Thailand - November or January?
 

Good morning

I am contemplating a possible trip to Thailand either this late fall/winter or the following year.

I am brand new on this board. I have been on Fodors Europe for years but have never ventured over to the Asia Board. So, I'm not a rookie traveler but am definitely an Asia rookie.

First things first - which month would be better - November, or January? Is one month much more rainy or humid than another month?

I am not a beach lounger (at least, not for long) but enjoy being outside otherwise - hiking, cycling, photography, exploring.

Any off-the-top of your head thoughts on regions to focus on (probably a two week trip), thoughts on solo travel for someone who is used to solo travel in Europe but has zero background in the Thai language or customs would be nice to hear... I haven't even decided if this will be solo, for sure, but it's at least 50-50 likely.

Many thanks for any thoughts. Even books or websites to seek out would be so helpful.

PS. I should mention I was weighing Cambodia, first, in order to see Angkor Wat, but right now I'm leaning Thailand. I could be persuaded otherwise.

Either November or January has good weather in Thailand. If you were planning on a beach, I'd say January, and November is a transition month on the Andaman coast. Since you have thought about Cambodia, I'd encourage you to consider a side trip to Angkor while you are visiting Thailand.

You don't need to know Thai to travel there, but do read a bit about the culture and customs first. You will find that more people in Thailand speak English than do people in many European countries. Any of the good guidebooks will give you sufficient background. For many of us here, Bangkok is our favorite city in the world. There is much to do and see in Bangkok and wonderful food and amazing shopping. I'd also recommend a stop in Northern Thailand. While I'm not fond of the city of Chiang Mai, some people love it. If you opt to go to Northern Thailand do spend some time in the countryside.

Angkor is truly one of the wonders of the world. If you are interested, get a copy of Dawn Rooney's book, Angkor: A Guide to Cambodia's Wondrous Temples. You would need three full days to see the major temples.

I've traveled solo to Thailand, and I think it is safer than major European cities. It's rare to hear of a pickpocket incident, unlike the major European cities.

Enjoy your planning. While I enjoy Europe, I am addicted to SE Asia. Take a look at some of our photos: www.marlandc.com

I have travelled solo to Bangkok a number of times. I agree with Kathie that it is safe. Just use caution as you would anywhere else! I am returning to Bangkok in less than two weeks on a solo trip. I have not been to Cambodia but many here have and they often suggest combining it with a Thailand trip.

My husband and I travel to Europe at least twice a year, but I have never done a solo trip!

I am also not a beach lounger, but I like Phuket and Koh Samui anyway. I do enjoy Chiang Mai in the north. In April we did a 6 day driving trip to CM from BKK and it was great fun! Next time I would love to include Chiang Rai and maybe Pai, Mae Hong Son.

Enjoy planning your trip. I would probably say January rather than November for really nice weather.

hi flygirl! With the great help from posters on this board we did our first trip to Thailand a couple years ago in January and really enjoyed it. First trip we did BKK, Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai (have a great guide for CR area), drove to Mae Hong Son and Pai and flew down to Aonang Beach. We're not beach people either but figured we had to at least see the gorgeous Thai beaches. We've got a TR from our first trip to Thailand.

Does that two weeks include travelling time from you local airport?

If so, then you've only got 12 nights (max) in Thailand.

Kathie says that for many, 'Bangkok is our favourite city in the world'. Maybe true, but for many Bangkok is somewhere that has to be endured, and it's just a starting and finishing point. And in any case, it's massive, sprawling, polluted, in your face from the outset, and it's definitely somewhere that will need to grow on you - you can't just settle into it!

Only a relatively small area is conveniently covered by public transport, ie. Skytrain (BTS), Subway/Underground (MRT), and public ferry. Travel by taxi (apart from to/from the airport) or public bus can be v.slow due to the choking roads. So it's best to have a firm plan of what you want to get out of your stay in Bangkok, and finding a hotel to fir your budget close to either the Skytrain or public ferry should be a priority.

