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no new messages added since 26th january --- is phuket really so quiet?
i just got back from 4 weeks in patong beach, so will give a quick update, even if nobody is interested as would be judged from the level of postings here!
the bottom line is that it is all much the same as last year but a bit quieter when i was there this time. the hotel owners in soi san sabai tell me that they had a good xmas/january, then it all went quiet in february. but it seems that they expect to be busy again in april (songkran water fever?).
anyway, if you fancy a last minute trip to patong, there are vacancy signs on most of the hotels and guest houses on san sabai. no problem getting accommodation at all.
shark is still closed. last year the story was that the sukothai family (mega-rich golf playing buddies of thaksin) owned the land here and would ensure that after a dignified closure period it would soon reopen. one year later it is still shut down. why? nobody seems to know. obviously, somebody is making money out of it, but the only big beneficiary i could see is tai pan just across the road, which is busier than it used to be. plenty of freelancers here, presumably some of the old shark crowd. but it hardly makes up for the missing 600 k baht/night turnover that went down the tubes when shark was closed down.
the sea dragon gogos are changing their names but not much else that i could see. pink panther, for example, has become the height bar (no idea why?). octopus has opened on the corner with bangla and had a lot of money spent on it, but seemed empty all the time.
imho the best looking ladies are still to be found in sea dragon, but they are not the cheapest or always the most co-operative. i found two really sweet ladies (lin and elly) in soi eric who were into a regular threesome and were much more realistic on the money front. bar fine is still 200 baht, and i was more than happy to pay for them both.
the muay thai girls on soi bangla are still good for a laugh, but the bar fine has gone up to 300 baht. i found one (kai) who did a great fingernail massage before the sex, and used her on a number of nights (including my last one, 2 hours sleep before catching the bkk flight home).
the cheapest way to get a lady is still to wait until closing time at 2:00 am and all the way from the cockpit to the 7/11 you will find girls who will usually jump at 500 baht for short time. i did it one night, but then got to sleep at 6:00 am which totally left me wrecked for the beach the next day. easier to pay 200 baht bar fine, maybe a few hundred extra for the girl, and get to bed before the goddamn sun comes up.
the only real massage parlour, christen's, is still going strong, but i avoided it this time. between the sea dragon, eric and thai boxing girls i had six lovely ladies at my regular disposal. actually, although i didn't need the sex, the soapy body massage at christen's is worth it. next time i will renew my acquaintance.
the us navy showed up once in the first week, and then it was only a small supply ship (300 sailors). they are no longer allowed to stay onshore, and also have to wear civvies, so you won't know them anyway. to be honest, in my experience the impact of the navy is anyway overblown. most of these guys are pleasant lads, and seem more interested in getting fun cocktails that the ship's bar doesn't serve than in laying pipe. there?s also clearly the standard navy contingent of boys who ain't interested in girls.
well, there you have it. a quiet, relaxing, no-pressure, fun, four weeks in the sun. maybe that's why the board here is quiet. patong beach is not the world's most exciting place. none of the borderline (or even downright illegal) stuff that you can find in bangkok is readily available. or at least if it is, then it is much less obvious. but it is safe and easy to get around, has a great beach and wonderful [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord117][CodeWord117][/url], ice cold beer and more girls than you can shake a condom at. in spite of the katoey (maybe because of, i am still confused about people's attitudes to this stuff which leaves me personally completely cold) it is actually quite a family place for the more adventurous sort of family.
safe, boring, wonderful patong beach!
toy boy
p.s. go now, before george and tony get to nuking saddam.
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Toy Boy
What the FL scene in the Tai Pan like ? I t was really good when I was over there over a year ago, with nice looking girls and good music and also really cute waitresses (who may or may not be available for hire - I think not).
Cheers.
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Toy Boy,
Do you have any accomodations to recommend from your month in Patong?
I was there briefly (3 days) earlier this month, I will put up a report shortly.
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Frog in Patong Beach(Phuket).
Well the bar scene around Soi Banghla is getting more and more commercial than it has been 3 years before. The girls prefer to go shorttime (THB 500 - 2000) instead of Longtime/GFE (THB 1000 up). But there are still very kind TG.
