Places To Avoid/go

[username5]

Traveling to thailand next month with some friends and would be greatfull for some info on places to go/avoid

We know of the usual places,phuket,pataya,samui and just want a good trouble free 3 week holiday!

Have been watching the program on bravo so have an idea of some problems to look out for

Thanks

[ballzafire]

You need to be more specific about what you want out of your vacation. Then maybe someone can help you.

[username5]

You need to be more specific about what you want out of your vacation. Then maybe someone can help you.

sorry,were all male early to mid twenties,maybe somewhere with good beaches,activities,sightseeing/daytrips.and nightlife

[Maigo6]

You need to be more specific about what you want out of your vacation. Then maybe someone can help you.

sorry,were all male early to mid twenties,maybe somewhere with good beaches,activities,sightseeing/daytrips.and nightlife

Pattaya.

[ballzafire]

You need to be more specific about what you want out of your vacation. Then maybe someone can help you.

sorry,were all male early to mid twenties,maybe somewhere with good beaches,activities,sightseeing/daytrips.and nightlife

Pattaya.

Ditto.

[username5]

You need to be more specific about what you want out of your vacation. Then maybe someone can help you.

sorry,were all male early to mid twenties,maybe somewhere with good beaches,activities,sightseeing/daytrips.and nightlife

Pattaya.

Avoid or Go?? i was told to stay clear of pattaya

[473geo]

Go to Phuket - Kata Karon on the south of the Island - Accomodation is easy to find of all categories - tours to Phi Phi - you can swim if you are careful......it is cheap to fly from BKK to Phuket if you do not go direct......I would advise not even stopping over in Bangkok on your way in...if you choose spend a couple of days there on the way back......

[username5]

Go to Phuket - Kata Karon on the south of the Island - Accomodation is easy to find of all categories - tours to Phi Phi - you can swim if you are careful......it is cheap to fly from BKK to Phuket if you do not go direct......I would advise not even stopping over in Bangkok on your way in...if you choose spend a couple of days there on the way back......

Great...thanks!

[DMCGARRY]

Read trip reports from other members and you will get an in depth opinion on different places. If you are coming to thailand party, drink and enjoy the company of the local woman then Pattaya is a great place. However, if you are into the back pack thing then Koh phanghan, samui, or phuket would better suit your trip.

One thing for sure is keep your schedule open after all you are on holiday and i have yet to meet anybody who did not change there schedule.

Secondly do not fall in love

Have a great time

[ballzafire]

Go to Phuket - Kata Karon on the south of the Island - Accomodation is easy to find of all categories - tours to Phi Phi - you can swim if you are careful......it is cheap to fly from BKK to Phuket if you do not go direct......I would advise not even stopping over in Bangkok on your way in...if you choose spend a couple of days there on the way back......

Great...thanks!

Avoid the tuk-tuks in Phuket. They charge outrageous prices which will no doubt make your holiday go sour fast. Plan to rent a motorbike instead to tool around on or you'll be sorry... Also, Patong has a lot of reasonably-priced hotel rooms and guesthouses, and some good sidewalk seafood eateries. Take the shuttle bus to and from Phuket town. You can pick it up along the beachfront (look for a big blue bus with three rows of seats in back). Otherwise, rent a motorbike for the above stated reason... Also, Karon and Kata are worth visiting but if you also want nightlife then stay in Patong (but brings lots of money!)

[Maigo6]

i was told to stay clear of pattaya

By who ?

Phuket and Samui are more expensive than Pattaya, Pattaya has exceptional value for money plus it's very close to the International Airport.

Anyway, you group of single guys , choose your own place and be happy, have a good time.

[ballzafire]

i was told to stay clear of pattaya

By who ? ...

Prolly something to do with its reputation for all the rip-offs going on there. I PM'ed him and told him what to watch out for.

Overall, Pattaya certainly has the best bang for your buck (pun intended). Just watch your valuables like anywhere else and don't get drunk and stupid in an unfamiliar environment...

