Three days in Bangkok
Mar 14th, 2015, 04:33 PM
#22
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We leave the Ibis Riverside to day after 4 nights and have enjoyed our stay. Nice rooms with extremely comfortable beds and decent showers. Not especially spacious but perfectly adequate. A nice pool by the riverside and a decent buffet breakfast, again by the riverside. (TIP. Don't prebook breakfast online as we were offerd breakfast on arrival for 149 baht)
The slight downside with the hotel is that there is no boat accross the river - you have to either get the free tuk tuk to the BTS station or walk accross Saphin Taksin (10-15 mins).
I essence we did feel we got what we paid for and a lot more. $36 is great VFM.
The slight downside with the hotel is that there is no boat accross the river - you have to either get the free tuk tuk to the BTS station or walk accross Saphin Taksin (10-15 mins).
I essence we did feel we got what we paid for and a lot more. $36 is great VFM.
Mar 14th, 2015, 09:43 PM
#24
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You are very welcome letty
A tuk tuk is a three wheeled motorcycle taxi found throughout Asia see:
. http://www.bangkok.com/information-t...tuks.htm#promo
Ok for a novelty ride or when, as in the case of the Ibis and a number of other hotels, are provided free by to a main transit point, otherwise they are very prone to ripping off tourists with one scam or another!
A tuk tuk is a three wheeled motorcycle taxi found throughout Asia see:
. http://www.bangkok.com/information-t...tuks.htm#promo
Ok for a novelty ride or when, as in the case of the Ibis and a number of other hotels, are provided free by to a main transit point, otherwise they are very prone to ripping off tourists with one scam or another!
Mar 15th, 2015, 02:09 AM
#25
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Crellston. Good info about your experience at the Ibis. I've put it in the memory bank!
What's a tuk tuk?! If I was sat on a perch any higher I'd have hurt myself when I fell off it!!
Arrived in Khao Lak yesterday. Love it, we don' think we'll ever want to leave.
What's a tuk tuk?! If I was sat on a perch any higher I'd have hurt myself when I fell off it!!
Arrived in Khao Lak yesterday. Love it, we don' think we'll ever want to leave.
Mar 15th, 2015, 10:17 AM
#27
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OMG Khao Lak looks beautiful . Please give me details on how to get there.
Crellston - which hotel do you recommend for Khao Lak?
Like I said at the beginning, don't have an itinerary yet. I will be spending 3 weeks in Asia and I am open to suggestions.
Crellston - which hotel do you recommend for Khao Lak?
Like I said at the beginning, don't have an itinerary yet. I will be spending 3 weeks in Asia and I am open to suggestions.
Mar 16th, 2015, 05:40 AM
#28
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Letty. There's accommodation to suit all budgets in Khao Lak.
We're paying 600 baht a night for a massive ensuite above a pub [Walks Inn].
It's run by a salt of the earth Yorkshireman.
A lot of the people who eat at Walkers are staying at the run of the mill 5* hotels, but prefer to mix in a friendly environment.
Khao Lak is beautiful!
We're paying 600 baht a night for a massive ensuite above a pub [Walks Inn].
It's run by a salt of the earth Yorkshireman.
A lot of the people who eat at Walkers are staying at the run of the mill 5* hotels, but prefer to mix in a friendly environment.
Khao Lak is beautiful!
Mar 16th, 2015, 02:15 PM
#29
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I have another question: do you recommend change money at airport ? Or use an ATM machine? I usually get money from an ATM for two or three days that way I have plenty of cash in the currency of that particular country but of course my bank charges international fees. How do you guys do it?
Mar 16th, 2015, 03:47 PM
#30
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I use ATMs to get cash - but do know what your bank charges for withdrawals from the ATM and what foreign exchange premium they charge. If you bank charged US$5 per use plus 3% foreign exchange premium, then I'd carry in US$100 bill to change at one of the exchanges in Bangkok.
Mar 16th, 2015, 04:27 PM
#31
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We are staying at the Khao Lak Yama resort. In KL. It is away from the beach but thta is not a problem as we have a car huge rooms and villas. The villas could easiy accommodate three of you. Good value but as mentioned by LL., there are many places to saty at all levels. Only been here one night but the place seems to have grown massively and go a lot busier since we last visited pre tsumnami.
