Songkran escape 2019

[CLW]

Hello,

I have a friend coming over from April 5 to 27 and we are planning to escape the Songkran madness of Bangkok.

Because of the forecasted heat most likely near or at some beach.

Money is not the issue so we are thinking of probably flying to somewhere in order to avoid the traffic jams.

Which beach / island would be recommended?

[richard_smith237]

Firstly.... The Songkran Madness is only in a handful of spefic areas of Bangkok (Khao Sarn, Silom, Suk Soi 11 etc).... 

 

That said... if a beach is wanted... close to Bangkok is Koh Samet... and a little further is Koh Chang - both are mild in the terms of songkran madness, both are pleasant enough beach areas.... Both are likely to be booked up, thus I’d recommend getting busy and booking up somewhere sooner rather than later.... No need to fly... head there a day before everyone else breaks up from work.

 

The real crazy traffic Jams are primarily up towards Isaan as Bangkok’s labour force travels home en-masse...

 

 

Edited February 25, 2019 by richard_smith237

[Lacessit]

Songkran is just as lunatic in Chiang Mai. I usually escape by going to Chiang Rai, which is more restrained.

[CLW]

My friend threw in Ao Nang, Krabi.
But having been there twice I would say it is one of the most unattractive beaches in the south where you either stay at your hotel pool or you have to take a boat to some other island or beach.

[Tanoshi]

Why didn't you just visit your friend instead. ????

[Lammbock]

49 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Why didn't you just visit your friend instead. ????

Ba Dum Tss ????

[brokenbone]

recommend pattaya, peaceful as ever during songkran

[CLW]

recommend pattaya, peaceful as ever during songkran

Yep. Good one [emoji41]. Next please [emoji23]

[LomSak27]

Indonesia; the rainy season is just ending, good beaches. Nice time to use that Air Asia BKK - Denpassar flight .    You will note this flight is packed with kone Thai escaping the hot season and Songkhran.  WooHoo!          

[bender92]

Pattaya. ????????

[CLW]

FYI: destinations should be in Thailand

[madmen]

17 hours ago, CLW said:

My friend threw in Ao Nang, Krabi.
But having been there twice I would say it is one of the most unattractive beaches in the south where you either stay at your hotel pool or you have to take a boat to some other island or beach.

You can get a ferry to koh Lanta. There is a bit of activity on the island so not bored to death on day 2 

Edited February 26, 2019 by madmen

[tlandtday]

17 hours ago, CLW said:

My friend threw in Ao Nang, Krabi.
But having been there twice I would say it is one of the most unattractive beaches in the south where you either stay at your hotel pool or you have to take a boat to some other island or beach.

yeah but you are a 20 minute 100 baht boat ride from one of the best beaches anywhere in Railay why stay in Ao Nang?

[CLW]

yeah but you are a 20 minute 100 baht boat ride from one of the best beaches anywhere in Railay why stay in Ao Nang?

Please correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Railay beach full of speedboats and longtails and quite far from being a nice beach.

[Tanoshi]

No pleasing some people.

The only way to escape Songkran is to stay at home, or get out of Thailand.

 

Be more specific what your looking for, i.e. a beach without the sea, a hotel without a pool.

If your just trying to avoid water, your applying the same logic as Thais who vacate the swimming pool when it starts raining because they don't want to get wet.  ????

[malibukid]

Da Lat Vietnam

[arithai12]

20 hours ago, CLW said:

Which beach / island would be recommended?

 

20 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Songkran is just as lunatic in Chiang Mai. I usually escape by going to Chiang Rai, which is more restrained.

 

Spot on.

[pellets]

16 hours ago, brokenbone said:

recommend pattaya, peaceful as ever during songkran

I escape EVERY time this crazy madness break out, NOT from Pattaya, but from my condo at Jomtien Beach, which is a LITTLE to near the core of madness...
Luckily i have a house up in Isaan, Surin area, out in the bush, and fill the house with approx 8 box of Heineken, wine and whatever i need, and then i stay on the property at daytime, until the madness is over!
Works fine every year!

[Pilotman]

I get in beer, wine, lots of snacks, pizza and all kinds of goodies, then lock the gates and binge on Netflix until it's all over.  I truly do hate songkran and the lunatic behaviours it generates, mainly from idiot farangs, or drunk Thais.  