There are some places to pick up Freelancers: especially next door to the PS-Hotel (Tai Pan). There are some younger girls and more of them after 1 am when many of the bars close. But the mass is average and the age between 30 and 45 i guess.
Round the corner (Soi Sansabai) you can try to pick up a FL; there are some restaurants/bars open 24 hours. Met a really cute Girl there and i didn't feel unsafe.
Had a bad experience with a bar-girl from Soi Eric; she might have taken some money out of my pouchbag but even police could not help me.
Accomodation: i can recommend PS-Hotel in Patong Beach (but avoid late check out because they might charge you THB 600 up)or Seabreeze-Inn in Karon Beach; both girl/friendly and round about 1000 THB/night for an aircon-room, 2 breakfast included).
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I was in Patong Beach in Phuket not long ago, for only a few nights, first visit.
Lots of action. The smaller town puts things on a much more managable scale.
After bars close (2-2:30am) seems like a good time to pick up chicks cheaply, as others have pointed out, but hard to make your selection quickly I found, as the good ones seem to clear out and head home pretty quickly. A number of cute girls were still around, eating at tables around the sidewalk vendors, but I was loathe (that night) to interrupt them to try to select one. LOTS of lady-boys hanging around at that point.
An unusually large number of shims (lady-boys) out each night, or so I thought -- maybe normal for patong. They're usually easy to identify, but I was initially fooled a few times.
I visited one or two go-go bars, but didn't take anybody out.
I did pick up girls from the Tiger Disco, which a tuk-tuk driver recommended. It's the large second-story one on Bangla Rd, across next-door to the kick-boxing place, with the big Tiger's head side entrances. 200 baht (2 drink coupons) to get in unless you get there late, in which case it's 100baht (1 coupon). Good selection of young, pretty girls inside (fewer shims too!), seemed like a mix or pros and semi-pros, some amateurs. Seemed like 1000baht was the standard price here (after bargaining, they would ask for 1500 usually), for short-time, but the girls didn't seem to be in a big hurry once you got them out. I didn't try to get the prices any lower, probably possible later in the night.
One of the girls told me she thought the shark club would reopen in the next few months. I also visited the banana club which didn't have much to offer as far as girls went...
I stayed at the Bamboo Club Resort, recommended a while back in this forum, and was very pleased with the place. Reasonably priced if booked through latestays (nice bungalow suites, though a little more expensive). The only drawback to the place is that it's just outside of the busy part of town, so at night it can be hard to get a ride into town without calling a full sized taxi.
Man, I love thai girls.
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Rumpus,
I find that the guest houses in Soi San Sabai (go straight across the traffic lights at the end of Soi Bangla) are ideal. I use the Summer Breeze, run by Lester Smith (http://phuket-summerbreeze.com/), very nice and friendly and safe, though it's not the cheapest. Search for "San Sabai cheap hotel" in Google or Alta Vista and you should get a good list. This time I was in Patong for a month, so I rented a condo at the end of Soi San Sabai. It was beautiful and very cheap, about 1000 Baht/night for a 60 m2, 2-room apartment with full AC and kitchenette. Impresses the hell out of the girls who think I am something above the usual monger and service me accordingly. Never had so many BBBJ's without even asking. Way to go.
jackdaniels,
I spent an hour or two in Tai Pan but didn't sample the goods as I had two very accommodating ladies from the Chi Chi Bar in Soi Eric on my arms. The music was live and loud, too much so for my taste (and for the amps to judge by the level of distortion). I tend to avoid FL's for safety reasons. With 5000 or more bar girls available in PB I can always find something that suits my mood, and knowing that the girl is known makes me feel safer (see the recent discussions on the Pattaya board, maybe I am excessively cautious, (or totally neurotic?) but I travel alone and so try to avoid unnecessary risks).
Toy Boy
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Hey there,
Been following this channel for sometimes but just seldom join in, as i'm not really frequent to cheong...
Anyway, i'm going to have a breakaway to Phuket or Koh Samui on 12 Apri for few days. I personally like beaches for skin tanes and also "bitches" for my little brother this time.
So I need some easy cheongers to accompany with....anyone interested ?
By the way, what is the best route to Phutket ? By bus from KL to Hatyai then to Phuket ? or join travel agent with fright ? whatabout i take flight on my own ? any suggestion ?
my little bro is ready man....
