Expensive Ticket to Paradise

Low fare airliners have changed the tourism industry significantly in the recent years. Holiday destinations across the globe are now reachable at affordable cost. In Asia, the largest low fare airliner AirAsia connects South-East Asian hubs to numerous holiday destinations in the region.

Now everybody can get cheap flight ticket from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, or Bangkok to Bali, Phuket, Penang, Hainan, Macau, even less popular new emerging destinations like Krabi in Thailand, Guilin in China, or Bandung in Indonesia.

Unfortunately it is not the case with Koh Samui, the newly emerging tropical island in the southern part of Thailand. Flights to Koh Samui are rather limited and expensive. A flight from Phuket to Koh Samui - which is only about half an hour - costs a lot more than two hours long flight from Kuala Lumpur to Phuket.

AirAsia flies to much less visited Krabi, so if we are looking into airliner's readiness, I believe they are much more than ready. Residents of Koh Samui explained that the situation is caused by absence of airport. The only airport in Koh Samui is owned and operated by Bangkok Air only to serve their own flight with an exception for Thai Airways. Without competition Bangkok Air retains the power to dictate any price they want.

From tourism development point of view, it is quite a bad situation, especially because Koh Samui is a very potential island destination. In addition to beautiful calm white-sandy beaches it is also serves as gate to its surrounding smaller islands including Koh Phangan. So attractive that some tourists are prepared to pay the price, but still, the vast majority chooses to save their money and somewhere else.

Providing private villa accommodation for high-end tourists to whom money is not really an issue, Wisna Wedhana, the Managing Director of Private Leisure International saw the airfare as a significant barrier even to her wealthy clients. "We have many interested clients who decide to go somewhere else as son as they know the ticket price", she complained. "It may be okay if you are traveling alone, but if you are a family of 10, it is a significant amount of money", she added.

Actually there is a few other ways to get to Koh Samui. You can drive from either Phuket or Krabi to the pier at Khanom and take a short ferry trip to Koh Samui. Air-conditioned coaches and train are available from Bangkok to the southern provice of Suratthani where you can take a short drive to Khanom pier. The super luxurious Orient Express train also stops at Suratthani. Another alternative is to take a yacht from Bangkok directly to Koh Samui. "Yes, but no one is comparable with a flight, how do you expect people to take a 10 hours land trip after a long haul trip from Europe", Wisna commented about the alternatives.

Before the authority finds affordable transportation solution, maybe we should see it from the positive point of view, being only available to those who are prepared to pay more or take the pain, Koh Samui is kept as a peaceful tropical paradise.

Private Leisure International's collection of private villas in Koh Samui is available in its website Koh Samui Villas Online. Those who prefer to avoid the hassle and choose Phuket instead can find private villa accommodation options at Phuket Villas Online. The company also provides private villa accommodation in Krabi and Koh Phangan.

Adi has been spending more than five years focusing on helping his clients in private villa and holiday rental industry in Bali to gain better online exposure. Combination of information technology and marketing backgrounds brought him to become the man behind most commercially successful websites in Bali.

Beaches of Phuket

Phuket is a tropical Thai holiday island and is one of the premier travel destinations in the world. The beaches of Phuket are well known for their white sandy beaches lined with gracious palm and coconut trees.

Most tourists staying on Phuket during their holiday unfortunately only visit the beach located closest to their hotel. It is a shame as there are so many beautiful beaches which the tourists could visit. The best way to see all the beautiful beaches is by renting a motorbike or jeep and by simply driving up and down the coast line as travelers will encounter countless beautiful and deserted beaches.

Some of the nicest beaches of Phuket are those mentioned below.

Bang Tao

The beautiful Bang Tao beach is located next to the upscale Phuket Laguna complex where a number of excellent 5 star hotels are located.

Kamala

Kamala beach is one of the most popular beaches and is located only a few minutes drive from Patong beach. Travelers looking for a beach area which offers a peaceful surrounding should consider booking a hotel or resort in the beach resort area of Kamala.

Karon

The most popular after Patong beach is Karon beach and is located just south of Patong. Karon has a long beach and numerous resorts line this beach. Tourists visitingwith children often prefer the somewhat laidback atmosphere that Karon beach has to offer.

