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[smile7]

Hello,

Me and my boyfriend are traveling to Thailand This June to July. It's going to be our first time, so i could use alot of help from you guys.

We would like to spend most of our time on the islands and hopefully scuba diving and snorkeling. I was wondering if there are any Good/reasonable travel package. I've been researching and trying to find a good travel agency, and there are so many. Can you guys recommend any?? please help me. thank you.


-S

[koonel]

Hello,

Me and my boyfriend are traveling to Thailand This June to July. It's going to be our first time, so i could use alot of help from you guys.

We would like to spend most of our time on the islands and hopefully scuba diving and snorkeling. I was wondering if there are any Good/reasonable travel package. I've been researching and trying to find a good travel agency, and there are so many. Can you guys recommend any?? please help me. thank you.


-S

You can do a travel package locally in Thailand that is cheaper than doing it from your own country. Many tourists just make their own travel and hotel arrangements. In Bangkok and other major cities local travel agencies provide tours on short notice. Local transportation within Bangkok and from there to other areas is excellent. Many tourists spend 2 or 3 days in Bangkok and while there use local travel agencies for tours and even hotel bookings in other cities. These local Thai travel agencies can set you up with local flights also. Spend the last night in Bangkok before you fly home. Even in Bangkok or Chiang Mai you can still get a little tan just walking around!

While you are in Bangkok you can even call various hotels and ask them to hold a room for you. June and July is off season and there are lots of vacancies. Room prices are lower and some people can even get a hotel room with a walk-in.

You purchase round trip plane tickets to Bangkok. You book the first few nights in Bangkok so you have a place to go and while there make your arrangements for other places. You can use the same hotel for your return to Bangkok or choose another.

From the airport you have several forms of transportation to get to the city. There is a new Rail Link that takes you direct to the Pratunam area. But after midnight only a meter taxi should be used by new tourists.

Good luck.

[smile7]

Koonel, thank you for all the tips and advices. After researching, we decided to not to do a travel package.

We would like to go to Phuket, Ko Phi Phi, Ko Tao, and Ko Phangan. And hopefully Kanchanaburi(north).


After arriving to bangkok, we are planning to stay there for 1 or 2 nights, and then head to the islands. Which one should we go first and last?? And how should we get there? bus? train??

can you recommend any clean/cheap hotel or bungalows on these islands?? it would help a lot.
thank you.

We would be staying in Thailand for only 4 weeks and i just want it to be adventurous and perfect. I think from june to july the weather's going to be ok .I Really Hope we can snorkel and cliff jump.

[koonel]

Koonel, thank you for all the tips and advices. After researching, we decided to not to do a travel package.

We would like to go to Phuket, Ko Phi Phi, Ko Tao, and Ko Phangan. And hopefully Kanchanaburi(north).


After arriving to bangkok, we are planning to stay there for 1 or 2 nights, and then head to the islands. Which one should we go first and last?? And how should we get there? bus? train??

can you recommend any clean/cheap hotel or bungalows on these islands?? it would help a lot.
thank you.

We would be staying in Thailand for only 4 weeks and i just want it to be adventurous and perfect. I think from june to july the weather's going to be ok .I Really Hope we can snorkel and cliff jump.

How much per night do you want to spend on a hotel? I can help with Bangkok but I personally avoid any "island" visits now days, it just doesn't appeal to me. When you say you want a cheap hotel or bungalow also mention a price - cheap for some people means something under $100 per night. For others something around $10 a night.

Since you mention Ko Phangan that often means young travelers. This place appeals to lots of kids and younger tourists. Thai police do bust people for dope every now and then, no matter what you may read about Phangan.
http://www.kohphangan.com/travel/gethere.html
http://thaiqa.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/how...ull-moon-party/

Check the dates so you can coordinate your transportation.
http://www.fullmoonpartykohphangan.com/schedule_dates/

How you get anywhere depends on how much time you want to take getting anywhere. The bus ride to Phuket takes a long time. In Bangkok you can arrange flights. If you use a bus for long distance get the tickets from a real bus station. The only time I hear about problems with theft on buses or crappy rides is when the bus had been booked from a Khao San Road travel agency.
http://www.thaiwaysmagazine.com/phuket/phu..._get_there.html

When you travel on buses or trains DO NOT put any money in a checked in bag, no valuables, no passport - nothing valuable! Keep valuables at your seat or within sight. Same for flights from your own country.

