1 PHUKET: A "HOW TO" GUIDE BEFORE YOU LEAVE (updated 10 June 2019)

WITH THIS POST I WANT TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCES WITH LOCAL SOUTH AFRICANS. I HAVE BEEN VISITING PHUKET FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND WANT TO MAKE IT A BIT EASIER  FOR YOU GUYS TO DO YOUR ARRANGEMENTS. IF I REFER TO, OR LINK TO A HOTEL OR OTHER SITE, IT  IS JUST FOR INFORMATION. I DO NOT GET ANYTHING IN THE POCKET FOR IT. THIS IS A FREE BLOG AND I ACTUALLY AM ADVERTISING THEM FOR FREE (LOL). 

MORE ABOUT PHUKET

Phuket (correctly pronounced as "POO KHIT") is a rather large island (40km long x 24km wide - as the crow flies) just off the mainland.  Driving by scooter from top to bottom, however, can take the whole day because the roads are winding through forests and hills. Rather cheap, although Phuket is regarded as the most expensive provinces in Thailand.

So, you want to visit the beautiful island of Phuket, Thailand. Here under I will give some tips for our South Africans wishing to go on holiday there. I have been going there for the past 9 years and pretty much know by now the pitfalls and things to take note of.

Since the day I set my foot on Thailand soil I knew that this place has stolen my heart .... and every year when I visit, the same excitement fills my stomach ... I AM GOING HOME - my home away from home.

The main area to stay in, if you are a first time visitor, surely will be PATONG BEACH. This is where everything happens... beach life, night life, malls, night markets and shopping. PATONG BEACH is crazy, hectic, happening and mad. I LOVE IT.

The west side of the island is the popular tourist beach areas. Here you will find beaches for every liking. Not one beach is the same. Each has their own uniqueness with own sand texture, scenery, water colour and remoteness vs crowdedness.  

Thailand is one of the few countries where the South African Rand (ZAR) is still stronger than the visiting country' s currency! (Dunno for how long though looking at the immense nose dive of our Rand) At the time of writing the ZAR vs THB (Thai Baht) is standing at 2.16; hence for every Rand you get 2.16THB. There was a time when the exchange rate was 4.3 !!!!!!! (sad, sad, sad that our Rand has deteriorated so much...). Unfortunately Thailand is no longer a very cheap place, but you still can have a magnificent holiday if you plan correctly. (To the right of this post you can see the current updated exchanged rate).

VISA FOR THAILAND

South Africans DO NOT NEED A VISA to enter the Kingdom of Thailand. You can stay in Thailand for up to 30 days without a visa. You do however need a valid passport on condition that it does not expire within 6 months of entering Thailand. BUT PLEASE MAKE A CERTIFIED COPY (OR FEW) OF YOUR PASSPORT AND CARRY THAT ALL THE TIME WITH YOU. I usually keep my passport locked in my hotel room safe. If you are stopped for whatever reason by tourist police you have to show your passport and a certified copy thereof will also be accepted. They do random checks to see if people are not overstaying their visas. As I said we dont need a visa for up to 30 days but some tourists enjoy it so much they overstay their passport stamp!!!!

TRAVEL AGENCIES

NEVER, and I repeat, NEVER go through a travel agency to book your flights and hotel and trip!!!! You WILL end up paying much, much more!!!! Trust me on this one.

Since my first visit I always do all my travel arrangements myself. It is much cheaper and it really is NOT that difficult.

WHEN TO VISIT PHUKET

First decide when you want to go. Phuket has 3 periods that you need to be fully aware of. It all depends on your own preference. The following is just a guideline. Each person has his own requirements.

PEAK SEASON: November to February. This is considered the Cool Season.

This is the perfect time to spend the day relaxing on one of the gorgeous beaches in Phuket and enjoying water sports in the mirror calm sea. You can then party it out till the wee hours of the morning at one of the many nightclubs.

Mostly perfect weather (MOSTLY,  considering each year the weather patterns change in the world due to climate changes) BUT also the most expensive time to go. Hotel prices can be as much as 100% higher! This is also the time when Europe has their winter holidays, so the island is jam packed with European and Eastern tourists. You struggle to find place to sit on the beaches and bargain hunting in the markets becomes almost impossible ("If you don't buy then another tourist will" attitude).

The cool season (cool as in tropical standards that is) is from November to February. The north-east winds start sometime in November bringing an end to the rainy season. The cool season is the best time of year to visit Phuket. There is lots of blue sky, very little rainfall, lower humidity and the temperatures are comfortably hot. This is Phuket's high-season with the peak of visitors coming over the Christmas and New Year period. The last 2 to 3 years unusual rainfall however did occur over this period.

This is the coolest season in Phuket after the Monsoon rains are over. With the best weather, naturally, this is also the busiest time with most tourists planning their trips around this period. The temperature varies around 23°C and 30°C, but the "feel as" temperatures are still low 30s with much lower humidity. While December is the coolest month in Phuket, February is considered to be the driest. But don't be fooled, as I said above, weather in the world is changing and lately Phuket received a lot of rain in December, something not usual for this time of the year.

HIGH SEASON: March to mid-May. The Hot Season

My favourite time to go!!!

These are considered as the hottest months in Phuket just before monsoon hits the island. The temperatures vary in the mid-thirties, with humidity levels steadily on the rise (not a problem with South Africans - we know temperatures in the mid-thirties!)

