Good hostel to meet ppl in Bangkok?

minimaire

Heya

I am travelling to South East Asia solo in January and will be staying in Bangkok for 3 nights. Can anyone recommend a nice hostel to stay in where I might be able to meet some sound ppl?

Cheers
Mary

InKonspikuou2

None.

Better chance at meeting people in bars if you can force yourself to head out drinking alone. South East Asia doesn't seem to have good hostels/hotels geared towards a social atmosphere. Not that i came across anyways.

minimaire

Oh that's pretty disappointing But thanks for being honest

S.M.B.

The only place I stayed in Bangkok that had a common room was Suk 11. However, this place is a good distance away from Kho San Road where the majority of backpackers will be staying.

macca1983

Book a bus down to the islands or up North. You will get chatting to someone on the bus. Get involved in scuba diving on one of the islands maybe or else go on a jungle trek up north. Just get involved in activities ASAP - otherwise you will just be alone freaking out. Have a plan for when you get there is my best advice.

dory

Thailand really isn't the place to make friends. It's like going to Gran Canaria on your own. People are there with their friends for a bit of fun and don't seem that interested in hearing your war stories. Pop down to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, over West somewhere if you want to meet people.

I did meet a few people on the islands if I did scuba diving and up north while trekking. But in Bangkok you really have to talk to people in bars. Thailand is more of a holiday destination rather than travelling.

macca1983

dory wrote: »

Thailand really isn't the place to make friends. It's like going to Gran Canaria on your own. People are there with their friends for a bit of fun and don't seem that interested in hearing your war stories. Pop down to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, over West somewhere if you want to meet people.

I did meet a few people on the islands if I did scuba diving and up north while trekking. But in Bangkok you really have to talk to people in bars. Thailand is more of a holiday destination rather than travelling.

Funny you should say that as i've never met anyone else that agreed with me on that one!

whatisayis

I have a friend who is travelling solo at the moment in Thailand. So far he hasn't met anyone in the hostels he is staying in but has met them in Kho San Road in Bangkok. I have always found when travelling if you want to meet other travellers, go to an Irish bar. My friend met an Australian and a German in one in Bangkok and the three of them went to Chiang Mai together.

Another place you will meet people is on the train/bus. All you have to do is ask someone where they are going and you have a conversation started.
The place he is staying in at the moment is 300 baht per night - just a basic, clean room 5 minutes from Kao San Road. What kind of budget are you on?

By the way, he had never been to Asia before and said arriving in Bangkok is a complete culture shock. He initially didn't stay anywhere near Kho San Road because he thought it would be too touristy but changed his mind because it is the place where you are going to meet people.
I will ask him to recommend an area near Kao San Road that might suit you.

whatisayis

macca1983 wrote: »

Book a bus down to the islands or up North. You will get chatting to someone on the bus. Get involved in scuba diving on one of the islands maybe or else go on a jungle trek up north. Just get involved in activities ASAP - otherwise you will just be alone freaking out. Have a plan for when you get there is my best advice.

Very good advice! Just don't have your plan set in stone i.e. have an idea where you want to go, where you want to stay etc but don't book too far in advance - you never know who you are going to meet etc. I would definitely book your first two nights at least just so you have a place to stay on arrival. Nothing worse than wandering around for hours trying to find a place after a long flight.

Also, Trip Advisor and other similar sites can be really hit and miss - places that get great recommendations can be absolute dives! I stayed in a hotel in Genoa a few years ago that had great recommendations but it turned out to be filthy and in a terrible area. Always read the bad reviews!

dory

macca1983 wrote: »

Funny you should say that as i've never met anyone else that agreed with me on that one!

Well were the people who disagreed with you travelling with 4 friends they'd known since childhood or were they genuinely on the lookout for other people and couldn't find them?

Could also depend on time of the year. August in Thailand you might as well be in Costa Del Sol.

InKonspikuou2

Another one would be to go do the tubing in Laos. Meet loads of people on that who generally head back down to Thailand. And get email addresses of people you meet. Facebook is a powerful tool while traveling solo.

macca1983

dory wrote: »

Well were the people who disagreed with you travelling with 4 friends they'd known since childhood or were they genuinely on the lookout for other people and couldn't find them?