Patong

Patong beach is the busiest of all the beaches of Phuket. The vast majority of entertainment and business venues are located in Patong beach. If travelers are looking for a beach resort area where they can party until the early hours of the morning then Patong beach is the ideal choice for them.

Surin

One of the most upscale Phuket beach areas is the area around Surin beach. If tourists do visit Surin beach then they should definitely try the excellent and inexpensive seafood which is served at the Surin beach side restaurants.

George is currently living on Phuket and is working on a number of projects. If you are looking for a great Phuket hotel then do consider staying at Club Bamboo Resort. Read more about Koh Samui in his Samui guide.

Tips to Save Money When Building Your Own House in Phuket Thailand

With the costs rising this year higher than ever before, I like to share a few money saving tips when building your own house in Phuket, Thailand. You can use either some or all of these ideas to cut costs and spend your money on more important items. If it's important to get the highest quality house for the lowest possible cost, this article is for you.

Buying building materials in Bangkok and shipping them to Phuket can be a real cost saver. You want to do your homework first on local prices and quality. Bangkok has a much bigger selection of tile than found on Phuket Island. There are huge areas that sell tiles in Bangkok and a much bigger and cheaper selection too. There are also huge outlets in Bangkok that sell Tile imports from China and Vietnam. Shopping at these outlets can save you big money over local outlets.

Wood Doors and frames can also be acquired in area of Bangkok around Bang Po. It's great fun to shop these wood shops and look at the many different selections available. Wood comes in several grades so it's important to actually see what you're buying. Spending a day looking at the different wood items like wood trim and windows will also give you a few ideas also. There are also a few wood shops inside the infamous weekend market near Bang sue.

Power tools and things like sandpaper and drill bits, electrical wire, bulbs, and lights can be bought in an area called Klong Tom. This can be found in Bangkok's China town area known as Yarrowat. If you ever been here this is the place where are the Chinese have their gold shops near the river in downtown. Sundays is used goods day so there are many extra vendors on the streets during the weekend. Collecting Business cards of the different vendors will come in handy later if you need to buy something they don't sell at home pro when building your Phuket house.

You can purchase many landscaping items just outside Bangkok at a fraction of what you pay on island. The weekend market also has a large selection of plant, trees and other yard Items. Furniture can also be purchased at the weekend market as there are literally hundreds of furniture shops inside there.

Shipping to Phuket is a very easy thing to arrange with your vendors. If you have a lot of stock you can arrange for a 13 ton truck to bring down your truckload of goods. You can really save if you have something heavy to ship like granite, sandstone or tile. Medium size shipments you can use freight shipping companies which also use busses and some big lorry trucks to ship the goods overnight to Phuket. You can even pack the goods in the bus yourself and ride down with them you have time. Being creative In Thailand you too can save a lot of money if you have time and take the time to shop around and buy the items you handpicked to make your Phuket House a home.

Scott Riefler is an expert in Phuket Real Estate. He has written several informative articles. He regularly contributes articles on Phuket Apartments. Sign up for our free informative newsletter at: Phuket Condos.

Thailand - Top 5 Best Places and Destinations in Phuket

Phuket, formerly known as "Tha-laang" is one of the provinces located in the south regions of Thailand. Phuket is Thailand's largest island which is almost the size of Singapore. It has an area of roughly 570 square kilometers. Phuket is made up of one large island, and 39 other small islands. The island is truly mountainous which has a mountain range in the western part of the island. Phuket is bounded with lots of beautiful and attractive sites where thousands of tourists from around the world love to visit.