Personally, I'd only stay in Bangkok for a max of 2 nights on arrival, and if you are flying home from Bangkok then you'll really need to stay in town or an airport hotel for the final night.

So your initial 14 nights have now been whittled down to 9 nights (max). How do you want to use that time, and how do you want to travel around, by air, or bus/train?

Chiang Mai is often recommended, but I think it's just like Bangkok on a smaller scale.

I'll see what everyone else suggests before chipping in again.

Thank you everyone for humoring me as I dip a toe in here.

I would expect 14 nights on the ground. I would likely not decide on how much time to spend in Bangkok until I've read about what to see there. I vaguely remember a friend telling me you can have silk clothing made there (if I am not mistaken) and in fact she took a favorite dress on a trip with her (wherever in Asia it was) and the seamstress made a few copies for her in silk. She said it was reasonably priced. I would be interested in doing something similar - what a nice souvenir. I imagine I could get it started upon arrival and pickup before I left for home?

I did some poking around on what tour operators offer and it seems Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are on several tours. I have heard of Krabi and that it is gorgeous.. I've heard of Phuket but don't know much about it... I don't even know how far apart these various places are, yet.

yestravel I will look up your report - and pin you down at the next GTG! :)

In looking at weather charts it seems January is drier than November but November doesn't look particularly rainy. I do like cooler weather when traveling, so the north would figure highly into this trip.

Not yet sure if I'll cross a border. It would be tempting to visit Angkor Wat as well, since I will be already coming that far, but if it's going to take 5 days to comfortably do so perhaps I should make that a completely separate trip. I'm sure to be back.

Kathie, thank you for the photo link - lovely photos! I will peruse the various sets you've made. So colorful!

Do you have a guidebook yet? I think it is difficult to incorporate information if you don't have a framework for it. So get yourself a good guidebook and start reading. I wouldn't take a tour anywhere in Thailand - absolutely no need, as there is great infrastructure for travelers and the travel is easy.

There are tailors everywhere in Thailand and many advertise very cheap prices and short lead times. You get what you pay for. The place most often recommended for women's clothing is Cotton House, in the small shopping center behind The Oriental Hotel, and there is another place in River City that gets good reviews. Note that if you take along a garment to have them copy, you are not getting custom tailored clothing, you are getting a reproduction of off-the-rack clothes. Even if you want them to copy a garment, do have it carefully fitted. Good tailoring takes time. So yes, have it started when you arrive in Bangkok and get the final fitting and pick it up when you leave Thailand.

Krabi and Phuket are on the Andaman Sea, as are come other beach areas like Koh Lak and Ko Lanta. This area should have good weather while you are in Thailand.

yestravel has an excellent report here, as does Chris45NY (her report is here on the first page).

You wondered about what to see in Bangkok. I could give a long list of my favorites, but take a look at some of the sets of Bangkok photos on our website, as that will give you a good intro.

I did take along a favorite "man" shirt and had four more made, but with the buttons on the correct side for a woman, as well as a pleat down the back, for shaping. If you have a dress you dearly love, then by all means, have more made in that exact style and fit. But as Kathie says, you get what you pay for, and you will need to have fittings even if you have something copied. I had those shirts copied about 10 years ago and I am still very happy with them! They are done in cotton/poly prints, not in silk.

I've had other friends who also took along a favorite article of clothing for copying and they were generally happy with results.

I'm quite tall and I originally started out getting pants made (dressy work trousers I guess you would say)and I was pleased with having something that fit correctly! It's hard to find a 36" inseam, and the clothing in the Tall Girls stores was not my style at all.

If you see something in a magazine, cut out the picture and take it along with you to the tailor. Sometimes that will help them design something for you.

I can't believe, although I know it happens all the time, that people travel half-way round the world at great expense just to get a few bits of clothing copied in Bangkok.

Then when they get home, they tell their friends what a wonderful time they had in Thailand, when they hadn't even stepped foot outside of Bangkok!

I don't know of anyone who traveled to Bangkok "just to get a few bits of clothing copied." But I know plenty of people who have had clothing made in Bangkok.

Bangkok is part of Thailand, LL, even if you don't like the city.

