at12am

This trip did not start off well because some gift items in a Fedex package that I had sent off before the trip got stolen. I hate it when people under-delivered. Although it was unrelated to the trip but it sure affected the mood. Well, under-delivery did happen again during the trip. It should be like, I research, I choose, I pay and it should be done right. But society is not like that unless you have a personal assistant. A self-preservation or self-protection mode is not relaxing. Ok, on with the trip report….

We spent 7 nights (4 in Khao Lak and 3 in Phi Phi Island). It was not the best of weather in Dec; heavy rain at night and a mix of drizzles/cloudy/sunny days but the upside was the temp was not too hot.

Generally I found the QPR (quality to price ratio) was lower than in Bangkok, esp in PP island LaemTong beach area. I understand that tourism is the major or the only industry in more remote places but they could have added more luxury and anticipatory attentiveness for the same price that I could get a very luxury stay in larger cities. Natural beauty is free and what we pay for is the cleanup/upkeep of the area and luxury/pampering service of the resort. Sometimes it just gets disproportionately high for the quality. The accommodation/food in the busy areas like Patong and Laguna area(Phuket), Tonsai beach(PPI) are more reasonable, but the vista and atmosphere are different.

I am an easy-going and accommodating person, so I don’t make much fuss about hotel room and amenities. I am critical of the quality but I rarely complaint. I just don’t go back. But having seen a lot of reports of free upgrade and successful room change request, I decided to try my hand at “demanding”. Hoping a Marriott Gold card and booking on their website will get me something, but NO. Couldn’t get any upgrade without paying more and couldn’t get on a fully booked bike tour (they could have rented 2 more bikes from a local shop and accommodated us, then this will definitely up their service level).
Next try was the Holiday Inn on PP Island. I also booked via their website. I found the rate was 1000 baht less a few days before arrival online and asked for some perts on site. But no amount of pleading or cheerful smiles could get me a complimentary upgrade, not even a breakfast! They did give me a better located garden bungalow.
I guess the problem was we chose the fully-paid and non-cancellable rates, so we did not have any leverage to bargain because they got the money even if we leave the next day. So, for an extra US$30/night, you have more flexibility.
Bargaining and demanding are against my nature and being turndown on requests is downright depressing, so it is not my way of a relaxing sun & beach vacation.

<b>I am going to do a summary for reference to other fodorites and then go into day to day happenings.</b>

<b>WAS IT FUN</b>: YES!!! But it was not as stress free as it should be because of all the inflated prices and need for bargaining and glitches in transportation. I wish I have more money to have an all-inclusive and door-to-door vacation so I don’t have to reserve and confirm and re-confirm all the time, but that means I have to live on beans for weeks afterwards to maintain a balanced budget for the year.

<b>TOTAL COST</b>: 101,000baht for 2 (66,000 was for flight/hotel) Add another 20-30% for better hotel package and transfer options if you want more carefree experience.

<b>SCENERY</b>: Very nice in Khao Lak (1.5 hr north of airport) and LaemTong beach in PPI (north tip of the main island, 30 mins boat ride away from main pier in Tonsai beach). But I found some remote beaches in Honolulu (like Kailua beach) and Aruba to be more pristine.

<b>ACTIVITIES</b>: Snorkelling/Diving trips, relax at the beach, use of resort facilities, a little dining/shopping in nearby town, did not go on any jungle trip due to concern with possible kidnapping in southern Thailand, basically went to bed at 9-11pm nightly, so relax, relax, and relax………

<b>SNORKELLING/DIVING</b>:
<b><u>Khao Lak</b></u> : <i>Sea Dragon Dive</i> (Similan Islands day trip) http://www.seadragondivecenter.com/ – good for people who are prone to seasickness because they use large boat but very slow. Companies that use speedboat will get there in half the time (90mins). We did not prepaid, but we had to visit the dive shop 1 day prior for payment and fitting. For Similan Islands and vicinity diving, liveaboard would be a better way to go to see more. More on the trip later.
<b><u>PPI</b></u>: <i>H20 sportz at Holiday Inn</i> – no-rule, layback kind of diving. This is less professional than Sea Dragon but more flexible. It is expensive (4700 baht plus 17% service fee and tax imposed by hotel vs 3700baht at Tomsai beach). Maybe you can pay the shop cash directly to save on service fee and tax. More on that later.

<b>THAI HOSPITALITY & SMILE</b>: highly overrated. It is like any tourism location, all smiles have an agenda behind it. More on a few interesting incidents later……

<b>FLIGHT</b>: We used Thai airline hoping it would have better planes and service than its much more economic sister AirAsia. But NO, the planes were very aged and basic (lavatory panels discoloured and doors not working, headset not working). The service and food were good. I think Dragon Air has better planes and at about the same cost.

<b>TRANSPORTATION</b>: Due to apprehension of online scams, we did not use any pre-booking with prepaid requirement.

<b>LAND TRANSFER</b>: Taxi from airport is like a normal car but out in Khao Lak, they are pickup trucks with steel top to shield you from rain (no A/C). Some are clean and some makes you feel like livestock. We used Taxi@Boss ([email protected] +66857861378). Basically, it is cheaper and using comfortable A/C private cars/minivan. It is reliable if your trip is straight forward and using private-only ride. I would suggest reserving a private car (not share with anyone). If it is shared for lower cost, make sure you are not on a strict schedule with a connecting plane or ferry ride and all parties have the same pickup and dropoff locations to avoid delays. We had a frustrating experience but did OK at the end, more on that later. You reserve by emailing BOSS and not pre-paid. He replies in 5-10 mins. You can confirm a ride the day before by email or calling (using local SIM card of course).

