We're flying Seattle - Taipei - BKK - Phuket in one very long day. I'm thinking we're going to be so exhausted by the time we arrive in Phuket (about 6pm) that a prebooked taxi to Karon Beach would be a godsend. Is this possible and/or practical?

Thanks.

ask your hotel to send a car for you....there will also be tons of taxis waiting to take you....just have good directions...

Thank you. Can anyone tell us the approx. fare from Phuket airport to Karon Beach?

Followup: We booked a car thru our hotel (Baan Karonburi) for 750 baht. As seems to happen to many people I've read about, there was no one there when we arrived! So we walked the few yards across the parking lot to the taxi stand and got a metered taxi. Very easy! I beleive it cost around 450 baht. The driver gave us his card and suggested we call him for our return trip.

Since metered taxis are extremely rare in Karon Beach, we took his card to the front desk and asked them to call this man for us. They sent us to the Tour/Taxi desk in their lobby stating that is their job. The woman at the tour desk (who speaks very little english) says ok, that will be 750 baht. Ooops... NO, we want THIS man that drives a metered taxi. She says, sorry I can't do that, I'll have to ask the manager. The manager gives her permission, and the woman at the tour desk says, ok, I will call a metered taxi. We again point to the business card and say We want THIS man. Finally she calls him and assures us it will be fine.

The taxi was indeed ready and waiting at the appointed time. So remember to be firm and make sure you insist on a metered taxi.

The taxi driver we used was:
Taxi Meter Service
Mr. Chaiwat Samattha, Car No. 15
Mobile: 06-6826331
The card suggests calling at least 2
hours ahead.

I have just returned from Phuket at the beginning of Feb, there is no need to prebook a taxi. When you leave the arrival are there is a booth there that you rent a taxi from. The rates are posted on a board and it tells you the rate for where you are going. I think to Karon was 500 baht. Have fun

I had a similar experience with the Crowne Plaza resort in Karon. They wanted 1,500 for an airport pick-up, so I took a taxi for just under 500 Baht. On departure, the hotel wouldn't call a taxi either. They tried to negotiate down, but still insisted on something obscene. I ended up hauling my bags out to the street and hiring a unlicensed cab to the airport (not recommended, actually).

Also note that I have heard some bad stories about the van services at the aiport, so it's best to go straight past them and spend a few extra Baht on a taxi.