated directly with the hotel or not, guess I'll find out when I get there. Also, in another thread someone that stayed there said that there wasn't a massage place on premis but that if you asked at the front dest they sent someone to your room.

Well like I said, I guess I;ll find out when I get there.

Thanks for the replies.

[jaffaman]

I tried an in-room massage while my Thai girlfriend was there
...hopeless, the 2 of them talked all the way through.
Send the missus shopping.

[mrsnake3695]

Originally Posted by jaffaman

I tried an in-room massage while my Thai girlfriend was there
...hopeless, the 2 of them talked all the way through.
Send the missus shopping.

Well fortunately my wife is Chinese and doesn't speak Thai. But I have had similar experiences in China. I keep thinking she has all of China in on some big joke on me.