<b>PUBLIC FERRY TO PP ISLAND</b>: This is where the confusion is. The only pier on PPI is at Tonsai beach (south part of main island). In order to go to LaemTong beach where Holiday Inn is, there are a few ways to do it. You would think for such a popular destination and thousands of people going there each day, there would be pamphlets or poster board explaining the options and procedure. Nope. No one really explains it because if they do you might not take their ride offer and go elsewhere to a more suitable option for you. A confused and vulnerable tourist is the best ATM. Basically, only speed boats and longtail wooden boats can come to shore at LaemTong because there is no pier, only the beach. All passengers are picked up and dropped off on water about 1km offshore, using longtail boats.
<b>#1</b> Andaman Wave Master is the ONLY ferry that has a second stop at LaemTong after stopping at Tonsai for 1 hr for on-board tourists to shop (luggage stays on board) at Tonsai and pick up more Tonsai tourists to LaemTong. It is like a code-share ferry that pick up passengers from other ferries (ie from Krabi) in the middle of the sea! So it is kind of slow and facilities are basic. Two times from Phuket (Rassada Pier which is at the south eastern part of Phuket) to LaemTong at 830am and 130pm for 600baht/way/person. Prices are different depending who you ask. I asked the lady on the ferry http://www.andamanwavemaster.com/boat%20schedule.htm#

<b>#2</b> Any other ferry (ie Sea Angel, Chaokoh) going to PPI (1000 baht round trip/person) and get dropped off at Tonsai beach with all your luggage. These ferries are better equipped with A/C cabin and plastic chairs on open decks (I got on a Sea Angle Luxury Ferry by mistake, more on that later) and handle your luggage on and off the pier. But you have to arrange for additional transport to LaemTong beach if Tonsai is not your destination. You can either get on the Andaman Wave Master (you may have to wait a short while because Andaman is slower than other ferries) for 200baht OR wait longer (1.5hr) to get on a smaller local boat (15-20 person capacity) for 200baht OR charter a longtail boat available anytime (may be 600-1000 baht per boat, bargaining needed). You can see how stressful that can be when no one really explains it and sometimes they pretend not to understand you. While you wait, they have luggage storage (for a fee of course 50baht each) and you can stroll Tonsai town (of course 20 baht each to enter).
<b>CONCLUSION: No need to buy ferry tickets beforehand online, nor at airport. </b> You can buy the tickets after getting on the ferry. Buying it from local agents beforehand is ok as long as they include land transfer to the pier as long as you stay in Patong, Laguna area. Anywhere further may incur extra charge, also the possibility of the driver not showing up. Make sure they know exactly where you are staying; agents tend to say yes to anything to get your business. Or you can arrange your transfer to the pier and get there at least ½ hr earlier to get on the right ferry and buy tickets. It is busy at the pier. Of course all this potential confusion may be avoided with extra money; have your hotel at PPI to arrange everything for you. This would add about 20+% to your transportation budget.

<b>PRIVATE SPEEDBOAT TO PPI</b>:
<b>#1</b> Not certain about other resorts, Holiday Inn has 2 rounds (set time) of pickup with speedboat from phuket for 2500/way/person. I think the pier at phuket is more north eastern. You still have to get to the pier yourself or have the hotel arrange transfer for a premium.
<b>#2</b> A totally private speedboat depart at anytime you like for about 14000+/way/boat.
The problem can be for someone who is prone to seasickness riding on a speedboat for 1 hr.

<b>HOTELS</b>:
<b><u>Khao Lak</u></b>: <i>JW Marriott Khao Lak</i> – Building 1 pool access room, 5200/night++ with breakfast (you pay 10% service on room charge AND on 7% tax) http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...esort-and-spa/
Very impressive Hotel ground area (main pool, awesome swimming canals, manicured lush settings, etc)
Four rows of townhouse-like rooms and each has a water canal at the back for the first floor rooms (hence pool access). All canals and the main pool are connected with bridges. So you can swim non-stop for a few km. For the first 2 rows, guests can walk thru their private wooden gated balconies and small shrub area into the canal, just like a private cottage with access to the river a few steps away. For the second 2 rows, there is no shrub in front of their balconies. Some have no gate (open) and some have glass gates. The canals there are wider than the first 2 rows. However, it feels more like a large apartment community because you can see everybody lounging in their balconies. The Aquamarine pool between the second 2 rows is like a nice residential pool and the pool bar has been closed for a while. I like the private and exclusive feel of the first two rows. The infinity pool is OK. They do have water polo nets and power jet lounge areas and a passable pool bar.
Room is large, just like in the picture.
Restaurants have nice décor but food is not special for the price, so eat elsewhere
Breakfast is very good but not fantastic (no free champagne, sushi stale, not enough hot food selection)
Service is not 5 stars, courteous but not anticipatory to client’s need, need to tell them what to do, housekeeping not top service (mirror not clean, fruits not replaced, etc)
Beach area is well kept (good expansive view, quiet because no motor sport, not white sand but clean) and beautiful sunset.
Free boogie boards, free bike tour, beach volleyball, water polo, etc (check schedule)
Scheduled Minivan shuttle service to Bang Niang and Nang Thong (200/way/person, reservation needed), unscheduled reservation is 300/way/person.
You need to use their shuttle or take taxi (open pickup truck) or drive or hire private ride for the day (4-8hrs) because there is nothing that is within walkable distance. Well, not true, there are a few shack restaurants and massage places on the beach on either side of the hotel.
<b>CONCLUSION:</b> The QPR is good esp compared to Holiday Inn on PPI. Of course it can’t be compared to Bangkok for value. It is very beautiful. It is very quiet so it is not for everyone. You may only see geckos and frogs at night. There are more crowds and cheaper food in Nang Thong, more so than in Bang Niang (south of JW). I would go back to relax. We drove by the Apsaras Resort, not impressed with the beach, too “natural”, not kept well and far from hotel which looked like a compound than a resort on the outside.

