rache2000

Hi all, as I posted earlier, I am making my second trip to Thailand, and a first trip Cambodia in December. At first it looked like a mostly solo trip, but now my sister has decided to come along, we have both already purchased our tickets. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone new anything about some nice beaches that could be eaisily gotten to for a day or two from BKK. Most of our trip is going to be comprised of BKK and Siem Reap Cambodia, but we thought it might be nice if we could get to a beach for at least a day or two. Our total time will be Dec 9 - Dec 30

I just typed a quick search into google and cam up with this has anyone heard of this http://www.khao-takiab.com/

anyother advice or knowldge, or suggestions would be very much appreciated.

thanks,
rachael

JamesA

That is our regular hang out when we go down to Hua Hin!

The south end of the beach from the Chiva Som, Hyatt, Wora Bura etc is called Khao Takiab areas, named after the hill into the sea at the end of that beach with the Golden Buddha. Now, just around the corner from there is a great beach, very wide and I guess 6-8 km long and that runs all the way down to Suan Son. Because it's not close to famous places like the Hilton or Sofitel and because no 'highly promoted chain hotel' it is missed by most overseas visitors, though for Thai people it's the place to go.
In that area not so many hotels but a few, Anantasial is nice, B&B and bungalow and holiday homes where we always stay, we were down there just over a week back.
Nice fishing village and there are elephants, they even walk through the local village! also lots of temples and ancient relics in the hills.
It's under 30 minutes into the Sam Roi Yot National Park if you like parks, lots of wetlands, birdwatching, coastal beaches, caves and temples.
It is very relaxing but it's only 5 minutes from the Hyatt area, that means 10 minutes right into the busy center of Hua Hin for shopping and restaurants.

North of Hua Hin is Cha Am, south are Pak Nam pran and Pranburi, www.beachsiam.com/sunrise_coast.html covers that areas in a simple way.

Down our side of the coast you have Pattaya and Jomtien Beach which are far more busier, Pattaya is a 'city' on the sea, though you can get over to Koh larn island too, Jomtien is over the hill from Pattaya and although very busy not the same as Pattaya, some quieter places south.
When we want quiet relaxation though we drive from Jomtien to Hua Hin and head straight to Takiab area.
It's about 2 and a half hours by cab or limo from Bangkok. Jomtien and Pattaya are closer, about one and a half to 2 hrs.

Lorig

Hua Hin for sure and the Sofitel is a beautiful hotel. But a bit more expensive.

Kathie

There are lots of nice hotels in Hua Hin. It sounds ideal for your purposes.

rhkkmk

HH is the place for you...all levels of accomodations

look at this site for hotels:

www.huahin.20m.com

the fall rates will be available in a couple of weeks i am told...

the sofitel, the marriott, the hyatt are all nice places..

HH is about a two hour + ride from bangkok...you can go by private car, bus, train, van or taxi...easy to arrange...

JamesA

Most of the HH rates are there Bob through into 2007, but Marriott and Hyatt rates are not there at the moment.

Rache, if you stay at Hyatt in Bangkok or Dusit they have their own Mercedes shuttle vans to and from their HH properties, costs I think ( Bob ? ) about B 500 ( USD 13.50 ) per person each way.

We stay in the USD 40-50 range but always do well for that price.

Talb

Here's another possibility. Bangkok Air has a direct flight from Siem Reap to Phuket (with a short stop in BKK). We left at 9:30 am and were at our hotel by about 2:30, clearing immigration in Phuket. Assuming that they still have that route when you go, it makes getting to the beach from Siem Reap pretty easy and quick.

Kimadrew

Talb or Others:

Does anyone know if Bangkok Air charges the Siem Reap to Phuket route as one or two flight segments on the Discovery Airpass?

JamesA

I am 99% certain is charged as 2, but also the International sectors are priced different from domestic.
remember that between bangkok and Phuket you have:

Thai - Full service, operates the most flights, all wide body flights

Bangkok Airways - Full service, narrow body 717's

Thai Aia Asia - Budget airline, 737's

Nok Air - Budget airline, 737's but cheap upgrade option to Nok Plus with 30 kg free baggage, 2 x 2 seating, allowance etc, bargain!

One-2-Go - Discount, i.e full service and full 20 kg baggage allowance with drinks and snack but all seats cheaper than Thai or Bangkok Airways, mix of MD-80, 757 or 747 flights.

JamesA

You can of course also fly BKK Airways to trat for Koh Chang, plus there are beaches beyond Jomtien down to samet / Rayong on the eastern Seaboard and also south of bangkok Cha Am before Hua Hin and then Pak Nam Pran, Pranbui, Bang Saphan and others.

rache2000

Thanks so much to everyone for your wonderful info on Hua Hin. The hotel link is great, we are going to go ahead and pick a hotel this weekend and get it reserved, I noticed some of them have special internet rates. Does anyone have any eperiecnce or knowledge with this place;

http://www.huahinwhatson.com/oceanbreeze.html

my siter likes it, becuase it seems so cozy and private from the pic's and it also seems so close to the beach.