[Tanoshi]

14 minutes ago, pellets said:

Luckily i have a house up in Isaan, Surin area, out in the bush, and fill the house with approx 8 box of Heineken, wine and whatever i need,

Ooooh! Not to far from me, I can bring the cheese and crackers  

 

16 minutes ago, pellets said:

and then i stay on the property at daytime, until the madness is over!

What do you do at the night time, throw water over unsuspecting passers by.   ☔

[DJ54]

2 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

3 hours ago, pellets said:

Luckily i have a house up in Isaan, Surin area, out in the bush, and fill the house with approx 8 box of Heineken, wine and whatever i need,

 Ooooh! Not to far from me, I can bring the cheese and crackers  

I’m up in Isaan and trying to escape the villages cause all the idiots are home.... must have had something missed in translation. Said BYO bring you own .....

 

but it turned out only brought themselves full appetite and empty legs for beer drinking ...... 3 days family only 45 boxes of beer

 

And left their wallets at home...  did I tell you about the strawberry plants guess someone thought they were a party gift.....yep it happened. Had 70 at one point.....

[madmen]

18 minutes ago, Benroon said:

LOVE Songkran - even better when all the miserables <deleted> afraid of an itzy bitzy bit of water have gone into the jungle to 'escape' it

Doubt you have been in Thailand for songkran. Try a bucket of ice water thrust at full force

Weird to see 60 year old men in baseball caps back the front carrying a giant water gun roaming the sois, its such an idiotic look its actually sad and funny at the same time ????

[Jaggg88]

Koh Chang is a long drive from Bangkok but you can fly to Trat and get a taxi or bus to the ferry. The obvious choice is to fly to Koh Samui (not sure how manic Songkran is) Fisherman's Village has some nice hotels if money is not a problem.

[sanemax]

Just now, madmen said:

Doubt you have been in Thailand for songkran. Try a bucket of ice water thrust at full force

Weird to see 60 year old men in baseball caps back the front carrying a giant water gun roaming the sois, its such an idiotic look its actually sad and funny at the same time ????

And when two similarly dressed guys walk past each other...........and squirt each other with their water pistols and then both have a little giggle .

[greenbottle555]

4 minutes ago, madmen said:

Doubt you have been in Thailand for songkran. Try a bucket of ice water thrust at full force

Weird to see 60 year old men in baseball caps back the front carrying a giant water gun roaming the sois, its such an idiotic look its actually sad and funny at the same time ????

Yeah I'd much rather be the guy on thaivisa that remembered seeing a 60 year old with a water gun on songkran.

 

Who hurt you and can we talk about it?

[madmen]

7 minutes ago, greenbottle555 said:

Yeah I'd much rather be the guy on thaivisa that remembered seeing a 60 year old with a water gun on songkran.

 

Who hurt you and can we talk about it?

Ha ha try hundreds!!! dont worry your first songkran will be fun even at your age. Get back to us when its your tenth..

[shy coconut]

Are there any major road closures in Pattaya on the 19th?

I'm in town force couple of days and heading up to Bangkok early afternoon.

 

I understand the 19th is the busiest day of the lot.

 

It will be my 1st time there for Songkran and after reading about the shenanigans,

I am expecting some kind of watery apocalypse!

 

PS is it ok for a 54 year old man to wear a baseball cap, peak forward?

[SamuiGeezer]

17 hours ago, vinniekintana said:

Penang...much closer

That would be my recommendation too. Get out before it starts and come back after having had a pleasant trip to a really nice place with great food, and a chance to detox as well.

[JaiLai]

15 hours ago, pellets said:

I escape EVERY time this crazy madness break out, NOT from Pattaya, but from my condo at Jomtien Beach, which is a LITTLE to near the core of madness...
Luckily i have a house up in Isaan, Surin area, out in the bush, and fill the house with approx 8 box of Heineken, wine and whatever i need, and then i stay on the property at daytime, until the madness is over!
Works fine every year!

So are you suggesting to the OP that before his friends come over he builds a house up in Isaan?

 

That'd be pretty extreme!

[malibukid]

just 2 days in CM. i can handle that.  i heard that it was 5 days this year.  wrong.