Not all of this is for tourists of course, in fact most of it benefits the local people and foreign residents more than tourists. Many foreigners have decided that Phuket is a great place to live (see Buying a House in Phuket for more information), and the money coming into Phuket has made plenty of local people wealthy - a look at the roads full of new cars will confirm that... But I don't want to get sidetracked into a discussion on the economy of Phuket!
Phuket is for Everyone!
With all these resorts, fancy cars, luxury villas and so on, is there room for backpackers in Phuket any more? Well, please remember that Phuket is a big island, so naturally the answer is a resounding YES. It may not be No.1 on the list of backpacker must-sees, indeed many young travelers will just pass through on the way to Phi Phi or Ao Nang, but I would hope after reading a bit of this blog, you might realise that Phuket is a rich, diverse island with many beautiful areas. Well worth a few days of your time!
Backpackers Hostels in Phuket
There is a bit of a misconception that Phuket Town is the only place to stay if you want low budget, and indeed you do have hostels there for around 200 Baht/night, and I do like Phuket Town, so won't try to put you off - see more here: A Walk Around Old Phuket Town. But surely you want to come to Phuket and stay near the beach, right? This is where the rumour mill starts... the beaches are full of 5 star resorts, there's no cheap places to stay, no local restaurants... Not true at all! I wrote a blog article about the cheap places to stay some time ago:
• Cheap Places to stay in Phuket
And now, especially because it's low season, things have gotten even cheaper. The Pineapple Guesthouse at Karon Beach now has a backpackers dorm, low season price just 180 Baht per night. There are also twin fan rooms from 300 Baht, or aircon from 500 Baht. Distance to the beach: less than 5 minutes walk. In the same area the Boost Guesthouse has a dorm and rooms for the same price, and there are a few more which have similarly priced rooms such as Thip House, Robin House and Kangaroo Guesthouse. I know these places well as they're a stones throw from Sunrise Divers dive center (see location on Google Earth). Oh, Pineapple has free wifi internet for guests too.
• Pineapple Guesthouse Review on Jamie's Phuket
• Pineapple Guesthouse Web Site
• Pineapple Guesthouse - Online Booking
What about eating? Well, Phuket is not just a tourist island, as I hope I have made clear, so long as you get off the beach, and onto the back roads where the locals live and eat, you'll find endless noodle stalls, street food stalls and small restaurants. I rarely spend more than about 70 Baht on my lunch unless I go for a big English Breakfast at the Pineapple Cafe (attached to the guesthouse). Here's a few blog posts on the food close to where I work and close to the aforementioned guesthouses:
• Mama Noi
• Phad Thai
• A working lunch
• Fruit Stalls
What about getting around Phuket? Well, this is the tricky one for a low budget traveler. There are cheap local buses, only 25 Baht to Phuket Town from Karon Beach for example, BUT no buses between the beaches. So you are kind of at the mercy of the tuk tuks. Normal fare from Karon to Patong (next beach, about 8km) is 300 Baht. Take a few of those per day and your budget is screwed.
Best option is to rent a moped, normal price around 200 - 250 Baht per day. Riding mopeds is another issue to discuss properly at a later date. I'll say this - if you have never ridden a motorbike before, Phuket is not the place to try. I ride almost every day, I have had a couple of minor scrapes. Keep your eyes open, keep left, don't drive fast, don't ride around quiet roads late at night, and always wear a helmet. If you have your own transport you can explore Phuket at your leisure without spending a fortune.
Phuket Hostels - Online Booking
In summary... Phuket is a great place to visit. Being a low budget traveler is not a problem. You have dorms, cheap rooms, good local food, it's just that Phuket is not a trendy backpacker hangout, so if you want to party with young folks, Koh Pha Ngan is the place, but if you are a bit more independent and don't feel the need to have the safety of the herd, give Phuket a go, at least for a few days!
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