[smokie36]

Go to Phuket Pattaya Krabi

Avoid Samui (raining!) and jetskis.

[blubberboybob]

Avoid or Go?? i was told to stay clear of pattaya

I was told the same by a few people back in 2001, and then I decided to visit......wow!......couldn't believe my eyes......by far the best place in thailand for me.

[Mossfinn]

If you are easy on your travels I would do a several centred trip:

Temples in Bangkok, Patpong at night, plenty of differing types of club/bar to choose from, whichever takes your fancy.

I would also suggest Lumpini Park during the day, somehow I don't think you will go there

For activities, in my experience Phuket and it also has the night life, beaches and bars.

As you are young lads, Pattaya would be a hoot,

Just remember all is not always what it seems, have a drink but keep your wits about you, or designate a soberish one amongst the group on differing nights, drink plenty of water during the day.

I feel safer in Bangers, Pattaya, HH, and Rayong at night than I ever do in the UK or Ireland.

Have a great time

[cdnvic]

Krabi, Hua Hin, Trang. All great places that aren't quite the tourist circuses that Bangkok, Pattaya, Samui, and Phuket can be.

Pattaya is great for a party, but the beaches always seemed pretty dismal compared to what's down south.

Krabi

Koh Phi Phi is a nice day trip by boat.

Montage of Southern Thailand

Still no shortage of nightlife.

[britmaveric]

Pattaya - hands down. Heaps to see/do, want beach go to Koh Larn or Koh Samet. Best nighlife in thailand hands down.

[apple69]

I would advise not even stopping over in Bangkok on your way in...if you choose spend a couple of days there on the way back

Different people have different feelings towards Bangkok - personally I love it. I'd say it's well worth spending a bit of time there - so much to see and do... and it has such a buzz. Be carefully though, if you're like me when I went first time, I liked Bangkok so much that most of my plans went out the window and I spent 1 1/2 weeks of my 2 week holiday there! Didn't regret it though

[LennyW]

You wont regret visiting Pattaya - great for a lads holiday and far better value for money than Phuket or Samui, Enjoy!!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Let me add some balance.. In terms of reasons to avoid Pattaya, most of those also apply to Patong, which is the most touristed beach on Phuket. You have as much opportunity to get in trouble in Patong as you do in Pattaya. However Phuket is bigger than just Patong, there is quite a lot to do, and the whole Andaman coast area (incl. Phuket, Krabi, Trang) is a lot more scenic than Pattaya. No contest really.

Secondly, why not visit a couple places? I think some island hopping off the Andaman coast (near Phuket) might be the ticket, and then for some nightlife there's the bars in Patong.. Or if you prefer to party with other young Westernerns, there's no bigger place than Ko Pha Ngan and the infamous Full Moon Party, I'm sure you saw that on Bravo as well.

[KunMatt]

A bunch of twenty somethings in Pattaya for three weeks will probably not be trouble free! You'll get a sense of the place in the first 10 minutes and decide whether it suits you guys and want to stay there or not. I'd say that a group of young blokes would have a riot there for sure. It is cheap, and it is at the beach but you cannot say you have been to Thailand if you just stay there the whole time, it is very much it's own bubble and detatched from the real Thailand.

The tourist police number is 1155 (I think), use it if you get into any trouble or if a local is scamming you for any damage they claim you have done to a jetski etc. I never used them myself so cannot vouch for their effectiveness.

I love Bangkok but if you're not into touristy things then skip it, most things (shopping, food, drinking) are very similar in Pattaya but cheaper.

Phuket is worth a visit, but it is expensive by comparison, and you could easily get to Krabi, Phi Phi etc once you are there. Koh Samui is also very very touristy now but good if you're not a seasoned traveler and want to stay within a comfort zone. It's also very expensive. Diving is awesome at all these places and relatively cheap.