<b><u>PPI</u></b>: <i>Holiday Inn at LaemTong beach</i> – garden bungalow, 5100/night++ no breakfast http://www.phiphi.holidayinn.com/
The hotel ground is good.
All bungalows in the old section and all are raised off ground. Some bungalows in the back raised much higher on the hill side and the bridges connecting them are dark at night. I would imagine lots of mosquitoes, and it is a long walk to the lobby and beach.
Beachfront and superior bungalows (just the second row behind the beachfront ones) do not warrant the extra cost (may be a few have a better view of the sea because there are rows of trees between them and the water)
The room is a like a Best Western with a motel quality bathroom. So, at that price, I would have expected some luxury pampering. It feels like I am in the Captain lodge of an army. The best lodge of the army accommodation in the field. Geckos do get into the room.
Small lounge chairs on the front porch.
There is a new section with low-rise condo rooms but they are even further from the lobby but the access to the beach is not far. No one was staying there.
The pools are not very good. The old pool looks green and radioactive and smallish. The visibility is actually worse than the sea. Is it the salt water or sand from the swimmers? The new pool located in the new section is a small infinity pool but the water is like it has not been maintained since it opened 6 months ago.
Beach is the best of all resorts on this part of the island. Large and kept clean but quite a bit of broken seashells and not white sand. Holiday Inn has the best section of the beach but of course it is not exclusive to Holiday Inn. All in all, the entire stretch of beach is punctuated with not so clean sections where locals reside, like tourist area and real life area but no paradise, which I accept.
On a calm day, the water is surreal like silky powder blue paint; a perfect picture with the distant mountains and sky.
Leave the restaurants off your list, eat at Jasmin instead.
Service is not 4 stars, more like 3 stars.
Free use of snorkeling and kayaking gear till 6pm.
No TV in room, just CD. Not much to do except relax on the porch. Booze and loud music are at the Tonsai beach but you have to charter a boat (about 1600-2000 for return).
<b>CONCLUSION</b>: Not a very good QPR. Next time I would do a day trip to PPI for the beach. For diving/snorkeling, may stay one night at cheaper hotel either in Tonsai (less than 3000 per night) or PP Erawan in LaemTong. PP Erawan is also basic and the pool is like a backyard tub pool. I like Jasmin, so I may stay in LaemTong which is cleaner than Tonsai. The expensive Zeavola (5 stars, 9000+/night) is a major pass, just an over-priced eco-lodge with tons of mosquitoes. Or stay in Tonsai and boat to LaemTong during the day for the beach and dive cheap from Tonsai. Just do the math to see which is better (hotel, boat ride, snorkeling gear, etc). If you want to stay at Holiday Inn, get a garden bungalow close to the lobby.

<b>BEST EAT ON THIS TRIP</b>: Jasmin next to Holiday Inn on PPI (Shrimp fried rice and fried bananas)
<b>WORST EAT ON THIS TRIP</b>: Sawasdee next to PP Erawan on PPI (breakfast buffet)

<b>IF I HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN PLAN</b>:
Travel in March/April for best weather and diving experience
Arrive early & stay at JW Marriott Khao Lak for 1 night, leave luggage at hotel
Do a 3-4 nights liveaboard Similan Islands and Koh Bon to see mantas and whales
Stay at JW Marriott Khao Lak 1-2 nights to wind down
Visit the beach area of Le Meridien and Sarojin to see if there is any difference
Either go home or do PP Islands for 1-2 nights with diving or just daytrip diving or 2 nights in Bangkok if connecting there
Land transfer: will use Taxi@BOSS again
Ferry (if necessary): buy at the pier, arrive early

<b>Was it a paradise?</b>
Visually, it was about 8/10. For sun & beach, I would say Bora Bora would be the best in my imagination because I have not been there.
To me, paradise is more of a state of being; freedom and the privilege of letting one’s guard down. It can be in the very space of my home. So in that sense, it was about a 7.


The day to day report will follow..........

LeighTravelClub

mmmmmm......

Femi

Seems like a few things didn't meet your expectations. How did you decide to stay at these locations?

Dosen't seem very 'magazine' like so far, or am I missing something?

Nice details in the report and I like how you've organized it.

rhkkmk

thanks for this report...

i totally disagree with you about the marriott khao lak...

the buildings are beautiful and well kept....the pools are fantastic....the sand is fine and bright... the breakfast is amongst the best we have had in thailand.... the staff could not be nicer---to your face or behind your back....

it seems to me that you are looking for 6*s at a 1* price...

patong is exactly what everyone says it is.... an overrun borderline sleezy thai seaside town... why would you think otherwise unless you had not done your homework...

i cannot speak to PP, i will leave that to leigh...

maybe bora bora would suit you more, but somehow i doubt it..

i apologize for being so frank, you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but in this case i felt i had to speak up..

shanek

Nothing wrong with being frank or speaking up Bob. This is the most pedantic, pompous, hypercritical piece of travel reporting that I have read on the forum since the departure of Oksana.
It is, however, well written and structured.

How can one complain about QPR (Quality to price ratio)for a 7 night holiday for 2 in peak season that cost less than $3500US including flights and accomodation!!!!! You would pay this much for accomodation alone in Bora Bora.

Maybe the OP should consider just staying at home.

crellston

Shanek - I could not have put it better!

Particularly amusing to read this extract given what is to follow - "I am an easy-going and accommodating person, so I don’t make much fuss about hotel room and amenities. I am critical of the quality but I rarely complaint (sic)." Really!!

at12am

It took a little longer to recount the events from memory, especially after two major holidays.

Thanks for the comments.

@Femi
Yes, some problem with logistics did mar the experience a little. Overall, the trip was great and snapshots of it did look like the "magazine" life. Like most things, it always look superb in photos and I did feel I was in one at some points.

I chose the hotels based on research on this forum and TripAdvisor. Since my travel mate has been to Patong and Laguna area, we decided to try a different location in Phuket. Phi Phi Leh is world-renowned and Laemtong area is the better beach area on Phi Phi Don, hence Holiday Inn.

@rhkkmk, shanek, crellston
Me too, I tell it like it is. I recount the events and the feelings associated with them. This is the nature of the forum.

