Don't forget Indonesia requires a visa for Australian citizens, issued on arrival but costing around A$50 for single entry.
Thailand is visa free for most nationalities. Phuket caters to everyone from backpackers to own jet/yacht. There are luxury resorts and $20 night rooms with everything in between. Try Kata beach if you want to get away from the action in Patong or go across the bay to Krabi which is much less developed.
Food is much better quality and cheaper in places catering to locals rather than tourists (as expected). I had some memorable meals in places with plastic tables and chairs, cooked by local women with only a few words of English.
If shopping in the markets, bargain as the initial foreigner price you will be quoted is around double the going rate.
