Thailand tips needed please

[miss direct]

I'm going to Thailand for 2 and a half weeks in January - all I have done is bought a return flight to Bangkok. I'm getting overwhelmed every time I try to research what to do as there just seem to be so many choices.

I wonder if anyone here can help me with some advice. I'm really tired and stressed after a busy few months and need to relax. I'd like a mixture of relaxing and exploring. I don't do hostels and I don't want to be surrounded by drunk students. I'm also not keen on long bus journeys.

I like greenery, city views, cooking and animals. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? A friend of mine is trying to convince me to go straight to Cambodia - good idea?

 

[Maharani]

I've been a few times but not recently. People always recommend that I go north which I have never done. There's less students and more scenary. I would definitely try Cambodia if you're going north anyway.

Avoid Ko Samui and any of the islands to the east...when I was there years ago they felt very travelleresque and commercial. Things may have changed now though...

 

[trashpony]

Kanda lives there - sure he can help

 

[Supine]

I'll be on Koh Phangnan in January. Away from haad rin it's a lovely island for exploring and relaxing.

Sounds like Chiang mai might be more up your street.

 

[ruffneck23]

don't get bitten by a black widow , it tends to sour the experience a little

 

[Kanda]

Learn to dive on Koh Tao

 

[miss direct]

I'm not into diving...tried it in Egypt and had a panic attack, I'm asthmatic so not a good idea for me to panic under the water. I love snorkelling and swimming though.

 

[IC3D]

Trekking in the hills above Chang Mai was good ooh 15 years ago. Staying in little villages, smoking opium, elephant riding and rafting.

 

[DJWrongspeed]

You've really got too many options. Depends on what you want really. Wherever you head for the beach make sure it's not got a 'sleazy' reputation. That time of year the west coast is better I believe. Getting down to the peninsula coast is going to take a long bus journey or flight whatever. Koh Sok national park is awesome on the way to Phuket or Krabi, both best avoided.Head south, Ko Tarutao is my favourite, national park and extremely quiet and relaxing.

Alternatively.....It's a shorter journey to Koh Chang on the other side of Thailand nr the Cambodia border.There's some exciting trekking there and although the island's beaches aren't amazing, you can head off to some other nice islands leading to Koh Mak.

There aren't really hostels around there but if you like a basic beach hut you shouldn't have to share with anyone if that's what you're implying. It'll be high season but there's quite alot of accommodation. All roads/ferries lead back to Bangkok.

Chiang Mai is a great place but the 'activities' do seem a bit setup for drunk students, I could be wrong. Ta Phraya national park is another great place to visit for forest trekking and dusk walking with bats.

Edit, forget Cambodia, you ain't got time to fit that in. Concentrate on a few things in Thailand.

 

[BandWagon]

Don't marry a Ladyboy.

 

[craigxcraig]

Both Chang Mai abd Chang Rai are great places and very chilled. Krabbi is lovely. When we were there we took trains everywhere and they were excellent. Be sure to check out China Town (in Bangkok) at night - the whole street is one bug food stall and the food is excellent.

 

[Sweet FA]

the whole street is one bug food stall and the food is excellent

 

[Voley]

Agree about Chinatown, there's a great little hotel (name escapes me but it's something like River View Palace I think) with a roof terrace that looks down the Chao Praya towards the Temple of Dawn. Great spot for a sunset beer watching all the bats fly around.

 

[goldenecitrone]

Trekking in the hills above Chang Mai was good ooh 15 years ago. Staying in little villages, smoking opium, elephant riding and rafting.

Go up to Chiang Mai and then head into Laos and take a slow boat down the Mekong River to Luang Prabang. Gorgeous place, very relaxed and lots of trips to be had. Book a flight from Luang Prabang back to Bangkok before you set off.

 

[miss direct]

My trip is starting to shape up. Would appreciate any input as it's quite overwhelming trying to plan a trip to such a large country with so much to see. Land in Bangkok in the morning, go straight to Ayutthaya, where I'm meeting a friend. Then on to Chiang Mai by night train - several days there, including some exploring villages/hills.

Fly down to Surat Thani...not really planned this bit but would like to go to a nice beach, do some snorkelling, kayaking, maybe stay at the national park in a wooden hut on stilts. Then somehow get back to Bangkok (fly probably) and spend 2 days there before flying back. So much for relaxing

 

[Voley]

My trip is starting to shape up. Would appreciate any input as it's quite overwhelming trying to plan a trip to such a large country with so much to see. Land in Bangkok in the morning, go straight to Ayutthaya, where I'm meeting a friend. Then on to Chiang Mai by night train - several days there, including some exploring villages/hills.

Fly down to Surat Thani...not really planned this bit but would like to go to a nice beach, do some snorkelling, kayaking, maybe stay at the national park in a wooden hut on stilts. Then somehow get back to Bangkok (fly probably) and spend 2 days there before flying back. So much for relaxing

Too packed an itinerary for me, that, but I'm pretty much the laziest traveller on Earth so you can safely ignore me. Ayuttaya's bloody lovely. Surat Thani not so much but the night boat to KPN is a laugh from there. I ended up 'sleeping' next to a fantastically pissed bunch of Canadians whose capacity for Sang Som was as impressive as it was loud.

