melhog

My husband and I just booked our tickets to Thailand for Feb. '08. As we start planning the details though, we've become completely overwhelmed! We have so many questions and would greatly appreciate any help all you experienced travelers could give us.

My first question pertains to our itinerary -- we're flying from Chicago to Thailand via Tokyo and have decided to extend our layover into three days before heading down to Thailand. Is this is a smart idea? We've never been to Asia and thought a short trip to Tokyo could be fun (it seeemed crazy to land there and never get to see it!). Here is our trip itin so far (our vaca is a total of 15 days and I've taken out the 2 travel days from the states to Asia):
3 days Tokyo
3-4 days Bangkok
8-9 days remaining -- this part is undecided still. We orginally were thinking a few days in Chang Mai and then the remainder in Phuket/islands area before heading home.

Help with our itin and any advice for us would be greatly appreciated. We are big divers and are very interested in putting in some solid diving time. I've read that the Similian islands would be best for this, but I'm having a hard time getting a grasp on what the landscape is there and if there are other diving areas that would be worth a visit.

Also, what about Chang Mai? I've read so many mixed things on these boards about that area though, so I'm tempted to skip it. I just wasn't sure if a trip to Thailand would feel as complete if we missed out on the north altogether and just did Bangkok and the islands/beaches. Or should we bag Tokyo and add time to do somewhere up north? How is Tokyo in Feb?

I know this is long and filled with questions, so thank you in advance for bearing with our mixture of excitement and "planners-block"!

Many thanks
Mel

kuranosuke

one thing that comes to mind is that you will be packing for two climates. tokyo is very cold in feb., and bangkok will be in the 90s.

of course, since you will be flying out of ord, you will already have your cold weather gear.

rhkkmk

ken, an excellent point....for that reason, i think i would stick to thailand alone....head back to japan as a trip in itself...

you will be quite tired no matter where you arrive so day one is almost a loss....another reason to skip tokyo..

head directly to bkk and plan to lay low for a day or so at first, maybe at a pool at your hotel...venture out some but not much....then attack it like a lion...

bkk is worth at least 5 days, imo....i would have 3-4 to start and then a few at the very end of the trip....

personally i hate chiang mai but most love it....i just see nothing special to do there...yes some shopping (can also be done in bkk)...yes some craft makers....yes a few temples....yes wonderful elephant camps....yes a really good temple--doi sutup (sp)...but that is all....its a huge city, just no hi-rise buildings really like bkk...it is slightly cooler there, but not much...

further north is more interesting and for many is more "real thailand"....chiang rai and the golden triangle area are interesting....more rural....the anantara hotel is wonderful and has a great pool and an elephant program and is very near to the golden triangle itself...

diving...others will respond....but the krabi/khao lak area is good as well as areas off of koh samui....

for hotels: www.huahin.20m.com or www.asiarooms.com

all pre-pays but very worthwhile...

we will answer any questions that come up...

Tangata

Good advice there. Tokyo can be horrible in February whilst Thailand, particularly the north, is at its best.

LeighTravelClub

As you sound like you are experienced divers I think The Similans will be the way to go. Consider a live aboard out of Phuket. Highly recommended is

http://www.sunrise-divers.com/

Ask for Jamie Monk

melhog

thanks to all for the advice so far -- it truly is very helpful. the more we're looking into it, we're thinking that perhaps a few days in tokyo might NOT be the way to go. especially since it will be february.

i guess my next question then would be: if we're doing just thailand then, are 15 days too many to just do bangkok and then the islands for diving? what we're looking for in this vacation is to experience new things as well as relax and enjoy the natural beauty of what so many tell us thailand has to offer. we figure the latter will abound in the south -- should we do the similans AND somewhere else then? during feb. we've heard to stay away from the koh samui side b/c of rain. we're into more secluded/less touristy + built up areas, so were hesitant about phuket originally but if the similans are the way to go for diving, this is the place to go then?

also, would a few days up in chang rai/golden triangle be worthwhile. i would love to see a different, more rural side of thai life.

thanks so much again. we're slightly anxious about where to go and how to get about during out stay!

mel