Phuket Reports

[Mickekung]

I am in Patong now, and there are girls everywhere. A lot of hot and beautiful girls who will please you in all ways, in exchange of some Baht. I don't know where you have been during your stay in Phuket, but your statement is totally wrong re Patong. And O will be very surprised if other places in Phuket are emty of women, and that you only can fins somefew and ugly girls. If you not have anything more or else to report, I suggest that you use your time to something more positive than reporting bullshit in this very valuable forum. If anybody wants some advises or telephone numbers to women who will give you a wonderfull experience, you are welcome to send me a private message.

I was looking at all the tourist places! Also Patong so bad selection of beautiful women unfortunately. I know Phuket well I worked there for 6 years for many years ago.

Så do you play with women so Phuket is cruel bad for hunting luck.

I ran away to the Philippines Waaaw Where there are mega huge selection of wonderfully beautiful women.

[DwayneJohnson]

Oh my God Angel in Phuket town always has such a good selection. I went window shopping today as I was in the area but couldn't get #274 out of my mind so I drove all the way back to fuck her.

Looks 9/10.

Performance: 7/10.

Mind blowing stuff.

Also I inquired at the hotel with Jacuzzi that is the top choice of most of the higher end girls, about the rate to rent a room for the whole night. Took a lot of patience due to the language barrier. But the lowdown is that they don't rent the nice, blue lit VIP rooms on a nightly basis. But a smaller (still good) room which also has a Jacuzzi is available for 750 be for the whole night. Or you can keep renting the nicer room as required (you don't have to pay for it, the girls pay 500 be for 2 hours when you hire them).

I am going to marshal my strength and libido for an all night fuck a thon on Sunday or the coming Monday. I think 10,000 be should do it. Phuket Town is THE place to be to get quality girls and professional performance.

Great report.

I now regret my decision to skip Angel while on my way to Katherine.

[Harry Dude]

If I wanted to be within walking distance of Patong but far enough so that it is relatively quiet at night so I can get a peaceful sleep, how far would one have to be from Patong in terms of accommodations?

You can actually find very peaceful hotels in Patong. Expensive, but very quiet. My favorite is BYD Lofts (8 minutes walk from Bangla Road). Also, a high-end resort like Impiana, only 4 minutes walk from Bangla, is veeeery quiet.

[Exoticspirit]

If I wanted to be within walking distance of Patong but far enough so that it is relatively quiet at night so I can get a peaceful sleep, how far would one have to be from Patong in terms of accommodations?

[TonyIndian]

Oh my God Angel in Phuket town always has such a good selection. I went window shopping today as I was in the area but couldn't get #274 out of my mind so I drove all the way back to fuck her.

Looks 9/10.

Performance: 7/10.

Mind blowing stuff.

Also I inquired at the hotel with Jacuzzi that is the top choice of most of the higher end girls, about the rate to rent a room for the whole night. Took a lot of patience due to the language barrier. But the lowdown is that they don't rent the nice, blue lit VIP rooms on a nightly basis. But a smaller (still good) room which also has a Jacuzzi is available for 750 be for the whole night. Or you can keep renting the nicer room as required (you don't have to pay for it, the girls pay 500 be for 2 hours when you hire them).

I am going to marshal my strength and libido for an all night fuck a thon on Sunday or the coming Monday. I think 10,000 be should do it. Phuket Town is THE place to be to get quality girls and professional performance.

[Socker]

Someone reading this Phuket thread will be wondering about contradictory reports, I just give my take on Patong. Didn't venture out much to other parts this trip. I have been in Patong (and other towns) many times before, and I am just at the end of my one month stay here. Patong is all about demographics, how old you are, where you come from, how long you stay and so on. All girls ask you about these right away and then put you in their categories in their mind, after that it doesn't really matter what you say or do, you are "classified" and they treat you accordingly.