Dead jealous miss d. I love Thailand.

 

[miss direct]

I know it's quite a bit of travelling, but I think this might be only ever trip to this part of the world. Well, unless I work in Hong Kong this summer. I read that Surat isn't very nice itself but the flight there was half the price of flying anywhere else in the South.

 

[JCB]

My trip is starting to shape up. Would appreciate any input as it's quite overwhelming trying to plan a trip to such a large country with so much to see. Land in Bangkok in the morning, go straight to Ayutthaya, where I'm meeting a friend. Then on to Chiang Mai by night train - several days there, including some exploring villages/hills.

Fly down to Surat Thani...not really planned this bit but would like to go to a nice beach, do some snorkelling, kayaking, maybe stay at the national park in a wooden hut on stilts. Then somehow get back to Bangkok (fly probably) and spend 2 days there before flying back. So much for relaxing

Can heartily recommend here for some beach time on the islands. Amazing food, setting and easy to meet people if you're alone: Welcome to The Sanctuary Thailand

Ps, don't go to Samui!

 

[miss direct]

Can heartily recommend here for some beach time on the islands. Amazing food, setting and easy to meet people if you're alone: Welcome to The Sanctuary Thailand

Ps, don't go to Samui!

That looks lovely and an easy boat ride from Surat Thani. A bit out of my budget though, as I'm going alone.

 

[Voley]

This was my favourite place. No idea what Koh Jum is like these days - the huts look quite posh these days. The photos at the bottom of that page are mine. This was my home for a month or so:

 

[ruffneck23]

you can stay around the corner at barcelona resort on haad yuang beach for about 7-9 quid a night, you can walk there from the sanctuary. very very nice and chilled part of the world

 

[bimble]

Bangkok is brilliant - definitely go to Wat Pho Temple (get a massage in there if you are feeling brave).
It's amazing, and full of cats (not the massage room).

Also go to the flower market and the fruit & veg one. They're full of cats too.

here's a couple (of the hundreds) of cat photos i took in bangkok.. It was my favourite bit of Thailand, the whole beach hippie thing kind of bores me tbf.

 

[bimble]

I don't do hostels and I don't want to be surrounded by drunk students.

If your budget stretches to this, stay here (in Bangkok) - even if just for one night.
Get a room with balcony over the river.
It's 5 mins walk from Wat Pho temple in the old city and it's bloody lovely. Sala Arun :: Sister of Arun Residence

 

[Yossarian]

Don't marry a Ladyboy.

Why not?

 

[Yossarian]

Some great recommendations on this thread - though I think with limited time, I'd be more tempted by Cambodian beaches than by going anywhere through Surat Thani, don't know how easy it'd be to get from Chiang Mai down to Sihanoukville.

 

[skyscraper101]

I just came back from Thailand.

Practical tip (if you have a smartphone), buy a tourist SIM as soon as you get to Bangkok airport and save money on foreign data/calls. There are a couple of places selling them as soon as you come out of arrivals. They'll even put it in your phone for you.

They're very cheap and you get enough data to travel around with for a couple of weeks easily if you need maps or an uber or something. The 3G/4G was generally pretty good in Bangkok and good enough for me to call home through whatsapp/iChat/Facetime etc.

 

[miss direct]

skyscraper, can I just use my British card or Turkish card to get cash out? In Turkey the phone places at the airport are a rip off and charge more than the normal shops, is that not the case in Thailand?

How many days would people advise for Bangkok, at the end of the trip? I do like cities but I already live in a huge, hectic city..

 

[skyscraper101]

skyscraper, can I just use my British card or Turkish card to get cash out? In Turkey the phone places at the airport are a rip off and charge more than the normal shops, is that not the case in Thailand?

How many days would people advise for Bangkok, at the end of the trip? I do like cities but I already live in a huge, hectic city..

I used my British card to get cash out no problem.

There are certain ATMs which charge less - I couldn't tell you which but there will probably be some advice on the internet as to which have the best rate/lowest charges. I used mine at the airport and there was a charge but nothing ridiculous (maybe 100 baht?)

 

[miss direct]

Some great recommendations on this thread - though I think with limited time, I'd be more tempted by Cambodian beaches than by going anywhere through Surat Thani, don't know how easy it'd be to get from Chiang Mai down to Sihanoukville.

Yes...my friend kept trying to convince me to come to Cambodia, but as I've never been to Thailand before, I think I'd rather just stay in one country, deal with one currency/language/visa.

 

[skyscraper101]

In Turkey the phone places at the airport are a rip off and charge more than the normal shops, is that not the case in Thailand?

Forgot to answer your other question.

I don't get the impression the SIM card sales points at the airpoirt are a ripoff. I think they are a standard price and cheap. Plus the two big networks are next to each other so you can choose between if you want.

They only sell SIMs for tourists, they have all the options for how long/how much you need. Mine was enough for one week which came with like 2GB of data and nuff local mins/calls. I only needed data TBH. Pretty sure you can get 2 weeks or 1 month ones too.