Hi, <BR> <BR>My husband and I will be spending 7 nights in Bangkok(BKK) in early November. I have found this message board to be extremely useful in planning our trip. <BR> <BR>Can anyone recommend a good tailor in BKK? We would also like to spend one or two nights outside of BKK at a beach area. Looking for recommendations on beach areas that can be reached by public transportation. And also opinions on if early November is good beach weather or we should just skip it and do day trips outside of BKK? If that is the case any good day trips come to mind? <BR> <BR>Thx, <BR>KC

You should check out Fodors Guide to THailand. I am going in November too and found it very useful!

My husband had two wool suits, five shirts and two silk ties made at Pierre's Boutique for $275. They have several locations, including one in the Vieng Tai Hotel (near Kao Sahn Road). He was very pleased with their service and the quality of the clothes. The only thing to watch out for is that Thai men tend to wear their shirts and pants a little tighter than men here in the U.S. do, so if you like a looser fit, be sure to mention it. My husband had a fitting and picked out the material one day, had a fitting of the finished pants and half-finished jacket the next, and then they held the finished items for us for a month until we left Thailand and then they delivered them to our hotel near the airport. All without a hitch.

Hi Kara, <BR> <BR>I came accross a great web site over the weekend with information and timetables on bus and train routes for all regions incl to and from BKK. Go to discoverasia.com/transport. I found it very helpful and thought you might too! <BR> <BR>Jeanne, thank you for the tip on the tailor!

Hi there, <BR> <BR> I would have to say that there are not really many good tailors in Bangkok and you tend to get what you pay for. If you compare price-quality in Bangkok with an off-the-rack suit on sale or at an outlet in the US, most long-term residents in Bangkok that I know would choose the US as better value for money and a better finish. Even providing tailors with a suit to use as a model does not guarantee the results you want, particularly in the detailing and finish of the suit. BY far the vast majority of "bargain" tailors depend on the fact that the visitor has little time for repeat fittings and will be gone before dissatisfaction sets in. <BR> <BR>If you want a beach area close to Bangkok and accessible by public transport you could choose Hua Hin, which has a reasonably developed infrastructure, a variety of hotels and restaurants and some national parks nearby - particularly recommended being Sahm Roi Yort (300 Peaks). I flooking for something much less developed and simple you might consider Koh Samet Island. <BR> <BR>Day trips from Bangkok - <BR>- Ayutthaya, the old capital of Thailand; <BR>- Damnoern Saduek Floating Market (go early before the tourist buses arrive and take a simple wooden boat for less than 100 Baht around the canals)

Thanks Jeanne, Rhoda, and Pas your information is very helpful. Pas in particular thanks for your input regarding the tailor. <BR> <BR>KC

Pattaya is only a little over two hours by public bus from Ekkamai Bus Terminal on Sukhumvit Road. You can get there on the Skytrain. The fare by A/C bus is 77 Baht and there is a bus every 30 minutes. You could do this as a day trip. <BR> <BR>Swimmable beaches are at Jomtien, a 10 Baht songthaew ride south of Pattaya. The water at Pattaya itself is not recommended for swimming because of the large amount of boat traffic in the bay. <BR> <BR>Otherwise Hua Hin about four hours south of BKK is worthwhile, with better beaches. You can get there by bus and train.

Kara, <BR>I would like to support Harzer on the choice to favour Hua Hin, just2-3 hours by bus or train. There is another beach just north of Hua hin, Cha-am, also a nice one. In my opinion Pattaya is too much touristic, any how, it will depend on you preference. <BR>November is not so bad to travel to the beach, because it is the start point of the high season to travel, so the hotel rate will be more expensive than oct. Wish you would not experience flooding in bkk from this trip!