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Thailand in December - First Time to Asia, please Critique my Itinerary.

Thailand in December - First Time to Asia, please Critique my Itinerary.

Old Aug 19th, 2011, 06:47 AM
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Thailand in December - First Time to Asia, please Critique my Itinerary.

We are a couple going on our first trip to Asia and I am trying to get a handle on the itinerary. Thailand is the destination but we are including Siam Reap.

We can't spend more than $4000 in country total.

The plan now is very tentative but is 16 days.

Bangkok -days 1-4
Siam Reap- days 4-8
Khao Yai -days 8-11
Chiang Mai- days 11-15
Day 16 is for getting back to BKK for our outbound flight.

From what I have seen on this forum, this is too much time in Chiang Mai.

We LOVE outdoor adventure--hiking and biking especially. Is there a way to split our time better to include less city time? We love what cities have to offer but like to keep a mix of city and country.

We are not beach people and not likely to add a beach destination to this itinerary.

Siam Reap is a must-see for us.

We are educating ourselves about elephant camps and would appreciate any guidance on that.

Is it easy to hire guides for the various temples and sites in these places? We are tempted to have a local operator put together our tour package because it feels a bit daunting but on the other hand we prefer to have a LOT of input into accommodations (small, local, as quiet as possible, and well-located) and that's often hard since operators usually work with specific properties.

Thanks, Fodorites!
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Old Aug 19th, 2011, 08:27 AM
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Although I don't have a problem with Chiang Mai, I would give it 3 days and then put two more days on Bangkok at the beginning. Happy Travels!
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Old Aug 19th, 2011, 08:30 AM
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noneed for a tour operator.. thailand is easy on your own.. you might want a guide for the grand palace but the other temples need no guide.. guides available at the entrance to GP...

i prefer a driver and guide in siem reap... it helps with your understanding and ease of seeing as much as you can...

there is a bicycle often spoken of here for bkk but i do not have the info... dutch lead i believe..

i prefer 5 days minimum for bkk...

your outline looks good..
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Old Aug 19th, 2011, 08:34 AM
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You don't need a tour operator to book this. Easy to do on your own.

Check out this site for hotels: www.sawasdee.com read the fine print, but most prices include tax, service (adds 17.7%) and breakfast.

Elephant camps: Consider the Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Lamphang, outside of Chiang Mai.

Consider staying outside of Chiang Mai rather than in Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is a huge, sprawling city, but the countryside is nice. I normally warn people away from hill tribe visits as the ones near the roads are overly commercialized "human zoo" type experiences. But if you are willing to trek in and spend at least one night, you can access hilltribes living in their traditional lifeways. Sgt. Kai is someone who has set up such treks for a number of Fodorites. If you google Sgt Kai, you'll find contact info.

You can get an official guide at the Grand Palace/Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok. And maybe at Wat Po as well.

How are you getting to Siem Reap? As you may know, flights are expensive, though you can reduce the price by using Bangkok Air for at least one other leg and getting the Discovery Pass (details at the Bangkok Air website). If you want to go overland, it takes most of a day each way, with many scams for the unwary. But this site can help you: www.talesofasia.com
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Old Aug 19th, 2011, 01:41 PM
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I would add a day to Bangkok at the end. If you plan on flying in at the last minute for your ride home that flight could be late or even cancelled. No problem getting a taxi in Bangkok to take you to the airport any time of day. A final night in Bangkok will allow you to do some last minute souvenir shopping, take in a good meal or two and maybe even take in an evening dinner cruise.

You could have the first hotel store any unneeded winter items if you are traveling from a cold country. Just return to the same hotel and claim your bag. This way you won't have to lug around any unnecessary clothing everywhere you go.

Staying under $4000 should be no problem unless you only stay in the most expensive places or eat at the most expensive restaurants. Backpackers and thrift travelers stay in Thailand for a whole month for half your budget.

Good luck.
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Old Aug 19th, 2011, 05:57 PM
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I would drop Chiang Mai altogether and add that timne to BKK. Add a day or two on both the front and back end of your trip in BKK.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2011, 05:45 AM
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Thanks so much for the help. I am sorry I abandoned this thread all weekend. I don't have internet at home and should have known better than to post on a Friday since I knew I couldn't get back here until Monday. I did not mean to be rude!

Thanks for the suggestions on doing this ourselves. I have planned many trips myself through the years and am confident with my abilities and just needed a bit of encouragement.

We are debating whether to drive or fly to Siam Reap. Driving is obviously the economical choice but I have seen the warnings on other threads about scams.

Most suggested more time in BKK: Why more time in BKK if we are not city people?

We thought about using Chiang Mai as a jumping off point for some more outdoorsy activities and perhaps staying outside it as Kathie suggested.

