Thailand

[Wilko]

Just finishing work now, I'll write out a good bit of info for you tomorrow matey.

Cheers mate, very good of you. Would really appreciate some advice about thailand over Christmas and new year too, where to go, what to see etc. Thanks again.

 

[MikeySmall]

Wish I saw this thread earlier. I used to live and work in Thailand as a tour op bouncing around between Bangkok and Krabi and everywhere in-between.
If you need any advice on where to go off the beaten track or anything else, give me a shout.

Definite no-no's that will only waste your time and money.

Don't bother with:
Bangkok (for longer than 3 days)
Samui
Koh Phangan (Unless you want the beach parties. Ironically the parties are much more enjoyable away from full-moon, and they are most definitely not fenced off, where the f*** did that come from?!)
Krabi (Go to Ao-Nang instead, right next door)
Phi-Phi (Difficult one here, happily do the island tours but f*** the group trip, pay a longtail driver an extra tenner to take you out for the day and see the sights without the flocks or rush. Also, only do Phi Phi if you do the overnight camping trip there.)
Kanchanaburi (Same points as above, althought getting up close and personal with the Tigers is a once in a lifetime.)
Ko Chang (Too far out of the way and anything you can do here, you can do x100 more on the smaller islands)
Phuket (Worst of the lot)

Places to go:
Pie (Next to Chaing Mai)
Chaing Mai
Kanchanaburi (NOT within a group excursion)
Ko Samet (Someone above mentioned it as 'Samed'. Ok place)
Koh Tao (Turtle island, great for diving and lazing on a decent beach)
Koh Phangan (Only thing worthwhile here is half-moon party, pool party at Coral Bungalows and the beach parties which happen every day, not just full moon when then it's just hasstle!)
Koh Angthong (Marine park, follow Alex Garland's footsteps and find 'The Beach')
Ao-Nang (Alternative to Krabi & Phuket but not as in your face and rude)
Khao Sok (floating bungalows near Suratthani, top of my Thailand list)

Please get in touch if you want any info, I love talking Thailand!

Ive been travelling around Thailand a fair few times and would agree with the majority of what has been said. Places do change so quickly - Ko Lanta for example had no proper roads when I first went. Visted again 2 years ago and it had changed remarkably and has probably changed even more since then.

 

[keithbeaky]

Get to the North.

 

[Drumstick]

@stoneham park relatively speaking pai is next to Chang mi but it is still a four hour bendy mountin road with smelly fruit lol or a hired plane.

Pai is amazing if you know how to make the most of it and don't drink to much night before you go!

Some friends run a guest house there it's brilliant and they will be able to help you make the most of it if your interested me know.

 

[Ernest]

Bangkok is one of the best places in the world and anyone who says 3 days is enough is talking bollocks and knows f*** all about Thailand, 3 years wouldn't be enough to explore Krung Thep

 

[StonehamPark]

Bangkok is one of the best places in the world and anyone who says 3 days is enough is talking bollocks and knows f*** all about Thailand, 3 years wouldn't be enough to explore Krung Thep

If you have limited time during a holiday to Thailand and want to make the most out of Thailand then 3 days is more than enough. And to suggest I know f*** all when I've lived in Bangkok is a tad ignorant pal. I'd find it hard to find another person who'd be willing to spend more than a couple of days there.

[MENTION=1022]Wilko[/MENTION] take a look back here about 8pm, I'll have a bit of time then to write some info down.

 

[saafend_seagull]

im going for 3 weeks end of August

- 2 days bangkok
- 3 days Pattaya
- 5 days chiang mai (supposed to be the best place)
- 5 days Hanoi Bay (vietnam)
- 5 days Cambodia (supposed to be the next new thing, Angkor Watt or whatever it is)

sacking off the islands, dodgy rainfall that time of year!

 

[StonehamPark]

im going for 3 weeks end of August

- 2 days bangkok
- 3 days Pattaya
- 5 days chiang mai (supposed to be the best place)
- 5 days Hanoi Bay (vietnam)
- 5 days Cambodia (supposed to be the next new thing, Angkor Watt or whatever it is)

sacking off the islands, dodgy rainfall that time of year!

Halong Bay - Vietnam Amazing place.
I'd suggest sacking the 3 days in Pattaya and go tubing in Laos instead, perfect time of year for it!
You could also cut Chaing Mai, Angkor Wat, Halong Bay all down to 3 days each and that will give you another option or two. Laos, Kanchanaburi or see more of Vietnam.
Remember to order your visa a month or so in advance for Vietnam.
Google 'Tubing Laos'.
Sounds like a great trip!

 

[NickBHAFC18]

Halong Bay - Vietnam Amazing place.
I'd suggest sacking the 3 days in Pattaya and go tubing in Laos instead, perfect time of year for it!
You could also cut Chaing Mai, Angkor Wat, Halong Bay all down to 3 days each and that will give you another option or two. Laos, Kanchanaburi or see more of Vietnam.
Remember to order your visa a month or so in advance for Vietnam.
Google 'Tubing Laos'.
Sounds like a great trip!