I critique the trip to report in this forum. I hope it can be used as reference, as I have found many useful information on this site. Travelers of any budget should have the privilege to explore and experience the world. Finding value is a joy for many and easy access to honest opinion (albeit subjective at times)is convenient. I know accommodation cost is high in many places. It could be just $350/n in NYC easily. But taking the local cost of living into consideration, the prices of some places are just disproportionately high for the quality. I prefer not to stay at a place where large portion of the price goes toward the expat packages of the senior staff, without the reciprocated service or luxury.

There are really good QPR places. In Korea, service staff bowed from the main door to the end of the driveway as you taxi off to the airport; and all this is only for $200/n. Not that bowing is the ultimate service, but it is their form of showing service. So, finding good value is really gratifying and I hope everyone can share tips.

I have never written or spoken to a manager nor a supervisor about inadequacy of hotel service. Not even when I saw a mouse running in the lobby of a NYC hotel which charged $150/n. However, I tend to critique more thoroughly when I know I will be reporting back on a forum.

I will post the daily happens on the next post..

at12am

Day 1 – Sunday
Thai Air was a bit aged. Service, staff and food were nice but the plane was old; worn seats, and lavatories. TV was the hang from the top type with flickering bad color.

Arrived at noon time in Phuket. Custom was a bit slow but made it out of customs in 1 hour after landing. Bought some Baht at the bank kiosk just outside of customs. We saw a sizable booth selling tour and boat tickets, so we bought the ferry tickets to PhiPhi. We told the agent that we were traveling to Holiday Inn and want to travel on the Andaman Wave Master and he acknowledged that he knows the area and there were only 4 hotels there. So we thought he knows that we are travelling all the way to LaemTong from Phuket on the same ferry because we said Andaman Wave Master and he wrote Andaman on the ticket. I was so happy that I got it all settled so I could start enjoying the vacation, but that was the start of a small but frustrating problem.

The driver from BOSS was there with a cardboard sign of my name, just outside of the airport. The ride to Marriot in Khao Lak was comfortable in a small sedan (Corolla??); about 1.25hr. The driver was courteous and all smiley but not much interacting due to language barrier, but it was all fine.

Marriot was awesome!! The view of the main pool from the lobby was magnificent. There was a man walking in the pool in a relaxed pace, running his hand over his wet hair, just like in a Travel magazine. I am all in the mood for a good one….
The reception lady showed us the map of the hotel and an intro of the hotel. I tried to get a further location from the lobby, but no luck without paying more. So, a gold card did not help on a prepaid package.

The room was big with high ceiling. The tub was HUGH, maybe too big. One downside was the TV and remote control, just too slow. Need to be patient and go slow with it, like wait 2 secs after pressing any key; otherwise it would be a frustrating exercise. I was worried that it was so close to the lobby area that privacy can be an issue; people from the lobby can see all of the balcony. Well, it turned out to be OK since there weren’t too many guests walking around and staying close to lobby and the shuttle area means less walking when you want to go out.

After a quick snack of chips, fruits and cocktail (we brought gin from home and fruit juice at the phuket airport) on the back porch, we immediate jumped into the canal from the porch, even though it started to rain. No one was there because of the rain and we explored the main pool. It had lounge chairs and pads with umbrellas on either sides but appropriately shielded with shrubs. We were like children exploring. When we got to the infinite pool, we stopped at the pool bar for snacks and ½ price drinks (happy hour).

Just at the time of turn-down service, there was a big commotion outside from the maid and ringing the door bell. All they wanted was to give you bottled water if you were in your room. If you were out, they will come in to turn down the bed. It happened every night if I was in the room during that time. Too bad, they didn’t replenish the fruit plate every day. The day before check-out, they even removed the plate. Just like many hotels, they don’t bother with morning newspaper or shampoo/bath gel the day before the check-out. What a pity, it really dampens the good impression a little.

For dinner, we took the hotel shuttle and went to Candles restaurant (search on TripAdvisor +66 8 3527 7696, cozy but very small) in Bang Niang town. I found the food a bit too sweet because it was in a fusion style. The couple at the next table was doing some happy crying with the man on his knees. He was asking the waitress for some sparklers but none was available. Best wishes to them.

Day 2 – Monday
The breakfast at Marriott was nice with good view of the sea. It was amazing to see so many people showed up when the hotel was dead quiet the night before. I probably saw less than 10 guests the day before and there were like at least 40 people at breakfast!! Almost felt like a village where residents came out for communal breakfast meeting and then disappeared for the rest of the day.

We went to the Sea Dragon to pay and get fitting for tomorrow’s trip. After that, we walked back to Bang Niang for lunch at Hill Tribes(search TripAdvisor, close to Candle, on the main road) (of course, buying some fruit from vendors along the way). Hill Tribes’ food was good and I was glad the weather was not very hot because it was an open restaurant. I found booking the hotel shuttle was not convenient because you had to do it 1 hour before (outbound was OK because the shuttle was already at the hotel, they could waive the 1 hr requirement if seats were available). Who knew what we would do an hour before hand? So, we took a taxi @200B.

For the rest of the day we lounged around at the beach, drank our “homemade” cocktails, played with the boogie board. The hotel staff would bring towels and cold water. It was fantastic. Initially, only 1-2 people played the boogie board. After we started playing, 3-4 groups of people started to join in. I guess we were having so much fun, and looked extremely silly and ungraceful (being flown around by waves on the breach like a rag doll), broke everyone’s inhibition. Then, the magical sunset totally overtaken us and the camera.

We dined at the beach restaurant on the left of the hotel as you approach the beach. Not inexpensive but cheaper than the hotel (250B for whole fish, whereas it was 290B in hotel). Quality was passable but it was special to dine right on the sand, cushions and low table.

What really made the day was we were given a hot air lantern to release into the air, by a nice family on the beach. They were releasing these lanterns on the beach and we took a few pictures. It was really gracious of them to give us a lantern and it was a first for me. I will forever remember that…..