The weather is dry and the skies blue but some people (Europeans/Asians) find the temperature is a little too hot for comfort. This is mid-season for Phuket. There are still a lot of visitors but the hotels start to lower their rates around this period as demand drops.

LOW SEASON: Mid-May to October. The Rainy season.

The six months of the rainy season are Phuket's low-season. Hotel rates are slashed and you can generally get lower prices from tour operators, vehicle rentals, boat trips, etc. The months June, July and August are still a popular time to visit as people take advantage of the low season prices. May, September and October are quieter as it is just too wet for most people.The monsoon winds from the southwest start in April or May and bring the rain. The highest rainfall comes in May, September and October. 

In these months it can rain for long periods and flooding is at the norm of the day. These three months are definitely not the time of year to go if you want sun or outdoor activities. However, 

June, July and August are good months to visit. During these three months, there will be plenty of rain but it usually falls in short heavy bursts. In between, the weather is pleasant with comfortable temperatures and a cooling breeze. There will often be periods of several days without any rain. 

One important warning. The rainy season winds bring large waves and dangerous undercurrents to Phuket's western beaches. Every year around 20 people drown during Phuket's rainy season. Red flags are raised on the beaches to warn of dangerous conditions. Do not swim in the sea if there are red flags. The chances of boat tours to neighbouring islands being cancelled are high.

SO WHY DON'T I RECOMMEND USING A TRAVEL AGENCY 

First of all travel agencies always have these "specials" ..... Yea right, because when you do inquire, all those specials are suddenly not available anymore. Travel Agencies ALWAYS have these hidden costs attached to plane tickets. NEVER EVER could they beat the price that I found myself on the internet! And their "specials" are mostly in the low, monsoon time...

Book your own flights!!!!!! I make use of TRAVELSTART http://www.travelstart.co.za/  a local booking site to scan the prices. Steer away from overseas flight finders. Then I also go unto the official airline sites as well. I play around these sites until I find a flight suitable to my liking.

Travel Agencies double charge you for hotels!!!!! 

Travel and Tourist Agencies charge you a room per person. Hotels in Phuket charge per room sleeping 2.

The sites where I ALWAYS book my hotels in Phuket are:

www.booking.com and www.hotels.com . 

Both these sites have excellent specials and you can see the price  you are paying in ZAR!!! If you join up (free) and get a password, you even get hidden specials for members, as well as free nights (I have been using them for 9 years and not once experienced any problems. These 2 sites are extremely secure!!! Both are endorsed by my bank as being a safe and secure environment! ALWAYS PLAY AROUND BETWEEN THE TWO BECAUSE CERTAIN HOTELS ARE CHEAPER ON THE ONE SITE THAN THE OTHER ONE AT TIMES.

Travel Agencies always want you to take out their additional travel insurance packages (R800 to R1000 per person) .... guess what ...... if you book your flight on your credit card, you get free travel insurance from your bank! Even if you want to take out a higher cover, rather do it at the bank of whose credit card you use to make the flight booking.

Travel Agents always have these "perfect" hotels they want to book you at. Believe me THEY ARE NOT PERFECT. These hotels give the agency a behind the scene low price and they  sell it to you much higher. AGAIN, NO TRAVEL AGENCY THUS FAR IN 9 YEARS COULD BEAT THE PRICE I GOT  MYSELF!! (For the hell of it I always approach different travel agencies as well to see what is on offer - they ALWAYS came way last.

BEFORE YOU BOOK YOUR PLANE

You must have a valid passport! You have to fill in your passport number when you book your tickets before you can choose a specific seat to be allocated. 

UPDATE 12 MARCH 2019: Since Feb 2019 you can no longer choose your seat on Etihad, Emirates, Singapore or Qatar Airlines. If you want a specific seat YOU HAVE TO PAY EXTRA (HEFTY) TO CHOOSE!! What a bummer. You can choose a seat only 24 hours before the flight if you book in online or wait untill you book in your luggage at the airport counter.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A VALID PASSPORT

Applying for one has become extremely easy. You can apply online and have your biometric (potos, fingerprints) done at designated banks (FNB, ABSA etc). Payment is online and you uplift your passport within 14 days at the bank. Here is the guide on how to register and apply online:

https://ehome.dha.gov.za/eChannel/Content/HowToGuide.pdf
Read through above and then register here: 
https://ehome.dha.gov.za/echannel 

TIPS BEFORE YOU BOOK YOUR FLIGHT

This step is crucial - Believe me - so thoroughly scan the flight itinerary on offer!

• Check how many stop-overs you have on the flight. Sometimes the price is like R400 cheaper, but you will have at least 2 stop-overs that might cause you to also land in Bangkok apart from the carrier's home base (Dubai, Doha etc). Not a train smash, but it can get pretty long sitting on air plane seats. And depending on the stopover time, the total time from departing in JHB to landing in Phuket can be like 21 hours!!!!!

• Check how long the stop-overs are. Sometimes prices can also be a hundred or so Rand cheaper BUT your stopover can be 6 hours or even longer. Remember, during stopovers you cannot leave the airport to see a bit of that country because you will need a VISA. Now is paying R1500 per visa worth it to go into Dubai or Doha for 2 to 4 hours? I recommend a stopover between and hour and two hours. Anything less and you will have to run like crazy between boarding gates and security checks.