LL, to whom are your comments directed?

@kathie<<<Bangkok is part of Thailand, LL, even if you don't like the city.>>>

I never said I don't like the city. I know the most convenient places to stay (for me) in Bangkok, how to get around without scratching my head, and can easily fill up 2 or 3 days with interesting things to do. But then it's time to move on to somewhere greener, less polluted, and with a slower way of life.

@simpsonc510<<<LL, to whom are your comments directed?>>>

Anybody who reads them.

Both months are fairly good weather except for Samui, Tao and KPN.

Early Jan is peak season so late Jan better than early.

Nov less crowds so Nov is better IMO.

Krabi is only 2 to 3 hrs drive from Phuket or u can catch ferries.

IMO Krabi more scenic and better. Trang is also good.

Bangkok is a great night city but days can be humid and smoggy. Great food.

Kanchanaburi province is scenic and fun too.

Having the choice of November or January, I'd go for early November or late January. Once you get to the beginning of December it's high to peak season right through until the end of January.

Another vote for Kanchanaburi. Too many folk do it as a v.long guided day trip, whereas it's a place to enjoy over a few days, and with enough time carry on to the Thai-Myanmar border at Sangkhlaburi. Beautiful, serene, and full of history...

http://www.seat61.com/Bridge-on-the-...m#.U7k48JRdVEw

I haven't done the Mae Hong Soon loop. But if I only had a couple of weeks available then it'd been fairly high up the batting order.

Prachuap and the Lanclad seem to post at the same time! Be careful and make sure you log-off before posting under the other person's name!

Sorry but different people. Learn some manners instead of calling people "white foreigner bird crap" hey?

Hmmm! I can assure you we've never met, nor ever likely to either.

Perhaps we post at similar times because we're both often logged on at the same time. That just happens to be when a lot of regular posters are still fast asleep in the USA, and the forum is relatively quiet.

Don't worry about him. He claims to be Thai but all he did was use a Thai keyboard to abuse me with a common low class insult.

Many of us have met Hanuman, and we can assure you he IS Thai, so please have your facts correct before posting. I guess I thought Fodors was to HELP the traveler , and even the not so positive side of a place can be portrayed in a gentler manner. One can give information to guide a traveler, not be so nasty. After all if you have to "endure" a place why bother?

Well this all went downhill rather quickly! :)

Thank you again for the advice.

Please let us know if there is other info we can offer, flygirl.

Thank you Kathie.

It is sounding like November may be a better bet - less crowded and still decent weather.

flygirl-

I'll chime in with my 2 cents worth. We were in Bangkok the end of January, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai the beginning of February, Bangkok again mid March, the end of March, and the beginning of April for 4 separate stays in Bangkok-11 nights total.

I'm retired and have no need for clothes for work. I also have so many clothes at home that I have no need or desire to shop for clothing when I travel. But that's me and my situation. In Bangkok there are tons of shopping opportunities. I'd say more so than any of the other places on our SE Asia trip.

Like Kathie mentioned I did do a blog with pictures attached. Angkor Is under January as is all of Cambodia. Bangkok is under March. I've not finished all of Bangkok but only 2 more nights to write about. I'm just starting Kanchanaburi but I did Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Ayutthaya as day trip from Bangkok, Bangkok 9 nights worth, Khao Lak, and Phuket.

http://chris45ny.blogspot.com

I also am not a fan of big cities like NYC, LA here in the US and I didn't care that much for Bangkok. Too chaotic for me. HOWEVER, there were some things in Bangkok that I did enjoy. I'm a temple fanatic-spent 11 nights in Siem Reap for Angkor-and I lean more towards sightseeing historical and cultural sights. There are plenty of those attractions in Bangkok and of course a day trip to Ayutthaya. Can also take the train to Kanchanaburi, Bridge on the River Kwai fame-but I agree it's best to spend the night there. We did 2 nights and loved it because we got to enjoy the WWII stuff. Bangkok-you love it, you hate it. It inspires some very passionate feelings one way or the other. I would not have not included it in our journey through Thailand. How can you go to Thailand and not spend some time in Bangkok!

