Thailand????

Tracey88

Going to Thailand in January 2012 for 6 weeks. Any tips on where to go and where not to go? Things to do and not to do? Hotels? Any help would be appreciated

gustafo

Do a search lot have been writen about thailand here.

Also check here http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forum.jspa?forumID=51

jadie

hi I am planning on flying to Bangkok next Jan myself, finding the flights v. expensive at the moment, do you mind me asking how much you paid for your flight and who you booked it with? thanks

Tracey88

I got flights for €720 return thats the best I've found so far, it was on travelpaths.ie . Hope that helps

Thanks ill have a look at the lonely planet website

MobileUser

Just use Bangkok as a hub, try not stay too long there. Make sure if you're taking taxis to go on the meter. I'd recommend a few days in Kan Chanaburi, its about 3 hours from Bangkok and is on the River Kwai, nice vibe and plenty of guesthouses. If you want the backpacker/travel buzz, stay out of the resorts like Phuket. I stayed on Koh Chang, not far from the Cambodia border which had a nice laidback atmosphere and a nice mix of Thai tourists and "ferang"

Pixie001

Re Bangkok - everyone told me not to spend too long there, so I was only there for 2 days - personally I really liked Bangkok and would have loved to have spent more time there. It depends on what you're interested in I suppose.

I agree with the point about taxi's though - they are unbelievably cheap (when they're on the meter!). A lot cheaper than the tuk tuk's.

Wherever you decide to go though, Thailand is an amazing country and I'm sure you'll have a great time

mickoneill30

Pixie001 wrote: »

Re Bangkok - everyone told me not to spend too long there, so I was only there for 2 days - personally I really liked Bangkok and would have loved to have spent more time there. It depends on what you're interested in I suppose.

I agree with the point about taxi's though - they are unbelievably cheap (when they're on the meter!). A lot cheaper than the tuk tuk's.

Wherever you decide to go though, Thailand is an amazing country and I'm sure you'll have a great time

I was just there in July. The tuk tuks are more open to haggling now. I was there a couple of years ago and they didn't seem to care and frequently offered prices for more than a taxi would cost. Now they're cheaper and handy for the quick trips. But the taxis are cheap like you say (and more importantly air conditioned).

I like Bangkok too. Sukhumvit is a good spot with loads of roads off it with restaurants and bars. MBK is a good place to go for shopping (if you don't want the constant hassle of the stalls on the roads). I think the top floor (maybe the 6th) is great for the souvenirs. You can use Bangkok as a base for trips to the Rose Gardens or up to Ayutthaya.
I didn't like the floating markets. Maybe there are different ones but the one I was at seemed to be very manufactured and artificial.

cooperguy

I got flights for €830 via Heathrow. Was there in July

My suggestions are:
Go to Bangkok, but only stay a couple of days. There is a few things to see; Grand Palace, Markets, Night out on the Ko San Road etc. But it is a dirty, smelly city so after a few days it can get pretty wearing! For something a bit different stay in one of the stupidly fancy 5* hotels if you have the cash to. You get it at a fraction of the cost of Ireland with twice the service! I stayed in The Lebua (booked before The Hangover came out!)

Spend a few days on Koh Tao and do a diving course. I LOVE that island! It is really laid back and looks like the stereotypical Island paradise! While it is laid back there are plenty of places to go for a party if you are looking for one. If you do a diving course (and I really think you should!) I highly recommend Scuba Junction. They have great instructors and guarantee small groups. One of the top rated schools on tripadvisor too. Heard some bad stories about the biggest companies, you feel more like your in a diving factory than a laid back holiday.

And finally, avoid spending too long on Ko Samui. Its way too built up and really isnt worth spending too long there. It has a few great beaches but your in Thailand, everywhere has a great beach

wallpaper12

My advice would be try and get to Cambodia when your there infact I would nearly skip Thailand altogether its so ridiculously overdeveloped now you might aswell be in Spain.
My flights from Cork to Bangkok were 628 return

gustafo

wallpaper12 wrote: »

My advice would be try and get to Cambodia when your there infact I would nearly skip Thailand altogether its so ridiculously overdeveloped now you might aswell be in Spain.
My flights from Cork to Bangkok were 628 return

hey mate where did you book this? is it with china air? if it is what were they like to fly with.

