Has anyone used this tour group for China , Japan or Thailand? Positives/negatives?
What is the typical size of the group?

Hi,
I understand that Friendly Planet and smarTours are the same thing. Please correct me if I am wrong. I am taking the smarTours (unlisted) tour to China on May 10th.
What exactly is the relationship between the 2 companies?

I returned recently from Friendly Tours Amazing Thailand Tour. The guide said that Friendly Planet and Smartours are now related by a marriage. My tour had 41 persons.

I'm leaving for Thailand on 4/16 with Friendly Planet/SmarTours and I'm having trouble deciding which option tours to go on and which I should skip. What was the experience like with a large group - I've never been on a tour before. You help is much appreciated.

My friend took their Beijing/Shanghai tour in November 2005 by herself. She had a great time! She felt the itinerary offered a good balance of scheduled tours and independent time. It was a good value, too!

FP and ST are the same company - related by investment somehow. The FP office in Florida seems friendlier (no pun intended) than the Smartours office in NY. Other than that, the trips are identical, groups combined. Our Jan/Feb 2006 trip to Thailand consisted of 40 people, most couples, a few singles. Most were over 40, a few younger. I have nearly no complaints about this tour - AMAZING value for the money and very very well organized. Tour guide was way above average. We only took one of the optional tours, as we enjoy doing it on our own, but most of those who took the optionals were well satisfied, especially towards the beginning of the trip. I would take another trip with this company without hesitation.

jkgourmet- what was checking into the hotels like with a big group? did it take forever? also, when the tour included dinner, did you all have to eat together at the same time? what was the quality of the hotels? thanks!

Hi,
I have gone with Smartours/Friendly Planet on a number of trips. I have noticed that most tours are offered by both but not all. I booked an Italy trip with Smartours that friendly didn't offer that turned out to be a Gate 1 tour. I was very happy with the tour and the tour guide. I have done other tours that are only Smar/friendy trips. I did the trip to Thailand in Nov 04, the hotels and the dinners all were good. In fact for the 40-45 people we had 2 buses and a guide and bus boy for each one. Needless to say we had alot of room to spread out. I did some of the optionals, but you could do some on your own, since it is very cheap to get around. I did the tour of the floating market in Bankok (loved it)and in Northern Thailand did the boat tour to the tribal villages (I felt it was worth doing) We went to 2 villages we spoke to the people and saw the school and in the other the children performed for us. I also did the trip into Mynar (Burma) we walk in over the bridge and walk around the shopping area on the boarder and then return to Thailand. We also went to Laos by boat and walked around a village with shops that was fun not sure if that was included or not, but worth doing. Don't miss the night market in Bangok there are two, one that you can walk from the hotel that is in the Red Light area, and the other you need to take a taxi to. It was one of the nicest markets I have seen, alot of really nice things and its very large. There are also night markets in the other Cities you travel to. I also did the China Express trip about 3 years ago, you can't beat the value of that trip. I did the optional to the Great Wall but again its very cheap to take a taxi, and in China with the tour they seemed to always take us to shop. They get the standars mix of singles and ages on there tours. I plan on doing more of the trips they offer, I am sure you will be happy with any of there trips. And you must get some massages they are the best, did a 3 hour one in Chang Mai for $35, and had at least a foot massage every day for about $5. Enjoy! All the hotels range from 3* to 5* they are all fine or better. You also get a wonderful buffet breakfast every day. Let me know if you have any other questions about this trip, there is lots to do in Bangok and not enough time to do it all.

Hotel check in was quite easy and fast. Our bags were taken ahead of us on a truck and put directly into the room. We received our room keys, along with cold fruit drinks, upon arrival at the hotel, usually within 10 minutes. Dinner was only included once on our trip to Thailand, and it was truthfully the worst dinner food we had - mostly because the hotel tried to make food that was non-thai. That dancing show provided was nice enough, though. We should have seen the show, then left and gone out to dinner. Breakfast was provided at all hotels, and in most cases excellent. All hotels were well located, clean and Holiday Inn level, with the exception of one hotel which we were less than pleased with, but for the price would not complain. Lunch with the group, off the bus, could be a bit of a pain, and was not included in the our tour price. They are usually a buffet arrangement with food that was decent but nothing great. More expensive than it should be by Thai standards, but cheap by American standards. There were usually no other choices for lunch nearby. Truly, these were the only complaints about the entire trip that I can think of - and I'm thinking hard. Great program at an outstanding, amazing, even unbelievable price.