Malaysia or Thailand?
Jan 23rd, 2004, 02:00 AM
#1
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Malaysia or Thailand?
I hope someone helps me make up my mind.
I don't know which of these holidays to book for next August:
- Malaysia: 7 nights at Tanjong Jara Resort and 3 nights at Shangri La in Kuala Lumpur
- Thailand: 7 nights in Koh Samui at the Chaweng Regent and 3 nights in the Peninsula in Bangkok.
I've never been to any of these countries and I'm looking for a nice beach in a nice resort, do some shopping and to get to know a bit of the countries culture .
Both places seem great and I have tickets booked for both but can't decide. Any comments and help will be much apreciated.
I don't know which of these holidays to book for next August:
- Malaysia: 7 nights at Tanjong Jara Resort and 3 nights at Shangri La in Kuala Lumpur
- Thailand: 7 nights in Koh Samui at the Chaweng Regent and 3 nights in the Peninsula in Bangkok.
I've never been to any of these countries and I'm looking for a nice beach in a nice resort, do some shopping and to get to know a bit of the countries culture .
Both places seem great and I have tickets booked for both but can't decide. Any comments and help will be much apreciated.
Jan 23rd, 2004, 07:40 AM
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I will just throw my five cents in and say that bangkok is far more interesting then KL..
KL is modern, failry clean, and incompasses many asian cultures...
a knock on KL is that the Petronas towers are not the tallest biulding in the world anymore.
but BKK is far more exotic. yet modern.
tip if you want too get too know the culture get as FAR away from the resorts as possible.
-----oops thats 10 cents worth
KL is modern, failry clean, and incompasses many asian cultures...
a knock on KL is that the Petronas towers are not the tallest biulding in the world anymore.
but BKK is far more exotic. yet modern.
tip if you want too get too know the culture get as FAR away from the resorts as possible.
-----oops thats 10 cents worth
Jan 23rd, 2004, 09:28 AM
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no comparison on the chief city---bkk is far better in every way...
can't speak to the islands....
the peninsula is fantastic...#1 in asia by many judgements...
far more shopping in bkk as well...k/l is small in comparison to bkk...
can't speak to the islands....
the peninsula is fantastic...#1 in asia by many judgements...
far more shopping in bkk as well...k/l is small in comparison to bkk...
Jan 24th, 2004, 12:53 AM
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Many thanks all for your input. I am also more inclined to Thailand but my son and daughter say everyone goes there,it's a mass destination, not to Malaysia. Maybe that is because Thailand has really much more to offer.
Bangkok, the Peninsula and Koh Samui are more appealing to me.
Thanks again
I guess I will stick to Thailand.
Bangkok, the Peninsula and Koh Samui are more appealing to me.
Thanks again
I guess I will stick to Thailand.
Jan 24th, 2004, 12:48 PM
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Hi,
Just thought i'd add an opinion.I have been to both Bangkok and Kuala lumpur,also islands of Thailand and Malaysia.
I have loved everywhere that we have visited,Bangkok is very busy,humid,dirty,but has such an exciting feel to the place,great food,shopping,and lot,s to do. KL,is equally as hot and humid,with great hotels,interesting sights,fab shopping.Have a look into Krabi,very nice area,lot,s of islands to visit,also canoeing trips.Koh samui is great,pick your hotel carefully,some very beautiful peaceful area's if you look[ie chaweng noi].Langkawi[malaysia]lovely island,very scenic,fairly quiet,plenty of wildlife.All depends what you are looking for,Thailand is alot busier,but there are still lot's of quiet area's if that is what you are after.We just love asia full stop,so excited,as in 6 weeks 5 days we are off to Kuala lumpur,penang and Borneo,can't wait.
sue
Just thought i'd add an opinion.I have been to both Bangkok and Kuala lumpur,also islands of Thailand and Malaysia.
