In Reply to: Patong Merlin posted by Igear on Sunday, 2. December 2007 at 11:23 Bali Time:
Have been to Thailand on a few occasions. Our best trip was when we hired a car and drove to Kawsok and then down the coast to Krabi. Loved Krabi, for some reason it reminded us of an english seaside town. Trips to all the islands are available. Driving is easy. Sorry, but I've a feeling Kawsok is not spelt correctly but it is about 1.5 hrs from Phuket. It was totally devastated in the tsunami but has been rebuilt. Used to appear in Thai holiday brochures so probably does again now. Beautiful small strip with the national park as a backdrop. Trips to the Similan Islands are a lot shorter from here. Kawasok is a good place for a stop on the way to the ferry for Koh Samui.
We stayed a night each way at the Andaman White Beach resort near the airport. The small bay this wonderful hotel sits on is the best we saw in Phuket. On trips to Phuket our favourite place was Kata Noi beach. The Kata Thani hotel dominates the small, beautiful bay. Kata and Kata Noi are villages compared to Karen and Patong but they have loads of restaurants, bars and shops. You don't get hassled like you do in Patong. Reliving it wants to make me return. Local buses get you where you want to go as taxis are rather more expensive than Bali. As said by someone else the cost in the high season is outlandish but we have always gone in April and October. There is a bit of rain but it doesn't affect the ocean. Friends who have been later into the low season have been hotel bound due to the rain and some have returned home early.
Loved Bangkok - ate at some of the best restaurants ever - it is the only asian city I have enjoyed. Can recommend the Marriott on the river. Lots of research needed to get the best out of Bangkok. There is a great Thailand travel forum and found booking through Sawasdee easy and safe.