Help with Thailand March itinerary
 

Hello all,
My husband and I booked our flights to Thailand in March and need help in planning our itinerary. We are planning on spending a couple of days in Bangkok on arrival and then would like to experience the real Thailand without trying to cram too much into two weeks.
We are leaning toward spending time at the beaches and islands (Phi Phi is one we are considering...what are thoughts about Phuket and Ko SaMui?) We don't care for "touristy" and much prefer serene, secluded and beautiful.
We'd also love to take a cooking class and wondering if there is something good in the southern region? Or should we try and fit in the northern area to experience more authentic areas?
If we visit both north and south, would that be too much? If not, should we fly? Take a train?
I would greatly appreciate your feedback as I'm getting a little overwhelmed about what direction to take.

Thanx!

In two weeks, plan not more than three locations. I'm a bit confused about your priorities, as you state that after a couple of days in Bangkok you "would like to experience the real Thailand " but then you go on to say that you want to spend your time at the beach... The beaches may be lovely, but they won't give you much (if any) sense of Thai culture. All of the beach places you mention are built for tourists. There are more and less busy beaches, but really, what you'll get will be a beach resort.

When you say you want to see "more authentic areas" it makes it sound like you want to go to places where tourists don't generally go. That would mean very simple accommodations in small towns and rural areas.

It sounds like you've never been to Thailand. I'd suggest that you get yourselves a good guidebook and read about areas of Thailand. You can find places in Bangkok where you won't see another visitor, you can find interesting areas of Northern Thailand, but the place where you will find the most other visitors will be the beach areas.

If you want to visit various places in Thailand you would be best advised to fly as your time is so limited.

Hi Gabi, I think north and south and Bangkok is too much for two weeks. I like your plan for some time in Bangkok and some time in the south. I think that March is not the best time for Koh Samui. So your choice of Phuket looks good. My love of Phi Phi is well known on this board so I won't labour that point, but you want serene secluded and beautiful so the right choice of Phi Phi resort gets you exactly that.
Some on this board seem to insist that beach resort=no local culture. Well I disaggree and can point you in the direction of nearly zero tourist areas on Phuket for example.
I think your plan for a first time visit to Thailand is good.
You don't have time for trains so fly between destinations.
I suggest two or three days in Bangkok then down south then a couple of more days in Bangkok before going home. That will certainly give you a good feel for Thailand AND it will give you a holiday break.
Take a look at our site and maybe get more of a feel for what you want.
www.leightravelclub.com

kathie is quite correct, esp. about the beach areas...

the real thailand....i think that is bkk in a traffic jam or thr grand palace at 11AM or koh chang in august..."real"" not sure what that is...



more time in bangkok and less at the beach...visit remote areas like central thailand and extreme north...

Do you actually have 14 nights in Thailand or does that include travel time? In 14 days you could easily visit 3 destinations, 4 if one is within an hour transport and you want more of a taste of several places.

As you can see, people have different opinions of what the "real Thailand" is all about. I always wonder what comes to mind when people think of the "real USA". Hmmm... :-?

There are beautiful beaches in Thailand where you won't find many people. We found a little slice of paradise on the eastern coast of Ko Phi Phi that I would definitely consider the "real Thailand". The only thing on the beach was the bungalow operation with accompanying restaurant and bar. There were many day trip options to beautiful beaches.

How much time you spend in Bangkok is a personal matter. Do you like large, hot, busy cities? Bangkok has a lot to offer but for some 2 days is more than enough and for others 2 weeks is the right amount of time.

Bangkok is one of the hottest cities I have ever been in and I visited twice this year during the "cool" season. Taking the sky train, river taxi and air conditioned metered cabs is the best way to get around.

Many people enjoy Chiang Mai. Since my second visit to both Bangkok and Chiang Mai this year, I am in the catagory of people who prefer Chiang Mai over Bangkok. It is cooler, smaller and in my opinion, friendlier.