I have loved everywhere that we have visited,Bangkok is very busy,humid,dirty,but has such an exciting feel to the place,great food,shopping,and lot,s to do. KL,is equally as hot and humid,with great hotels,interesting sights,fab shopping.Have a look into Krabi,very nice area,lot,s of islands to visit,also canoeing trips.Koh samui is great,pick your hotel carefully,some very beautiful peaceful area's if you look[ie chaweng noi].Langkawi[malaysia]lovely island,very scenic,fairly quiet,plenty of wildlife.All depends what you are looking for,Thailand is alot busier,but there are still lot's of quiet area's if that is what you are after.We just love asia full stop,so excited,as in 6 weeks 5 days we are off to Kuala lumpur,penang and Borneo,can't wait.
sue
Jan 25th, 2004, 12:28 AM
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Suziuno, thanks for your helpful opinion.
My first choice in Thailand would be Krabi and in Malaysia Langkawi but I will be traveling in August and I read and was advised not to go to both places at that time of year because of the monsoons and rain.
That is why I picked the east coast of Malaysia and Koh Samui.
I was in Asia only once, in Bali, and had a very good time there, though the beaches weren't what I thought they would be.
I hope you have a great time in your next trip and thanks
My first choice in Thailand would be Krabi and in Malaysia Langkawi but I will be traveling in August and I read and was advised not to go to both places at that time of year because of the monsoons and rain.
That is why I picked the east coast of Malaysia and Koh Samui.
I was in Asia only once, in Bali, and had a very good time there, though the beaches weren't what I thought they would be.
I hope you have a great time in your next trip and thanks
Jan 28th, 2004, 01:29 AM
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Tough choice if you haven?t been to either. (As for Bali, if you had been reading this site before your trip, many of us could have told you that the beaches are not the point of going to Bali. Hopefully, the advice from people here will prevent your having the same experience in either Thailand or Malaysia.) A couple of thoughts from me:
1. You can't really go wrong with either place. If shopping is really high on your list, then Thailand definitely has more than the edge. A slight drawback is that Thailand is much more commercialized than Malaysia (esp the east coast which is not heavily touristed). The cultures are different, but both are interesting. Food is great in both. The beaches in the two places you have picked are equally beautiful (and in fact not that far apart geographically). Koh Samui has some hills and cliffs which make for dramatic sea views, but the outlying islands around the Tanjong Jara are some of the most beautiful in the world, IMHO.
2. I would take Kuala Lumpur out totally. It is not really that interesting a city IMO, and 3 nights is probably 2 nights too many. There are many more interesting cities in Asia. If you have a good flight price into KL, then go there but rent a car and head straight out for other parts of Malaysia. You could drive to Taman Negara rain forest for a few days, and then head to the Tanjong Jara on the other side of the Malay peninsula. Other interesting parts are the cooler highland areas west of KL (tea plantations, etc). You could also go south along the west coast to Penang or Malacca and then head over to Tanjong Jara.
3. If you decide on Malaysia, consider flying into Singapore, staying a few days, and then renting a car and driving up the east coast of Malaysia to the Tanjong Jara. The non-stop drive would take about 8-9 hours. A good way to break it up would be to go to Kuantan (about 4 hours from S'pore) and stay overnight at the Hyatt on the beach. The drive is very pretty, through coconut and palm oil plantations, until you reach the coast and then the road parallels the water with some very pretty beaches along the way. Roads are good and generally not crowded at all once you get out of the S'pore Johur Bahru area. You could then return to S'pore for your flight. If you haven't been to Singapore, it is a great city which has a lot more to offer, IMO, than Kuala Lumpur.