In your OP you mention that you are coming in the "summer" if by that you mean May - sept then be aware that this are has the worst weather at that time and many places will close ( but it will be cheap). Seas will be rough so not the best time. You may want to consider somewhere on the gulf coast at that time.
I use a preloaded Debit Card to get cash from ATMs ( or just use as a normal card). Effectively it uses wholesale FX rate with a 1% mark up ( the norm is 2.75% for many card). However, it is a UK based card any other countries tend to suffer higher charges.
In Thailand there is a 180 baht charge for ATm withdrawals levied by teh ATM provider. So it makes sense to draw as much as you can in one shot. The max seems to be 20-30k baht for most machines ( $600-1000),
Don't exchange cash at the airport as the rates are much better in the cities.
In your OP you mention that you are coming in the "summer" if by that you mean May - sept then be aware that this are has the worst weather at that time and many places will close ( but it will be cheap). Seas will be rough so not the best time. You may want to consider somewhere on the gulf coast at that time.
I use a preloaded Debit Card to get cash from ATMs ( or just use as a normal card). Effectively it uses wholesale FX rate with a 1% mark up ( the norm is 2.75% for many card). However, it is a UK based card any other countries tend to suffer higher charges.
In Thailand there is a 180 baht charge for ATm withdrawals levied by teh ATM provider. So it makes sense to draw as much as you can in one shot. The max seems to be 20-30k baht for most machines ( $600-1000),
Don't exchange cash at the airport as the rates are much better in the cities.
Mar 16th, 2015, 05:52 PM
#32
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Thanks a lot!! I am learning so much from you guys! By the way Kathie, I found a tour guide and he is not going to charge me but I would like to give him a tip.........which is another dilemma, how much is good enough for a tip in Bangkok?
Mar 18th, 2015, 06:27 AM
#35
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in that case give him $20-30 a day and buy his meals.
fly from Bangkok to Phuket and get a taxi (~2500 B) or hotel car to khao lak.
btw, I would not consider staying on a place not directly on the beach.
fly from Bangkok to Phuket and get a taxi (~2500 B) or hotel car to khao lak.
btw, I would not consider staying on a place not directly on the beach.
Mar 18th, 2015, 05:48 PM
#38
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We always get $200-300 in cash from our local bank before we leave, then use ATMs once we are there. ATM rates are better, but we like the security of having some money before we arrive tired and jet-lagged.
What we are going to do in Bhutan, where there are few ATMS outside of Paro and Thimphu I don't know.
I'm glad you started this thread. We will spend three nights in Bangkok over Thanksgiving.
Speaking of which, where would people suggest for Thanksgiving dinner (also our last night before flying home)? Obviously, we are not thinking in terms of turkey. Thanks.
What we are going to do in Bhutan, where there are few ATMS outside of Paro and Thimphu I don't know.
I'm glad you started this thread. We will spend three nights in Bangkok over Thanksgiving.
Speaking of which, where would people suggest for Thanksgiving dinner (also our last night before flying home)? Obviously, we are not thinking in terms of turkey. Thanks.
Mar 18th, 2015, 06:42 PM
#40
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Paid 1,000 for our taxi from Phuket Airport to Khao Lak. Pre-booked with 'Boss! Cheaper than Hotels.' Brand new Toyota saloon, safe driver. Took exactly an hour.
We're 5 minutes walk from Nangthong Beach, staying in a lovely clean frindly place, at about 10% of the cost of the posh places. Yesterday, I watched a coachload of Chinese noisily exit the Centara - no thanks! And I know that JWM is full of British package tourists, as a lot of them eat where we're staying, and they can't believe the vfm we're getting.
We're 5 minutes walk from Nangthong Beach, staying in a lovely clean frindly place, at about 10% of the cost of the posh places. Yesterday, I watched a coachload of Chinese noisily exit the Centara - no thanks! And I know that JWM is full of British package tourists, as a lot of them eat where we're staying, and they can't believe the vfm we're getting.
