Like many of my fellow Australians, I have travelled to tantalising Thailand to see what all the fuss is about.  In fact I have had four Thailand holidays staying at four different locations: the islands of Phuket and Koh Samui, the coastal tourist area of Ao Nang in Krabi and the capital city of Bangkok. They are all unique in their own way.

Phuket

Patong Beach in Phuket is probably the most well known Thailand holiday destination with it’s reputation as the party capital of Thailand. Patong’s streets are bulging with vendors and markets selling anything from pirated dvd’s to fake designer brand sunglasses. Although the beach here is hugely popular, I would not swim here, but a short drive to neighbouring Karon Beach or Kata Beach will more than satiate your golden sandy beach thirst.

Although Patong Beach boasts hundreds of up-market resort hotels, a western-style shopping centre called Jungceylon, nightclubs and bars and an array of top quality restaurants, it still has a seediness and stench about it that is unappealing. After staying at nearby Kata Beach, I would not bother with Patong at all, unless you really want to haggle a deal with the many street vendors or you want to experience the vibrant night life.

What to Do & See in Phuket

There are many things to do and see on a Phuket holiday, that makes it extremely popular with tourists from all around the world. The highlights would have to be:

• Hire a long boat with driver and cruise out to one of the small islands just off the coast of Phuket and go snorkelling or swimming in the beautiful aqua waters of the Andaman Sea.
• Cruise out to the numerous islands off the coast on a day trip by speed boat and visit Phi Phi Island, Maya Bay – the island where the movie The Beach was made, and beautiful Kai Island.
• Cruise out to James Bond Island by speed boat and kayak amongst the many limestone rock formations jutting out of the ocean.
• Hire a taxi driver for the day and circumnavigate the island visiting many points of interest such as Cape Panwa, The Big Buddha, The Buddhist Temple in Phuket Town and finish the day off by taking an elephant ride through the forest.
• Get a Tuk Tuk to take you to the After Beach Bar for a cold beverage and watch the spectacular sunset on their deck overlooking the Andaman Sea.
• Take in a show such as Fantasea, which is part circus-part cabaret, or the Simon Cabaret, the boy-girl and transvestite show.
• Go to Dino’s restaurant and bar at Karon Beach, which is made out of fake rock to replicate the set of The Flinstones or to the nearby Secret Cliff Restaurant which is located on a cliff and offers stunning ocean views and delicious Thai cuisine.
• Shop at the many street markets and get yourself cheap knock-offs of almost any designer brand handbag, watches, sunglasses, sports shoes, surf shirts and boardshorts and even designer brand underwear! Alternatively get a tailor-made suit or dress made to measure that can easily be whipped up in 24 hours.
• A trip to Phuket would not be complete without indulging yourself in a massage, either in one of the up-market resorts or on a sunbed on the beach. An hours massage can cost as little as $10 AUD.
• A day trip to the Monkey Caves, White Water Rafting and Elephant Trekking is also very worthwhile.

For more inspiration of what to do an see during your stay in Phuket see top 10 things to do in Phuket.

Where to Stay in Phuket

We have been to Phuket on three different occasions and have stayed at a variety of hotels and resorts. You can expect to pay anything from $40 to $500 AUD per night, depending on your budget and your preference of style of Phuket accommodation. Most beachfront hotels/resorts charge around $100 to $150 AUD per night.

Here’s a couple of the places that we stayed at that I would recommend:

Novotel Phuket Resort in Patong Beach
Kata Beach Resort & Spa on Kata Beach
Karon Sea Sands Resort & Spa at Karon Beach

Ao Nang Beach, Krabi

Although Krabi does have an international airport, you can catch a ferry from Phuket over to Ao Nang, which is well worth the trip as you cruise past many other pretty little islands on the way. If you fly in, it is a 20 minute drive from Krabi Town, located on the west coast of southern Thailand.

Ao Nang is a fairly relaxed and laid back small beach resort town with plenty of top class hotel resorts, nice little restaurants and some great shopping. It is a little lacking in nightlife and young party travellers would bore quickly, but it does have a few relaxed bars and two nightclubs.

