Hi All,

I have read some great reviews and seen some excellent feedback and suggestions . . . that being said, I am hoping to get some feedback, hints, tips, and suggestions for our April 2008 trip for my husband's 40th bdy ! Our main purpose of the trip is to dive but we want to see as much as possible while we are there.

Here is what we are planning so far:

Friday April 4
Toronto - Hong Kong - Bangkok

Saturday April 5 - Monday April 7
Tour Bangkok - what are the must sees ?

Tuesday April 8
Fly to Phuket

Wednesday April 9 - Friday April 11
Tour Phuket - shore diving, anything else we should fit in ?

Saturday April 12 - Friday April 18
Live aboard Dive Trip
Do you recommend that we book now or wait until we are there ?
Should we travel with our gear or use theirs ?

Saturday April 19
Fly to Chiang Mai
Do you know of an airline that flies directly from Phuket to Chiang Mai ?

Sunday April 20 - Wednesday April 22
Elephant Rafting Tour (with whom?)
Thai Cooking Class (with whom?)
Night Market

Thursday April 23
Fly to Bangkok
Fly to Hong Kong

Friday April 24
Fly to Beijing (Have to see the Great Wall of China if we are all the way there!)

Saturday April 25
Fly to Hong Kong
Fly to Toronto


We are planning on staying in guest houses (we don't need anything fancy) Any recommendations for the three destinations ?

Are we trying to do too much ?

I would book the live aboard way before you go. What gear do you have? We always take our on BC's, computer, and regulators, also mask, fins, snorkel or course. Just use their tanks and weights.

An ambitious trip, but what the hey? In BKK, the must sees are the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Chinatown, the Jim Thompson House, the river ferry, a Klong tour. There are many secondary destinations, but these give a good overview. If you get a driver or a guide, you can be more efficient, but it's not necessary. Tong, mentioned many times on the forum charges $75 per day. She's definitely worth it. We're using her in November and this is our sixth trip.

I think you're trying to fit in a little too much. Also, are you only flying out on Friday? Then, you're probably getting in very late at night on Saturday or early on Sunday, and will only have Monday in Bangkok, especially after jet lag, which isn't much.

One day on the way back in Beijing is also very ambitious. The itinerary overall looks pretty tiring. Are you prepared for all the trips to and from airport?

Check out the Bangkok Airways Discovery Pass for flights. They fly BKK-Phuket and BKK to CM. If you have 3 or more legs, it will probably be worth it. But do compare to regular fares without the pass too. Thai Airways also has a pass offer for 3 legs for $169 within Thailand. I don't know if they fly to CM though.

I think you are trying to go too many places. If you leave Toronto on Friday, the earliest you'll get to Bangkok is Saturday. In addition to the long flight, you have the international dateline. So I think you've miscounted your days on the ground.

It appears that your reason for going to Thailand is the live aboard. So let's work your itinerary around that. Frankly there isn't much to "tour" on Phuket. I'd say, just go from Bangkok to the live aboard (and yes, you do need to book ahead). So you need a week in Phuket.

I'm not fond of CM, it's a huge, sprawling city with lots of particulates in the air and no public transportation, so I'm inclined to recommend that you cut it entirely.

You have 1 day in Bangkok. That's not enough to do much, especially your first day. If you cut CM, you'll have a few days to spend in Bangkok (even if you have miscounted).

I don't know when your plane leaves for Hong Kong, but make sure you've allowed yourseves enough time to make the connection, even if your flight from CM is late. So you are better of staying in Bangkok before catching your international flight.

Personally, I think it's nuts to go to Bejing for a day to see the great wall. It's a long flight from BKK to PEK. Why not save it for another trip when you are spending your time in China? But it's your vacation. Just don't underestimate the impact of the long flights and the heat on what you can accomplish in a day.

The portion of the Great Wall that you should see is about 3 hours outside of Bejing...... in my estimation it is not worth flying to Bejing to see the Great Wall that all the tourists will be viewing .... you will be terribly disappointed ..... it is beyond crowded. Just enjoy the palace and the shopping in Bejing and call it quits.

I have been to all the places that you are trying to go to ... and while I understand "time is of the essense" ... boy, you are going to be dead by the time you come home.

thai air is the airline that you need phuket to Chang Mai......

Good luck

Definitely take your own gear and just get tanks and weights from the dive centre. You should also book your liveaboard before you go as you could have difficulties finding one that leaves on the day youwant for the number of days you want.

We used Sea Dragon in Khao lak ( IMO a better choice than Phuket) http://www.seadragondivecenter.com/ but if you google Khao Lak you will find loads of dive centres. There are lots of guest houses and small boutique hotels - we satyed at the Similana in a treehouse for a few days before our liveaboard.

Have fun, the diving is great and you stand a chance of seeing the whale sharks at that time!