It has been a long 12 years since I was last in Phuket. And somehow I don’t have many memories from that trip. I have a vague recollection that I was there, but as I drove around the island this time, it all looked rather unfamiliar and brought back no memories.

As we drove from Surin beach all the way down south, past Kamala, Patong and on to Karon and Kata, it was evidently clear – this island has stunning beaches.  Beaches like you will never see on Bali!  It’s everything a European would be looking for while trying to survive their gloomy and cold winter. Tropical lushness and a high-season full of sun and little rain that spans November to April, which corresponds perfectly with the northern winter.

Phuket is also a yachting centre, an activity which is surprisingly rare in South-East Asia.  Due to a combination of national restrictive policies and lack of infrastructure such as marinas, although the region is perfectly suited for cruising, this industry is still at its infancy.  An exception would be Phuket which has several marinas and many yachts available for charter to cruise around the beautiful Phang Nga Bay and beyond.

Yet there is something lacking in Phuket.  Great restaurants – tick.  Vibrant nightlife, as you would expect in Thailand – tick.  Luxurious hotels – tick.  Dreamy beaches – tick.  Modern infrastructure – tick.  But no prevalent local culture on display. Phuket is all about commercialism.  As you drive around the island you will see that the whole island is geared towards tourism and, unlike Bali, it has none of the local and rich culture interwoven into its offering.  Yes there are rubber plantations and tin-mines from its past, but that’s really not that sexy!

It also doesn’t seem to have an eccentric community of locals and expats, which bring a touch of bohemia to Bali.  From yoga classes, to merengue evenings, to artisan shops, these local touches are what also make Bali memorable. Phuket has the sex trade in Patong and that’s as much entertainment as we saw here. And it’s this lack of a colourful and sizeable local arts community that had all the hip beach bars and restaurants empty on Easter weekend, for they seem to rely solely on tourists that just weren’t flocking to Phuket this Easter weekend.

Hence you get a tropical playground where you can bask in the sun, have sun-downers at groovy beach bars, stay in uber-luxurious resorts and entertain yourself drunk in Patong, yet fly away from the island without truly understanding or having experienced much of the beautiful Buddhist local Thai culture.

And because of that, I tend to prefer Bali, which combines many of the elements that you find in Phuket with a very unique and eccentric local community and a rich living culture that affects you no matter where you’re heading on the charming Hindu island.

Now, if only we could make Bali a tad less chaotic, improve its infrastructure and clean up its waters and beaches.

Read on for more info on where to stay, things to do, restaurants, …