Thailand

I am meeting my brother in Thailand next April, he hasn't really travelled before, so hoping to make this a great experience for him. We only have 2 weeks, hoping to spend only a day in Bangkok, then head to an island, where he can go diving, and I can either snorkel or just hang about.

Any suggestions, must sees, avoid at all costs or advice appreciated

If it's his first time really travellling, and you have 2 weeks, here's my advise

Stay a night in Bangkok onn Koh San Road. It's backpacker central, but is worth checking out for a night. Best place to stay (I think) is not on Koh San Road itself (as the bars are noisey until 3am and you can't sleep at all) ... go to the NON BK end of Koh San Road, ansd walk diagonaly accross road, and walk down the street which is diagnolly opposite Koh San Road. After the first hard left turn there are some cheapish and nicer guesthouses down the side roads.

Go to Ayutaya (the old capital) for a night. It's only 90 minutes from Bangkok, and is worth checking out for teh old temples and laid back vibe.

Back to Bangkok and catch a night train or night bus South. The train is easier to sleep on, but teh bus takes you direct to Surrat Tani (where you catch the boats to teh islands). Because rthis is the first time for your bro in Thailand, mayube stay on Koh Samui. Itä's more commmercial and touristy, but that will probably be good for him.

Try catch the full moon party on Koh Phangang if it's on. Catch a boat to Koh Tao one day and go snorekking. Best in Thailand.

Finally, book a flight and fly back to Bangkok from Koh Samui.

BKーBurger King

Avoid Phuket! Koh Samui, Koh Phangang and Koh Tao are the best. Koh Phi Phi is nice but expensive (and on the other side of the mainland close to Phuket). Koh Phangang is the cheapest, but doesn't have as much shopping etc as Koh Samui.

Book ALL your accommodation after you arrive. Don't believe anyone who tells you accommodation is all booked out ... unless you book with them. Just catch your bus/train and look for somewhere to stay when you arrrive. You'll pay more pre booking it with travel agents.

You shouldn't pay any more than 50% of the initial price people ask for when shopping

ie: If they say 1000B you should aim to pay no more than 500B tops. If you're a good bargaineer you might even get them down to 300B

I can agree with all of that going up to Ayutaya (sp) is awesome, and good fun. Remind me and I can find out the name of the awesome guesthouse that we stayed in whilst there.

Awesome Thanks.
If we were after more of a quieter- mostly diving/snorkelling relaxing holiday, rather than party and shopping- would your advise still be similar or are there better options?

S- was it you guys that had the lonely planet or other such cool info books I can borrow??

Try Koh Lanta.

or check this thread in mid august, I'm visiting Koh Samui, Krabi, Koh Lanta, and spending about a month on Phi Phi.

Like itchy said - avoid Phuket.

Phi Phi is expensive in high season, which is nearing its end when you are going in April. From what I understand, Koh Lanta is pretty quiet, not so much a party place as a chill out relax place.

Hes bang on about accom. book your first night before you get there if you are arriving late, then book the rest after you get to the island.

Phi Phi can be as noisy as you want, or as quiet.

Koh Tao is the best place to go diving/snorkelling. It's the smallest Island on the Western side (after Koh Samui and Koh Phangang). If you're more into the chilling and snrokelling thing that'd be the place to go. The advantage over Koh Phi Phi is it's a lot cheaper ... but if you're only there for 2 weeks I guess how much you spend isn't gonna be hugely different.

Koh Ngai/Hai !!!!!!!!! 4 hotels/resorts, white sand beaches, surrounded by a a coral reef. The best place I was at during my whole trip. Shits all over phi phi and koh lanta.

look here http://www.kohhai.com/


Koh Lanta is nice too. Narima Resort is great.

dont stay in khao san, just walk the road once and leave.

oh and screw buses and trains. Since you only have two weeks --- fly!! www.airasia.com

dress up and go to the moon bar at vurtigo in the banyan tree hotel in bangkok. 62 floors up - open air bar - pricey but views are unreal. Stay away from the hole that is khao san.

