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mr. positive

Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Location: a happy place
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:08 am Post subject: where should I go in Thailand? |
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I've seen and looked through lots of Thailand threads on the board, but I'm hoping some kind folks will just give me their straight up opinion on the matter: where should I go in Thailand for a vacation? I'll be going with my wife and three-year-old daughter in January 2011.
We went to Koh Samui ten years ago and loved it and would love to go back there, but I'm wondering if there isn't somewhere nicer and/or more cost effective. Mind that we have a little one, so we can't be taking any six-hour bus rides. I'd like to not pay more than necessary - we don't need much more than a decent room and resort area near the beach, so we don't want to pay too much, but are willing to pay for something decent (i.e. not a whole where backpackers abound). In particular, I'm wondering if a place I've seen on here called Koh Samet would be a good option, given its proximity to Bangkok, if that would make intermediate travel easier.
We are going to stay for about ten days and we'll be flying in to Bangkok (of course). If you recommend a place, could you include the cost of air travel and lodging for that destination?
Thanks in advance! |
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mr. positive

Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Location: a happy place
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 11:53 pm Post subject: |
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34 views... and no responses? Please, I'm beggin' ya, help a brother out! |
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conbon78
Joined: 05 Jun 2008
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 11:58 pm Post subject: Krabi |
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I would do the other side of Thailand...the Phuket, Phi Phi, and Krabi. Heard wonderful things about all! |
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ttompatz

Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:56 am Post subject: |
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mr. positive wrote: |
34 views... and no responses? Please, I'm beggin' ya, help a brother out! |
10 days and a 3 year old...
WOW.
If your flight is NOT booked yet... (there are direct fights from ICN to Phuket)
Phuket is OK... stay away from Patong beach (your wife may get upset).
Use it as a base to explore Phi-phi and/or Krabi...
3 or 4 days in each, sun, sand, burn, food... + 2 for travel.
If you insist on Bangkok as your starting point.. south and east of Pattaya.
Couple / 3 hours on a bus to get there... |
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Murakano
Joined: 10 Sep 2009
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Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 2:02 am Post subject: |
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A great place for families and away from all the drunk backpackers is Ko Lipe.....much more beautiful and cleaner than Phuket/Krabi and yes, even Ko Phi Phi. You have to fly BKK>Hat Yai (cheap flight via Nok Air is best) and then take the boat to Ko Lipe. Wonderful island. The island on the way is Ko Tarutao national park. Great also. The island usually attracts Scandinavian families on the whole with some backpackers who sneak in (but nothing like the crowded overrated previously mentioned places). It`s also where Thai tourists sometimes to avoid the backpacking drunk foreigners of the other places. Might be bit `far` to go but it`s worth it. Other well known islands don`t hold a candle to Lipe.
http://www.kohlipethailand.com/ |
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mr. positive

Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Location: a happy place
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Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:33 am Post subject: |
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Murakano,
Just a few questions about Koh Lipe, if you don't mind. Where did you stay, how much was it, and how did you like it? Or would you recommend any other particular resort there?
Also, it looks a bit small - just a mile across or so. Did you find at all that you ran out of stuff to do there? Is there enough to do with a 3-yr-old in tow? Thanks for answering my questions! |
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mr. positive

Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Location: a happy place
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Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:35 am Post subject: |
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ttompatz wrote: |
Phuket is OK... stay away from Patong beach (your wife may get upset). |
Have you been there yourself? What resorts would you recommend? Enough to do with a 3-yr-old? I know the last one's a bit hard to answer.
ttompatz wrote: |
If you insist on Bangkok as your starting point.. south and east of Pattaya.
Couple / 3 hours on a bus to get there... |
I'm guessing you mean Koh Samet? Have you been there? How was it? Good family-friendly place? thanks! |
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BoholDiver
Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Location: Canada
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Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:42 am Post subject: |
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I just got back from Phuket. I would say...the biggest problem was transportation. We were unwilling to drive a motorcycle, so we got extorted by the tuk-tuk drivers.
I didn't find Bangla Road in Patong that bad. We avoided it at night, as we have a little one as well.
If you are willing to stay about 400 m away from Patong beach, there are nice places for $30 or less a night, and restaurants where you can eat for $2-3. In the middle of the day, it's scorching hot to walk that distance, but if you can suck it up, it makes your trip a lot more affordable. |
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ttompatz

Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:51 am Post subject: |
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mr. positive wrote: |
ttompatz wrote: |
Phuket is OK... stay away from Patong beach (your wife may get upset). |
Have you been there yourself? What resorts would you recommend? Enough to do with a 3-yr-old? I know the last one's a bit hard to answer.
ttompatz wrote: |
If you insist on Bangkok as your starting point.. south and east of Pattaya.
Couple / 3 hours on a bus to get there... |
I'm guessing you mean Koh Samet? Have you been there? How was it? Good family-friendly place? thanks! |
Ya, I have been there... stayed at a place called sunset, a couple KM west of patong beach. It was OK, nice pool and mainly folks from the EU. Topless was allowed around the pool but nowhere else in the place (just so you're not surprised).
I wasn't really fond of Phuket town but it was a great place to jump off to other places on day trips; long tail boat out to James bond island, eco tour through the mangroves, etc.
Phi-phi is nice but small.... Krabi is getting pretty touristy... but fine for a family with baby in tow. We also travel with a little one. Her first trip was at 6 mo. and she now, at 4yrs., has more flier miles than anyone else I know.
There are lots of places off the beaten track that are easy to get to when you head s.e. of Pattaya. Get a car and driver and just head out of town. Stop when something appeals to you. Nice places run about 700-1000 baht per day.
I also like to head about an hour NORTH of the big Mango towards Suphanburi (I worked there for a year). Again, lots of temples and other stuff to explore and places for the little one to wander. Not beach but worth a night or 3.
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Take a gander on google earth.... |
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