The Islands

I have to confess that I have never been to Koh Toa. I don't really know why, maybe because it's a divers destination and I have a phobia for being underwater. Koh Samui, I have been to countless times, not so much recently because it is not the same island it once was and also because the last time I was there I had a little bit of an accident. Koh Phangang, I've only been there twice and I really liked it. I'm not one for all these all night beach parties preferring small quiet beaches/coves to relax in.

Which island/s do you like and why?

I also must say I've never been to Koh Tao nor to Koh Phangang primarily because of the Moon parties being there as the noisy drug fuelled nightlife wouldn't be my cup of tea either. As for Koh Tao I definitely plan on getting there at some point this year as my snorkelling experience in the Philippines was just awesome and if Koh Tao is the premier diving destination in Thailand then it's worth a go.

The Islands on the east side does not interest me, I like the west coast more. I do not know why, might have something to do with the fact I know it better and there seem to be less tourists there (probably more but I cant see them).

I think that Koh Tao is worth a visit even if you're not into diving or snorkelling. The island also has some laid back night-life and a generally relaxing vibe.
Also, Koh Phangan is worth a vist even if you're not interested in:

Gillo wrote: the noisy drug fuelled nightlife.

Don't forget that Phangan also has many quiet, secluded beaches which are usually cheaper than Had Rin anyway.
It's not worth writing off islands (or anything else, for that matter) based on reputation alone.

I am not writing off Koh Phangan on reputation, I have been there several times, but it is just too much hassle there for me... I would like to get over there and pay normal price on the song taew, I would like to not have to barter all the time, even at 7 eleven...

The Thais on the islands are just to greedy for me... Not saying that they are not nice...

Samui used to be nice, but then the foreigners came there, in millions... now it is just like a large tourist pot... Too much in one place (sure you can find nice places there too, but I am too lazy to look for it...) and the hotels are just priced over the moon... Not for me...

Phuket on the other hand has everything I need... Good food, Cheap Food... Cinema.... Alcohol, with a reasonable price (not in the beer bars) and I can drive my car from A to B without any problems...

Been to Samui three times this year and thought it has become a dos house! Last time I went before that was in 1992 and it was great. Don't like Phuket either but at least I found a semblance of sophistication there! Samui looks more like a building site or Ibiza in the tropics! Shame such a lovely island has been raped and pillaged!

That just says it all... So if you are up for a wild party with loads of wasted stupid moronic teens whose knickers are so wet its like a brewery down there, good luck...

Ps. The tap means it is a boy...
The cup means it is a girl...

Well put Snowdrake!!! Koh Tao it is then....

Phuket for me, not the tourist part... Central and Phuket town.. Might even try one of the other beaches there that are not as famous as Patong!

again... new to the place..
so where can one stay on a budget .. good , clean hotel but not too expensive.. places to eat.. ect.. best way to travel around the islands??

come on i am seeking information.

I recently stayed at Karon beach in Phuket. It was relatively quiet whilst still having some restaurants and bars. The beach was nice and still within easy striking distance of Patong if you want more action or nightlife. Transport on the islands (Phuket/Samui) is generally quite overpriced and I recommend bringing or hiring your own. There are so many hotels in these areas you can always find something reasonably priced, especially if you don't need to be right by the beach.

this is more like it .. information.. telling people things .. please has anyone else have any information about the islands..
another topic set up for hotels, prices , ratings.. and remarks about the place you went to..

Snowflake wrote:
Samui used to be nice, but then the foreigners came there, in millions... now it is just like a large tourist pot... Too much in one place (sure you can find nice places there too, but I am too lazy to look for it...) and the hotels are just priced over the moon... Not for me...

Hang on ..... you've been there only once (your words) ... and that was only to see me on my deathbed. What do you mean, 'it used to be nice'?

I'll agree with you (I don't know how you know) but it was at one time 'nice', before the concrete ring road, before all the hotels, before all the tourist trap shops etc etc but at the same time then there were no 'western amenities' ..... it was nice. Now, the whole place is catered for the tourist and as nice as it is/was, I still think it was much nicer before the 'tourist invasion!'