Here are some of the best loved destinations in Phuket Thailand:

o Nai Yang National Park - located only 20 minutes away from the airport in the island's north-western part. It comprises two beaches namely the Nai Yang beach and the Mai Kao beach. The park covers over ten miles of beautiful and attractive white sand beach which is adored by many. Nai Yang Park is famous for the amazing casaurina trees. The place is a perfect location for picnics.

o Patong beach - Patong Beach is the most admired and well-developed beach in Phuket Thailand, located in the west coast of Phuket. It is considered to be one of the world's Top places for diving. Phuket is Thailand's most visited tourist destination, presenting a variety of beaches, naturally appealing and stimulating night life.

o Phrompthep Cape - located in the southern part of Phuket. This place surely best place for viewing sunsets in Phuket. The place is mostly crowded in the evening with people witnessing the beautiful sunset panorama. This gorgeous looking place is truly favored in Phuket. Visitors coming to Phuket are always advised to come to Phrompthep; that will definitely complete their trip to Thailand.

o Ton Sai Forest Park - located in Bang Pang Kleua, in Ultradit province, Phuket. The park is one of the last remaining jungles in Phuket; swarmed with a variety of mammals including reptiles, bears, porcupines, gibbons, macaques, lizards and over a hundred species of birds. The forest had been a popular tourist attraction in the city.

o Rawai beach - Rawai was the very first tourist beach in Phuket. People of Phuket often drive their way to Rawai on weekends to visit the very gorgeous looking beach. It has also attracted many tourists coming from other countries. Definitely one of the best places in Phuket.

These are just five of the many best places to visit in Phuket. There are a lot more interesting places to see and visit in Phuket, Thailand; the home of world's wonder beauties of nature.

Ms. Pinky is a mom of 3 school children. She is a Systems Engineer, a Technology Researcher and an Independent Medical Billing and Coding Consultant. She and her family is well-traveled all over the world!

Her blogs and websites focuses on stay-at-home moms, dads and students who wants to work at home, build homebased business http://www.mommyisworkingathome.com

Visit her Interesting Site on Asian Travels and Destinations. Discover Asia's Culture and Great Food! at http://www.goingplacesinasia.com

Phuket Private Jet Terminal

In the expansion plans for Phuket International Airport are considerations to open a dedicated private jet terminal.

It is proposed that private investors will be responsible for the development and that it will be constructed separately from the main terminal building. It's thought that if the plans go ahead, the terminal will offer VIP ground handling services and hospitality that rivals five star hotels.

Phuket International is already the second busiest civil airport in Thailand and has seen an increase in the number of private jets, mostly used by property developers seeking out land a development opportunities in the area.

If plans go ahead for the new terminal, Phuket will be sure to attract more private jet charter clients and will be a popular destination for charter operators and brokers.

Private Jet Charters are a growing business and are being recognised by many to be the most time efficient way to travel. Many airports have or are considering private terminals to enhance their service offering and increase their revenue. Airports with dedicated private travel facilities are the perfect partner as they promote a speedy departure and reduce delays on arrival.

Ground handling is an essential part of the private jet charter experience and offers many benefits over travelling on commercial airlines. Predominantly offering a check in time of an average of ten minutes and in many cases allowing the passengers car to drive directly to the steps of the aircraft. A real benefit for regular business travellers who would otherwise be spending up to three hours at the airport prior to departure.

Rob Dore is co-owner and Marketing Director of Jet Booking Direct who offer private jet charters and jet charter management services.

Learning to Fight in Phuket-Thailand

Mixed martial arts or MMA is a combination of the most effective forms of fight sciences like Muay Thai, boxing, and jiu-jiitsu. The popularity of MMA based programing on television and cable like the Ultimate Fighting Championship, King of the Cage, and Cage Rage have fueled the expansion of training camps and schools throughout the world.

Today, fighters, young and old, travel around the world searching for training that will make the the next "Ultimate Fighter." You want to learn Jiu-Jitsu, then head for Brazil. Looking for boxing skills then you might try the U.S. And if you are looking for Muay Thai, there is no better place than Thailand; the home of Muay Thai and the national sport of Thailand.

From one end of the country to the other, Muay Thai is the pride of the Thai people. The fight sport has become popular around the world and now boasts organizations in more than 35 countries promoting tournaments, fights, and amateur and professional titles. For years, martial arts enthusiast and athletes have ben coming to Thailand to learn the science of eight limbs from professional Thai fighters. With the explosion in popularity of MMA in the rest of the world, and here in Thailand, there is a new breed of fighter making his way to Asia and the land of smiles.
MMA fighter's are quickly learning that Thailand is the place to be to learn the secrets of striking through hardcore Muay Thai training.

