Phuket- Hostel or hotel?

Magenta

Hi all,

I am planning to visit Patong in Phuket in late March for about 10 days.
I am looking to do the following:

-4 day PADI Open Water course
-Horse riding
-Sea kayaking
-Day trips eg Phi Phi
-As much diving and snorkelling as I can
-Chilling on the beach, shopping, spa treatments

I am a single female travelling alone. For accomodation I am considering either a private room in a hostel, or going to a hotel. A lot of hotels are on special offer for 35-60 euro per night. Which would be better? I want to sit in common areas and meet people so a hostel would be better for that but I also am not looking to slum it, are there hostels that are nice and clean? Noise doesn't bother me so much but need somewhere where I can recharge the batteries

Thanks!

Oscars Well.

You're likely to get 4/5 nights accommodation included in the PADI course in many places so that'd give you an opportunity to meet plenty of people. After that you could stay on or go to a hotel/bungalow if you want some privacy

Magenta

What puts me off a hostel is that they don't have a pool, so to swim and chill I would need to go to the beach. All well and good but as a solo traveller, who will mind my stuff while I'm swimming? :eek:
So I think a hotel might be better? Can you drop in to hostels and spend time in their common areas without being a guest? Sorry if that's a stupid question.

duffman13

Magenta wrote: »

What puts me off a hostel is that they don't have a pool, so to swim and chill I would need to go to the beach. All well and good but as a solo traveller, who will mind my stuff while I'm swimming? :eek:
So I think a hotel might be better? Can you drop in to hostels and spend time in their common areas without being a guest? Sorry if that's a stupid question.

Why not sort out your PADI course before you go using TripAdvisor to make contact with some reputable companies. They will put you up usually for four or five nights then perhaps move to a nice hotel for the second five nights. Most hostels are fine to just stroll in and chill out.

Oscars Well.

Are you set on Phuket?

Koh Tao is the place to be for diving and is absolutely full of backpackers

Magenta

Oscars Well. wrote: »

Are you set on Phuket?

Koh Tao is the place to be for diving and is absolutely full of backpackers

I've heard Koh Tao is great for getting certified but that the diving itself isnt as good, less visibility? Also, I researched a lot of hotels there and it's more expensive and the reviews are very mixed.
I would consider Koh Samui though, anyone been there?
I wanna go somewhere where I can chill at the beach but also wander around the town during the day (not a huge sun worshipper and like to keep busy). Phuket seems to have everything.

Anita Blow

Koh Tao was literally the best part of my trip to Thailand. The place is paradise and Ban's Diving School on the island is the biggest in the world as far as I know. Could not recommend it or the diving experience there enough.

Oscars Well.

I haven't been to Phuket, only going on what I heard. Apparently it is full of Russians so making friends might be tricky :P :pac:

I didn't find Koh Tao particularly expensive but you're right, there's not a lot to do bar dive and drink haha

duffman13

Oscars Well. wrote: »

I haven't been to Phuket, only going on what I heard. Apparently it is full of Russians so making friends might be tricky :P :pac:

I didn't find Koh Tao particularly expensive but you're right, there's not a lot to do bar dive and drink haha

You need to stay in a hostel or a hotel a little of the beach otherwise Koh Tao is gonna be expensive. Phuket is grand but a bit sleazy, have you thought about basing yourself in Phi Phi? One of my favourite spots and a lot of young people on similar trips

Magenta

duffman13 wrote: »

You need to stay in a hostel or a hotel a little of the beach otherwise Koh Tao is gonna be expensive. Phuket is grand but a bit sleazy, have you thought about basing yourself in Phi Phi? One of my favourite spots and a lot of young people on similar trips

Yeah have considered Phi Phi, still looking into it.
I have read that Phuket has improved recently since the illegal sun loungers and restaurants were removed, apparently the Russians weren't too happy and there are less of them now. So Patong beach is less crowded now apparently. (This puts me off using the beach either though. I burn easily and need an umbrella).

http://www.phuket.com/phuket-magazine/phuket-beaches-clean-up.htm

Edit- as of Jan 2015, mats and umbrellas can be hired again

duffman13

Magenta wrote: »

Yeah have considered Phi Phi, still looking into it.
I have read that Phuket has improved recently since the illegal sun loungers and restaurants were removed, apparently the Russians weren't too happy and there are less of them now. So Patong beach is less crowded now apparently. (This puts me off using the beach either though. I burn easily and need an umbrella).

http://www.phuket.com/phuket-magazine/phuket-beaches-clean-up.htm

Edit- as of Jan 2015, mats and umbrellas can be hired again

I'm more thinking of the kind of crowd that will be around, Patong is ok with nice beaches and plentiful bars and restaurants. Phi Phi is the same but it's an Island which will be densely populated by people on the same kind of trip as you! Very easy for you to meet people and make some friends while there, IMO Phuket will be harder to find like minded people.

