Quote:
Originally Posted by DaGrunt
Yo, planning a 3 month (or maybe 6 months at maximum) stay to Thailand beginning of next year with a grinder friend or two. I've read the bilbo's advice part 3 thread and it's replies and the SSNL goes to Thailand threads and some of their replies etc and am getting pretty hyped up. However, I have no clue on how to manage all the practical things. I guess we'll start with deciding a place to stay.
We are a bunch of 21-year old guys so nightlife is an important thing obv. There should be good night life with not just tourists and working girls. I also want to live in a tropical/exotic enviroment with a lot of friendly and young thai people. We live on cold and ****ty Finland so def looking for something different, warmn and unique. Beach should be nearby, definetly don't want to stay in some tourist hell, but it should still be somewhat modern with good DSL, good connections to other cities etc. Any thoughts on the place to stay? A lot of grinders seem to prefer Phuket, why is that? Since Bangkok is mostly just a big city it doesn't seem that attractive to me as for a place to live in, although it's def worth visiting I suppose.
Also, as for renting an apartment... what is the best way to approach this? We'd definetly prefer to rent our own apartment for the stay instead of a hotel. Something balla with a swimming pool and a beach close by would be nice, how much do you need to pay for this? Does three persons each paying like 500 USD cover the rent even for a sweet place to stay? Also, how are people doing this renting thing, via some site in advance of the trip (URL's?) or by first staying in a hotel and then finding a place and hooking up with some ppl via 2+2 and getting them to help with the apartment?
All of this seems very exciting to me but I'm on bit of a loss here where to start. Slowly trying to work things out. If any 2p2ers are willing to help that's just superb :P
Some of us prefer Phuket for multiple reasons. Some of which you mentioned.
Beaches, mountains accesibility to all types of food and decent nightlife.
OBV, for widest selection of nightlife and food BKK is tops but Phuket is acceptable to many.
ADSL is fine assuming you come in with knowledge.
You want TT&T (changing to Triple T soon) maxnet,
premier level if you are able to get a direct phone line in your accomodation. If you cant get your own phone line, many people are finding CAT Aircard as a functional grind option. Though with a group of ppl it's going to be a lot more cost effective to get a solid ADSL line then a bunch of aircards.
Finding a apt/house: Reccomend booking a hotel in the are you expect to want to live and expecting to spend a week hunting on MB or in rented car. If you want to find the place that truly fits you, it is not going to happen on websites. Rental websites in English are taking a huge vig as agents and often not accurate representing the locations.
Location in Phuket (were you t choose Phuket) depends upon your priorites.
If Beach was #1 You would most likely want to stay in Kata/Karon or Nai Harn. (the concensus 2 best beaches of us longterm 2p2 residents).
Staying in Kata/Karon you get awesome beache and good selection of restaurants bars etc, but give up the fact that they get heavily touristed during high season (OCT-APR).
Staying in Nai Harn you have awesome paradise but farther from a selction of services.
Other options:
Rawai: Best chance of finding multiple houses next to each other or A house to fit you all at your desired budget of $500/person.
It is between Nai Harn and Kata (separated from Kata by mountain pass road).
Phuket Town: Deffo cheapest when it comes to getting solid value for a house BUT. Also fits your desire to not have to stumble all over tourists. (I live here and see about 5 farang a day if I don't leave Phuket Town.
It has fairly thriving nightlife scene of NON hookers with a bunch of bars, clubs, discos that are like 99% Thai customers. This is good but also requires you to pick up at least some conversational Thai if you want to have shots at the Thai ladies.
Drawbacks: 20min drive to the beaches, 20 min drive to the Patong nightlife.
Patong: SOund slike everything you don't want. Heavily touristed year round. Full of working girls. A touristed out culture where you soon get the feeling that every Thai is looking to charge you for something.
It has a really nice beach (prob #3 on the island) but you have to stumble over fat German SexTourists to get to the water. It has tons of hotels,restaurants etc and bars and discos. IMO,once you've been here for awhile, but it's the kind of place you don't mind visiting once every few weeks for a western meal and perhaps a fun night out, but you don't want to live there.
Hope thats helpful.
PS:screename "Lessu" is Finnish friend who has been here ovr a year now. If you hav ay specific FInn questions I reccomend PMing him.