4. Another alternative would be to get an open jaw ticket to fly into S'pore and out of Kuala Lumpur. You could rent a car one-way in Malaysia by taking a short taxi ride over the causeway from S'pore to Johur Bahru in Malaysia to pick up a rental car. (You might be able to rent one-way from Singapore, but this might be more expensive as you are dropping off in a different country. ) You could then drive up the coast, and at the end of the trip, drop it off at the airport in Kota Bharu (2-3 hours north of Tanjong Jara). You could fly from Kota Bharu to Kuala Lumpur and then onto your international flight to get back home. This would save the drive back to Spore. It might not be cheaper to do the flights this way, but would be easier. (If it is cheaper to fly in and out of Kuala Lumpur, there are several variations on this. You could fly from KL to Kuantan, spend a few days there, then drive up the coast and fly back to KL from Kota Bharu. You could fly to Johur Bahru from KL and drive up the coast. You could fly from KL to Kota Bahru and drive down to Tanjong Jara and continue south to Kuantan before returning to KL. All these flights would take about an hour and would be non-stop.)
5. On Koh Samui, I don?t know the Chaweng Regent, but would note in passing that it is NOT affiliated with either the Regent or the Four Seasons international hotel chains. It is also not a member of either Leading Hotels of the World or Small Luxury Hotels. Not sure if either of that makes a difference to you (it would to me). I don't think you can compare it to the Tanjong Jara. If you are looking for the same class of hotel as the Tanjong Jara, you might want to consider other hotels in Koh Samui like the Baan Taling Ngam operated by Meridien or the Tongsai Grand Villas.
I am a huge fan of the Peninsula in Bangkok. You can't go wrong there. You might want to add one more night in Bangkok (maybe on your return flight) as there is so much to see and do. Also, you might want to time your trip to be in Bangkok when the weekend market is open. This is for SERIOUS shoppers. If you do decide on Bangkok, get a copy of Nancy Chandler's Map of Bangkok which is a map and shopping guide to Bangkok. You can it buy it on the web from her website (Nancychandler.net), or the Penn may have a copy in their gift shop. It has a special section on the Weekend Market which is helpful as it is easy to get lost.
1. You can't really go wrong with either place. If shopping is really high on your list, then Thailand definitely has more than the edge. A slight drawback is that Thailand is much more commercialized than Malaysia (esp the east coast which is not heavily touristed). The cultures are different, but both are interesting. Food is great in both. The beaches in the two places you have picked are equally beautiful (and in fact not that far apart geographically). Koh Samui has some hills and cliffs which make for dramatic sea views, but the outlying islands around the Tanjong Jara are some of the most beautiful in the world, IMHO.
2. I would take Kuala Lumpur out totally. It is not really that interesting a city IMO, and 3 nights is probably 2 nights too many. There are many more interesting cities in Asia. If you have a good flight price into KL, then go there but rent a car and head straight out for other parts of Malaysia. You could drive to Taman Negara rain forest for a few days, and then head to the Tanjong Jara on the other side of the Malay peninsula. Other interesting parts are the cooler highland areas west of KL (tea plantations, etc). You could also go south along the west coast to Penang or Malacca and then head over to Tanjong Jara.
3. If you decide on Malaysia, consider flying into Singapore, staying a few days, and then renting a car and driving up the east coast of Malaysia to the Tanjong Jara. The non-stop drive would take about 8-9 hours. A good way to break it up would be to go to Kuantan (about 4 hours from S'pore) and stay overnight at the Hyatt on the beach. The drive is very pretty, through coconut and palm oil plantations, until you reach the coast and then the road parallels the water with some very pretty beaches along the way. Roads are good and generally not crowded at all once you get out of the S'pore Johur Bahru area. You could then return to S'pore for your flight. If you haven't been to Singapore, it is a great city which has a lot more to offer, IMO, than Kuala Lumpur.
4. Another alternative would be to get an open jaw ticket to fly into S'pore and out of Kuala Lumpur. You could rent a car one-way in Malaysia by taking a short taxi ride over the causeway from S'pore to Johur Bahru in Malaysia to pick up a rental car. (You might be able to rent one-way from Singapore, but this might be more expensive as you are dropping off in a different country. ) You could then drive up the coast, and at the end of the trip, drop it off at the airport in Kota Bharu (2-3 hours north of Tanjong Jara). You could fly from Kota Bharu to Kuala Lumpur and then onto your international flight to get back home. This would save the drive back to Spore. It might not be cheaper to do the flights this way, but would be easier. (If it is cheaper to fly in and out of Kuala Lumpur, there are several variations on this. You could fly from KL to Kuantan, spend a few days there, then drive up the coast and fly back to KL from Kota Bharu. You could fly to Johur Bahru from KL and drive up the coast. You could fly from KL to Kota Bahru and drive down to Tanjong Jara and continue south to Kuantan before returning to KL. All these flights would take about an hour and would be non-stop.)
