Phuket, Thailand....

You will need a visa for stays longer than 30 days. Assuming Canadian passport.

Phuket is pretty awesome. People may frown upon the commercialism but I enjoyed it. Anyplace you can grab beer at a 7/11, chill on the beach and be left alone is ok in my book.

For Muay Thai, an associate of mine went to Rawai https://www.rawaimuaythai.com/ and said great things about it.

Enjoy.

I was there for vacation in 2004 November a few weeks before the Tsunami. My heart was broken after the bad news. Beautiful place, friendly people. Very sad!

If you’re going to Phuket for beaches, there are better places than this.
If you are going for something else, there is nothing in Phuket, except everything is expensive than other places.

Gentlemoan said:

If you’re going to Phuket for beaches, there are better places than this.
If you are going for something else, there is nothing in Phuket, except everything is expensive than other places.

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+1

Phuket is “ok”. It’s a noisy Thai city and I found the beaches to have garbage on them. If you are going all the way to Thailand, go to the islands like koh phi phi.

However, I will endorse the street food anywhere in Thailand. It’s unbelievable. Take some cooking classes while there.

I'm also going in December. Starting with 6 days in Bangkok, 6 days in Chiang Mai and then 6 days on the southern beaches. Ko Samui and those islands.
I hear that Ko Tao is the most chill island down there. But go after the full moon party on Dec 10 or 11 so its less busy.

41 days is a long time to just stay in Phuket. I would spend a week in Bangkok, 2 weeks in Pattaya, and 2 weeks Phuket. Maybe even check out some of the islands, I really liked Ko Samet. Thailand is a big and very diverse country that has a lot to offer.

I am going in January. 20 days, first 10 is in Bangkok, the rest up in the air. I'm thinking split b/w Phuket and Pattaya.

Hope it helps to say that you should keep your shoulders, knees and chest covered. Avoid wearing shorts and bikini style tops in public.
I did not see foreigners wear boots or high heel shoes. Enjoy your trip, be safe.

Some of these countries are very conservative compared to western cultures and prefer women not expose too much of their bodies.
This is true in the UAE including Dubai. It is not a good idea to show too much skin especially if you are traveling alone. I am sure
there are articles on line you can read or others can chime in. Safe travels.

https://thailandtravelessentials.com/dress-code-for-tourists-in-thailand/

So, what is the dress code for tourists in Thailand? In Thailand, there is a specific dress code for tourists and locals when visiting temples – covered shoulders, pants or dresses that cover ankles and no shoes. Everywhere else there is no dress code, but first appearances mean a lot in Thailand, and by dressing properly you will be treated with respect.

Besides temples there are several other non-spoken dress codes in Thailand:

Dress as smart as you can to get a better table at a restaurant in Bangkok
Wear a sweatshirt to avoid freezing at the Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai
When it is a rainy season get a waterproof raincoat to stay dry on a speedboat in Phuket
To avoid being stopped by the police wear helmet when driving a scooter

How do you pronounce Phuket?

Since you'll be so close, a trip to Penang Malaysia could be worth your while. It was Anthony Bourdain's favorite place on earth. And you can get around with English, it still has its colonial vibe.

The problem with places on the Bay of Bengal is that its prone to tsunamis. Lots of volcanic activity and Continental Shelf subduction goes on there. Like the Bay of Napoli, there is hell amidst paradise. The Indonesian Archipelago is still evolving and one of the world's most dangerous volcano is located between Sumatra and Java: Mt Krakatoa. Before leaving I recommend you check the status of that particular mountain, it potentially could affect your trip.

Earthquakes and tsunamis occur when the mountain is active.

superstar_88 said:

How do you pronounce Phuket?

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Poo ket, not fuck it

Lovely_Lovelynn said:

I’m aware of this, but it’s Phuket, a major tourist destination.

I haven’t been able to find any threads about having to cover up in Thailand

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That is a ridiculous other post. There is absolutely no worries about that in Thailand. I saw a lady wearing a thong covered with an outer mesh piece of clothing, her ass was hanging out, cops did stop her and ask her to cover up, this was night time attire, not at the beach. You'll be in shorts, tank top and a bathing suit the whole time. They sell shorts everywhere and they don't use much denim to make them .

You may want to check out the full moon party, but as a solo female it may be a little too crazy. I was too old to enjoy it, it's for 20 somethings.

1, The thai baht keeps getting stronger so the exchange isn't as great anymore, but I guess if it's your first time you won't notice. It costs about 10 dollars to withdraw money, bank machine fees are crazy, the 10$ is just from their banks, yours could be an additional 5.

2. Room with a safe is better, many travelers are broke scumbags if you're staying in a hostel, they will steal.

3. You will probably get propositioned a lot with guys thinking you're working, that is just how it is over there.

4. Do not rent a jet ski, even though they have claimed to have cracked down on scams, renting jet skis is still the biggest scam. They will say you damaged it and demand more payment.

5. Ladyboys shouldn't bother you but just avoid altogether, they are everywhere.

6. Don't wear excessive jewelry.

7. I keep my travel insurance and photocopy of my passport with me always.

Greytop19 said:

Hope it helps to say that you should keep your shoulders, knees and chest covered. Avoid wearing shorts and bikini style tops in public.
I did not see foreigners wear boots or high heel shoes. Enjoy your trip, be safe.

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This is absurd. If you dress like this you will be laughed at. Absolutely none of this is remotely true. The only pants you will be wearing is on the plane. You can get as dolled up as you want with six inch heels and nobody will bat an eye.