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Anyone been to Thailand?
Comments
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I'm following the flow as regards the time of year. But if you really want to visit Thailand in July or August, then there's no reason why not.
My plan would be something like....
- Bangkok, overnight on day of arrival
- then two further nights in Bangkok
- Three night side-trip to Kanchanaburi/Hellfire Pass/Bridge over the River Kwai/WWII History. It's an easy area to visit independently, and v.easy to do.
- Return to Bangkok for one night.
- Train to either Hua Hin [takes about 4 hours] on the Gulf Coast. The weather on the Gulf Coast should be mainly dry in July and August.
- Hua Hin for 6 nights. It's a popular coastal resort, so there should be plenty to do, or simply relax. Personally, I'd get off the train at the next stop, Prachuap Khiri Khan, which is very much a Thai provincial coast town, and is v.chilled. PKK attracts a lot few tourists than Hua Hi, and has an hidden gem called Ao Maneo beach, which is inside the Wing 5 Thai Royal Air Force Base.
- Train or bus back to Bangkok for one night before flying home [Whatever you do decide, make sure your final night is in the city where your international flight takes off from].
That's fourteen nights taken care of.:beer:
As for places to stay in Bangkok. It's best to stay close to a skytrain [BTS] station, Underground station, or close to the river.
My overwhelming preference is by the river close to Khao San Road [5 minute walk]. The area is called Banglamphu, and I think it's a great place to be based for a few nights. The river ferry is v.closeby, and my favourite mid-range hotel is The New Siam Riverside, which is right on the river, great views, swimming pool, and stonking included buffet breakfast.0 -
Id suggest Krabi then a few days on one of the islands. Krabi is lovely though and they do reasonable trips from there too. Bangkok is full on (you'll get used to being told temples are 'shut' tuck tucks are 50 baht but then spend the day mostly in suit shops and jewellery shops but it's something you'll never forget:T:T :beer: :beer::beer::beer: to the lil one
:beer::beer::beer:0 -
PompeyPete's plan seems like a good one.
Nearly forty years ago I was made redundant, and after settling in to a new job - I thought what can I do with the redundancy money - anything special?
A holiday would be nice - America? No, see plenty of it on the TV!
The Far East - didn't fancy India, Japan too expensive - Thailand yes.
I went in April/May - that way easier to take the time off by using two bank holidays.
I stayed mainly in Bangkok, but I did have a couple of nights at the River Kwai Hotel. Incidentally it's where I got my username - a couple of locals saw me playing with some kittens in a cage - one said 'ah, you no one catman'!
Then, several years later, in '87 I went to Pattaya - stayed at a small hotel near Jomtean Beach, expected to be met at the airport, but no - got a taxi to the bus station then by bus to Pattaya!I used to work for Tesco - now retired - speciality Clubcard0 -
dawyldthing wrote: »Id suggest Krabi then a few days on one of the islands. Krabi is lovely though and they do reasonable trips from there too. Bangkok is full on (you'll get used to being told temples are 'shut' tuck tucks are 50 baht but then spend the day mostly in suit shops and jewellery shops but it's something you'll never forget
People who fall for the scams are generally the ones who haven't done much homework. Everywhere on earth has it's own scams, and Bangkok is no different, and is no worse than a lot of places east of the Norfolk Broads. Even London's got it's fair share.
Totally ignore the scammers or anyone on the street. They immediately get the message as the next victim won't be far away.0 -
I've been to a few places in Thailand.
I liked Phuket but most of my friends preferred Krabi.
You can do boat trips from there to islands, go snorkelling/diving.
Don't bother with "the beach" from the film of the same name, it's just a strip of sand filled with people and inevitably not so nice toilets.
We flew internally and also went to Chiang Mai - don't rule this out because internal flights are cheap. Bangkok airways are very good.
There's an excellent elephant santuary there.
Be very careful giving any money tot he elephant trade, they have terrible lives. We saw many that had either stepped on land mines, had injuries from trekking, blind from the circus of being poked in the eye when they wouldn't comply. There are used as commodities and worked even when they have broken ankles and hips.
If you're an animal lover the don't ride them and perhaps take a visit to one of the santuaries.
Same goes for tigers.
We went to Kanchanburi (sp?) where the bridge on the river kwai is.
This was a long coach trip from Bankok, but if it's got any special meaning to you (DH's uncle worked on the railway) then it's worth making the trip.
I wouldn't receommend Bangkok for more than a few days, it's just a very big crowded city.
