Phuket

Ok, ,I admit, I've never been THAT interested in a "tourist" beach destination in the past (other than the easy hop/skip/jump to Riviera Maya) but I found this place and I am kinda interested more than before....
Nick, anyone else--is this a good part of Phuket? The private beach looks pretty private as opposed to all those singlet-wearin' Aussie beer drinkin' beaches I've heard about (have you EVER seen the like, Nick?)..So, I'm thinkin, maybe it's a good place to chill in combo with another Asian stop.
Bundarika Resort Phuket, Thailand
They have one of the BEST fact sheets I've even downloaded--it's worth a look-see, perchance to dream?

Everyone I've known who has been to Phuket has absolutely loved it! The resorts, the staff, the cost etc. everything has been perfect.

That being said, I haven't actually been myself. I plan on it, but always feel guilty when I think about a "resort" style holiday... I suppose it'd be great to unwind but i'm always concerned I won't see enough?

Stay in a place with a private beach and don't bother with town... I am Australian but I am not such a fan of my countrymen overseas. Those rooms look great btw!

There isn't anything on luxurylink? I really need to check that out

I understand the "resort" guilt. We didn't see enough of Bali in 8 nights total, with travel time and jet lag, the ratio of down time to cultural time was pretty even. This place does have the private beach--I can't see spending 5 nights there and I wonder if 3 is enough? It may not be practical anyway if Bangkok is still having political problems. Might not be a smart place to nonrev until things are sorted out (our the government is ousted). This is on luxurylink and of all the Thai prpoerties this looks like the most bang for the buck. Some of their offerings may be "bargains" but not on my budget! Several are well over the $500 mark per night! OUCH!

Would you be transitting BKK? Could always fly in through another hub. The more unstable the situation gets the cheaper it will most likely get as people start canceling their plans etc... that being said from what I can tell the BKK situation doesn't really affect things much in Phuket.

Have you looked at other resorts aside from what is on luxury link? From what I hear they are nowhere near as expensive... but obv don't have the private beach/pool attached to your room

I'd say 3 days if I were going from Australia... but coming all the way from US i'd go for 5. That jetlag can be nasty, even if you do get biz elite!

we'd be heading to either Bali for 6+ nights or adding it to Siem Reap and or going via Hong Kong.
I reallypreferred the connections out of BKK for any of those destinations and our fave spa is there (but unfortunately in the embassy district). Guess I'll see what happens. I don't expect any issues in Phuket.
Re Luxlink--I have an additional discount to use on each package, so it behooves me to price there first. Bundarika was well-priced upscale w/perks--i also found some great $ in the ASU Guide.
I just want something more secluded than the resort norm. call me silly.
That private pool /beachfront thing is a real bonus.

Btw I'm looking at somewhere for anniversary with the gf so I checked out phuket... fights sgd$175 on tiger. This resort is 75% off that weekend... ocean front jacuzzi rooms are thb 4800 iso 18000! Looks like BKK action might be affecting them...

I found one nonstop on TG from HKG to HKT for $50 on zed
That could be a real plus to add to Hong Kong trip--city and beach

Nick is that Tiger fare RT? ($125US) (real confirmed seats?? now THAT"S luxury!)
wow--$150 US is great price for that villa. sorry--what's iso 18000?

Ten feet under water back in oh four.

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Originally Posted by mrs767er

I found one nonstop on TG from HKG to HKT for $50 on zed
That could be a real plus to add to Hong Kong trip--city and beach

Nick is that Tiger fare RT? ($125US) (real confirmed seats?? now THAT"S luxury!)
wow--$150 US is great price for that villa. sorry--what's iso 18000?

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Instead of $18000

Phuket. Thailandia

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Originally Posted by mrs767er

sorry--what's iso 18000?

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Scot is right, iso = instead of. Sometimes I let my telex language escape on to the internet...

And yes for confirmed seats on tiger!

mrs767 did you ever end up going to 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.

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.

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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.

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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)

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.

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Originally Posted by mrs767er

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)

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I lived and worked in Bali between 1988 and 1998 and I agree totally about Bali beaches...they are NOT the best!
Now the traffic is a nightmare, however the people and the culture make the place as do the hotels (some of the best in the world..really). It's getting expensive with all the taxes they have added to wine and beer...
I never see anything about the Philippines which is a forgotten little gem...but Thailand is quite special...and Cambodia has a lot to offer...
Cheers..

ooh--10 yrs working in Bali must have been intersting.. I think the locals are really lovely people and the cultural offerings are fabulous--food, dance, music (that liquor/wine issue can be a big negative!)
We're hoping I get better at winging it (haha) on nonrev in Asia, so I can feel comfy doing zeds to Siem Reap, Luang Prabang etc.
It's just a long way to get there...

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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.

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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.

Should see all the step children living in Australia sucking off their welfare program.

That stepheaded child comment does not offend me, however, I would not be saying that out loud around Kuta or Legian Street, or maybe even in the mean monkey streets of UBUD.,

"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 Vegas"

Kuta Beach and Legian--YUK
Those are the crappy places in Bali that the Australians have overtaken and adopted as their own. It's hardly what I call BALI. Did you ever get up north to Amed and west along the coast?

