crazysafari

Hi,

We are planning to spend Christmas in Phuket with our two kids (7 years old) and looking for things to do. We will be in a resort around Karon beach and prefer quieter beaches.
We will rent a car from the airport for the duration of our stay.

We might plan a day trip to Phi-Phi pr Phang-Nga Bay by boat. I hear that Phang-Nga is lot more scenic than Phi-Phi. Is this true.
Could you suggest some good boat tour operators which do not tend to overload their boats. I heard Simba is good.

Also considering Fantasea land - is it worth it or a bit over-hyped?

Any other place you would suggest with kids- nature, wildlife etc. I heard there are elephant safaris there as well.

Suggestions most appreciated.

thank you

Kathie

I would not ride elephants in Phuket. The elephants are not well-treated. If you want your kids to have interactions with elephants, do so at a reputable elephant center. Two recommended ones near Chiang Mai are the Thai Elephant Conservation Center and the Elephant Nature Park.

Going to PhiPhi for the day only gets you to the busiest part of the island, so I wouldn't recommend it.

The one company for day trips by boat that gets great reviews is John Gray's Sea Canoes.

zoso

Kathie is right again.Its very sad to see the light out of a Elephants eye!
There are quite a few elephant camps in Chang mai. Your driver might try to take u where he wants and probley will get a commission to bring you there.That happened to me. I walked in and left.Only use the 2 that Kathie suggests.They rescue them!!

crazysafari

Thanks Zoso and Cathie for your response.

I agree with your suggestions- and will give elephants a miss. Will save it for Chiang Mai- maybe next time.

I have been reading about Khao Sok National Park on the net. Do you recommend a day trip from Phuket (we will have a rental car) to the national park. Is it likely to be warm there in December.

Which website should I refer to for suggested things to do in the National Park.

cheers

poochie

I had the pleasure of visiting Phuket in 2008
and it was wonderful.

I did go to Fantasea and it was cute. They have
carnival types games and such. The show is something
that your children would enjoy. I enjoyed it as a adult.