The most important thing about a stay in Bangkok IMO is the location of your hotel. We were a 5 minute walk from Sathorn/Central Pier and the Saphan Taskin BTS.

With 14 days on the ground if you have the desire to see Angkor-it blew me away-you could devote 4 nights there. Then you have 10 days left. You could split that into 2, maybe 3 places in Thailand. I would say 2 because you always lose time traveling from place to place. I would do Bangkok and the north-like Chiang Mai or Bangkok and a beach. We were in Phuket-didn't care much for it-crowded, lots of Russians. Khao Lak a beach further north was much quieter but we were there primarily so my husband could scuba dive. I have heard great things about the beaches in Krabi so I would suggest you do some research.

Photography-Angkor and Bangkok will offer lots of good photo ops.
Hiking-Kancnanaburi-can hike Hellfire Pass, also maybe north in Ching Mai.
Exploring-ruins/temples of Angkor.
Cycling-again temples of Angkor. I'm too out of shape and too old for that but we passed plenty of hardy souls biking around Angkor.

Some hard choices for you to make for sure but it's your trip so pick what will best suit you and what you want to see/do.

Also read some good guidebooks. I loaded lots of info on my I Pad which I took with me and it was very useful.

Have fun!

V.good posting Chris.

Wow, thank you Chris! This is great information from everyone.

I checked out two library books on Thailand and will start skimming this week.

I will look into the feasibility of adding Angkor Wat, as well.

Many thanks!

Wow, Thailand looks like it will be pretty cheap. Lonely Planet puts a posh hotel budget at 3000B a night, which works out to 100 dollars??

I saw plane tickets, one connection, for 1100 bucks when poking around yesterday. Should I snag something like that ASAP or is that a fairly normal price for November?

$1100 for a flight to Bangkok in November is a good price. What airline is it on?

LP is always behind the times on prices, but Thailand is very reasonably priced. I often say to people that you can live in luxury in Thailand for the price of a Holiday Inn in Thailand. There are a number of booking sites you should check: www.sawasdee.com in a local Thai booking site, www.agoda.com, www.booking.com Make sure you are making direct comparisons. Are taxes and service included in the quoted price? That adds about 25% Is breakfast included? You want breakfast included as you usually get a lavish spread that would otherwise cost you $20 pp at the hotel. Also note whether you have to prepay or not and whether the reservation can be cancelled without charge.

Hi

Korean Airlines, which should be a good experience.

I looked at Marriott in the interim for pricing (not necessarily staying there, just to get an idea of a hotel level I'd be OK with) and it appears 4200B is doable. Still cheap.

Thank you Kathie for the tips - I didn't look closely at pricing, just an eyeball.

Hotel prices are fairly cheap at least away from Samui and Phuket which are more expensive.

I usually pay 1400 to 1600 baht for 4 star hotels in Bangkok and as low as 1000 baht elsewhere.

The main difference between a 1500 baht resort and 3000 baht is a better pool and better breakfast. Little diff in room quality.

Thanks for the hotel tips. I could do four stars - but if 5 stars are cheap, hey, why not.

I am tentatively (tentatively) thinking:

Arrive Bangkok, 2, maybe three nights. Given jet lag I wonder if the first day will be an utter wash. I didn't pay attention to what time the plane lands. I power through day one in Europe, and my one trip to New Zealand I weathered fine on day one (slept on plane due to longer flight).

There are places near Bangkok which look appealing to visit but with only 14-16 nights on the ground, I may have to limit myself to the below (and not sure which order).

3-4 nights Krabi (too much? As mentioned I'm more of a hiker than a beach lounger. I do love the photos I've seen online of this area including Railey Beach).

4 nights Chiang Mai (haven't read much on this yet, it sounds like some love it here, some don't, but it does sound like there is a lot to do nearby, too).

4 nights Chiang Rai with visits nearby.

Last night BKK to fly home.

So that adds up to 14 nights on the low end, 16 nights on the high end (if I add a night to BKK at front, and/or a night to Krabi).

