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

why?

why not?

RE # HEININKENDRINKER

"ko chang is a lovely island and more thais going there makes it less of a phuket/samui atmoshere."

There is some truth in this in the past , but alot of the rapid development of Ko Chang is aimed at international market . More and more foreign tourists are going there , there was already ample hotels/chalets for the domestic market 8 or 10 years ago . As a result the Ko Chang beaches are strating to go the way of Phuket/Samui.
I agree with you about Railay beach being small and overdeveloped , but the same has happened to the once lovely Lonely Beach on Ko Chang.

"kata beach, phuket is a very nice beach. stay there"

Heineken - been looking at kata - looks good and as I'm flying to phuket makes sense to stop there for a few nights. My only concern is that alot of the reveiews are saying this is more of a family resport. Could you suggest which beach is better to stay on for a lone first time backpacker and potentially where to stay. For my first few nights my budget will be approx 1000bt a night. But the key think for me is not to be stuck in a hotel with families!! Noi looks the nicest? Do backpackers go here and if so can you recommend somewhere to stay?

On reply # 33 in this thread poster batfish reports you can stay at Karon Beach for under 200 baht.

Also if you got to the google satellite maps and zoom in on Kata beach ,Phuket it likes like a city of development behind the beach.

nquinlan - we're staying here but there are two of us and it's for a chill but the strip looks good
http://andamanbangtaobayresort.com/

But it's out of your price range - maybe the other way to do it is stay at the Thalang Guest house in Phuket- apparently an icon for backpackers for the first night or so and then commute to the beaches and find one you like

Lou

"My only concern is that alot of the reveiews are saying this is more of a family resport. Could you suggest which beach is better to stay on for a lone first time backpacker and potentially where to stay. For my first few nights my budget will be approx 1000bt a night. But the key think for me is not to be stuck in a hotel with families!! Noi looks the nicest? Do backpackers go here and if so can you recommend somewhere to stay? "

Phuket is more of a families island.

Kata Noi has an expensive resort which dominates the beach plus a few ghs nearby. Really Kata (Yai) is better for swimming.

Karon beach is ok too but more exposed to wind and sun. Patong is a nice beach too but overdeveloped and you get all the tackiness.

Kamala beach has brown sand and not much to do.

Surin has waves and some food joints on the beach but a tad pricey.

Really Kata is a good allrounder, with some cheap food and massages and a good beach.

Otherwise you could go to the northern beaches near the airport.

"I agree with you about Railay beach being small and overdeveloped , but the same has happened to the once lovely Lonely Beach on Ko Chang. "

Lonely Beach is a backpackers ghetto. That's what backpackers do to places.

Sorry Heinkendrinker , you are somewhat out of date , Lonely Beach as been turned into another resort beach with concrete hotels , vegetation ripped out etc etc etc

" That's what backpackers do to places. "
Well the term backpacker can mean different things to different people . But if you define it as budget traveller , they are the most prepared to adapt the islands and beaches as they are thushave had less impact than on the visitors who come later .
The so called "backpackers' were more or less the first to stay in most of these places - Phuket , Samui , Krabbi , Ko Chang you name it . And I for one much preferred the natural look of these places when they were "backpacker" places .
In any case its somewhat ironic to denigrate budget travellers on a LP forum . Granted that Lp has broadened its market and the founders may no longer travel in that style . But it was 'hippys" , budget travellers and "backpackers" that inspired LP to start in the 1 st place , which in turn led to this forum which provides Heinekendrinker a platform to badmouth "backpackers".