cheapest way to phuket

[Island Hoppa]

hey everyone,
im going to be in koh tao feb through may for a bunch of diving education with padi. i will have probably like a week, maybe two at the most for just fun diving, my educational part will be over. anyway i plan on shooting out of koh tao to maybe phuket to do some liveaboards in the similians. i really would like to visit the similians because i hear they are wonderful. anyway just wondering whats the easiest and cheapest way to get there from koh tao, or koh samui. and i was also wondering if disease is a problem on phuket now after the tsunamis. i now it wasnt hit hard but i really dont want to go there and get sick. thanks for the info everyone.

 

[ssra30]

From Samui, you can fly directly to Phuket on Bangkok Airways. However since it pretty much has the monopoly of the route, it is not cheap, at least for a Thai standard. I am not sure how much it is but I imagine around $US150-170 round trip.
However the fare might be lower now as most flights to Phuket are only around 10-20% capacity so I imagine that many airlines will offer discount (not Thai Airways though since I just paid for my tickets).
I will be in Phuket in 3 days and will have a look around. Infrastructure in Phuket is intact so I doubt that sanitation will be a problem especially around hotels that were not directly in the tsunami path.
Cheaper alternative would be to take a boat from Koh Tao or Samui to Surathani on the mainland and get on a bus to Phuket. Doing it that way should not cost $30-40 each way, I would imagine.

 

[stevenl]

Cheapest way is definately the boat to Surat Thani and than the bus to Phuket.

The tsunami has hardly affected daily life here, except for a lack of tourists at the moment, so you'll be able to enjoy some lovely and quiet diving at the Similans.

Except for the odd flu virus, you really do not have to be afraid of diseases.

Have fun.