Has anyone be to both Thailand and Brazil and can compare/contrast? We are considering both for a December trip. We want warm/sunny, tropical, local...We have been to Brazil (Rio, Paraty, Ilha Grande) and LOVED it. We were considering returning but are now leaning towards Thailand (Phuket, Ko Lanta, Krabi, still considering possibilities). Any thoughts??

Yes, I've been to both. Of course they are TOTALLY different. If I were you, I'd try Thailand since you've already done Brazil...but if you do Brazil, then I'd go to Bahia and spend a lot of time in that region...Salvador and some of the islands near Salvador...absolutely heavenly. There was one island I went to by ferry outside of Salvador called Ile de Taparica(sp?)...I'd have to look up the spelling and it was wonderful. Just a chilled out place for the day...no tourist hotels on the beach...just sit on the sand, eat fresh lobster, watch the Brazilian kids ride horses bareback down the beach and look at the beautiful water. It was very peaceful and about an hour on a ferry that leaves from the Salvador port. The whole region is heavenly. For Thailand info, you can click on my name to pull up my threads as I vacation there twice a year and have written a lot. Happy Travels!

I also been to both. Acxtually I was 4 times in Brazil because I love it there. But I also liked Thailand very much. In Thailand I was only in Bangkok ( which I didn't like at all) and in Samui and I loved Samui. I would go now to Thailand to try it. But if you are considering Brazil, Itacare, in southern Bahia, close to Ilheus is a fantastic place. They are very different countries but both exotic in their own ways.

I've been to both Brazil and Thailand at the end of December.

Apparently, I was very forturnate weather-wise in Thailand. It was quite warm but pleasant in Bangkok. One fodorite once went so far as to say that it usually is that way during the last week of December in Bangkok but otherwise was less than pleasant to downright oppressive. So, if your time is toward the end of December then that would fit well with a visit to Thailand to enjoy the best (or among the best) weather times of the year. You can go to Brazil next November or December of Feb or March. I can tell you for certain that there is no reason to spend any time at all in Sao Paulo at the end of December (unless you are connecting to a flight elsewhere).

Do you mean by "less than pleasant to downright opressive" that it is Hot/humid? Or that it is raining? We are not concerned about heat/humidity, only avoiding rain. The timing of our trip will be Dec 4-24th, so pretty much the entire month. We are heavily leaning towards Thailand at this point to do something different, but are trying to come up with a reasonable itinerary for beaches to visit (and avoiding rainier parts of the island)

By "less than pleasant" I mean hot and humid to really really hot and humid. By "downright oppressive" I mean really really really hot and humid with monsoon rain. I have no experience with that, but believe that the rainy time is earlier in the year. The Thailand experts can elaborate on that, I suppose. I am like you and don't really care that much what the heat/humidity is like, I just don't want rain (my research led me to believe that that time of year was good in Thailand and I was not disappointed).

But your time in Brazil would end before the Brazilians went on their holiday. So the timing is good there also.

I vacation in Thailand both in mid- Dec/Jan and mid-late August/early September and the weather has always been good in Dec/Jan and not bad in Aug/Sept. As for rain, I can't even remember when I've had rain in Dec/Jan, but that's for Bangkok and north as far as Chiangmai and areas around Chiangmai...and west of Bangkok. Happy Travels!

I agree with the other person who also suggests that...if you go back to Brazil...to go to Bahia. It's absolute paradise. Happy Travels!

Thanks! If we end up going the Brazil route, we'll definitely have to include Bahia this time. I've already been checking out the beaches around Itacare and Salvador online We are so torn!! A few people have suggested we shouldn't go to Thailand if what we want is just to relax and do a small about of leisurely exploration. I was thinking we'd really just hit beach communities while we were there (we are in Europe right now and tired of sightseeing, just want to chill!). Do you guys agree with this assesment?? With all the time we have (3 weeks) I thought Thailand would be a nice change and something new. But if its a waste to go there and not do a lot of moving around and sightseeing, then maybe we should save for a future trip...Thoughts??

In Thailand you can also relax and chill out if you avoid Bangkok or stay only a minimum days there.In Bangkok you will have to move a lot if you want to do sightseing, it's a very spread town. For me it was an exhausting city and the heat and humidity then, along with the polution made it quite unbearable!
The beaches in Thailand are also very relaxing. Jus avoid the Patong area if you go to Phuket.

I, too, have been to both Thailand and Brazil. I agree with others that you should give Thailand a try!

Personally I don't find Bangkok that exhausting if one just does careful planning. I can't even imagine going all the way to Thailand and not spending any significant time in Bangkok. It's so culturally wonderful.
You could do as some do in this forum and get a private driver to drive you around Bangkok although it's easy enough to do on your own using the very quick skytrain system,taxis, and river boat.
I don't see Bangkok as touring in the way that I see Europe as touring. I've been to Europe over 30 times and I see people getting on and off buses and staying two days here and two days there and running around on robotic schedules. It's different in Thailand and Southeast Asia in general. Things move slower and you can always pop into one of the many spas and chill out during the middle of the day. The place can be extremely relaxing if you plan it right. Plus, there's such excellent service that you don't have to do a lot of things yourself. There are folks to do things for you... and at very attainable prices...unlike in Europe where only the well-to-do can afford to have certain services done for them. You definitely DON'T have to go to only beach areas in Thailand in order to chill out. Happy Travels!

Very well said, guenmai!!

It sounds like spending time in Bangkok is a must-do and can be tailored to balance experiencing the city w/a bit of a relaxed pace. Right now we're considering the following itinerary...we do want nature/beach more than "city" but also want to be sure to get a real taste of Thailand while we're there.