Would recommend Krabi and Chaing Mai and would say don't be scared to fly around. We had a fabulous time doing that and the internal flights were fine (we had our itinerary organised by trailfinders).0 -
It's definitely worth travelling to Thailand, I don't usually go back to the same place but I'd like to go back there. I went in June last year (I think), we did 3 nights in Bangkok, 3 in Chiang Mai, & 8 in Hua Hin. I'd probably have spent another 2-3 nights in Chiang Mai, & a bit less in Hua Hin if I did it again.0
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PompeyPete wrote: »I'm following the flow as regards the time of year. But if you really want to visit Thailand in July or August, then there's no reason why not.
My plan would be something like....
- Bangkok, overnight on day of arrival
- then two further nights in Bangkok
- Three night side-trip to Kanchanaburi/Hellfire Pass/Bridge over the River Kwai/WWII History. It's an easy area to visit independently, and v.easy to do.
- Return to Bangkok for one night.
- Train to either Hua Hin [takes about 4 hours] on the Gulf Coast. The weather on the Gulf Coast should be mainly dry in July and August.
- Hua Hin for 6 nights. It's a popular coastal resort, so there should be plenty to do, or simply relax. Personally, I'd get off the train at the next stop, Prachuap Khiri Khan, which is very much a Thai provincial coast town, and is v.chilled. PKK attracts a lot few tourists than Hua Hi, and has an hidden gem called Ao Maneo beach, which is inside the Wing 5 Thai Royal Air Force Base.
- Train or bus back to Bangkok for one night before flying home [Whatever you do decide, make sure your final night is in the city where your international flight takes off from].
That's fourteen nights taken care of.:beer:
As for places to stay in Bangkok. It's best to stay close to a skytrain [BTS] station, Underground station, or close to the river.
My overwhelming preference is by the river close to Khao San Road [5 minute walk]. The area is called Banglamphu, and I think it's a great place to be based for a few nights. The river ferry is v.closeby, and my favourite mid-range hotel is The New Siam Riverside, which is right on the river, great views, swimming pool, and stonking included buffet breakfast.
New Siam Riverside is overpriced for what it offers, in my opinion. At that price I prefer Centrepoint Silom.
Better value at New Siam 2.0 -
We went to Kanchanburi (sp?) where the bridge on the river kwai is.
This was a long coach trip from Bankok, but if it's got any special meaning to you (DH's uncle worked on the railway) then it's worth making the trip.
It's not a long coach trip, unless you think 2.5 - 3 hours is long. But I agree it's just another boring bus trip.
By far the best way to get to Kanchanaburi is on the twice daily train from Bangkok Thonburi train station. Here's the excellent Maninseat61 website, with lots of very useful information...
http://www.seat61.com/Bridge-on-the-River-Kwai.htm
Train travel in Thailand, especially in the 3rd Class [clean] carriages is a true Thai experience. It brings you into contact with the people, there's always something going on with food and drink vendors continually up and down the train. The vendors change every couple of stations, some get off, then some get, and it starts all over again. Great scenery. Only drawback is they often don't run quite on time, but I' rather be at on a train than stuck in traffic on a boring road.0 -
NiftyDigits wrote: »New Siam Riverside is overpriced for what it offers, in my opinion. At that price I prefer Centrepoint Silom.
Better value at New Siam 2.
The main selling point of the New Siam Riverside is it's location, the restaurant, the swimming pool, the stonking buffet breakfast terrace, Pier 13 for the river ferry only 100 yards away.
The balcony/river view rooms might [?] be overpriced, but the standard rooms are excellent value, and in any case in that location a room's just for sleeping in.
Still, there's 1,000s of hotels to suit all budgets. All we can do is recommend the ones we like best and why, and the ones we weren't keen on and wouldn't recommend [and why].0 -
PompeyPete wrote: »The main selling point of the New Siam Riverside is it's location, the restaurant, the swimming pool, the stonking buffet breakfast terrace, Pier 13 for the river ferry only 100 yards away.
The balcony/river view rooms might [?] be overpriced, but the standard rooms are excellent value, and in any case in that location a room's just for sleeping in.
If you don't have a river view room, you might as well stay for half the price at New Siam 2 and walk across the road to use the Riverside's facilities. New Siam 2 is equidistant to the River Taxi at Phra Athit.
That's my point, that the rooms themselves aren't that great. I don't care if a swimming pool is next to a dirty river. The restaurant I can use anyway.
If I want budget(ostensibly to visit old acquaintances), I stay at the New Siam 2. If I want luxury, I stay in the 90 square metre one bedroom river view suite at Centrepoint Silom for less than the price of the Deluxe Suite at the Riverside.
Apart from the obvious superiority of the facilities and accommodation, it's also right next to the River Taxi (Sathorn)and the SkyTrain(BTS: Saphan Taksin). So much better connections to both the new and old city.
Keeping the ethos of the forum in mind. I was one of the first people to stay at the New Siam Riverside and have nothing against it. I paid a reduced rate for a riverside room. But it's not great value.
Look at the standard at Centrepoint Silom in comparison:
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