We are a 70year old vegetarian couple in excellent health and physical condition.We would appreciate any advise for a 3 week trip to Bangkok from Oct.15 2005. We like quiet small hotels near transportation not too isolated and we love to walk. Our budget is Up to $75 can go higher if something great but would like to be lower.We are not big shoppers but have been toldNarayanaPhand 127 Ratchadamini is good anyone have experience? Where is the best massage? Is it in Wat Po? We would like info on any local down home eateries patronized by the locals as wll as some fancier ones with English speaking waiters. What clothes and shoes should we be taking? What are some side trips we should take? Is Laos and Cambodia a possibility? and are they worth the effort?How much time do we need to spend in Bangkok to see the temples,khlongs, massage etc.? Should we just concentrate on Thailand? We are adventurous. Thank you all for any help you can give us.

With 3 weeks, you should definitely visit other locations. Both Angkor Wat and Luang Prabang (Laos) are quick plane rides from BKK. You could do both. Also, Hua Hin is a beach about 2 1/2 hours car ride from BKK. It is relatively quiet.

I would do the following:
Bangkok - 7 days (split between beginning and end)
Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai -- 6-7 days for the two area
Siem Reap - 3 full days

Then depending on your interests either add days in the south for a beach (would not be my recommendation)or stay in northern thailand and go to Mae Hong Son or Doi Mae Salong.

thank you both for your response. Please post some answers to our other questions when you get a chance

A couple of hotel suggestions:
Chiang Mai -- Baan Orapin which is a boutique B and B. Great location. People have been giving it raves -- I'm staying there for 10 days in Jan.Another option is Tamarind Village.

Chiang Rai -- if you want to be in town stay at the Wang Hotel. Otherwise Dusit Island resort which is a short tuk tut ride.

Mae Hong Son -- Fern Resort.

Even though you like to walk you will want a car and driver for your time in northern thailand since much of what you want to see is outside of the cities. If you do a search on this forum you'll find many suggestions.

thank you glorialf for that great info on chaing Mai and Rai. Whatis your feeling about the weather and also what clothes and shoes do we need? Thank you for your efforts!

glorialf we live on the east coast is it possible to fly home from chaing Mai thanks jeremiah

No--you'll have to connect to a flight in Bangkok. But you can do that easily if you fly thai air (which is nonstop from JFK). Their return flight leaves at around 1AM so you could take an evening flight from Chiang Mai to bangkok (flights leave about every two hours and is about an hour)and easily make the connection. You can also check your luggage through to JFK in Chiang Mai if you fly thai air both from CM and from Bangkok to JFK. You'll land at JFK at around 6:30. It's a great flight since you'll have almost a full day in CM and won't have to pay for a hotel for that day.

glorialf tx again we live in virginia we can possibly look for a flight from charlottesville to jfk

we also still need help with clothes for this oct trip and shoes tx all

all of your clothes should be loose fitting natural fibre clothing....i wear chinos usually with polo type shirts and good walking shoes (not sneakers--too hot) and/or supportive sandals with a good arch...
my wife wears cotton/linen slacks or cropped pants or a skirt...she wears a blouse with a small sleeve usually...we also take one long sleeve shirt to protect us from the sun on certain days in certain conditions...she also takes a shawl to protect from aggressive air conditioning or for use in temples/wats...she only took sandals this last trip...

there are literally thousands of restaurants in bkk....most now have english sub title menus....many waiters speak some english if not good english....eating is very reasonable there and almost any cuisine that you can think of is represented in the city...thai food is generally the least expensive, of course...to spend $40 on a dinner would be difficult with the norm more around $20 or less for 2 persons...

if we knew where you were staying we might be able to suggest specific restaurants to you...almost every menu has vegetarian items....the thais are big on stir fried veggies, tofu and other items which you would be pleased with...

NP on rachadamni is a good all purpose shop....don't miss the basement which is all individual vendors...its very large...the stairs are a bit confusing so watch how you did it...
i personally visited the nite market in june for the first time and found it a very good take for tourists....most items that you might be interested in are located there...plan to spend a few hours there one nite...you can eat there as well...it is at the corner of the rama IV road and wireless rd...the subway has a stop right in front...
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one problem with the wat pho massage is that it isn't air conditioned...you might want them to come to your hotel instead...a/c plus a quick shower afterwards is very appealing...

time allocation depends on you...i like to start my trip and end my trips in bkk for 5 days each at least...