 BOOKING YOUR FLIGHT

For  years  now I never paid more than R 6 500 for a return ticket to Phuket. Yea, yea I fly economy! With the current utterly poor value of the Rand, the price has escalated a bit but it is still under R9000 (even still R7000 in specials if you happen to stumble upon a short period "1 day" special). Now in 2019 I found an Etihad flight for R7200 return!

Emirates has the shortest flight times available followed by Singapore Air, Etihad Air and Qatar Air. I have flown all four and all are excellent. QATAR's aircraft seat space is just a little bit less than the others; and somehow there is mostly a delay with their flights from Doha. Cathai Pacific has the worst seats ever. The seat does not recline, instead the seat part itself just moves forward. Not nice.

I usually start scanning aircraft prices about six months prior to departure time. Prices vary daily and sometimes throughout the day. Persevere because that "special" you are looking for will pop out sooner or later.

Anyway, type in different dates on the website and play  around and see what will be your cheapest flight. The word of mouth around frequent flyers are that you must  try and book your flights on a Wednesday because that is when aircraft companies put out specials. For me personally, I check daily (sometimes 3 times  a day) every day until I find a price suitable to me! 

TAKE YOUR TIME ... START SEARCHING EARLY ... EVEN IF YOU MONITOR FOR 3 MONTHS! JUST DON'T WAIT FOR THE LAST MINUTE!!! If you book early, way in advance, you have the luxury of selecting the best seat in the aircraft!!!!!

A tip: CLEAR YOUR BROWSER'S COOKIES 

I use a small and free cleaner app called CCLEANER. Booking sites store your browsing details and IP address as cookies on your computer. So going in and out of hotels on their sites leave a footprint and the site stores these footprints. You will find that prices are always a little bit higher each time you return to that specific hotel (or airline flight booking date)

BY CLEARING YOUR COOKIES YOU WILL BE SEEN AS A FIRST TIME VISITOR, AND BELIEVE ME THE PRICES ARE CHEAPER. Don't believe me? Try it and see.

Stay away from Ethiopian Air, South African Airways and Rwanda Air!!!!!!!!! Our own SAA is NEVER the cheapest! They also do not have flights landing in Phuket and all will take you to Bangkok.

For me sitting on an airport for longer than 3 hours is a NO NO - even if I do have the life saving AIRPORT LOUNGE ACCESS CARD (DRAGON PASS) from ABSA!

IMPORTANT: I repeat, do not book a flight that has just an hour or less stopover. You have to change planes, go through Security Scan and then board at the next departure gate. This process takes a minimum of 1 hour and you really do not want to run between terminals. Also, what if your flight is delayed? A safe bet is a minimum of 2 hours stop-over.

I also, at the same time, scan the official airline sites as well because there you might even find the price to be cheaper than on TRAVELSTART. 

So you see, PLAY AROUND .... YOU WILL FIND THE BEST PRICE EVENTUALLY. Some airlines do not fly directly to Phuket but will land in Bangkok. From their your onward travel to the island will mostly be on Bangkok Air. This flight will be part of your booking itinerary.

Time of landing in Phuket. Try and book a flight that lands in Phuket in the afternoon between 12 midday and about 20:00 the evening. 

Reason Why: You can only book into your Phuket hotel from 15:00 (3pm) onward. No fun hanging around the lobby for a few hours after 14 hours of flight and a time difference of 5 hours!!!!!  Remember,  it takes at least an hour to go through customs / immigration in Phuket and then it takes another 45 minutes  from the airport to your hotel in Patong Beach!!

Time of departure from Phuket. Try and book your return flight also between 10am and 3pm. 

Reason Why: You have to vacate your hotel room NOT LATER THAN 12 noon! So what are  you going to do if you only fly at night and you sit with all your luggage? Some hotels do let you leave your stuff in their lobby area until you leave BUT YOUR HOTEL ROOM IS GONE ... so NO SHOWER AND FRESHEN UP before your fly. Remember, PHUKET IS HUMID AND HOT!! Or you will have to pay for an additional night to spend your time in your room until departure. A very early flight is also not recommended because that will mean checking out very early ... not all hotels have a 24hr front desk!

The tips above is only a guideline. Don't let it put you off in booking a flight if it means saving a couple of thousands!

The best airlines (according to my experience and in order of preference) to fly to Phuket from Johannesburg is:

EMIRATES: 

(online booking at http://www.emirates.co.za)

ETIHAD: 

(online booking at http://www.etihad.com) Ethihad also flies directly to Phuket with a stopover in Abu Dhabi (beautiful airport by the way). Some flights have two stopovers and you will also  stop in Bangkok. Update June 2019: Sadly and with regret I have to air my dissatisfaction with Etihad service. Flew with them in May 2019 and as such will think twice in booking a seat with the again soon. Here are the reasons:

• You cannot book a preferred seat upfront anymore. You will have to pay at least R300 per leg of flight if you want to select a seat. The airline now assigns at random a seat for you. 
• Etihad is in the process of taking out all their TV monitors in the backs of seats. There seats are becoming even more slimline and they will only provide you for a bracket where you can put your smart phone in or a tab. From there you must purchase wifi to connect to their streaming of movies. (Our flight still had the old seats with the TV monitors, but about 14 monitors on the flight waere broken ......... So people were complaining.
• The food on Etihad has become really pathetic. You get a small amount of food, really it is literally two bites worth. No more things like side salad, rolls, cheese etc. They introduced a new money making business on board (Like Kulula). If you want anything additional you have to buy it in Durhams. One round of drink, thats it. If you want water you have to go and fetch it yourself in the galley.