Patong is doing well, every time I come here they are more visitors and tourists and expats, no matter what happens here, or in Thailand or in the world! If someone is complaining is because they are not going to be millionaires next year (buying beer for 20 b and selling it for 100 b or even 200 b, you can't go much wrong). The same applies for girls here, any good looking young girl with an okay body is raking it in, they make so much money they can afford to be picky. I remember even a couple of years ago, one such a girl working in a bar below Tiger was telling me on average she made 20 k in lady drinks alone in a month and with her 12 k salary could pay all her expenses, send money home and save enough to buy a moped. Then when she feels like it and see a hunk that pays silly money for a night or two, she then add even more to her earnings.

As someone mentioned it is not a buyers market here. There are loads of guys, specially many young ones in their twenties and early thirties, they are not back-packers but have money to burn and party for a week or two. They no longer have hang-ups about paying for sex like some years ago and this is not a taboo any more. But they don't go to Pattaya, that is still has a bad rep attached to it, but Phuket, well, you can say you go to party there every year and nobody is wiser back home! - ? So, you see, the girls can afford to be picky, they hook up with these younger guys, even go out with them for a few days or a week, they can walk around town with a young, fit bloke and save face and street cred while making money on the side. Guys also feel better this way, they got a so called holiday girlfriend, not really a wg for a night! - ?

They are also a lot of, what I call, have a good time, playboy wannabes, here who go out at night and drop a lot of money on tips and lady drinks and get drunk and crazy for a week (hence the girls making so much just by hustling in the bars) - nothing wrong with that of course, but that is not what I consider a pro-monger. A pro would want to maximize his bang-for-bucks so to speak and it is not primarily there drinking and leaking massive cash to hustlers before even get an indication of what he might get for it. Hence the difference between some other mongering places and here.

My last thoughts because your post is so spot on. If you're under 40 and good looking w / money Phuket is a worthy place to visit. If I were much younger I would be going after the hot Russian tourist etc. Lots and lots of hotties on the beaches, some looked like they were easy for the taking, but not for a 62 year old married guy LOL.

The bargirls are total hustlers and that's my favorite hunting ground, bars and go gos. So I was not in the right place (Phuket) to get a quality quicky from a bargirl / dancer. So if you're young or have a lot of time and money Phuket is fine. I'm glad I went and glad I posted my disappointments here because now future travelers will finally have a more clear picture of what Phuket has to offer. Your post matched my thoughts and experiences so thanks for taking the time.

Oh and I did walk into Suzy Wongs when the dancers were nude and they were DDG unfortunately I was in need of the CR. When I returned 10 minutes later the dancers were in bikinis. Cheers.

[Uzinuzin]

Someone reading this Phuket thread will be wondering about contradictory reports, I just give my take on Patong. Didn't venture out much to other parts this trip. I have been in Patong (and other towns) many times before, and I am just at the end of my one month stay here. Patong is all about demographics, how old you are, where you come from, how long you stay and so on. All girls ask you about these right away and then put you in their categories in their mind, after that it doesn't really matter what you say or do, you are "classified" and they treat you accordingly.

Patong is doing well, every time I come here they are more visitors and tourists and expats, no matter what happens here, or in Thailand or in the world! If someone is complaining is because they are not going to be millionaires next year (buying beer for 20 b and selling it for 100 b or even 200 b, you can't go much wrong). The same applies for girls here, any good looking young girl with an okay body is raking it in, they make so much money they can afford to be picky. I remember even a couple of years ago, one such a girl working in a bar below Tiger was telling me on average she made 20 k in lady drinks alone in a month and with her 12 k salary could pay all her expenses, send money home and save enough to buy a moped. Then when she feels like it and see a hunk that pays silly money for a night or two, she then add even more to her earnings.

