Thailand Holiday Advice

rundmc-k

Hi folks, looking for a bit of advice. I have just booked tickets for my wife and I flying from heathrow to bangkok return for 744 in total (is that good?). It was with STA travel and from June 28 to July 22. Just have bite the bullet with Belfast to London now, looks like it'll be around 200 just to get there and back with transfers between airports etc.

Anyhoo, we haven't got planning anything resembling an itinerary yet (we're very last minute) and we were looking for advice on what to see/do/experience. As we have just over 3 weeks we are planning to do a bit of site-seeing/exploring in bangkok and around and also a bit of time being lazy on beachs and massages etc. Any help would be gratefully appreciated.
Thanks, David

Incapuppy

Have you checked out the forums on Trip Advisor?

Volcano

3 weeks is loads of time. My number 1 piece of advice is get a guide book such as Lonely Planet or Rough Guides. This will give you some idea of the things in the areas you intend to visit and also allow you to plan a route to where you want to go.

From my trips:

Bankgok: Grand Palace was crowded but impressive. Using the river ferries was a great and easy way to get around. Be aware of the scams they try on tourists (Palace shut today, buy some gems from my friend, taxi drivers not turning meter on etc). Good shopping, but a busy and hectic city.

Islands: Thailand has some really impressive islands. With 3 weeks at my disposal, I'd use some of that time to get to the quietest, most secluded island I could find. Read up about each island carefully; some are mad party islands, though quiet in the week. Some are just chilled and relaxed all the time. There's no point recommending any here as there is so much information on the net, and variety, that you can decide exactly what it is you're looking for and choose the island to suit.

Khao Yai national park: Stayed at basic accommodation near here and took a 2 day guided tour of the park. Really staggeringly amazing; elephants, snakes, monkeys etc, best part of the trip. The country is full of national parks so do try and visit at least one.

Pattaya: Great shopping, average food and accommodation. Worth going for the freak show that it is: sad, obese old men hand-in-hand with women young enough to be their great-grand daughters. tbh, it's not all that bad and plenty of families with young kids visit too.

Travel: I travelled on buses between towns. They're air-conditioned, pretty reliable and cheap. I would say that many of the escorted tours tend to be good value for money. 'Around island trips' are available at most islands and can get you to genuinely inaccessible beaches and smaller islands.

The Thai people are very friendly and helpful people, but also very proud. Their king = God, they disapprove of overt displays of public emotion etc, more here: http://www.amazing-thailand.com/DandD.html

Learn a few basic bits of the Thai language, even if it's only hello/goodbye and thank you. They really do appreciate it.

rundmc-k

hey volcano, thanks for the help, thats very useful. I will get a good read of the lonely planet guide. That national park sounds amazing, can't wait!

Incapuppy

rundmc-k wrote: »

thats very useful

Sorry if directing you to the Trip Advisor forums where there are currently 2776 pages of useful information about Thailand wasn't quite useful enough for you :rotfl:

teaspoon1

Incapuppy wrote: »

Sorry if directing you to the Trip Advisor forums where there are currently 2776 pages of useful information about Thailand wasn't quite useful enough for you :rotfl:

Miaow!

(seriously)

lisaloo1977

Agree with the trip advisor, i lived there for 6 years and i still use it now when we go. Also, as lovely as the Thai people are, treat all of them as if they want something, just do it in a nice way.
Ignore anyone who tells you to go to any friends travel agents to book tickets cheaper!!! It does not get cheaper than at the ticket counter at the train stations. Agree watch out for the taxi meter trick, just get out if they wont put it on.

When you arrive, go straight past all the touts and to the official taxi rank outside, tell them where you want to go and collect your ticket.



Also make sure you check out the trains as another option of travel around, safer, greater experience and much more comfy than the buses.

As for Pattaya, does not matter how you wrap it up its a !!!! hole and i would never advise anyone to go. Sorry, just my opinion. I know some people love it, but i also know why they love it and it is not because its a wonderful family resort. If you have watching thai and russian hookers at work as a holiday essential, then i stand corrected, it will be perfect.
Go to Ko Samet, or Ko Chang if you want to hit beaches that way.

Anyways, enjoy the smile but remember this is Thailand and they do it their way. Respect that and expect no less and you will enjoy it all the more.

I love Thailand by the way, just incase i came across negative.

ginjim

1st couple of days id recommend exploring bankgkok probably around the koah sahn road area where you would meet other travellers

then head up to chiang mai and do the trekking experience
head back down to bangkok another rest and then head down by bus to koh lanta
absolutely stunning
having seen the changes and commercialisation of thailand over the last 15 years koh lanta is one of the last few resorts/islands that hasnt been spoilt
forget koh chang its not what it used to be
once there check weather reports and decide which is best- koh lanta on the andaman sea or koh phangnan in the gulf of thailand

Takky

1. Ensure that the taxis switch the meter on. Especially taxis from airport.

2. In Bangkok, go to Grand Palace, Museum of Siam, Wat Pho, Wat Arun. "Wat" means temple. There is Dusit Zoo I used to go. People go to Jim Thompson's house as well. BTS (sky train) is handy. Get off at Siam Station for massive shopping malls like

MBK (cheap, crowded, cheap food upstairs)
Siam Discovery, Siam Centre (high street fashion, not much food)
Siam Paragon (Luxury, good but expensive food on the ground floor)
Central World (ranges of shops and restaurants)

Thai people go to department stores not only for goods but also for food. Hit Khaosan road for bars and pubs where you will meet fellow travellers. Taxi drivers are quite knowledgeble with routes. Again, make sure the meter is on.

3. Go south for beaches (not Pattaya). Phuket (poo-ket) island is nice. From Bangkok you can take a (over night) bus or a low-cost flight to Phuket. Trains are not effective. They can be slower than buses and delays are common. Koh-Samui (Samui island) is also nice. Try seafood.

4. It's okay if you want to see Pattaya city. It's near Bangkok (approx 2 hrs by bus). There are beaches, zoos, parks, shopping malls, Tiffany shows, water sports, restaurants. Lots of nightlife and loads of prostitutes as well. I think the beaches here are not very clean.

5. Go north for mountains. A lot of people go to Chiang-Mai province. Again, overnight buses and low-cost flight from bangkok are available. Try "Khan-Tok" a traditional northern dinner including traditional performance on stage.

6. Museums outside Bangkok are not well developed. You can avoid them. Instead, you can go to temples and markets which are everywhere.

7. Actually from Bangkok, you can buy package tour to anywhere. Khoasan road should have information.

I wish you and your wife a very good time.

BritRael

^^ +1

Just to add a point about taxi's; do not get a taxi from inside the airport! Instead, go out the main door, and you will see a taxi booth to your left. Get a taxi here and you will not get ripped off Don't forget to tell the driver to use the expressway (a motorway with tolls - you pay 15/20 baht for each on top of the fare) if you're going into central BKK as this saves a lot of time away from the normal bumper-to-bumper BKK traffic.

I'd also recommend a couple of markets; Patpong and Chattachuck (weekend market). The former used to be the main red light area but has been cleaned up a lot and although still available, its not that visible any more. The latter is the biggest market I've ever seen. It sells everything; clothes/food/furniture/live animals etc and is really worth a visit. Get to both by skytrain.

Could give better advice if you give an idea of what you like to do

annie123

lots of ideas : http://www.sawadee.com/

I went for 3 weeks for my 40th 6 years ago....sulked when leaving.

You need a guide book to get the most out of the country whilst your there.

happy travels