If not Thailand, then where to?
Apr 26th, 2010, 06:44 AM
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If not Thailand, then where to?
A few weeks back my husband and I decided to go to Thailand this summer for our annual anniversary trip, splitting time between BKK and Koh Samui. This was a tough decision as the cost to get there from the States is quite high right now but it has been a dream of mine.
Now with the political tensions rising my gut tells me to plan else where (we have not booked airfare yet). I am truly disappointed as a lot of research and excitement has gone into this trip already. So my question is, for those of you who have loved Thailand, where else have you loved that can provide me a similar experience.
I am not well traveled (have been to St. Lucia, Mexico, Honduras, and Costa Rica – which I adore). In wanting to go to Thailand I was most excited about having a similar experience that I found in Costa Rica which is people wanting to share in their country and culture, great food, and beautiful beaches!
Some have suggested still booking the trip and if tensions still exist and violence still occurring to hop a flight to another location and then head to an Island. My fear is using BKK as the entry and exit point (even if never leaving the airport), I prefer not to get stuck there making a vacation start or end with delays and nasty phone calls to airlines to help us. My other fear is, what if the political footprint of tension expands beyond BKK in the coming months and we once again have to find another plan. I am an anxious traveler and prefer to have the initial schedule mapped out before hand.
Advice on other places to consider for a vacation? Or input as to move forward with planning a July trip would be appreciated. Either way, I need to decide the soonest! Help me make a tough decision (unless some other awesome places exist that will make the decision easy…$$ is a factor though)!
Thanks in advance!
Now with the political tensions rising my gut tells me to plan else where (we have not booked airfare yet). I am truly disappointed as a lot of research and excitement has gone into this trip already. So my question is, for those of you who have loved Thailand, where else have you loved that can provide me a similar experience.
I am not well traveled (have been to St. Lucia, Mexico, Honduras, and Costa Rica – which I adore). In wanting to go to Thailand I was most excited about having a similar experience that I found in Costa Rica which is people wanting to share in their country and culture, great food, and beautiful beaches!
Some have suggested still booking the trip and if tensions still exist and violence still occurring to hop a flight to another location and then head to an Island. My fear is using BKK as the entry and exit point (even if never leaving the airport), I prefer not to get stuck there making a vacation start or end with delays and nasty phone calls to airlines to help us. My other fear is, what if the political footprint of tension expands beyond BKK in the coming months and we once again have to find another plan. I am an anxious traveler and prefer to have the initial schedule mapped out before hand.
Advice on other places to consider for a vacation? Or input as to move forward with planning a July trip would be appreciated. Either way, I need to decide the soonest! Help me make a tough decision (unless some other awesome places exist that will make the decision easy…$$ is a factor though)!
Thanks in advance!
Apr 26th, 2010, 06:59 AM
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i would continue with your planned trip....the problems in bkk now seem to be on the down swing... it is rare that any problems there affect tourists in any way.... this is evidenced by the reports of folks like simpsonc510 who is there right now and observes little actual disturbance in her normal routine
Apr 26th, 2010, 06:59 AM
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I don't think the Thai political situation would effect you, but it is a personal choice. In not Thailand, I would give Bali a look. The weather will be great. A little time on a beach (not Nusa Dua) and a little time in Ubud will be perfect. There's lots to do and see and it is paradise.
Apr 26th, 2010, 07:03 AM
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If it were me, I'd still book the trip to Thailand, but then I've been to Thailand many times.
If you are really anxious about it, then book a trip somewhere else. Gpanda's suggestion of Bali is excellent.
If you are really anxious about it, then book a trip somewhere else. Gpanda's suggestion of Bali is excellent.
Apr 26th, 2010, 12:26 PM
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Kuala Lumpur is the largest city in Malaysia as well as it's capital. Singapore, which is both a country and a city abuts the the western Malaysian peninsula on the southern tip. You can fly relatively quickly and cheaply from either entry point to other destinations within Malaysia.
Apr 26th, 2010, 02:20 PM
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If Bali is your destination of choice, the best connections are through Singapore.
Check some guidebooks out of your local library and take good look at a map of Asia. You're going to need some basics before you can do any real planning.
