Hello! So I’m leaving on Friday for Thailand and have some last minute questions.

1) We are going to Ko Samui on July 2nd and are making last minute adjustments to our hotel. We were planning on staying at Baan Haad Ngam, but just realized the massages are $40. It seems a bit high to me (we are hoping to get one everyday). What are the average prices on massages at hotels in ko samui? We could switch our hotel to Baan Chaweng. Has anyone been? Is it a good hotel? Does anyone know what the massages cost at Baan Chaweng? They are not listed on the website.

2) My cell phone is programmed to work in Thailand but of course it will cost me an arm and a leg (maybe both legs) to use it. How does the SIM card work? Do I just buy a SIM card in Thailand that allows me to make international calls?

Thanks!!

I can't answer your specific questions about hotels, but I can tell you that massages at hotels are always more expensive than elsewhere. There will be masseuses at the beach selling cheap massages, and there are free-standing massage places and spas as well. So choose your hotel based on where you want to stay, not on the price of their massages.

There are lots of posts here about buying sim cards in Thailand. Your phone will have to be "unlocked" for you to put in a Thai sim card.

massage as kethie points out are available everywhere...i paid 200 B at my samui hotel a couple of years ago for a one hour...they were very cheap....on the beach they are available for 200-400 everywhere....don't change your hotel just because of the price of a massage....you can also have someone come into your room for one probably for far less...

sim cards are available everywhere, but every 7/11 has them...i forgot the cost but it was not much...maybe 300-500 B...you then have to load it up with B seperately...100, 300, 500, 1000 B at a throw....

a call to the usa averages about $2-5 depending on lenght of the call....its very cheap....do not use your sim from home...just give the clerk your phone and they will do it all....make sure your phone is unlocked however....my usa company puts a lock on the phone and you need to remove that....that has to be done at home...not all phones have one however...

as it happens i had to buy a new phone in thailand as the code they gave me would not unlock our phone...thanks cingular!!!

Just a word of caution: Getting a Thai massage every day will result in a rather painful situation after the 3rd or 4th day. I know people who have done that, believe me. Pace yourself.

Thanks for the advice!! Definitely will limit the massages. Maybe foot massage 1 day and back the next.

We are going to stick with Baan Haad Ngam. thanks!