If you want to get out of Chiang Mai to a place of amazing beauty I highly recommend Chiang Dao, an hour or so north of Chiang Mai. You can ride elephants, go on a bamboo river raft, a day trek, etc. from either Chiang Mai or Chiang Dao.

I am assuming you have just begun your research. Do you have a couple of good guide books? Here is a suggested itinerary:

2 nights Bangkok
Fly to Chiang Mai
3 Nights Chiang Mai
2 nights in Chiang Dao
Fly directly to Phuket
Stay either on Phiket or take a ferry to Ko Phi Phi
4 nights at one beach location
Final 2-3 nights in Bangkok

Please keep in mind that this is just a suggestion based on my two trips this year.

If you would like to see my photos you can find them for both of my trips at www.windjammer.smugmug.com.

Good luck with your planning. We are happy to help you do some fine tuning.

Cheers!

Gabi7-the "real Thailand" is too elusive to grasp in two weeks. However, if you want off-the-beaten-track experiences, you can find them. Isaan, the northeast section of Thailand and Ko Chang, an island in the Gulf that Thais use to get away, are very non-touristy. As Kathie says, simple accomodations, as well as limited options.

One of the great things abouit Thailand is the strong tourist infrastructure. The oft-visited spots have wonderful places that are easily accessible. Also, restaurants and laundry services are simple. My advice would be to do the standard BKK_Chiang Mai-Phuket (Phi Phi), BKK route and stay in small hotels. In BKK, the Old Bangkok Inn has gotten very good reviews. In CM, Baan Oraphin has charmed many.

You cannot see or do everything. Just pick some things from a guide book and book your internal arrangements, flights and hotels. My guess is that you'll have a great time no matter what you choose.

Many thanks to all for the guidance and good sense! Since my husband and I are not the type of people who like to lie on beaches for hours, it makes sense to spend more time up north to see more authentic regions of the country and then head down to the south for the last few days of the trip.
We are both avid travellers and love to get off the beaten track and experience some local adventures and like the idea of river rafting and cooking schools and kayaking. Any suggestions for good cooking schools (probably a half day would be best) and recommendations for areas to kayak?

Cheers!
Gabi

Chiang Mai Thai Cookery school has been going for over ten years. It's great!
www.thaicookeryschool.com

Hi Gabi

My partner and I had 2 weeks in Thailand last September and although right in the middle of monsoon season, we had the time of our lives! With only 2 weeks up your sleeve, flying is definitely the recommended option.

We spent 3 nights in Bangkok - which was enough for us. It's true, Bangkok is smelly and the traffic is horrendous, but such an amazing place! Be sure to check out Chatuchuk markets, open weekends only and go early in the morning when it's cooler. The biggest market you have ever seen and most definitely the cheapest prices in all of Thailand if you want to pick up some souvenirs (we left Thailand with 120kg between us!). A visit to Pat Pong Road to see the hype for yourself is mandatory. Take a river cruise on a long tail barge to the floating markets via the canal housing district. Visit the Emerald Palace, but be sure to be suitably and respectably attired.

We then moved onto 5 nights in Chiang Mai - absolutely gorgeous! We would have loved to have had more time in Chiang Mai. Go elephant riding, white water rafting, visit the hill tribes and be sure to see a Simon's caberet - sensational! A traditional Thai dinner dance is imperative. For a brillant cooking school, try Baan Thai Cookery School - you go to the local markets to buy all the ingredients for what you will make. A great introduction to Thai cooking and a real appreciation for the cuisine.

And finally - a magical 3 nights in Koh Samui finished off a truely fabulous holiday. We stayed at a boutique resort, Baan Ngam Haad at the top of Chaweng Beach - highly recommended - we'd go back there in a flash! Take a tour out to neighbouring islands, go scuba diving or snorkelling, or simply lay on the beach, relax and soak in the sun and the cocktails! Hire a scooter and tour the island on your own - although increasing in tourism, there's plenty of local things to see and do to get a good perspective on local living.

Good luck, whatever you choose to do, you can be guaranteed you'll love your experiences and wished you had more time!