Day 3 – Tuesday

Sea Dragon day!! The dive shop van was supposed to pick us up at 7am but no car was in sight by 715am. I was so anxious that they might have missed us because Marriott is quite a way from where they were. I asked the receptionist to call but the shop was not opened. So after twisting fingers for a while, it finally showed up at 725am. Good, off we go… (before we went, we asked to be put on the complimentary morning waterfall bike tour offered by the hotel for tomorrow)

The boat was not fancy but adequate, triple deck with one A/C room and bar. It offered breakfast, lunch and snack. There were about 30 ppl on board. I expected it to be more stable but it swayed a bit getting to Similan Islands. My travel mate was fighting a wicked queasy stomach battle and skipped breakfast. Most ppl immediately went to sleep after breakfast. The ride was slow, close to 3 hrs (compared to 1.5hr with speed boat), but not as bumpy, I guess, compared to speed boat.

Tuesday schedule was going to islands #8 and 9. So the snorkelers went to a beach area for the first part. There was a small roped-off area for snorkelers, away from the speed boats propellers. I classify myself as a non-swimmer because I can’t tread water. Anywhere that I can’t touch ground and breathe at the same time is a danger for me. Since I felt more confident swimming with fins I thought I didn’t need a life jacket because I didn’t want to bother them to go back to the boat to get one just for me. I was dead WRONG. I almost drown!! While I was snorkeling (not much to see anyways because of the people crowd and so close to beach), I bent forward to look at my fins, my snorkel immediately filled with water. When I tried to clear it, it did not clear completely because I got a mouthful of water on the second breath. I tried to clear it again with the remaining air in my lungs, it did not clear, maybe I panicked or maybe I was still bent over with snorkel under water. I kept swallowing water while I caught glimpses of people only 20ft away!!! I thought I couldn’t just drown with so many people on the beach!! It would look so comical. I really did not want to cause a scene by screaming. I couldn’t breathe thru the nose because of the mask which I did not take off, fearing of water getting into the eyes. I couldn’t breathe thru the snorkel because of the water and also was afraid to let go because I had trouble staying vertical and keeping mouth above water due to poor swimming skill. But somehow, which I did not know how, I got a breath and swam to shallower area. All the while, no one noticed what had happened. Now, this is how accident can happen.

So, I stayed in shallow water for the rest of the time and hope I wouldn’t develop intestinal worms after swallowing so much water and so close to the beach and people. (Bad experience from before, I did got worms from a trip to Puerta Galera in Philippine in the past from swallowing sea water close to a beach)

The second snorkeling stop was in the open water with a guide. Not much to see except a couple of large yellowfin tunas. Visibility was not great.

All in all, it was a disappointing snorkeling trip because of the sea condition. Sea Dragon was good, professional, friendly, cheerful, and food & drinks were plentiful.

We had dinner at the Thai restaurant in the Hotel because we were exhausted. It was OK at hotel prices. Not something I can recommend. Along the way to the restaurants, there were a few swimmers in the canal. They were slow walking with shoulders submerged and it was totally quiet. For a split second, they looked like a couple of illegal immigrants trying to swim across the border or marshes, esp when they were under a bridge. I am sure we looked like that too, with our waterproof bag floating from the neck. 

We got a message saying the bike tour was full for tomorrow and we could get on it on Thursday, which was the day we told them on the first day that we will check out at 6am!!! Can they be more prepared before sending out message like that? So, we called to see what they can do to accommodate us. Of course, couldn’t get an answer right away. They would not say No right away, but that did not mean a Yes.

Day 4 – Wednesday

I called reception to see if they could call Andaman Wave Master (guessing I would have trouble speaking with a Thai-only speaking person on the other line) to confirm our ferry ride to PhiPhi. The staff would not do it, citing confidential issue?? She only transferred the call to be charged to the room. And I was right; I got a Thai-only speaking person on the other line and after some transferring I was told it would be OK which did not mean much without reservation # or whether seats were available or reserved. “Just get to pier early” was all I got. I think I should have gone to the reception desk in person to have them call. This would get a more reassuring answer.

Called reception again at breakfast for the bike tour but was told it only had one spot left. Well, so be it.

After a sumptuous breakfast, we spent the rest of the day swimming around the hotel canals and lagoon and pools and exploring the neighborhood like a pair of otters, trying out the jet stream lounge area, having fruit lunch in our back porch, lounging at the beach and playing boogie board. It was wonderful.

For dinner, we went to Khao Lak town at Nang Thong beach which was further south of the Bang Niang by hotel shuttle. It was much busier than Bang Niang, but not like Patong. Food was cheaper.

Called reception to confirm breakfast boxes be ready for tomorrow at check out. I find anything out of the routine needs to be confirmed again because service is not 100% reliable in many places. Service staff usually operates on a standard routine and each request may be handled by many people. Things may be missed along the way. All these reconfirming calls were bogging me down.

Boss emailed us about the possibility of changing our private car reservation to shared reservation with a couple from Apsaras Resort (north of Marriott). He offered a 500B discount. I was assured that I could make the morning ferry to PhiPhi because they were going at the same time and Boss said he has connection with the ferry companies to make them wait. So, we complied because we thought why not, we could save money and Boss could earn more money.

On the final night, I decided to try the huge tub. Running the bath took forever. I only filled it up to the toes because it just started to feel bad about wasting fresh water. It was blissful nonetheless.

Femi

I'm hoping you'll post pictures.

at12am

@Femi
I will try to post photos. I have never done photos before.


Ok, more reporting...

Now. The following account may offend some people but it is not my intension to do so. I am recounting the events as they happened. I wished everything was nice and rosy but it was not. Like life, it had its ups and downs, even on vacation.

Day 5 – Thursday

Checked out at 6am and said goodbye to Marriott. It is a very nice hotel, albeit needs some up keeping on little things, like lily ponds, chipped paints on roof tops. I guess funding can be an issue because of the not so high occupancy rate.