I guess we just have totally different tastes and views when it comes to Bali, Palms.
(I do agree about those nasty monkeys in Ubud)

I made it up to Batur volcano, Ubud, Denpasar, the rice terraces, paddies, volcanos, all points in between.

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Originally Posted by 29palms

I made it up to Batur volcano, Ubud, Denpasar, the rice terraces, paddies, volcanos, all points in between. In that region, also made it to the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, even Australia. Was in Singapore, Diego Garcia, Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Okinawa, Guam, Saipan, Rota, Tinian, Iwo Jima, East China Sea, South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Pacific Ocean, Indian Oceans and all points adjacent, perpendicular, triangular, symetrical and just about everything in between.

I don't believe I made it to the western part of Bali island so sorry about that. We are talking nature and beauty on one hand and party and night life on the other aren't we?

1. You went there via USA, looking to get away from the traffic and congestion of city life, and Walmarts, Starbucks, and other commercializations of greater Cincy area, to vacation, relax and be home within a week or two.

2. I had been living abroad in the Pacific region, not too different in climate as in Bali, and surrounded by not only ocean, but a majority of foreign peoples where Americans were a minority. I too went there to relax, but usually no longer than 5 days at a stretch each time I went. I was 5 hours from Bali by air whereas, you probably showed up only once and it took you 24 hours plus to get there.

Two different views and two different experiences.

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You're right about the two different views but I detest Starbucks and Walmart. I would hardly say that the "region" you mention is a region--it's more than one continent and can hardly be considered one region. I understand you were there for your own reasons (military? personal?) which should not diminish my desire to go to any of those destinations to visit as a tourist. My travels are not the same as yours nor are they insignificant to me, and I don't appreciate your condemnation.

I asked about western Bali because we didn't get to go that far; I was earnestly asking if you did and what you might have liked/disliked. Geez--get defensive, would ya?

No, never made it to Western Bali island.

test

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Originally Posted by 29palms

No, never made it to Western Bali island. I think if I had gone that far, I would have boarded a ferry and crossed into JAVA. Kind of would have liked to have checked out SURYBAYA. Seriously. I wasn't trying to sound like I was belittling you. I'm not trying to diminish your travelling as a tourist nor condeming you for it. In fact, you done pretty good. If anything, I suppose I am or feel reason to be a bit ornery. The world is MY PLAYGROUND and if anyone else wants to share it with me, they should ASK ME!!!

Flight attendant told me she made a run to Kuwait hauling troops, as though she did something dangerous. But when I asked her how long she was there for, she said something like just for the day. I then said. "You went there for one day, I was there for 8 months back in the first Gulf War". Shoulda seen the look on that mug. Probably thought I was some wise jackass. I didn't even mention that I probably made less beans in two weeks than what she made for that one trip. And she probably raked in more on that trip than a military man makes in a month depending on rank. And for sure didn't mention about all scuds and the danger involved. But who's listening? Nobody twisted my arm to be there.
It's like they all wanted to ride in the cockpit for takeoff as though it was something special. Lady, I work on the darned things, Ive ridden there so many times, I just want to sit back here and eat SKY FOOD and leeme alone.

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The Kuwait story is priceless.

Speaking of CONTINENTS versus REGIONS, it all really depends on how you view it. I could include the WESTERN PACIFIC as a region. That encompasses Australia, Micronesia, CNMI, Trust Territories and Asia. I did mention Diego Garcia, which was wrong. That would be under INDIAN OCEAN region. Bali, believe it or not, or KUTA BEACH is on the INDIAN OCEAN. Northern Bali is on the Pacific ocean. Bali Sea, which is the body of ocean north of Bali Island is part of the Pacific Ocean same as Philippine Sea.

I always get reference of Australia as a continent w/South Pacific as being "Oceania".
Whereas, all the SE Asia is a region, NE Asia is a region and all the rest of Asia is dominated by countries--half of Turkey, all of India, all of Russia and former satellites as "other" as including the "stans"
So, where does that leave the Kiwis? Oceania? This is a curious mix of nomenclature and geographical definitions. Does Hawaii get regionally classed as Pacific (a in Oceania) or as North America?
Great questions/discussion!

Here is an excellent map. As you see, Hawaii, is classified under Polynesia according to the graph. Notice Melanesia consist of , Papua New Giunea. NEW ZEALAND is classified as a Polynesian Island. Believe it or not. It does kind of jet out far into the Pacific Ocean. Oceana is just a term to include Pacific Islands. I see Northern Marianas are included as Micronesian islands. Maybe so, however, it is more politically divided and more commonly known as CNMI as to Micronesia in Guam.

File:Pacific Culture Areas.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Very interesting stuff.

Prepositioning -- Maritime Prepositioning Force

Here is a topic on OCEANIA. I hope this concludes GEOGRAPHY 101 with the 29 palms. Happy to accomodate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceania

south east asia and southwest pacific (australia, NZ, islands etc.)