Thailand For 5 weeks starting 11/5/2015
Oct 11th, 2015, 04:55 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thailand For 5 weeks starting 11/5/2015
Hello All,
I have gained a lot from reading from all the experienced replies in this forum about traveling. Thanks for all the input everyone offers in here!
My husband and I were married in May but waited until the fall to take our honeymoon in Thailand. We arrive 11/5 and stay until 12/13.
We have Bangkok, Chang Mai and Island hopping on the books so far. Everything else we will play by ear. Over all we want to experience the culture as much as we can, have fun and relax. Are there any absolute favorite spots that we should try to visit?
I am a crystal collector and have high hopes for coming home with a few one of a kind pieces, is there a city or location/market that comes to mind for crystal shopping?
Lastly, I have quite a bit of dental work that needs to be done. Is there a great benefit to havning my dental work done in Bangkok over here in California?
Thanks for your help.
I have gained a lot from reading from all the experienced replies in this forum about traveling. Thanks for all the input everyone offers in here!
My husband and I were married in May but waited until the fall to take our honeymoon in Thailand. We arrive 11/5 and stay until 12/13.
We have Bangkok, Chang Mai and Island hopping on the books so far. Everything else we will play by ear. Over all we want to experience the culture as much as we can, have fun and relax. Are there any absolute favorite spots that we should try to visit?
I am a crystal collector and have high hopes for coming home with a few one of a kind pieces, is there a city or location/market that comes to mind for crystal shopping?
Lastly, I have quite a bit of dental work that needs to be done. Is there a great benefit to havning my dental work done in Bangkok over here in California?
Thanks for your help.
Oct 11th, 2015, 05:11 PM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
First of all, if you are staying more than 28 days in Thailand, you will need a visa. You can arrange it from California, through the Thai Embassy or consulate. It is possible to do a visa run to stay longer than 28 days, but if you know you will be in Thailand for the whole time, I'd suggest you arrange your visa in advance.
Dental work is far less expensive in Thailand than in the US. If you want to have dental work done, make an appointment before your arrival with the dental clinic at Bumrungrad. They will be able to tell you how much time to need to allow there to get all of the work done.
In addition to Thailad. consider a side trip to visit the Temples of Angkor - truly one of the wonders of the world - and just next door in Cambodia.
Dental work is far less expensive in Thailand than in the US. If you want to have dental work done, make an appointment before your arrival with the dental clinic at Bumrungrad. They will be able to tell you how much time to need to allow there to get all of the work done.
In addition to Thailad. consider a side trip to visit the Temples of Angkor - truly one of the wonders of the world - and just next door in Cambodia.
Oct 13th, 2015, 10:38 AM
#4
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Consider going to Chiang Rai as well. Chaing Mai, while very popular, has become perhaps a little too popular. The street fair, which a few years ago was such a wonderful treat, was- when I was there just this past May- a genuine disappointment. A great deal of Dumb Chinese Crap Tourists Buy, rather than row after row of truly local handmade wonders. A few of those are there as well, but you sure do have to look, and it helps to know your stuff. Many of us who loved Chiang Mai are now starting to leak over if you will to Chiang Rai, which will likely suffer the same fate eventually.
Speaking of island hopping. Be aware that Phi Phi Island, where I spent a couple of wicked awful nights in 2011, is so intensely crowded that unless you really love your drunk tourists, I'd give it a pass. Krabi and much farther East give you better options.
Down by Phuket and elsewhere are elephant camps. Be advised. While there may be some reputable elephant "retirement camps" if you are intrigued by this idea, do your research first. It's an extraordinary thing to ride and be up close. However many of these camps are simply awful, dirty and abusive. Read the reviews.
Do your best to take in hilltribe visits. Not only are they educational but they also provide much-needed income for these villagers. Sometimes reviewers complain that they feel that what is presented is set up- of COURSE it is, for the simple reason that the hilltribe people don't care to have thousands of tourists tramping through their private homes and back yards every day. Access to them and their crafts is managed carefully for a reason. Once one takes this into account you can appreciate what you see and the beauty of their work and of the people themselves.
Travel well.
Julia
Speaking of island hopping. Be aware that Phi Phi Island, where I spent a couple of wicked awful nights in 2011, is so intensely crowded that unless you really love your drunk tourists, I'd give it a pass. Krabi and much farther East give you better options.
Down by Phuket and elsewhere are elephant camps. Be advised. While there may be some reputable elephant "retirement camps" if you are intrigued by this idea, do your research first. It's an extraordinary thing to ride and be up close. However many of these camps are simply awful, dirty and abusive. Read the reviews.
Do your best to take in hilltribe visits. Not only are they educational but they also provide much-needed income for these villagers. Sometimes reviewers complain that they feel that what is presented is set up- of COURSE it is, for the simple reason that the hilltribe people don't care to have thousands of tourists tramping through their private homes and back yards every day. Access to them and their crafts is managed carefully for a reason. Once one takes this into account you can appreciate what you see and the beauty of their work and of the people themselves.
Travel well.
Julia
Oct 14th, 2015, 11:09 AM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Julia,
Thank you for the heads up about Chang Rai. I remember reading somewhere that it was a better destination than Chang Mai. I appreciate you bringing it back to mind!
I was aware of the elephant camps. It saddens me to know that they are so mistreated. We were planning to stay away.
Is there a resource for setting up hill tribe visits? That is exactly what were would like to do. I was researching possible volunteering positions during our trip, as well. Are you familiar with that?
We are not interested in parties at all. We do have a friend coming out to visit with us for 1 week and he loves to party. So during that time I will just have to grin and bare it.
Lindemann
Thank you for the heads up about Chang Rai. I remember reading somewhere that it was a better destination than Chang Mai. I appreciate you bringing it back to mind!
I was aware of the elephant camps. It saddens me to know that they are so mistreated. We were planning to stay away.
Is there a resource for setting up hill tribe visits? That is exactly what were would like to do. I was researching possible volunteering positions during our trip, as well. Are you familiar with that?
We are not interested in parties at all. We do have a friend coming out to visit with us for 1 week and he loves to party. So during that time I will just have to grin and bare it.
Lindemann
