Hey all,
I can't decide between going to Tokyo or Bangkok. I am a female 35 y.o. female traveller going it alone. Never been to either city/country. I've got 12 days with a 5000 dollar budget. Plane ticket will be free due to FF miles.
I would love to go to Japan but the expense is putting me off (transport, food, and entertainment). If I do go to Japan I'd like to stay at a serviced apartment like the Mansions at Roppongi or maybe one of the Oakwood Residences. My thinking on that is that while it's an expensive rate (for me anyway) I would save a little by being able to cook my own food once in a while.

On the other hand Bangkok is really cheap and I could get away to the beach , but what's putting me off is possibly getting ripped off during taxi rides and touts. I had an 'experience' in India when I arrived at the airport..jet lagged and harassed is not a way I want to enter a country. For hotels I'm thinking about Reflections hotel
http://www.reflections-thai.com/rooms.html which is really cheap and interesting but probably far from the nightlife or the Sheraton Sukhumvit.
Opinions please before I drive myself crazy!
Thanks in advance.

Go to both. If you are coming from North America then you would probably be going through Tokyo to Bangkok. Where are you leaving from? Your FF award (what program is it?) almost certainly allows an enroute stopover. So you could get a ticket to Bangkok with a stopover in Tokyo on the outbound or return trip.

Alternatively, you might be able to make a stopover in Osaka.

With 12 days, you could get well beyond Tokyo and see a good bit of Japan and you could do it with half of your budget.

The touts are not bad at BKK airport. When you get ripped off by the taxi driver it won't be for much, maybe $3. You can arrange for a limo to pick you up.

Thanks for the reply mrwunrfl. FF miles are on Delta. Glad to hear about the touts at BKK. I will check to see if they can get me a stopover in Tokyo for a couple of days. I looked at their flights to Bangkok on their website and they all seem to stop in LA, Seattle, or Seoul but maybe an agent can get me something else.

Where are you flying from?-

Atlanta Ga

Continental is a partner of Delta and they fly via Tokyo. Routing would be ATL- Houston- NRT- BKK. Also, I saw that Singapore Airlines is a Delta partner, so maybe you could fly them.

$5000 is really plenty for one or both of the cities, especially when your tickets are already accounted for. So there's really nothing to worry. I've never been harassed at the BKK airport - I just walk out to the taxi queue and hop in.

They are both terrific cities and perfectly safe for a single female. And your money is fine for both. It really depends on your interests. Tokyo is a interesting city. It has a huge number of wonderful museums and some interesting archeological day trips. However, if you were going to spend 12 days in Japan, I would make it 2 or 3 days in Tokyo and spend the rest of the time in Kyoto.

Bangkok, I feel, is a much more interesting city and the people are much friendlier. On your budget you could stay at the Oriental where you will make instant friends with the staff and be treated like royalty. You can spend 6-8 days there and then go up north to the Chiang Mai/Chiang Ra area -- much more interesting than a beach which while beautiful does not have the "culture" of nothern Thailand. You can also hire a private driver if you don't want to worry about taxis. On your budget you won't have a single problem in Thailand.

Thailand is my absolute favorite country in the world and I have often been there as a single woman. But, whichever you choose, you will have a wonderful time.

Either do both, but Bangkok would win hands down if I only had one to do. Happy Travels!

Skyhopper--Delta gets virtually no ff seats from Singapore they told me. It will be very difficult to get that that airline. Delta does also partner with Malaysian Air (a terrific airline) and Korean Air. But routing might be difficult.

One other question -- when are you going? That might help you make the decision.

If it's a first trip and you're alone I would stay in a well established hotel in Bangkok that has the services and the help you want. On $5000 you can stay at the best and still have plenty left over for shopping, drivers, meals etc.

Thanks for all the replies and helpful suggestions!
I am planning to go June 5-18. I spoke to a Delta rep who informed me that Bangkok was unavailable for June but I could go to Tokyo. That stopover in Tokyo, then Bangkok would have been nice but I guess it's not to be. Maybe it's a sign.

According to their destination may, Delta has a codeshare partner that flies to several cities in Japan. You might be able to fly into Tokyo and return from another city, like Osaka (or vice versa) on an open jaw ff ticket.

I looked to see if Delta or Continental fly to Beijing thinking that you might visit Japan as a 10 day stopover and then a couple of days in Beijing to see the Great Wall, Forbidden City. Neither flies there, though.

Well I am booked for Tokyo Japan..booked the flight for June 5-19 (I figure what's one more day). Thanks to everyone again and now it's off planning the hotel and the other minutae of travel. I'm so excited!