Boss driver came on time in a nice van and we snaked our way to Apsaras in the north, while the ferry pier was in the south. We had to wait for the couple because they were late. I was a little anxious because of the time. When it was 832am and we were not quite at the pier due to traffic, I was way anxious. The ferry was at 830am and the next one would be at 130pm. The whole point of waking up so early was to catch that morning ferry to spend more time on PhiPhi!! I called Boss twice but he was not picking up. I asked the couple what time was their ferry because they were so relaxed. They said 9am!!! Now I was really on fire.

When we got to the pier, I jumped off the van and ran to find the ferry while my mate gathered the luggage and paid the driver. Not sure how we could meet again but I had to find and halt the ferry. I asked a person who was trying to get me onto his ferry about Andaman Wave Master, he pointed me to one end of the pier. When I got there, I asked the lady by the ferry about Andaman and going to Laemtong, she nodded her head. In hindsight, I am not sure if she understood me completely. Promptly I went to find my mate while she was halted by the driver and another man about paying for ferry tickets. They gave us Sea Angel stickers to put on. I said we had tickets and paid the driver only. Apparently, it seems Boss was arranging the car ride and hopefully our ferry ride too for extra commission. All kinds of ferry leave for PhiPhi at 9am. He figured it would not matter whether we leave at 830am or 9am, only ½ hr difference. But we needed to be on Andaman Wave Master which was the only ferry that had a second stop at Laemtong and they were scheduled for 830am!!!

Once on the ferry, which was a Sea Angel ferry, I asked the crew again about going to Laemtong. Some did not understand, some said NO. I was so confused that I just gave up, thinking all the ferry companies code share and somehow they all take any customers and work out the cash later. A Sea Angel lady came to us asking for our fare. We showed our tickets from the travel agent at the airport, then she looked confused. After a few calls, she gave us a return ticket from Tonsai (the only pier on PhiPhi) to Phuket at 215pm, which was totally wrong because our return flight was 130pm out of Phuket.

At that time, I was still unsure about how Laemtong and Tonsai operate. After pondering for a while, I wanted to know exactly how I can get to Laemtong and how I can get to Phuket from Laemtong with only a ticket from Tonsai to Phuket. I just wanted a stress free vacation and tried my best to buy and reconfirm ahead of time to avoid all these. Now, the problem was bigger than ever!! In hindsight, money can solve most problems. A few more hundred dollars can get you in and out at ease. But, it was the fall-thru of a plan, a waste of planning effort and unmet expectation that really bothered me.

I tracked down the SeaAngel lady and asked about the going to and leaving from Laemtong and told her about how we bought the tickets from the airport and the agent said the ferry would go to Laemtong. She said I should call the agent myself because this ferry only go to Tonsai and no large ferry will go to Laemtong because there was no pier at Laemtong. I said Andaman does on their website. She said she does not know and 1000B ticket was only for Tonsai return. I had to hire a small boat to Laemtong from Tonsai and she did not know how much.

I called the agent and he said something about the wrong ferry and the line dropped; the connection was not good at sea. I called again and the phone was picked up and clicked off again. Well, it seems they didn’t want to deal with it anymore. Boss emailed and said he didn’t know we had 830am tickets already. Having the tickets was not the point. A request for 800am arrival at the pier meant 800am, the travel arrangement after 8am should not be a factor. The lesson was “hire a private ride only”.

So, I went back to the SeaAngel lady, who was not thrill to see me, and asked for the travel agent ticket or a copy of it back so I could show to whomever at Laemtong that I had a return ticket from Laemtong to Phuket. She refused because she needed the ticket to claim money from the agent. She could only change the time of return from Tonsai to Phuket to 9am (hand written only, there was no 9am check box slot, which was again not very reassuring). I insisted and would not leave; she made a call and then said I got it all wrong. She said she knows the industry and all agents will say anything; that is why people should buy tickets from the ferry company directly.

I was so pissed at the situation (not at anyone because everyone wants to make a buck). I tried to avoid money scam and avoid trouble by buying early at a decent place and coming prepared. Both of these objectives were not met and I felt like stranded. With all that said, the SeaAngel was a nice ferry with A/C cabinet deck and chairs on the other sun bathing decks; also free tea and cookies. They handle the luggage onto and off the ferry. It was much nicer than Andaman Wave Master ferry which we did get on for the return trip from Laemtong. The Andaman had no A/C cabinet on the main deck and no chairs on other decks. It was so packed with people sitting on the floor; it looked like a refugee boat. Also, you have to search and handle your luggage among the huge pile to get off the boat; a bit chaotic. I would image it would be a put off during the hottest months and people travelling with children.

So, we arrived at Tonsai with our luggage at 10am. I asked around about going to Laemtong and Andaman, like a broken record. One man, who looked like a tour guide, said there was only one time going to Laemtong at 11am. I showed him the web printout of Andaman timetable, leaving Tonsai to Laemtong at 1030am. He said he doesn’t know anything about this internet thing and throughout his 10 years there, the boat leaves at 11pm. He suggested we stored our luggage and tour Tonsai and come back later. I asked any man and he said it was at 11am and I didn’t have to pay again because of the mistake. I figured the timetable must have been changed or something, so we paid for your luggage fee and entrance fee to Tonsai.

In Tonsai, we saw the beach at the Loh Dalam Bay (behind Tonsai beach). It was beautiful on picture thru our camera. But, in reality, the water was a bit discoloured green close to shore and the air had a strong scent of seafood, like a fish market. We were trying to find a public washroom but there was none. I tried a pharmacy and a small eatery to no avail. One said the washroom was a residential one and the other said there was no running water available. My mate said it was pointless to ask unless you are a paying customer. I tried a third restaurant with a large group of Caucasian tourists eating English breakfast, before I would give up and buy a drink to use the washroom. I asked the waiter for the permission to use the washroom, right beside the tour group. He hesitated for a moment then waved me towards the washroom. That is the trick I will remember to use. They will never say no nor appear unwelcoming in front of their prized customers.