As someone mentioned it is not a buyers market here. There are loads of guys, specially many young ones in their twenties and early thirties, they are not back-packers but have money to burn and party for a week or two. They no longer have hang-ups about paying for sex like some years ago and this is not a taboo any more. But they don't go to Pattaya, that is still has a bad rep attached to it, but Phuket, well, you can say you go to party there every year and nobody is wiser back home! - ? So, you see, the girls can afford to be picky, they hook up with these younger guys, even go out with them for a few days or a week, they can walk around town with a young, fit bloke and save face and street cred while making money on the side. Guys also feel better this way, they got a so called holiday girlfriend, not really a wg for a night! - ?

They are also a lot of, what I call, have a good time, playboy wannabes, here who go out at night and drop a lot of money on tips and lady drinks and get drunk and crazy for a week (hence the girls making so much just by hustling in the bars) - nothing wrong with that of course, but that is not what I consider a pro-monger. A pro would want to maximize his bang-for-bucks so to speak and it is not primarily there drinking and leaking massive cash to hustlers before even get an indication of what he might get for it. Hence the difference between some other mongering places and here.

Girls are used to it as well, as soon as you sit down (specially in Bangla) they come around and ask for drinks and if you resist, then, well, you could not be ignored and avoided more if you were a leper. Of course if you had time to maybe see if there is a girl you might like and if you knew the drinks are going towards a nice upcoming session and it could help with that, there was no problem, but they are mostly not interested in the bar-fine, just the drinks, they give you some ridiculous price normally to brush you off later on. And from their hustling you can just tell even if you paid it, and went through with buying all the drinks, what a (non-GFE) session is going to be like. It all of course depends, sometime you might be the right demographics for them and you might actually be rewarded, but that is another story. I know, all being equal, p4 p service providers, like any girl, fancy going for a young "handsome" man, who wouldn't, but I have never seen so many wgs pass on real money just to see and wait for a better catch! - reason of course is that they know they have so many options. I say the guys to girls ratio (descent 7 or above) is probably 4 to 1 in discos and freelancer places and may be 2 -1 in bars and gogos.

It's not all doom and gloom of course, if you don't mind the 35+ with a bit of wrinkle and a so so body then there are a lot of those around who take care of you. But younger, good looking girls, you could consider the hot ones, mostly work in bars and gogo and busy making a killing, or already taken and walking around hand-in-hand with their catch. I see guys really lock the girls in as soon as finding a good one, you can't blame them really.

As for prices everything has gone up as usual, Tiger disco now wants two drinks coupon (at 200 b each - 400 b) to just let you in (later the entry becomes 300 b for just one drink), Hollywood is free entry but 220 b for a beer (though this does not prevent people filling it up every night), Tai Pan is 160/180 for beer+free shooter (not much change here) but I think they have a policy of not letting any hot young (under 35) to enter the place - honestly, some of the wg there pass their sell by date ages ago. Seduction charges entry and most of the bars with a pole dancer charge about 110 b for a beer (and about twice of that for a lady drink). By the way Thai girls get a free drink every time they enter mentioned discos, 3 or 4 of them can also get a bottle service with soft drink to go with it. So you see, it doesn't cost them much to go out and party here.

Suzy Wong gogo is one I go sometimes, 180 b for a beer (surprisingly no change here). If you get lucky they dance in their birthday suits sometime. And they are one or two real cuties there with a killer body, but recently there has been a bit of clamp down on that. Better not scare people off by prices the girls ask in the bars and gogos, but freelancers can be had for around 1500 b short time (older ones might go for less and hot ones ask for 2 k) and 2000/3000 for all night. Also in massage places I once paid 1000 b for an okey massage girl for a quicky after massage (very mechanical though) but other hot ones wanted more, so it depends, make an offer and see.

There are of course girls ask for silly money and think they are something special, but I guess there is no guarantee what you might get and / or if they are any better than others. Everywhere now closes at 2 am sharp (last few weeks), and at 2:30 am there is an exodus at the top of Bangla road, you really should be able to pick something to your liking there, need to approach them though, they are a bit shy on the street (not the street walkers, but girls finishing work and exiting discos). Saying that I have been there at times when I went home on my own, loads of ladyboys and older girls I wouldn't do for free (but if you are into those by the way you could be in heaven here of course).