QATAR:

(online booking at http://www.qatarairways.com) Qatar also flies direct to Phuket with a stopover in Doha

SINGAPORE AIR:

(online booking at http://www.singaporeair.com) Singapore Air has a stopover in Singapore, landing in Phuket.

There are other airlines like CATHAY PACIFIC AIRLINES  that you can fly with, BUT your flight time will be extremely long. With Cathay you fly to Hong Kong for about 14 hours non-stop. Then you fly back to Phuket another 3 hours. But hell, if you get a flight on Cathay Pacific for R2000 less, BOOK IT! A small price to pay for a lot of saving!!!!

CHINA AIR also comes up with BRILLIANT price tags to Phuket. BUT OPEN YOUR EYES. There is one flight daily from Johannesburg to Beijing ... and from there one flight to Phuket. LOOK AT THE STOPOVER TIME ...13 hours stopover in Beijing after a 15 hour flight from Johannesburg. And you cannot leave the airport because you need a VISA to enter!!!!!! NOT SO NICE ANYMORE, RIGHT! 

Ok, now you found your PERFECT flight. So book your ticket. Have available your passport because you need to complete the online flight booking details in full. 

DOUBLE CHECK YOUR DETAILS YOU ENTER ON THE SITE - ONCE BOOKED IT IS HELL TO HAVE YOUR DETAILS CHANGE - SO TYPE YOUR DETAIL EXACTLY AS IT APPEAR IN YOUR PASSPORT. Once you have your booking confirmation and booking reference, log into the airline site and reserve your seat.

Try and avoid seats at the back of the plane: (Update June 2019) The following is only applicable if you are prepared to pay much more for your ticket to be able to choose your own seat ....... and certain seats are more expensive than others!  In general, the front of the plane is the quietest, because you are in front of the engines (though there will be some noise for a few seconds when the front landing gear is lowered or raised). The middle of the plane is noisier because of the engines, but is smoother. The back of the plane is both noisy and bumpy.

Try and avoid seats close to the galley (kitchen). For a day flight being here may be an advantage, since you can receive service more easily, or in business class, perhaps serve yourself. But on night flights, the noise can be a nuisance.

Bulkhead Seats. The bulkhead is a dividing wall between cabins. If you have a seat facing this, then you will probably get more legroom, but also bear in mind that this is where babies often travel in bassinets - and no amount of leg room compensates for a noisy baby on a night flight. Also make sure not to sit in the row in front of the bulkhead, since the recline of your seat may be fixed or restricted.

But besides the "uncontrollable" things, there are some guidelines in choosing the best seat.

Window or isle?: Both have advantages. If you like to stretch your legs during a flight, an aisle seat is good for you. Bear in mind though, that this may be enforced upon you if the person in the window seat wants to get out of their seat. If you prefer to be undisturbed, then the window seat is probably best.

Airlines flying from South Africa have the following seat layouts:

EMIRATES layout is 3 x 4 x 3. This means 3 seats on the sides and 4 seats in the middle. So unless you are 3, there will always be a stranger sitting next to you if you sit on the sides.

ETIHAD layout is 3 x 3 x 3

QATAR layout 3 x 3 x 3

SINGAPORE AIR layout: 3 x 3 x 3

Seats very close to a toilet. Believe me these seats are the worst. Not only will you hear the constant slamming of the door but most of the time there will be people standing next to your seat queuing for the toilet.

My personal choice is to try and select a seat (oh yes, you can no longer select a seat unless you pay more for it on Etihad and Emirates) as close to the front but at least 4 rows away from a toilet (if there is one). Reason being when the cabin crew come with their trolleys, they start serving from the front. You will always be assured of selecting the meal you want. If you sit far at the back, you might have to be satisfied with what is left on the trolley and the drinks are not that cold or hot anymore!

Also if you have a short stopover and you sit in front (or close to the front), you will disembark much faster. Disembarking from the front to the back can easily be a time difference of 10 minutes because every one needs to take out their cabin luggage from the over-heads. Also sit on the left side of the plane as the main exit door of the aircraft is ALWAYS on the left.

AVOID THE YELLOW SEATS IF POSSIBLE

BOOKING YOUR HOTEL

Always book your hotel AFTER you booked your air ticket. Reason being that the air ticket will be the most expensive of the two and you do not want to be bound by hotel dates before you book the aircraft. That will mean you cannot choose the cheapest flight available because you already booked hotels! 

I only start booking my hotel about 2 months before departure unless a real good special comes up. Then you have enough time  to also scan for that hotel specials that comes up periodically. It would just be plain dumb to book hotels before you have a confirmed flight anyway!!!

Now that you have your air ticket sorted, the hunt for your hotel begins. Again, play around for a while because  specials come up regularly. 

WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME WHEN LOOKING AT A HOTEL

There are over 610 hotels (and growing by the month) in Patong Beach alone ....... so browse and find one that will suit you!!!! Don't just go on the pictures shown of the hotel. Read the reviews. I prefer reading the hotel reviews on TRIPADVISOR - much more accurate. You will find that the Chinese and Ausie reviews are almost always NEGATIVE! don't know why. Guess some people only want to pay for a scooter but expects it to be a Ferrari!!! 

PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM TRIVAGO ..... do yourself a favour .... read the reviews of tourists that booked via Trivago ...... more negative than positive.

What works for me in booking a hotel is two websites that I utterly trust and have been using ever-since my first trip abroad. I always use BOOKING.COM and HOTELS.COM.

Why these two sites specifically?

Firstly the price they show is the price you pay. It always includes all the relevant taxes of Thailand. 

You will notice that you get different options when choosing a room. These options go hand in hand with different price tags. You will normally find that the cheapest (way cheaper) option is to book the room non-refundable.

That means when you book, its done ..... no changes or refunds. The room will also be offered at an increased price allowing you to still make cancellations or changes FREE of CHARGE. I know by now where I want to stay and how the hotel's service is, so I just book the non-refundable room (same as with my aircraft). That is the risk you have to take! The decision is yours. 

VERY IMPORTANT: Some hotel prices do not include breakfast and some hotels do. Make sure when you tick the box on the room you want to book that it specifies exactly your requirement (you also get the option to choose queen size or two twin beds!)

Both these sites (Booking.com and Hotels.com) show your price in ZAR and it already includes all costs (10% Service Charge and 7% Government Tax).  The price you see is the price you pay.

There are other sites i.e. AGODA.COM and ASIAWEB.COM, but the taxes are only added when you book and have to pay. NASTY SURPRISE.

What is nice about the booking sites is that you can see on a map exactly where the hotels are located. 3-star Hotels are like 4 star hotels in SA but cost what a local 1 or 2 star will cost!

Make a list of your requirements! All hotels are within walking distance from the beaches but obviously beach front hotels are more expensive. The hotel just a street from the beach can be as much as R300 cheaper per night.

It is actually safe to say that a 3-star hotel in Phuket would cater well for the average South African. Just be aware that if you want glitz and glamour you will pay exactly for that. You are on an island that needs exploring so why do you want to pay for a 5-star, top of the range hotel if you are basically just going to sleep there? If you just want to sit at the hotel and in the hotel pool, why do you travel so many kilometers to an island then? 

Personally for me, when I look at a hotel, the following is a definite requirement but should not always have to be a necessity for everybody. So when scanning the hotels on the sites, make sure you look at all the information given about them:

• POOL. You need to cool off in the heat when returning from the beach. Remember, day temperatures and night temperatures are almost the same. Nothing as refreshing after a day at the beach to cool off in a fresh water pool with an ice cold Singha beer in your hand.

• BREAKFAST. I prefer a good breakfast early in the morning so I can hit the road by 8am to catch the best spot on the beaches. If you first have to look for a place that serves breakfast, then time is wasted. Remember in Thailand most of the shops only opens at 10 am and closes around midnight. BUT, after 4 days the breakfasts do tend to become boring ... and there are numerous nice, cheap and very safe to eat food vendors on the streets.

• SIZE OF HOTEL. Personally I prefer a smaller Boutique Hotel. For me this is better because it is more quiet and the pool is not crowded. Attention to guests becomes much more personal.

• LIFT / ELEVATOR. Oh yes. There needs to be a lift in the hotel for me. Believe me climbing three or more flight of stairs a couple of times daily is no fun. There are hotels that do not have a lift. Most of these hotels also do NOT have air conditioning in the corridors, so climbing stairs becomes hell, especially in the Phuket humidity.

• DISTANCE FROM THE BEACH.  Not that it really matters, but in Patong Beach there are a lot of cheaper hotels a short walk away from the beach. This is really no problem BUT when these hotels are up the hill and you have to walk up in that heat... Having a scooter then NO PROBLEM. Check the maps on the sites and see where the hotel is located.I personally will be hesitant to book a hotel higher up than Nanai Road. Anywhere below that is ok. From Nanai Road it is about 200m to the beach.

WHAT IS WORKING FOR ME MIGHT NOT BE FULLY COMPLIANT TO YOUR PREFERENCE. You  get from very expensive 5-star hotels to the absolute 1-star backpacker hotels. Both of these get excellent or very poor ratings... depending on the requirement.

As I mentioned before, I am visiting Phuket on a yearly basis and I always try to stay in a different hotel (just my preference as this way I meet the most awesome people working in the hotels).

I prefer smaller boutique hotels. The bigger the hotel, the more noise. I prefer quiet. Really browse the hotels on the two sites I have provided. My taste might not be yours.

There are so many excellent hotels in Phuket that you must explore by yourself. Just keep your basic requirements at hand and try and search for those requirements. The booking sites also give you the option to select preferences, i.e. pool. breakfast, star grading, review scores etc etc.

Do play around on the two sites. Read the reviews. If  you want a really true review of the hotel, search the hotel name on TRIPADVISOR!

I personally do not mind where my hotel is located in Patong Beach because I hire a scooter, so distance from things are no issue!!! At 200THB per day (R75), the scooter is a steal! As long as the place is clean, I have got no worries. In 8 years of staying in different hotels in Patong Beach I not once had a bad experience!