We were back at the pier 15mins to 11am. Both the men that I spoke with were gone. I expected to pay again. I asked the ladies who were selling tickets to Lanta island about Andaman Wave Master going to Laemtong. They shook my world again saying it left already!! So, there was a 1030am Andaman going to Laemtong. I’ve been lied to by a tour veteran of 10 years! I couldn’t deal with this anymore. I lost it. I slapped their table. I know I shouldn’t have, but I just couldn’t help it because everyone has been giving me different information about going to a place where hundreds of tourists have gone every day.

Ok, “how long do I have to wait again?” “Holiday Inn is expecting to receive me from the Andaman boat at 1130am, would they be there if I come from another boat at another time?” These were the revolving questions. So, the pier ladies and the Tonsai entrance staff conversed for a bit and said we should wait for the 11am small boat. I really didn’t know what to believe anymore, so I waited. Meanwhile, my travel mate asked a man about the time for the next boat to Laemtong. He said it would be 3pm and we should take his longtail boat. When my friend said “shouldn’t it be 11am?” He said “yes, yes” and walked away. Man, where are the gentle Thais?

At about 1110am, they pointed the small boat to us and we went on and paid our fare. When I asked the boat assistance about how to get return tickets because I wanted to have everything right this time, he couldn’t tell me because of language barrier. I thought it was a common question from any tourist. I felt so doomed and at the mercy of other people. I lost it the second time. I slapped the side of the boat. At that point, I just gave up. I would ask the hotel to arrange the boat for the return trip and I would pay the boatmaster when I am on it. I cooled off with the sea breeze during the ride.

I was so happy to see the hotel longtail boat was there to receive us off shore. At the reception, I tried to change room because the initial room was way in the back. It would take a couple of minutes to get to the lobby or beach each time. It was another hour before we could check in. So, after 3 hours of delay and a few dead neurons, we were placed in a room close to the lobby. The location was fantastic but the room was no glitter. It was like a Captain’s room, clean and orderly, but no 4* luxury. But compared to the expensive Zeavola, this one was a steal. On the large front porch, you could watch the stars at night and enjoy a cocktail and listen to CD thru the window during the day. A nice touch with large terra cotta pot of water and bamboo ladle at the front of the bungalow to rinse of sand before entering your unit.

Now, I had reset myself to a vacation mode….

We went to the dive shop at the hotel and another dive shop (run by a Brazilian) near PP Erawan. The Brazilian shop had better pricing, even he said hotel shop charged too much. Unfortunately, he could not go to Phi Phi Ley the next day because of low customer count and high fuel cost. So we went with the hotel dive shop, which was about 15-20% more in price.

We went swimming in the late afternoon, the water was perfect power blue like silky paint. We snorkeled a bit very close to shore because of my poor swimming skill, but did not see much. Visibility of like 2 feet with lots of sand. The next day, we found out we should’ve snorkel further off shore, closer to the roped-off line, around the rocks to see more.

Dinner was at the hotel, Thai buffet style. Nice outdoor seating but food was passable. I found they don’t like to marinate their meat. All flavor, if any, seemed to come from the sauce. Looked forward to tomorrow.

at12am

Day 6 – Friday

The dive trip was very relaxed and unstructured. There were 5 guests and 1 dive master. We went to the Phileh wall and Palong diving sites. I only snorkeled. We saw tons of fishes in variety and quantity and sharks. Lunch affair was at the small beach area off Maya Bay. The scenery and marine life were simply amazing. I would imagine it would be much better in better sea condition. The recent rains had stirred up the sea a bit.

Back at the hotel, we snorkeled at the beach and indeed saw a bit more fishes around the rocks and lots of giant clams.
In the evening, we went to the Sunset bar at the hotel (10-15 mins walk). The sunset was not the best because of the clouds. We met the F&B manager who used to work at Peninsula in Bangkok. He looked a little like the current Thailand Prime Minister. We had fun chatting for a bit.

For dinner, we went to Jasmin on the beach. The service was lightening fast and food was delicious. With a cloudy night sky, it was the perfect opportunity for photography.

We tried to find the new pool of the hotel but couldn’t find it. After a while, we just rested on the porch and went to bed early.

at12am

Day 7 – Saturday

This is a relax day. Since we didn’t have the breakfast package, we decided to try some of the places around, which was not much. Jasmin was not opened for breakfast because she said most guests have hotel breakfast package, well we didn’t. So we went into Sawasdee. They did have meals but it was kind of early for 1030am. So they recommended their outdoor breakfast buffet next door. So we went. Boy, everything was low. They sold out their sausage and bacon but there were only 6 guests there, including us two. So, they had to bring out only 2 servings of sausage and bacon for us. So, for 350B each, it was the worst eat of the trip.

After breakfast, we explored the Laemtong area. We passed by the outdoor message parlour by PP Erawan hotel. There were 3-4 message beds on the beach. I suspect the lady masseurs work for all the hotels. I had seen one carrying a Holiday Inn umbrella working back and forth from Holiday Inn. The prices were about 200B more than prices in Tonsai. Of course, hotel prices would be even more.

We went into Zeavola (the only 5* on PhiPhi) and asked to see a room but they had none because it was fully booked. Well, I didn’t believe that. We walked around the complex and found it too “natural” for our taste. Only the bedchamber was enclosed in A/C, which was not big. Everything else was out in the open, sharing with the mosquitoes. The greenery around each bungalow was not manicured but wildly planted. At 9000B and up/n, it is a pass.

We went back for kayaking but it was too choppy, so we went to try out the pools. The main pool was quite green in colour and visibility was like 2 ft. The new pool in the new compound area (appeared not opened yet) looked natural in colour but still visibility was poor. We stayed a while and I practiced really hard on swimming with my chin above water. It was draining me fast. I just couldn’t figure out how everyone could do it so leisurely.

