Great to be in Isaan Again

A Thai band playing some Isaan music… great stuff. If you haven’t spent anytime in Thailand’s northeast you really should. Less than 1% of all visitors to Thailand (foreign visitors) see anything at all in the northeast!

The music and cultural shows – the dancing and music rule… You really should go see what you can see in Ubon, Sisaket, Yasothan, Nong Khai, Khon Kaen, etc. Stay for a week and see what you can find…

Phuket or Krabi?

Choosing Phuket or Krabi is not that difficult for me, but it’s a question that many ask themselves because the two are close to each other and you’ve probably heard good things about both.

Here is a list of postives and negatives of both Krabi and Phuket as I see it.

Phuket Positives:

• Amazing beaches. Surin. Kamala. Patong. Magic beach. Really first rate and can reach all by car or motorbike.
• Creature comforts. Anything you want can be found in terms of Starbucks, western food,  even some foreign food – pizza places abound. Mexican, Japanese, a lot of variety and of course excellent Thai food.
• Nightlife. Patong Beach is the center of nightlife in the south. There’s nothing close for 600km (Bangkok). If you need nightlife – come to Patong Beach. It’s a mini-Pattaya – but, on a nicer level. I see a lot more families in Patong than Pattaya. Personally I’d not bring my family to either place, but if it was a choice – Patong Beach would easily win over the city of sin, Pattaya.
• Top Rate Accomodations. There are some excellent hotels that can spoil you here.
• Variety. There are a thousand things to do on Phuket. Everyone will (can) have a good time.

Phuket Negatives:

• Crowded and Traffic. Beach road and, well, every other road in Patong Beach is too small and dangerous drivers are everywhere.
• Prices. High prices compared to other Thailand spots. Higher than Krabi on average for Tuk-Tuks, taxis, etc.
• Bargirls / Ladyboys. Everywhere. Keep track of your husband or he’ll turn a 10 minute 7-11 run into a 5 minute 7-11 run and 5 minute play for pay.
• I’d not call it a family destination. Though the choice between Patong and Pattaya is clear for where to bring your family, Krabi is still much better for families.
• Locals. I don’t get the impression they’re very genuine in Patong / Phuket town. Money is tight in this market. Business is the reason everyone is there. There is a lot of competition. A lot of stress to make enough cash apparently.

Krabi Positives:

• Has everything Patong Beach has: Amazing beaches, creature comforts, top rate accommodations, variety.
• No nightlife. Can be a positive or a negative. There are very few bargirls or ladyboy freelancers running around in Krabi.
• Locals. Nicer, more genuine, and yet they don’t stare at you like you’re an ATM machine. Locals ignore you in Krabi.
• Uncrowded. Traffic is non-existent. It’s much safer to ride a motorbike, bicycle, or car in Krabi. People are stressed less. The atmosphere is much more relaxed than the pressure-cooker feeling of Patong Beach.

Krabi Negatives:

• No Nightlife. Literally there is very little in the way of anything at all going on at night. You can find bars that are open in Krabi town. At Ao Nang beach you can find a very small soi with some Patong style bars but they’re not anything to get excited about. That’s all there is though – so if that’s what you’re craving look for that soi.
• ?

I can’t think of anything else as a negative for Krabi. Maybe the fact that the level of English here is dramatically lower than in Patong Beach and Phuket. Maybe the fact that there isn’t an international hospital here would be a negative for some.

Krabi overall is the much better choice and has better and less crowded attractions (waterfalls, hikes, mountains, springs, beaches, islands) than does Phuket/Patong.

Am I jaded?

Krabi, Thailand Video Clip

I found this video clip of Krabi – off a blog I’ve never seen. The video is nice and comes with some mellow music… I was in the mood for this today so I’ll share it. Thailand is not just one of the most beautiful and exotic places on the planet – but, it’s one of the most laid back places… Krabi, Thailand Video – starting at Noppharat Thara Beach and visiting the islands off-shore.

Here are a couple things to do in Krabi if you’re visiting (about 100):

Things to Do in Krabi, Thailand >

Bungy Jumping in Thailand >

Mountain biking (and hybrid bicycles) in Krabi Town for Rental >

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