Accomidation & Island Hoping Questions.

In January I am going to Thailand and surrounding countries. I need some advice on hostels and guest houses. Where to stay and were not to stay.

I am looking for relitivly low cost but not to low. Also weekly rate for Krabi and Phuket.

Also I have heard of bungalows for about $10.00 a night. Is this true and will I expect to pay around $20.00 to $50.00 per night.

Also I would not mind doing Island hopping does any one have any ideas.

Thanks

Accomidation %26amp; Island Hoping Questions.

A great website to start with www.travelfish.org - look at the accommodation in their %26#39;flashpacker%26#39; range.... or %26#39;backpacker%26#39; if you want to go lower in price....

I was there in Dec/Jan and averaged about $30 per night. We stayed in some pretty nice places for that price though! This time around I have a budget of about the same... some places will be $5 per night, others $30 per night... depending on the area we will be in at the time....

For example in Bangkok we stayed at the New Siam Guesthouse 2 for 840 baht per night.... in Chiang Mai we stayed at CM Blue House for 350 baht per night ... both were about the same in quality and facilities....

You can have a look at my blogs for some inspiration at www.travelblog.org/bloggers/reet

Travelfish is fantastic...

Reet x

4how can i get my ex back

Its me

hello im back, how is everyone ???

Its me

Welcome back! How was your holiday?

Useful Maps of Thailand

Hi,

Can anyone give me any useful websites with maps that show street names and where hotels are based? I was wanting them around half the size of an A4 page so I can stick these in a notepad.

Any maps on the following places would be great:

- Ko Tao

- Ko Samui

- Ko Phi Phi

- Phuket

- Ko Lanta

Many Thanks

Dan

Useful Maps of Thailand

Try this!

http://www.siammaps.net

Have maps of some of the places you want!

/Claes

Useful Maps of Thailand

www.travelfish.org has some great maps... they are pretty accurate.

lip stain

sterling or us$

we are travelling to Bangkok and Koh Samui in October are are wondering which is the best currency to take, Sterling travellers cheques or Us$. I know sterling is normally recommended however with the us$ being so strong at the moment would be be better taking us$ cheques?

sterling or us$

US $ is WEAK in Thailand at the moment. Take sterling, either travellers cheques if you must, but some sterling cash to change at the airport, then a Debit card (not credit - Nationbwide FlexAccount is best, no fees, no commission, better rate of exchange, no brainer!) to get more cash as you go along. The rates are much better in Thailand. If you get $ TCs in UK then change into baht in Thailand you will be paying two lots of commission.

sterling or us$

thanks for your reply however we are still confused! The us$ may be weak in Thailand but is very strong in the UK thats why we are unsure as to which currency chqs to take as from what we can make out we will benefit changing sterling to us chqs and then to thai baht when in thailand. You dont get charged commission to get us$ chqs but you do for sterling, typically 3%, i know we will get charged on either to change to thai baht. We dont have a Nationwide account and therefore wont use a debit card abroad as they charge extortionate charges and lower the rates!! Again any help would be appriecated.

The US$ is weak in the UK that is why you get more dollars to the £.

Quite honestly though unless you are talking about huge amounts of money the difference is small.

I calculate on current rates here and taking into account the conversion of sterling to dollars in the UK,you will get 4 bahts more by exchanging £1 compared to 1$.Take into account the commission on the sterling cheques and you will be better of in dollars.

As already pointed out a charge free debit card like Nationwide is a simpler and more convenient method of obtaining funds here.

As I said in my previous post there is no commission, no fees and you get a HIGHER rate of exchange with a Nationwide FlexAcoount Debit Card when you draw cash from an ATM in any country abroad. In March I was offered 61 baht to the £ ';commission free'; in the UK before we went. I got 69 baht to the £ on my Nationwide Debit Card.

It is worth opening a FlexAccount for this. You even get 4% interest on your money while you are waiting to draw on it.

Even though you can get about $2 to the £ at home, the $ has fallen from about 36 baht to the $ to 30 baht to the $ during the past year with rumours it might fall even further. Currently it has recovered to about 32.6. Whereas for sterling the current rate is still about 67.5 baht to the £.

So if you changed £1000 into $ travellers cheques, you would get about $2000. If the rates stay the same as they are between now and when you go, when you change the TCs in Thailand (and there WILL be commission on that!) you will get about 65,200 baht ($2000 x 32.6). If you drew £1000 of baht from an ATM you would get about 67,450baht (£1000 x 67.45) .

3 weeks in Thailand

Hey

I have approximately 3 Thailand any must do%26#39;s? Also what beaches / islands would people recommend?

Thanks

Vik

3 weeks in Thailand

hai,

the island is Phuket, the beach is krabi

3 weeks in Thailand

You can have a look at my travel blogs for some inspiration... www.travelblog.org/bloggers/reet

I would recommend Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Ko Phangan, Khao Sok National Park and Ko Lanta.

Reet x

Khao Lak Orchid or Baan Khao Lak?

Hi,

We (a family with 2 kids, ages 6 and 10) want to spend 8 nights in Khao Lak in December and are hesitating between a family suite in the Orchid and 2 connected 2-storied cottage rooms in the BKL. The cost is very similar. I understand that the Orchid is much more isolated, but we%26#39;ll probably rent a car, so it is not so important, though it would be nice to walk to restaurants, instead of driving.. Orchid seems to have larger landscaped territory and some kind of children playground (though seems to be for much younger kids).. What hotel has the nicer beach? Possible snorkelling off the beach? Sorry for rambling, but I am truly stuck on this..

Thanks,

Julia

Khao Lak Orchid or Baan Khao Lak?

My opinion would be to go for the Baan Khao Lak.

Both have excellent beaches - the one in front of the Orchid will be much more yours alone (I like that). The Orchid probably has a bigger more kid-friendly lawn area - good place for them to burn off some steam.

If you want snorkeling - there is rocky around about 50 meters out from the front of the BKL - with quite good snorkeling on the far side of it - and also good snorkeling at the south end of the beach that the BKL sits on.

Also, if you want to walk to places to eat - there are many in the immediate area of the BKL and it is only about a 12-minute walk into the main part of La On (Khao Lak Town).

Try the Penang Ped (duck) at the BKL - excellent!

Khao Lak Orchid or Baan Khao Lak?

Thank you, Tedkarma.

Booked a superior suite with 2 extra-beds in BKL :-) Now I just need to wait...

Julia

Good choice in your circumstances, I think.

Julia, How did you book your stay at BKL?

What agent or website?

I am having a very difficult time with booking a room for next February at KL Orchid Beach.

A Thai agent in BKK quoted one price (included VAT/tax/breakfast) but now that I am ready to book the rate has gone up nearly 300 BHT per day %26amp; they are claiming that taxes were not included in the earlier quotes (when they were).

In the US we call this %26#39;bait %26amp; switch%26#39;.

The reservations agent at KLO is offering a higher, full-priced, rack rate w/ %26#39;fruit plate%26#39; but says nothing about tax or breakfast inclusion (earlier emails included this)... which makes his rate much higher.

Also he says it%26#39;s in BHT only %26amp; claims the website booking agencies will not be able to guarantee a specific room (which I need as I am handicapped).

ASIA ROOMS has not replied to 3 emails I sent from their website.

AWDIRECT sent an email that they will not update their rates until October (by that time both of these hotels will be sold out for Feb.) and said I should contact them in October.

Can ANYONE direct me to an HONEST agency that will book our stay in US $ dollars and that will verify that I need a specific room, because I am HANDICAPPED and need a ground floor room.

I actually have the number of the room that I need.

I am VERY disappointed by the dishonesty and that one price is offered, then another, higher one when you say you are ready to book.

ADVICE please.

Have a look at this site:

http://khaolaklovers.com/hotels.htm

It is a well respected agency and has rates for both hotels for next February including tax, service charge and breakfast.

The rates are shown initially in Baht but you can show their conversion to other currencies at the rate prevailing today. However, when you are charged and I think this agency only takes a deposit, you will be charged in Baht and that will be converted at the prevailing rate on your credit card statement.

I doubt whether the agency can guarantee you a specific room. You will, I think, have to rely on the hotel doing that (or trying their best) one a room is booked. Booking systems with individual hotels in SE Asia are not as sophisticated as those with the big chains.

Also I%26#39;m afraid, for all it%26#39;s charm and natural beauty (and I%26#39;m a Khao Lak addict) the rapid recovery of KL post Tsunami has brought about a pretty steep learning curve in customer relations and staff training at some resorts.

Good luck.

Hello Andora,

I am familar with KhaoLak Lovers, they charge in BHT (both Visa %26amp; MC charge a conversion fee of 3%)...

I got a reply from Asia Web Direct %26amp; apparently they charge in US $,

if you wish... which I do as I don%26#39;t want to pay conversion rates.

Have you stayed at Orchid Beach hotel?

