Could somebody please tell me how much it will cost to get a tuk-tuk or taxi from the Bangla rd area to Kata (Ska-Bar ), Do I have any other options ie Bus ? Thanks !

There is no public bus Patong - Kata. Tuk Tuk cost depends on time of day and your haggling skills. 400 baht would be about the low price, after mid night could be 1,000 baht. Just recently tuk Tuk started a minimum price of 200 baht even to move 100 meters, so my suggested prices might be on the low side. Oh, and the charge increases with more passengers. Driver will argue that uses more gas, and there is a big hill over to Kata ... bla bla bla. I hate Tuk Tuk drivers.

Thanks for that Alex at least I will know roughly what to expect , are taxis the same I know I have seen your comments about the TUK- tuk mafia etc on other posts sounds like they have a monopoly and prey on tourists !!

There are no meter taxi allowed to cruise about Patong. there are 'black taxis' = private cars operated by 'friends' of the Tuk Tuk mafia. All the taxi prices are rigged by the cartel. And yes it's a monopoly and yes they prey on everyone.

Price for this trip should be 400 Baht, but you may be asked to pay more if very late, etc.

We saw a poor old chap when we were in Patong last time that had been bashed up by a Tuk Tuk driver. He went to Simons Cabaret and thought he had negotiated a price to take him there and back. So got out of the Tuk Tuk and went to the performance. When he came out he went to look for the Tuk Tuk and was beaten up by the driver, who apparently said the price was for going there only, so he hadn't been paid. So be very careful in your dealings with them because you could get set upon. This is why I have been trying to work out how to get around the place without using the drivers. But they have the game set up and they are the winners. They even own DVD stalls and Tshirt places just to name a few. When you are haggling the shop assistant will suddenly disappear and go off down the road, to a Tuk Tuk driver and see if the price is okay. They just about own everything in the place.

Unfortunately this sort of incident is becoming much more common in Phuket with the Tuk Tuk mafia. These days I see so so many more tourists renting a m/bike or car to prevent the taxi rip-offs.

Alex, if you were to rent a car and wanted to go into patong where would you park it. I have heared that you have problems with the tuk tuk and taxi drivers trying to park a car. Is this true?
Kaz

Yes, it's true. Recommend parking in Jungceylon basement car park (near the top end Bangla Rd). Not very expensive.

Thanks Alex, what about Kata and Karon Beach or is it not a problem there?
Kaz