[Travel] First time trip to Thailand - Advice please

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

We (2 couples) are planning on a holiday to Thailand early next year - late January/early February - first time visitors - looking at around 14/15 nights including travel time.

I've already done some research, and spoken to friends who've been there - but I'm sure there's those on NSC who can help with advice...

At the moment we're planning 3 nights in Bangkok / 4 in Chiang Mai and the balance a beach resort - undecided on which one... Phuket - other suggestions welcome.

Thank you.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Don’t have too many space shakes is my advice.

 

[SeagullinExile]

Check for an Adam’s apple.

Joking aside. Avoid Thailand, way too expensive now. Try Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam instead.

Angkor Wat in Cambodia is the jewel of South East Asia and should be on everyone’s bucket list.

 

[Medwayseagull]

Don't come home with an extra wife/husband.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Check for an Adam’s apple.

Joking aside. Avoid Thailand, way too expensive now. Try Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam instead.

Understood but this is really just for some winter sun - Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam will have to wait as planning to spend time 'travelling' there when I stop working ....

If you think Thailand is expensive have you seen the prices for decent hotels in the Caribbean in Jan/Feb!

 

[Arthur]

We (2 couples) are planning on a holiday to Thailand early next year - late January/early February - first time visitors - looking at around 14/15 nights including travel time.

I've already done some research, and spoken to friends who've been there - but I'm sure there's those on NSC who can help with advice...

At the moment we're planning 3 nights in Bangkok / 4 in Chiang Mai and the balance a beach resort - undecided on which one... Phuket - other suggestions welcome.

Thank you.

Phuket is great and can be quite lively but has amazing beaches. Ko Samui is a lot more chilled and would probably be my preference out of the two but I certainly wouldn't put you off either.

Bangkok is a great city loads to see if temples are your thing. Grand Palace is stunning but be warned you aren't allowed in wearing shorts however there are plenty of local on the approach selling trousers but at vastly over inflated prices compared to the markets. Don't fall into the trap of cheap sight seeing tuktuks unless you want to buy a suit.

 

[SeagullinExile]

Understood but this is really just for some winter sun - Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam will have to wait as planning to spend time 'travelling' there when I stop working ....

If you think Thailand is expensive have you seen the prices for decent hotels in the Caribbean in Jan/Feb!

Fair enough. I travel extensively in SE Asia, I’m comparing Thailand to prices 10 years ago! Angkor Wat really is a cultural treat though.

Have a great trip

 

[Comrade Sam]

Eat everything and get suits, shirts and trousers made in Bangkok!

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

We got our SCUBA accreditations down in the islands, beautiful diving. Loads of dirty old British male bar flies (aka paedoes) everywhere you looked.

 

[Randy McNob]

We (2 couples) are planning on a holiday to Thailand early next year - late January/early February - first time visitors - looking at around 14/15 nights including travel time.

I've already done some research, and spoken to friends who've been there - but I'm sure there's those on NSC who can help with advice...

At the moment we're planning 3 nights in Bangkok / 4 in Chiang Mai and the balance a beach resort - undecided on which one... Phuket - other suggestions welcome.

Thank you.

Prepare for 6-8 pages of hilarious ladyboy style jokes then maybe some good advice

 

[Swansman]

Avoid outdoor buffets if you don't want to spend the entire vacation at the toilet.

 

[nicko31]

Winter best season, esp in the north

Trip out to Kanchanaburi on the death railway worth a trip.

Love the street food, you know you're in Asia

 

[bobbysmith01]

Try Hua Hin, about 2 hours south of Bangkok and less commercial than Phuket, wonderful beaches, night markets, hotels, restaurant and bars. Lots of Thai's go there for holiday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Don't go to Pattaya. The grimmest place I've ever been to, full of retired Brits, Aussies, north americans, Europeans and russians and their 14 year old 'girlfriends'.

Despite the deliciousness DO NOT eat the street food unless you have the constitution of an Ox. An Ox with a constitution that makes all the other Oxes jealous.

Get a suit tailor made. If you like/wear suits.

If you like scuba/snorkeling you'll be in heaven.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Despite the deliciousness DO NOT eat the street food unless you have the constitution of an Ox. An Ox with a constitution that makes all the other Oxes jealous.

The street food is amazing, I've eaten loads of it and never got the shits!

An impromptu Pad Thai off the back of a motorbike for 50p is one of the great pleasures of Thailand.

For the OP:
If you've only got two weeks then pick a beach resort without much travelling - I did 3 islands + Bangkok in two weeks and I found it was too much. Ko Lanta is brilliant but you burn two days getting there and back to Bangkok. All the tourist resorts are much of a muchness, if you just want to chillout on a beach Phuket is fine.

Other than that, don't drink the red bull shots in 7/11, Sangsom makes you go mental, Chang is like drinking beater

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

The street food is amazing, I've eaten loads of it and never got the shits!

An impromptu Pad Thai off the back of a motorbike for 50p is one of the great pleasures of Thailand.

Either you got lucky or I was unlucky!

Admittedly I was fine eating from the stalls in Bangkok. I was done in by some noodles by the roadside on the way back from the Bridge over the river Kwai.

 

[maltaseagull]

We (2 couples) are planning on a holiday to Thailand early next year - late January/early February - first time visitors - looking at around 14/15 nights including travel time.

I've already done some research, and spoken to friends who've been there - but I'm sure there's those on NSC who can help with advice...

At the moment we're planning 3 nights in Bangkok / 4 in Chiang Mai and the balance a beach resort - undecided on which one... Phuket - other suggestions welcome.

Thank you.

If you are asked to buy a lady a drink, check for an adam's apple

 

[NooBHA]

We (2 couples) are planning on a holiday to Thailand early next year - late January/early February - first time visitors - looking at around 14/15 nights including travel time.

I've already done some research, and spoken to friends who've been there - but I'm sure there's those on NSC who can help with advice...

At the moment we're planning 3 nights in Bangkok / 4 in Chiang Mai and the balance a beach resort - undecided on which one... Phuket - other suggestions welcome.

Thank you.

I have a client who is a Tour Guide for the region - See link below

http://www.deniseheywood.co.uk/tours.html

 

[Estonian Seagull]

As you are heading to Chiang Mai, an overnight stay at Elephant Nature Park is well worth it. It's an ethical place where elephants have been rescued from logging, elephant trekking companies etc. It is forbidden to ride elephants (even for mahouts) and they don't do tricks etc. They organize pick-ups and drop-offs from/to Chiang Mai. 2-3 nights in Khao Sok national park is another possibility.

 

[Weststander]

We got our SCUBA accreditations down in the islands, beautiful diving. Loads of dirty old British male bar flies (aka paedoes) everywhere you looked.

Diving’s the national sport