BOTH of these websites claim to have 3 category of room; Deluxe, Premier Deluxe %26amp; Family Suite. From what I have seen on the KL Orchid%26#39;s website, there are only two categories of rooms; DELUXE SEAVIEW or FAMILY SUITE.

Is there an entrance to the hotel that has stairs with a handrail?

I need a handrail if there are stairs.

The hotel reservations manager was concerned about the entrance stairs... I%26#39;m wondering if there is a railing or not?

Sorry,

I%26#39;ve not stayed at either only paying a cursory visit to the Orchid and a good tour of the BKL as we are considering it for pssible future use. The Orchid looked nice but is in a remote location with no restaurants or bars in the vicinity and a taxi necessary to get to KL. Didn%26#39;t get close enough to comment on entrance/handrail.

As I recall there were no stairs to the entrance to BKL which is close to restaurants, bars and shops both along the beach or the highway.

Hi,

I%26#39;ve contacted the hotels directly - via the reservation forms on their sites - and got fast and informative replies from both of them. The reservation was eventually done by fax.

For both of the hotels, the internet agency sites (sawadee and hoteltravel, if I remember correctly) reported that the room type I needed was fully booked for the time period.

Regards,

Julia

Arandora,

The BKL is handicapped accessible... so there are no stairs, they ramped it after they rebuilt it after the tsunami. The handicapped accessible rooms are, according to their website drawings, very far from the beach w/ NO view of the sea. THAT is the problem for me.

We want to be able to see the sea from our verandah.

I have no problem w/ a remote beach... which is why we%26#39;re preferring the Orchid, we have, literally, thousands of Thai restaurants in L.A. because thousands of Thais live here... the food is very cheap %26amp; authentic... so eating out is not something that is important.

We plan on renting a car, we love to self-drive... to explore the national park nearby... so there will be no taxi to to town, as

we will rent %26amp; drive for a couple of days.

Has ANYONE been to the national park just east of Khao Lak?

Did ANYONE do the speed boat excursion to the Similan Islands?

Is there one that has snorkel FROM THE BEACH off of one of the islands?

Did ANYONE do the boat tour of Pang- Nga Bay? How was it?

Thanks Julia,

I%26#39;ve been dealing w/ the resort directly... they charge in BHT so that means Visa/MasterCard charges a 3% to convert...

ASIA WEB DIRECT will charge in US $ or other currencies... and it%26#39;s a bit cheaper...

Since you have children be aware that many folks have commented on rip currents along the coast... there is no lifeguard... if you %26amp; your family do not know how to recognize what a rip tide looks like from the shore... there is a website that has a good description w/ photos if you scroll down...

鈥logspot.com/2007/04/some-tips-on-not-drown鈥?/a>

cute myspace

The Metropolitan in Bangkok

I have read a lot of good reviews of the MEtropolitan in Bangkok, but It looks a bit far away from the city centre. Can anyone who has stayed there tell me how easy it is to walk/ travel by trains to the cshopping areas from the MEt? I am planning to go to BKK on our honeymoon in September. Thanks!!!

The Metropolitan in Bangkok

The Metropolitan is a 10-minute walk from Lumphini Subway Station. Walking out of the Metropolitan turn right and walk to the corner (Sathorn Rd. and Rama 4 Rd.). You can transfer to the skytrain in one station in the Hua Lamphong direction (Silom subway station to Sala Dang skytrain station). I have never actually stayed at the Metropolitan, however I have inspected the premises for a conference. Frankly, I think you%26#39;d be much better off staying at a serviced apartment on Lang Suan or around Silom. The Metropolitan describes itself as ';modern simplicity'; or something like that. Emphasis should be on ';simplicity.'; The rooms look basically comfortable, but surely nothing fancy. Again, I%26#39;ve never stayed there so I suppose the resident reviews would be more helpful, but the location is not ideal. Did you consider anything by the river, such as the Peninsula, Oriental, or Shangri-la?

The Metropolitan in Bangkok

Thank you for replying, magicbinthai.

We have thought of staying at the peninsula and the other river hotels, but was concerned that being on the other side of(peninsula) or along the river makes traveling to central bangkok a bit troublesome. Our other options were sheraton or grand hyatt erawan. we are on a honeymoon and don%26#39;t mind spending a bit more so long as it%26#39;s easy access and upmarket.

The met is my favourite hotel in BKK, but there are so many to choose from. Location is not a problem, a five min walk to the sky train or 2 min walk to underground, taxis are cheap although not very practical due to traffic. The como spa is heaven, and the rooms very comfortable, I always take a met room (very cheap on the hotel web site).

I personally do not like the stuffy style of most BKK hotels, and although a big Peninsula fan, I really do not like the Pen BKK. If you go to the Met check out the Vertigo bar at the top of the Banyan Tree hotel just next door, it is a fantastic spot. Otherwise the river hotels are a good alternative, as you can get around by boat and avoid the traffic jams.

Melbourne To Bangkok VIA SYDNEY - help please.

Travelling first time Melbourne To Bangkok via Sydney. Domestic Melb - Syd then transfer to international flight in Sydney. All Qantas Flights.

Allowed 2 hrs 45 mins for tranfer from Domestic Terminal in Sydney to International.

Enough time ?

Where and how best should I go from domestic to international in Sydney.

Very specific directions/instructions would be most appreciated.

Stupid me, going in 10 days time and just realised, I have never been to Sydney International before - slight panic !! HELP !!

Melbourne To Bangkok VIA SYDNEY - help please.

Don%26#39;t panic. You have enough time. You will arrive at Terminal 3 and you have to go to Terminal 1 at SYD Airport. They can already label your luggage in MEL to BKK (via SYD). So no need to pick up your luggage in SYD. Maybe you will also get a boarding card in MEL for your trip SYD/BKK. I assume your travelagent has issued this booking. If you would not have enough transfertime, they could not issue the tickets. Hope you can sleep now better and enjoy your vacation

Melbourne To Bangkok VIA SYDNEY - help please.

You can also check the website www.sydneyairport.com.au

I even noticed that qantas is issueing tkts with a transfertime of even 1hr and 20 minutes from MEL to BKK via SYD. That means you don%26#39;t have to panic at all, since you have a transfertime of 2hrs and 45 minutes.

Yes you will have plenty of time. As you are travelling with Qantas you will be able to access their free transfer bus, information below is from the Qantas Website.

';Transferring from T2 and T3 (Domestic Airports) to T1 (International Airport):

The Transfer Lounge is located airside (after passing through the security check point), opposite Gate 1 in T3. A shuttle bus service is available to passengers that are travelling or have travelled on a Qantas flight (including codeshare flights) or oneworld flight. The shuttle buses operate every 10-20 minutes from 6am to 9.40pm. On arrival at T1 proceed up the escalator, through immigration and security to your departure gate. If you do not have a boarding pass for your International flight, proceed to the check-in counters. ';

Have fun.

Many thanks.

You guys are great. Now I can rest easy and spend more time lurking in the forum to refine the planning.

I can give you some more detailed instructions, as I do it regularly.

When you check in at Melbourne, you will be checked through to Bangkok. They will give you two boarding passes: one for Mel-Syd, and one for Syd-Bkk. Your bags will also be checked through to Bkk.

Tip: ask them if they can give you your International departure card to fill in now ready for Sydney

When you get to Sydney, you will come off your plane as normal. Go down the terminal to Gate 1. Opposite gate 1 there is a couple of people standing at the machines they use when you go onto our palne at the gate. Give them your Syd-Bkk boarding pass, they will put it through the machine (you are now %26#39;in the system%26#39;). You go down an escalator and you are in a small waiting room for the bus to take you to International.

When the bus arrives, they will swipe your Boarding Pass again. Get on the bus, it goes to Intl, about a seven or eight minute ride.

Get off at International, go up the escalator and you are ready to go through Immigration and Customs, and you are ready to go to Bkk!

Food is pretty weak at Syd Intl (coffee is OK in the bookshop), so if you are hungry eat before you come through Immigration. 2h45 is a huge amount of time, you have a good hour up your sleeve.

sterling or us$

we are travelling to Bangkok and Koh Samui in October and are wondering which is the best to take, Sterling travellers cheques or us$. I know normally sterling is recommended however with the us$ being so strong is it better to take us$ cheques at the moment?

sterling or us$

US $ is WEAK in Thailand at the moment. Take sterling, either travellers cheques if you must, but some sterling cash to change at the airport, then a Debit card (not credit - Nationbwide FlexAccount is best, no fees, no commission, better rate of exchange, no brainer!) to get more cash as you go along. The rates are much better in Thailand. If you get $ TCs in UK then change into baht in Thailand you will be paying two lots of commission.

sterling or us$

I would go stronger than Arandora, and say don%26#39;t bother with TCs at all. Rely on cashpoints (ATMs) and maybe a bit of cash to change on arrival for emergencies.