It sounds like I will need to fly back and forth to Krabi, at least. The other two look close enough for overland.

The above may change once I dig in more.

Thanks again, everyone.

5 star hotels can be good but if u r out touring everyday maybe not worth the extra. They cost double 4 stars but r only slightly better.

Krabi can do 14 nights. 4n is bare minimum.

CM - not a fan. Too touristy for me.

CR - Not much there.

I would recommend Kanchanaburi ahead of the Chiangs.

I like Bangkok a lot but u need to like a bit of chaos to enjoy it.

Seek more than one opinion regarding your holiday flygirl. Also, trust me as the rooms, as well as the pool ha ha, at a proper 5 star hotel are vastly different than those of a 4 star hotel. I have never met anyone who thought a room or a suite at the Peninsula or the Mandarin Oriental to be the same as those in a 4 star hotel.

Not all 5 star hotels are as good as the Peninsula. A lot are nothing special.

The real quality 5 star hotels charge more like 7000 baht a night and up.

The 4000 baht ones arent in the same league.

Read the tripadvisor reviews on the "5 star" Sofitel Bangkok.

Some people had a 2 star experience lol

I've also heard that a lot of 5 star hotels are really more like 3 star hotels--no difference really. This Prachuap guy knows what he's talking about!

You must have missed the thousands of negative reviews on 5 star hotels.

Oops...1998 wants their ideas back

The price for a 5* hotel in Bangkok is so reasonable in comparison to other big cities around the world. Sometimes pampering is nice! I've stayed at both Peninsula and Oriental on the river, and both are fantastic (I prefer the Pen). For a first-timer, I do think the river is a nice area. Plenty of choices besides the Pen and MO. Being on the river can be a respite from the more hectic city that is Bangkok!

I have long since moved away from the river area to the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok, where there are also plenty of options for 5* hotels! I've stayed at the Sofitel, and although service and facilities are wonderful, the room is too dark for my taste. I much prefer lots of natural light flooding into my room, from large windows that provide a marvelous view. I like the Intercontinental, which is located among the various mega shopping complexes in Bangkok. I have not stayed at the Erewan Hyatt but it is certainly well located for shopping as well. The J W Marriott is a wonderful hotel with one of the best executive lounges anywhere, if you are a Marriott member and have status. Rooms are small, but the lounge certainly makes up for that inconvenience.

I have moved from staying in hotels to staying in serviced apartments in Bangkok. I'm typically in the city for at least 7-10 days at a time, so being able to do my laundry and keep some perishable foods in a big fridge (not a mini-fridge with items for sale) is a great plus. Sounds like a hotel will be fine for you since your time in Bangkok will be minimal.

I was just in Chiang Mai in April and stayed at Yaang Come Village. Very nice place, and very well located for the night market. I have not been to Chiang Rai, but it is on my list of places to visit in the next year or so.

"Oops...1998 wants their ideas back"

1998 wants THEIR ideas back? 1998 reviewers? Or the year 1998?

Was that a joke?

Oh dear, I believe it was.

This past winter in BKK we stayed at the Peninsula and loved it. The price was expensive but very reasonable for the type of hotel & services we got. Probably equivalent to a moderately priced hotel in many European capitals. It was a nice splurge and perfect end to a long trip. First trip to BKK we didn't stay on the river and found we kept gravitating to it, so 2nd trip we stayed on the river and loved it. Its definitely a touch cooler a longer the river.

I am a fan of CM and as you said there are people who love and others who don't (so what else is new?). It is touristy but then I'm a tourist so that isn't a huge issue for me. It's easy to combine CM & CR. You can also do some trekking in that area.

We are also not beach people and stayed 5 nights in Aonang (near Krabi) and it was way to long for us. We did do a wonderful one day private boat trip and that was definitely the highlight. I don't know what hiking there is in the area, but it was really hot when we were there so I doubt we would have enjoyed hiking even if there might be some.

We flew from CM to Krabi via BKK. You can go by train to CM (& possibly CR) but we chose to fly and then took a bus between the two.