Thread: Phuket

no--but I just bought a "mystery" auction for the new Siam Kempinksi Bangkok (good ol' luxurylink.com) and my niece is coming with me. We're planning on Hua Hin, BKK and maybe side trip Ayatthaya or Kwai River. About 10 days total--early April.

Originally Posted by flassher

Phuket is fabulous, Patong Beach, where a lot of Aussies and other young nationals hangout, can be a bit "loud"....The tsunami, tragic as it was, did clean up some of the less flavoursome areas!

There are some fabulous hotels and beaches in Phuket and it is safe...go and enjoy.

Cheers.

Thanks, but we're not headed that far south. Seriously, we didn't like the Balinese beaches where the other half of Oz vacations. I'm not trying to be confrontational but whne I'm going that FAR to enjoy the culture of a native country, I really don't expect it to be an Australian stepchild. To me, some parts of Bali have become as icky as Las Vegasdue to the clientele (from oodles of countries--majority Americnas)

Originally Posted by jethawk

That's great that you are going to Thailand with your niece. I had an amazing time there. Check out Air Asia if you need to get around. I paid $60 round trip from BKK to Phuket.

I am undecided on airasia... flew them once and some little thinks irked me - crew still standing when we commenced our take off roll, crew allowing pax to use restrooms while taxiing. If these small things are overlooked, what big things are being overlooked?

Bali as a STEP CHILD OF AUSTRALIA? I couldn't disagree more. Reason there are so many Aussies in Bali is because its geographical proximity and its cheap for Aussies to travel there, they can afford it, get more bang for the Aussie buck there. Beaches for swimming purposes??? Definately not Cancun style! But the beaches are not really the reason to go there. Don't care for the constant salesmanship harrassment and super pushy, but they are just trying to get a sale. Most clientele I saw in Bali were NOT AMERICANS! Seemed like all of Europe was there and of course, most heavily on Aussie vacationers.

Mostly Japanese at the upscale non-beach resorts, and the rest were Aussies in all the beach towns like Sanur, Seminyak etc , as far as tourists.
The largest ex-pat population is from Oz, so yes, I think of it as their stepchild--they'd rather be home, but too cheap to live there.
The beaches are nothing special--it's the local people who are special.
Very few Amercans in Bali--my comment was about so many Americans in Vegas--hence the comparison of some of the beach towns turning INTO Vegas (littler versions woud be Branson, Gatlinburg...)
I can't tolerate the timeshare carp in Mexico either--what a pain--We never had an issue at Hacienda Tres Rios--we made it clear from arrival and no bother.
Harldy ever encountered Europeans in Bali--but we didn't haunt the beach towns and major tourism spots near DPS.