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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Thailand

22 replies

Janey26 · 11/07/2019 08:49

Just booked a holiday to Thailand, with my hubby, 3 nights in Bangkok, 8 nights Khao Lak and 3 nights Chiang Mai, this is our first time in Thailand and super excited, any top tips I should know about ? ty xx

OP posts:
kshaw · 11/07/2019 09:05

Don't go riding elephants or to any of the elephant sanctuary's - they arent sanctuary's jut a tourist trap and cruel. Same with the tiger places. Chiang mai zoo is nice though, and you get to see pandas!
If in Chiang mai on a sunday the night market is brilliant. In bangkok i have always just gone drinking on khao san road, not a massive fan of the city but the street food is good.

Lightsabre · 11/07/2019 09:10

Sadly, Bangkok is very sleazy and polluted. Your other areas will be nice.

PineappleTits · 11/07/2019 09:19

There is an ethical elephant sanctuary in chiang mai. It's amazing, if you google the founder, lek chailert you can see all the amazing work her and her husband do for animals. Book in advance as it's always very busy but worth every penny.

ShanghaiDiva · 13/07/2019 12:52

I think areas of Bangkok may be sleazy, but easily avoided. Pollution is relative - I live in China so Bangkok never seems that bad to me and nowhere near as bad as Delhi.
Grand Palace and Wat Pho are great to visit and I also like the Jim Thompson house. Traffic can be terrible so it's ideal if your hotel is near a sky train stop. If you have time - two great day trips from Bangkok are Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi.

SnowsInWater · 14/07/2019 06:18

Easy to avoid the sleaze in Bangkok. Three nights is perfect, there is plenty to see and do but it is a bit full on so it will be nice to go somewhere quieter after. We stayed at the Lebua last time we were there, the sky bar there is worth a visit for the views.

Original poster
Janey26 · 14/07/2019 21:25

Thanks everyone, off to do some research x

OP posts:
Ball00nHead839 · 14/07/2019 23:32

To visit all temples you need long sleeves, no shorts. I normally take a wrap that I can cover me up

Bangkok
Visit Royal Palace
Walk to reclining Buddha
Ferry across to the big temple
Boat ride on river
Chinatown
Enormous Chatatuk market

Chang Mai
Loads of different temples in city
Get taxi to the the temple at the top of the mountain
Markets at night

Soontobe60 · 20/07/2019 07:46

Love Khao Lak. Don't book trips with the hotel, use the tourist shops on the main road and bargain hard! Again, don't do elephant rides. We did James Bond island trip, it was a long day but the views were epic. Beaches are beautiful. Visit the Tsunami memorial.
When are you actually going?

Original poster
Janey26 · 03/08/2019 16:23

we depart March next year so plenty of time to keep researching and googling !
Thanks everyone for the tips x

OP posts:
Rua13 · 03/08/2019 17:44

The Sunday night walking market is great in Chiang Mai.We are hoping to visit Khao Lak next year too.Phuket was too built up for our liking and the Khao Lak area looked lovely from.the plane.

SJane48S · 04/08/2019 15:42

're KShaw's comment 're elephant sanctuaries, spot on in that some of these are less than ethical venues dressed up as a sanctuary. Some however are operating to very good welfare standards and genuinely need support to keep going - which means visitors. This guide is useful in terms of telling the difference and do check any animal related operation out in Thailand before crossing the threshold - www.worldanimalprotection.org.uk/elephant-friendly-tourist-guide

SJane48S · 04/08/2019 15:46

PS - there's a list of venues in Thailand on this link that operate to high welfare standards if you scroll down!

fuzzyduck1 · 13/08/2019 23:05

Done the water festival in Chiang Mai last year it was great 3 day water fight hope you get to be there during this. Great markets there as well.
Elephant camps around Chiang Mai are better as well. No rides but you spend time with the elephants. The ones near Khan lac are more for tourist traps.

Bangkok is mad 3 days is about right. Visit temples palace markets so much to do you could spend 2weeks there to do it all but would probably end up crazy yourself.

They have there own tourist traps. They’ll tell you a temple is closed to get you on a boat trip. They caught us like that but worked out ok as we got them to drop us off at the royal palace.(saved us a metro ride)
Also got caught in china town and invited to a comedy show which ended up being a show including ping pong balls 😳
But never felt unsafe.

There is shopping at MBK and a market/restaurant complex called ASIATIQUE that’s worth a visit.

Haven’t been to khao lake but it looks a bit like Phuket so will probably steer clear.

Krabi is more laid back and give you better access to the island James Bond, chicken, pie pie, Railey beach. Etc.

Original poster
Janey26 · 29/08/2019 19:34

Thanks everyone lots of great tips and advice Smile xx

OP posts:
DreamingofSunshine · 14/10/2019 20:19

Just to say Khao Lak is far quieter and chilled out than Phuket, they are very different! There's quiet corners of Phuket but it's far more developed than Khao Lak. We've been to both of them twice.

mencken · 16/10/2019 16:43

one or two things to watch; gem scams, disrespecting the monarchy (which can get you into BIG trouble), and manners including what you sit on and where you point the soles of your feet. Idiot tourists have some leeway but not always.

as always, stay off motorbikes or mopeds. Dengue zone so 24/7 insect repellent, and make sure your typhoid, tetanus etc are up to date.

Mindgone · 24/10/2019 19:36

We’re off to the same places next week. Any other tips?
Mencken, any advice on which insect repellent to buy?

Stopyourhavering64 · 27/10/2019 05:25

Mindgone we took high strength Jungle formula when going to Thailand...also buy white tiger balm (NOT the red tiger balm) from local chemist / 7/11 when you get there....it's brilliant for soothing bites

ExpectingatChristmas · 27/10/2019 05:44

Advice - don't go. This probably won't be very popular but it is worth saying.

The murder rate of Westerners in Thailand is horrendous. Yes, bad things can happen anywhere but why go to somewhere where the risk is so huge.

Let alone the way your family would be treated by the Thai authorities if the worst were to happen. Nor would you ever get real justice in such a corrupt system.

No one ever thinks it will happen to them. Particularly because of course there are stories of many people who have went and been ok. Though many people have been to war zones and been ok.

If you must go then do your research first. Don't walk around at night. Even with your partner, this won't stop the worst happening.

nearlynermal · 27/10/2019 06:03

I loved Bangkok. Wonderful food at the Cabochon hotel, massages at 8 Elements, (both sukhumvit), try doing a market food tour, or a cycle excursion with SpiceRoads. I went around the jungle island in the middle of town.

spinyffud · 27/10/2019 09:35

nearlynermal

What market food tour did you do?

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