HOTELS I STAYED IN (AND THOROUGHLY ENJOYED)

APK RESORT AND SPA: My first Hotel I stayed in was APK Resort and Spa. I found this hotel fabulous with the most awesome service. Close to everything and around the corner of the Jungceylon Mall. That, however was 8 years ago. And in Phuket thing changes overnight. I hear that this hotel changed ownership and that the service declined a bit - again, hearsay. What I did notice is that the hotel rate is in no way that cheap anymore.

GU HOTEL: This was my second hotel and ever since I stayed in it, it has changed ownership twice!! click here. When I stayed here it was called Sunsabai Hotel. Later it changed to WE Hotel and now I see it is GU Hotel. Oh well. Again when I stayed there it was one absolute fab hotel. Also I noticed that the price per night increased drastically!Also it is smack centre to the ever increasing nightlife area now. So maybe not that nice anymore. The rooftop pool however is a dream!

AUSTRIAN GARDEN HOTEL. I stayed here twice (yea I know, against my norm) ...... until it was upgraded and renovated ..... and the price increased heavily. THE MOST BEST STAY I EVER HAD IN PHUKET. This hotel is a stone throw from the beach and in a peaceful quiet area. I became personal friends with the owner and his adorable Thai wife. The service is absolutely outstanding. Click here. The food is gorgeous, te pool is gorgeous and the staff SUPER gorgeous.

Club One Seven (an exclusive LGBT Hotel). Note this hotel is for LGBT exclusively although not essential. I became personal friends with the manager, Danny. Unfortunately he left the hotel and I hope the outstanding service is still the same. The restaurant has won the most awards on TRIPADVISOR. The hotel is a boutique hotel, no lift, and the interior very OTT. But I loved it. You are treated literally as family. Not the cheapest either, but if you want privacy, this is the place for you. NO under 18s allowed to stay in this hotel. Click here for more info.

THAI SIAM HOTEL. What a gem of a hotel. Fabulous rooftop pool. Wonderful owners. No breakfast though, but right next door is the most wonderful restaurant that serves the cheapest and most delicious meals. Breakfast menu is big choice. They are open from 7am. Click here. Again this year (2019) I have booked this hotel. The owner/manager, Gilles and his wife are absolute gems. My third stay at this small hotel. Oh yes, the Malin Plaza Food Court is right around the corner where you get the most fabulous food and the most ediculous cheap prices! The choice of food is so much that you can eat  something else every night (western foods to the most exquisite thai dishes). 

MALIN PLAZA FOOD COURT

MONEY MONEY MONEY

ATM WITHDRAWAL IN PHUKET

The Thai Baht has the same denominations like the Rand (1, 5, 10,  20, 50, 100, 500, 1000). So working with the value is not a problem.

Just make sure your card has a 4-digit  pin!!!!! Thailand ATMs only accepts 4 digits!!! Confirm with your bank! If you do have a 5-digit pin (like Nedbank has), then dropping the last digit in Thailand is all there is to it.

WARNING: Unlike in South Africa, A Thailand ATM first dispenses you your money and then the card!!!! So don't forget to take your card. Not once in 9 years have I had any problem withdrawing from an ATM with my ABSA credit cards. 

• Credit Cards are very safe to use for any ATM bank displaying the CIRRUS sign withdrawal in Thailand.

• You can also exchange some South African Rand (ZAR) in South Africa for Thai Baht (THB = ฿) before you depart. ABSA, FNB and BIDVEST sell Thai Baht. The best exchange rate for obtaining Thai Baht is currently at FNB ....... the worst rate is ABSA ...... every cent counts!!!! 

• You have an option at many other banks to obtain Dollars. WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THIS!!!!!!! Firstly you will pay a conversion fee for Rand to Dollar. Secondly you AGAIN will pay a conversion fee from Dollar to Thai Baht in Thailand.

• Take ZAR notes with you and exchange them in Phuket for THB at exchange kiosks accepting ZAR. YES YOU CAN EXCHANGE THE ZAR FOR THB IN THAILAND. But it must be NEW CRISPY NOTES.

• World Currency Card (Bidvest Bank has the only travel card that loads Thai Baht - the other banks only load the three top currencies - Dollars, Pounds and Euros). Pre-load different currencies on one card and use the card as a debit card at ATMs abroad.

ATMs are widely available all over Phuket (ALMOST EVERY CORNER HAS SOME) and the exchange rate to withdraw from the ATM over there is much better than what you will get by exchanging money here upfront. 

VERY IMPORTANT: Note that many ATMs may offer to automatically convert the charge to your home currency. Refuse this option. This is Dynamic Currency Conversion and the exchange rate will be considerably higher (on the order of 5-7%) than the rate if chosen to use the Thailand currency. So if an ATM asks "Convert to [South African currency]?" just choose "no."

Make sure your daily withdrawal limit per day on your cards are INCREASED on your cards!!!!!No use you have locally a R1000 daily withdrawal limit. That means your will only be able to withdraw 2000฿. Remember, you have to withdraw much more per transaction and keep it in your hotel room safe to avoid making numerous smaller withdrawals in Thailand and pay 200฿ every time ATM fees!

AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE OPENED YOUR CARDS FOR INTERNATIONAL USE AT YOUR BANK PRIOR TO DEPARTURE!