Koh Samet and Chang are beautiful but very quiet compared to Pattaya, Samui and Phuket. Chang Mai looks incredible; elephants/mountains/waterfalls, that's next on my list of places to go.

Just one word of warning, Thailand may seem very loose on a lot of things but it is very strict on drugs, don't even bother because it is not worth the hassle you will find yourself in.

Have fun.

[Orac]

I would have to agree with a number of posters here that Pattaya is a must see as it is quite 'unique' as a destination though maybe not to everyones taste!

A suggestion is that rather than book hotels and find yourselves stuck with a rigid timetable - hotels will not be full and you will have no problem getting accomodation wherever you go - have a couple of days in Bangkok then get a taxi to pattaya (it is only a 2 hour drive). Since you have 3 weeks you will have plenty of time left to decide on what else you want to do, be it stay put or travel elsewhere. I believe there is a flight from Pattaya to Koh Samui or you are only 1.5 hours from BKK main airport if you want to try Phuket, Krabi or elsewhere. Also, having seen a bit of Bangkok you can then decide if you want to spend a few days there on the way back as well.

Personally, having first visited Thailand under similar circumstances, I never made it out of Pattaya but, like I said, it is not to everyones tastes.

[mca]

i was told to stay clear of pattaya

By who ?

The Phuket Tourism Authority

[yut]

yes, as mentioned earlier here, PATTAYA, PATTAYA, PATTAYA,PATTAYA.

BUT DON'T DISCOUNT ALL ELSE THAT ARE RECOMMENDED HERE IN TV!!!!!!

pattaya is where you will find out why gawd gave you all those testetarones ever ready to burst into the heavens like july 4th 's fireworks.

oh yes, make sure you are fully loaded, you know, have gun will traveL and fully charged too to "take it to them limit(s)" more than one more time.

and yes, travel all the other places mentioned here by other well travelled and seasoned advisers here for the real amazing REAL thailand.

have a good trip...

[IanForbes]

It would be sad to visit Thailand and only visit the bar scene... as exciting as it may seem.

I would suggest at least 3 days in Bangkok and see a couple of sites there: Kings palace, Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) and a longtail boat ride along the river to see the river market and King's barges. The Temple of Dawn is along the same route.

I would also take a day tour from Bangkok up to Ayutthaya and back. Ayutthaya is a famous temple that was destroyed by the Burmese army in the 14th century and truly a remarkable place to visit. You go up by bus and back along the River (Mae Nam) Chao Phraya.

I would take at least a 2 or 3 days on a trip to Kanchanaburi (3 hours by bus from Bangkok) and visit the war museum. And, while there take a day trip to the Arawan water falls in the mountain area.

Then, go back to Bangkok and plan a beach trip. It will take a one hour plane ride, or a long (8 hours) bus or train ride to get down to the beach resort areas in the south near Surat Thani. There are the resort islands of Samui, Tao and Koh Pha Ngan where the famous full moon party is located.

Personally, I prefer to fly a little further to Krabi which I find much more interesting and cheaper than Phuket. The famous Patong beach area of Phuket is over priced for what you can get in other places. If you go to Krabi be sure to visit Rah leh beach and Hong Island. The most popular area of Krabi is Ao Nang beach area. From there you can visit the other islands including a day trip to Koh Phi Phi islands which have the best snorkling.

I believe there might be a flight over to Pattaya from Krabi and that is where I would end up my trip. Pattaya is the Sodom and Gomorrah of Thailand and well worth visiting. It offers the best bang for the buck as far as your tourist dollar is concerned. There is far more to Pattaya than just the crazy bar scene and you might not go anywhere else if you visit Pattaya first... and that would be a shame.

Although well advertised, I would forgo the bar area of Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy of Bangkok, unless your plane arrives at midnight and you have no place else to visit the first night. Pattaya is much better.

[ChangMaiSausage]

My vote is withyou Ian you seemed to cover everything that I would have in a trip. nice one.

