My husband and I lived in Thailand for three years… We spent more than half of that time avoiding Phuket, Thailand’s famous
jet-set destination.
It wasn’t until the end of our last year that we went there. My husband’s cousin was visiting Thailand for the first time and his girlfriend was going to be DJing at a local club.
We begrudgingly packed our bags and headed to the local van station in our small town, Surat Thani, strapping ourselves in (metaphorically, of course—it’s rare to find working seatbelts on the local minibuses) for the three-hour journey to Phuket.
On arrival in Phuket, we found what we were expecting: overpriced food, overcrowded beaches, a loud strip teeming with much wilder
nightlife than we were used to in our sleepy local town…
But we also found things we weren’t expecting: rich history and a quaint old town, for instance. It made us want to stick around and discover what other treasures we might find along the Andaman Sea…
Looking beyond the infamous nightlife and overpriced pad thai, you notice the rich colors of the old town’s Sino-Portuguese architecture, the remnants of a town that built its wealth on tin mining, and the fishing villages of the once-nomadic Sea Gypsies.
It’s true, there are reasons to avoid Phuket… But there are also reasons why so many people choose to call it home. Phuket offers a plethora of living options and lifestyle opportunities, with something for every taste.
A couple could live comfortably in the quieter corners of the old town for about US$1,000 a month. If you’re after a budget-friendly and more authentic Thai living experience, Phuket Town and Thalang are the top areas for you.
If you want to live in a more in-the-action locale, indulging in the island’s luxury offerings and shopping at international grocery stores, you’ll spend about US$2,800 a month as a couple.
