heymo

Hooray! I finally booked our tickets to Thailand for Dec. 24th-Jan 11th! I have some parts of the trip in place, but could use some help with where to go when and what to see and do! Our plan is to visit Bangkok,(possibly)Chiang Mai, Siem Reap, and scuba dive in the Phuket/Krabi area.

We arrive in Bangkok on Dec. 25th around midnight.

My original plan was:
Dec. 26-29- Bangkok and area (I want to go to the Tiger Temple and Floating Market!)
Dec 30th-Jan 1st- Chiang Mai
Jan. 2-6 Siem Reap (Ponheary is available for those dates- lucky us!)
Jan 6-10 Phuket (fly back the evening of the 10th)
Jan 11th- Fly home.

My husband thinks we should amend our plan and try to be in Bangkok for the New Year. I am indifferent- I think it would be cool to be somewhere out of the ordinary.

So- I guess my first question is- have we allotted enough time in each place? Secondly- is it that big of a deal to be in Bangkok for the New Year?

My husband's alternative is we stay the first day or two in Bangkok, go to Chiang Mai, then back to Bangkok for the New Year, then on to Cambodia, etc.

Also, I was looking at a 3 day trip in the Chiang Mai area with Sgt. Kai-http://chiangmaitours.com/cmspecial.html
Has anyone gone on a trip with him and how was it? Chiang Mai is the part of the trip I know the least about...so I would love any input you might have!

eurotraveller

I think you are spending a good amount of time in each place.

I haven't been to Bangkok for New Year's eve so can't help there. I wouldn't, however, fly back to Bangkok in order to spend New Year's there. Too much time wasted doing so.

I am one of the people on this forum who loves Chiang Mai! I like it better than bangkok although I do like Bangkok. Chiang Mai is still a large city with lots of great places to stay, eat and shop but it is less polluted, crowded and hot than Bangkok.

When in Siem Reap, I highly recommend going to Tonle Sap Lake and going out on a boat. It is interesting to see this way of life, people living on the water, etc. The drive out there is also incredibly fascinating. There are some beautiful homes and right across the street you will find little huts.

Don't miss the Tiger Temple in Kancahanaburi! Wow! amazing to see and pet these big cats. The monks take in orphaned tigers and raise them. They would die otherwise.

Where are you staying?

Kathie

Really, I think the question for your itinerary is whether to go to Chiang Mai or not. Eurotraveller is one who really likes CM, I'm one who doesn't. If it were my trip (and obviously, it isn't), I'd cut CM and spend the time in Bangkok.

I can't tell you whether you will like CM or not, but if you read some of the trip reports, you may get a flavor what what people like or don't like about it. My most recent trip to CM was in November, and my trip report is called something like Penang, Chiang Mai and Bangkok, Kathie's 2006 trip report.

Also look for Eurotravelle'rs report, as she was in SE Asia in Novembr as well, and she really liked CM.

Gpanda

Some love CM, some don't care for it. It's a city, but nothing like BKK. There are many treks outside CM, including elephant rides and an elephant conservation center. I suggest you read reports and some guide books and just make a choice. Be prompt, hotels fill up quickly for NYE.

kaneda

New Year some smaller shops are shut for a day or two but all the big malls and everything else in Bangkok is open as usual. Xmas Day is just another day there.

Lots of small museums in Bangkok, wats, Grand Palace, Ocean World in the Paragon Centre at Siam Square. Have a ride along the river on the tourist boat from Saphan Taksin Skytrain station (out of station and walk towards river. You'll see the ticket place and tourists waiting. It costs peanuts. Silom night market and Patpong from Sala Daeng Skytrain station (around 9pm is a good time to turn up). The Skytrain is easy to use. Pop into Mah Boon Krong for seven floors of shopping (open 10-10) at National Stadium (see the TOKYU sign).

Bangkok is one big shopping centre. Use taxis which are metered and cheap. Not tuk-tuks unless you want a rough ride and like being overcharged.

heymo

Thanks for at least settling whether or not we're spending time in each place.

I definitely plan to see Tonle Sap Lake, I've already told Ponheary to include it as part of our tour. We had planned to stay at the Bopha Angkor based on other posts here, but Ponheary suggested staying at the Angkor Holiday Hotel instead. We decided to take her advice.

