Bangkok/Thailand suggestions?
tiger_blurp
275 Posts
Heading to Thailand with my gal in February and we're trying to gather any tips or recommendations for our stay. We're flying into Bangkok, so I was thinking of finding us a hotel there and using that as the base for our two week stay, but I'm wondering if there are better places to stay. We're not rich, but we're not trying to do the hostel thing, so I'm not sure where's the best place to look.Curious if any Strutters have any recommendations on places to stay, places to visit, things to see and do, etc. A number of friends have chimed in and said that Chiang Mai is a must-see. Any one out there got any other recommendations? Never been to Thailand before and I know very little about it.As always, thanks in advance for any help y'all can offer.
Comments
Doing time in Chiang Mai (North) and and few beaches down in Krabi province. Won't be in Bangkok really.
Some sites we have been using for booking, reviews & things to do, etc are
http://www.tripadvisor.com/
http://www.travelfish.org
http://www.agoda.com/
http://thai.sawadee.com
Food and drink will not be hard to find. If you're adventurous, the street carts are super cheap. Otherwise, most bars/restaurants have decent food at cheap prices (by Western standards).
Cabs are also relatively inexpensive, but tell every driver to turn the meter on. If they refuse, get out and hail the next cab (which will only take about 30 seconds). Take a tuk tuk at your own risk. They can be fun, but many of those drivers like to make unscheduled stops at clothing or knick-knack shops where you'll get the hard sell before you can go on to your original destination.
Get a map of the sky train and subway systems and ride those whenever possible. They're cheap and very comfortable.
Go see a Muay Thai fight. There are two main arenas and I heard about a third, lesser known one, but I never saw it.
Get a real Thai massage (w/ no hanky panky). You'll want to ask a clerk or concierge wherever you're staying for recommendations, as most massage parlors with signs in English are only offering the "happy ending" variety. I got a great massage from some small place down an unassuming side street. It was $9 US for two hours.
I've been told the water is not too bad in Bangkok, but seeing as how bottled water is so cheap, there's no reason to take the risk.
I didn't look for records while I was there, but I did happen upon a stall in the Night Bazaar with a ton of great Thai jazz, soul, folk, etc. 45s, albeit at boutique prices (about $6 each, but the proprietor can be talked down).
I know you don't want to go the hostel route, but if you're having trouble finding a place, I can recommend Asha Guest House. It's fairly affordable, and while not quite as nice as the website makes it look, it's still very comfortable (as long as you insist on an air-conditioned room) and has a friendly and helpful staff. If you want to be in the thick of it, though, just find a place on Sao Khan road.
agreed. If you are in good shape, there are places that run a training camp where you go running, hit pads, and spar with Muay Thai fighters. Anyone who is into kickboxing and sports should check that out.
which titles did you find?
rai leh beach near krabi is nice, ko phi phi is okay and kho pangan too. chiang mai is the only mayor place in thailand i haven't been yet. should be nice though. consider going up through laos and crossing back into thailand to reach chiang mai. laos is really nice.
I don't trust the water. I accidentally drank some soda out of a glass with ice at the airport the day leaving and got sick as shit 30 minutes later. This was after taking precautions of not drinking any water that wasn't bottled the whole trip. I don't think it was the soda cause everyone else drank from the can and I was the only one stupid enough to pour in the glass with ice. The illness lasted the whole flight home. My asshole and buttcheeks burned like a mug.
My recommendation is to EAT EAT EAT! There's some amazing food all over Thailand, and it's usually out on the street for you to eat. Try as much as you can - I never got sick there at all. Some recommendations:
The Time Out guide is a good one.
If you don't like hostels, stay far away from Khao San Road - too many other tourists, and as such, the food and the places to stay are terrible. Thailand is pretty cheap, so you can move up the hotel chain without too much trouble. My GF and I stayed on a hotel in an alley near Siam Square (which has a great foodcourt), which was super convenient, since it's at the Skytrain intersection, it's good for getting around town. Also, if you're not at khao san, or other really touristy places, you'll find no hassle, and people will generally ignore you.
Eats:
Phad siew - noodles with soy, bangkok food.
kapow - I suppose literally gai pad khapow (khapow is thai basil and gai is chicken) this is chicken and thai basil on rice - awesome.
Try Issan (Northeast Thai) food - grilled chicken (gaiyang), pork salad (laab), spicy sausage... there's a good place for this in an office tower on wireless road. Jim Jum - also called Issan Suki for a hot pot style cook your own. There's a restaurant called Coco Suki with lots of options, but it can also be found in the street. Many people don't speak English, so if you have a food guide and you can look somethings up that's very convenient.
Eat lots of salads - som tam and the like (although sometimes the spice can be watered down - say 'geen pet die' if you want it regular spice).
Things to do
#1: Eat.
muay thai is fun, and yes, you have to pay the foreigner price. Eee!
The tawandeng brewhouse in the south of the city was really fun - huge tall beers and a thai lipsynching show. There was a really good place for gaiyang on the side of the highway around here. Remember that Thai people love to eat - no matter where you go, or what time, you'll be able to have something to eat, and it will probably been delicious.
Roam about the city - take the skytrain and checkout some different neighbourhoods. Bangkok is really large. Get the map and head up to Chatuchak. Get dressed up and go out to a club. Eat in a nice restaurant like Cabbages and Condoms (eat upstairs to enjoy the lights), eat by the highway.
Take taxis - it's the best and cheapest way to get around. They use the meter. If they try to arrange a price in advance, get out and hail the next cab - there's always another. Cheaper than tuk tuks, faster, and air conditioned. And pretty cheap to get across town, unless you're on the skytrain.
And they have a hook up for discounts on accomodations??? Tho, I might already be locked somewhere. But it would be interesting to know.
Website is
www.bigbluediving.com
I would need to contact them in advance and let them know your arrival dates etc for you to get a small discount in price. They will sort out accomodation for you, nothing luxurious but adequate.
Koh Tao is really beautiful.
I learned to dive there and highly recommend it. What dive school did you work @?