Check some guidebooks out of your local library and take good look at a map of Asia. You're going to need some basics before you can do any real planning.
Apr 26th, 2010, 02:24 PM
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1. I didn't say so before, but Bali is one of our favorite destinations of all time. We are going to Malaysia next year so that is why I am sharing the info...
2. Qatar Airways has the best fares from DC to KL and Sing
2. Qatar Airways has the best fares from DC to KL and Sing
Apr 26th, 2010, 08:13 PM
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Yes, it’s a tough call on Thailand at the moment. But putting that issue aside, let’s pretend you were just planning a trip to SE Asia generally for July. So here would be some ideas:
1. Look at weatherbase.com and other weather websites and consult guidebooks to make sure you are OK with potential weather you would encounter in July any destination.
2. I agree with Bali, it’s a really magical place. There are very touristy bits, but it can be avoided. Weather is generally very good in the summer. I have to say that “beautiful beaches” would not be right up on top of the list of its attributes, IMO, however. Perfectly pretty, but not soft white sand and azure waters. Lovely people, fantastic culture, beautiful inland rice terrace areas. But if you want more of a beach vacation, you might consider other places. As an add-on to Bali, you might consider less-touristed parts of Indonesia in Java or even Sumatra, or islands like Sulawesi.
3. Malaysia, also mentioned above, offers truly lovely beaches, especially the east coast island areas, which are in their prime in the summer. THEY have the soft white sand and azure waters. Little deserted islands where you can snorkel and dive. They have jungle areas either on the mainland like Taman Negara or in Malaysian Borneo where you could see orang utans or climb Mt Kinabalu. Fantastic food and an interesting cultural mix. Friendly people. As mentioned above, you can fly to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur and then fly, taxi, bus, train or drive depending on where you want to go. Singapore makes a great stopover, KL is interesting as well, although IMO Singapore offers more to see and do, so I would only do a short layover in KL and would spend more time in the Malaysian countryside. (Malaysia is about the only SE Asian country other than Singapore and Hong Kong, where I would recco hiring your own car. It is left-hand road driving, but otherwise roads are good and drivers are as well.) Air Asia, a local discount air carrier based in KL, might be a good option for getting around Malaysia cheaply and also getting to someplace like Ankor Wat, see http://www.airasia.com/hk/en/home.html
4. Vietnam would work very well too, watch some rain issues in some area, but they have some very nice beaches, lovely people, great food and very interesting sights. I think Hue is fascinating and the beaches of Hoi An or Nha Trang are very nice indeed (and Hoi An has a charming old town as well.) Hanoi is interesting but I think will be on the rainy side in July. Depending on your time, you might be able to fit in a trip to Ankor Wat from there, as there are flights from Ho Chi Minh, and also the possibility of a boat/bus combination as well which might be interesting (and certainly inexpensive). There are few, if any non-stops to Vietnam from the US, but you can go via Hong Kong, which would be a good stopover for a few days, and you can also get to/from Ankor Wat and Hong Kong as well, so a triangle of Vietnam/Ankor Wat/Hong Kong might work. (This might also work for Bali, I just don’t know how much time you have.)
5. Cambodia or Laos on their own, and not just as a short side trip solely to Ankor Wat or Luang Prabang should work as well, they have some beaches and offshore islands which I believe are very lovely and quite similar to Koh Samui, although not nearly as developed. I know little about them, but do some reading. A bicycle or walking trip combined with some beach time would, IMO, be a great trip. I think you would be hard-pressed to find friendlier people.
6. I think you might want to seriously consider Sri Lanka. It has a significant Theravada Buddhist population and history, the same as Thailand (in fact Sri Lankan Buddhism is where Thailand, Laos and Cambodia take their practices from) and has a really interesting mix of lovely beaches, inland tea growing areas, wildlife preserves (see esp Yala which has tiger), great food and friendly people. It is very much off the tourist map and you should find it relatively inexpensive. (As an example, the Aman resort on the beach in Sri Lanka charges US$550 in high season for an ocean villa, and Amankila in Bali charges US$1000. Not that you may want to pay that much for either, but it is a basis for comparison of very similar rooms and resort quality. You get a private plunge pool for that price in Sri Lanka, but not in Bali). While most of that area is in monsoon in July, many parts of Sri Lanka, esp the beaches on the north east coast like Trincomalee, are relatively dry (in fact less rainy than Koh Samui on average), so July can be a good time to go. It’s a haul to get there, but worth it when you do. I have not been myself in some years, but if you do a search, you should find some recent posts which may offer a starting point.