How you fund those cashpoint withdrawals is a matter of cost and convenience - debit card, credit card, withdrawal from your home account etc

lip stain

elephant rides--I've heard it's better to ride at their neck

I read somewhere that it%26#39;s much better for the elephant if a person rides at their neck rather than on their back in one of those wooden set-ups. Does anyone know if this is the case? If so, can this be done in Chiang Mai? I don%26#39;t want to go somewhere where I have a good time but cause the animal pain or harm.

elephant rides--I've heard it's better to ride at their neck

There are a number of places in Chiang Mai where you can do a short one hour ride (if you didn%26#39;t want to over-do it). The mahut will/may invite you to climb down from the seat and onto the neck, while he hops down and walks beside you.

It is at this time you%26#39;ll realise why the seat is a better option.

I don%26#39;t see how you%26#39;d be hurting the elephant, by paying money which goes a long way towards his/her incredible feeding bill.

I paid 600 or 700 baht a few years ago, so it%26#39;s not ';cheap';, but it%26#39;s really good fun and makes a great photo.

elephant rides--I've heard it's better to ride at their neck

Hi,

yes you%26#39;re right. It%26#39;s natural for the elephant if you sit on his neck. Wooden set-ups can cause health problems with elephant%26#39;s back if they are not fixed with care - which is the problem in most camps near Chiangmai. Try to check TECC - www.changthai.com

They do mahout training programs, in this place, you can ride elephant sitting on his neck, you can visit their elephant hospital and bath with elephants

If the seats are fitted well then it is not a problem. The good mahout will be sure that there is plenty of padding and the fit is good. If an elephant is too thin (from malnutrition) this can be a problem too. The seats have been used for many, many years, and most of the time, they do not harm the elephants. Of course, there are cases where there has been serious injury, and you can see one such case at the Elephant Nature Park...but it is not the norm.

Unfortunately, many of the places that offer rides are not doing so in the best conditions. It is quite easy to see if the elephant is happy and healthy or if it is suffering...eyes should be clear and bright, ears should be moving, not pinned to the side of the head in anger or frustration or hanging limply, indicating poor health.

Near Chiang Mai, the Thai Elephant Conservation Center www.changthai.com offers mahout training programs for tourists, and you can drop in as well, have a look around, see the elephants bathe, watch a demonstration of the skills traditionally used for logging (though elephants are no longer legally allowed to work in logging, it was their traditional use up until the stricter logging laws were passed in 1988-1989). There is an elephant hospital there which you can visit. You can ride an elephant as well even on a drop in visit...you will sit in a seat and perhaps the mahout will offer you to sit on the neck. If you do a mahout training program, you will sit on the neck.

Virtually all of the elephants out there giving rides to tourists are doing so to support themselves and their mahouts. When logging became impossible, there was little else for mahouts to do with their elephants. The lucky are in places like the Thai Elephant Conservation Center, the Anantara and Four SEasons in the Golden Triangle www.helpingelephants.org is great reading, and the Elephant Nature Park. The alternatives are illegal logging (very dangerous and hard), walking the streets of Bangkok/Pattaya/Phuket and posing for photos and begging for bananas.

Nothing wrong with wanting to ride an elephant, just choose your venue carefully.

manathai boutique hotel

hi,

anyone heard of the manathai boutique resort at twinpalm,any comment on the hotel?

manathai boutique hotel

The ManaThai is not actually AT the TwinPalms - it is next to it - immediately to the south.

Very nice - smallish resort with well-trained and friendly staff. An excellent much-lower priced alternative to the TwinPalms. They, as does the TwinPalms - have a Beach Club right down on the beach front.

More on the immediate area is at:

www.phuketgoldcoast.com/Surin_Beach.htm

best way to clean my duvet cover

Khao Lak Update - photos and current info from on the scene

Took a good long day trip up to Khao Lak on Saturday and took some photos of the continued rebuilding. Lots of old favorites are on the way back. Should be a great high season at the end of this year.

khaolaklovers.com/Khao_Lak_area_update_July_…

Cross posted on the Khao Lak forum.

Khao Lak Update - photos and current info from on the scene

Good to see/hear that KL is really on its way back.

Khao Lak Update - photos and current info from on the scene

tedkarma: I%26#39;ve read a lot of your comments on TA, and gained lots of information. My wife and I are looking at the Aleenta on NaiTai beach. Is it truly as stunning as the pictures? Any resort similar in Southern Thailand that offers stunning beaches, sunsets, private villa pool, and tranquility for under $300 a night?

Thanks for your comments.

TAS

I think the Aleenta is extraordinary. The entire area between Phuket and Thai Muang will soon become a very upscale residential/resort bedroom community to Phuket. The area immediately north of the Allenta is developing with multi-million dollar villas right on the beach front.

Some good photos of the Aleenta are at:

phuketnorth.com/Aleenta_Resort_Photos.htm

The Natai Beach area is actually CLOSER to the Phuket Airport than even the Laguna/Bang Tao Beach area, so it is more convenient that many people are aware of.

In the area north of Phuket - there will soon be a Raffles Resort - and in the next few years there will be super boom in the area with Venice of the East, MalibuLand (?!), and several other very large and very upscale - managed villa estates.

Go see it all while it is still relatively quiet! Great beach - and other very nice - virutally unknown beaches in the area - take a look at BoDan Beach here:

phuketnorth.com/BoDan_TahSai_Beaches.htm

Just my opinion - it is a truly stunning area.

speed boats?

last time we were in LOS we did not take the kids to Phi Phi for the snorkelling trip...however the first time we went, hubby and i went over and did it on the big ferries (dont want to do that again)...how much would we be looking at for 1/2 day with 2 adults 2 kids to get over there to do snorkelling? any help appreciated

thanks

mix

speed boats?

HI

not sure if they do 1/2 day trip usually it is from 9 to 4

most do a multi island tour with a nice lunch stop.

I would look for a smaller speed boat ';less people'; same speed

just as safe about 10 to 16 people

price between 1200 and 2000 baht per person depending upon where and who you buy from and your haggling skills and where you go.

if you have unlimited funds you can probably get a boat just for your family for around 20,000 baht more or less.

speed boats?

There%26#39;s a couple of outfits in boat lagoon marina that arrange charters on better boats - from 20 ft - 80 ft depending on budget.

I tried hiring the local private speedboats but they%26#39;re very uncomfortable in any kind of sea and on each occasion the drivers wanted to go to the most crowded tourist trap beaches.

Lee marine may be able to help or look in classifieds in Phuket Gazette.

Hi Mix

I returned last week from Phuket where one of our best days was a speedboat trip to Phi Phi.

We went to a few of the little kiosk tour sellers to get prices and settled for a tour company named Siam Sea Canoe. There was 4 adults, 4 kids and a baby and it cost us 7500 bt.

The size speedboat they use depends on how many people have booked for the day, on ours there were about 30 people but the boat was quite big and had 3 x 225hp engines so fairly got up and went.

The crew made the trip, they were fantastic so when we booked a Pang Gna Canoe trip we used the same company (It wasn%26#39;t a speed boat for this but was probably the only day better than our Phi Phi day - Cost 6800 bt)

You could try and get a boat for just yourselves but for the difference in cost I dont think it would be worth it.

Roger

Top thing to do while in Phuket

Hi,

I am after the 1 Top thing to do in Phuket. Heading there in Sept, but we are travellers that like to laze around and enjoy the heat and just basically relax.

At the same time i don%26#39;t want to be missing out on all those great experiences that can be had in Phuket.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

BREE

Top thing to do while in Phuket

Depending on what part of the island you are going to stay on - you%26#39;ll probably regularly be exposed to the nightlife, shopping, great restaurants and a good beach.

So . . . I would suggest getting OUT of the tourist areas and seeing a bit of what the real Phuket is like - or at least what the other 75% of the island is like.

Try ';Best Island Drives'; for some self-drive tours that will get you out and about through some rural areas with pineapple, coconut and rubber plantations - along with some great sea and bay views.

phuketdelight.com/Best_Island_Drives.htm

Take a walking tour through a couple small towns - away from the super tourist areas. Try a walking tour of Cherng Talay or of Bang Tao:

phuketgoldcoast.com/Cherng_Talay_Walking_Tou鈥?/a>

phuketgoldcoast.com/Bang_Tao_Walking_Tour.htm

Check out a real fish market - for locals - not a tourist thing:

phuketgoldcoast.com/BangTao_Fish_Market.htm

AND, if you get real energetic - get off the island to the north just a couple kilometers and explore the Natai area - what will soon become the Malibu of Thailand - but for now is relatively undiscovered - check out BoDan beach, one of the most beautiful in Thailand - and undiscovered (for the moment). For more on that:

phuketnorth.com/BoDan_TahSai_Beaches.htm

and: http://phuketnorth.com/Drives.htm

Once you%26#39;ve seen that you%26#39;ll know more about Phuket and the area than 96% of the local expats - and you%26#39;ll love it even more!

