Club Med Phuket

hey!
some of my friends and i are thinking about going to a cm for a holiday sometime next year! and we are thinking about phuket, because we live in australia! but i just was wondering when is the best time to go, and how is the dance program, and enertainment?? and what about safety and things, with this crazy world............!! thanks!
marissa xoxo

Dear Carnavalera,
As you know, nothing is really close to Australia. The closest club would be Ria Bintan, near Singapore, or maybe Bali. I've never been to Ria Bintan, so I can't comment, although I understand it is pretty upscale. I have been to Phuket twice (22 hours from Chicago!). Having visited 20 clubs, it is one of the nicest I've ever been to. Thailand itself is a little mind blowing to a Yank like me, but in a very pleasant way. The food, accomodations, activities, excursions, entertainment are all top rate. Many nationalities there, including a large contingent of Aussies. English is widely spoken. Even the street signs are in English and Thai. I wouldn't worry about safety there. However, I don't recommend that you go to the bamboo bars outside the club and drink too much Mekong whiskey. Not that it isn't safe, it's just that you will have a mammoth hangover. Also in town you can get some nice $125 Rolex watches. Well, they are sort of Rolex watches. At least it says Rolex on them. The best time to visit would be December, January, February, March. In April, it starts to get a little rainy there.

John

Summer tends to be rainy, and it's hottest around Easter. Best time to go is around Xmas. Of all the Asian villages, I used to like Phuket the best because of it's incredible beach. But I heard that it's been severely damaged by the tsunami last year and that it's not quite the same anymore. Accommodation wise, I like Bali the best. Bintan is nice, but to me it's sort of sterile without much character to it.

-lioness

I beg to differ Lioness, a lot of the rooms have been refurbished and upgraded after the tsunami. Now, after a year, i think the rooms are even better.

Carnavalera: yeah the best time they say is the end of the year- When it's summer in Australia. But generally even in the rainymonths,its pretty pleasant. Thailand is generally a pretty safe place - just the usual precautions. Club Med Phuket was and still is one of my favourite clubs to be at. Sorry can't help u out on the CLub Med programmesas I have not been fpr quite sometime. I will be going to Phuket sometime mid Dec.So if you want an update, PM me



All in good time

I've just been to Phuket last week and I know we were debating whether to go there or Bali (I'm from Aus also). Phuket was fantastic... I've been there twice before and it was still great. The one thing to remember is that it is now a 'pure relaxation' resort so no loud music for water aerobics and a bit less excitement generally. We didn't know this when we arrived and we thought maybe people were less enthusiastic... but they're meant to be like that. The rooms are great as they've been done up and the beach was so beautiful - nicer than I remembered it from before. I heard that Kata beach wasn't as affected by the tsunami which I'm sure makes a difference.
But Thailand in general is a great place for a holiday and I know I felt completely safe the whole time :)
-Eliza

Eliza,
Did you meet Fred Russo, chief of circus? He went there this season from Ixtapa and is just fantastic...I wish I knew you were going I would have had you send my regards. Glad you had a great trip.

Geri a.k.a. brianezra2

Geri
Russo arrived about half way through my stay and he was fantastic. He's not the chief though, Adam is the chief of the circus I think but yeah Russo was definately my fav GO even though I only knew him for like 3 days - although he did wuss out on a big night before I left lol! Such a genuinely nice guy and I love his accent :P. I'm hoping he'll email me so I can thank him because my last day was his day off. Oh well...
Eliza