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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Phuket. Tips needed on where best to stay

18 replies

clam · 13/03/2008 16:19

DH in KL for work in May. DCs (11 & 9)and I to join him at end for half term. Thought we'd do weekend in KL, followed by a week on one of the islands. Have done Langkawi and want somewhere different. Phuket? Penang? Trawling websites but information overload. Any advice as to where to stay (medium budget, 3* plus), which side of islands are best, and recommended trips etc? Fancy elephant safari, white-water rafting, speedboat to PhiPhi. Are these as nice as they sound or rip-offs? All tips gratefully received.

OP posts:
lou33 · 13/03/2008 16:21

you need sarahinphuket

nai yang, nai thon, bang tao, are all nice parts of phuket

avoid pattong

ksmm · 02/04/2008 10:23

HI,

I need help too. I have info overload and feel like i have beend there and back.

We are going to singapor mid may and want to add another beach resort so were thinking of bag tao in phuket. Languna beach resort seems lovely as does the shagri la which has it's own elephants. we have dd aged 4 and ds aged 3

only problem is that we have been told it pours with rain in phuket at that tim....any advice?

We don't really mind which island we got to langkawi, penang. or thailand...phuket etc.. Phuket seems appealing because of the fantesea shoe and elephant trekking. But worried about weather and happy to go to malaysia if we can have a similar holiday. We only have 4 days at another destiantion but finding and ideal place for this first time 'has to be perfect' holiday is driving me mad.help!!!

NicMac · 10/04/2008 18:45

Went to Khao lak, an hour north of Phuket airport. Was fantastic and much better than Phuket IMO. Stayed at Le Meridien, very reasonable for quality with lots of childrens facilities. HTH

slim22 · 11/04/2008 11:57

second meridien khao lak

krabi also very nice

ninedragons · 12/04/2008 08:02

Third vote for Meridien Khao Lak!

The Lone Pine in Penang is also divine.

Original poster
clam · 12/04/2008 18:36

Thanks guys. Will google all of these and see what's what. Can't help the weather... end of May is the only time we can go (end of DH's business trip, which happens to co-incide with half term )I'm hoping it'll be short, sharp bursts of rain which are over quickly????

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Crystaltipsandalaistar · 13/04/2008 21:50

Have just been reading this thread as I am looking for somewhere for a special holiday, and it looks lovely. I Will keep my eye on it for further postings. have just been reading up on rainforests and waterfalls. A beach holiday with animals sounds perfect for my brood.

zuzkah · 13/04/2008 22:23

I ve been to Phuket last year in September and we stayed at Dusit Laguna which is 5* but reasonable price ... in a trailfinders brochure it's £65 per room. Lovely beach front hotel. It's Bang Tao beach which is really long and wide. Although it goes deep quite quickly so maybe not the best for kids. The other thing about Phuket is that in low season there are strong ocean currents and they don't recommend swimming as there are no-swimming signs everywhere. Weather was great, some rain usually in the afternoon and cooler but still around 30. I really enjoyed it.
Planning holiday with my 8months old and looking to go to Langkawi so any advice would be helpful.

ksmm · 13/04/2008 23:05

Hi guys. I have ended up booking phuket as our beach destination. Still haven't found a hotel though. I have emailed Laguna beach resort 4 times as it seems a nice option. But they haven't replied to any of my emails...so that's not a good start. I'm looking at Club Med at the moment. Will let you all know how it goes.

Clam have you decided on a hotel?

ninedragons · 14/04/2008 09:11

Zuzkah is right, the Dusit Laguna is excellent and very reasonably priced. The Banyan Tree in the same Laguna complex is fab too, but more expensive.

The Sheraton Phuket's Thai restaurant was one of the best I've ever eaten at, but it was on the beachfront and I went before the tsunami, so hopefully it was rebuilt.

Crystaltipsandalaistar · 14/04/2008 12:11

nicmac slim22 and ninedragons did you book le meridien and flights seperatly or do it as a package hol? I have just priced it online and this ibviously worked out cheaper than a brochure that i found it in, but i have been told its better to book it all together for longhaul in case anything breaks down?

ninedragons · 15/04/2008 05:53

We booked it separately, but we were travelling from Hong Kong so there are loads of direct flights to Phuket and it works out cheaper that way.

If you buy travel insurance you will be fine if anything goes wrong.

I think Asiarooms.com and asiahotels.com are good for the best available discounts to rack rate. Phuket is still very cheap as it was formerly dependent on tourists from Hong Kong and Singapore, who culturally tend to have a problem with the idea of ghosts and thus have deserted the resorts where people were killed by the tsunami. As a result, the service any tourists get is truly excellent, even by the already impeccable Thai standards. When you book the hotel, don't forget to ask about the airport pickup - they'll send a lovely air conditioned car with a basket of ice-cold flannels and drinks to meet your flight. It costs the same as a taxi but is much nicer.

If you're booking your own flights, Nok Air and Bangkok Air are both excellent for the internal flight from BKK, but stay the hell away from Orient Thai - we made that mistake once and it was a decommissioned Pakistan Airlines plane that must have been one of the very first 747s to roll off the production line 40-odd years ago. I think Phuket Air has actually been closed down, but if it hasn't don't book on them either.

HarrogateMum · 15/04/2008 15:51

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Phuket prior to having kids - stayed in a Busakorn Villa rrom which was big enough for two adults and two kids as it had like an L shaped sofa that converted to beds. WE booked a standard room with the travel agents and when we decided to upgrade to the best room emailed the hotel direct - their price to upgrade was a third of that quoted by the agents. It was a gorgeous hotel, had 4 restaurants, all really good quality and cheap. It was probably teh best holiday I've ever had!!

Crystaltipsandalaistar · 15/04/2008 19:52

Thanks -i had looked at it in a hayes and jarvis book, and phoned them about the prices - they do a 'buy 7 nights, get 7 free' deal or '2nd room for children is half price', but i don't whether that means it is interconnecting, and therefore safe for them? Also I wonder (now - after I am pondering about it) whether they would eat the food anyway, as I guess it is spicy, and not plain? What a lot to think about!

ninedragons · 16/04/2008 08:55

Most SE Asian hotels do a buffet breakfast/dinner that has a HUGE variety of food. Definitely won't all be spicy. If you wanted to you could live on bacon, omlettes and grilled tomatoes every day.

HarrogateMum · 16/04/2008 12:21

the restaurants at the holiday inn were Thai (of course), a pizza and pasta place, a buffet and a steak restaurant so you had lots of choice just within the hotel.

Crystaltipsandalaistar · 17/04/2008 10:17

oh right thanks! Have just priced the meridien up, and it is cheaper to go there 2 weeks (BB) than Turkey nice hotel, all incl!

Original poster
clam · 22/04/2008 15:43

Right. Have an unexpected couple of days off so am back on my mission to get this trip sorted. Loads of useful advice here, so thanks all. Will let you know what I come up with. The 2 rooms vs family suite is still an issue though. Much cheaper if we're all in together, but DH not keen - bit too open-plan for his liking

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