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6'Nail,
KL-Phuket:
Busing all the way will take about, hmmm, all 24 hours of a day.
After your nightbus trip into HadYai count on another 6(van) to 8(airbus) or even 10 (ordinary bus) hours to get to Phuket.
Fly!
Perhaps fly from Penang?
It's very easy to do on your own. Once in Phuket airport take a B60 van to the hotel of your choice and cheong!
Do keep in mind that Songkhran/'Waterfestival'/ThaiNewYear is in mid-April. I would book well in advance if you want a 'classy' hotel during ThaiNewYear.
PS Flying is your only option if you want to go to Samui. Bus+boat=too long for a short break.
Peace:)
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Freeler.....
Two questions:
The 60B is the Thai Airways 'Wherever you go as long as it is Phuket' fare?
I am going there on april 9. Should I book PS Hotel or something on Soi Sunset or Soi San Sabai before arriving (cause of Songkhran)?
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Philo,
I've been searching for the <airport van> on the web but can't find it:(. But it should be there! You could choose Phuket town or Patong/Kata/KaronBeaches.
You could email ThaiAirways and ask.
I found a schedule for busses out of Phuket to the towns you asked about in 'OtherAreas', go to bottom of the page:
[url]http://phuket.sawadee.com/transfer.htm[/url]
On Phuket regular bus/songthaew services only run to 5.30pm. After that everything turns taxi. One taxiride on Phuket is about the same price as a day's motorbike rent...
I don't think it's necessary to book in advance. But it could be better for your state of mind - One less worry.
Peace:)
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Freeler
I read it somewhere earlier today, but cannot find it either. This though, is a reference:
[url]www.patchwork.ca/siboya/enroute/enroute.htm[/url]
I will try to get the 60 B voucher at the airport (instead of paying 400+ B for taxi/limousine to Patong).
Your adventures off the beaten track are enviable: but as I really am a sissy (hehe) I think I will start Phuket - maybe make a trip to HDY or BKK - and end Phuket. Time will show......
Anywy, thank you for bothering.
ph
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I haven't tried the 60 Baht bus, never knew about it.
But just by the exit doors as you leave HKT airport is a stand where you can get the tourist minibus to Patong, Karon and Kata. It is a flat 150 Baht. I took it this time instead of the taxi, and it's fine, just takes a bit longer, but I was still in San Sabai within an hour. And it pisses off the K-K people who have to tour the back streets of Patong Beach dropping the likes of me off. (So there's even on-board entertainment!)
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a month in los!!! after arriving in bangkok april 24, around 11:00 pm planning to take bus or taxi to majestic suites. then check out nana night scene, perhaps get a soapy and lt my first night! i like the idea of taking the three hour bus ride to khorat for my first weekend in los, staying at kstars (khorat hotel) a few days exploring issan provinces, then back to bangkok on monday for a flight to phuket, do some snorkeling and mongering for a few days then fly from phuket to ko samui for the weekend, perhaps take a girl with me from phuket, for some some wind surfing, paragliding and go a few days "via" the 1 1/2 hour speed boat ride to ko tao a few days of open water diving. then back to ko samui/phuket and perhaps a flight to pattaya for a few more days of mongering before returning to phuket and possibly exploring krabi. phuket seems like a naturally good departure point/base, for checking out southern thailand. hope i have time to check out the similian islands. though i must say . . . seeing nitty gritty thailand from perspective of seniors members is intriguing, just not quite confident . . . though, think i'll spend my last week exploring northern provinces.
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HKT-airport:
Guess it's recommended to take the limousine-service or the Bangkok-Airways-Service or a free transfer from your hotel (e.g. PS) because there was some hussle 2 weeks ago between a guard and a illegal taxi-driver (was shot).
It's saver and cheaper.
Some hotels + the limousine/minibus service have their boots inside but the rest must wait outside the building.
When buying the ticket for the minibus you'll be asked where to go and they send/show you (to) the right bus. I've never heard they serve certain beaches only.
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Frog,
Somebody 'on the ground' ought to investigate and send us a full report, dammit!
Taking the taxi from the airport to PhuketTown or Patong is soooo against Freeler's ways: paying more for the taxi than the bus from BKK would cost.... Sends chills down my spine:(