What to Do & See at Ao Nang Beach

Ao Nang offers a wide range of activities and attractions, including snorkelling, kayaking, island-hopping, climbing, scuba diving, spa/massage/beauty, shopping, white water rafting, hiking, temple visits, elephant trekking, cooking classes and  fishing.

I can highly recommend a long boat trip around to Railay Beach and then a short walk around to Phra Nang Beach which is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The water here is exquisite and the beach is flanked by high limestone cliffs on either side.

On the eastern side of the beach there is Phra Nang Cave that contains a large collection of carved wooden phallic symbols, offerings and other objects believed to help with fertility. Definitely worth a try if you are wanting to conceive!

A day spent island hopping to the outer islands of Chicken, Poda and Tup Islands are also a must do. But a word of warning, these islands get very busy and crowded so you’re best to get up early and jump on the first long boat or speedboat before the tourists all swarm in.

But probably one of the best things to do in Aonang Beach is to find a spot for a cool beverage and watch the magical sunset over the beach. It’s divine!

For more on Ao Nang Beach and Krabi read my post Kool & Kicked Back in Krabi.

Where to Stay at Aonang Beach

I’ve visited Aonang Beach on two separate occasions, with our first experience being very favourable and second not so favourable. Because on both occasions we wished to be beachfront there are limited resorts in this location. Most of the hotels and resorts are tucked away or are located a distance out of town and they are generally more expensive that Phuket.

I would recommend Aonang Villa Resort and I would not recommend the rundown and tired Golden Beach Resort.

Koh Samui

Koh Samui is the second largest island after Phuket, located off the east coast of Thailand with an abundance of natural resources, white sandy beaches, coral reefs and coconut trees. There are many things to do on this island paradise, apart from just lounging around your resort pool or on one of the beautiful beaches.

Chaweng Beach

What to Do & See on Koh Samui

• Hire a scooter and circumnavigate the island taking in many of the sights.
• Visit Grandpa and Grandma Rocks which look, respectively, like  male and female genitalia at Lamai Beach.
• See the Big Buddha temple and watch the majestic sunset from the viewing deck overlooking the sea.
• Take a speed boat out to Ang Thong National Marine Park that is a pristine archipelago of 42 islands in the Gulf of Thailand with towering limestone mountains, thick jungle, white-sand beaches, fertile mangroves, waterfalls and hidden coves and lakes to explore.
• Have a refreshing cocktail or local beer on a deck chair at one of the many beach bars adorned with fairy lights and paper lanterns along the beachfront and watch the sunset.
• Drive out to the two Na Muang waterfalls that are probably the most picturesque. The name Na Muang refers to the massive purple rocks at the waterfalls.
• Visit the Samui Aquarium and Tiger Show where there is a very good dolphin and bird show and you can even get your photo taken with a tiger cub.
• View the body of Samui’s most famous mummified monk, Luang Pordaeng is on display at Wat Khunaram.
• The fishermans village at Bophut Beach near Chaweng is worth a visit for its mixture of shops with several boutiques, selling high quality clothing and jewellery.
• Shopping, bars and nightclubs are everywhere in Chaweng, the major town of Koh Samui if that is what you are looking for.
• Dine at The Cliff Bar & Grill situated on the south-east coast of Koh Samui in between Chaweng Noi and Lamai. The views and the food are both scintillating. 

Where to Stay on Koh Samui

There are literally hundreds of hotels and resorts littered around the island so the choices are endless. My advice is to watch for great accommodation deals on Luxury Escapes for starters, that include all types of extra goodies like massages, dinners, transport and activities.

We stayed at the Renaissance Koh Samui Resort & Spa at Lamai Beach. This was superb 5-star resort accommodation in a great location and yes we did get a great deal at the time!

Known as the “Land of Smiles”, a Thailand holiday has much to offer, from holidaymakers seeking sandy beaches for relaxation and watersports galore, to the bargain shopping and pulsing nightlife. For most it’s about venturing to the islands in the Gulf of Thailand or Andaman Sea, such as Koh Samui or Phuket, for postcard-perfect beaches fringed with palm trees. Most of all it’s an affordable holiday and the Thai people are friendly and willing to please.

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