Could also depend on time of the year. August in Thailand you might as well be in Costa Del Sol.

Huh? Lost?

Mr Yellow

Thailand will be busy in Jan, its high season!

Khao San is prob your best bet. Dont be fretting - strolling around the stalls during the day & sopping off to eat, u should meet other travellers if you are social yet independent.

Been thru asia & lived on a thai island for a bit, did it solo, best bet!!

If u wana meet Irish (or whatever your nationality) you will.... Spot the county jersey!!

minimaire

Guys thanks so much for all your helpful advice and insights. I'm new to this forum lark and no idea you had all responded!!!

I'm quite nervous about heading off on my tod but none of my mates could come when it suited me to go. But I also think in a way it could be a good thing as well, bit of a challenge you know! I am quite sociable and friendly and think i'm jsut going to have to bite the bullet and approach ppl if i want to meet some fellow Irish ppl or other nationalities!

I'll be in S.E Asia for 6 weeks and intend to stay in B'kok for three nights and then head to Phuket & islands round there for around a week and half and then i'll fly to Chang Mai and then from there go to Laos and then into nothern Vietnam and then make my way down south and pop over to Siem Reap to see Ankor Wat and fly to Oz from Bangkok. Does that sound okay?

Amazotheamazing

Well this thread has me worried as I'm in the same boat as the OP, probably arriving slightly later though, end of Jan. Let us know how you get on.

Owen

Stay in the Kho San Palace on the Kho San Road. Its right across from the bars on the street, and the Hostel usually has dozens staying there. There's a swimming pool in there, and all the rooms have TV. About 11 euro a night IIRC.

Mr Yellow

minimaire wrote: »

Guys thanks so much for all your helpful advice and insights. I'm new to this forum lark and no idea you had all responded!!!

I'm quite nervous about heading off on my tod but none of my mates could come when it suited me to go. But I also think in a way it could be a good thing as well, bit of a challenge you know! I am quite sociable and friendly and think i'm jsut going to have to bite the bullet and approach ppl if i want to meet some fellow Irish ppl or other nationalities!

I'll be in S.E Asia for 6 weeks and intend to stay in B'kok for three nights and then head to Phuket & islands round there for around a week and half and then i'll fly to Chang Mai and then from there go to Laos and then into nothern Vietnam and then make my way down south and pop over to Siem Reap to see Ankor Wat and fly to Oz from Bangkok. Does that sound okay?

Doing something like that is a big step but you'll be a better person for it, trust me. I was passing thru Bangkok this time last year & ended up travelling with a group of randomners for a month or so, or should i say they were travelling with me!!

Plan sounds fine, just have an idea of where u wanna go, like the one u have, take it as it comes. Hard plans are a waste in my opinion, as u may end up meeting a person or group & want to travel with them & cant!

I agree with Paint Doc - Khao San Palace is a good bet if your new to it. Its half way down the Khao San. Rooms vary in price but around 400baht upwards & its all gravy...:D

Owen

Don't do what I did anyway. I went to the pub across the road, the shamrock bar, got in at 12.45, last call was 1. Ordered up a whiskey bucket (Coal bucket fulll of whiskey and coke), last call flashed, and I got told either drink it all, or leave it. So I did the sensible thing. Don't remember much after that, but I woke up the next morning, with half a molar missing, all the skin gone off my left knee, and a huge tattoo covering my left calf.

Friends who were less drunk said that 3am, I was cleaning the carbuerttor for a tuktuk driver who couldn't get it to start, and when I gave him a push start to check it, it took off, I fell forward, skinned the knee, and broke the tooth. After that, I ended up inside the tattoo studio under the shamrock bar in the back by the toilets getting inked by a guy who looked like sloth from the goonies. Savage holiday

Mr Yellow

PaintDoctor wrote: »

Don't do what I did anyway. I went to the pub across the road, the shamrock bar, got in at 12.45, last call was 1. Ordered up a whiskey bucket (Coal bucket fulll of whiskey and coke), last call flashed, and I got told either drink it all, or leave it. So I did the sensible thing. Don't remember much after that, but I woke up the next morning, with half a molar missing, all the skin gone off my left knee, and a huge tattoo covering my left calf.