SirHalberd: Great tip on storing cold weather items--we are coming from Virginia in December so it will indeed be chilly!
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Old Aug 22nd, 2011, 06:30 AM
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Bangkok has tremendous amount to do, but if you aren't city people, I'd stick with other places. However, I would plan an overnight in Bangkok at the end. That way, you won't stress about catching your flight out of Bangkok if you experience a delay.

If you can afford the flights, fly between Bangkok and Siem Reap. Also fly Bangkok to Chiang Mai on Bangkok Air and get the Discovery Pass which will make it more affordable. If you want to do that, you'll need to book soon, as seats for the Discovery Pass are capacity controlled.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2011, 07:10 AM
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Don't skip Chiang mai, it has dome interesting things to do ( we did a great cooking class) but I would probably cut it to 4 nights ( or even 3 if you get an a.m flight there)
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Old Aug 22nd, 2011, 07:11 AM
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Some interesting
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Old Aug 22nd, 2011, 11:20 AM
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So the treks with Sgt. Kai look right up our alley and if we fly, it makes for a better itinerary. Thanks for that!

I am now considering:

Bangkok -days 1-5
Siam Reap (arrive and depart by a.m. flight)- days 5-8
Base in Chiang Mai: 3 day trek with Sgt Kai -days 9-11
Chiang Mai- days 11-15 (include day at Elephant camp either TECC or Elephant Nature Park)
Day 15 flight to BKK
Day 16 outbound flight.

Reasonable?
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Old Aug 22nd, 2011, 12:41 PM
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Sounds good - tailored to your interests.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2011, 02:25 PM
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Looking at BKK hotels but really B&Bs for a more personal touch. Location is our highest priority.

So far I like these and it seems like the first is the best location--am I correct?

1. Queen Suriya's Castle
40/1 Samsen Rd,Samsen soi 2 | Khaosan Rd/Grand Palace Area, 10200, Thailand

2. Hansaah
44/7 soi Sri Bumphen, 10120, Thailand

3. Baan Sukhumvit Inn Soi 18
3/13-14 Sukhumvit Soi 18 Sukhumvit Rd | Klongtoey, 10110, Thailand
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Old Aug 22nd, 2011, 04:43 PM
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Well, from my perspective, none of the locations are great.

Queen Suriya's is in the Khao San Road area, so it will be full of travelers. But it's not close to most public transport - closest would be water taxis and it looks to be a significant trek.

The closest public transport to Hansaah looks to be the MRT - the subway system and it would be a longish walk. It's somewhat close to Lumphini Park.

Baan Sukhumvit is the only one that has reasonably close access to the Skytrain. My guess is that it's a 15 minute walk or so.

All of these B&B's should have plenty of interesting eating places closeby. But I expect you'll end up using taxis more than you'd like from both Queen Suriya's and Hansaah..
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Old Aug 23rd, 2011, 05:12 AM
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Hm, well, if we are giving priority to location and a small B&B-type place is there a particular neighborhood I should look in or should I just be googling to see distance to SkyTrain?

(really can't thank you enough for continuing to help my lost self with all this!)
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Old Aug 23rd, 2011, 05:45 AM
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There really aren't just one or two neighborhoods to consider, it really is a matter of distance to the skytrain. Often, a places' own website will tell you how far it is to the closest skytrain station. The only one of these that mentions it is Baan Sukhumvit.

So, yes, keep searching based on distance to the skytrain.

I wouldn't rule out Baan Sukhumvit. It's located mid-point between two skytrain stops, just perhaps a longer walk than you'd hope for.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2011, 06:35 AM
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Take a look at Suk 11. It's a hotel, but very different from the typical hotel. The location is really quite close to the skytrain, maybe 5 minutes walk. Plenty of dining and night life options in that area.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2011, 07:21 AM
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The recent reviews from Suk 11 hostel are rather negative.

I am not going to rule out Baan Sukhumvit--trip advisor reviews indicate the Asok station is 2-10 min walk (depending on the reviewer).

I am just debating whether I will be disappointed that the area is too modern and I will miss out by staying there rather than a more "old city" type place. But really, it looks like good value for money and decent location.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2011, 09:04 AM
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There aer trade offs. If you want something more "old city" you'll likely be away from public transport.

You might want to consider the Old Bangkok Inn. I know of several people who have stayed there and liked it (other than the transportation issues). It's in the area of the Grand Palace, Wat Po, Golden Mount, etc.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2011, 10:55 AM
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i do not really know any part of bkk that is strictly "OLD" these days... all areas seem to have some old buildings with new skyscrapers next door.. some areas are more attractive than others however... i do not find soi 11 attractive at all.. it is utilitatian however.. as are most of the sois off of sukhumvit
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