I am off to Phuket for 11 days holiday next week.
Any tips on anything would be good.
Golf,booze,food,shopping.
Thanks

Depending on what you are up for, but I found that by staying away from the main town, I had a much more relaxing town in the outer skirts. We took a bus in to town at night and saw the island during the day.

Fantasea show is pretty good!

Eek

Manu,

i got back from Patong beach about a month ago. It was great for a holiday. Grog is pretty cheap most places. Food is really nice. Are you staying in patong beach? I liked the aussie bar to drink, food was ok and grog was cheap. Singah beer for about $2, how good is that? If you go to phi phi island, be sure to go by speedboat, fantasea is pretty good and we went on a siam safari tour thing were you go elephant treking and stuff. That was a half day tour and i really enjoyed it. Anyway mate have fun and if you want golf shirts and stuff you will find HEAPS. Just make sure you dont pay more than about 150 baht each though (about $6 – 7).

also, i didnt golf unfortunately, but from what i saw it looked very nice. It looks fairly expensive over there though from what i could see. about 5000 – 6000 baht for game and clubs (around $180 – $200). But i didnt look into it so you would proly find cheaper once over there. best of luck mate and have fun.

Thanks for the info boys.
I am staying in Patong at the Banthai beach resort.
Interesting to hear of the Golf shirts I will pick up a dozen at those prices. Are they decent quality? do they carry all the club brands, Callaway, Ping Cobra etc?
Are the traders like Bali or a bit more subdued. I stayed in patong 10 years ago it was quite laid back then not too much hassle from the hawkers.
I know they have to make a living and I don’t mind the bartering, but some are just too persistent.

I hired a car for a day and drove around. Can hire them at the beach. They ask for your passport as collateral. Don’t give it to them. Better to use something else. I used my drivers license. They didn’t see the irony in that :) When you hire a car, the tank will be empty. Don’t fill it more than ¼ to ½ tank. Can drive around the island at your leisure and see the whole place.

I second going to Fantasea. Good show. Also if you can, get out to Koh Phi Phi and do some reef snorkelling.

Prescription drugs are all over the counter there. If you so desire, grab some Viagra. Go real easy on that stuff though.

Traders are easy going. They don’t hound you like in Bali or other places, but it’s still customary to try and beat them down. Don’t engage in that and then walk away. They find it insolent.

Also don’t expect the shirts and stuff to be genuine. Simply put, they’re not. They’re still decent quality.

Some good clubs and stuff. I went into one just looking for a drink and a game of pool (wasn’t after a female companion). Challenged one of the girls there for a game. Winner’s shout. I gave her a flogging so she got the Mamasan. She was 5” nothing and looked rough as guts. Upped the anté to a jug of beer. She flogged me. Challenged her again and won again. Shared the beers with the Mamasan and the girls. When they closed I walked outside where some locals were having a late night street party – they were playing with a Sepak ball and invited me to join (I’m proficient with hacky-sacks). Was a very memorable night.

The population almost comletely consists of very friendly and honest people, unlike places like Bali where you get your fair share of con artists and arseholes.

Yeah the people are tops. Alot of indians and bhurmans etc over there who can be abit rude. I think the shorts are pretty good quality. I got some good silky style golf shorts and a few ralph lauren polos which are nice. Belts are cheap as too, i got a real nice leather belt for 150 baht. I found the hats to be crap quality and too long in the brim, so i didnt get any. Got a few visors which were good. Didnt see any clubs, but i wouldnt touch clubs over there. Have fun mate, its a top place!

Here’s a link to an earlier discussion that may help. I had a blast there.
Phuket Topic

Just got back. thanks for the advice boys.
Had a great time. rained a lot I mean a LOT.
Didn’t get to play a game. I don’t think it stopped raining for long enough.
Got a few nice knock off Callaway shirts for around $8-$10 each. My bartering is handicapped by my lovely nature.
I agree with the comments on the Indian and Burmese touts they can be a pain. They do a good impresson of an Aussie or Pom trying to get your business. All in all they are all trying hard to make a living, best of luck to them. The only touts I really disliked were the high powered Real estate sales men from The UK. Boy they could be a pain.
Back to reality a game of Golf today with my Dad, work on monday,great stuff.

With “ph” making an “f” sound, you have no clue how funny it is to read “I’m off to Phuket.”

With “ph” making an “f” sound, you have no clue how funny it is to read “I’m off to Phuket.”

“A star that shines twice as bright burns twice as fast.” – In memory of Greg Moore

Racinfarmer will be signing autographs at the mall from 3 to 5.

Does cause some funny pronunciations.
Lots of my mates pronounce the “PH” but the “U” as “OO” so we get foo ket as apposed to fucket actual pronunciations is.
Poo ket.
easy innit.