First trip to Thailand, tour or...?
Jun 17th, 2007, 07:02 PM
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First trip to Thailand, tour or...?
I've read old posts about tours vs independent travel. I usually travel independently, and have never done an escorted or guided trip. However, Grand Circle Travel has a 14-night trip including 24 meals and some sightseeing for $1895 in December. When I priced flights for those dates, the cheapest I saw was $1256 with one stop and $1659 with no stops.
I'll be traveling with my cousin (we're two middle-aged women, I'm active and she's less so) and we'll share a room. I'm happy with the GCT trip's number of days in Bangkok, Chiang Rai, and Chiang Mai. And I wouldn't mind not having to plan a trip for a change, just taking it easy.
I welcome your feedback and advice.
I'll be traveling with my cousin (we're two middle-aged women, I'm active and she's less so) and we'll share a room. I'm happy with the GCT trip's number of days in Bangkok, Chiang Rai, and Chiang Mai. And I wouldn't mind not having to plan a trip for a change, just taking it easy.
I welcome your feedback and advice.
Jun 17th, 2007, 07:21 PM
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If we travel there on Christmas day instead of Dec. 21, the airfare goes down to $986 with one stop (I'm checking kayak.com and that's with China Air as I recall). That saves $270 per person, which could make it worthwhile to travel on our own. Hmmm....
Jun 17th, 2007, 07:29 PM
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here is my take on tours and GCT in particular, as my in-laws have been on many of their trips...
you see nothing in depth.....many things are drive-bys....early morning departures from hotels....complaining old people....people who do not fit in....singles who try to join your group...average hotels and in some cases less than average...i will get in trouble for saying all of this but this is my observation and opinion...
added to this there have been many complaints on this board about GCT and their afflilites....some valid some less so....my in-laws have had few problems, but some minor ones...
i have to add that we always travel independently....we are 63 and are planning our 11th indep. trip to thailand....from the first time, it has been easy.....you do have to work at it however, especially lots of work on fodors and book reading....maybe you wish not to do this? many of us find it fun and that it pays off....
nov-jan is the best time of the year in thailand, but it is still very hot and humid...you can not plan to do too much each day...many of us use drivers/guides on some days....they cost about 3000 B per day which is about $85-95.... they are fantastic and do everything for you and take you to places that no tour would ever try to....from small temples and out of the way places to orphanages and markets....
bangkok is a city which really does not lend itself to large buses....not that they are not there but only at the main sites....
transportation is very cheap....a taxi ride starts at $1....meters do not move all that much...
hotels are reasonable and very varried from 5* to less than 1*...many of us prefer to be housed along the river...its cooler and you get a whole different feel to bkk....it is also where many of the very nice hotels are located, but not all of course....the marriott resort and spa, the oriental, the peninsula, the shangri-la, the mill. hilton, the royal orchard sheraton are the chief one....each one is fabulous in its own right....prices range from about $135 to $350 per nite in the super lux....there is a 17.7%tax/service charge added to that...
there are many reliable discount pre-pay hotel sites as well....i use many of them:
www.huahin.20m.com
www.asiarooms.com
flying within thailand is very easy too using a number of discount airlines as well as bangkok air and thai air....
getting there from the west depends largely on where you live...i assume canada or usa?? lots of options...
non-stop thai air flts from jfk (nyc) and LA
northwest air
united
singapore
malay air
japan air
air canada
air france
brit. air\
luftansa
eva
korean
cathy pacific
and many more
we will be glad to give you ever assistance if you wish to try it on your own....
you see nothing in depth.....many things are drive-bys....early morning departures from hotels....complaining old people....people who do not fit in....singles who try to join your group...average hotels and in some cases less than average...i will get in trouble for saying all of this but this is my observation and opinion...
added to this there have been many complaints on this board about GCT and their afflilites....some valid some less so....my in-laws have had few problems, but some minor ones...
i have to add that we always travel independently....we are 63 and are planning our 11th indep. trip to thailand....from the first time, it has been easy.....you do have to work at it however, especially lots of work on fodors and book reading....maybe you wish not to do this? many of us find it fun and that it pays off....
nov-jan is the best time of the year in thailand, but it is still very hot and humid...you can not plan to do too much each day...many of us use drivers/guides on some days....they cost about 3000 B per day which is about $85-95.... they are fantastic and do everything for you and take you to places that no tour would ever try to....from small temples and out of the way places to orphanages and markets....
bangkok is a city which really does not lend itself to large buses....not that they are not there but only at the main sites....
transportation is very cheap....a taxi ride starts at $1....meters do not move all that much...
