Phi Phi - is it really that bad?? And has anyone stayed at Golden Hills?

Is it quite the norm that I will meet people to tag along with along the way? Others travelling alone?

Definitely. Loads of single solo type travelers on the southern islands and beaches in December. Your main thing will be finding accommodation since it's so busy, although if you're flexible you can sometimes turn up and find a bungalow of some sort. Just with your limited time you might want to look at some bookings.

Lanta is the easiest / least busy of the places in question. Just arriving by ferry and following the touts either on the boat or the pier you'll probably find a place to stay. Klong Dao is the busiest beach but quite couple-family-oriented, Long Beach would suit you well, then quieter spots further down the island. You can ride an elephant down near Klong Jak if you missed it in Chiang Mai.

Ao Nang is a very commercialised tourism town with big resorts and package tourists. It does provide convenience though, having road access to the surrounding attractions (rent a motorbike to explore). Railay is gonna be busy but head to East Railay for the best liklihood of a vacancy. West Railay is nicer but the few places that dominate it are well into the 3000++ range and bookings would be essential in December. Phi Phi is going to be even more crowded so book in advance. Look at the following sites:

http://www.asiarooms.com/thailand/thailand-hotels.html
http://www.agoda.com/asia/thailand.html
http://www.sawadee.com/

" Yeah but in Bkk you are in the city with 7 million people, loads of cars, pollution and the like with the nearest beach and sea 2 hours away.
In Krabi, namely Ao Nang, you are 10 minutes from Railay beach. Gotta be worth more"
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True , but the problem here is in our eagerness to pay prices beyond the norm it makes the developers richer and encourages them to keep building till places like Railay and Ao Nang become just like built up beaches in Europe , Ausralia , US and other places . Thats exaggerating , but they are headed in that direction. And the figure of 800 baht is sobbering , for some travellers 800 baht could be their daily budget.

Whilst I hate the over development I understand the beach sells and always comes at a cost. Most accommodation on Krabi (and Phuket and Samui) caters for farangs on holiday with the big money, i.e. more than 800 baht on a room. For these tourists it's still an amazingly cheap destination. For backpackers Krabi town is much cheaper alternative , but no much going on there and certainly no beach.

I was recommending Ao Nang only for a day or two anyway. Then get over to Railay, where I have stayed in Ya Ya resort for under 500 baht! If 800 baht was somebody's limit then you'd might head to other places like Phi Phi, but stay in the town, Koh Pha Ngan, Koh Samet, Koh Chang, etc.

"800 baht is regarded as low price at Ao Nang these days !!!!!!!! . You can get a decent room in middle of Bangkok for 300 baht , but have to pay 800 baht in Ao Nang !"

Rubbish

Ao Nang aircon ensuite and cable tv 800 baht with breakfast

Same room in Bangkok 1000 baht.

Railay prices are double that of Ao Nang

davelliot must be living in the 80s as bangkok is more expensive than ao nang

"nquin - you want to be somewhere cheap with backpackers looks like a picture postcard. Well Ao Nang don't - although it is cheap and there will be other travellers. Seemed to me to be starting to be a bit of a hang for mid-aged package types and the socks and sandle barfly set though."

how dare families travel and take over from smelly backpackers

"Whilst I hate the over development I understand the beach sells and always comes at a cost. Most accommodation on Krabi (and Phuket and Samui) caters for farangs on holiday with the big money, i.e. more than 800 baht on a room"

$30 a night big money lol

that's small money

big money people pay 10000 baht or more

ao nang doesnt have much in the way of 300 baht dumpy rooms like bangkok but it's 800 baht rooms are better than bangkok if you look around.

Well we're going to find out for ourselves - staying at Phi Phi Relax http://krabidir.com/phiphirelaxbeachresort/

Will let you know

ALso last night staying at Tropical Garden Bungalows - getting 9.00am ferry and would prefer to roll down a hill rather than get longtail at sparrowfart

RE # HEINKENDRINKER,

"davelliot must be living in the 80s as bangkok is more expensive than ao nang "
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Does that mean there are rooms for 150 baht or less in Ao Nang as there are in Bkok.

" how dare families travel and take over from smelly backpackers "
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Well for your info even in the days when there 50 baht huts at Ao Nang and Railay there WERE families staying in bungalows not just individual "smelly backpackers". Fast forward to the present day and I once saw a northern european family with about 3 kids staying in simple old fashioned style wooden bungalow and they looked like they were very happy . This idea that the basic bungalows are only suited to "smelly backpackers" and the only suitable accomodation for families is resorts is simple minded generalisation .
Whether families or individuals , some people put a higher priority on the surrounding aesthetics than having a "decent or nice" room , after all if thats a big priority one can get it in Miami , Sth of Spain or Surfers Paradise .

"$30 a night big money that's small money"
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Not for someone who is travellling on a budget , and not by the standards generally of Thailand . Its small money by international resort standards and thats what Krabbi is becoming , but in doing so so its losing alot of the original charm that attracted people to it in the 1st place.

I agree Dave. Heinekendrinker sometimes bites because he can, but he doesn't really read and comprehend the views discussed. The money issue is about backpackers on a daily budget. Some poll on here had people voting on their daily budget. Around a 1000 B was about average. So 800 B is BIG, actually MASSIVE, to these people as that leaves them only 200 B for food, drinks and transport. As I rightly stated if said budget was 800 baht then said persons might look elsewhere.

Comprehend more Heineken before you 'anger' type.

Lou, I wanna report and some pix of Relax for my PP page please please - under your name of course. I always wanted to stay there - it always looked a step up from Toh Koh Resort and the reviews back that.
Oh yeah, Tropical too if you can manage it. For people wanting a nice place close to town.

Gotta agree on the 'drinker - dude's getting old and cranky.

Edited by: tezza