Phuket

[Bit Beefy]

Returning to LOS end of the Month. Just wondering, how Phuket is at the moment? Is there still a lack of people there? Or is it back to being the best resort in the world ;o)

[stogie bear]

It's business (almost) as usual. Of course it'll be fairly quiet when you're going to go (end of September?) as the rainy season will still be in 'full flow!'

From everything that has been reported in the local newspapers and from what I have heard from people who's judgement I trust then it seems Phuket is back...

(It seems you are too! Welcome, comrade!)  

[Guest]

Not sure I agree Stogie. I was there last month. Hotels were at 15% occupancy and the beach was near empty. Some bars on Bangla had zero people. About 3 airlines have stopped flights there. It is back in the sense of the buildings all ok, but not for quantity of tourists, unless that's changed the last month. Now, all this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I was just at a travel agent yesterday and there are 5000 baht offers for airfare, airport tax, airport transfers, and 3 nights at a 4 star hotel, with breakfast. I know this sequence and the hotels well, and that is about 15,000 baht value. That is seriously good deal.

[Guest]

Ya, I was surprised to see ol' Stogie's post about things being back to normal there, I haven't been around there since April but I am pretty sure it couldn't have cleaned up its act THAT much in 4 months. Going back soon, I will be curious to see how it looks now and how anxious the hotels are to get my business.

[Snick]

Infrastructure wise its back to normal, tourist wise its a ghost town. 15% occupancy is the number I heard also, normally it would be 40% right now (in the middle of low season). Bangkok is also 'slow' with hotel occupancy at around 50% vs 70% last year at this time.

Such a shame, less tourists, more girls, cheaper hotels....I think I am going to cry.

[Guest]

I was just at a travel agent yesterday and there are 5000 baht offers for airfare, airport tax, airport transfers, and 3 nights at a 4 star hotel, with breakfast. I know this sequence and the hotels well, and that is about 15,000 baht value. That is seriously good deal.

That sounds right up my alley. I'll be down there next week.

Do you have a link or number for that travel agent or deal ?

Thanks in advance.

[stogie bear]

Hmmm... Well it's possible that I have been reading a lot of hype about the actual situation, so I'll certainly not swear by my statement. Also - I have never been so I really have nothing to compare it to! Thanks for the feedback, guys...

[Guest]

Well last week it was very quiet indeed.
Soi Bangla rather deserted. Some hotels such as Holiday Inn and Impiana still closed. (Holiday Inn does not allow fun anyway.) Quite a few improvements in Patong though.

Spent a few days boating in totally empty Phang Nga Bay; there was even one day that we did not see a single other leisure boat...

[stogie bear]

Spent a few days boating in totally empty Phang Nga Bay; there was even one day that we did not see a single other leisure boat...

Every cloud, eh? Terrible loss of life and all that, but as far as the tourist is concerned it's actually IMPROVED Phuket no end!

[Guest]

This was just meant to say that the place is really still not getting any visitors back.
I did not say it was improved. It is always good to arrive on an island's beach and meet other people to have a few beers with before continuing the trip.

[stogie bear]

Horses for courses! I'd rather have the whole place to myself!

[Tomcat]

Or is it back to being the best resort in the world

I read a report in the BKK post that said it will take at least 2 years to return back to normality. May get worse as a lot of business are living on there past fat. Expect some Hotels and clubs to fold by january. so it aint good news for the future..........

The Hotel occupancy is getting worse , not better....

Will never return 100% to what it what before due to the stigma amongst many Asian tourists who believe in Ghosts and other similar poltergiest nonsense. Although the theory is that this diminishes in time.....

[Guest]

I don't recall the agent's name for the 5000 Baht deal, but it's a a joint Thai Airways / Phuket Hotels thing. I saw it at the small agent on Soi Nana about 200m down the road. I would think most agent's here would know about this, but I'll get a contact next time I pass by.

There is good and bad in this low occupancy rate thing. Good is good deals, cleaner beach. Bad is less 'atmosphere', and many girls leaving Phuket for work elsewhere. Also, very annoyingly, the punters are more desperate for money, so on the beach, I got accosted about 100 times in 1 hr to buy junk vs the more typical 5 times / hour. Nevertheless, I still love Phuket. Soi Katoey is the best thing in the world.

[Guest]

Thanks Ziggy.

My 'friend' in Bkk always tells me about 2-3 day packages at around the same price. Too short for me. Also it's only marginally more expensive to organise one's own hotel etc. Plenty on offer.

Some of these hotel booking sites want 100% deposit. I'm thinking of just turning up...

[Guest]

Don't think you can do better...

Flight 5000 Baht
Taxis to/from airport 450*2=900 Baht
4-star hotel 2500-5000 baht

This 5000 baht package is at least worth 13,000 Baht, there is no way you can get better, except to drop down in the hotel quality, which, of course, you can do, and there are many for 1000 baht these days. But you'd still pay more, slightly. A good idea might be take the package, then change the return flight and change hotels after 3 days.