simpsonc510

Wow! You folks have been busy bantering while I've been asleep here in BKK. This thread has certainly taken a different turn than I am used to on the asia forum (Europe forum, on the other hand, this would not surprise me in the least).

The advice on this forum is meant to be helpful, which is how people who love Thailand want to be, when it comes to a newbie visiting our favorite city/country/culture.

Thailand does indeed have something for everyone. I, for one, love the mixture of city and beach. I'm not a swimmer, but I enjoy the beach atmosphere and the pounding surf. I would rather "chill" here on Phuket or Samui than Florida or the Caribbean or Bermuda or Hawaii!

Let's agree to disagree on this one, and let everyone enjoy his or her favorite activities in peace.

Carol

rhkkmk

carol---i posted a reply to dive and it has disappeared...i have had this happen before and it reappeared later...who knows....my posting was 1 hour ago...

dive---in any case i would only add that it is appreciative people like you who keep us posting, even if our insights are tilted to our likes and dislikes...everyone understands this, or should understand it, as they read what has been said....some people just take things too seriously....we are all just trying to help and be helped...remember sprgirl last year....

rhkkmk

that's spygirl...this should create a barage...

JamesA

Thankfully we all love different things, I can think of few places where there is such a mix of different beaches, different cities ( the great BKK / CM debate ! ), towns, scenery, boat trips and ferries, rock climbing, river kayak and rafting, hot springs, buffalo grazing, farmlands and plantations, restaurants, street stalls, bars, clubs, nightlife, shows, temples and festivals, it just goes on an on, that is the appeal !

Thailand let's you 'Be yourself' and that means city or beach or both, a 5 star gourmet restaurant or baked prawns on the beach by moonlight with a beer, it can mean a suite at the Oriental ( or Penn ?? ) or a beach hut.

If we all liked the same we'd never get a room at the Marriott without an intro from Bob or be able to ride an elephant unless sharing with Gloria, how many would ever have stayed at Baan Orapin ?

I just spent one night at a superb ( and I mean superb !! ) new beach resort and Spa and the next night at our friendly favorite B&B, one morning it was a crowded hotel style buffet breakfast the next a pre-breakfast walk to the local temple to give alms and then a la carte in a little garden ( and an elephant walked past and I lost my banana ( ouch!) ).
The diversity is what it is all about, something for everyone.

'Be yourself' !

If this thread has pulled out anything to the fore I don't think it is a disagreement about what is best but more an emphasise that there is just so much diversity there is enough to satisfy anyone, that surely is the appeal.

CFW

Bravo James! Beautifully said.

glorialf

Yes, James -- well put. Another thing we should learn from this thread is that before we give advice we should state where we're coming from, what our own personal preferences and prejudices are. I think it would also be helpful when someone new asks a question to find out what they are looking for in a vacation/trip BEFORE we give advice. We ask about budget when it comes to hotels but we often forget to ask what their interests are before telling them where to go and what to see. I mean I spent a trip visiting refugee camps. I can't imagine that would suit everyone but it did me. Just as I will never return to a beach unless I have no option but others love it. So let's try to find out a bit more about the poster before giving our thoughts.

robmac

I have been new to this forum, but the point is that I have been ASKING for advice. It is up to ME whether I follow it or not. Everyone should realize that you guys are doing your best to be helpful. Of course your preferences are going to come through, and again, it is my choice to accept or disregard what you wonderful people are saying. I don't care if some of you don't recommend spending all of my holiday on the beach--I won't be--but I appreciate what you are trying to say. As I have said before in previous e-mails, Bob, Carol, Kathie etc., Thank you very much for your input. I have found your help to be invaluable.

Kathie

I think this thread stopped accepting posts for a while last night. After I got on and saw CFW's two responses, I posted an apology: "CFW, I obviously must have said something that offended you. Since I don't know what it was, I can only say that no offense was intended."

Unfortunately, the thread wouldn't accept it.

After thinking more about it, I think my bringing up the comment from the Bali bombing thread and commenting on it gave a more negative cast to my comments than I intended.