Cool! Thanks Assid. Heh my brother is a real country boy, (from small town Whiti) so will probably be the tallest building he has been in! Haha. Hoping to expand his mind a little, so that sounds perfect.

Did you guys manage to find a place? Are you even in London yet>

yup - in london for last 2 weeks and we have a temp place with friends until everything sorted jobwise.

Looks fucking cool!

We're off to Thailand in October...hoping to head up to Chiang Mai and go to the elephant farm, then down to the islands! Bring it!

^^^ That was me...image should be...

hey guys holla @ martin (at) assid.co.nz
keepin touch

peace xxx

here's the wave missing in the last port :o)

ok - I give up with a bung biggie

so I've been here since july 2nd. here till August 15th still

Did Samui (crap) Koh Pangyuam (cant spell it) and Koh tao.. night in Phuket now on Koh phi phi.

phi phi rules. no hookers. no motorbikes, cars and f'all pollution. GREAT diving (have done my adv. course and am half way thru my rescue diver too) the rock climbing is pretty nice, the bars are good, and today it was 34 degrees.

Bangkok is a stinky shit hole

What were your thoughts/experiences of Ko Tao, thinking this is more than likely where we will head
Pleased to hear you are having a great time.

3 days to kill in Bangkok - any tips? advice? where I should stay the hell away from?

I'll be travelling on my own - so as much advice about how to keep safe, and where an ok hotel to stay in and any travel tips would be awesome!

Anyone done ho chi minh to bangkok overland?

Really liked Koh Tao. The diving is pretty epic, and there are a few whale sharks around at the moment. I haven't seen one yet tho, only a couple of Leopard Sharks.

If I was to spend more time up over that way, i'd stay on Koh Tao for sure, over Samui etc.

Check out Lotus Bar - they have a great fireshow, and all along the beach are primo restaurants and bars.
Its really set up for diving, and we dived every day we were there.

yeah, go hard and have a blast up there, easy as to get a ferry from the mainland plus easy to get to koh pangyahm as well.

bangkok hotel, right out to the skytrain so its easy to get around. can be expensive but worth every cent.

http://www.siamatsiam.com/

Has anyone done the fight from Bangkok to Ko Samui? I dont have much time and am looking to fly that route as cheaply as possible. Are there any other carriers apart from Bangkok airways and Thai airways? Thanks.

Hey dude, I have a funny feeling they might have a monopoly on it ... but try airasia.com They'd be your best bet.

If you don't book a flight the easiest way to get there is on a bus, which'll take you direct to Surat Thani where you catch the boat from. A sleeper bus, plus your boat ticket is cheap ... $15/20NZD I think

I think only Thai or Air Asia fly that route. I flew with Thai...

would rather do that, than bus down.. which will be a 12 hour trip I think.

Boat is sweet as...

ps - been in Thailand since July 2nd.. trip finally comes to an end next week. Now a qualified Rescue Diver!

Try the train if you can - book in advance of course, by at least 3 weeks in peak season, but it's a total pick 'n mix on those buses, some of which are really rough even though they try to say otherwise. I had a ride form hell on that route, they're unscrupulous.

Hey thanks for the tips guys. Airasia only flys to Surat Thani so if I did that I would have to get a ferry over.
I was given a company which does a luxury coach/ferry option www.lomprayah.com I will prob use them for one of the legs.
I dont suppose anyone knows if the Bangkok airport has storage lockers? I have a laptop but dont want to take it down to the islands with me. I wonder if I hand it into lost and found I could pick it up a week later or even get one of the hostels in Bangkok to store it for me.

Yeah, pretty sure the airport in Bangkok has stored luggage facilities. If you can get a cheap flight to Surat Thani that´d probably be the quickest way there. But yeah, bus and boat would be cheaper