hotels are reasonable and very varried from 5* to less than 1*...many of us prefer to be housed along the river...its cooler and you get a whole different feel to bkk....it is also where many of the very nice hotels are located, but not all of course....the marriott resort and spa, the oriental, the peninsula, the shangri-la, the mill. hilton, the royal orchard sheraton are the chief one....each one is fabulous in its own right....prices range from about $135 to $350 per nite in the super lux....there is a 17.7%tax/service charge added to that...
there are many reliable discount pre-pay hotel sites as well....i use many of them:
www.huahin.20m.com
www.asiarooms.com
flying within thailand is very easy too using a number of discount airlines as well as bangkok air and thai air....
getting there from the west depends largely on where you live...i assume canada or usa?? lots of options...
non-stop thai air flts from jfk (nyc) and LA
northwest air
united
singapore
malay air
japan air
air canada
air france
brit. air\
luftansa
eva
korean
cathy pacific
and many more
we will be glad to give you ever assistance if you wish to try it on your own....
Jun 17th, 2007, 07:35 PM
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even lavish food in thailand is reasonable too....some is very cheap in deed....
unfortunately dec 23 to jan 3 is the most expensive time in the entire year to travel in thailand---hotel rates...
unfortunately dec 23 to jan 3 is the most expensive time in the entire year to travel in thailand---hotel rates...
Jun 17th, 2007, 07:40 PM
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I also recommend traveling independently. Thailand has excellent tourist unfrastructre and it is very easy to arrange your own trip. Start by getting a good guidebook and looking at what areas you'd like to visit. If you have two weeks on the ground in Thailand, choose not more than three locations.
Jun 18th, 2007, 02:31 AM
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The tour will probably be slightly cheaper than doing it on your own, but nowhere near as fun and relaxing. The hotels won't be as nice and the meals not as good. The "tours" will just brush the surface. Thailand is special. It is simple for a tourist to visit without a group and much more enjoyable.
As noted above, X-mas-NYE is the most expensive time to go, but it is still much cheaper than Paris or Rome. With 12 days on the ground, you can visit three very different parts of Thailand and be amazed.
As noted above, X-mas-NYE is the most expensive time to go, but it is still much cheaper than Paris or Rome. With 12 days on the ground, you can visit three very different parts of Thailand and be amazed.
Jun 18th, 2007, 04:27 AM
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I think it all really depends on what you feel in your heart.
Do you want to have everything itemised and fixed?
Do you think you'll be frustrated by having to move on when you are not ready to?
A "good deal" is always tempting, but it's a trade off, isn't it?
Have you been to Thailand before? Do you think you'll go again?
It is a mega easy place to travel. Hotels are not expensive (those used by the Thais even less so). Transport is not expensive. Buses are excellent; trains too.
I'd just buy a flight; book your first night(s) in BKK in advance; get a guide book to decide where you might like to go, and just do it.
Do you want to have everything itemised and fixed?
Do you think you'll be frustrated by having to move on when you are not ready to?
A "good deal" is always tempting, but it's a trade off, isn't it?
Have you been to Thailand before? Do you think you'll go again?
It is a mega easy place to travel. Hotels are not expensive (those used by the Thais even less so). Transport is not expensive. Buses are excellent; trains too.
I'd just buy a flight; book your first night(s) in BKK in advance; get a guide book to decide where you might like to go, and just do it.
Jun 18th, 2007, 05:07 AM
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Thank you for your thoughtful replies. I'll fly from Los Angeles. I know that winter break is more expensive, but I don't lose pay (I work at a school) so it evens out. I'm rushed now, but more later....
Jun 18th, 2007, 06:03 AM
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We took the Grand Circle trip to Thailand a couple of years ago. It was a slightly different itinerary, with a week in Bangkok and a week in Chiang Mai. The week in Bangkok was a couple of days too long. We have taken 7 trips with Grand Circle with another booked and one in the thinking stage. We used to travel independently, but, for the past 6 years, we have been primarily doing group travel. Having someone else deal with the logistics allows you to do much more in a day and more in the trip. We stayed at the same hotels as are currently listed and they were very good and in good locations, except for the Rama Gardens. It was an excellent hotel, but in the middle of nowhere, although all it is is a place to stay between flights on the last night. The Montien was right near the night market in an area that you could feel safe walking. The Empress, although listed by Grand Circle as two star was very nice, just off a main shopping street and about a half mile walk from Chiang Mai's night market. Both served excellent buffet breakfasts, with the Montien's a bit better. We had one couple on the trip that did not participate in any activities with the group. They took the trip because they could not beat the prices for air and hotel alone. The air arrangements from Boston were two stops, Boston to Minneapolis to Tokyo to Bangkok, returning via Tokyo and Detroit.