Top thing to do while in Phuket

Thank you so much for taking the time to pass on that great info. It%26#39;s sounds great!

Thanks again,

BREE

BreeAustralia

I suggest do day trip with Captain Mark. We enjoy lazying around and keep relatively quite lifestyle. (not really into the girlie bar type of scene)

We enjoyed the day on the boat and luck enough to sail back from island to phuket island so was great end of day.

Just check under phuket sail tours, captainmark in this forum

Enjoy

Ian %26amp; Veona

Hi Bree

Got back from Phuket last week and by far the best day we had was a trip to Phang Gna including James Bond Island.

We booked with a company named Siam Sea Canoe (Book through any of the kiosks on the streets)

It was a great day canoeing into the caves on the islands, the 42 islands provide the most picturesque setting I have ever seen.

I%26#39;m sure doing it on Captain Mark%26#39;s sailboat would be great but for a cheaper alternative I would recommend this.

Roger

eating in a garden

Hi

Several years ago I went to a restaurant on a hill side jus outside Chiangmai. We ate in a garden and as January evening%26#39;s were quite cool they provided each table with a brazier. I was told that part of the garden was reserved for his Highness the King.

Is this still around and what is it called?

Many thanks

Leman

eating in a garden

Hi Leman,

Is it the Galare Restaurant on the footstep of Doi Suthep?

I don%26#39;t think the garden has been reserved for the King as he seldomly visit a restaurant but may be one of the Princess.

Ryota

eating in a garden

Thanks ryota. I%26#39;ll try and drop by next month. I hope my memories were not wishful!

lip stain

any one use Eva air

Hi from Sunny and hot Varna in Bulgaria.

Anyone have experience with EVA flights from the USA to BKK?

any one use Eva air

Yep, great airline - book Evergreen/Elite class for more legroom.

any one use Eva air

Thanks much.

How are the fares from the USA to BKK.

I flew NWA and it was like a ride from Hell.

Need to fly out of SanFran or Seattle - fares are pretty reasonable depending on when you fly.

I fly out of Chicago; sad to say. How are the eats and drinks on EVA? are the drinks free?

I would suggest you fly United, less hassles or changing airlines and if you get delayed or a flight cancelled, they will take care of getting you there or home. Drinks are free and the food is ok.

delegates

Best Phi Phi Island Tour Operator

Hi there,

Just getting toooooooooo excited about our trip and getting all my notes togother.

Love some feedback on the best tour operators to Phi Phi, read mixed reviews and prices...

Thanks

Gardie

Best Phi Phi Island Tour Operator

Last year my friend went with Island Hoppers; she was very impressed with them. I don%26#39;t know what price she paid, but they have a web site

http://www.phuket-islandhopper.com/

Check it out! Hope this helps,

Regards,

Joe

Best Phi Phi Island Tour Operator

Hi Gardie

Got back last week, we went to Phi Phi with a company named Siam Sea Canoe. I cant compare with others as this was the only one we went on but they were fantastic and would recommend them to anyone.

Their speedboats were as good as anyone elses and the crew made the trip - we also went to Phang Gna with them which was also great.

We just booked at one of the tour kiosks in the street.

Roger

Good Day,

Does this tour operator go to that tiny island towards the end of the tour? This island can be described as small, spartan and boring. I can%26#39;t understand why they go there, when we spend actually so little time on Phi Phi itself.

I am going to LOS (and Phi Phi) and would like to avoid wasting 2 hours of my life on this island.

Yes it does go there.

It was a really nice day the day we went , the kids and I had a great time snorkelling there off the beach while my partner sat on the sun chair in the sand with the water around her ankles.

Bangkok to Phuket

We are arriving in late to BKK and are looking to fly out of Domueang on Nok Air to Phuket the next day - if we stay at Novotel near airport - how long should we plan to get to the airport the next day for our Nok Air Flight?

Bangkok to Phuket

Allow at least an hour I%26#39;d say.

But why not use Thai Air, or Air Asia...and get a flight out right from Souvarnabhoumi? That would certainly save you from the hassle of changing airports.

Bangkok to Phuket

Bangkok Air also flies to Phuket from Souvarnabhoumi.

So just to be clear- is it possible to fly into ';Bangkok International'; and from there buy a ticket and jump upon the next flight to Phuket? Is that feasible, or is it not the done thing to fly internally- I hear many people say that the buses are just as efficient to use.

Also, how much would the internal flight be likely to cost if I booked it on the day or on the day before?

It%26#39;s possible to buy a ticket on the day of flight...but you will pay whatever price it is and not have the luxury of shopping around for schedule and price.

Your choices from Souvarnabhumi are Thai Air, Air Asia and Bangkok Air. Thai and Bangkok Air prices are pretty stable, with occasional sales as well as an airpass deal with each one. Air Asia prices tend to get higher as the day of flight gets nearer, though there are exceptions.

credit card warning on key cards

Hi fellow t/a members

This just came to me as a warning on the internet and I will write it as it came to me I beleive it is correct.

Ever wonder what is on your hotel door magnetic key card.

Answer:

a.Customers name

b.Customers partial home adress

c.Hotel room number

d.Check in dates and out dates

e. Customers credit card number and expiry date!

When you turn them in at the front deskyour personal information is there for any employee to access by simply scanning the card in the hotel scanner.An employee can take a hand full of cards home and using a scanning device, access the information onto a laptop computer and go shopping at your expense.

Simply put,hotels do not erase the information an these cards until an employee reissues the card to the next hotel guest. At that time,the new guests information is electronically ';overwritten'; on the card and the previous guests information is erased in the overwriting process.

But until the card is rewritten for the next guest, it usually is kept in a drawer at the front desk with YOU INFORMATION ON IT!

The bottom line is:

Keep the cards, take them home with you, or destroy them. NEVER leave them behind in the room or room wasre basket, and NEVER turn them in to the front desk when you check out of a room. they will not charge you for the card (its illegal) and you%26#39;ll be sure you are not leaving a lot of valuable personal information on it that could be easily lifted off with a scanning device card reader.

For the same reason, if you arrive at the airport and discover you still have the card key in your pocket, do not toss it in an airport trash basket. Take it home and destroy it by cutting it up,especially through the electronic information strip!

Information coutesy of:Pasadena Police Department

I personally have a small magnet and pass it across the magnetic strip several times.Then try the door,it will not work. It erases everything on the card.

Please forward to friends and family.

This is how I received it exactly and I feel we cannot be to careful in this world of credit card fraud.

All the best

Paulben

credit card warning on key cards

Urban legend. Though it is prudent to be careful.

www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/k/keycards.htm

www.hoax-slayer.com/hotel-key-card.html

http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/hoaxes/hoaxDetails.asp?HName=Hotel+Key+Card+Hoax

offer information about the hoax and the facts about the information that is included on key cards,..minimal.

Don%26#39;t worry about key cards. Enjoy your holiday.

credit card warning on key cards

hi paul ben you would not belive it i got the same message on the net and i belive it is true as last year we whent to kohsamui and our card was scamed by a reception attendent we had no idea till my bank phoned me and told us they had to stop our credit card as it was scamed for 25 000 dollors yes 25 000 dollors and the police had ouy information in ther possesion as they had caught the person with the information from the hotel and i think it may have come from the returned key cards so now we dont return the cards as we tell them they are in the room still we dont use our credit card and pay deposit via cash on arrival where ever we travel to i like the idea off the magnet and have just put one in our suite case for our next trip in october hope other ta members take your warrning and follow suit rember it could happen to you from one that has been scamed ps we got our money back as the banks did not check with us first and allowed the transaction to go ahead as we allways notifie the ban be for we leave home off our approx bills we expected to pay at each hotel we stay in for accomidation only if we had not done this we would have had to pay 25 000 d0llors or till the banks recoverd the money so noteifie your bank be for you go traveling it saved our bacon kob rob

As Fish2 says it%26#39;s a HOAX!

Just Google Hotel Key Card Hoax and you will find loads of links confirming this.

Passing it on and alarming people is how the scammers get their kicks.

Couldn%26#39;t the hotel employees just as easily access that information on the computers?

This is an urban legend!

Transport from Phuket to Khao Lak?

Hi everyone, I have posted this on the Phuket forum as well, but maybe someone here can help me?

We will be going to Thailand in October, staying first at Karon Beach Resort and then on to Khao Lak. (unfortunately this year our budget doesn%26#39;t stretch to the Sarojin, but the Paradise Resort looks wonderful too!)

Can anyone tell me how much we should pay for transport between Karon beach and Khao Lak , and how we should arrange it? Should we go through a tour agency, through the hotel travel desk, or maybe someone knows of a recommended driver?

