BKK & BALI
 

I am planning a trip for this summer, probably around May/June. I will have 9 full days after arriving in BKK via JFK on Thai Air. I am planning to stay in BKK for 3-4 days and then head to Bali for the remainder of the trip. I am curious whether this is sufficient time for the excursion to Bali in consideration of the 4+ hour flight from BKK to Bali. Any advice is appreciated.

If you choose to fly to Bali you will be using the better part of 2 of your 9 days for air travel. Depending on how long you stay in Bangkok, you will have 3 or 4 days for Bali, only enough for a taste. In my opinion, Bali deserves a week or more. We actually spent 12 days there.

Consider spending at least 4 days in Bangkok and choosing either a beach location like Koh Samui or a trip to Chiang Mai or elsewhere in northern Thailand for a few days.

I agree it makes no sense to fly to Bali for a few days. It's not enough time to experience Bali, and you will, as Craig notes, be spening two of your precious "in Asia" days in transit. Stay in Thailand, save Bali for next trip.

We just arrive from Bali and Thailand. I agree that 3 or 4 days is not enough to know the real Bali.
We stayed there 11 days and we would like to spent more time.
how long will you stay in BKK ?
will you visit Ayuthaia, saduak or kanchanaburi ?

i agree with the others....first of all it will take you as much as two days to recover and adjust to the heat in bkk and from your flight....day one is a total loss, quite honestly...

i would stay in bkk for the whole time or take a couple of days at a thia beach, like hua hin or koh samui or koh chang...

have bkk at the beg. and the end of your trip to balance things off...

I'd spend the whole time in either Bangkok or Bali,one or the other. Happy Travels!

Good advice. My dilemma stems from the fact that I have been to BKK, and some Thai beaches, already twice this past year and would like to see something different (even though I absolute love love love Thailand). See, I am travelling with a friend who has never been to Thailand before and I really wanted to show him around BKK, though briefly, before seeing something a bit different. Given the 4+ hours it takes to get to Bali, sounds like I am rightfully concerned about spreading myself too thin.

But, I bet it would still be workable (perhaps I will just extend the duration of the trip by a couple days)??

If Bangkok is a must, then go somewhere closer for your "new" part of the trip: Angkor Wat, Hanoi or HCMC, Luang Prabang, northern Thailand. All would be a short flight away.

It sounds like you really want to see Bali and that (in my mind) certainly makes it worth the 4 hr. or so flight. Bali is a beautiful, culturally unique place!

Certainly, if you could come up with a few more days things would be better. Try to stay a few nights on the ocean and a few nights inland (Ubud?). And pick small hotels in remote locations to alleviate any terrorism worries. You'll have an amazing time!

Reading your posts it sounds like you really want to go to Bali. As I'm now hopelessly addicted (and this includes starting to research retirement options there some day, seriously) I can see why !!

I'm a bit surprised by Ericka's comment, all the large hotels are taking security very, very seriously in Bali and some of the night clubs/restaurants with walled/beach locations as well. Vehicle checks, inside/outside, even of their own employee airport pickup vehicles are standard. On ground security at any point someone could just 'walk in' to the areas are watched as well. It's not obtrusive (ie. it didn't feel like a police state or anything remotely like that), but they're trying to be thorough. This isn't to say small, remote places to stay aren't great too, if that's what you want and with tourism down, you really have your pick of the island at great prices.