Phuket Lodging & Day Trips
 

Planning a trip to Bangkok for 3 nights then on to Phuket for 6 night. In Phuket, we wish to stay in one hotel all 6 nights and take 2 day trips during this time - one to Phi-Phi & the other to Krabi. Looking for hotel recommendations? We prefer a central location but not necessarily in Patong Beach...we are a couple in our 50's but we are very young at heart. We don't mind participating in the wild night life but we prefer more upscale services and off the beaten -path, but close enough to get to the beaten-path easily (does that make sense?) Hotel Access to a nice beach is preferred. As far as day-trips go, we want to limit our travel to just 2 days. Are there recommendations or other ideas that you can share about Phi-Phi, Krabi, or any other day trip recommendations?

We much prefer Khao lak, 1.25 hour taxi ride from Phuket airport. Jw Marriott is fabulous there. Lots of side trips can be scheduled from there too. Just so much nicer than either Krabi and especially phuket

Can’t help with Hotel recs as it is many many years since we stayed on Phuket. Like rhkkmk we have stayed more recently at Khao Lak the nightlife wasn’t up to muc( but then we weren’t looking for it. Inf fact we actively try to avoid it! If looking for lux hotels then i would listen to Bobs advice re JWMarriott. Also, if you are after upscale services, the Saroljin is more boutique luxury style.

The two day trips i would suggest are John Gray Sea Canoe to Phang Nha which can be done from either Phuket or KL . My trip report here https://www.fodors.com/community/asi...ng-nga-bay.cfm

And maybe Khao Sok NP which is all about a boat trip on the lake through the karst scenery and jungle walking.

Quite frankly, I would choose one, proabably the former and enjoy the beach and hotel services.

Krabi is around 2 hours by boat fro Phuket and I probably would ad it to the list.
If you search on Travelfish.org, they do some pretty good "warts and all" run downs of the various Thai isaland and individual beaches etc.