this being my first trip to Southeast Asia, I%26#39;ve always heard Tuk Tuks to be an inexpensive and readily available form of transport. However, there%26#39;s four of us in our little group. Do they make them big enough for four?
-kel
? about Tuk Tuks
HELLO kEL
using my own vehicle to get arround here I do not keep up too much with pricing to different locations from the many hotels however they are certainly big enough for 4 persons.
Regards From Phuket
Richard %26amp; Megumi
? about Tuk Tuks
Tuk tuks are cheap everywhere in Thailand apart from Phuket. Have fun bargaining with the driver before agreeing to a price. The driver will attempt to charge more because there are four of you but just bargain, bargain, bargain.
You can fit four in. But barter hard.
thanks all! we%26#39;ll definitely try and squish us all in, and bargain with them. Although coming from near NYC, I find it hard to quibble over what is in comparison so little! is it considered rude not to bargain?
richard and megumi, we had so hoped to join you for the saturday night bbq, but we%26#39;ll be camping on maya bay that night instead (darn it!)
Sometimes bargaining just ends with just a token amount but it%26#39;s part of your travel experience. Still, I%26#39;m pretty sure the local drivers would feel more than happy if you agree with the price without bargaining.
All the best
Scott
Compared with the rest of Thailand, the Phuket tuk-tuk drivers are rip-off merchants. Pay them as little as you have to.
hi, we%26#39;ve just returned home. We met a great tuk-tuk driver one night in Patong. Tommy took us out for a full day - on the condition - we choose where we were going! We%26#39;d already had the taxi driver hi-jack us :)) to the Gem factory/ cashew factory etc etc.. so we had a definite plan for the day.
It turned out he didn%26#39;t have a vehicle for the next day so his brother drove and Tommy sat in the back with us and chatted and laughed. His English is great and he also speaks 6 other languages.
Another day when we%26#39;d called Tommy, he was busy so his brother picked us up with his wife. We were going to Chalong Wat and the Big White Buddha. His wife didn%26#39;t have a lot of English but she showed us around the temples and managed to explain many features to us. We were blessed by an old monk and given a friendship/wrist band for happiness. A special day !
The tuk tuk ride was fun, much better than being locked in a car.
Tommy can be contacted by mobile - 083 182 4024. Tell him Jan from Australia recommended him on the internet.
Tuk Tuks in Phuket are expensive.
A tuk tuk ride from Kata to Patong can cost 450B. That is the price I paid for a baby lobster dinner at Kata.
SO you should bargain, even if you are from NYC.
You need to bargain but you will find in Phuket if you want to get from say Patong to Karon or Kata you have no choice, what for 4 of you would cost B 40 ( B 10 each ) in some other beach places in Thailand could cost you 10 times that amount in Phuket.
For our family, travelling around in tuk-tuks was a highlight. There%26#39;s nothing like zipping along on a balmy night with the wind in your hair. The kids especially liked it when we scored the tuk-tuks that has been ';pimped up'; and had the duff duff happening (large music speakers). You should still haggle to keep the prices real....once tourists start willingly paying excessive amounts, it sets the tone for future travellers and that%26#39;s where cheap holiday destinations become expensive.
Michelle