Thai fighters are known for their aggressiveness, stamina, and ability to ignore pain, which are all prerequisites of the modern cage fighter. They want to learn the secrets of of the Siam warriors abilities and bring it back to the cage.
In 2001, MMA programming on in Thailand took the country by storm, and is now one of the most popular sports viewed on cable TV. The Thai people immediately took to the sport as they quickly recognized Muay Thai as a key aspect of the ultimate fight game. If you are standing up, you are fighting Muay thai style. If you are on the ground, you are using wrestling and jiu-jitsu. The Thai people were proud to see their national sport in the world spotlight.

Starting in 2005, fighters from all over the globe were given the chance to save money and participate in comprehensive training in Muay thai and MMA in Thailand. Modern fight camps, like Tiger Muay Thai & MMA, Phuket, Thailand and Bangkok Fight Club opened their door to professional and amateurs looking to train Muay Thai and MMA all at the same place. Fighters can work their stand-up striking game with Muay Thai and then train Jiu-Jitsu to work on their ground fighting skills. Now fighters would not have to travel from one country to the next to find the training they need. Everything they needed was in one place; a great training environment in the tropics which is conducive to hardcore training, training partners with the skills needed to improve, and the ability to live and train under the same roof without going broke.

As if that was not enough, Thailand offers Muay thai fights seven-days-a-week in most big cities. It used to be difficult for most fighters to find a place to train and finally land a fight. Now fighters coming to Thailand can plan a training regimen and a fight before even arriving in Thailand. I you are in shape and are looking for a fight, head to Thailand and one of the many training camps that accept foreigners. Train for six weeks and then strap on the gloves against a Thai or another foreign fighter. You will head back home with experience and the experience of a lifetime after training in Muay Thai and MMA in Thailand.

Will McNamara is a sports writer and owner of Tiger Muay Thai and MMA Training camp in Phuket, Thailand. http://www.TigerMuayThai.com

A Guide to the Bars and Nightlife of Phuket, Thailand

If you're looking for a touch of funkiness to the usual nightlife scene, Phuket is the right place for you. Like Thailand, some of the entertainment you find here, you won't find anywhere else in the world. There are the mimics', but no one does it as good. There's a range so wide in Phuket that it's hard to know where to start unless you know what you want to see specifically first.

We start off with the Phuket town nightlife, where you get a look into the life and culture of the Thais. Try out a Thai style night club - rooms packed with people drinking and dancing and having a good time. Usually live bands provide the entertainment with music ranging from Thai-pop to groovy semi-outdated western music. If you prefer a regular pub as opposed to a club, one good bar known for its Happy Hour is Dorn's (located on Vichit Songkran) where you see most locals come after a hard day's work. Other local favourite hotspots include Suea Saming; a swanky place with a fine selection of drinks and funky music, Balika and Oasis (Mae Luan Road) and Ozone (Thalang Road) which features a multi-level dance floor.

A tip if you're you would like to party like the locals, bring your own bottle. A common thing over here would be to drink by the bottle instead of paying by the glasses (maybe because it's cheaper).

For a complete 180 on the nightlife scene, head for Patong Beach. Known as the craziest part of Phuket, this place holds itself much better now and the fun is just as wicked. Patong boasts several nightclubs and discos around the area for people to just let go and have fun like no where else. Dance floors, cheap drinks, repeated music and endless energy are found here. For the 'normal' discos, head for Bangla Road. In this vicinity, you'll find places like Tiger Disco, Tai Pan, Baya Beach (think tropical themed), and Banana Disco (popular amongst the younger folk). For the more adult orientated fun, go-go bars are popular in this district as well as Beer bars.

If you're there for the music, check out places like Saxophone and Molly Malone's with live bands and if you prefer the upscale bars Patong satisfies that too. Club Rio for one, known for its cool Latin jazz and The Sofa, a place filled with ( you guessed it ) large plush sofa's and armchairs where you can sip martinis. For something completely wild, (not for kids) try watching a Cabaret. It's both fun and fascinating and something you can only see in Phuket!

Orson Johnson writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing Phuket rentals & Vacation Rentals.