For Bangkok maybe a hotel in the Khao San Road area will do.
http://www.sawasdee-hotels.com/index.html

But there are other areas to stay at too, here is a hostel in the Sukhumvit Road area that you can use. One benefit is that you can also use the Skytrain to get around the city.
Soi 1 Guest House. Lots of restaurants, street vendors, nightlife, malls and travel agencies available for tours and tickets. The Skytrain can connect you with the subway, the subway can bring you to the national train station.
http://www.soi1guesthouse.com/
http://www.urbanrail.net/as/bang/bangkok.htm

Another suggestion is Udee:
http://www.udeebangkok.com/rooms_rates.html

Check out Koh Phi Phi for some of the things you want to do.
http://www.phuket.com/island/phiphi.htm

With four weeks maybe try to fit in a trip to Chiang Mai to see something that is not beach related. If you schedule a final night or two in Bangkok before you leave you can use that time for some last minute shopping. Maybe take in another tour for some of the places near Bangkok. There are day tours to Kachanaburi every day, Bridge on the River Kwai is popular. Local travel agencies will have a book of tours that you can choose from.
http://www.kanchanaburi-info.com/en/goKan.html

Good luck.

[kathryn77]

Hello Smile7 You certainly hit it lucky with Koonel there, what great tips and advice!

Just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents worth too

I agree with Koonel - if you're going to be in Thailand for 4 weeks, try and get up north to Chaing Mai at least. It's amazing, and sooooooo different to the islands. You can do cookery lessons there where they take you to the market and teach you how to make Thai food - delicious! It's off season, so you'll be able to arrange when you arrive.

If you do feel that you're not wanting to bus around, you could take cheap internal flights. I have travelled in Thailand, but I went back for a 2 week holiday, landed in Bangkok and flew with Air Asia down to Krabi. I spent 3 nights on Krabi at a gorgeous spa resort I could have only dreamt of while 'properly' travelling, for next to nothing! (My boyf. and I just walked in! Railey Beach Resort & Spa it was called)

We went to Phi Phi by boat from there, then to Phuket where he was flying back after one week only, and I met a friend. Only stayed one night in Phuket as I'd been before and (my personal opinion only) I didn't like it...I don't know where you're from and if this will be relevant to you, but to me it was just a "Thai Benidorm" :-(

My friend and I went back to Phi Phi, stayed a night or so there then went by bus over to the other side to get the boat to Koh Samui (from there you can go to Kho Pha Ngan by boat...then Koh Tao...or you can go direct from the mainland to any of those islands - I wouldn't recommend the night boat)

Kanchanaburi was so interesting too. I'd definitely keep that in your itinerary and see the Bridge over the River Kwai when there etc. Really amazing.

Let me know if you have any q's on what I've written. I've 2 blogs on Thailand too if you want to see. One is the 2 week 'holiday' and the other is from the 'big trip' in the link below when I was travelling - Thailand is near the end of it.
Cheers
Kathryn

[faqthailand]

Hello

Calling from BKK, there is a weather forecast that we will have rain started around 20 May. And it actually started in many area. Western side beach like Phuket, Similan, Phi Phi might have lot impact. I just come back last month, lucky it rained only after 5 pm.

Better go Eastern side beach like Samui or Pa Ngan. I would recomend Koh Tao too. I have started my open water there. It is nice and not expensive at all.

Hotel in BKK, if you like great value and experience great service, it has to be Sukumvit
If you like to save money, yeah you can go to Kao San Road.

I choose Sukumvit for myself to be pampered 95 USD for deluxe suite room with one bedroom one living room 2 toilets etc....I was so happy.

[faqthailand]

By the way you don't need to worry about transportation between those sites we were talking about. Thai Tourism around there have thought about it in every more tourist want to go. So easy! You just need to get used to the distance between to know roughly how far each place. For example Krabi to Trang has van operating all day with 2 hours travelling time.