5. On Koh Samui, I don?t know the Chaweng Regent, but would note in passing that it is NOT affiliated with either the Regent or the Four Seasons international hotel chains. It is also not a member of either Leading Hotels of the World or Small Luxury Hotels. Not sure if either of that makes a difference to you (it would to me). I don't think you can compare it to the Tanjong Jara. If you are looking for the same class of hotel as the Tanjong Jara, you might want to consider other hotels in Koh Samui like the Baan Taling Ngam operated by Meridien or the Tongsai Grand Villas.
I am a huge fan of the Peninsula in Bangkok. You can't go wrong there. You might want to add one more night in Bangkok (maybe on your return flight) as there is so much to see and do. Also, you might want to time your trip to be in Bangkok when the weekend market is open. This is for SERIOUS shoppers. If you do decide on Bangkok, get a copy of Nancy Chandler's Map of Bangkok which is a map and shopping guide to Bangkok. You can it buy it on the web from her website (Nancychandler.net), or the Penn may have a copy in their gift shop. It has a special section on the Weekend Market which is helpful as it is easy to get lost.
Jan 31st, 2004, 01:24 AM
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Thank you very much for all the information you provided me Cicerone. But I think for now I will go to Thailand, it's been on my top list for many years and after all I've heard I must go there before I go to Malaysia, which is also in my wishing list. Thanks again
Jan 31st, 2004, 05:32 AM
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THAILAND for sure! I've stayed at both places you named and enjoyed them very much. The ONE complaint I'd have with Chaweng Regent would be that when the tide is out, there isn't much of a beach in that particular location. You might want the "other end" of Chewang Beach, say Poppies. I've not stayed at Poppies but ate dinner there, and the place looked very nice.
The Peninsula in BKK is the #1 rated hotel in the world (Conde-Nast) and really is top of the line. The Chewang Regent is a lovely Thai style resort; lots of gardens/grounds; Thai style bungalows, but some "motel" 2-story areas as well. We stayed in a very nice Royal Suite, complete w/jacuzzi tub and a location very close to the beach and the Regent's gorgeous pool.
The Peninsula in BKK is the #1 rated hotel in the world (Conde-Nast) and really is top of the line. The Chewang Regent is a lovely Thai style resort; lots of gardens/grounds; Thai style bungalows, but some "motel" 2-story areas as well. We stayed in a very nice Royal Suite, complete w/jacuzzi tub and a location very close to the beach and the Regent's gorgeous pool.
Feb 1st, 2004, 12:34 AM
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Simpsonc510, finally I have some positive feedback on the Chaweng Regent. The comments I had read on this hotel were just ok and I was a little afraid. But you seem to have enjoyed it very much.
How is the breakfast and restaurants at the Chaweng Regent?
My first choice in Samui was really Poppies but it turns out to be very expensive for a whole week. Anyway, I've emailed Poppies asking them if they had a special package for a 7 night stay and I'm waiting for their reply.
As you had dinner there, what do you think about Poppies? Is it much better than the Chaweng Regent? I would cost me about 400/450 USD more for the whole stay.
Thank you very much for your input
How is the breakfast and restaurants at the Chaweng Regent?
My first choice in Samui was really Poppies but it turns out to be very expensive for a whole week. Anyway, I've emailed Poppies asking them if they had a special package for a 7 night stay and I'm waiting for their reply.
As you had dinner there, what do you think about Poppies? Is it much better than the Chaweng Regent? I would cost me about 400/450 USD more for the whole stay.
Thank you very much for your input