Admin wrote:

Snowflake wrote:
Samui used to be nice, but then the foreigners came there, in millions... now it is just like a large tourist pot... Too much in one place (sure you can find nice places there too, but I am too lazy to look for it...) and the hotels are just priced over the moon... Not for me...

Hang on ..... you've been there only once (your words) ... and that was only to see me on my deathbed. What do you mean, 'it used to be nice'?

I'll agree with you (I don't know how you know) but it was at one time 'nice', before the concrete ring road, before all the hotels, before all the tourist trap shops etc etc but at the same time then there were no 'western amenities' ..... it was nice. Now, the whole place is catered for the tourist and as nice as it is/was, I still think it was much nicer before the 'tourist invasion!'

I've only been to Samui twice. The last time was in 1986. There was no airport at that time. I beleive that the airport was probably the catalyst that put the nail in Samui's coffin with regards to it [Samui] being beautiful and relatively untouched.

I continue to be amused by people complaining about places being ruined by an apparent 'tourist invasion' or becoming 'too touristy'. What are you? A fish, a polar bear? I'm sure people complained about you as an invading tourist at some point. It seems that, in Thailand, everyone wants to be a tourist (although not admit to it) but reserves the right to whine about other, more obvious tourists.

What can I say, we like to whine here... Admin, I know Samoui used to be nice as it can not always have been that messy... So, it used to be nice... I also listen to people... Look at pictures... Read books/travel magz... I don't want to be a tourist here, I don't like most of the tourists here... They are usually not well behaved and they tend to create more problems for us that live here. They do give foreigners a bad reputation... (IT IS TRUE)... If I travel with school I am working, if I travel by myself I guess you could call me a tourist, a local tourist, not an international tourist if that makes any sense... (I hate it)... 

C-Bert wrote:I continue to be amused by people complaining about places being ruined by an apparent 'tourist invasion' or becoming 'too touristy'. What are you? A fish, a polar bear? I'm sure people complained about you as an invading tourist at some point. It seems that, in Thailand, everyone wants to be a tourist (although not admit to it) but reserves the right to whine about other, more obvious tourists.

I think you are missing the point young man. Times have a changed, there were very very few foreigners here then - you'd go weeks without seeing one, especially in areas like NST and even on Samui so the whole 'atmosphere' was totally different. Today, these markets rely on the tourist dollar, many will otherwise not survive. It was not like that then.

I have lived here longer than anywhere else in the world, I have invested money here, I have (had?) a Thai wife for touching 20 years, I drive Thai vehicles on Thai licences so does that still make me (and others) a tourist/s? Does it?

well Admin, you are a tourist if you travel to the islands, you are a tourist if you spend the night in a hotel on a holiday away from your house... When you spend the nights in NST, you are not a tourist, but Phuket, Bangkok, Samoui, or whatever, you are a tourist... 

Yes, thankyou snowflake. I don't feel like us foreigners have the right to complain about tourists. They're great for the economy and we were once like them. It reminds me of Australians whingeing about the 'bloody immigrants'. Hang on, aren't we all immigrants? Just because you have been here longer, that does not give you the right to begrudge others enjoying the same opportunities you were once given.
To say a place has been 'ruined by tourists' may well be true. However, people that arrived here 5-10-20 years earlier than these 'new' tourists were still essentially beginning the tourism wave. These 'early' tourists/ex-pats paved the way for more whole scale tourism. It was bound to happen. You enjoyed the beginning, when the ball was beginning to roll, stop complaining when it reaches its inevitable destination.

C-Bert strikes again with his scathing wit and impenetrable logic! 55!

I must admit, at one point I held myself in high regard for being a "traveler", not a lowly "tourist". This is just as false as saying that you're not a tourist just because you have a Thai driver's license, Thai truck (which is actually Japanese, isn't it?) and Thai STD's. You may reserve the right to complain, of course, just know you'll get no sympathy.

