Best place to stay long term

[mrsF]

Planning on stayin in LOS for about a year, where would anyone recommend  settling down, for a married couple late thirties ? Enjoy walks, nice scenery, good food and partying quite a lot !

appreciate your reply  

[dlfisher]

Sorry, but that's just way to vague a request. No $$$, no apt. size, Bangkok vs. out of town, etc...

Without more information and assuming you don't speak Thai, then I'd just say Silom/Sathron area or prime Sukhumvit. Both areas have lots of accomodation catering to farang, large number of eatiries are available, etc...

Good luck

[plachon]

Mrs F,

The north and south have beautiful scenery, so virtually any province could be attractive. Isaan is not so hot for scenery, but has a certain charm all of its own. Central Thailand is one big polluted dump, to be avoided at all costs. BKK, though is one big party zone, so it does have its draws.

Walking, though, is considered a strange activity, strictly for eccentrics only, so be prepared to be branded, unless you can locate yourself right next to a beach, or a national park. Even then, be prepared for hordes of pick-up driving louts taking the party to the countryside every w/end. Then it's time to head for the city..............it's all totally subjective, swings and roundabouts in other words.

In conclusion: Come out, travel widely, and settle where your spirit takes you. Enjoy it.

[brianbrain]

...I'd just say Silom/Sathron area or prime Sukhumvit...

I understand your recommendation, but bearing in mind MrsF wants enjoys walks and nice scenery I think we must rule out Bangkok and especially Silom. Though I frequently go for a walk, I've never had a "nice stroll" in the evening. There's always too much traffic - including motorbikes on the pavement - argh!! - and holes to fall into. Oh yes, and the constant "massage sir?" and "sex CD?" questions.

How about Hua Hin? It's convenient for frequent visits to Bangkok (shopping etc), has plenty of expats and expat places (assuming that is what she wants), good seafood, beach, and nearby national parks / countryside / etc. And if cost is a concern, Hua Hin is not expensive.

[dlfisher]

Brian,

I'm right with you. Its just their posting is about as vague as somebody saying, 'I want to move to Amercia for a long stay.' Heck, even narrowing it down to California, who the heck knows, so I think you're suggestions are absolutely great ones too. Sounds like somebody that should perhaps book a hotel for a month and go looking for themselves.

[mrsF]

Cheers for your replies

sorry I've been so vague . . I think plachon probably has the best advice," to travel widely and go where my spirit takes me ".

Is it easy enough to find rented accomodation once you arrive in Bangkok ? or would I be better booking beforehand?

When I said I liked walking, I just meant a stroll at night or whenever, not actual hillwalking. So as long as the streets are safe at night.

I guess everyones different, just thought I'd ask in case there's one place thats fantastic where everyone goes! Don't know much about the place, but doing a lot of research online. Unfortunately the tourist guides make everywhere sound great, so I thought I could be enlightened by expats living in LOS.

Thanks again for your help  ::

[chonabot]

Rented accomodation is easy enough to get in Bkk, as long as you know where to look, ( agencies etc) , its probably best to book a hotel for a couple of nights and ask around.

Regards where to stay longterm , do you like beaches/cities/neither etc ?

Personally I would do a mini tour of 4 or 5 places that fall into your criteria, then make a decision based on your own experiences.

Have a gret time!

Chonabot

[mrsF]

Thanks for advice chonabot . . . .guess I'll just have to go touring and make up my mind from there. It's beginning to get more exciting now . . .

I like beaches and cities, so can't decide that way! I'd like to be able to make friends so I couldn't live in an all Thai community, although I have started learning the language a couple of weeks ago, which should help with regards to understanding the locals . . . .maybe, LOL, whether I grasp it or not is a different story !

thanks guys  ::

[buasaard]

Hi mrsF,

as Chonabot said go and see yourself. If you like beaches and scenery my advice is to check the most popular places such as Koh Samui and Phuket.

Koh Samui is 100pct dedicated to tourists and expats, has a lot of nightlife which is not easy to avoid.

Phuket in my opinion is much more beautiful, has many more beaches , sunsets, hills, large expat community,has nightlife concentrated in Patong beach, so if you want nightlife go to Patong, other beaches are quiet and there is a town which is a real thai city with real thai restaurants and is not "farangland".

Also medical service (I know you are young, but one never knows) is very good.

As you can guess I would have no doubts...

[Jade]

Bangkok of course - has everything you need and is so accessible if you like the city lifestyle. Chiang Mai is nice too, more relaxed and many of my farang friends have chosen to live there.

[Jade]

Bangkok of course - has everything you need and is so accessible if you like the city lifestyle. Chiang Mai is nice too, more relaxed and many of my farang friends have chosen to live there.

[samuisam]

You must check out Koh Samui, also Phuket area.

[p1p]

Bangkok has almost everything you could need for a Farang lifestyle in Thailand. Access to Western food and ingredients, bookshops stocking English and other language books, International education and a community of like minded Farang etc. Other places which are almost as well equipped for the Farang are the large seaside resorts, Pattaya, Phuket etc. and Chiang Mai.

I have chosen to live near Chiang Mai because I find the climate is more comfortable here and I have easy access to the hills and mountains around, to get away. Pollution levels are low and the cost of living is also considerably lower here than Bkk or by the sea. We can still eat out for under 100 Baht per head incl. beer!

If you like scenery and a laid back lifestyle, I reccommend Chiang Mai. If you want a faster life, stay in the south.

[Butterfly]

Bangkok is definitely the best place. Well at least until now. I regret the time where there were more "crazy" people in Bangkok and there was a mix of "colorful" personalities all over the place. Now a lot of these "colorful" characters have left because of the war on drugs and money laundering. The beauty of Bangkok was its diversity of people and the "wild" night life.

[plachon]

Cheer Up 'fly! You've got Mrentoul down there to brighten up your drab days. "But speak sternly to the child, especially when he sneezes; He only does it to annoy, because he knows it teases". Who said that?

[Blackhawk Driver]

How come no one has mentioned Pattaya?

Lots of fun there .. And of course, beaches

[chonabot]

It's all good

[markt]

How come no one has mentioned Pattaya?

Lots of fun there .. And of course, beaches

That's right, and it has one or two bars there apparantly too.  

[mrsF]

My husband was talking to a guy thats just got married to a thai girl, and he reckons Pattayas okay, if you live on the outskirts. Personally I haven't ruled it out . . . .

This guy also told us he has had a house built for him and his wife and her family for around £2000 ! Is this possible ???

I tend to be leaning towards Chiang Mai, it sounds good and the climate sounds better than the south, but have heard that the mosquitos are worse in the north . . .

everywhere has good and bad points, so I reckon we'll stay for a couple of months in different places, and just see what feels right.  I can't wait to get over  :cool:

[Guest IT Manager]

How come no one has mentioned Pattaya?

Lots of fun there .. And of course, beaches

Black hawk how wonderful to see someone posting from that rather disgusting part of the world.

Mrs F, Blackhawk is teasing of course. No one in their right mind would see Pattaya as anything but a soupy sea, nice weather, buy anyone kind of place.

[Percy1]

I think we know from ITM's avatar what happened to his brains.

There are some nice places close to Pattaya that don't have a girly bar in sight.

And it remains the most convenient coast to BKK.

[curveblade]

Myself, I like Satthip. Has the beach, no tourist to speak of.

Close to Pattaya and not all that far from Bangkok.