Hi Everyone!
Great forum you have here- wish I had discovered it earlier!
My partner and I are off to thailand for 2 weeks the first time leaving 2nd May( 22 sleeps, but whos counting!). It is the first time overseas for both off us so we are really looking forward to it!
I have booked the first 2 nights at Thara Patong Beach Resort & Spa in Phuket and then we ar just going to scout about for the rest of the accomadation (have heard that by doing this you often get it cheaper than booking it from home). Has any one stayed at this resort? good or bad???

I used to ride horses when i was younger and have heard you can do this in Phuket. Has any one had any good experiences with any of the riding schools? we would be looking to take the horses along the beach ( as little guidence as possible would be prefered as we are both compedent riders).

Well.. any advice any one can give in regards to AMAZING things to do or see would be appreciated!

untill then counting down the days!!!

Grace

Enjoy, I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Re this bit though:Scroll down and look for a recent thread started by Andy Anderson on this topic. More upmarket accommodation (like the hotel you've already booked) are cheaper booked online. Don't panic though, you can book online in Thailand too. There's a site called latestays which specializes in last minute bookings and allows you to book a hotel for the next day if you like. No problem finding an internet cafe in Thailand....there are zillions .... though I'm not terribly sure how secure it would be to do online payment on a public computer. Local agents might also be able to get you cheaper deals than you could on walk-in.

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“Not all those who wander are lost.” Tolkien.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

For online bookings, you could try wotifdotcom. The advantage of this site is that it has a grid that shows availability for a period of about two weeks in advance and you can complete your booking and make payment in just a couple of minutes and print out your voucher to present on arrival. The hotel you mention is available on the dates you want..
I note that you are in Sydney - this is an Australian site so you can ring them on their tollfree number if you have any questions and make your booking with the operator - 1300 887979.

I've used wotif before - no problems at all.

Thanks for that!
I did read that thread a while back about the higher priced accomodation being more expensive when you walk in- A few friends have told me its not so bad in off season ( when we are going) but just have to wait and see! Always have the backup option of booking online if it seems to expensive.

Any one have any info on horse riding?

Thanks!!!

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....Thailand here we come....

Its not really off season in Phuket as it will be full of West Australians at that time. ( Phuket holidays are always booked out from Perth) You would be best to book a bit more accomadation online,try "Sawadee.com" The prices are usully cheaper than other sites and are also usually cheaper than the domestic market and walk in rates, you can get some good rates and the site is totally safe in my experience.

Booking online inside Thailand is classed as "domestic" and the cheaper rates are only had through booking from outside of Thailand,something to do with the tourist dept and thats why you have to quote your arrival time and aircraft code.

I havent been to Phuket in a while but will be the same as elsewhere in Thailand where a certain section of a resort is reserved for package tourists,usually rooms around the pool area. So if you are going to do a "Walk in" then insist on seeing the room before you check in.

Are you going else where in Thailand? Or did you get a really cheap flight?

The reason I ask is that a package holiday to Phuket from Australia is usually a lot cheaper than flying in and getting your own,usually only a few hundred more than the flight only.

You will find it hard to get a hotel deal as cheap as a package for the same standard but there is plenty of places to stay to suit all budgets plus you have the flexibility to travel outside of Phuket if you want.

Den.

"Always have the backup option of booking online if it seems to expensive." The only problem with that idea is that you have to actually BE there to see the hotel's walk-in rates. And by then it might be too late.... hotel could be fully booked so you miss out altogether and have to start looking around for somewhere else. Or, hotel is not fully booked but rates are very expensive and you don't want to pay the asking price. Either way you lose.

I didn't know this. So if you book through Latestays, wotif or Sawadee when inside Thailand you don't get the same rates as you do booking through these same websites outside the country?

I haven't ever tried to book online inside Thailand though I have used local travel agents to get me a cheaper rate for a hotel than I could on walk in my own.

__________________
“Not all those who wander are lost.” Tolkien.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

We have used Asia Rooms to book (Not Thailand though) and have been happy with prices, from memory thier office is in Thailand, not sure where, I found this out when trying to confirm a hotel booking in Singapore.

I have been using hotel travel. They seems to have the best rates on most places and only withdraw money a month before actual booking. I have booked main accommadation but am taking a list of alternative hotels and their prices in different areas for when we decide where we want to stay.
I will then just go on line and book.

Hi All!
Thanks for all that. especially the bit about booking online/walk in.
I am a first timer overseas as well as Thailand so although my comments/questions might sound silly its only because I dont know!

I think judging by all that I might book before hand.. sawasdee.com seems like the best option.

We fly in to phuket ( cheap jetstar flights) but we are going to do a bit of travel- hoping to go to Koh samui, krabi, Phi Phi island etc, but stay down the southern end for this trip. Dont want to spend the whole time traveling either.

What is the best way to get between places? taxi? tuk tuk? boat??

Not long to go now!!
Grace

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....Thailand here we come....