While doing research for the Phuket trip, lot’s of website and brochures that we browsed and read since it should be a free & easy trip. I am thinking to compile some useful and valid one as good future reference.  It’s a waste if spent days and nights research and just used for the few days trip. Don’t you think it is good to share it here too?

The very first research that I started with was the Phuket accomodation, where to stay. I do not aim for 5-star but I am not positive enough to sleep at bus stop too. Thus, getting a suitable and convenient place to stay is a must-do for a trip.

To determine what hotel to stay, first should know which part of Phuket that you want to stay. Check out the Phuket map below.

Map of Phuket Island with Beach location

Phuket Airport is at the north part of the Phuket Island. My flight will arrive at 7:30am. I plan to stay in Phuket town, the eastern side of the island as most of the day trip are free pick up from the town and I am not worry for the transportation as the bus terminal is located mid of the town.  I believe the town is a ‘gathering’ of most of the culture and Thai food, which I could explore easily.

Phuket City map

There are a numbers of hotel and apartment rental in the Phuket town. Checking through the price, I find that the apartment has a cheaper price compare to the hotel.  By looking at the photo of the apartment, I think it should be good enough for me. I sent email to Phuket Center Apartment, SP Mansion, and Ekkamon Mansion. Phuket Center Apartment(800THB/night twin room) and Ekkamon Mansion (600THB/night twin room) responded. However, when ask for further query, PCA did not reply. Ekkamon Mansion require online full pre-payment to secure the booking. I suppose it is ok but I actually found Mook Anda Place when browsing Thaiways Magazine. I sent email to Mook Anda Place and Ann replied, room for 800THB is available. I asked further and she said that, payment will be made upon check-in. So, here it goes, we are going to stay at Mook Anda Place for 4D/3N. By the way, it has free WIFI!

It actually took us 2 weeks time to research on the accommodation for the 6D/5N trip. What activity that we plan to do will affect where we want to stay in a way. We plan to do a 2D/1N at Phi Phi Island (min 2000THB/pax). Having a 3D/2N (min 2900THB/pax) is a luxury that we can’t afford with 6 days that we have as we plan to spend some days for cultural/city tour besides the swimming and snorkeling.  By the way, hotel in Phi Phi Island is way too much over-priced compare to the hotel in Phuket Island.

Transportation in Phuket Island

Basically, distance is not far in the island. There are a few transport that would be important for tourist like you and me.

1. Airport bus – there is bus station of the left when exit the airport. Bus goes to several destinations: Phantep Condo, Suraku Stadium, Complex (Central, Big C, Lotus), Boat Lagoon, Heroines Monument, Pranang Sang Temple, Indigo Pearl Hotel, airport, city bus terminal.  From terminal to airport cost 85THB and vice versa.

2. Local bus to beaches – located at Ranong Rd. near to the fresh market.  It’s near by the Phuket Backpacker hostel too.  We took the bus here to Patong beach for 25THB/pax.  The bus fare is fixed and stated on the board near the driver seat.

3. Songteow – it’s everywhere and you can get it for any price, negotiable and reasonable.  However, they might start with some expensive price and expect you to negotiate for a lower price.  They would bring you anywhere in the town as no route fixed.

4. Tuk-tuk – famous in Thailand but pricy vehicle to travel on. Always negotiate before say ‘yes’.

5. Mini bus/van – There is mini bus that transfer people from airport to hotel in Phuket. From airport to city, it was 100THB. However, you need to wait until the whole mini bus is full before depart.

6. Taxi – it’s worth if travel in group for a taxi. Again, negotiate.  Well, most of the taxi is Toyata Camry model.

How I plan my trip?

By the schedule, we will be in Phuket for the first 3 days. 4th day and 5th day will be at Phi Phi Island and back to Phuket on 5th day evening. On 5th night, we might be at Patong beach. 6th day is the last day and we will be flying back to Kuala Lumpur, in the afternoon.

Using Google map

While planning the schedule, accommodation and activity to do, I would like to find out, how far it is from a location to the place-to-be. This would help me determine the time to travel and what is the transportation available. In this area, Google Map helps me a lot.  There is a function to calculate the distance between 2 spots on the map by defining the start and destination locations.  However, this would work in the satellite mode Google map. As what I am aware of, not all the location on the Google map has such information yet. The calculation might be an approximate value, but I think it is good enough for me to familiarize a little bit more about a place I have never been.

[Chapters]

Home

Day 1 – Phuket City tour

Day 2 – Phang Nga Bay (marvellous view of Phang Nga Bay!!! James Bond Island at Ao Phang Nga National Park)

Day 3 – Phuket City tour 2 + Patong Beach (by local bus!)

Day 4 – Island hoping 2 (Koh Khai Nui + Maya Bay + Loh Samah Bay + Pileh Cove + Viking Cave + Phi Phi Don Ton Sai Bay + Monkey Beach) + Phuket FantaSea Show

Day 5 –  City tour (Sea Gypsy Village + Abalone Farm + Wat Chalong + Phromthep Cape beautiful sunset!)

Day 6 – Heroine Monument & back to KL

Bonus – location & transport  (Tips on travelling to Phuket!)