sambo76

Hi guys. We're Brits living in Oz and loving it.

We plan to marry to marry early 2010 and have chosen Thailand for many reasons (for ceremony only, not legal marriage). We have spent over 7 months there in total and have a real love of the place and people; it is also between us and the UK which means that friends and family back there will find it easier to attend.

We originally were going to get married in Samui but the more we look into it the more we are thinking Phuket. It's cheaper and easier to get from both Oz and the UK now thanks to Air Asia, and this will mean some of our family who may have struggled with Samui can now get there.

Problem is, we've never been to Phuket on our Thai travels as we often go to places a little out of the way. We're doing a reccie trip in Feb for a week to check out venues and hotels etc and would love some ideas and suggestions for wedding venues, reception party and also companies who operate out there.

We don't want anything over the top; perhaps a beach or hillside wedding and a good spot for a party at night with a big Thai buffet, perfect!!! We obviously want to avoid Patong and the like but I guess equally don't want to take guests out to the sticks and limit their accomodation choices etc too much.

Any ideas would be warmly welcomed.

Thanks, Sam & Est

katongkaren

In terms of nice areas i.e. not over-touristy with nice beach and hillside backdrop - Cape Panwa is beautiful and Nai Harn too. You might want to take a look on your reccie. Both are down in the south of the island.

Up North - Mai Kao beach and the Laguna development - okay Laguna is a bit touristy but I still think it's nice - and very developed and manicured (built by a Singaporean!). Up North will also be handier for the airport - if that is important.

Early in the year should be fabulous weather too. It is absolutely glorious here at the moment - hot, sunny and breezy.

I'll also send you a PM later today.

katongkaren

Cape Panwa pic...

Kooky.

Wow, sounds fab - can I come, I've got an unworn wedding hat?

katongkaren

Nai Harn beach pic....

katongkaren

A couple of other thoughts....

Chalong Bay is nice with nice little island views off the coast and turquoise waters. Nice views from Friendship Beach hotel and, more upmarket, the Evason resort. You can google both - they have websites. Phuket is quite a big island and it'll take you about an hour to get down to the south.

Another thought and it's closer to the airport is Ao Po in the North-East. This is very very quiet though but with nice views of the Phang Nga islands. There's a hotel called the Chandara Spa and Resort. I believe they've got a website. I've not been there but have driven past the entrance and it's a lovely spot. Only thing is you won't find much else there.

sambo76

Thanks for the heads up KK... and a nod for the PM, nuff said!
And Seasider, all are welcome (as paying guests and rent a crowd!!!)

Thanks all,
S&E

Kooky.

We've only been once and kk is definitely your Phuket guru but we stayed at the Mangosteen, which is down the south end, up a hill (we went just after the tsunami!) and has lovely villas - great bathrooms!

Englishmum

We stayed at the lovely Thai-owned, non-chain Marina Resort in Phuket in a wonderful location on the headland of Kata and Karon beaches with glorious views of the sunset over the sea. It is set in beautiful tropical gardens with direct access to the beach - and has a superb vista of the bay. The Marina resort isn't isolated although it is peaceful - you can walk out of the main entrance and walk to the nearby village for shopping, bars and restaurants...or even play mini-golf at the nearby dino-park which the hotel also owns.

I've just looked at their website and they do offer traditional Western or a Thai Buddhist wedding ceremony...complete with an elephant procession! It sounds like a brilliant way to have a wedding!

Here's the links:

http://www.marinaphuket.com/home.html


Weddings:

http://www.marinaphuket.com/wedding.html

We stayed in one of the jungle rooms which was very nice indeed:

http://www.marinaphuket.com/jungle_view.html

Some very good Aussie friends of ours got married at the Four Seasons Hotel in Bali (the one on the beach) but I know it cost them a fortune!

Congratulations and Good Luck!

PS: Your wedding guests might also like to have a go at scuba diving...this can be done through the resort too:

http://www.marinadivers.com/

Vanessa

We recently stayed at the Katathani Resort in Kata Noi. It is Thai owned and though a large resort feels a lot smaller as it is spread out and has 4 separate swimming pools (all large). The beach feels private as it is at the end of a road and is mostly only used by the hotel and a few other people who are staying in the area. There are some good restaurants nearby and Patong (if you like that sort of thing) is only 20 minutes up the road by tut tut.

In the two weeks that we were there they had a couple of weddings on the beach at about 5.30 in the evening and they all looked lovely.

sambo76

Wow! Thanks guys for some really great info, we'll spend a good while running through all the suggestions you've made.

Feel free to keep the fountain of knowledge flowing in the meantime!

S&E

katongkaren

Englishmum, that Marina Resort looks lovely. I presume it's located on Kata-Karon border. I think Kata is quite good if you want somewhere a little bit livelier with more to do than down south.

Cape Panwa/Nai Harn/Rawai - full of all these old retirees propping up the bars

katongkaren

It's a pity Wellington seems to no longer post on the Far East forum (I wonder why) as he has far more experience/knowledge of Phuket than I.

Englishmum

KK - yes the Marina resort is gorgeous and indeed it is on the headland between the Kata and Karon beaches. We went into the village - a nice easy stroll - and sneaked into Club Med on the other side of the headland, which was nowhere near as nice as the Marina resort and the Club Med rooms appeared to be tiny in comparison.

I've only just discovered that there is a 'sister' hotel to the Marina Resort, a boutique hotel called the Bamboo House, but no direct beach access.

http://www.bamboohousephuket.com/home.html

perhaps it's an option if wedding guests are on a tight budget....

sambo76

It certainly looks very nice, we may take a look here next month on our reccie, thanks.

Does this exist in Phuket: An area/beach with a variety of accomodation and restaurants to suit mid to lower range budgets (but not scuzzy!) that's not overly busy or is limited to just one or two hotels and their restaurant/bars? I know we could find this on other islands such as Lanta and I guess even Phi Phi (though haven't been since Tsunami) and also Samui, but my complete ignorance at Phuket means I don't know where to start.

We are thinking we may have our wedding in a different location to where we will be based for most of the time we're there to allow us greater flexibility/choice in venue and also to ensure that we get to spend some valuable time with friends and family from the UK at the same time

Thanks all for your input so far

S&E