Korean Job Discussion Forums

Fredbob · Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:43 pm Post subject: 1st time going to Thailand

So, my company is giving me a vacation, at least the airline ticket. Is it better to book a hotel package with the airfare, or just get there and explore. I'm either traveling alone or with a date, but I'm looking for a low key time to chill out on the beach for a few days.

Until I came here, I'd never been out of the country, unfortunately I don't have a ton of cash to blow. Any ideas/links would be greatly appreciated.

oxfordstu · Joined: 28 Aug 2004 Location: Bangkok

I've never booked a hotel with an airticket, and I never would. Just go to Thailand, spend your first night in a hotel (there are guys at the airport in case you can't find one), and then look for a better one the next day. That's what I did on Phuket, Samui, Koh Chang, and Koh Phangan. Hasn't failed me yet.

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

Places I've stayed that are good.

Koh Phan Ngan:
Had Rin Beach (sunset side): Neptunes Vila
North Shore: Smile Bungalo

Koh Samui:
Lamai beach: Utopia Resort

Bangkok (Kaosan Road):D&L hotel... or D&H, can't recal.
Just off Kaosan road, there is a hotel named Smile 2. It also has a pool and is very well kept. They have a great location off the main strip, so it's quieter.

After shopping around, i found those places to offer clean rooms for good value. The D&L in bangkok has a rooftop pool and good restaurant.

Neptunes has a decent Morrocan restaurant. It has it's own beach, and it's also a 5 minute walk to the main Had rin sunrise beach.

Smile bungalos has a pristine whitesand beach on a shallow lagoon. It's very quiet in the north side, also.

In bangkok, there is a really cool club called BED. It's on Sukhumvit and Soi 11, i think. They have a percussion performance and really cool gogo girl acts along with good house music DJ's.

Ramones · Joined: 23 Oct 2006 Location: In Hell in my own mind...

You want to reserve a hotel in my opinion.

Do some research at websites like www.expedia.com ot www.travelocity.com to get a feel for the hotels and the prices in the cities you want to visit.

I have booked hotels on Expedia and also used this site http://www.hoteltravel.com/

I think it is better for you to get off the plane and know you are going to a certain destination in a certain part of the city rather than showing up and figuring where to go.