I am assuming that the return trip, to the airport, should be fairly easy to organise in Khao Lak.

Thanks in anticipation!

Transport from Phuket to Khao Lak?

Taxi from the airport to KL is about 1300-1500 baht, so from Karon would be upwards of 2000 baht. I would think you can organise it easy enough from Karon as will the return. Your taxi driver on Phuket may do you a good deal for a guaranteed return trip.

The Paradise certainly looks a very nice resort from the beach but is a bit short on reports from people who%26#39;ve actually stayed there. So please post a report on this Forum when you return as there have been several requests for information on it.

Transport from Phuket to Khao Lak?

Thanks for that Arandora. The Paradise does look lovely doesn%26#39;t it!

I will make sure I post a review and some photos when I return.

Joroo,

I%26#39;m not one to usually post things about transportation, but I thought I would plug a dear friend of ours. His name is Sit, he%26#39;s married and has a 3-year-old girl. All of them were literally in the tsunami waters. I helped facilitate the funding for a new car for them so Sit could start a taxi service in Khao Lak. He now is the proud owner of a new Toyota. He is available for transfers and will give you a good rate if you tell him that ';John and Roong'; sent you (We live in Khao Lak). Hand your mobile phone to someone that speaks English/Thai that can help you arrange this transfer. Or call us at 0899900216 in October. We would be glad to help you. I%26#39;m plugging Sit anytime I can to help them get back their lives. They are beautiful people...they%26#39;d be a part of your vacation.

Sit%26#39;s Taxi Service mobile phone is 0810855511. He speaks Thai with a minimal of English. Have an interpretor on hand if possible. Or call us and we can help.

Welcome to Khao Lak!

Johnny and Roong

I also might add that Sit is a license taxi service, with green license plates, insurance and permits. Many transfer drivers are not and I tend to give my money to those that have worked hard to secure the proper business requirements. This shows they are indeed in the business and not just %26#39;scab%26#39; labor. The others are actually breaking the law and so you are on your own. For example, without the permitting, they may not be able to take you to the airport. Its a dog-eat-dog out there...

Thanks Johnny, transport Phuket - KL already sorted - however I will definitely contact Sit or yourself for transfer KL to airport, and for other trips around Khao Lak itself.

How much should we expect to pay for a full day hire?

Joroo

Hi Joroo,

A full day hire can definitely differ depending on the distance travelled, too. Fuel prices are not cheap here (approx $3/gal) and that can be a big chunk for those that make around $10/day wage. It will be best to sit down and figure out what things you may want to see and do, then you can discuss and bargain for a good daily rate. Time and distance all play into the equation. I will be more than happy to help you out.

Johnny

Hi Johnny, thanks for your quick reply!

That makes sense re the price of petrol etc....I will be in touch once we have more of an idea of what we want to see and do.

Jo

Size 12/14 Australian Ladies Sizes

Hi There,

Just wanting a little advice.

We are heading over in a few weeks and my summer clothes are limited and the summer clothes haven%26#39;t really hit the shops here.

Can you purchase dresses, skirts etc in Phuket that would fit a tall (175cm), size 12/14. Or should I keep looking here.

Thanks

Gardie

Size 12/14 Australian Ladies Sizes

I%26#39;m a curvy 12 and my personal experience was ';sorry lady we have nothing that big enough for you'; needless to say my confidence didn%26#39;t fair well!!! LOL

Maybe someone had a better experience and found some 12/14 sizes?? Next time I%26#39;ll be going to the tailors and getting clothes made that fit ME.

Size 12/14 Australian Ladies Sizes

Hi Gardie,

I think I%26#39;d be about the same size as you. I went not expecting to find much to fit as I%26#39;ve had trouble in other Asian countries. We booked our trip a long time before we went so I was able to buy a few things in the sales at the end of Summer and left the tags on so I would have a few new things and save myself the frustration of wanting to buy but not finding anything to fit!

However I did buy a skirt and a dress while there. If things haven%26#39;t changed too much since April lots of the stalls have strapless %26#39;shirred%26#39; top dresses that fit me well and were very comfortable to wear. I didn%26#39;t look in the %26#39;department%26#39; store type of shops though.

Enjoy your trip,

Amanda

Hi Gardie,

I am a size 14 and 175cm and was told ';YOU TOO FAT'; by one lady at a market on Patong beach (I think she was having a bad day though). BUT there is a few places (not to many though) that sell skirts and summer dresses. You will have to shop around. I have not been to Jungcelyon so try there too.

I am also going back in a few weeks time (23rd of August to the 5th of September at the Merlin Beach Resort) and have been thinking about what I need to take this time. Last year I assumes I could buy alot of clothes over there and suffered with the small amount of clothing that took.

Shorts are a must. Take a few pairs with you. Especially for any tours or walking around alot.

I am going to buy some new shorts from Surf shops (they sell shorts and skirts all winter and sometimes on sale).

When are you going?

Hi Gardie

I%26#39;m much the same size as you. We are yet to travel to Phuket, but from the info that I have gleamed from posts on here I don%26#39;t hold much hope of buying clothes there. Someone did suggest that some department stores such as Marks %26amp; Spencer may have ready made clothes in our size otherwise the alternative is to get some made.

However here in Brisbane summer clothes have hit the stores.

Chain stores such as Target %26amp; Kmart have summer clothes in them %26amp; have noticed In myers %26amp; DJs they are getting summer clothes out as well - new seasons swim wear etc.

So hopefully it wont be too long till it gets to you!!

Another alternative is to buy online on sites such as Ezibuy.

My mother who lives in the country often buys clothes from them %26amp; says that they have shorts, t shirts etc that would be suitable available.

Good luck

Pete

';elephant'; size hard to find in markets but try big c in phuket town

Thanks for all the comments above %26amp; Bev (Kiwisx2),

I too would have been left high and dry as I assumed clothing would be easy to buy for my size......so, today I went on a size 14 shopping spree and loved it !!!

The suitcase will not be as empty as planned but the shorts, pants and swimwear are in and ready to go.

Looking forward to seeing a few TA%26#39;ers at the %26#39;little%26#39; get together on the 11th.

tar-rah for now!

Mrs ';PeteinPerth';

Hi Gardie,

I am 176cm and about 78kg (size 14ish)...I bought a few tops like Amanda and their fit was ok...but mostly the XXL was still a tight squeeze...

and its true, dont ask if they have your size if you have a lo self esteem...lol...i was TOTALLY over the reply, ';we have big mama size down the back';....geeez, harsh!

Spend ya bucks at Target before you go and at least you know you%26#39;ll be comfy in what your wearing!

Have a ball!

- Samantha :-)

I am a size 10-12 and 169cm. I found a few things, but was told I was too fat for the bikinis by one lady! Great for the self-esteem! She could of been more subtle!! Hahaha!

I found I was able to buy tshirts... although I am more a 12 since coming back and they are not a great fit anymore! I bought plenty of fisherman pants which are one size fits all and so comfy... but there wasnt alot of other options unfortunately!

I am a large 12 small 14 (depending on clothing brand) and my husband is 6 foot 4'; and tips the scales at just over 100kg.

We will be known as ';The Elephant and Big Mamma';!!

LOL

Seriously though, last year when I went I just made sure i took enough clothes to see me through as I wasn%26#39;t going to count on buying stuff there. I didn%26#39;t take a lot as I just used the local laundering services and didn%26#39;t care if some one saw me wearing the same thing twice, three times...

I didnt know about this site before my very first visit to Phuket. So off l went with only 3 t.shirts and 3 pairs of shorts. Thank god sarongs fit every one, because thats all l could buy to fit my size 14 not so slinky anymore body. My daughter who is size 12 almost cried when she asked a lady for a t shirt in her size and the lady said no not for you, you too fat. That didnt go down too well my daughter was devistated, as any teenger would be

Murf

lip stain

benefits of using

Just returned from paradise

Hi everyone , we just returned from 11days in Phuket staying at Kathatani and 3 nights in Bangkok on friday. Now I have a really bad cold and very tired from all the shopping in MBK . I will soon post a JBR after I have recovered .

Cheers , TATIANA

Just returned from paradise

Hi Tatiana,

hope you recover quickly. Can%26#39;t wait to read your JBR!

Regards Karin

Just returned from paradise

Hi Tatiana

Hope you feel better soon, look forward to your report.

Lee

Get well Tatiana, look forward to your report.

Khaosan Road to Nana Plaza

could someone tell me how far it is between khaosan rd and nana plaza? is it walking distance or will i have to get a cab?

thanks

Khaosan Road to Nana Plaza

edbe

cab

bkk3

Khaosan Road to Nana Plaza

Get a METER taxi - only pay the meter fare (cheaper than bargaining!)

Tuk-tuks will cost more than the air/con meter taxi, by the way.