We went back for the kayak. We got an OK to proceed but only within the roped off area because of the choppy water. It was fun and exhausting at the same time. The best part was the opportunity to take photos of the angry cloudy sky.

For the rest of the day, it rained off and on. We went to Jasmin twice. Delicious and fast as always. It is true that Jasmin charges extra 2.5% (I think) on each bill for the children school fund. So, as a tourist, you are contributing usefully.

I informed the reception that we would be checking out at 630am tomorrow for the 7am ferry. Hoping they would have all the paperwork ready. We were told to leave our bags in the room and someone would take them to shore for us. We were happy with their service arrangement, but……..

Day 8 – Sunday

Since we checked out early, there was no farewell drum ceremony at the hotel. As more guests check out and coming to shore, most had their own luggage with them. Some went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. At 645am, I went to reception to make sure they would bring our luggage out. I was assured by the front desk person. At 655am, the luggage was not out, I got worried. I asked the staff who was manning the luggage for the other guests about our luggage and he had no idea. OK. Once again, it proved that hotel service could be unreliable, especially when it was out of their routine. You always have to look after yourself because no one else will do that for sure. So I kindly asked the staff to get them for the ferry.

It took 3 longtail boats to transport all guests and luggage to the Andaman ferry. The ferry moved slowly to PP island Village Hotel area and stopped for a while. No one got on nor off. Then it traveled for a while and then stopped beside another ferry. A few passengers and their luggage, got onto the ferry precariously in the middle of the sea!!

We finally made it to Tonsai and the ferry would stop for about 1 hour before moving onto Phuket. So, everyone got off, except the luggage. This time, no one was at the pier to collect entrance fee to Tonsai, strange.

At Tonsai, we tried to get one of those water-resistant rolled up tube bag. We went into a shop and tried our hand at negotiating because that was what people do in Thailand. Well, that was what we thought. The bag was for 750B and I started at 500B. The lady took the bag from my hands and started to re-package it, together with her smile. I thought it was done deal but then she pointed to a lower priced bag and said “No discount, buy this one”. Ouch. That was our shopping attempt.

We tried to get to the Viewpoint top but it was just too far for a one hour stay in Tonsai. So, we went back to the ferry.

It was practically full on the ferry. We had to split up to find seats. We had instant noodles which we bought in Tonsai for breakfast (the charge for hot water was 10B onboard) and promptly slept all the way.

At Phuket, it was kind of chaotic in retrieving your luggage. Everyone just dived into the big pile of bags; no help from the ferry staff. We were close to the last to get off since we got on early. Upon disembarking, the Boss driver was there for us. We were so grateful for that and it was a nice Toyota 4runner.

We were whisked to the airport in record time, 3 hrs early before departure. We had airport food at the Thai Air canteen with lots of time to spare. In hindsight, we should have paid the driver for another 2-3 hrs so we could tour and have lunch in Patong before going to the airport. The airport was packed with mostly Northern Europeans and Russians. We connected via Bangkok this time and arrived home at 10pm.

shanek

I'm exhausted.....I might go lie down for a while.

LeighTravelClub

Wow......Wow.....Wow.
Anyone looking for a guide on 'How to wreck a trip to Phi Phi'
Here it is.
It's not often I'm lost for words but..........

OH DEAR !!!

rhkkmk

was there anything you enjoyed on this trip other than a meal or two on PP?

where do you come from that you were home that quickly...?

better luck next trip!

Femi

This report reminds me of my very early 'bargain' vacations. I learned a lot of lessons! Like no more bargains! And to do a LOT more research before booking trips (although this was pre-internet - hard to believe).

Seems like the OP learned a few valuable lessons along the way too

at12am

Yep, anything can happen at anytime.

It was more of an advanture trip than an effortless sun&beach trip. I understand a city trip would need more effort in planning (where and when to eat, restaurant opening time, attractions opening time, tranfer distance and time, etc) to explore the history, culture, architecture, culinary culture of the place. I felt more unsure (transportation wise) on this trip than other trips in Europe.

I find it strange the hotel staff in Phuket and the people at Tonsai pier do not know about the Andaman ferry going to Laemtong. I think this trip is just out of the ordinary experience. Maybe I should have left the transportation planning out and let it work itself out when I get there on location.

I enjoyed the trip very much between the unpleasant part, as I've mentioned in the report with words like wonderful, fantastic, blissful, happy, awesome, fun, amazing..... I treat it as a "trip with a little effort".

This trip once again strengthens the notion "Help is not a given", even in the friendiest country. But when a kind person does appear, it is a blessing. I am often too naive to forget that, but fortunately I have been blessed quite a few times.

It is so true that bargain is hard to find, like finding a really good wine under $30. It may be 1/100 chance. I really don't intend to spoil 99 trips to find a bargain. But the inconsistency in service(PQR) is noticeable, like 5* in Canada vs. a 5* in China or Busines class on United vs. on CathayPacific.

Like I said before, money can solve most tourism issues. For an effortless trip, I should use a better package, like one of those >$800/n places that escort you right after customs clearance and 24hr personal butler. That will be nice. Freedom is the key. Better still, have a personal assistant come with you. That way, flight, transfer, luggage, restaurants, accommodation and activities will be all magically taken care of. Of course, that person cannot be a friend or a friend of a friend or a relavtive.

I will post some photos of the two hotels for hotel reference, once I establish a link (first time). Photos are taken with the angle to reflect the actual views, so not really artistic.

at12am

Here are the photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/10218048...eat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/10218048...eat=directlink

Femi

Thanks for the photos.

Thailand (or Asia for that matter) is very different from Europe, as you've found, when it comes to planning trips.

There are kind people everywhere, but one also has to consider that people who deal with a high volume of tourists become quite jaded. If you're looking for open, friendly people you'll have to venture a little further from the beaten path.

at12am

Yes, you are right on!