As others mentioned though, Phuket is about a lot more than girls, I love the place for the beaches, islands and variety of places to go and things to do here, so if you take all of that into account it might be a nice overall package. But it can never beat the point-and-shoot nature, availability of hot girls at the right prices, of other top mongering spots.

[MrSunnyHills]

Was in Phuket for a quick trip and was staying just south of Jungceylon. So ventured out for the hotel in the afternoon and decided to get a massage. Straight out the road from the hotel there was 2 across the street. I took one pass and there were some MILF's being pretty aggressive. I circled back around and one who was not aggressive at all caught my eye and I walked up and asked for massage. She showed me the sheet and I said oil body massage. We walked past the various folks getting their foot massage and went upstairs. I changed and she came in (she had changed from her dress to jeans). Very good quality massage and on the flip she asked if I wanted a he. Which was fine. I tipped her and asked when they closed. She said midnight. I asked if she wanted to come to my hotel later. She nodded. She suggested I come back to the MP about closing. So after shopping, eating and even taking a nap, I went across to meet her.

She had some groceries (maybe she wasn't expecting me to return) so put them in the shop, talked to one of the other gals and we left. I asked her if she wanted to eat. I'm not sure how the English was going, but we went down to a shop and bought some drinks (non-alcoholic) and a light snack. Back to the hotel and they signed her in. She was pretty nervous. Upon further discussion through the evening, I discovered she had worked in a factory type job in BKK for many years, but had left and come down to Phuket at the suggestion of a friend. Business was slow (too many girls, etc.). Then she suggested that I was the first customer she had "gone upstairs with". Normally only foot massage. Given her "lack of aggressiveness" at the storefront, I sort of believe her. In any case, she seemed pretty shy but wasn't stupid about what was to happen. Had I not purchased condoms, I don't think it would have mattered to her, but my big head was strong.

In any case, had a very nice night with her, and she ended up leaving before breakfast (I didn't insist but was fine with that). Had I planned to stay in Phuket longer I would have asked her about taking the day off, but the weather sucked the next day and I was already heading out in the evening. My theory was I got lucky and got a gal that was not yet jaded, so it was sort of refreshing. I doubt she will last. Perhaps she'll end up back in a regular job, but she certainly told me to see if she's there next time I come. I didn't exchange contact info as I didn't want any of those games. But fun times in any case.

[DwayneJohnson]

Are you Indian bro? You used to post on the Mumbai forum as well right?

Yes, Dwayne "the rock" Johnson is my favorite WWE star hence used this nickname.

[TonyIndian]

Katherine girls were pretty good.

They keep changing every 20 days so GFE depends on your luck as well.



It was my maiden trip to Phuket and enjoyed as much as I do in Bangkok.

I did not had any inside information or wingman apart from very good reports by ISG members.

I went to Katherine on first day in afternoon and picked one Isaan beauty. Service was good and we had great time together so booked her for next 24 hours. We went to zip-lining then had fun at Kalim beach till both were horny enough to get back to hotel. During night explored almost entire Bangla road with her then she wanted to dance so went to seduction. I picked up one more girl around 3 am who wanted to Join (for as low as 2 k baht LT) then had first threesome. (I am young and new to mongering) of my life. Good morning shag was awesome sprinkled with lesbo action. Next few days I was taking freelancers back to hotel and did not even bothered checking Patong massage parlours or gogo's. Except first night sex was average to above average but not up to the mark of good Bangkok soapy experience still it did not matter much as all girls were very beautiful. I enjoyed Patong, Phuket with these lovely ladies even went to Phuket Fantasea with one. Last night before leaving I was partying with my girl and her hot friends from shop till 4 am as it was night off for girls.

Phuket is not typical mongering destination but it's amazing with stunning natural beauty of all kinds. One needs to come with lower expectation and keep wife at home LOL.

Are you Indian bro? You used to post on the Mumbai forum as well right?

