Phuket Vegetarian Festival

[El_hefe]

I'm heading back to LOS & I'm wondering if this is worth going to Phuket to see, along with Loy Kratong, & forgoing my usual Pattaya holiday patterns of Walking Street nights & Pook Bar afternoons?
Anyone want to weigh in with advice from experience?

The only time I have ever been in Phuket was almost 15 years ago & it was my first visit to Thailand & I was pretty clueless about.... everything really. Phuket seemed "Big International Resort" culture & $$$$$. I know I can do better now, but is it worth 10 days or so?

And how about the town of Phuket where I gather the festival is, is it worth staying there a few nights, anything of interest there? I just appreciate that it seems less touristy, but I don't know that that translates to anything worth staying there for.

I've always been fascinated by the photos from Thaipusam & I'm wondering if its really something, or just another tourist trap these days?

[azza33]

If you thought Phuket was bad then .. its much worse now! - But i still love it and i love C & D

You gotta ask yourself a question, punk!

Am i a sex tourist? or Am i a tourist who likes sex?

If you are the former, go to Pattaya - if you are the latter, go to Phuket!!!

[farangbah]

Hi, El Hefe.

Beware: if this is the "vegetarian festival" I'm thinking of, where they aren't supposed to eat meat for like 10 days, they're also not supposed to have sex! And some actually stick to it.

As for your travel plans, posting on this page will garner you skewed results, of course, but might I suggest a little of both? Flights are really cheap, and only about an hour and 20mins. If you like it or don't, you can change your flight. In the past year I've done both four times, toggling between BKK/Patts and Phuket, and really enjoy it.

Phuket is indeed more touristy and more expensive -- for me, personally, I think it's the restaurants that get you the most. But I'm a beach man and enjoy bouncing around the island to the different beaches. Plus, the new C & Ds bar is one of the most enjoyable places in the ladyboy universe or elsewhere to call home.

I also looked into staying in Phuket town on my last trip last month, but ended up going against it -- rather drab and not much to do, imho.

Good luck with your planning. Hope you have fun.

cheers.

[Ivor Biggun]

I go along with what Farangbah says- Phuket town is very drab and not a lot to do. Vegetarian Festival causes chaos and most who can avoid town when its on. Why not mix and match, a few days in Phuket and a few days in Patts. Air Asia flights are very cheap at the moment. Some will always say Phuket is more expensive than Patts- I disagree but when I'm up there I'm in party mode and when I'm back here I'm in normal mode so it's all relative