If you like the Sukhumvit area why not check out some of the cheap hotels located on Sukhumvit Road. Unlike KSR, Sukhumvit Road has easy access to the Skytrain.

Taxi definetly, but DO not, i repeat DO NOT attempt to travel there between 5 - 7 p.m.

As already said, taxis are the easy option, but getting across the centre of town can be a nuisance.

Three other options;

1. Walk 10 minutes to the end of the San Saeb ferry boat route at the far end of Ratcha Damnoen Klang Road. Get off at Na Na Nua Bridge Pier, then another ten minute walk up Sukhumvit Soi 3 to Nana Plaza.

The ferry finishes about 7pm, so that will get you across town in the rush hour painlessly. You can get back easily by taxi at midnight or whenever. Ferry boat cost is about 16 Baht. You change boat at Pratunam.

2. Get a taxi or tuk-tuk to Hua Lumphong railway station and take the MRT underground train to Sukhumvit. This is directly next to Soi Cowboy, and a 10 minute walk to Nana plaza.

3. Get a taxi or tuk-tuk to Nation Stadium BTS station and go to Nana.

Taxis across town are a pain any time before 11pm so public transport that avoids the roads is worth it.

Central Krabi Bay Resort

We are going to CKBR end August. what are the options for transfers from/to Krabi Airport? What works best?

What sort of weather can we expect end August?

Central Krabi Bay Resort

i will be goin beinging of sept...they see from forum if take a taxi from krabi airport will cost 600-800 baht to Ao Nang reception and from there the hotel will transfer u to their hotel speedboat to the hotel

end of july is the start of monsoon season till end Oct

Central Krabi Bay Resort

Thanks for the info - do you have to advise the hotel of your arrival in advance, or just turn up ay Ao Nang?

Hi,

I would advise them as they arrange a mini bus from reception to the pier and then a boat from the pier to the hotel.

If they are unaware of your arrival you my be kept waiting.

Sarah

I will take a taxi to Ao Nang reception on my own. I have already inform them the timing i will arrive at Krabi Airport and abt 8pm will arrive at Ao Nang Reception.

Balimoon,

Have u stay at the SPA deluxe room before?...i just wan to know if the jacuzzi can accomodate 2 person in it?

thank you.

Hi Dreamer,

There is plenty of room for two people to sprawl out in the Jacuzzi.

Sarah

x

hi sarah,

thanx for your reply. glad to hear that...

Bridge over river Kwai

My wife and i leave on thursday for bangkok. We would like to do the tour of the floating markets and bridge over river kwai in the same day. do they have tour ';booths'; along the streets,like they have in phuket, where you can book the tours from. Also any idea of cost?

Bridge over river Kwai

wingscigar

it%26#39;s not quite like that here in BKK. you can either organise trip thru your hotel and/or travel agent here. alternatively if you do a search on this forum for tour guides and/or drivers/minivans you will come across several people who are recommended. however this option may be not available as thursday could be too short notice, but do a search anyway then e-mail them.

bkk3

Bridge over river Kwai

Most hotels have a tour desk

Tell them what you want when you get to your hotel and they will arrange it for you

Personally I prefer the private tour which gives much more flexibility and no herding like sheep.

Normally a day tour out of bangkok will be about 2000 Baht + gas.

Leave early 6am to do the floating market to get there before the herds and have breakfast in the market.

Enjoy your trip

Honeymoon - Where to go in Thailand........

Getting married next September and looking into honeymoon destinations...various destinatations are in the mix and Thailand keeps popping back up!

Looking through there are so many hotels and I dont know where to start!

Can anyone reccomend anywhere/hotel in particular - we are in our late twentys, not too fussy, dont want to be right in middle of things but equally only 10mins away by car from some nightlife?

ps - any other honeymoon suggestions welcome!!

Confused Bride - to - Be!

Honeymoon - Where to go in Thailand........

Hi Spreadborough,

September is rain season in Thailand, so you might want to consider it...

Since your topic is in the Ko Samui forum, I will give you an hotel on Ko Samui Island that seems to be a good choice for couples on their honeymoon and it meets your criteria for being 10 minutes away from Chaweng Beach where all the nightlife happens.

So take a look at the Sala Samui

MC

Honeymoon - Where to go in Thailand........

Ko samui is a fantastic place for a honeymoon - we did it twice! We stayed at the imperial boathouse on chongmon beach which is only a 5 min taxi ride from the main area of Chaeweng. Chongmon is a quite beach on the North east area of the island and have loads of places to eat on the beach so its very romantic and all the sites are easily accesable.

Strongly agree staying around Choeng Mon is ideal for you, we have stayed at both Sala Samui and Tongsai Bay and both are terrific hotels.

Regards

Robert

Another suggestion:

Why not take a roundtrip to see the highlights of Sri Lanka, in combination with a relaxing beach holiday at the Maldives, which seems to be a perfect honeymoon destination?

We visited Sri Lanka a few years ago. It was great, but I regret that we didn`t go to the Maldives as well, when we were that close.

Hello,

If you%26#39;re on a honeymoon I would imagine you%26#39;re looking for a bit of romantic seclusion - chaweng is definitely not this! The beach and town get very busy. I would recommend going somewhere a bit different like Koh Lanta or Railay. They%26#39;ve got a completely different feel to them. Parts of Samui can feel like spain, especially Chaweng. There are some great hotels on Koh Lanta. Have a look at the Pimilai and Sri Lanta.

Ko Chang is also good, although is fairly quiet as its off the beaten track. You could even do a multi centre holiday as many people do. Spend a week on one island then head off somewhere else for the second week.

Phi Phi is always worth a visit although it does get very busy in peak season. Its also nice to put some money back into the island after the devastation caused by the tsunami.

I about the weather not be great the time you%26#39;re thinking of going. Early December is good for sunshine and rates are still in the mid range.

Hope this helps

Hello,

If you%26#39;re on a honeymoon I would imagine you%26#39;re looking for a bit of romantic seclusion - chaweng is definitely not this! The beach and town get very busy. I would recommend going somewhere a bit different like Koh Lanta or Railay. They%26#39;ve got a completely different feel to them. Parts of Samui can feel like spain, especially Chaweng. There are some great hotels on Koh Lanta. Have a look at the Pimilai and Sri Lanta.

Ko Chang is also good, although is fairly quiet as its off the beaten track. You could even do a multi centre holiday as many people do. Spend a week on one island then head off somewhere else for the second week.

Phi Phi is always worth a visit although it does get very busy in peak season. Its also nice to put some money back into the island after the devastation caused by the tsunami.

I about the weather not be great the time you%26#39;re thinking of going. Early December is good for sunshine and rates are still in the mid range.

Hope this helps

But then again Koh Lanta is on the west side which is pretty wet in September-Check out Koh Tao!

The better places are having honeymoon packages. Everything is on a much smaller scale but there%26#39;s still enough nightlife and especially the average age on the island is younger than Samui.

For easy access to nightlife check out Koh Tao Cabana or Anankhira.

For a special treat charter a sailing yacht for a Champagne sunset or do some diving-Koh Tao has far clearer waters than Samui.

Hi,

September is low season in Samui, but I have been there a few times at that time of year and the weather was fantastic, however I also been there in October and the whole Island was flooded!

If you do decide on Samui then like a previous poster suggested you won%26#39;t go wrong with the Boat House in Chongmeon. IMO best area, beach etc in Samui and only 10mins by car/bike to Chaweng.

hair coloring

Hotel close to Trat Airport????

I have to stay overnight in Trat and would like to stay somewhere close to the ferry doc so I can leave for Koh Chang the next morning - and somewhere cheap! Any suggestions??? Please help!!!!

Hotel close to Trat Airport????

bluebugfreak

here are a couple of suggestions

Ban Jaidee guesthouse

e-mail: maneesita@hotmail.com

tel: 039 520678

Garden home Guesthouse

tel: 039 511141

524572

bkk3

Hotel close to Trat Airport????

I%26#39;ve never stayed here but Basar Garden, 87 Thana Charon Rd, Trat

phone 039 523 247 / 089 903 5127 is worth a look. Near the river.

An old french lady have designed and decorated the place, which is 2 old Thai houses, one is used as cafe, good real coffee, sandwiches, salad, pasta, long and short drinks. The other house is made into 4 rooms, 2 up and 2 down, all with own bath and western toilet,

very very clean, no aircon only fan. Opened earlier this year.

Opposite a well known restaurant Pier 112 - which does excellent food.

**But why %26#39;near Trat Airport%26#39; . . if you%26#39;re flying you wont have to stay the night in Trat - just go straight to KC

Thank you so much! I will definitely be checking these places out!

I also assumed that I had to stay in Trat as well, because I was taking the last flight in. Luckily, per the TripAdvisor suggestions, I was advised of the actual shuttle %26amp; ferry timelines which accomodate the flights coming into Trat. I flew into Trat, got on the airport shuttle which took us to the ferry landing, ferry crossed over, shuttle took me to my hotel. Sure, I checked in late at night, but it was great to get an early start in Ko Chang!