[DwayneJohnson]

Katherine girls were pretty good.

They keep changing every 20 days so GFE depends on your luck as well.

It was my maiden trip to Phuket and enjoyed as much as I do in Bangkok.

I did not had any inside information or wingman apart from very good reports by ISG members.

I went to Katherine on first day in afternoon and picked one Isaan beauty. Service was good and we had great time together so booked her for next 24 hours. We went to zip-lining then had fun at Kalim beach till both were horny enough to get back to hotel. During night explored almost entire Bangla road with her then she wanted to dance so went to seduction. I picked up one more girl around 3 am who wanted to Join (for as low as 2 k baht LT) then had first threesome. (I am young and new to mongering) of my life. Good morning shag was awesome sprinkled with lesbo action. Next few days I was taking freelancers back to hotel and did not even bothered checking Patong massage parlours or gogo's. Except first night sex was average to above average but not up to the mark of good Bangkok soapy experience still it did not matter much as all girls were very beautiful. I enjoyed Patong, Phuket with these lovely ladies even went to Phuket Fantasea with one. Last night before leaving I was partying with my girl and her hot friends from shop till 4 am as it was night off for girls.

Phuket is not typical mongering destination but it's amazing with stunning natural beauty of all kinds. One needs to come with lower expectation and keep wife at home LOL.

[Firecat]

.....One little habit I found enjoyable was to choose a hot massage girl at her shop, get the 200 bht foot massage and chat her up, send another one of the massage staff out to get a coffee or drink (for a small tip), enjoy the drink, the massage, and sort of get to know the girls a bit. From that point, I could judge which one I might want to take back to the hotel or have right there. I prefer this to siting in the bar, trying to talk over loud music, sweating, paying bar fines, getting asked to buy bull $hit lady drinks, etc. Anyone else try this?

I do this in the Patong massage shops too, but only in the afternoons. I choose a lady from outside and ask for a foot massage rather than an oily. I can then observe the ladies in the shop come and go, get to know them and decide if I want to have an oily with any of them. I find I have more success than just choosing a lady quickly outside the shop. The foot massage is only about the same price as drinking 2 beers alone in a bar. The massage is much more relaxing and comes without any of the expensive lady drink pressures.

Night time I still prefer to do my (expensive) hunting in the bars. I am not keen on a massage after I eat dinner and the massage shops are often busy with couples and families, so not so relaxing. I go eat dinner at 9 pm, and my bar crawling follows from around 10 pm.

[Socker]

That was a really devastating trip report, Mike. I hear what you are saying, but I think maybe your expectations were too high going in. Patong was never in competition with Pattaya as far as a punting, resort destination and Phuket is way overdeveloped, IMHO, to compete with some of the smaller more natural islands further south like Ko Lipe where the nightlife is virtually non existent. Still I always assumed there was a reasonable balancing act going on in Phuket between poontang and beaches, I. E. Good quality girls could be had in a couple of Bangla Go Go's for the right price and reasonably attractive beaches could be enjoyed up and down the coast. Your report should serve as a warning for board members thinking of coming here and expecting Pattaya like easy good times with a plethora of hot friendly girls.

You have lived one smart life there bro! Yeah, Phuket must have been cool in the early 90's but like a lot of places, things change. Phuket is a tourist town w / some mongering available and it is not easy to do well. If you live there then that's another story because there has to be some working girls that like their jobs and provide good service.

Just visiting as a older monger w / wife in tow for a few days proved to be difficult for me but I gave it an all american try so it is what it is. I also liked Suzi Wongs, my kind of place absolutely but what I saw were savvy working girls manipulating drunk young mongers. The mongers were having a ball but were they going to get the good Suzi Wong pussy? I think not.

Before I made my plans I did some reading about Phuket and there was very little info except from mongers partaking at the massage operations I / e Kristen's, Katherine's, etc. So I thought it would be 1/4 of say Pattaya but that was a bad presumption.

