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[hansumman]

G’day mates! So, I’m heading back to Phuket, from 24th December to 31st January. Been there a few times before, last visit being about two years ago. It’s time to give Patong another whirl, and I thought I’d throw my rough itinerary out there for some feedback. Rip it apart, build it up, or just have a laugh – whatever works.

 

Flights and Accommodation

 

Flying in from Phnom Penh on Christmas Eve, touching down around 3pm. Now, usually, I just wander out, slap on my best bargaining face, and grab a taxi for about 800–1000 baht to Patong. Does that still hold true, or have the taxi mafias upped their game? Would it be worth pre-booking a pickup instead, or am I just paying extra to avoid a 3-minute haggle?

 

As for where I’m laying my weary head, I’ve booked into the Yorkshire Inn. Its basic, like really basic but staff are chill bringing girls back and it’s only a stumble away from Bangla Road. That said, $1200 AUD for 7 nights in a deluxe windowless room (yes, you read that right, windowless) feels a bit steep. I’m assuming it’s the festive price bump. Thoughts? Alternatives? Or am I just paying the “Christmas Tax”?

 

E-Sim: To E or Not to E?

 

Usually, I’d just grab a SIM card at the airport like every other tourist. But since I’m country-hopping, I’m tempted by Airalo’s Asia Travel Link eSIM: 50GB of data for $160 AUD. It’s not cheap, and it’s only 4G in Vietnam and Cambodia (5G in Thailand).

 

Worth it? Or should I stick to the old-school method and grab SIMs at each airport? Any first-hand experiences with Airalo? Is the data fast enough for streaming… you know… maps and such?

 

Mongering: The Solo Diaries

 

Right, first part of this trip, I’ll be flying solo. For that, I feel most at home sipping beers at the Bangla beer bars or popping into a go-go or two (Soi Sea Dragon, you know I’ve missed you!). Lately, I’ve been hearing about the O-Top Drinking Complex. Worth a visit? Or should I stick to my usual Bangla stomping grounds?

 

Also, can someone remind me of the BF pricing? I recall beer bars being way cheaper than the go-gos (Suzie Wong, et al.), but my memory is as fuzzy as a hangover. Any rough ballpark figures would be golden.

 

When my mate joins later, we’ll be hitting up clubs like Sugar, Illuzion, and White Room. Plan: Try to pick up freelancers. Rates were around 2000–2500 baht for ST and 3000–4000 baht for LT last time. Are we still in that price range, or has inflation crept into the freelance economy as well?

 

Day Clubs: Poolside Shenanigans

 

I’ve been eyeing a few of the day clubs this time around. Insta’s got me hyped for spots like Kudos, Café del Mar, and the floating club Yona (yes, a literal floating club, because why not). They seem to have plenty of fit locals and good vibes, but are they as fun as they look? Worth the cash?

 

Any other must-visit day clubs I’ve missed? Lay it on me.

 

If any of you legends are in Patong around Christmas, give me a shout. Always up for a beer and some yarns. 

 

Cheers,

Hansumman

[AlexAbroad]

Bumping this as I’m also interested (planning on hitting up Phuket in Feb 2026)

[Bonkabit]

On 15/12/2024 at 22:41, hansumman said:

the Yorkshire Inn. Its basic, like really basic but staff are chill bringing girls back and it’s only a stumble away from Bangla Road. That said, $1200 AUD for 7 nights in a deluxe windowless room (yes, you read that right, windowless) feels a bit steep. I’m assuming it’s the festive price bump. Thoughts? Alternatives? 

I stayed there some years ago with TG GF. We had a good room with windows, except for our last night when we were shifted to windowless. Apart from the we were happy.

Across the Soi and a few metres opposite, there was a hotel we liked the look of. Think name was 'Sunshine xx?'. Maybe worth checking out.

[Bonkabit]

19 hours ago, Bonkabit said:

there was a hotel we liked the look of. Think name was 'Sunshine xx?'. Maybe worth checking out.

Just remembered the name:

Summer Breeze Hotel - The Friendliest Hotel In Patong Beach