First Time to Thailand..Alone!
 

Hi everyone. I am traveling to Thailand alone at the end of november. I have 3 weeks. Im flying into Bangkok and will stay there a couple of days.
Then possibly to Chiang Mai, Ayuthaya, Kancharaburi. (Nothing is set in stone yet).
Then maybe the last 3 days in a beach area.

I plan on booking a tour for Chiang Mai.
Any one have tips? Any place I HAVE to see?

Do you think it will be easy for me to get around, I am a little freaked out being a single female traveling alone, but I really want to do this.
What about where to stay in Bangkok, Chiang Mai? I dont need fluff, just clean, private shower etc..
Thanks and wish me luck!
Teresa

Do spend some time reading trip reports on this board. There are lots of posts with must-sees for Bangkok. Read some and see what appeals to you, then come back with specific questions. The reports will give you lots of ideas. Thailand is incredibly easy to do solo. You'll meet people to do things with if you'd like or you can do things alone.

Invest in a good guidebook or two: I like Insight Guides.

As far as where to go in Thailand, Bangkok is a must. Both Ayuthaya and Kancharaburi can be done as day trips from Bangkok, though you can spend a night in Kancharaburi if you'd like. CM and the north is a good idea as well.

When you say you will book a tour in CM, do you mean you will go with a tour group, or are you planning to contact a guide for a day trip or two?

And what kind of accommodations do you want? Give us a price range to help you. I'd suggest that you take a look at www.sawasdee.com to give you some ideas. You can come back with options and get some feedback from us.

With 3 weeks, you'll be able to do a lot. For a beach, it depends on when you're going. The rainy season is different. In Chiang Mai, we've used Sergeant Kai. He can be reached at ChiangMAiTours.com. In the north, you might visit either Chiang Rai or MAe Hong Son. Kathie is spot on, Ayutthaya and Kachanburi can be done as easy day trips from BKK. You can arrange these when you get to BKK. Either your hotel or the TAT office can do this. Probably cheaper at TAT.

Thanks, My Plan: In Bangkok I want to take in the temples.Stay there 3-4 days? I think a night in Kancharaburi.
Transportation wise, what do you recommend from Kancharaburi to Chiang Mai?
Then head over to Chiang Mai, no tours, but maybe a guide if I take a day trip somewhere.
Should I book one in advance since Nov is the busy season, or Can I just do it when I get there?
Then ending on the South Side. Would Puckett be ok late Nov?
I have 3 weeks all together.
Thanks for the reply and making me feel better about going alone :)

Oh yes I forgot..Would like stay under 60 a night, not planning on being in my room except to sleep. I wouldnt mind paying more for my first couple of nights in Bangkok.

Yes, read through the posts first. There's a lot of information on Bangkok. We regulars type info almost everyday. Then if you need more info get back to us. As for traveling alone, I went off to S.E. Asia...Bali/Singapore/Thailand for three weeks alone back in the 90s when it was my first trip to that region of the world and I'm female and was fine. Actually, I've been travling the world alone since I was 17 and have been just fine. Just use regular big-city common sense and select hotels that are either on streets with proper lighting or near major transportation if you plan to be out at night alone. I always would be very careful about choosing hotels so I wouldn't accidentally end up at places where the guests change every hour. But, that probably won't happen to you since now there are these forums and not the old-school system of travel and planning for a trip. Plus, I am one who doesn't prepay so if I end up in a dump, I can just go somewhere else and trust me...in the past I've ended up in some REAL dumps. I checked out of my hotel in Bali and went elsewhere. The travel books made it sound great, but when the worker takes you to your room and comments that the place is not always clean and that guests complain, then you know that you've entered a dump. I easily transfered to a really nice place across the street after two nights in the dump. Happy Travels!

At $60 per night, you'll be able to find suitable accomodations in BKK and CM. Phuket can be more expensive. Patong may be your best bet. Take a look at Sawadee.com for hotel prices. Also try Huahin.20.com.

I'd suggest you spend longer in Bangkok. You might want to divide your time in Bangkok, a few days at the beginning, a few days at the end.

The Phuket side will have good weather in November, the later in the month, the better the weather is likely to be. It will be harder to find something in the $60 price range in Phuket. James A should be able to help you, though.

In Chaing Mai, you might want to consider Baan Orapin, a B&B that has gotten excellent reviews here. Do a search and find many comments as well as contact information.

With 3 weeks time, I would suggest a week doing the following: From Chiang Mai, (you'll see tours advertised there), get over to Chiang Khong, and take a 2 day, overnight, slow boat down the Mekong through Laos to Luang Pruang. From there, take a bus to Vang Vieng, spend the night, continue on in about 4 hours to Vientienne, and then fly back to BKK. It remains one of the hightlights of my world travels. Also, you will be a group of people for 2 days and will probably meet some really interesting ones.

You should feel totally safe in all of SE Asia, just using your head as you would anywhere.

Thanks Everyone! Ill check out the Baan.
I dont mind paying more in Phuket.
Thanks again

When do you arrive? I will be traveling solo for 3 1/2 weeks through Thailand and Laos in November. I plan on being back in Bangkok around Nov. 23rd or 24th for a couple of nights before I fly home. Maybe we could meet up and I can share my tales of being a single female traveller.

A good website for accomodations is www.sawadee.com.

In Bangkok you could try the Suk 11. It gets rave reviews and the prices are well below your range. I haven't stayed there but plan in staying there at the beginning of Nov. We stayed one night at the Asia hotel on our last trip and it was ok.

We stayed at Baan Orapin in Chiang Mai and it was perfect! I have also read good reviews for CM Blue House.

Good luck with your planning!

Cheers!

Tamara

Teresa:

Funny to read your post; a friend just told me about this website yesterday and I am checking it out this morning.

I will be going to Thailand at the end of November, as well. Nov 17 to Dec 3 to be exact. I am a female, traveling to Thailand, solo, just like you. I am just beginning to piece my trip together, so I'd love to hear what you learn as you are doing the same. We can share notes.

I'll be in Thailand, but in late August, early September, so not the same schedule. This is my 10th trip to Bangkok, but the first one traveling solo. I think you will be perfectly safe, like others have said. Just stay alert, as you would in any big city.
Carol

To dmwash and Teresa: I am ALSO a solo female traveller! I will be in SE Asia (including Thailand) from Dec 25 to Jan 23, so I hope to be reading both of your trip reports before I head out. Have fun both of you!

Pebbles, I will be sure to post a full trip report (you may have missed my post about being a single female traveling solo in Thailand).

Cheers!

yes, lets compare notes!

Eurotravelr and Dmwash. I'll be ariving in bangkok on the 24th.

I'll be in BK during the same time. When it gets closer to the time, I'll post and see who all will be in town and possibly have a GTG. We had one last December and there were 4 of us...all of whom I had already known since I had met two at the Honolulu GTG and one at the Boston GTG. Happy Travels!

Bob, bless his little heart (and I do mean little), will no doubt threaten to organize a BKK GTG or two. I think he's already got one planned for early November. We're in BKK in late November. When he staggers back from far away Nantucket, I'm sure he'll chime in.

Teresa, are you flying in from the USA? You will no doubt be exhausted from jet lag. What time do you arrive? I leave on Nov. 26th VERY early in the morning so it is basically the night of the 25th.

Did you check out Suk 11? If you google for it you will also find reviews on other travel web sites. If you are staying there we could go for a cold one on the 25th!