Best Long-Term Spot on Phuket

[DWeber]

I'm looking for a spot to live on Phuket for 3-4 months at first (starting in March) and then a year or two after a short trip home. During this time I want to go pro but since I also want to live here for a while, other activities/amenities in close proximity are a bonus. Should I stay on the east or west side of the island? What are the best beaches/dive shops for long-term diving? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[stevenl]

A lot of people involved in diving live in Chalong or Kata these days: close to the departure point of the boats, especially Chalong, and not overly busy. Especially Chalong caters more and more to dive professionals.

 

[Quero]

I live in Rawai, which is the neighboring district to Chalong. My place is just a few hundred meters to the dive pier, as the crow flies, but by road, maybe 3-5 minutes. In the Rawai/Chalong area, especially near the traffic circle at the boundary of the two districts, are supermarkets, restaurants, bars, the major dive equipment distributors, inexpensive medical clinics, dentists, and so on all within a small radius. It's not hugely touristy, so you don't have the tuk-tuk mafia or the tailor shops and massage parlors at every-second shopfront. Rents tend to be a little lower over here on the east side because there are very few swimming beaches, and even those are not nearly as nice as the ones in the tourist districts on the west side of the island. Let me know if you want more info about this area.