Help/advice/ideas needed for our Thailand trip please!!!!!!

Desperate help needed in planning a reunion trip in Thailand for me and my best mates - but I don't know how to go about it!!

15 years ago, February 15th 2009 No: 1 Msg: #63168 Delete Edit

manidhillon
Mani Dhillon

B Posts: 3

Hello everyone!!!

Myself and three friends from uni are looking to travel to thailand and we're so excited!!! We're going from 28th August 09 to 20th September 09 so we have 3 weeks to do and see as much as possible!!

The other 3 are very lazy, and I have been designated the holiday planner!! im feeling the pressure, cos ive never really planned a holiday on this scale, no nothing of thailand, and really want me and my mates to experience as much as possible.

There is a wealth of information available but I'm feeling totally out of my depth and overwhelmed so was looking for some help.

Areas we want to cover are:

Bangkok (including the main sites and meeting people around Khao San road)
Chang Mai (we really want to do a three day trek)
Party islands (we want to attend the full moon party which we think is happenin on 4th sept).

This means we arrive in Bangkok, then maybe head south to Hat Rin for full moon, then head north for chang mai.. but this sounds like a really inefficient way of covering where we want to go (a lot of travelling backwards and fowards)..

I was hoping you guys could give me tips on a possible itinerary for our trip, how long we need in each place, and most importantly, other things to do which are a must!!

Other items of the top of my head to see are (but not sure where they are and how to fit them in to the basic trip described above):

kwai river bridge
phang nga bay
weekend market in bangkok? (apparantly the biggest market in the world?)
the floating market
patpong (don't ask why but apparantly every1 tells me that most ppl who have visited thailand have been to a live sex show and is just something u have see - sounds nasty!)
grand palace
reclining buddha
phuket
ko phi phi (not sure what is there, but might as well go)

Anyway, I'm struggling to come up with an idea of how to fit this in, what to do in what order and whether there are other must-see items ive missed..

guys, please help!!! Reply to this

15 years ago, February 16th 2009 No: 2 Msg: #63209 Delete Edit

deleted_49612
deleted_49612

D Posts: 24.6K

Hello Mani 😊

but this sounds like a really inefficient way of covering where we want to go (a lot of travelling backwards and fowards)..

What you could do is stay in the South of Thailand for 1.5 weeks and then spend the other 1.5 in the North. I personally would spend all the 3 weeks in the South so you will have plenty of time to relax. There is plenty to see down there and one gets lazy on those tropical islands and wants to stay longer.

One thing you shoud keep in mind is that you will be travelling during the rainy season. Sometimes the boats to the islands dont go if the sea gets too rough, which it sometimes does during the rainy season. If you find you cant get on to Koh Pha Ngan for the full moon party, you are not far from Khao Sok and Phukett so you could have those in mind as back up. You can get onto Phukett during the rainy season all the time because it is connected to the mainland with a bridge.

As for trying to fit things in, dont try to do too much. Be sure to spend at least 3 nights in everyplace you stop. That might involve picking and choosing the things you most want to do.

You might find the Lonely Planet guide to Thailand a worthwhile purchase. As well as all kinds of practical information about travelling in Thailand, it has suggested itineries. It is available in most bookshops around the world and on the internet for aound 35 Euros.

Mel
Reply to this

15 years ago, February 16th 2009 No: 3 Msg: #63217 Delete Edit

enroutetooz
Kersten and Sven

B Posts: 1

Not to put down Mel's advice but definitely go to the North, was my favourite place. We spent 8 weeks in Thailand 2 years ago, Chang Mai was one of the highlights. It is quieter but really worth seeing and I particularly enjoyed doing a Thai cookery course (all my friends are totally grateful now as they love it when I cook!). We did this with the Chang Mai Thai Cookery School (Sompon Nabnian is the owner and it was brilliant). We also went to an elephant conservation park and got to bathe the elephants in the river etc. Death railway and Kanchanaburi is interesting but the town itself is very quiet and not much happening. The prolem with travelling in Thailand is that mostly you have to go through Bangkok to get anywhere which wastes a lot of time so factor this in when planning your route. Sorry to say the islands really disappointed me, but I am a bit older and so not really into the full moon rave thing. I have also travelled to the Maldives which I think are among the most beautiful islands in the world so probably spoilt it for myself there! However the people in Thailand are great, really friendly and it is one of my favourite places we visited on a 7 month round the world trip. Good luck and enjoy yourselves! By the way Patpong is probably not that worth visiting unless you want to buy overpriced counterfeit gear or get ripped off in a strip bar. For markets it is much better to go to the Chatuchak market which is the weekend market, and also the floating market is definately worth a visit, it is iconic Thailand.

Have a great time

Kersten Reply to this

15 years ago, February 16th 2009 No: 4 Msg: #63219 Delete Edit

deleted_49612
deleted_49612

D Posts: 24.6K

Not to put down Mel's advice but definitely go to the North,

Yeah, or the North. What I mean is, dont try to go to more places that you comfortably can in the time you have.