If we do end up going to Chiang Mai, I like the look of the Romyen Garden Resort- is anyone familiar with it? The price is good- and they have a list of tour they can arrange for you that sound promising. My perception of Chiang Mai is that most people use it as a staging point to visit either Chiang Rai or the Golden Triangle, am I wrong? I know how much people talk about Anantara, but we're really not into the luxury hotels...

As for Bangkok, We put in a request to stay at the Arun Residence, but so far haven't heard from them. I also was looking at the Old Bangkok Inn,Centre Point Silom, and a place in Chinatown called the Shanghai Inn. Any other suggestions? I have looked on the Sawadee web site, and I know everyone suggests staying somewhere near the skytrain- but when I'm looking at the list of hotels it's hard to tell where they are? What is a good area to stay? Silom, Sukhumvit Road, Patpong, I have no idea!

heymo

Oh, I forgot to ask...I found this link to touring the Tiger Temple...is it the "right" one? I have heard there are many places calling themselves Tiger Temple...http://www.tigertemplethailand.com/

Gpanda

Chiang Rai is about a 3 hour car ride from CM. If you want to see things around CR, you should stay there. It's too far from CM to do in one day. The ride is not particularly nice.

eurotraveller

I enjoyed Chiang Mai so much on my first trip in Feb. of last year that I returned again in November for Loy Krathong, which was incredible! Chiang Mai is on the River Ping. there are many great riverside restaurants/bars serving great seafood for reasonable prices.

A beautiful place near Chiang Mai is Chiang Dao, about an hour north of CM. You can check it out at www.chaingdao.com

That is indeed the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi but it isn't the "official website" for the temple.

You can view my photos of the temple, CM, Bangkok and Siem Reap at:

www.windjammer.smugmug.com

Cheers!

heymo

Thanks for the link to your pictures, eurotraveller...they're very cool. I've looked at the Chiang Dao Resort you spoke of- it also looks very interesting. The biggest question is where to focus our attention?

I have one other question: I was considering getting the Discovery Pass from Bangkok Air, but I am not certain about exactly how it works. I thought we might be able to use it to fly from Bangkok to Chiang Mai,from Bangkok to Siem Reap and from Bangkok to Phuket. Is it only good for 3 individual legs, or round trip? Would I be better off flying one of the other discount carriers to Chiang Mai and Phuket and just book the Cambodia tickets with Bangkok Air?

heymo

Just heard from tong- she's also available on the dates we're in Bangkok!
Now I really need to find a hotel...HELP!

I would like to find something that reasonable (Under $100) smaller and has some character. Am I asking too much?

simpsonc510

If you are planning to do much shopping in Bangkok, I would suggest you stay in the Sukhumvit area. You will find a bigger selction of places in your price range. But, since it is your first trip to Bangkok, then you would certainly enjoy the activity along the river. Price range is a huge factor in this location, however. Which ever location you select, keep in mind that Dec/Jan holiday time is peak season and places get booked way ahead.

I've not been in Bangkok for New Years Eve but have been in Phuket at that time and enjoyed it very much. I'm sure it was much quiter than in Bangkok.

To include CM or not... I like CM but for me, it is better to spend more time in Bangkok! I go to CM on an over night (or 2 nights) from BKK to look in the markets. It is only an hour flight and I can actually go for just one day, if I get up early and fly out, and return last flight out. You would obviously want more time than that in CM, if you decide to include it.

Where do you plan to stay on Phuket? The prime places get booked way ahead.

Carol

heymo

Thanks, Carol. I think we are considering staying in Khao Lak rather than Phuket, because we would like to dive the Similans and that's the closest area to go from. I have tried looking at hotels both in Phuket and Krabi on Sawadee and a couple other hotel sites, they don't even have their prices listed for January yet!
I'm not thinking we'll do a LOT of shopping, maybe a little. Right now I would just like to find somewhere that has availability and will answer my e-mails!
We've decided to stay in Bangkok for New Years- tong mentioned that we could go to the Royal Field on New Years Day and go merit making with the monks. I have no idea what that means- but it sounds interesting!

Has anyone heard or have an experience with the Romyen Garden Resort in Chiang Mai?