Tubing in Laos is a must, spent 4/5 days straight smashing it but then couldn't go on any longer, my body was telling me to stop.

 

[BobbySmith]

Surprised no one has mentioned Hui Hin about 200 miles south of Bangkok, superb place, nice beach, some great Hotels(Dusit Thanni, was voted the best Hotel in the World), superb Night Market, about 10 wonderful golf courses, plus the normal good night life. worth a visit, been there loads of times. Bangkok, yeah about 3 days and get out and explore the most beautiful country in the world.

 

[Wilko]

im going for 3 weeks end of August

- 2 days bangkok
- 3 days Pattaya
- 5 days chiang mai (supposed to be the best place)
- 5 days Hanoi Bay (vietnam)
- 5 days Cambodia (supposed to be the next new thing, Angkor Watt or whatever it is)

sacking off the islands, dodgy rainfall that time of year!

Are you doing this with an organisation/planned trip or have you just sorted all this out independently?

 

[Ernest]

If you have limited time during a holiday to Thailand and want to make the most out of Thailand then 3 days is more than enough. And to suggest I know f*** all when I've lived in Bangkok is a tad ignorant pal. I'd find it hard to find another person who'd be willing to spend more than a couple of days there.

[MENTION=1022]Wilko[/MENTION] take a look back here about 8pm, I'll have a bit of time then to write some info down.

As I've been visiting Krung Thep for the last 21 years I have a slight idea about the place , seems you've spent too much time reading the Lonely Planet and the best advice to anyone visiting Thailand is ignore all the experts, guidebooks and do your own thing otherwise you may miss something you would have enjoyed.

 

[keithbeaky]

Bangkok is a shithole, but an experience all the same.

As for Vietnam then Halong Bay will be very busy, but is lovely. Id look at kayaking into the caves. If you can get down to Hue or Hoi An Id really recommend them too.

 

[StonehamPark]

As I've been visiting Krung Thep for the last 21 years I have a slight idea about the place , seems you've spent too much time reading the Lonely Planet and the best advice to anyone visiting Thailand is ignore all the experts, guidebooks and do your own thing otherwise you may miss something you would have enjoyed.

Bit strange mate, you proclaim yourself as an expert having visited for 21 years and in the same breath you say the best advice is to ignore all the experts. Good on ya mate, I think we'll all take your advice and give your posts a miss

 

[saafend_seagull]

Halong Bay - Vietnam Amazing place.
I'd suggest sacking the 3 days in Pattaya and go tubing in Laos instead, perfect time of year for it!
You could also cut Chaing Mai, Angkor Wat, Halong Bay all down to 3 days each and that will give you another option or two. Laos, Kanchanaburi or see more of Vietnam.
Remember to order your visa a month or so in advance for Vietnam.
Google 'Tubing Laos'.
Sounds like a great trip!

wow thanks for the visa tip - never knew that. sorry, yes Halong Bay! we are going to go on a boat trip which is 3 days. Angkor Wat will be 3 days, other two days will either be on one of their beaches or to the capital! Would have taken up your tip of Laos, but booked up all internal flights etc already!!

 

[saafend_seagull]

Are you doing this with an organisation/planned trip or have you just sorted all this out independently?

Did it with my mate a couple of weeks ago.

Direct flight from london and all internal flights/coach to Pattaya - £965

 

[keithbeaky]

wow thanks for the visa tip - never knew that. sorry, yes Halong Bay! we are going to go on a boat trip which is 3 days. Angkor Wat will be 3 days, other two days will either be on one of their beaches or to the capital! Would have taken up your tip of Laos, but booked up all internal flights etc already!!

The visa can be obtained quicker if you go to the London embassy, but it is obviously better and cheaper to do it with plenty of time to spare.

Vui choi

 

[NickBHAFC18]

The visa can be obtained quicker if you go to the London embassy, but it is obviously better and cheaper to do it with plenty of time to spare.

Vui choi

Can you not get one when crossing the border like Laos or Thailand? I didn't have the chance to visit Vietnam or Cambodia last time I went, so looking to do that next year.

 

[Trufflehound]

Surprised no one has mentioned Hui Hin ... great Hotels(Dusit Thanni, was voted the best Hotel in the World).

Victor, the General Manager, is a friend of mine...

Believe it or not, he goes on holiday to Eindhoven...

 

[Trufflehound]

...Bangkok... I'd find it hard to find another person who'd be willing to spend more than a couple of days there.

I love Bangkok. It's one of my favourite cities in the world. Granted the longest I've stayed in one go is only about 2 weeks, but I would happily have stayed longer if I could have spared the time.