Have you booked flights etc?

justsomebloke

It's over 10 years since I was there but I'd advised staying away from Phuket. It really is like just going to the canaries. Phi Phi or Koh Tao were alot better, with Phi Phi being my favorite. Yes it will just be backpackers just it just has a much nicer vibe to it.

Magenta

Yep flights are booked, fly into and out of Phuket. No accommodation or anything else booked

Ed_Stephens

Samui is probably better for the diving and sea stuff, if you're set on Phuket then maybe consider staying outside of the Bangla nightlife area as may not be to your taste as a solo female traveler. For shopping there's probably more in Patong than Samui but the real place to go shopping in Bangkok although your schedule doesn't really allow for that.

For your budget definitely go with a hotel, at 2000 baht a night your in the 4*+ range so treat yourself to something nice, be warned though that massage and spa treatments are much more expensive in hotels than out and about, don't worry they are absolutely everywhere in Thailand.

If you want to mix and meet people the bars during the day can be good fun, the Bangla madness doesn't get going till around 10pm. It'll be easy to meet people when you're doing the tours, diving etc. I think you'll be surprised how many women travel solo.

Ed_Stephens

justsomebloke wrote: »

It's over 10 years since I was there but I'd advised staying away from Phuket. It really is like just going to the canaries. Phi Phi or Koh Tao were alot better, with Phi Phi being my favorite. Yes it will just be backpackers just it just has a much nicer vibe to it.

:rolleyes: The mind boggles.

Magenta

Ed_Stephens wrote: »

If you want to mix and meet people the bars during the day can be good fun, the Bangla madness doesn't get going till around 10pm.

I wanted to ask about this- I have heard some Thai women do this to er, get customers.... I assume that since I am visibly European, as long as I am wearing standard tourist attire people will know I'm not one of them?

Re- Bangkok, I have no interest in it. Looks too crazy for me.

Current itinery is as follows:

Day 1, 2, 3 PADI Course
Day 4 horse riding in Patong
Day 5 beach and spa in Patong
Day 6 head to Phi Phi islands
Day 9 head to Krabi OR do a liveaboard to the Similan islands
Day 13/14 back to Phuket to fly home

I'm not sure how to balance Patong and Phi Phi. My PADI course includes dives in Phi Phi, is it worth visiting and staying too yeah?

Package

Magenta wrote: »

Hi all,

I am planning to visit Patong in Phuket in late March for about 10 days.
I am looking to do the following:

-4 day PADI Open Water course
-Horse riding
-Sea kayaking
-Day trips eg Phi Phi
-As much diving and snorkelling as I can
-Chilling on the beach, shopping, spa treatments

I am a single female travelling alone. For accomodation I am considering either a private room in a hostel, or going to a hotel. A lot of hotels are on special offer for 35-60 euro per night. Which would be better? I want to sit in common areas and meet people so a hostel would be better for that but I also am not looking to slum it, are there hostels that are nice and clean? Noise doesn't bother me so much but need somewhere where I can recharge the batteries

Thanks!

Hotels all the way stay 5 star, nothing beats luxury. you need some hotel advice? private message me

Ed_Stephens

Magenta wrote: »

I wanted to ask about this- I have heard some Thai women do this to er, get customers.... I assume that since I am visibly European, as long as I am wearing standard tourist attire people will know I'm not one of them?

Re- Bangkok, I have no interest in it. Looks too crazy for me.


I'm not sure how to balance Patong and Phi Phi. My PADI course includes dives in Phi Phi, is it worth visiting and staying too yeah?

No you won't be confused, freelancers tend to operate at night and in agreement with the bars , like I said lots of females will travel solo so it's nothing new to see a European woman on her own in a bar.

The bars with ladies looking for customers are concentrated around Bangla road, most will be pretty hassle free especially if you're a woman, they'll probably be even friendlier and very jealous of your white skin. This isn't being racist as Thai's see white skin as a sign of status among their own. They can't figure out why we lie on the beach for hours wanting to get brown since this is a sign of poverty in their society. Keep an eye out for all the skin whitening products in the shops and pharmacies where we have fake tan. The outdoor bars are generally less hassle even though a lot of them are girly bars they may not be as sleazy as people are led to believe, it's usually the indoor gogo bars where the hassles are especially with touts and bill padding.

So things to do in Patong. Easy to do a tour of the island in a day, Big Buddha hill, Kata viewpoint and Wat Chalong temple are all worth a visit. There's lots of legit bars scattered around Bangla with free live music(Rock city was particularly good), shopping wise markets are everywhere and there's a Big C(Carrefour) shopping centre at the far end of Bangla(not the beach end). Phuket town itself is fairly mundane so I wouldn't be bothered. Karon is a town about ten minutes from Patong and offers a nice more compact nightlife.

You should see lots of Phi Phi island on your diving course so I don't think you'll need another organised tour of it. There's not a whole lot to see once they show you the place where James Bond was filmed. Sounds like you've a pretty packed schedule.