Cheers.

wallpaper12

Found it on lastminute.com and yes its with China Airlines.
There are not the best airline to fly with but they are fine. No Tvs on seats in front of you which is a bit annoying. Iv flown with them four times and twice iv had 3 seats to myself which was great. I just sleep as much as I can for the flight and the food is good. Wouldnt hesitate to fly with them again

gustafo

ya was looking into that flight alright from cork tis fairly cheap, d only thing putting me off is the long lay over in amsterdam on the way back but i suppose a fella could always venture into the city centre.

wallpaper12

Ya the layover is pretty annoying had it this year and I did head intot he city centre and it wasnt the worst.
What you could look into doing as I did it the year before is on the return leg fly back to Dublin if its the same price as the layover is way less

coffeelove

wallpaper12 wrote: »

My advice would be try and get to Cambodia when your there infact I would nearly skip Thailand altogether its so ridiculously overdeveloped now you might aswell be in Spain.
My flights from Cork to Bangkok were 628 return

agreed. cambodia is beautiful and so quiet compared to thailand. and laos is equally amazing. tubing in luang prabang is class.

Jenna

Hey Tracey88 I'll be Thailand from end of Jan until end of Feb. I will be travelling solo. If you are travelling solo too let me know if you want to exchange emails and might bump into you over there.

shellybelly08

Hey

Not sure whether any of you can help going to thailand on 30th Nov for two weeks before Oz.. Headin to Bangkok/Phi Phi/Koh samui/Koh Phangan

Would you recommend everyone gettin the general vaccinations??

Any help greatly appreciated..

Thanks

Michelle!

Stinicker

shellybelly08 wrote: »

Hey

Not sure whether any of you can help going to thailand on 30th Nov for two weeks before Oz.. Headin to Bangkok/Phi Phi/Koh samui/Koh Phangan

Would you recommend everyone gettin the general vaccinations??

Any help greatly appreciated..

Thanks

Michelle!

I was in Thailand this year myself and got vaccinated before I went. I got the Hepatyrix vaccine for Hepatitis A and Typhoid and the Boostrix vaccine which covers you against Diphtheria, Pertussis (the whooping cough) and Tetanus.

Whilst in Thailand I got bitten by a cat and had to get the Rabies Post-Exposure Prophylaxis PEP vaccine within 24hours in Hospital incase I had contracted Rabies. I was trekking north of Chiang Mai when this happened and getting the rabies vaccine really depends on how into the wilds you plan to go, rabies is fatal with only one person ever surviving it so it is a good idea to vaccinate yourself against it also as a general travel thing. Thailand has quite alot of stray dogs roaming the streets and us foreigners in shorts and flip-flops don't stand a chance if they attack you as my poor foot found out when it got ravaged by a cat whom I managed to stand on in the darkness one night, whilst out trekking.

The vaccines I got last in somecases for life while other may need a booster later on and if you plan to do more travelling in future then some of them are once off type vaccines as you will be covered in future as with the case of the Rabies PEP 5 course vaccination I took gives me lifetime immunity.

The Hepatitis B vaccine is also very important (the most important in my opinion) as it is a very dangerous disease and as it transmitted via sexual activity, blood, shared needles and bodily fluids and has a far higher contagion rate than HIV. The HEP B vaccine can be got as a combo with the Hep A vaccine, although the schedule takes 6 months after the first two injections within a month supposedly you have in the region of about a 60% protection before the course if finished.

At the end of the day it all really depends on how long you are going to be there for and what you plan to go doing, if you were going trekking the rabies vaccine is a good idea and a course of malarone tablets to prevent you getting Malaria. If you were a lad going after whores in Pattaya then you shouldn't leave home without the Hep B vaccine and for the sort of of Holiday you had in mind, the Boostrix, Hepatyrix and Hep B would probably be worth getting for to be on the safe side.

Whilst there is a very small chance you would ever get anything but no-one wants to end up in Hospital that far away from home, although I must credit the Thai private hospitals they put the HSE here to shame.

Your GP should be able to give you the vaccines and it would probably be alot cheaper than the Tropical Medical Bureau TMB. Hepatitis B is by the far the most serious disease and because it is also spread sexually you can get vaccinated for that for free at your local STD/GUM clinic if you didn't want to pay for that particular vaccine.

Anyway best of luck with the trip and hopefully I have enlightened you somewhat to the vaccines situation re: Thailand.