To answer rhkkmk's coments:
We thought that things were treated in adequate depth and don't remember any drive bys. Yes, there were some early morning departures, but that got activities out of the way before the day got to hot, and too early and depth are individual preference. We had no complainers and everyone fit in. We were 58 at the time, and were not the youngest, nor oldest, of the group. I don't understand the comment on singles joining in.
Yes, will find some posts complaining about Grand Circle, on this and other forums, but given the huge volume business that they do, there are bound to be some complaints. We have never encountered a serious problem, and very few minor ones that have been quickly resolved, both on the trip and dealing with the sales/billing staff.
Thailand definitely can be done independently, depending on people travelling. Language is not a problem. The people are very accomodating. Prices are reasonable, and Thai Air is an excellent airline.
The logitics of the group travel is convenient, however, as, to cite one example, the day that we went to the elephant camp. After the elephant ride, we got on a bamboo raft; at the end of our raft ride, our bus was waiting for us, and took us to a nice restaurant for lunch. As Ann has dietary restrictions, our program director, John, had prearraged a special meal for her that was ready immediately.
Grand Circle puts great emphasis on the local culture and people. The program director, guide, is always a local. Generally there will be visits to a school or orphanage and a home hosted dinner. On the last night, our program director's wife joined us for dinner.
We would be glad to answer any questions either in this forum, or by Email.
Jack and Ann Donoghue
To answer rhkkmk's coments:
We thought that things were treated in adequate depth and don't remember any drive bys. Yes, there were some early morning departures, but that got activities out of the way before the day got to hot, and too early and depth are individual preference. We had no complainers and everyone fit in. We were 58 at the time, and were not the youngest, nor oldest, of the group. I don't understand the comment on singles joining in.
Yes, will find some posts complaining about Grand Circle, on this and other forums, but given the huge volume business that they do, there are bound to be some complaints. We have never encountered a serious problem, and very few minor ones that have been quickly resolved, both on the trip and dealing with the sales/billing staff.
Thailand definitely can be done independently, depending on people travelling. Language is not a problem. The people are very accomodating. Prices are reasonable, and Thai Air is an excellent airline.
The logitics of the group travel is convenient, however, as, to cite one example, the day that we went to the elephant camp. After the elephant ride, we got on a bamboo raft; at the end of our raft ride, our bus was waiting for us, and took us to a nice restaurant for lunch. As Ann has dietary restrictions, our program director, John, had prearraged a special meal for her that was ready immediately.
Grand Circle puts great emphasis on the local culture and people. The program director, guide, is always a local. Generally there will be visits to a school or orphanage and a home hosted dinner. On the last night, our program director's wife joined us for dinner.
We would be glad to answer any questions either in this forum, or by Email.
Jack and Ann Donoghue
Jun 18th, 2007, 08:49 AM
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The problem we incurred when we book with them was a huge one for us and might be for you also. They have the right to change the dates and did so with us. Even though it was a 4-5 days difference, we had a time frame that we could not change. GCT would not refund our money and eventually we did get our credit card company to dispute it and we won. However, the dispute was a 7-8 month process. Look under the title Grand Circle Travel Warning for more.
Jun 18th, 2007, 06:10 PM
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I am so grateful for all your comments. My mother has traveled with GCT and OAT several times, including to Australia, and to Machu Pichu and the Galapagos. She has always been pleased and even thrilled with the experiences and the value. I suspect that we'd do more if we go on a tour. Since this trip is just in the early planning stages I need to do a lot more research.
If I were staying "too long" in Bangkok, I'd love to take a daytrip for snorkeling. I really don't want to miss the beautiful beaches and reefs there. It could be that I return to Thailand again, or not. Another thing I'd do with too much time is find a dragon boat racing team to practice with while I'm there. That's one of my passions. My cousin is a Buddhist and will probably want to visit important Buddhist sites.
This week I'll check out a guide book or two from the library. Yesterday I was at a travel show and our booth was right across from the Thailand booth so I got some brochures. Meanwhile I'll price some of the hotels "rhkkmk" mentioned for my dates.
Thanks again.
If I were staying "too long" in Bangkok, I'd love to take a daytrip for snorkeling. I really don't want to miss the beautiful beaches and reefs there. It could be that I return to Thailand again, or not. Another thing I'd do with too much time is find a dragon boat racing team to practice with while I'm there. That's one of my passions. My cousin is a Buddhist and will probably want to visit important Buddhist sites.
This week I'll check out a guide book or two from the library. Yesterday I was at a travel show and our booth was right across from the Thailand booth so I got some brochures. Meanwhile I'll price some of the hotels "rhkkmk" mentioned for my dates.
Thanks again.