Thank you so so much for telling me this! I assumed that I was S.O.L. because of how late my flight got in (which is only 1730) I would definitely just like to continue to KC!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!

I can vouch for the above post as well. All the hotels send minibuses from Koh chang to meet the flights. You%26#39;ll have no problem getting there. You sound exactly like I was when I went last year.

Trat Is one of the best airports in the world! It%26#39;s all open air and there;s this old guard that salutes you as you get driven past him in a mini road train.

lip stain

river kwai trip from pattaya

is this a possibility, has anybody any info on distance, experiences etc

thanks, lee.

river kwai trip from pattaya

laalee

you are looking at 4 hrs minimum driving from pattaya just to get there. so if you want to do a day trip you won%26#39;t get much of an opportunity to see much. best to take a couple of nights.

bkk3

river kwai trip from pattaya

hello bkk3.

i was thinking of doing an overnight trip, have you been, can you recco any good lively digs and any advice on locations etc

thanks, lee.

any advice for a first timer in phuket?????

Hi everyone,

First of all, I would like to thank everyone for their great tips, stories and advice on Phuket. This forum is fantastic for newbies like myself.

My family ( hubby, 11 year old daughter and myself......15 year old son is staying home....couldn%26#39;t leave the girlfriend behind) are arriving in Phuket on 10 August for two weeks. We are staying at the Seaview Patong Beach and according to all the reviews I have read, it seems to be a nice hotel. I was wondering if anyone here has stayed there and what they thought of it.

Any other great advice you might have would be greatly appreciated also.

any advice for a first timer in phuket?????

Hi jenny

This is our first time in Phuket but not in Thailand and me and hubby are also staying at the Seaview Patong,flying out on the 3rd August.From all the comments I%26#39;ve read on here it sounds just great.Far enough out of the centre of Patong but within easy walking distance. Have been told it takes about 10 -15 mins walking it.Or if you are feeling lazy just get a tuk tuk,I remember what 11 year olds are like walking wise,lol.

Anyway I%26#39;m sure it will be just fine,might even bump into each other.

Chris.

any advice for a first timer in phuket?????

Hi Jenny, we too arrive on the 10thAugust at 9.30am. We might be on the same flights lol.

Kerri

Hi All,

I am also staying at the Seaview hotel for xmas and new year, and have read that it is a lovley hotel. It is situated at the south end of patong beach, which is the nice and quite end of the beach, while if you want the more livelier end of the beach and shops, is only a 5 min walk down the beach road. It is also in an ideal spot, as is not too far from Karon and Kata.

When looking up the hotel, noticed that there are some photos of the hotel, but not that many, so would yous be as kind to take some more photos of the hotel, and post them up on here please, and also do a JBR on your return.

Hope you all enjoy your holiday, and look foward to reading all about it on here.

Just in case yous havent seen the hotel, here is the link to photos and reviews. Have fun... : - )

tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g297930-d315580鈥?/a>

Hi Jenny and welcome to the forum,

Without knowing what type of things your interested in its a little hard to recommend anything but probably the best advice is to have a look at Cathy %26amp; Gary%26#39;s web site

www.cathyandgarystravelpages.com/phuket.htm

Or Ted%26#39;s web site.

http://www.phuketdelight.com/

Both sites will give you a good look at what there is to do then you can ask specific questions of this forum.

Enjoy your researching as its allot of fun and the fellow members on this site love to help out.

Cheers, Pete.

I have to say that Cathys website is informative but then I had an issue with one page on it but that is all in the past now :))

Ted Karmas website is also nicely informative giving a lot of info and very knowledgeable about the northern end of Phuket which I know relatively little about. I know more about the Kata/Karon areas so if you need any input here I will be happy to help.

As for the Seaview Patong hotel many TA members seem to recommend it.

Enjoy your holiday!

Chantal

Sylvania you obviously new to this forum. In defence of Cathy, she has been making very helpful contributions to this and other Phuket forums for a considerable amount of time. As a consequence of the work she and gary have put into these forums, many visitors to Phuket have had an insight of what to expect before arrival.

Their web pages is done I would assume to be both helpful to others and provide a record for themselves of their travels.

No one is forced to read their webpages and there is no benefit to them if you do so.

Some information maybe out of date from time to time, so instead of bagging what is wrong, praise what is right. Send them a PM and I am sure they will correct it.

I get real grumpy when people too lazy to spend time doing adequate research slag off those who try to be a resource.

There are many people in this and other forums who readily give up their valuable time to assist us the traveller have as good a holiday as possible.

I have never met Cathy other than through this forum and I am glad she is part of it. Her relationship with other forums is irrelevant to her input here.

I can only assume that she was asked to be a moderator because of her knowlege and assistance to Phuket visitors and she was replacing a stalwart of local knowledge.

Take Two :

Hi Jenny

As Pete has kindly suggested, you will find loads of information on what to do and see on Cathy%26#39;s fabulous TRAVEL WEB PAGE

www.cathyandgarystravelpages.com/phuket.htm

An HONEST travellers opinion on beautiful Phuket.

Cheers

GGG

Happy

Hi all,

Thanks so much to everyone who has %26#39;answered my call%26#39; , it is very much appreciated.

We are all really looking forward to our first overseas trip together.

Only 10 sleeps to go!!!!!

imperial boathouse

We have just had the most magnificent holiday at the Boathouse.

Little noise on a couple of occasions, but absolutely 5 star service, and our room was magnificent.

Infact the best holiday we have ever had.

We dined on the beach most nights, and had excellent cuisine at a very reasonable price.

imperial boathouse

Glad you enjoyed it. We are going in Feb and have been concerned about the recent building work though it sounds as though it has stopped for now. I look forward to reading your review.

imperial boathouse

Great to hear that you had such a wonderful time. What type of room did you stay in? Looking forward to hearing more about the IBH.

Grand palace, wat pho - independently or on an excursion?

we arrive in bkk late afternoon and leave the hotel for the airport at 2pm the next day. we are going to cram the grand palace and reclining buddha into the morning before we leave. are we better doing this on our own or as part of an organised tour? the tours finish at 1pm and we have a pick up at the hotel arranged for 2pm. would the tour be more likely to get us back late?

Grand palace, wat pho - independently or on an excursion?

Lindos06

you can easily do thid by yourself if you wish. tickets for entry to the grand palace are 250B.

as for possible lateness back to your hotel, that all depends on the traffic.

bkk3

Grand palace, wat pho - independently or on an excursion?

id try it on your own, are you staying by the river?

if you are and you set off early youll do it easily using the express boats (yellow flags) and not have the traffic to worry about. if you cant do it by boat it may turn into a nightmare.

goodluck, lee.

Definitely do it on your own - it is so cheap. Make sure you are dressed appropriately though.

hair ideas

royal cliff terrace

is it ok for children?

royal cliff terrace

I only stay on the main bulding but all the Royal Cliff complex is ok for the children.

royal cliff terrace

yeah the royal cliff terrace is good for kids, i think the terrace rooms have recently been refurbed so you should get value for money.

hotel is really popular with russian and korean tour groups

Any guesthse near / ard bangkapi??

Hi there anybody knw any guesthouse near that area?? any recommendations?? thanks

any good and affordable guest house recommendations??

thank you~!

Any guesthse near / ard bangkapi??

How much do you want to spend?

Hotel prices may be cheaper than you think.

Suk 11 Hostel, on Sukhumvit Road Soi 11 is pretty popular.

Link to Suk 11: http://www.suk11.com/

Sukhumvit Road is a good location, lots of cheap hotels, easy access to the Skytrain, travel agents, restaurants, bars, street vendors and even malls.

Happy trails.

Any guesthse near / ard bangkapi??

Forgot to ask this question - do you have a purpose for staying in the Bangkapi area? That area is sort of away from many tourist digs and also not convenient to the Skytrain service.

Bangkapi is mainly a backpacker here and has a decent nightlife if you want. But the more developed part of bangkok and a better more convenient way to get around bangkok is on sukhumvit road. And suk 11 like mentioned is really good.

lip stain

Hotels offering Free Internet

Which hotels in bkk offer free internet?

I know the Oriental charges THB 6xx for access with MagiNet and helluva a lot at their business center

Thnks

PRdude

Hotels offering Free Internet

Hi

It seems like I have only found budget hotels who offer free wifi

like Bangkok City Suite.

I mean under 800 baht catering to younger crowd

all of the other middle class hotels that i have stayed ,.

with wifi charged for them

some as much as 250 baht per hr.

the best wifi price i found was in a bussiness hotel

King Park Avenue I could buy a 24 hr wifi card for 100 baht.

I always found it funny in the hotel you pay 200 baht an hr go out side to internet cafe and pay 20 baht per hr..

