Finally booked our trip to Thailand and detour to Laos. We are going in October, I know we are going to encounter some rain but won't let it spoil our trip.

Staying in the Sofitel for the first 2 nights in Bangkok, then to Laos - Luang Prabang, staying at La Residence Phou Hotel for 4 nights. On to Koh Sumui and 3 nights at Baan Bophut - so reasonable. Then onto Sala Sumui (4 nights) and staying in a villa with a pool - looks fab. Lastly back to BKK and staying at the Shangri-la Hotel.

Now that is the outline booked we now need to decide what not to miss!! So I am seeking the experts advice on here - what do you suggest?

Hope to visit a tailor while in BKK, any good suggestions for a man and a ladies tailor? Husband is tall and an extra large so I can't imagine him being able to buy anything off the peg. How long do they need to make a suit?

Going to book Bed in BKK sounds a great restaurant. What other restaurants should we try. Want to taste good thai food, with a real thai atmosphere.

Will book excursions locally when in Laos, decided against doing a tour.

Koh Sumui is going to be the chilling part of the holiday but goes without saying we will be exploring and want to have a few massages. Can anyone recommend any good massage parlours?

Haven't pre booked any transport guess taxi's are relatively cheap?

Thanks in advance for any tips and advice you can give me to make this trip fantastic.

Patsey

patsey---the trip looks fantastic...you have made very good decisions...

tailor---they are all over the place...i use jack at monet il sarto at the mini mall attached to the marriott resort and spa...take their free boat from taskim...or call him as his brother runs a shop very close to your hotel---i think it is next to the banyon tree....or send him an e mail and he will direct you...you probably need about 3 fittings...one thing that speeds things up is to know what style you want and maybe the type of fabric and color...they may or may not have it...most fabrics are quite lite weight even the wools...silk is usually the cheapest and in some cases the nicest...

you will love the pansea in LP...we just stayed there 4 nites in june...it is ideally situated...ask for room 101...best location...don't miss eating in L'Elephant...there are two and you want the one on the side street...3 naggas is also good....the spirit indochine---a very simple restaurant near to the fountain has great food and is very cheap...make sure you hire a taxi to take you to the silk co-op outside of town....guided tours were unusually expensive....we just hired a taxi/tuk tuk for 1/2 days for a fraction of the price---maybe $12.....instead of $100....there is not a lot to do there really...just relax...make sure you visit the caruso lao shop on the main street near to villa santi (opposite side of the street)...the best shop in town....she also has items all around town and much in the pansea shop is hers....her name is sandra....tell her bob and karen from boston say hello...she is canadian originally...

restaurants near to sofitel: harmonique on soi 34 new road....tongue thai in back of OP Place in back of oriental hotel....gallery cafe near to the sheraton orchid, just off of new road....himili cha cha...sort of opposite harmonique on the other side of new road and down a couple of sois towards your street....

conrad hotel for lunch dim sum---wireless road---fantastic

in bophut---star and coffee....happy elephant.....both very good...za zen hotel dining room at opposite end of bophut beach....restaurant at the peace resort....
cliff restaurant just south of chaweaeng beach on main road south---fantastic...

five islands restaurant---opposite side of the island near to meredien hotel

you will find massage all around samui...


you will love bed....it is so unusual...

another thing to try is the lady boy show at the asia hotel...very entertaining....8:15PM show....book in advance and ask for up front seats...can do on internet...

if you have more questions ask me directly:

[email protected]

bob

cotton house in OP place in back of the oriental is good for ladies....jack (above) does ladies too...

Wow Bob thank you ever so much for all the tips and advice. I am going to print off your post and start putting a plan into place.

Going to request room 101 now. Also going to search for the Asia hotel and will pre book one of the shows, sounds very entertaining.

Roll on October

Thanks once again.