Bangkok (3-4 nights)@ Marriott (river)
Chang Rai/Golden Triangle (2-3 nights) @ Anantara
Phuket (5 nights) @ JW Marriott
Krabi (5 nights) @ Sheraton
Ko Lanta (4 nights) @ Pimilai or Sri Lanta

Does this seem like an appropriate itinerary given our criteria? Any thoughts/additions/deletions?? THANKS!

In Krabi the Ravavadee is so much nice than the Sheraton. Check out website.
For
Brazil we found Pria de Forte in Salvador Bahia one of the best places we have eveer stayed.

Dear Klanger i´m a brasilian living in Rio and going to Thailand in january.
If you come back to Brasil I think you should try Bahia with the islands near (Itaparica and Morro de São Paulo). There are another beautiful places in the south of Bahia ( Ilhéus, Porto Seguro and Arraial D`ajuda) Amazing places and excellent foods. If possible try to visit Fernando de Noronha island in Pernambuco State, it´s consider the most beautifull beaches in Brazil, specially if you like snorkel,scuba or surfing. During december we dont have rains in the northeast of Brasil (Bahia and Pernambuco) but some fast rains during the end of the day here in Rio, but you can enjoy the beach during a very hot and sunny day. Another suggestion: While in Brazil during that period, you HAVE to spent the New Years Eve in Rio. One of the most beautrifull parties in the world in Copacabana beach with more than a million people and its free, you dont have to pay nothing.
Well I think its a hard choice !!
But if you choose Brazil, BE WELCOME !!!

I would suggest you go to Thailand since you have not been there.

I haven't been back to Phuket forever because I love Krabi. The landscapes are stunning.

Phuket is a bit too crowed for my taste.

I just got back from Ilha Grande/ Angras/ Parati...
They are totally different from Krabi with its Lime Stones Mountain/rocks rise straight out of the sea. I would pick Krabi in a blink of an eye.


For Brazil,
I agree with 'ferlui"and I would skip Salvador at any cost. The historical buildings are old and not at all well preserved and you already saw them in Paraty.A lot of poverty and not very clean looking streets. "Ferlui' suggestions are much nicer but I do not know if there are great hotels.

On which country to choose from...it is also up to how much money you are planning to spend and what type of accommodations are you looking for?

Brazil is in its the full boom of the economy so everything is very expensive. Good hotels will cost no less than US$300.
Most Brazilians are traveling aboard this year to cheaper places for December and our summer holidays.

During December/New Year in Rio, the price goes up to over $US1,000 - 3,000 a night. (Copacabana Palace charges that much but including breakfast). I suggest you book WELL IN ADVANCE for Rio New Year.

Last year from Christmas on I stayed at the DPNY Beach hotel in Ilhabela, Sao Paulo.
(Conde Nast voted as best beach hotel in South America), it cost US$ 1,200 a night for 2 people with breakfast.

Really, December is the WRONG TIME to come to Brazil.

Best time would be in April when the price is down and the rain has stopped!

December is also a rainy season in Brazil.

If you want to just stay in and spend less, you should go to Thailand. Krabi would be my choice:

I love Rayavadee resort www.rayavadee.com
I have been going there every year for 14 years.

The hotel in in form of a Bangalow build on old coconut farm. It is older but very well kept and next to the national park so if you feel like hiking you can go to the lake with the hotel tour guide. It is a 5 stars hotel.

This hotel is very secluded and you have to eat at the hotel 3 ( very good ) restaurants. There are small establishments around now a days and it is becoming very well known and day tripper would go to the beach from 10 am to 4 PM. After that , the beach is yours!

A new , small hotel; Amari Krabi is also very nice option and you will like its surreal views of the beach and also much cheaper.It is a 3.5 - 4 stars hotel.

http://www.amari.com/vogue/

It is very relaxing and you can get a car ride to have dinner at Sheraton Resort ( not as good to stay - too big) or other places.

December weather in Thailand is the best time of the year with little rain and be even a little cold at night.

I am not a big fan of Bangkok nor Sao Paulo. Both are bad but Bangkok has interesting temples and palaces to see. You can use it as central point to take trips outside the city.
2 days is plenty and get some clothes make so you can pick up on the way back.

The traffic is not as bad as it used to be and certainly better than in Sao Paulo.

There are many deals that the Thai government is giving to help the economy recover.

Have a good trip! BOOK SOON.

your layout looks fantastic....i love the marriott and you do not even need to leave there---either one of them...the other places look great too....i like the sheraton at krabi, but also look at the sofitel or another smaller favorite is the amari vogue---all in the same area....amari is small and amazing with a great kitchen... the sofitel is across the street from a small beach which is only so so but the hotel is lovely....the sheraton has fantastic grounds and a lovely beach area and two huge pools...its never crowded... i've been there 3 times, 10's of times to the marriott bkk and once to marriott phuket... another nice marriott that we are going to in november is the new JW at khoa lak, just north of phuket....much quieter than phuket....btw, the phuket marriott is about 45 minutes ride into town..

i should have said the plane ride to bkk is much further than brazil but worth it....i think you will find things cheaper and nicer in thailand than in brazil....the hotels are really lux...

Now why in the world did TWWS, a new member and first-time poster bring up a thread from 2006? There are hundreds of threads about Thailand just in 2010 that TWWS might have replied to.

I can only assume that Bob got sucked into responding because the OP mentioned the Marriott Resort and Spa in Bangkok and the JW Marriott in Phuket.