lauren_s_kahn

A girlfriend has retired to Chiang Mai, Thailand, and has been on my case to pay her a visit, so it's another excuse for a trip. It is going to be an extended stay so I need to get a visa. I will fill my house up with home exchangers while I am gone (you "bank" the days to use later at a mutually agreeable time) so the house is not empty.

I will be staying with my girlfriend for a few days and then rent an apartment for the duration. This is not a trip where I will be running aound all over doing SE Asia. I have discovered that trips like that are just not fun anymore.

I will be doing a side trip to see Angkor Wat.

I've never been to Asia before and am very excited.

Suggestions and advice are welcom. Pimsleur Thai has been started (very difficult language but I will get the hang of some basics after awhile).

HappyTrvlr

You're going to love SE Asia. It sounds like an exciting trip.
Will you also travel from Siem Reap to Phenom Penh?
Will your apartment be in Chiang Mai? You must spend some time in Bangkok too.

lauren_s_kahn

I have no idea what I am going to do in Cambodia but probably Angkor Wat and Phenom Penh. I am not doing heavy advance booking. I will be in Thailand long enough to do the bookings once I get there. It depends on what my girlfriend wants to do as well.

zoso

Make sure it's not high season for last min. Bookings,Chinese new yr as well coming in Feb.

Please stay away from Elephant Trekking camps everywhere.All and
I mean all camps are out right abusive to the elephants really,really bad.Most r leased out used and
Abused hooks, chains, sticks regular beatings deprived of food and water starved.

No laws in Thailand in regards to Elephants at all.


That's why they do tricks and u can ride them they r beaten!!All true here.

Elephant Nature Park outside of Chang Mai is a wonderful rescue park.
NO Riding that breaks there back...great day with them but no abuse.They r free.Ive been four times now.And, can't say enough about it.All money goes back into the park for more rescues, and medical
And feeding the Eles.
Also, look at Boon Lotts rescue camp.Both these place are wonderful.Book ahead no walk ins.

I'm sorry for going on But ,now I know what goes on behind the scenes I need to tell everyone.

Ankor Watt ck out Tonle Sap lake for sure. Lots to see.Im going back in Dec and Jan.You should spend
5 days there.Its hot, book hotel with a pool to cool off in afternoon.

HappyTrvlr

If you do go to Phenom Penh, have dinner at Romdeng. It is run by an NGO that takes street kids and trains them in hospitality/ restaurant work, teaches them English, art. The food was delicious, the setting in a French Colonial home lovely and you're helping a good cause.
I know many who skipped visiting The Killing Fields but I recommend that you go there and to the Genocide Museum in town to have an understanding of what the Cambodians went through under the despot Pol Pot.
Our SE Asia trip was one of our favorites.

Kathie

Do spend some time in Bangkok - my favorite city! Lots to see and do. Get yourself a good guidebook or two and the Nancy Chandler maps are very helpful. Since you have time, take a look at www.theplf.org - a charity started by a Fodorite which many here have participated in.

lauren_s_kahn

I will spend about 4-6 days in Bangkok at the end before I go home.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am basically going to be living in Chiang Mai for 10 weeks and using that as my hase. I will do side trips from time to time, but this is not designed as a "do it all" SE Asia trip. I really am going primarily to visit my girlfriend. We will do whatever she suggests. I'll get a guidebook to learn something about the area before I go.

I also just broke open Pimsleur Thai to at least learn some low level communication skills. I doubt I have time to do all 30 lessons (I have to repeat the lessons in a new language 3-4 times before moving on and each lesson is 30 minutes), but whatever I do will help. I do the lessons in the car when I am going somewhere so how fast I progress largely depends on how many errands I need to do. I will make a stab at trying to figure out the Thai alphabet, but that will probably go nowhere fast.

Kathie

lauren, you could go without learning any Thai and do just fine. I always like to have a few phrases to use and that is all you need. If you are proficient at languages and can learn more, that's great. But Thai is difficult as it's a tonal language. No need to learn the alphabet. If you are really interested in learning the language, take a class while you are in Chiang Mai.

lauren_s_kahn

I will probably get the basics from Pimsleur and that is about it. Knowing even a little helps the quality of the trip and your interactions with the locals.