If we arrange for private car to get there from BKK, is also easy enough to arrange for transport back? I like the idea of the Hyatt having their own shuttle transport, thats so convient, but unfortuantly we have already booked our hotel somewhere else, but I will check with our hotel, to see what sorts of arrangents they can make. It sounds like it will be sooo much fun. We are planning on staying a week in BKK, 3 days in Siem Reap then spending the rest of the time in Hua Hin, which will be about 3 days, then back to BKK for a day and half before we fly out. I have business from Dec 9 - Dec 16, so the fun really won't start till the 16th. Its going to be a whirllwind tour, but I am getting everything mapped out so I think we will be able to do it.
Dec 9 - 16 Business in BKK
Dec 17 - 20 Siem Reap
Dec 20 - 26 BKK
Dec 26 - 29 Hua Hin
Dec 30 Late flight home from BKK

Now we are tenativtly thinking about cancelling Siem Reap this trip so we can spread more time between BKK and Hua Hin and catch Siem Reap on another trip. Not sure yet just something we need to talk more about? We are planning an Italy trip for next year so another Asia trip would be after that.

rache

eurotraveller

Your itinerary looks good. Nice amounts of times in each location.

Personally, I would not cancel Siem Reap. Make sure you schedule a day to go to Tonle Sap Lake. We were there in Feb. and it is fascinating!

Enjoy your trip!

Kathie

Here are my thoughts about whether to include Siem Reap. If the temples at Angkor are soemthing you've always wanted to see - go now. The place is changing rapidly. It takes a minimum of three full days to see the "major" temples. If you don't have three full days, I wouldn't go this trip. I spent a week there and didn't see all of the accessible temples. If you can take the time and have the interest, do it. If you are only lukewarm about it, save it for another time. It's a strenuous trip.

Gpanda

Do NOT postpone Siem Riep. It is getting more and more built up. There is construction all along the road from the airport. By going now, you will have the best opportunity to see the temples with fewer people. In December, there will be a lot of tourists, but it will not be completely overrun. My guess is that in a year or two, it will take on an Epcot Center feel because of the influx. GO NOW!

rache2000

yea I would really hate to miss it to, I will proly convince my sister to keep it in the schedule, the way I have things mapped out we will be tired, but I think we can get it all in. As I look at my iteniary it really does not look that bad. I will really try hard to keep the 3 days in for Siem Reap. I think my sister's main concern is the more flying. , we both travel alot and she loves to travel, but she hates the flying part and she is thinking of the 15 hour flight from LAX to BKK and wheter or not she wants to get right back on a plane and fly to Siem Reap, which we will have to fly there because of our time schedule if we want to get everything in.

Hopefully though it will all work out. Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful info and advice.

what is the nite life around Hua Hin like? we will be there two nites. we are both late 30's. good restraunts?, wine bars? etc.. We are both not that much into the dicso dancing type clubs anymore, had our fill of that. We like music though, and good conversation, just socializing and stuff.

rache

JamesA

rache, we have often stayed at Ocean Breeze, always out first choice, back when it was a Boutique B&B and since they had the cottages, service is just superb, rooms comfortable and well equiped, but don't expect hotel/resort facilities! If a cottage with a pool it is not big enough to swim, but ok to cool down in, but it's just a few minutes down to the beach where they have beach chairs for you. Excellent choice but they do get very full.

Nightlife - lots of restaurants and also bars, cocktail places, some bars with live bands, nice restaurants by the beach, should be plenty, also some shows ranging from Thai dance and music to small cabaret.

rache2000

thanks for the info james, we are seriously thinking about the ocean breeze, we both like the cottages, it seems so cozy. We will be making reservations early next week so hopefully we can get in. But it looks like there are enough places to choose from. We are looking in the 50-80 USD price range for lodging. Nothing really lavish, just clean, safe, and comfortable

rache2000

How far is Hua Hin Town from the beach? is it best to stay there somewhere, or stay closer to the beach?

Also which beach is best? Are they all seperate beaches? I have noticed when looking for the hotels, there are selections in Hua Hin Town, Cha Am Beach, Ban Krud Beach, Nareansaun Beach, Pranburi, Paknampran Beach, Puk-Tien Beach, Takiab Beach. Is all this close together?

JamesA

The beach areas stretch north from the town center and then there is the palace area and then Anantara area before the airport, but these beach areas are very narrow especialy when the tide comes in.

Some like to stay in the town, we personaly don't, tuk tuks and local Songthaews are very cheap and even just 5 to 10 minutes from the central area plenty of places to stay.

From the Sofitel area right in the town center there is beach which continues perhaps 4 or 5 km all the way down past Marriott and others past Chiva Som, Hyatt, Woa Bura, The Rock to Khao Takiab, this beach is wider than north of town.
Takiab Beach and Bay is just past Khao Takiab so still within 10 minutes of the very center of the town, that is about 7-8 km long and still 'in' Hua Hin, that later becomes known as Suan Son beach ( but there are no accommodations that far down ).

That is where Hua Hin ends.

Now Pak Nam Pran ( fishing village ), Puktien and Pranburi different ballgame altogether, they are not Hua Hin at all(!) but in the Pranburi area, there are around 30-40 minutes way past Hua Hin and I honestly would not suggest any of those as you are just too far away from Hua Hin, you would be 'bored to tears(!), in fact they I would forget those straight off.

Cha Am starts about 15 minutes north of Hua hin, the resorts there tend to be on their own on the beach with not much around.

For your age group etc I would stay within easy distance of the town center but on the beach, so that covers the stretch south of the Sofitel down to Khao Takiab and then the bay.

In the USD 50-80 range you might be hard pushed as I have seen you are going there 26-29 Dec, that is the busiest week / highest priced week of the year, no kidding !

JamesA

Try the local list on

http://www.r24.org/huahin.20m.com/huahin/hotels/

But stick to those listed as Hua hin or Takiab Road / Takiab Beach, I would not suggest Cha Am area as would be too far out for you and lots of the beach resorts there would be full of familes etc, I would stick to the streach from the Hyatt going down along Takiab beach/Road areas.