Thailand! Planning Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Ko Samui in Jan...

Question

Hello :)

We've just booked flights to Bangkok for Jan 2nd-17th 2009, and I wondered if anyone could help us with our itinerary?

We'd like to spend 2 nights in Bangkok 1st off and would like recommendations for decent hostels if anyone has any (private bathroom appreciated!). Next we plan to fly to Chiang Mai for 5 nights and make a few trips out etc. Again any recommendations of places to stay, things to do would be appreciated. After that the plan is to get to Ko Samui and spend time there and on the other islands until we have to get back up to Bangkok to fly home.

I've checked flights to get to Ko Samui and it seems fairly expensive. Does anyone have experience of the night train from Bangkok, is it worth the saving? We'd also like to splurge on a nice, romantic hotel for our final night in Thailand in Bangkok before heading home.

If anyone has been recently I'd love to hear from you! I've read the usual rough guides etc but have always found YA really useful for the little places that tourist guides miss.

Thank you!

h

PS, we are looking at a budget of about £400 each for the duration of the holiday, if that helps! Might be able to stretch to a little more if living on beans on toast for the rest of the year is worth whatever hidden gems we might then be able to experience!

Answer 1

100's of 2008 Chiang Mai photos at http://www.visualthailand.com Thailands only commercial and advertising free website

Khao San Road you can find nice cheap, clean hostel and experience the Bangkok night life.

As far as travel to Samui? Did you ever think about Koh Chang instead? See 100's of current Koh Chiang Island photos at http://www.visualthailand.com

Not only are the beaches excellent, many fresh water waterfalls to explore, elephant trekking, riding mopeds around the island and a real chilled out atmosphere at half the cost of Samui. Check out the 2008 Koh Chang photos. Romantic as well!

Back to Bangkok for romantic hotel? Maybe try some where on Chao Praya river and take one of the evening dinner cruises. Doesn't get much more romantic than that.

Good luck

Answer 2

Thailand is great. Read about it in socialtravellersite (dot com). Check it out, it might help. Check out Phi Phi island :D

Answer 3

So you have 800 GBP  (current exchange 1 GBP to 66 Baht) or a total of 53,000 Baht.

Two nights in Bangkok.  Get a map or look up online a map of Bangkok.  Familiarize yourself with the layout of the city.

From the Airport catch the Airport Express AE2 bus (150 baht each to Kao San Road).  No bus after midnight.       Total 300 baht

Book a room at http://www.khaosanroad.com/ (New Joe's guest house is near the bus stop and is 400 per night double with bathroom w/hot water).  There are others.                   Total 800 Baht

Lots to do around Khao San  Temples (100 baht) ask around about other sites.  You can take the Red number 3 bus to Victory monument for about 7 baht and catch the BTS to anywhere in Bangkok.   You can also go down to the river and catch a water taxi to Central Sathorn  which is kind of the south of the city.  Transportation is very cheap.

Someone else can help you with Chaing Mai and Koh Samui

A very nice hotel in Bangkok is the Mercure Fortune at 2400 Baht (36 GBP). It connected to a shopping center Fortune Town and is a newer part of the City.  Here are some things to do in Bangkok.

Wat Po reclining Buddha 50 baht ($1.75) massage 30 min 150 baht ($5)

http://www.into-asia.com/bangkok/attract...

1/2 day elephant and crocodile show w/trans 900 Baht ($27 )

http://www.asia-discovery.com/Thailand/B...

Traditional Thai dance at the National Theater 40-80 baht ($1.25-2.50)

http://www.thailandparadise.com/thailand...

Muay Thai Boxing 400-2000 baht ($12-$60)

http://www.bangkok-city.com/muaythai.htm...

Dreamworld Amusement Park 1000 baht ($33)

http://www.dreamworld-th.com/english/

Calypso Cabaret 600 baht ($20)

http://www.asia-discovery.com/Thailand/B...

Answer 4

In Bangkok you can get a hotel room for around $25 ~ $30 per night.

There are cheaper places, but you will likely have to share your room/bed with bedbugs or other critters.

I stayed in such a hotel in May 2008.

When in Bangkok, do NOT take the Limousine taxi from Suvra... airport to downtown(you will be accosted by these people as soon as you get through customs and immigration; also, they charge 1 1/2 times the fare of a regular taxi without any extra luxury; just be sure to insist the driver pushes the meter).

You can take a TukTuk(3-wheeled motorcycle) for 20 Baht per trip, but they will not take you to where YOU want to go, but instead drive to some shops with which they have kick-back arrangements. The same goes for guards at the Emerald Palace, who have such arrangements with TukTuk drivers.  You will be accosted by them everywhere in Bangkok and Udon Thani.

If you stay in the Nana area of Bangkok(cheap hotels), where the nightlife is, you will be accosted by underage boys looking for money in exchange for s*x, by ladyboys(q***r crossdressers) and by prostitutes.

Tip: Do NOT go elephant trekking; the Thais will try to extort you by asking a certain amount as "tip" for the elephants.

Do NOT go on any tour arranged in Thailand. The price of admission at the gate will be at least 300 Baht more than what you were quoted from information staff.

Do NOT attend a party with friends thrown for you , as they will take all the food, but try to stick YOU with the bill for the entire party.

If you HAVE to take a tour, make sure you arrange it in your hometown if possible. You will save lots of money by doing so.

Use XE,com for all of your currency exchanges.

Answer 5

Try this website to select suitable hotel for yourself... it got all information before you make your decision such as photo, hotel map to show what is nearby, and previous customer reviews to check how people feel after staying in those places.....  also this website got lowest rate guarantee... which you can compare with other website. http://www.discovery-thailand.com/Bangko... for Bangkok  http://www.discovery-thailand.com/Chiang...  for Chiang Mai and this http://www.discovery-thailand.com/Koh%20... for Koh Samui..  http://www.discovery-thailand.com/Hotels...  

try this for recommended hotels

http://www.discovery-thailand.com/Unseen...  

about transportation.... low cost airline is the best way to move from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and Samui. as you have limited time to enjoy your trip and also bus and train in Thailand in still not comfortable and reliable. http://www.discovery-thailand.com

have a nice trip