Indeed, it seems it's about time to whip a out the classic "If you don't like/love it, then LEAVE!" line. Seriously though, I'm definitely leaning towards leaving NST at the end of this term. There are so many things I'm growing tired of here and rather than ONLY complain, I'm gonna do something about it. I may change my mind when it comes time to accept the fact I might be taking a BIG pay cut, but we'll see.

Bangkok sure is civilized compared to this two bit town....

HuaNgu wrote:C-Bert strikes again with his scathing wit and impenetrable logic! 55!

I must admit, at one point I held myself in high regard for being a "traveler", not a lowly "tourist". This is just as false as saying that you're not a tourist just because you have a Thai driver's license, Thai truck (which is actually Japanese, isn't it?) and Thai STD's. You may reserve the right to complain, of course, just know you'll get no sympathy.

Indeed, it seems it's about time to whip a out the classic "If you don't like/love it, then LEAVE!" line. Seriously though, I'm definitely leaning towards leaving NST at the end of this term. There are so many things I'm growing tired of here and rather than ONLY complain, I'm gonna do something about it. I may change my mind when it comes time to accept the fact I might be taking a BIG pay cut, but we'll see.

Bangkok sure is civilized compared to this two bit town....

Apart from Thai truck which was manufactured in Thailand not being Thai, STDs and Bangkok being civilized I will not complain, but still try and get my point across. Sympathy is not something that I care too much for.

Why do you have to take a pay cut??? Bangkok you can make much more money than here... 
how did we get over to this when the topic is the islands??? 

If it wasn't for tourism this country would still be in the dark ages. A bit like Nakhon, really.

Nakhon is still old Thailand..
but Doyen is right , i do not see nakhon becoming a phuket , samui or a bkk..
but lets get this topic back to the islands..
has anyone been to any of them over the xmas break>>? what was your thoughts .. anything good to say .. or bad?

Not been mentioned here yet.... WHY??

I went to Trang for a few days this week, it was great.
Clean roads, nice shops, didn't see any dogs roaming the place, they fumegate (not sure how to spell that) the street and drains, que at Tesco was relaxed (no pushing or jumping the que), relaxed friendly people, and great food and a great price.
I had wild pig there, it was tops. Great restaurant called "Balcony" worth checking out if you go. Menu in English and Thai, glass of free iced water at your table the instant you sit down, food was 1st class with prices to rival road-side stalls.
We had chicken and cashew nuts in sauce, duck curry, 2 servings of rice, plus our water....... 120 baht.

Anyway, the islands.... we asked at the tourist offices near the train station, and they were charging a bit OTT, so we headed off to 1 of the little ports to do things ourself.
For a reasonable fee you can hire a boat (with driver) to take you on a tour of the many islands.
We paid 2k and went round 5 islands.
That price is for the boat, not per person, so a group of 10 you'd each pay just 200 baht! For that you got bottled water on ice, life jacket, and snorkelling gear thrown in (although they were open foot diving fins not closed foot snorkelling fins, so boots or an old pair of trainers should be worn else they rub).

If you just wanted to do 2 islands you could do a 4 hour trip for 1,500.

We snorkelled at most places we visited and I saw coral reefs in better conditions than I've seen anywhere else in Thailand. Water was very clear (15+ meters vis easy) and coral was healthy, undamaged, and teaming with life - a far cry from what I've seen off Samui, Koh Tao and even Phi Phi (and this is the tail end of the season).
We also did a swim through Morakot cave, which brings you out at a secluded beach

Many of the places we visited would also be suitable for diving as they had quite steep drop offs.

There were a few tour boats arrive - probably from Lanta, but I'd say the islands close to Trang would be a great get-away. They looked very quiet, yet comfortable.

First time I've been out there, it certainly wont be my last.
Travel to Samui or Phuket to pay 3,500 baht for 2 dives? No thanks, I'll be heading back to Trang in future.

Trang is not a place I've thought about when it came to places to visit, but I was very impressed. Beats the sh1t out of Nahon anyday!

Further info can be found here: www.sornchaitour.com