Thailand First Time: Depart in 4 Weeks
 

Hey There Fodorites, I have been reduced to "lurking" on this board since I started my new job, but finally I am in a position to hit the road!! First venture to Asia.Now my husband and Idon't like to stay more then 3 mights in any place unless we are ill.. so here is our trip (only 11 days off at my new company):
3 nights Marriott Resort and Spa Bangkok
during the day see sights with Tong visit architectural historic sites which I love.
Day 4 flight to Chang Mai/putter about Chang Mai (Baan Orapin B &B)
Day 5 Elephan Nature Park day
Day 6: Pai to start rafting trip through jungle (class V/Extra insurance purchased!! )
Day 7 Jungle camping at national park
Day 8 End up in Mae Hong Song Fly back to Chang Mai
Day 9 back to Bangkok Marriot
Day 10 drink and spa..
Day 11 Home to Los Angeles!
Yep I know it's a doosy but I hate beaches and it will likely be raining.. so there you go!
Question: What is the one thing I should bring/think about when visiting Asia for the first time.. in otherwords, what did you wish you had brought but didnt?? Or any tips from you Thailand veterans! Thanks in advance!

It's fast-paced, but you've focussed your itinerary - good job! I expect you'll get enough flavor of Thailand to plan your next trip.

Tips: take it slow in the heat. Alternate outdoor activities with indoor (air-conditioned) activities.

Do pause and enjoy a massage or spa treatement or a leisrely drink - after all it's you vacation!

There are lots of placs that will do laundry cheaply. Take advantage of that.

kathie is so damn smart and always right on the ball, except for ROS...haha--private joke...

good choices all around....you have really only 1/2 day in CM to look around or even less....the flight etc and transport will take at least 1/2 day...i would try to squeeze out more...

one thing we wish for....cheaper ways to bring more loot home....the shopping is so good and the methods of bringing it home getting more difficult all the time...

excellent choice on the marriott and BO...you will not regret either...

Thanks Katie and RH, do you happen to know of a good quickie Thai for traveler's CD out there (I just need to say enough to be polite..a good webiste will be ok too!)
Thanks guys.. good tips on laundry and loot.. hey did you ship home or bring extra bags?? (the loot not the laundry)

Don't get your laundry at your hotel it is too expensive. I have just downloaded a cd from Emule called Living Languages - In flight Thai.

Here is a great site for learning some basic words:

http://www.learningthai.com/

Inflight Thai is also ok but I prefer the Pimsluer series.

Enjoy your trip!

Try booking your domestic flights to maximize your time - especially the day you fly to CM. As Bob points out, your time in town will be very limited, so try for an early morning flight in order to give you the better part of the day there. Recommend getting the flights well ahead of time (esp the MHS one back to CM). Our flights were almost always full - the more popular times sell out quickly.
I'm not clear on the transition from day 5 to day 6. How are you getting from CM to Pai? I think it's a pretty long drive. And you're planning on traveling AND starting the rafting trip that day. You'll need to plan your logistics carefully. Things can easily go wrong and throw off your schedule.
I LOVE your trip. As Kathie/Bob have said, for such a short number of days, you've maximized what you're doing and focused on some great outdoor activities.
As for things to bring, there are so many, but here are a few:
- a hat (the sun is intense)
- sunglasses (see previous)
- plenty of sunscreen (see previous)
- Deet repellent
- an empty duffel (one that folds up small and can be stuck in the corner of a suitcase)
- and a sense of adventure :-)

You'll have a great time! We want a full trip report. When are you going?

Karen

Duh... "depart in 4 weeks"... never mind my last question. :-)

Wow, great advice guys thanks for the website info!
Actually for domestic flight we have already booked Air Asia for a 10 AM flight arriving at 12:50 Chang Mai.
The rafting portion is booked through a company called Thai Adventure Rafting (recommended via Frommers and some online sites) they are one of the oldest and don't use bamboo rafts but more modern gear. We actually are picked up at Baan Orapin ridiculously early in the AM and driven via A/C (or so they say :) van to Pai and we have a night to relax in Pai.. (we only camp in the actual jungle one night which is about all this city rat can take!) The next morning again, HORRIBLY early we are up and off to rafing base camp for safety class helmets and all of the fun stuff that lets you know you are not in Kansas anymore! Around 10 Am we are off.. and we are the next day entirely in the national park.. the "best" part is the jungle camp with it's "4 star" squat toilette and mosquito nets. I actually will be on Malarone for the Jungle camping bid as we are along the Burmese boarder, in a jungle, near water.. fortunately I have been on Malarone for 3 weeks in Kenya and aside from some really REALLY weird dreams.. was fine.. :) What is everyone using for DEET these days (usually I head to the local army surplus and grab the nastiest stuff you can find if there is a kinder, gentler but still effective product out there.. please share!
Oh... guys, I am sure you can buy photo memory cards in Bangkok for less money then the US does anyone recommend doing that, or getting them stateside? do I run a risk of getting faulty memory cards in Bangkok? My biggest worry now, is how I will survive nearly a day on a plane with no face cream :(

laundry at the marriott is easy....you have 3 main choices....send the laurdry from your room and it will be back at the end of the day--most expensive, but far less than you pay in usa.....take it into the garage of the hotel....there are two garages...take it to the one between the hotel and the mini mall, actually under the center part of the mini mall...this is the office of the hotel laundry....you will see a little laundry shop there---save about 40% by doing this over hotel price---1 day service/get it back the next day......walk out from the hotel and turn right on the main street....walk up past the bus station and walk less than 2 blocks, cross at least one small soi and on the right you will see a small shop, one step down, that does laundry....she is fantastic....two day service....i use all three of the options....

there is a really good thai restaurant in the mini mall at the hotel btw....enter the mall from the hotel, turn left and on the ground level all the way around to the left is a small restaurant---all the way around until you meet the front building----then it is there on the left before the front building...its initials are KS...

i have a bkk restaurant listing if you are interested:

[email protected]

just ask for it

Thanks for the tip.. I am a hopeless disaster when it comes to food.. we (spouse and I) tend to wait until we are ready to faint, then wander into the most expensive, lowest quality touristy restaurant near the sites and snorffle whatever icky stuff they are selling that day.. HOPELESS~ (we actually ate at the Pizza Hut near the Sphynx last year.I mean how low can you go??)
PS Karen forgot to thank you especially in my last post!

When you're in CM, make sure you get to see Doi Suthep, a temple on the outside of town. Next to the Grand Palace, it's the most awesome in Thailand.

The most effective mosquito repellant is deet. You want one that contains 25-50% deet. The stuff that is 100% deet is actually not meant for application to skin. Malarone is the best choice for an anti-malarial for such a short trip, as you only have to take it for a week after leaving the malarial risk area. You may have had wierd dreams in Kenya, but they weren't caused by the malarone. (Larium is the one that causes wierd dreams.)