A couple of quickies!

[madred]

Are you expected to tip anyone in Phuket?
Last 2 holidays were in Vegas and it was a pain, especially if you dont tip enough and they give you a dirty look!

Are there many bars where mainly couples go?(Coming with the wife)

Being a couple, are there many places we should avoid?
Eg. Wife goes to the loo and when she comes back there is some girl chatting to me, or is that the norm? LOL she can be quite jealous pretty quick :-)

Being first timers and just going there for a chill out,(no rafting, elephant rides etc), is there some sort of circuit/places we should target?
I hate missing out on something that is just around the corner!
We are staying at Club Andaman, so Bangla Rd will be the main scene, but where else do you head to by foot apart from the beach?

Having said that are there any streets/places we should avoid?

Never been to an Asian country before, so haven't got a clue what we are heading into :-)

First time we went to the US we thought every second person would have a gun and we would be getting mugged every few days. :-)
Turned out some of the most friendliest people we have ever met were in the US!

One last one, with regards to the food - Do you have to be mega careful to avoid getting bad guts? would hate that!

[Minder]

Originally Posted by madred

Are you expected to tip anyone in Phuket?
Tipping is not the norm in Thailand but is more common in tourist areas like Phuket.
There will be people looking for a tip but whether you give it to them or not is "up to you" - if the service is good then a small tip - 20 or 40 baht - will be appreciated - as a general rule we leave 20 baht for the hotel maid each day.
Last 2 holidays were in Vegas and it was a pain, especially if you dont tip enough and they give you a dirty look!

Are there many bars where mainly couples go?(Coming with the wife) You can go anywhere - a customer is a customer - and will be welcome - wife in tow or not.

Being a couple, are there many places we should avoid?
Eg. Wife goes to the loo and when she comes back there is some girl chatting to me, or is that the norm? LOL she can be quite jealous pretty quick :-) Nah, the girls will leave you alone unless you give them the go ahead - if the bar girl is sitting on your lap when the wife gets back then the wife is right to be jealous/suspicious because you must have put her there LOL

Being first timers and just going there for a chill out,(no rafting, elephant rides etc), is there some sort of circuit/places we should target?
I hate missing out on something that is just around the corner!
We are staying at Club Andaman, so Bangla Rd will be the main scene, but where else do you head to by foot apart from the beach? Lots of other restaurants and bars in any direction - just because you head toward Bangla doesn't mean you will get there.

Having said that are there any streets/places we should avoid? Not really but be careful of anyone who wants to take you anywhere - it might be time-share or it might be worse - either way it will be about parting you from your money.

Never been to an Asian country before, so haven't got a clue what we are heading into :-) You survived the US????? then Phuket will be a piece of cake!

First time we went to the US we thought every second person would have a gun and we would be getting mugged every few days. :-)
Turned out some of the most friendliest people we have ever met were in the US!

One last one, with regards to the food - Do you have to be mega careful to avoid getting bad guts? would hate that!

Not mega careful but if it looks "wrong" it probably is - most of the hawker food - stuff cooked on a cart in front of you is actually quite safe - I have had more problems with badly stored dairy products and old meat (when I wanted a steak) in hotels than I have had with chicken and rice or meat on a stick from some plastic table and chair restaurant on the sidewalk. Enjoy

[fotonut]

madred - I think you will fine Phuket really easy, very modern, anything you can want kind of place. That said keep in mind that Patong is not typical Asia, very touristy with a heavy tourist mindset. While I love Phuket I've traveled extensively over Asia for many years. I have some friends that after hearing my many stories were disappointed that they did not see Asia - there only stop (off the cruise ship) was Patong...

All the food is great but even if you are careful you may get "travelers gut" which is more an outcome of eating food with different bacteria rather than bad food and you can get this wherever in the world you travel that is different from your own. Treatment is with a simple antibiotic that can picked up in Thailand or you can bring with you (if you are traveling for less than 2 weeks disregard...).

Tipping - I will generally round up a little on the bill and it Patong it will not be unexpected or under-appreciated -although you may get a "is that all" look from some, just smile and keep going.

That smile thing, I think is worth mentioning. If you get in a jam or are unsure how to handle a situation (from bargaining for a t-shirt or tuk tuk) or get caught in a disagreement, a smile and a positive attitude can do wonders. You really do not want to get cross, raise your voice (shouting), etc. with anyone. That said, you don't have to be a wimp either. I was talking to an expat (not in Phuket) last year and he made a big stink about being charged 5 baht for a non-working toilet, almost got in a fight with the attendants boyfriend, got chased down by a motorbike, etc. Definitely a case where he should have paid the 5 baht, smiled and moved on...

I do recommend you take some day trips out of Patong, see Phuket, the other beaches, the aquarium, etc. and the great food of Thailand, ahh, the food...

Enjoy your trip and have a great time!

[boatsandhoes]

If you have a jealous wife, the last place you want to take her is into Bangla Road. As Fotonut said, take some day trips to the islands and go see the countryside and beaches.
WTTB and have fun.

[madred]

She's not too bad after a few drinks! :-)

Thanks for the tips!