Bali is one of Southeast Asia’s most popular destinations. From the moment you arrive in Denpasar, you’re only a short drive away from the beaches of Nusa Dua or the rice paddes of Ubud or the nightlife of Kuta. However, making a strong challenge for the honor of being SEA’s best island destination is Phuket.
Phuket is essentially a smaller version of Bali. You find the same positive attributes and the same annoyances on both islands. What Phuket has going for it, however, is that the island is smaller, has better food, has friendlier people and is connected with the rest of Thailand.
In Phuket, you’re only a quick boat ride away from the Phi Phi Islands, a brief flight away from the mountains of Chiang Mai, and a bus and a boat away from the full moon parties of Koh Pha-ngan.
It has never been cheaper to fly to Phuket. In fact, Air Asia recently launched cheap flights from Bali to Bangkok. You can fly between the two destinations for as little as $100. From Bangkok, a flight to Phuket won’t cost more than $50. If you live in or are merely passing through Bali, there’s no reason not to book a flight and see what the other island is all about.
Phuket is home to some of the finest hotels and resorts in the region. You don’t have to travel far to find them because they’re everywhere. Some of the best Phuket hotels are located in the northern part of the island, where you have accommodations such as the acclaimed Indigo Pearl resort and the JW Marriott. In the south you have the Sri Panwa resort, which is fast making a name for itself as the favored choice of celebrities who visit the region.
Phuket’s beaches can hold their own. They are smaller than the beaches in Bali, but that’s part of the charm. Phuket isn’t as overwhelming as its island cousin. Mai Khao in the north is several kilometers of practically deserted beachfront, while Kata and Karon on the west coast deliver the goods.
Bali and Phuket are both synonymous with nightlife. The nightlife scene in Phuket has come on leaps and bounds in the past two years. What was once nothing but beer bars and earbleed discos has evolved into something more interesting. You now have international DJs such as Krafty Kuts, Jo Mills, Barry Ashworth, Arthur Baker and Inland Knights passing through and dropping beats – and there is more to come in 2009.
You can’t mention Phuket without talking about Thai food. Perhaps it’s a matter of taste, but this writer would take Thai food over Indo food any day of the week. The variety of places to eat in Phuket is fantastic – and you don’t have to hunt out tiny warungs in order to sample the local fare.
The overall vibe in Phuket is more subdued than in Bali. In Phuket, you get hassled less and you can more easily form a connection with the local people compared with being in Bali. Sure, the surfing in Phuket isn’t as good and there aren’t any volcanoes, but the island just has a buzz that you can’t escape from.
