Thailand's beach resorts - Asia - Column

Pattaya

Pattaya is Thailand's best-known beach resort. It's 90 miles southeast of Bangkok on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand - a 2-hour drive. Seaplane service, departing from a downtown Bangkok river location, also is available now.

Pattaya has beautiful hotels and beaches plus water sports, golf, tennis and fine restaurants.

Regrettably, it also has become a victim of its own success. It is overbuilt and crowded, growing very tacky and having some problems with beach pollution at times.

You can escape most of the tawdry aspects of the resort by basing at a fine property like the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel. The resort area is beginning to expand to the south - to Jomtien Beach, Golden Beach, Sunset Beach and Rayong - and this may ease some of the overcrowding.

Other recommendable hotels include the Ambassador Jomtien, Dusit Resort and Montien Pattaya.

Pattaya no longer is my favorite resort destination in Thailand; that award goes to Phuket, which is described in greater detail further on.

Cha Am

Cha Am is 108 miles southwest of Bangkok on the western shores of the Gulf of Thailand; Hua Hin is 15 miles farther south.

These often are referred to as "ideal family resorts." They can be reached in about 2 1/2 hours by road or by train.

Hua Hin was Thailand's first beach resort and is the Thai royal family's summer residence. Development has been restricted out of respect for the king and queen.

The public beach at Cha Am is long and tree-shaded and much less crowded than Pattaya.

The beach at Hua Hin curves for nearly two miles and is equally bucolic.

There are inactivities galore, and many travelers wouldn't want it any other way. I can recommend the Royal Garden Village (in Hua Hin), the Regent Cha Am and the new Dusit Resort & Polo Club, between the two.

Phuket

As mentioned previously, Phuket, an island resort in the south of Thailand, rapidly is becoming the favored destination of international travelers. The flight from Bangkok takes just over an hour.

Phuket is considerably less "touristy" than Pattaya, although some signs of overbuilding are starting in the Patong Beach area.

Most of the hotels are scattered along the west coast of the island. The largest concentrations of hotels are at Patong, Karon and Kata beaches. Other hotels are a bit remote and may have nearly exclusive use of a bay or beach.

Phuket has many interesting attractions: visit Phang Nga Bay with its grotesque limestone formations, islands and aquatic grottoes, or take the boat trip to the postcard-perfect Phi Phi Islands.

The Ton Sai Waterfall, the Wildlife Park and the Phuket Aquarium also are of interest.

The island is noted for excellent scuba and snorkeling opportunities.

Phuket accommodations

Hotel prices below are approximate and based on wholesale rates: "Moderate" (less than $75 per room); "Moderately Expensive" ($75-$100); "Expensive" ($100-$135); "Very Expensive" ($135-$185), and "Very, Very Expensive" ($185-$250).

(The "Asian Insider Newsletter" rates more than 30 Phuket hotels.) Some of my favorites on the island are the following:

* Dusit Laguna is almost alone (at the moment) on beautiful Bang Thao Bay. Several new hotels will join it shortly.

The unspoiled beach, tranquil lagoons and lush, tropical landscaping make for an impressive setting.

The guest rooms are decorated with exceptional taste and include plants and flowers.

"Expensive" to "Very Expensive," depending on the season.

* Amanpuri is far and away the most expensive hotel on the island and is really a fabulous place.

The grounds are outstandingly beautiful. The guest rooms have been done in strikingly good taste - Danish modern, with lots of teak and other tropical woods plus sunken tubs in open-design bathrooms and flowers everywhere.

The hotel has a huge, black-bottom swimming pool.

The extremely cordial and thoughtful staff gives you plenty of tender, loving care. Amanpuri is a unique property and worth the steep price ($400-$800) for those who can afford it.

* Patong Merlin is my choice in the Patong Beach area. It is first class, rather than deluxe, and a good choice for those on a budget.

The hotel has a nice combination of Thai grace and Western amenities. The warm, friendly hotel staff makes you feel both welcome and important.

At the quieter south end of the beach, the hotel can be considered "good value." From "Moderate" to "Moderately Expensive."

* Le Meridien Phuket is a splendid, complete resort on its own bay, just south of Patong.

There are two terrific pools (one saltwater, the other freshwater) plus the beach right at your door.

Superior rooms have ocean and pool views and are much preferred over the mountain-view rooms.

The Meridien chain prides itself on its restaurants and this property is no exception.

It offers water sports, tennis, squash, fitness center and more.

They have a baby elephant in the lobby to greet you with a more or less polite trumpeting noise.

"Very Expensive" and certainly worth it.

* Phuket Island Resort is one of only two large hotels on the sheltered east coast of the island (the other being the Cape Panwa Sheraton).

It's made tremendous improvement under enlightened new management and now is one of the top hotels on the island.

There are a number of separate buildings on the 64 acres of tropical landscaping plus a wide variety of restaurants. There is even a private beach island for hotel use which is reached by shuttle boats.

Rooms are cheerfully decorated and well maintained. There are five duplexes with a spiral staircase connecting floors. One building is being done over with all suites.

One of Thailand's top dive masters headquarters here. The "Moderately Expensive" to "Expensive" prices make this complete resort a great bargain - perhaps the best combination of quality, price and facilities on the island.

PHOTO : Mysterious Phang Nga Bay with its limestone formations - Phuket, Thailand.

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