1. Look at weatherbase.com and other weather websites and consult guidebooks to make sure you are OK with potential weather you would encounter in July any destination.
2. I agree with Bali, it’s a really magical place. There are very touristy bits, but it can be avoided. Weather is generally very good in the summer. I have to say that “beautiful beaches” would not be right up on top of the list of its attributes, IMO, however. Perfectly pretty, but not soft white sand and azure waters. Lovely people, fantastic culture, beautiful inland rice terrace areas. But if you want more of a beach vacation, you might consider other places. As an add-on to Bali, you might consider less-touristed parts of Indonesia in Java or even Sumatra, or islands like Sulawesi.
3. Malaysia, also mentioned above, offers truly lovely beaches, especially the east coast island areas, which are in their prime in the summer. THEY have the soft white sand and azure waters. Little deserted islands where you can snorkel and dive. They have jungle areas either on the mainland like Taman Negara or in Malaysian Borneo where you could see orang utans or climb Mt Kinabalu. Fantastic food and an interesting cultural mix. Friendly people. As mentioned above, you can fly to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur and then fly, taxi, bus, train or drive depending on where you want to go. Singapore makes a great stopover, KL is interesting as well, although IMO Singapore offers more to see and do, so I would only do a short layover in KL and would spend more time in the Malaysian countryside. (Malaysia is about the only SE Asian country other than Singapore and Hong Kong, where I would recco hiring your own car. It is left-hand road driving, but otherwise roads are good and drivers are as well.) Air Asia, a local discount air carrier based in KL, might be a good option for getting around Malaysia cheaply and also getting to someplace like Ankor Wat, see http://www.airasia.com/hk/en/home.html
4. Vietnam would work very well too, watch some rain issues in some area, but they have some very nice beaches, lovely people, great food and very interesting sights. I think Hue is fascinating and the beaches of Hoi An or Nha Trang are very nice indeed (and Hoi An has a charming old town as well.) Hanoi is interesting but I think will be on the rainy side in July. Depending on your time, you might be able to fit in a trip to Ankor Wat from there, as there are flights from Ho Chi Minh, and also the possibility of a boat/bus combination as well which might be interesting (and certainly inexpensive). There are few, if any non-stops to Vietnam from the US, but you can go via Hong Kong, which would be a good stopover for a few days, and you can also get to/from Ankor Wat and Hong Kong as well, so a triangle of Vietnam/Ankor Wat/Hong Kong might work. (This might also work for Bali, I just don’t know how much time you have.)
5. Cambodia or Laos on their own, and not just as a short side trip solely to Ankor Wat or Luang Prabang should work as well, they have some beaches and offshore islands which I believe are very lovely and quite similar to Koh Samui, although not nearly as developed. I know little about them, but do some reading. A bicycle or walking trip combined with some beach time would, IMO, be a great trip. I think you would be hard-pressed to find friendlier people.
6. I think you might want to seriously consider Sri Lanka. It has a significant Theravada Buddhist population and history, the same as Thailand (in fact Sri Lankan Buddhism is where Thailand, Laos and Cambodia take their practices from) and has a really interesting mix of lovely beaches, inland tea growing areas, wildlife preserves (see esp Yala which has tiger), great food and friendly people. It is very much off the tourist map and you should find it relatively inexpensive. (As an example, the Aman resort on the beach in Sri Lanka charges US$550 in high season for an ocean villa, and Amankila in Bali charges US$1000. Not that you may want to pay that much for either, but it is a basis for comparison of very similar rooms and resort quality. You get a private plunge pool for that price in Sri Lanka, but not in Bali). While most of that area is in monsoon in July, many parts of Sri Lanka, esp the beaches on the north east coast like Trincomalee, are relatively dry (in fact less rainy than Koh Samui on average), so July can be a good time to go. It’s a haul to get there, but worth it when you do. I have not been myself in some years, but if you do a search, you should find some recent posts which may offer a starting point.