Patsey

Bob forgot to mention eating at the Loft for lunch. It is located on the 7th (?) floor of the Central Chitlom Department store in BKK, at Chitlom skytrain station. Excellent food choices and a great view if you can get a window table. Central is also a great department store for shopping.
Carol

carol is correct...this is a great place to eat while shopping or even just as a destination in itself...every kind of food you could desire and all very fresh and reasonable....its a unique system...very clean and organized...it is the 7th floor....carol is never wrong...

i have lots of other restaurant ideas if you want them send me a request:

[email protected]

bob

(sorry to interrupt the thread)

Bob, please tell my DH that I'm never wrong. He'll get a chuckle out of that one.
Carol

The loft is on the itinerary. I think the only problem I am now going to have that I am not going to be in Thailand long enough - oh well a good excuse to go back again...

We arrive in KS at 19.40, so time we get to our hotel and unpacked it is going to be gone 9pm, what time do the the restaurants close in Bophut. I know we'll fancy a meal and a few beers.

Patsey

Good choices Patsey. Top tip at the Sofitel, Siam Sq; load up on their excellent breakfast buffet. Save your appetite for supper and take extra fruit for lunch. As Bob said, a good tailor will need 3 fittings. Beg to have these done during your first days in BKK and hope to collect the properly fitted garment when you return after Samui. If you can't get the fittings out of the way, consider using a tailor in Samui where you'll be spending more time. There are dozens. Check the quality of their work from completed garments in their shops. I've used 2 or 3 with no trouble over the years. The best are Sikhs.

For an excellent massage I can recommend the girl at Baan Bophut. Can't remember her name, but Mod or Lucy will call her for you. She works on a platform to the side of the hotel's lawn or in your room. Next door, the immersion spa will be finished and in operation by October. A true out-of-this-world experience, I'm told. I can absolutely recommend http://www.ban-sabai.com/ for a massage and aroma tub/massage experience with your partner. It's just a couple of minutes by taxi or bike from Baan Bophut toward Big Buddah, on the left, and a not to be missed experience if you like sharing experiences and love your partner. Checkout the website for prices. A Brit girl is there to explain how it all works and take your resevation.

What else... I endorse Bob's recommendation of Happy Elephant, Khun So, the owner, is the driving force behind the village's commercial success and almost singlehandedly responsible for keeping the girly bars from setting-up shop. Starfish and Coffee is lovely, but don't rate the food/choice/value. A bit closer to the pier is the best Italian IMO: Ala Bahia run by a great guy called Mario. He gives 5-10% off for Baan Bophut guests, or he did for me. The Frog and Gecko pub is cheap and cheerful and often parties long into the night with the shutter down. You'll smell Larry's steaks BBQing long before you see his shack in the middle of the village. For the best Thai (or any food) ask Lucy, Dom or Mod at the hotel to take you to Mallee or Pen Thai near 7/11 for superb Thai cuisine in the humblest of surroundings. Ask also to direct you to Pee Soon - the best pick-it-youself fresh seafood on the island, tucked away in a market place on the Lake Road. It's the hotel staff's favourite place, so both the young Brits or Thais who run the place will probably offer to come with you, or at least recommend what to order. These last recommendations are unbelievably cheap. Don't hesitate to use the pork noodle soup guy, also near 7/11, but the opposite side, for a surprisingly filling bowl of pork and noodle filled broth, the flavour of which you can 'balance' with an array on sweet, sour and spicy condiments on each outdoor table. Open until at least 01h30.

Back in the village proper, the noisy and popular Billabong Aussie Surf Bar serves huge portions of Ozzie comfort foods, often accompanied by great live music. Food here is on until midnight. Everywhere else closes anytime from 10pm depending how busy they are. Nakorn restaurant on the ringroad, 5 minutes by bike or taxi from Bophut village, is open 24 hours and serves fabulous Thai food. All Thai restaurants have an English language menu and understand Mai Phet for none spicy; Phet Phet for very spicy and a single Phet for somewhere in between. Ask Mod for the correct protocols. The guys at Baan Bophut seem to live for their guests' positive impression of Samui and Thailand. Don't hesitate to ask for their advice. They expect nothing in return except that you have the time of your life whilst on the island.

Go well... and post me if you need any other Samui info. Sorry if I've gone on a bit, but you did ask.

not sure what time places close...does yout hotel have a restaurant which might still be open as you probably don't want to venture out at that late hour....i think something in bophut would be open however...

how about bringing something with you from bangkok...many of the big hotels have take aways...also the grocery stores have great stuff....cheese, crackers, drinks..