Phuket for a Low Cost Beach Holiday

Phuket is the Mecca and spiritual home of South East Asian beach holidays, with only Bali coming anywhere close in the region. From crowded commercial beaches to untapped and desolate beaches; Phuket has it all!

Patong is the king for getaway package beach holidays and is the number one tourist destination on the island. The beach is fairly clean and provides a mass of water sports and convenient restaurants and bars within a short walking distance.

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While it is an exciting and enjoyable beach location, it does not provide much seclusion or tranquility. The overriding factor in Patong’s success is the diverse nature of the price ranges and things to do. You can enjoy a real low-cost holiday in Patong, but there are better value-for-money options on the island.

Karon and Kata are two smaller beachside resorts on the south-western coast within a ten minute drive of Patong. Karon is a very friendly area with an affable expatriate community with very fair priced accommodation.

Karon is more of a family destination than Patong and owns a much cleaner and uncluttered beach. The quality of life is much slower and pleasant than the pulsating heart of Patong.

Kata is very similar to Karon, with its family atmosphere and slower pace. The beach is much smaller, but very picturesque and a favorite with locals due to the surrounding palm trees that provide welcome shade. The accommodation is also very reasonable, not as cheap as the low end of the Patong scale, but much better value overall.

Nai Harn Beach is reputedly the finest in Phuket, and I wouldn’t dispute that! But the area is generally more expensive and home to high-end resorts and hotels, pricing itself out of the value-for-money stakes.

The same can be said of the north-western beach resorts of Surin, Kamala and Bangtao. All three are beautiful beaches in their own right, but are generally dominated by five-star resorts and slightly expensive pricing.

I would personally recommend Karon or Kata for a value beachside holiday with good standard beaches, restaurants and overall atmosphere.

How to Eat Cheaply on Holiday

When anyone goes on holiday, unless you have gone all inclusive it can put quite a strain on your budget. This does not have to be, there are lots of ways of eating out every night without it costing a fortune. Depending on where you are in the world, you can always find little places which sell very tasty food at a fraction of the cost. Unless you see special offers in any of the restaurants of cafes on the main strip or in the centre of town, try venturing along side streets and you may be pleasantly surprised. You may come across a family restaurant offering the very best food at a fraction of the cost, or street stalls can be an excellent option and they also have very tasty food which is very cheap. Check the local tabloids for coupons, they may have offers for free children’s meals or money off vouchers.

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Some countries have excellent food markets which stay open very late and the food is cooked right in front of you, these are also excellent value for money. Checking the menus which are outside some restaurants and offer a set menu at a discounted price is a good option. Or if you have cooking facilities in your accommodation, a trip to the local supermarket can be worthwhile as you can select the food you like from the vast range they have. You could always ask the locals if there are any good places and I am sure they will be more than happy to help. There really are so many ways to save money while on holiday, it just means taking the time to venture out, maybe a little off the beaten track, but there are some excellent bargains to be had.