siem reap (angkor wat) is easily doable in 3-4 days...you fly on bangkok air from bkk...availavle on line...it is well worth the experience...it is fantastic by the way...it is difficult...its very hot and there is lots of walking...i would not do it without a car with driver and a guide...each is about $20 per day....the best money you could spend...

i would skip laos on this trip...luang prabang is very nice however...3-4 days there would be relaxing and worth you while...

a few days at hua hin down the coast from bkk is also nice...

i would do bkk, twice
angkor wat
and hua hin in a 3 week trip

you could add a few days in chiang mai as well...

rhkkmk thank you for your informative response. We have not decided on a hotel. Some suggestions have been Swiss Lodge, Sofitel Silom, Rembrandt, Atlanta. Have you any experience with any of these? Also, one other thought. We could take this trip in Feb. or March 2006(although I haven't asked my wife yet) what is your thinking in this regard?

it's sometimes comes out cheeper too rent a serviced appartment for a month in bkk. then to stay 7 day in a hotel..

another plus is that you could go too Cambodia, Chaing Mai, where ever. and leave most of your luggage and things you boiught in your home away from home. .

many places like some rooms at the grand president on sukunvit 11 go for about $550 a month. that rate is close to what you'd pay for just 1 week at a hotel costing $75 per day..

http://www.thaiapartment.com/Service...ment/Index.asp

http://www.moveandstay.com/property_...ok&show=sa

Early February might be a bit better weather wise in that you will not have any possibility of rain. However by late Feb. and march it gets hotter. So I would say the best times for your would be:

1. Early Feb (arriving Feb. 1)
2. Your original October 15th departure date
3. Late Feb.
4. March

One advantage of October is you might be able to get better prices at hotels.

While self service apartments are definitely cheaper one of the joys of thailand is the wonderful hotels which are incredible bargains compared to other places.

If you divide your time in Bangkok between the beginning and end of your trip you can also store things at the hotel.

A good place to read reviews of hotels are the following websites:
www.tripadvisor.com
www. asiahotels.com

You might check out the Davis Hotel, Silom Serene, and Old Bangkok Inn (see other postings about it). Also Cheateau de Bangkok has gotten some good write ups. I have not stayed at the hotels you mentioned but if you do a search on this forum for them and read the reviews on the two websites mentioned above you might get some ideas.

I personally love staying on the river in Bangkok so if you can splurge a bit and stay at one of the river hotels I don't think you'll be sorry. They may be a bit more than $75 but you will be way under that dollar figure in northern thailand so it might even out.

i have no overniting experience with any of those hotels, but i do often eat at the rembrandt...we did visit a room in may as well...the room was very nice...a friend did stay there in june and she did not have a very good experience however....i can't remember the problems exactly but she did say she would never stay there again...the location is great as are the restaurants...about a 5-10 minute walk to the skytrain...they have a tuk tuk which will take you to the end of the road for free as well..

sofitel on silom gets decent reports...its location is excellent...

for some reason i can only think of one fodorite who has reported on the davis...decent location also...

swiss lodge got a very good review recently and its location is superior...good restaurants in that area as well and skytrain very near by...

i don't know the atlanta...

did i suggest that you look and maybe book rooms through:

www.huahin.20m.com

this is a good site because the tax/service and breakfast is included in the price...the tax service adds 17.7% on to the basic price....breakfasts can often run to $15 pp....they will last you through lunch if you eat heavily...

serviced apartments are very nice as well as orgy suggests...we have looked at several for future stays...centre point, marriott, oakwood, president...the list goes on and on....they are often just like a hotel...but you get more room and usually a washer/dryer which is very nice...many come with breakfast...they also have simple restaurants on premesis often as well...most would be around $75

There has been a lot of information...especially over the last two weeks... on this board to answer your questions.Scroll down and pull up the old threads/posts...or use the SEARCH section. Happy Travels!

thank you glorialf I think we will stay with Oct.

glorialf Gloria please give me an example of a river hotel or two that are just a bit more than $75 I know that you like the river hotels and what are the main advantages? Thanks for all your great advise.

rhkkmk Bob as a banker you will be surprised that we have traveled in Europe for years and never had a atm card. Should we get one for Thailand? sounds like travelers c would be a hassle? what do you advise>

as a person who has never been a banker or a Bob. I'd say do get a ATM card. ATM's are everywhere sometimes 3-4 next too each other.. just about every machine has an option for english (unlike japan).. the only bad thing is that I don't think security was a big isue when they installed many machines. I've seen machines right next too restaurnat tables. and right underneeth escalators so that everyone and his cousins unce can see.