Very Important: Also have your cards opened for use in the country where your stop over will be (United Arab Emirates, Qatar  etc). Although you might only have a 2 hour stop over, the connecting flight might be delayed and you will be stuck for more that 2 hours on that airport. Murphy's Law WILL make you thirsty or hungry and without international access to your card in that country, you will have NO BUYING POWER! 

Rather safe than sorry. If you don't need to buy anything, then great. Always be prepared for the unexpected.

Most ATMs in Thailand allow you to withdraw up to ฿20 000  per transaction (Bangkok Bank allows up to ฿25 000). 

My personal choice is to withdraw the maximum amount per withdrawal and keep in in my in-room safe. This will last me at least a week.

Cons: Your card balance will not be visible on the ATM slip!!!! It can take up to 24hrs to reflect in South Africa. So you can check your balance online on your banking site. You pay a ฿200 ATM fee per withdrawal. ATMs in Thailand will not reveal your balance left on your card. Remember it may only reflect the next day on your card in South Africa. The only way you will know how much money is available on your card is to go online to your banking site! Keep record of your transactions and compare with your balance online!

UPDATE March 2019: CAPITEC credit card does not charge you any conversion fees overseas! Now that is a good thing to take note of.

GETTING FROM THE AIRPORT TO YOUR HOTEL

You have been flying for at least 15 hours and when you land in Phuket you will be tired and the change in climate will hit you like a cricket bat.

What you dont want is falling around looking for a taxi to get you to your hotel.

Here is my tip. I ALWAYS PRE-BOOK MY AIRPORT TRANSFERS WHILST STILL IN SOUTH AFRICA. I dont need the hassles, even being a seasoned traveller to Thailand.

PRIVATE AIRPORT TRANSFER (MY PREFERRED METHOD)

Believe me after 15 hours on a plane, all I want to do is get to my hotel and change into my beach wear! Hence, I pre-book a private shuttle to take me traight there. Worth every cent, or shall I say Baht. The following are private shuttle services that I use and will always use. Price for airport-hotel transfer varies depending on the amount of people. You get a normal sedan car (Toyota) for 2 people, SUV (Fortuner) for 3 to 4 people and luxury minibus for 5 to 10 people.

CHAI DRIVER IN PHUKET: My choice is Mr Chai. What an awesome guy. He has his permit to transport passengers. His vehicles are clean and the driving is spotless. I have used him the past 4 years and can recommend him. Click here for his website. Once you contact him you will go on chatting and arranging further on Whattsapp. You only pay him on the day of transfer. He was never late on any of my required dates.

His prices are good and somewhat cheaper as others. Unfortunately shuttle services to and from the airport starts at ฿800 (R360) up to ฿1000 (R454). You will not get away from that. Remember it is per car, not per passenger. Reason being is the airport toll taxes that the drivers must pay to go in.

PHUKET SRC TRAVEL: This travel agent in Phuket is very trustworthy. I have also them before and they are punctual and always on time. Click here for their website.

OTHER TRANSPORT OPTIONS

SHARE MINI-BUS

These shuttle Services are located just after you leave the baggage claim area at the airport. It is a cheaper option (฿180 per person) You share a mini-bus with other passengers. The downfall is it will take you musch longer to get to your hotel as this mini-bus will stop en-route to drop off passengers as the hotels are placed in order of distance. 

First time we were in Phuket I used them. No problem with them but it took me almost 2 hours to get to my hotel in Patong due to the ofloading of other passengers first. Normally your backpackers travelling solo make use of this cheaper option. You are allowed 1 x suitcase.

SMART BUS

The new Smart Bus, which is the most interesting one for you, will take you from beach to beach, riding all the way from Phuket airport to Rawai beach and return. The Smart bus goes all the way from Phuket International Airport to Rawai beach and stops at 12 stations along the way, almost every beach on the west coast: Bangtao Beach, Surin Beach, Patong Beach, Karon and Kata Beach and finally Rawai.

I will not recommend you to take this bus from the airport to your destination. This bus has only one stop at each beach area and from there you must get to your hotel by yourself ... either walk with you luggage looking for your hotel or pay 400 baht for a tuk-tuk to your hotel. Very inconvenient. So unless your hotel is very close to the Smart Bus stop, dont even go this route. Single trip from Airport to Patong (Jungceylon Mall) will cost you ฿150 per person.

THE SMART BUS

HOTEL SHUTTLE SERVICE

Some hotels do offer this service at an extra charge. You can contact the hotel directly prior to your arrival and inquire as to whether or not the hotel will pick you up and take you to your hotel. (I HOWEVER NEVER DO THIS AS THE HOTELS ALWAYS "FORGET"!) Charges for this range from ฿800 -1200฿ depending on the hotel and the destination. 

METERED TAXI

There will be a small desk at the airport with an attendant that will be able to speak English. You will explain to her where you would like to go and she will explain it to your allocated driver. These are metered taxi, the driver will try to negotiate a fixed price. DO NOT do this. Make sure the driver turns the meter on and leaves it on. (Good luck in this anyway - halooooo, this is Thailand!)

Remember a metered taxi only takes 2 persons! It is always good to go onto your hotel's website and get the hotel address in Thai. Many taxi drivers does not know exactly where all the hotels are and most of them speak very little English. I know my way around Patong by this way but you might not. So trying to explain to the driver how to get there while the meter is running, again good luck.