Friends who were less drunk said that 3am, I was cleaning the carbuerttor for a tuktuk driver who couldn't get it to start, and when I gave him a push start to check it, it took off, I fell forward, skinned the knee, and broke the tooth. After that, I ended up inside the tattoo studio under the shamrock bar in the back by the toilets getting inked by a guy who looked like sloth from the goonies. Savage holiday

Quality story Paint Doc. I thought they allow u to drink ther once the alcohol gets put in a paper cup, so its just a late opening 'cafe'?? I always got away with it, but maybe they are so used of me being there hahaa/ Actually - once in a while the cops get odd & make them close on time.

Also got a few mad stories - 1 story i can mention here - went on a right session there one night, drank with a lot of random people & some irish (i normally avoid the irish when away...My view of Travelling!). That was fine... About 3 or 4 months later i was at a buddies appartment in melbourne boozed again, housemates of my buddy had a lot of people over for a session too, alot of these people were like 'so how were u after that all night seeion in BKK'....needless to say i never saw em before, bar once chicko i remember her face!!

So did the tuk tuk live? Should change your name to TukTukDoc haha

Owen

lol, mad story Mr Y - I think they're the best memories you bring back from holidays far away, the wild sessions, the coincidences, and the great people you meet. Most people so far away are out to chill, and end up being genuinely friendly.

The tuktuk did indeed live! Mighty little things, I'd love to have one here for the hell of it. Ended up when we go to Patong in Phuket playing with a band most nights called the Thairish band. Great fun getting to rock out on guitar, and then found a bar called Scruffy Murphys where an Irish guy called Neil from a band called the Big Gerainiums let me play Violin with him on a few songs too. Dammit, wanna go back now.

Mr Yellow

Hell ya, you are sentence perfect - 'the wild sessions, the coincidences, and the great people you meet'.
I saw someplace in car fair or something where a company was offering to ship tuktuks, prob in Oz tho, surely not in this country!!

People travelling are typically so horizontally laid back, & most people do just let go. I miss that sh*t so much...

Might move back to thailand after Xmas if the misery here continues!

minimaire

Guys

Thanks for all the tips, I'll look up that Palace place. I'm loving my new little support network.. so much so that I think ye should all come along with me and that way then I wont be going on this site from Thailand asking for all your help!!i'd be totally grand!!

Paint Doctor your story made me burst out laughing, i think i should maybe steer clear of those whiskey buckets!!;)

I hope you all have a deadly w/e.
Cheers,
Mary

Owen

Don't freaking tempt me Mary. Make sure when you get to Thailand that you take a boat out to the Phi Phi islands. They're basically paradise - where The Beach was filmed, and James Bond too. You'll love it out there.

Frisbee

D+D Inn was a great place to meet people I thought, Has a good party atmosphere.

Gillington

Frisbee wrote: »

D+D Inn was a great place to meet people I thought, Has a good party atmosphere.

Yeah D+D inn was good for meeting people,mainly 20-35ish crowd,you get a free breakfast until 11am(I think) so everyone who can get up by that time goes down so plenty of chances for chatting etc.Also the pool on the roof is open til about midnight I think,alot of people bring drink up and mingle etc.Shamrock Bar and the one across across the road,think its calle The Rooftop are also good for live music and meeting people but the best way I thought was the Roadside bars,bars with little tiny childs seats with a makeshift bar with a gazebo thingy above your head,cheaper drink so there'll be alot of people there,enjoy,I'm not jealous or anything!:(

minimaire

Thanks guys, i'm still not getting the hang of this site, i thought i'd get notifications when ppl responded to my thread but obviously not coz i didnt know ye had responded!!

Gillington, i'll search out those bars, they sound cool. I'll toast a drink to you when I'm there! Cheers, Mary x