Reply to this

15 years ago, February 16th 2009 No: 5 Msg: #63251 Delete Edit

manidhillon
Mani Dhillon

B Posts: 3

awesome guys - thanks for the responses - definitely given me some things to think about... looks like this is going to take some planning!! Reply to this

15 years ago, February 17th 2009 No: 6 Msg: #63277 Delete Edit

Massey08
Rick Massey

B Posts: 24

Last time I went Thailand, I did everywhere apart from Chang Mai. My favourite places were definetly the "party islands." Koh Samui is amazing, the beaches, scenery and nightlife is too good to true! The Full Moon Party on Koh Phagnan is definetly worth going to. You wont see anything like it again I imagine. It is difficult to get decent accomodation though so if you are thinking off going, try and get there a few days earlier. As I found that to be a problem last time I went.

I am going again in May for 4 months and Chang Mai is definetly a place I will be going to then. Everyone says its much quieter but the elephant/jungle trekking. The chance to go Tubing and even the cookery classes are off interest! I just suppose its what you want to do really. I hear its quite a treck from Bangkok to Chang Mai - I might be wrong?? My mate I am going to, loves Chang Mai and only has good things to say. He enjoys the islands just as much but like I said before - different places = different times.

15 days in both might be a good idea. But staying in Bangkok is fantastic too. I had such a good time on Khao San Road in my few stays there. Meeting the locals and the fellow travellers made the place for me. Like I said, just think what you really want to do!! Reply to this

15 years ago, February 17th 2009 No: 7 Msg: #63294 Delete Edit

deleted_49612
deleted_49612

D Posts: 24.6K

Try to spend a few days at the Khao San Road, at the end of your trip. You will see so many travellers that you met in the various parts of Thailand walking down the street there. It is fun to have a drink at the end of a trip with the people you met while travelling around. Reply to this

15 years ago, February 17th 2009 No: 8 Msg: #63332 Delete Edit

ajbetts
Alan Betts

B Posts: 18

do koh phi phi my favourite island by far...only takes a day to travel from koh phangan to it, and is so worth it! and bare in mind you can fly cheaply from phuket off the coast from koh phi phi up to chiang mai very cheaply if u book in advance through air asia (google them), i should be there sales rep for the amount of times i mention them!

I do agree with both arguments, the north is very nice for trekking, waterfalls, tribal bits, elephant riding! while the southern islands are all about relaxing, sunbathing, kayaking, fireshows and lots of drinking from buckets (usually filled with jim bean and coke!) so its whatever type of holiday u want! I did the north and south and think i saw enough in about 3 weeks so you should be fine if u wanted to do this. Reply to this

15 years ago, March 1st 2009 No: 9 Msg: #64430 Delete Edit

manidhillon
Mani Dhillon

B Posts: 3

Hey guys... thanks for all your responses to date... ive done some more research and have started to formulate a plan in my head:

Fly london to bkk on 28 aug, arrive sat 3.30pm
Spend sat arranging accomodation in bkk and touring around.
Spend sunday touring around bkk.
Monday, more bkk touring and then catch sleeper train (Express Special Diesel #39) to surat thani.
Tuesday: boat over to ko samui or ko phang nga (not sure which island to stay on for full moon party - any ideas??).
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursay/Friday is full moon party time and checking out samui/phang nga.

Saturday 5th - somehow get over to phang nga bay (suggestions please!) because this area look stunning. Then while we're here, maybe check out krabi and phuket... not sure about which one to go for or both? suggestions please? and is it easy to travel between these areas?

Probably by about Tuesday, head from Phuket I think back to bangkok (maybe day train) and spend the night in bkk again.

Then this is the bit im not sure about.

Is is worth going to kanchanaburi? Was thinkin on the wednesday of heading here, see the bridge/museum and whatever else there is to see here.

Probably by about friday 11th - think about heading to chiang mai somehow. probably via bkk again as dont think trains go from kanchanaburi.

Hopefully get to chiang mai by about sunday 13th latest.

then do whatever there is to here (ideas would be good).. were all quite active so were looking to things like trekking/camping/rafting etc...??

then we just have to make sure we're back by about midnight sunday 20th in bkk for the flight home :o(

this is the general plan, but its looks quite packed/unrealistic?

maybe we could cut out kanchanaburi to simplify things perhaps...

what do you reckon guys???!?!

thanks for everything so far...!! Reply to this

15 years ago, March 5th 2009 No: 10 Msg: #64884 Delete Edit

deleted_49612
deleted_49612

D Posts: 24.6K

Tuesday: boat over to ko samui or ko phang nga (not sure which island to stay on for full moon party - any ideas??).

Koh Pha Ngan is the one that most people spend the full moon party on. Accomodation will get more expensive and will often be booked up for a few days before the full moon party. So try to pre book something on the internet. Dont book by phone or email. Stay at someplace a bit away from the party, because it would be more secure. Rooms near the party often get broken into at this time. There are plenty of taxi services so you will be able to get to the party.

Is is worth going to kanchanaburi? Was thinkin on the wednesday of heading here, see the bridge/museum and whatever else there is to see here.

I think it is, if you have time and especially if you are interested in WW2 history. If you are short of time, then skip it until next trip to Thailand.

then we just have to make sure we're back by about midnight sunday 20th in bkk for the flight home :o(

Leave a margin of error. Trains are often late in Thailand.

Reply to this

Welcome to the Travel Forums

Help/advice/ideas needed for our Thailand trip please!!!!!!