 
The problem with the metered taxis and UBER is that if you have a large group of people and a large amount of luggage then it more than likely will not be big enough to transfer you and your luggage. So, for this then a private minivan may be the best and only option for you. Like all over the world lately UBER is not well accepted by local taxi drivers.......

CAR HIRE

You also can hire a car. All the well known names are at Phuket International Airport (AVIS, BUDGET etc). DO TAKE NOTE:  Only your big 5-star Resorts will have vehicle parking bays (on a first come first take base). You need an international driver's licence (IDP - obtainable from any AA store in South Africa) to hire a car. (I explained this in my previous post)

Haloooooo, this is an island and "normal" hotels are squeezed in everywhere. There is no space for parking vehicles. All hotels however have place for a scooter.

Anyway driving a car in the traffic (and locals not caring about road signs) is hectic. Finding parking for a sedan car IS BEYOND HECTIC. YOU DO NOT NEED YOUR OWN CAR. FFS!!! 

Hire a scooter - its the in thing to do! But only once you've booked in at your hotel. To me, personally, hiring a car is the last source of transport that I will look at. Especially if you are a first time visitor. Although Thailand also drives on the left hand side like us and the cars are the same as ours, YOU DON'T KNOW the island. Traffic is HECTIC beyond. Thousands of scooters swerve around and in front of you. Hoardes of tourists criss-cross the streets slowing down traffic even more. The roads (most) are like here ..... potholes!!! In die beach areas you WILL walk faster than you will be driving a car.

3-4 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR DEPARTURE

Make sure the following are in order or that it has been applied for! We all know our Department of Home Affairs!

• Valid passports

• Abridged Birth Certificates for all children under 18.

2 MONTHS BEFORE DEPARTURE

Foreign Exchange for Travel: Foreign exchange can be purchased up to 60 days prior to date of travel. It is good to have some Thai Baht with you. Many hotels requires you to pay for your room on arrival. You can pay with a credit card but then they add a 1 to 2 percentage to the price for the credit card fees (Not a lot). 

Also your transport from the airport is in CASH! You can withdraw cash at an ATM on the airport but somehow the exchange rate is a little bit higher than anywhere else.

1 MONTH BEFORE YOUR DEPARTURE

• Make sure you have all your travel arrangement confirmations (e-tickets, hotel confirmation etc) and passports in one place together. 

• Make copies (at least 3) of your passports.

• Chronic Medication: Obtain a signed and stamped letter from your doctor should you require to take chronic medicine with you. It must be in readable (typed) text in ENGLISH. IT WILL BE CONFISCATED at security control at the airport if you do not have this doctor's certificate. All chronic medicine needs to be in the original box. Dont bother taking all sorts of pilletjies and stropies with you. My goodness you are not going into darkest Africa. There are more Pharmacies in Phuket than there are taxis in Soweto! Every corner has a pharmacy. AND MEDICATION IN PHUKET IS WAY CHEAPER THAN HERE.

• Open your cards at your bank for foreign travel! Phone them every week and confirm it is open for the period you leave until at least two days after you are suppose to be back (in case you miss your return flight - heaven forbid!
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WHAT PLUGS ARE USED IN PHUKET

If you have a two point plug you are safe to go. Chargers ets using the two point plug fits Thai plugs. Three point plugs will not work. Most hotels have hair dryers. You can also charge your cell phones via USB from your tv!

THAILAND LAWS

Click HERE to read about Thailand Laws impacting on tourists.

It is illegal to bring in more than 200 cigarettes per person into Thailand. That is 10 packets (carton). And dont think you can put an extra carton in your minor child's bag. They will take you out. Legal age for smoking in Thailand is 18 years of age, This is enforced at customs on arrival. Those who exceed the limit may be fined ten times the value of the items and face confiscation of the cigarettes.

In January 2018, Thai authorities introduced a smoking ban on some beaches, including in Koh Samui, Pattaya and in Phuket, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chon Buri and Songkhla provinces. Those caught smoking in non-designated areas face a 100,000 baht fine or up to a year in prison. There are also strict rules on the disposal of all forms of waste, especially polystyrene and plastic, and any act that can cause damage to coastal areas. You should follow local guidance.


Vaporisers / Vaping (like e-cigarettes, TWISP and e-baraku) and refills are illegal in Thailand. These items may be confiscated and you could be fined or sent to prison for up to 10 years if convicted. Their sale or supply is also banned and you could face a heavy fine or up to 5 years imprisonment if found guilty. Just read the other day a French woman was deported for vaping her TWISP on the beach. Click HERE to read the story.

UPDATE: Currently Thailand is in the process of looking to legalise vaping but it might still take a long time due to the strict rules in changing laws.

Conditions in prisons and other detention facilities in Thailand are harsh, with limited access to healthcare. There have been recent cases of detainees dying in custody.


Don’t become involved with drugs of any kind. Possession of even very small quantities can lead to imprisonment. If you are found guilty of possession of marijuana (dagga) you could receive a long prison sentence and/or a heavy fine. If you’re found guilty of being in possession of 20 grams of a Class A drug on exiting Thailand you risk receiving the death penalty. Amphetamines and ecstasy are regarded as Class A drugs and possession or trafficking carries the same penalty as heroin.

HAPPY TRIP PLANNING