Those of you who have been seeing my posts for years know that I enjoy some beach relaxation from time to time as well. As James says, Thailand does have something for everyone.

JamesA

I really agree with Gloria that knowing where someone is from, their budget, and what they want to do helps so much, anyway that's my internet shop time up, weather is great, nice blue skies with some billowing white clouds and a nice breeze, treating ourselves to lunch at the Evason Hideaway ( bang goes the budget ! )

CFW

Kathie, Thanks, but no apology needed. I wasn't offended and I didn't mean to offend you either. I just really agree with Gloria and James A --among other things it is the amazing variety and the wonderful people that make Thailand such a special place. As some posters have said, when the "regulars" post, the newbies listen and feel that they must know what's best because they've been there so often. Others say, "we make up our own minds." But when the range of options or advice is too narrow or constantly the same we miss out on the potential of other less standard places and experiences to choose from. Gloria is one regular who has provided some marvelous-sounding alternatives and opened our eyes to Northern Thailand, but we also got some great suggestions on this board from other newbies like ourselves. For example, it was a post by a family who had spent a week at the Thai elephant conservation center in Lampang learning to ride, train and care for the elephants that got us interested in spending a day there, which was one of the highlights of our trip. Now we weren't interested in devoting a whole week or even several days, but the description of the place and their photos gave us a real feel for a place that we may have otherwise missed. I would like to hear from more of these posters who may not have been returning dozens of times to the same places we've already heard so much about, but who may have other different experiences to share.

glorialf

CFW-- absolutely true. I think we all have a lot to learn from newbies. I've been to Thailand 18 times and have heard of new things from first timers on this board. Sometimes those of us who return over and over end up in a bit of a rut -- have our favorite things and keep doing them. Sometimes a fresh perspective can make us try new things. Thanks to this board I'm doing a cooking class for the first time in Chiang Mai and will be trying lots of new restaurants in Bangkok. I may even try a new hotel (Old Bangkok Inn) one day if wonderful reports come in.

JamesA

We should have headed back to Jomtien beach today but we are enjoying ourselves that I don't even know if it will be tomorrow now! We are always finding new places to explore and such a 'mix', has a great lunch at a 5 star place today ( though the bill was double what we are paying for our accommodation at a lesser place ), I know people like to go to the tried and tested places but there is just 'so much' choice, whether a backpacker or you want 5 star with your own pool ( has a look at how the other people live at their USD 350+ pool villas, why not, but we still stay in real nice places with our $40-50 maximum range ). Heading to Koh Talu Island in the morning for some snorkeling ( being forced into it.... again! ).

hawaiiantraveler

James A:
Ohhh the perils of living in paradise

Guenmai

I agree with Hawaiian Traveler and DiveDiva on their comments. As for CFW and the question of why one would want to go to Thailand and eat Italian food and not Thai food...well personally...I live in L.A. area where I'm TOTALLY surrounded by Thai food. The largest population of Thai people living outside of Thailand live in L.A. and L.A. County. So, I personally eat it at least once a week...usually more...since I have Thai friends who own restaurants and then my non-Thai friends always want to go out for Thai food.Quite simply, I like variety...it is the spice of life. I don't only eat American food in America so why would one only eat Thai food in Thailand? Happy Travels!

orgy7

good stuff.

lol, I agree with much, if not all, of what CFW has said. it's almost as though he/she read my mind and posted my thought legibly.

I also agree with James A and others that suggest the key too have a comfortable, fun time with a hint of getting some of the " REAL THAILAND" is too have a diverse itinerary. which I would suggest also include getting lost a bit and mingling with the people and if you can t have meal at a regular local restaurant, maybe order a coke sit back check check out what the typical lower too middle class thai eats.
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ya. it was getting kind of annoying reading the anti beach posts. I myself am not much a beach person but I have never tried talking anyone out of going. One of my pet peaves on this site is that it seems the sometimes some of us fodorites don't "REALLY" read what's posted.. for instance how many times have you seen someone post something like this.

bkk budget
"I need a economy rtw ticket too bangkok, I have a $60 a day budget on hotel and I would like too be in the city near the malls and I also would like info on places too stay in Phucket."

at the end of the day you'll see posts that suggest. "take business class, stay at the Pen on the river and don't bother going to the islands.

this sanario which occurs often my bug me but i realize the most fodorites are not travel agents/conusltants. but instead are a good group of people wanting too share the joys of travailing.