I would hope that 4 and 5 star hotels would include wifi in price but being I am to frugal ';cheap'; i don%26#39;t know

Hotels offering Free Internet

yes, most 4-5 stars do offer wifi, they have to! especially for the price ure paying

bangkok & phuket in 10 days - please help!

i am planning a trip with my bf from nov 8th - 21st. with the time difference, i will arrive in bangkok on the 10th @ 5:00 pm so we will have to stay in bangkok for 5 nights as i would like to allocate 4 full days to sight-see in bangkok. on the 15th, i will take an early morning flight to phuket and then spend 5 nights on surin beach in phuket. i am a little concerned about how much time we will be spending in thailand... i hope it is enough! it%26#39;s a little tough because my bf only has 8 vacation days left to take in the year. are we making a big mistake by spending only 10 days in thailand and skipping chiang mai? below are the prelim details of my trip. please let me know if you have any opinions, tips, or suggestions. thanks in advance!

B A N G K O K

hotel:

best western swana hotel (332 Visuttikasat Road)

our must-sees and to-dos:

grand palace, wat pho, wat phra kaeo, wat arun, ayutthaya, floating market, national museum, chatuchak market, jim thompson%26#39;s house, patpong night market, tour of chao phraya river, thai cooking classes, shopping (esp. for custom tailored suits for my bf)

S U R I N B E A C H ( P H U K E T )

hotel: twin palms phuket resort (106/46 Moo 3, Surin Beach Road)

our must-sees and to-dos:

koh phi phi island, phang nga bay %26amp; james bond island, elephant trekking, spa treatment, koh samui, patong beach, phuket town, kata beach, karon beach, krabi, coral island

bangkok %26amp; phuket in 10 days - please help!

Are you planning to sleep too or does sleep have to wait, till you are back in New York???

bangkok %26amp; phuket in 10 days - please help!

no we plan on sleeping!

am i being way to ambitious to do all that in 10 days??

my bf and i are in our 20s so we have a lot of energy. for example, when we went to puerto rico, we stayed for 3 nights, 4 days, we toured old san juan, el morro, drove out to fajardo, walked through the rain forest, kayaked to bioluminescent bay, went out on a camaran, snorkeled, jet skiied,enjoyed our hotel and in isla verde, and still managed to get a decent night%26#39;s sleep!

i%26#39;m thinking ending our trip in thailand with the beach is a great way to unwind after the bangkok portion of our trip...

Hi,

Wow that is an awful lot to do in 10 days. I have been to Thailand 10 times and haven%26#39;t fitted that much in during that whole time!!.

Maybe you will be better off postponing til your other half as more vacation days to take.

Otherwise i would suggest you go over your plans again and determine which of the things you would get by with not seeing (if that makes sense!?!)

Phuket, you will get to see most of your to-do%26#39;s if you jam pack your days. I don%26#39;t think you get to see Koh Samui in the time span you have. You would need to book a flight from Phuket to Samui and I just don%26#39;t see the point in that. Forget going by car, it will take at least 5/6 hours inc ferry.

Krabi as well is just a small town, the tourist areas like ao nang, railay etc are all worth visiting but not in the time frame you have.

My personal opinion, I would do as much as I was comfortble in doing, it is an holiday (vacation) afterall. You don%26#39;t want to exhaust yourselves as you won%26#39;t enjoy it as much.

It will give you an excuse to go back :)

anyway, hope this helps and good luck with whatever you decide on!

Need restaurants sugestions

Hello! Does anyone knows some nice and cheap restaurants to recommend us to visit during our stay in Bangkok?

We prefer mostly Thai, Indian, Seafood and Chinese.

Thanks!

Need restaurants sugestions

Hi Kiks,

My favorite Chinese restaurant is on 5th floor inside Emporium Department Store at Phrom Phong BTS. It鈥檚 the Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao. Their chicken stir-fried with cashew nuts is the one I love most. It costs 180-240 Baht per dish.

What I don鈥檛 like is I have to buy a ticket like in a food court.

land

Need restaurants sugestions

street food is the best for thai food!

I agree that street foods are good Thai foods, but I often eat in the food courts in BigC.

With air con, free cold water, free rest room and the same prices with those on the streets on Sukhumvit Rd, you can%26#39;t beat it.

Also the food court in Central Chitlom (not Food Loft) has good prices.

Hello :

I like the MBK food court on the 4th floor I think. It serves

all Thai%26#39;s dishes at a reasonable price 80baht . There is also

a Sushi Japanese restaurant on the same floor.

Locals eat here and work in MBK. get off BTS national stadium.

We went to Harmonique twice which is on the lane leading from the Wat Muang Kae boat pier.

It was full of tourists but didn%26#39;t feel horribly touristy if that makes sense?

It%26#39;s a setting in a series of converted shops in the courtyards, decorated with antiques and nick nacks.

Food never cost us more than 15 euro for an awful lot of food. We had a platter once and was an excellent introduction to Thai food for first timers as we were then.

For a cheap and lovely Thai food, we tried Soi Polo - famous for their fried chicken. We had a whole chicken served with flakes of fried garlic on top, very yummy. We are a family of 4 and only cost us 280B for lunch. Off Wireless Rd - in a lane called Soi Polo Polo, most taxis know it. We ate in the open air part although they have a/c dining as well. Very basic but so lovely. I wish I knew what other thais were ordering as all the food looked great as well.

thank you everybody for your suggestions, for sure i will try to go to the places you recommend me. About the street food i am not so sure because i have heard that you might have stomach problems.

do try the street food, at least once. I guarantee u wont be disaapointed!

i agree youve got to try the street food. one simple rule---

join the longest queue of locals, they know if its good.

lee.

Ordinary bed sheets

getting around thailand

hi, we are going to thailand in september starting with bangkok for a couple of nights. we want to then go on to ko samui, what are the cheapest airlines from bangkok to ko samui? and are they easy enough to book?

also we wouldnt mind going to krabi and phi phi. what would be the easiest way to get here from ko samui?

any advice would be great

thanks

getting around thailand

Hi,

OK, the only airline that flies in to Samui is Bangkok Airways www.bangkokair.com. Very easy to use their site never had a problem booking a flight months in advance from UK or night before in Thailand. Great airline too.

I know that Bangkok Air used to fly Samui to Krabi but they have suspended this sometime last year. No other airlines have this route. You can however fly from Samui to Phuket and make your way to Koh Phi Phi and Krabi from there. Or you could get a VIP bus to Krabi via the ferry. Takes about 4/5 hours.

Hope this helps.

getting around thailand

thanks Sonchai,

is there no other way of getting to krabi and phi phi?

dont really fancy traveling for 5 hours

Hi,

You could fly to phuket from samui but if you wanted to stay in the Ao Nang area of Krabi it will still take an 2 hours to get there from Phuket Airport.

Overland will take a while has you have to get on the ferry and then drive (I think) 300 kms to Krabi.

Whichever way you choose it will involve at least half day travelling!

Apologies I can%26#39;t help anymore!

thanks for the advice cheers

What to do

What is there to do in this city?

What to do

Well,

I suppose it it like most cities where you can do just about anything you want but a hell of lot cheaper than in Aust and the US etc.

I really enjoy the golf as you might have guessed. It is hot and humid but the courses are excellent.

Get to know the locals and expats and you will have a great time.

yes, there is a ';naughty'; side howvever you will find nearly all places are very friendly and treat you with respect.

There%26#39;s nightclubs for tourists and locals and excellent hotels.

The food is excellent and cheap. Try a bit of everything.

Great sightseeing too.

Have a great holiday

regards

Niko

What to do

get laid?

most people find time for a beer or two as well.

First find a place close enough to popular tourist haunts so that you can walk to many things. I would avoid a hotel on Sukhumvit Road (Pattaya) because you will be far away from most things.

Map of Pattaya: maps-guide.org/thailand/pattaya/south-map.htm

There are lots of travel agencies with a menu list of tours that you may be interested in. Prices are pretty reasonable, they pick you up at your hotel and return you there when the tour is finished.

Link to things to do in Pattaya: http://www.excelloz.com/Travel_guide/Pattaya/What_to_Do_(Attractions_%26amp;_Activities).html

Pattaya has a pretty good beach for sunning your self but most Europeans swim in nearby Jomtien. Many hotels do have swimming pools, even some of the cheaper places.

Pattaya has some very modern malls with lots of stores. There are lots of street vendors and small shops available too!

Transportation is cheap (10 baht) for foreigners when you use the baht buses. Hotels, restaurants, even current release movies are cheap.

What you do is up to you. Yes, there are lots of bars - but you can avoid them or ignore them. If you are male, female or traveling in a family group you can find something of interest in Pattaya!

Good luck.

pattaya has everything for everyone,

my only tip is to stay a little distance from the main areas incase it all becomes a little too much.

lee