In Patong if you want a quality session you have to have inside info and or Patong experience. In BKK I had no such learning curve to deal with and did well right off the bat.

So this section of TRs in the Phuket Forum should give BMs here a better idea of what they will encounter on the ground. The streets are full of tourist and one of the attractions are the bars on Bangla. They are like the zoo, thousands of people and kids milling about the street gawking at the bars and Go Gos.

As for my TR it wasn't meant to be devastating, haha, I am not a great writer so it might come off in a way I do not intend. I am fair minded and blunt. I did have some good things to say about the tourist side of Phuket.

Now, I know it's a place for families and guys w / deep pockets that have plenty of patience. There are too many other places that I would rather spend time so adios Phuket.

I am thinking about more recon in BKK and Pattaya for this February. Those Thai chicks really made a big impression on me.

Pics. First massage disappointment, worst fuck / drink **** / Karon Beach w eye candy / big Phuket jugs.

All the best Natty!!

[TonyIndian]

The Yacht club still exists, and I wasn't even born in 89 but for the Phuket of today Nai harn is still quaint. I live between Nai Harn and Rawai now. It's a residential area. Primarily expat neighborhood now though. My next door neighbors are Russians, Ozzies, British and Americans. I often feel like the only Indian on the island haha. Very multicultural though.

I don't get the appeal of Surin and Kamala. It's supposed to be more premium, but in what sense? The prices of the houses? It's not that big of an island and there are excellent dining options, activities and other amenities spread throughout.

But if you're at that level, your own boat, own house on Kamala's millionaire mile etc. Then it's different and then yeah, maybe.

I don't recall the name of the establishment where I took that particular girl from, but if my memory serves me right it was one of them on the lane going diagonally right down from Angel. And they are very uncompromising on their 2800 B price and use the jacuzzi as a selling point. But that girl almost certainly isn't there any more. She was a lingerie model from Bangkok. All the girls in these brothels (except perhaps, Katherine's) are on rotation, they don't stay for too long.

If anyone is up for a trip to Phuket Town today let me know. I have a car today and a hardon already. Just send me a PM with your cell number. Today's going to be a marathon for me. Sobriety does wonders for the libido.

[Member #4698]

In my short stay in Patong I was expecting easy mongering and IT WASN'T EASY! Patong will disappoint because it is a spoiled, high priced mongering locale, that's my experience, here for future mongers to take for what it's worth.

I think Tony knows the layout a lot better and I wish I had his intel before I went. Good Luck....

That was a really devastating trip report, Mike. I hear what you are saying, but I think maybe your expectations were too high going in. Patong was never in competition with Pattaya as far as a punting, resort destination and Phuket is way overdeveloped, IMHO, to compete with some of the smaller more natural islands further south like Ko Lipe where the nightlife is virtually non existent. Still I always assumed there was a reasonable balancing act going on in Phuket between poontang and beaches, I. E. Good quality girls could be had in a couple of Bangla Go Go's for the right price and reasonably attractive beaches could be enjoyed up and down the coast. Your report should serve as a warning for board members thinking of coming here and expecting Pattaya like easy good times with a plethora of hot friendly girls.

The first time I visited Phuket was in '89 with my American live in fiance. We stayed on Nai Harn Beach at a charming little hotel called the Royal Phuket Yacht Club. It was the only hotel on this beach at the time aside from a few bamboo bungalows and the hotel had only 14 rooms. I rented a car and we visited all the beaches. Aside from Nai Harn, our favorite beach was Kamala Beach. We went scuba diving for a day off Phi Phi Island which was uninhabited back then. The scenery was amazing. LEO who? One night we drove to Patong for dinner. Bangla was not paved, but there were a couple of Go Go's facing the street with girls dancing and showing off their stuff for all to see. I remember my American GF saying something derogatory about prostitutes and lewdness. I, on the other hand, wanted to get a closer look at the girls. LOL, because they looked mighty enticing from a distance, but not wanting to be found out by my betrothed, I said something dimwitted like well, we are not in the USA, yada yada, what can you expect.