JamesA

I think we all agree that if you are heading to luxury hotels, eat at the top places, not venture off the tourist places that is fine, everyone has the right to spend their earned bucks however they want.

The 'only' thing that does bug 'me' is those who make a big noise and fuss about seeing natural ( better word I think than 'real', because everywhere is 'real' ) Thailand and claim they are after a cultural experience and want to get to know the people and what Thailand is all about yet never bother to head to other places. But I suppose that is what such a forum is about so that the likes of me can rave about Bang Saphan or the Chumphon Cabana Resort knowing that there will still be room for me!

If you miss out on these places you really don't know what you are missing !

If you went into McD's on Patong Beach and called out " Did someone drop their Lonely Planet Guide?" you'd be crushed in the stampede !!

Everyone to their own !

simpsonc510

JamesA and orgy7

I could not have said it better.

I have typed and deleted my reply to this post three times now. I don't know how to say to others just how great it is for ME to get off the beaten path in Bangkok and really see this city!

Each time I return to BKK it is not to see the sights but to see my many Thai friends. I would not have made these many friendships had I only stayed in the big hotels and dined at the "best" places!!

A regimented travel schedule is not for me at all. As you could tell from my "live in Bangkok" thread, each day was experienced by going with the flow. I would never try to tell others who DO NEED TO plan each day's routes and dining options before they leave home not to do that.

Each traveler needs to do whatever makes a trip special or fun for them!

Carol

Carol

eurotraveller

I neglected to post something when I started this thread, although I had made it clear in my posts prior to this.

I am a water baby. I plan on getting in a couple of dives and kayaking at least once. Maybe those that discourage beach time don't like to get into the ocean?

I respect everyones opinions and as I stated before, I appreciate everyones advise and can't imagine planning our trip without it.

This wasn't meant to criticize anyone. It was just a question that I had been wondering for a couple of months.

Thanks everyone for ALL the feedback! it helps to gain insight as to why people post the advise they post.

Cheers!

Kathie

Euro, I certainly didn't feel criticized by your question - I think it was an excellent question that provoked some interesting (though sometimes contentious) discussion.

A couple of comments by orgy and James and Carol reminded me that one of the things that is hardest to describe to someone who hasn't been to SE Asia is how important it is to slow down, not over-plan and let things happen. While I think that's important anywhere, I find the pace in SE Asia to be such that you really have to slow down or you'll miss it. As others have said, some of the best experiences are getting "lost" wandering around an unfamiliar area, having "conversations" with someone you have only a few words of a language in common with.

There was a thread a while back about special travel experiences and someone commented on how many of them were the sort of things you can't plan.

Guenmai

What's irritating to me is the backpacker types who think that one can't get a "real" experience of a place unless they're staying in budget accomodations. That mentality urked the heck out of me over on lonelyplanet.com. As far as I'm concerned...where one stays is exactly just that...where one stays...and whether or not one gets whatever his/her definition of the "real" experience is... depends on what one does AFTER one has walked out of the doors of whatever type of hotel or accomodation he/she is staying in. As far as I'm concerned. I'm flexible on accomodations.I have stayed at the "Y" and other budget hotels around the world...more regularly than 5-star hotels... and I have stayed at 5-star hotels in Bangkok which I have absolutley no problem with. After all it IS a vacation and if I wanted to only live in budget accomodations then I might as well stay at home. In Bangkok, I stay at better accomodations...as many travelers do... since it's affordable there. My experience once I've left the hotel does not change according to what kind of accomodation I've stayed in. Happy Travels!