Club Med Phuket

Booked in for a week at Phuket CM end of Nov/dec. 07 and noticed on our itinerary there is no transportation from Bangkok to Phuket. It does mention a tranfer of $21 Cdn/person, but not sure if this is just an airport tranfer to a Bangkok hotel. What is the best way to get there from Bangkok? Do we need a local flight or transfer?

Yes, you will need a local flight Bangkok-Phuket (very frequent daily flights).
If I remember well, it takes around 1.15 hour.
Phuket is some 900 km (some 560 miles!) south of Bangkok. A shuttle will take around 14 hours!

Transfer Phuket airport to village is around an hour.

If I were you, I'd contact your TA asap.

PS: Is that going to be the trip you won last year
http://www.clubmedplanet.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5598

Yes, this is the trip I won, turns out they wanted us to book low season so I booked as close to high season as possible. Had them book air to Bangkok so we could hang out there for a few days before going to Phuket, hopefully they'll spring for the local flight to Phuket, if not, still a cheap trip (for us).

Had our TA book flights from and to Bangkok. Thanks for the help!

Just a side note. When I went to Phuket the first time, I overnighted in Bankok at the airport hotel, which is excellent and very convenient. My travel agent booked me on Thai Air to Phuket the next morning. I thought, Oh God, this is probably a airline with small prop airplanes. Well, when I got on the Airbus 320, I knew I was wrong, very wrong. I flew coach, and the service was, without question, some of the best service that I have ever experienced on any airline. and I am a guy who is sitting with 282,000 miles in his United mileage plus account. I will never forget when we got off of the plane, all of the flight attendents lined up and bowed to us, and as I stepped off of the plane to walk down the stairs (no jetways then) the pilots were on either side of the door outside and saluted each passenger as they got off. Just amazing.

John

PS: At the airport you may be able to hook up with the Club Med bus or taking a taxi is very easy. It is probably less than an hour.

John,

Agree with you. Thai Airways is among the finest I've ever taken (Zurich-Bangkok). Female passengers get a beautiful purple orchid at the end of an intercontinental flight that can last up to two weeks back home.
Just Singapore Airlines is even a tad more sophisticated.
Still trying to once catch Emirates. Their reputation is excellent and while they go to Mauritius, it's with a stop over in Dubai which comes still in second place, since we have direct flights from Switzerland to Maurtitius with Air Mauritius which is quite excellent as well and a lot better than Air France, in my opinion.

Another (national) airline is Bangkok Airways that flies into Phuket from Bangkok. I think we must have taken it from Chiang Mai back to Bangkok.
Can't remember anything special though.

Airline rating:
http://www.airlinequality.com/Airlines/quick_search.htm

I wanted to add something, but Kiki said it all. I can only say: Yes, Kiki you are perfect !

Haha, chris. Tu me fais rougir là... Did you ever fly Emirates

Since Phuket (the village!) has been on my list for a while already, I am looking forward flying Thai again... sooner or later.
Just wish to know who will be the next CDV there...

Kiki,
That airline ranking site is very cool. I have sent it along to some friends who travel a lot as well.

John

PS: I'm glad to see that ANA is ranked high since I will be on their planes for 20 hours to Singapore!

Cmon John

Why would you think that Thai Airways was an airline with small prop airplanes ? Betcha you didnt do your homework before you flew !

The only small prop planes I flew were in Maldives and from Papeete - and rest assured I didnt say Oh God. I only prayed the props werent wound up by rubber bands.

Bangkok Air is actually a small airline and in the late 80's , they were flying prop planes from Singapore / Bangkok to Ko Samui ; )

Aita Pea Pea

quote:

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Originally posted by Kiki de M
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Just wish to know who will be the next CDV there...

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I read that the CDV is Alessandro Cordogli