Anyway, about a year later my relationship with the almost Mrs. Natty crashed and burned and I saw the light and became a full-fledged monger. I started travelling to LOS and I loved BKK from the start, but I never made it back to Phuket until March 2013. I had it all planned out. I made a reservation at the Royal Phawadee, situated a block from Bangla and I rented a car so I could visit the best beaches during the day. I was looking forward to making the most of both worlds. Then as I was just approaching Patong from the airport, I received a call from M, my favorite BKK Go Go girl asking where I was. (She knew I was in Phuket.) Then she asked if I still wanted her to join me in Phuket. (While I was in BKK I had invited her to come along and she declined because she said she could not swim and she did not want to get dark skin from the sun. We had been apart for a week while I shagged my way around Pattaya so I missed her a little bit.

It was around 3 pm and I was torn. I told M I would love to see her, but at the same time I was also looking forward to trying out the Bangla girls. Remember, the last time I had seen these lovelies or rather their mothers was in 1989. I decided to let fate decide for me and I told M I would try to find her an airline ticket for tonight, but I was not sure one was available. As luck would have it I did find her a seat on the 8 pm Bangkok Air flight to Phuket and my little rock and roll joined me at around 11 pm that night.

So once again I was on Bangla, but could not partake. At least this time I was with my little BKK Go Go girl so unlike my uptight American know it all, we went barhopping and disco dancing most every night and during the days we visited the various beaches. Our favorite bar was Suzi Wong. Wow, I thought they had some real nice looking and very friendly girls, but then who knows. Girls are always very friendly and forward when you already have a girl. One night we saw a really great show at Suzi. It is a small bar and the place was packed. All of a sudden two hot looking girls walk into the bar wearing exposed push up bras and police uniforms. They walked around the far end of the bar and handcuffed what we thought was just another customer. The girls led the guy (a Farang) onto the stage and tied him to a chair. Then the girls began to lap dance and strip both themselves and the guy. The entire bar was transfixed. M was loving the show. So was I. It finally ended with the girls being totally nude and the guy naked on stage with a hard on. Afterwards M and I went back to Phawadee and shagged. It was on this holiday that M and I started bare backing.

Beach wise, Kamala Beach and Surin were our favorite beaches. M liked Nai Harn too, but compared to how it was back in 89, I was very disappointed. The place was now too built up for my taste, but we did have a great lunch there and had a good time. The water is as smooth as glass. I did not want to check out Phi Phi. I knew it would really depress me.

So my take on Phuket is a little different from yours. I view the island as a transit point from which to go further south. There are still some pleasant beaches although Thai Tourist over development is everywhere. I could not believe how built up Karon Beach was or Patong for that matter. They are both like two Fort Lauderdales, but with better food. And at night Bangla is overrun with a very young "coed" and backpacker tourist crowd. It kind of feels like Panama City, Florida during spring break. Still I can't help the impression Suzi Wong left on me that there are some hot girls to be had there for the right price.

The bottom line is I wouldn't want to stay a long time in Phuket, but a day or two coming and going, renting a car or a motorcycle, visiting the various beaches during the day, hitting Suzi Wong or some disco at night, while staying in a small hotel on Kamala Beach or even the Royal Phawadee would not be too hard to take. The water is very clear and beautiful compared to Pattaya and little fishes are swimming around your feet. That said, I will be going back to Palawan on my next trip not Phuket. The PI has more of the kind of beaches I like. Like Phi Phi in '89 only NOW! Bring your own girl, that's all.

On BKK, I couldn't agree with you more, Mike. BKK is an amazing city. It has it all and in astonishing variety. BKK is where it is at. I think about the possibility of renting a condo off upper Sukhumvit and learning Thai all the time. And when you need a break from the big mango, you have all the other great watering holes in SE Asia to choose from. Jakarta and MNL are only 3 hours away.