Thailand

totallybored

I'm looking for some ideas or recommendations on where to spend up to a week in Thailand. I'm off on a 2 month trip to Asia and have about a week at the end to go somewhere in Thailand. I've spent all my time researching and planning the rest of the trip and haven't thought about Thailand yet but I now leave in a couple of days.

I need to fly out of Bangkok at the end of the week so I'll spend a couple of nights in Bangkok, I can spend up to a week somewhere else though. I'm a female in my own, don't want anywhere too rowdy, no trekking, hiking or jungles. I have up to £50 a night budget and I'm happy to get bus/train or boats as well as flying from Bangkok. Any ideas?

Mr_Wang

Koh Samet is a slice of paradise a bus and boat from Bangkok and a really easy journey, takes total of about 6 hrs. Also the driest place in the whole of Thailand, so guaranteed sun.
Make sure you go midweek for the place to yourself.

http://thesummerholidayofalifetime.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/koh-samet.html

For how to get there.

totallybored

Mr_Wang wrote: »

Koh Samet is a slice of paradise a bus and boat from Bangkok and a really easy journey, takes total of about 6 hrs. Also the driest place in the whole of Thailand, so guaranteed sun.
Make sure you go midweek for the place to yourself.

http://thesummerholidayofalifetime.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/koh-samet.html

For how to get there.

Thank you, that looks ideal. Midweek works best for me too. I think I'm just after a small beach bungalow for a few days.

I must try to stick to my budget though as I've gone a bit overboard on the spending by adding in Tokyo and Seoul to the trip!

PompeyPete

Kanchanaburi (Bridge-over-the-River-Kwai) is only a couple of hours by train (3rd Class wooden seats only, but a great experience!) or bus. A nice place to chill out in Kanchanaburi is here, right in the centre of town...

http://www.noblenight-guesthouse.com/

Fascinating, full of history, and beautiful part of the country. Plenty of easy day trips available. The immediate area is quite flat, and you can rent a bicycle for a quid a day.

Further on is Sangkthlaburi, absolutely wonderful scenery with hardly another farang in sight. Right on the Thai-Burma border at Three Pagoda Pass. 'P' Guest House is the best value in town, with views to die for ...

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g303919-d553859-Reviews-P_Guest_House-Sangkhla_Buri_Kanchanaburi_Province.html

Another great place is Nong Khai. It's in North East Thailand, on the Meekong, and very close to the Laos Border at Friendship Bridge. Most atmospheric way to get there from Bangkok is by overnight sleeper train. Brilliant place to stay in Nong Khai is here...

http://www.mutmee.com/

Where are going to when you fly out of Bangkok?

totallybored

PompeyPete wrote: »

Another great place is Nong Khai. It's in North East Thailand, on the Meekong, and very close to the Laos Border at Friendship Bridge. Most atmospheric way to get there from Bangkok is by overnight sleeper train. Brilliant place to stay in Nong Khai is here...

http://www.mutmee.com/

Where are going to when you fly out of Bangkok?

Nong Khai was actually part of my original plan. I had been planning on going to Vientiane after Cambodia and then Nong Khai on the way back to Bangkok.

I'm now considering missing out Vientiane and doing a beach instead. I'm just being a bit lazy as getting to Vientiane is 2 days and once I'm there I really can't face the journey to Luang Prabang and back so I'm wondering if Vientiane is worth it.

I have 10 days from leaving Cambodia until I need to leave Bangkok (I'm heading to Hong Kong for a couple of days as my flight back to the UK is booked from there).

PompeyPete

Personally, I wouldn't bother with Vientiane in isolation. But if it were on your route between say BKK-Nong Khai-Vientiane-Vang Vieng-Lang Prabang, then it's worth a couple of days. Vientiane has a couple of interesting markets and sights (like an Arc d'Triomphe look-alike). But just about everything shuts down early evening (unless you know where to go).
Luang Prabang is great though, as is wacky and tacky Vang Vieng, which is set in an outstandingly beautiful area.

totallybored

PompeyPete wrote: »

Personally, I wouldn't bother with Vientiane in isolation. But if it were on your route between say BKK-Nong Khai-Vientiane-Vang Vieng-Lang Prabang, then it's worth a couple of days. Vientiane has a couple of interesting markets and sights (like an Arc d'Triomphe look-alike). But just about everything shuts down early evening (unless you know where to go).
Luang Prabang is great though, as is wacky and tacky Vang Vieng, which is set in an outstandingly beautiful area.

I think I'll give Vientiane a miss. Vang Vieng doesn't appeal and I don't fancy the bus all the way to Luang Prabang without a toilet! Thailand probably makes more sense after Cambodia.

TopQuark

Dear OP,

I would echo Pete's advice and give Vientiane a miss. It's a small, low-rise and understated city and IMO, and not worth a special trip.

Thailand is way too touristy for my liking, even Kanchanaburi (although interesting with a laid-back vibe). I liked Nong Khai and took the overnight 'sleeper' train (book in advance and don't get 3rd class tickets - no actual sleeping took place and the loo was full of drunks so as a female I didn't have a wee for 13 hours!). Thai people I found to be very warm-hearted and welcoming.

Just seen that you are about to leave - enjoy your trip!
TQ

PompeyPete

TopQuark wrote: »

Thailand is way too touristy for my liking, even Kanchanaburi (although interesting with a laid-back vibe).

Get to Kanchanaburi by 3rd Class only train from Thonburi Station in BKK (Have a look at https://www.seat61.com for details).
Hire a pushbike for the day, and get out into the countryside. It's mainly flat in the immediate area, and you come across some great little places. There's a beautifully kept Commonwealth War Cemetery a couple of miles out, no tour buses, so peaceful and in a glorious setting.
Take a public bus up to Hellfire Pass, and stop off at Nam Tok on the way back. The get the late afternoon train back to Kanchanaburi, through glorious countryside.

TopQuark wrote: »

I liked Nong Khai and took the overnight 'sleeper' train (book in advance and don't get 3rd class tickets - no actual sleeping took place and the loo was full of drunks so as a female I didn't have a wee for 13 hours!). Thai people I found to be very warm-hearted and welcoming.

We did the sleeper to Nong Khai too, but First Class, and still cheap especially considering it saves on a night in a hotel. Two berth cabin. Never had any bother sleeping for a few hours.

Just planning our next trip. Going east from BKK to Khorat, Surin, Ubon Ratchathani, Mukdahan, then following the Meekong up to Nakhon Phanom, and then to Nong Khai. Spend a few days in Nong Khai, overnight sleeper back to BKK, and then a few days in the Kanchanaburi area.

totallybored

TopQuark wrote: »

Dear OP,

I would echo Pete's advice and give Vientiane a miss. It's a small, low-rise and understated city and IMO, and not worth a special trip.

Thailand is way too touristy for my liking, even Kanchanaburi (although interesting with a laid-back vibe). I liked Nong Khai and took the overnight 'sleeper' train (book in advance and don't get 3rd class tickets - no actual sleeping took place and the loo was full of drunks so as a female I didn't have a wee for 13 hours!). Thai people I found to be very warm-hearted and welcoming.

Just seen that you are about to leave - enjoy your trip!
TQ

Thanks you, I'm giving Vientiane a miss and doing a couple of nights in Battambang instead and then I'm taking Mr Wang's advice on Koh Samet (booked me a bungalow on a beach!!).

I have already started the trip, in Toyko now which is a bit budget blowing but absolutely amazing!

penrhyn

Some of my best times in Thailand were in and around Chiang Mai , was a few years ago mind.