KellyF

Hi -<BR><BR>There are so many posts in here about the pros/ cons of various beaches -- hope I don't irritate anyone if I post one myself with my own particular needs.<BR><BR>In January 2004, I am looking for a beach area to retire to after a two-week sightseeing tour through the rest of Thailand. I will be with my 14-year-old, for whom swimming is the ultimate measure of a good vacation. So I'd like to stay at a place with both a good pool AND a good swimming beach. We don't need much by way of nightlife, but we would like to be near a town or two where we can go to shop, eat, etc.<BR><BR>It sounds like, from what I've read, that Karon or Kata beach areas would be good for us. Except that I can't find good weather info. Can anyone tell me -<BR>1 - if I'm on the right track <BR><BR>2 - whether the weather there will be nice and good for swimming in January <BR><BR>3 - if they'd recommend a different area instead, given our needs<BR><BR>4 - a good hotel with reasonable amenities - not posh - I'd like to keep it as low-cost as possible without sacrificing comfort. It sounds like such places exist in the area for $75/ night or less... Is this true? Can anyone recommend particular hotels?<BR><BR>Thanks!

rhkkmk

you might like to look at hua hin, 2.5 hours drive south of bangkok...limited nite life and limited shopping...the focus is on the beach and the pools....we stayed at the marriott and really liked it....the pool and beach were very close to each other....it has thw widest stretch of the beach that we saw of any of the hotels....<BR>there were a fair number of children there in november....<BR>the weather should be great...its the best time of the year...november-march

KellyF

Oh - I heard that the beaches there were not so nice for swimming - not true? Also have heard that there's not much &quot;town&quot; to speak of. Feel free to disabuse me of any misconceptions. I've never been in the area, so I'm mostly going to depend on word-of-mouth (keyboard?) to choose a beach and hotel.

Ryan

Kelly,<BR>January should be a great time to go to the south of Thailand. I checked www.worldclimate.com and the average temp in Phuket was 80F, with a high of 88. Very little rain that time of year.<BR><BR>From what I recall, it is the high season. Not sure what that means for availability at the price you are considering.

JamesA

Kelly, you have done your homework well! Kata/Karon are your best bet. Most hotels have good pools and the beach is golden white sand for miles. Also you can get to restaurants etc very easily and your son will not get bored. Go and play mini-golf at night at Dino Park at Kata, Flinstone's style, real good fun, nice Thai food and burgers if you want! 15 minutes over the hills to Patong if you want an everning out for good shopping.<BR>Kata Thani is good but my personal choice 'mid range' would be Kata Beach Resort, it is a reasonable price and great beach location. <BR><BR>Cut and paste this link, it shows photos of the pool and the beach, you can see what a great location it is. If you need to 'budget down' then Karon Whale 'Resort' (hotel really) is a budget option.<BR><BR>Although I have visited Hua Hin many times I don't think your son would forgive you!

JamesA

Forgot the link, just found it<BR><BR>http://www.r24.org/huahin.20m.com/phuket/karonbeach/details/<BR><BR>

KellyF

James -<BR><BR>Great tips, thanks! It sounds like Kata/ Karon is the place. Kata Beach Resort does look nice. Of course I'd rather pay less than more (since it will be, as I said, the 3rd week of our vacation), but better to spend a little extra, I think, and go with a personal recommendation.<BR><BR>One more question: I'm assuming that the tourist infrastructure is sufficiently developed that I can get along without knowing the Thai language?

JamesA

I'm in Phuket next week for a few days I will be around Kata so I will refresh my mind on some other places. You can of course get cheaper but that may mean further back from the beach, not so big a pool. The 'Kata Beach' is a laid back place, it is not flash or snobby, it is very much the 30's something crown, that is why I thought ideal you you and your son for like-minded company.<BR><BR>You do not need Thai at all. Things 'happen' with little fuss or bother. When you arrive at hotels they know you are due, your room will be ready, most decent places may have a cool drink and a cold towel for you at reception. The staff will carry your baggage right from mini-van/taxi to your room, everything 99% of the time works very easily.<BR>Just learn 'Kop Khun Kar' for yourself and 'Kop Khun Kap' for your son, means thankyou.<BR>Body language, hand signals and expressions often will get you more understood than knowing a language badly. Certainly not necessary just for a trip. When you market/stall shop a calculator is always used, they type in their price, you stare in shock horror and divide that price 6 to 10 times, it's a game.<BR><BR>Enjoy.

KellyF

James -<BR>That's so kind of you! Thanks so much. You are correct that it's not worth a small savings to me to go back too far from the beach. However, looking at hotel websites, many are very, very careful at avoiding showing just how close/ far they are from the beach. One hotel said they were &quot;a three minutes' walk,&quot; and then I read from another traveler that the &quot;three minutes&quot; was actually about 15, and on a very steep hill!<BR><BR>If you do happen to run past it, would you mind taking a peek at the &quot;Andaman Canaccia&quot; for me? It looks lovely in pictures and appears to be right near the beach, but is suspiciously low-priced....<BR><BR>This site and people like you have been such a wonderful source to me in planning my various vacations. Thanks again!

JamesA

I am sure many other posters can mention their favorite 'misrepresentation', the name 'resort' means simply nothing, it can be converted shops! I have not been to the Cannacia but it's another of these 'conveniently close' to the beach. Now that can be fine but the reason many new places are thus located is simply the non availability or high price of land on the beach, same across the world.<BR>Although there are many new hotels and resorts everywhere, and many new ones indeed have more up to date facilities, I personally am one of those who feel that if I go to a tropical beach I want to be either 'on it' or right by it.<BR>Certainly bargains can be had for the sake of a 10 minute walk, but for me nothing beats sleeping to the sound of ocean waves, and waking up to the sound of Ocean waves! I don't think you can put a price on that!<BR><BR>My purely 'personal' opinion is that if I was travelling around I would downgrade myself a little when staying in a city/town and save a bit and then splash-out more on my beach place!<BR>To have breakfast on a terrace looking over the waves and beach...that's what it's all about. <BR>If it sounds like I'm pushing you for beachfront..I am!<BR><BR>I would get cheaper city accommodation, then go for base room at an on-beach place.