If they all go to Pattaya they will run the risk of not leaving, we all know how much fun can be had especially if your young, free and single with plenty of Baht in your pocket. I know been there and bought the t-shirt and a baht of gold.... ehmmm I try to forget.

Go and enjoy I think you will have a blast no matter where you go.

[MJo]

I would spend a week in Bangkok sightseeing and or shopping and having fun. Maybe fit in weekend in Pattaya just to go and see. All in all it is quite an experience in first time. And then head down south to relax and have fun. Phuket is your place, easy to move around and much much better beaches than around Patters for sure.

Unless you are into cheap boozing from lunch to late, then Pattaya will do fine...

[cdnvic]

One post deleted. Who still hasn't figured out that posting in caps doesn't work?

[jamieson]

It would be sad to visit Thailand and only visit the bar scene... as exciting as it may seem.

I would suggest at least 3 days in Bangkok and see a couple of sites there: Kings palace, Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) and a longtail boat ride along the river to see the river market and King's barges. The Temple of Dawn is along the same route.

I would also take a day tour from Bangkok up to Ayutthaya and back. Ayutthaya is a famous temple that was destroyed by the Burmese army in the 14th century and truly a remarkable place to visit. You go up by bus and back along the River (Mae Nam) Chao Phraya.

I would take at least a 2 or 3 days on a trip to Kanchanaburi (3 hours by bus from Bangkok) and visit the war museum. And, while there take a day trip to the Arawan water falls in the mountain area.

Then, go back to Bangkok and plan a beach trip. It will take a one hour plane ride, or a long (8 hours) bus or train ride to get down to the beach resort areas in the south near Surat Thani. There are the resort islands of Samui, Tao and Koh Pha Ngan where the famous full moon party is located.

Personally, I prefer to fly a little further to Krabi which I find much more interesting and cheaper than Phuket. The famous Patong beach area of Phuket is over priced for what you can get in other places. If you go to Krabi be sure to visit Rah leh beach and Hong Island. The most popular area of Krabi is Ao Nang beach area. From there you can visit the other islands including a day trip to Koh Phi Phi islands which have the best snorkling.

I believe there might be a flight over to Pattaya from Krabi and that is where I would end up my trip. Pattaya is the Sodom and Gomorrah of Thailand and well worth visiting. It offers the best bang for the buck as far as your tourist dollar is concerned. There is far more to Pattaya than just the crazy bar scene and you might not go anywhere else if you visit Pattaya first... and that would be a shame.

Although well advertised, I would forgo the bar area of Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy of Bangkok, unless your plane arrives at midnight and you have no place else to visit the first night. Pattaya is much better.

most sound and reasonable advise here including the one on never "fall in love" in thailand so quickly.

visit pattaya first and one may end up not going anywhere else and one will miss the real thailand absolutely as advised.

aaaaaah......THAILAND, where "puyins",(ladies) love you "mak mak" (very, very much)!

again , do not fall in love at first sight or one will end up "going out of (one's) head".

welcome to thailand where "love is (always) in the air".

and trust, me , it is the very very contagious kind too....!

[toptuan]

Avoid or Go?? i was told to stay clear of pattaya

I was told the same by a few people back in 2001, and then I decided to visit......wow!......couldn't believe my eyes......by far the best place in thailand for me.

The other side of the coin:

I've traveled nearly everywhere in Thailand, and Pattaya was by far the worst place I've been to. It all depends on what TYPE of night life and activities you're looking for. IMHO Pattaya is a window to the out-of-control expat sub-culture of Thailand surrounded by the same lights and glitz you'd find in seedy districts of Tokyo or New York, (albeit cheaper and lower quality). But same rip-offs, crime and tourist traps.

If you want to see the real Thailand (exotic, genuine culture of Thailand and its people), stay away from Bangkok, Pattaya, and Koh Phangan's full moon party. In resort areas (like the south islands), stay away from the western-style resorts; find something a little more authentic and the bonus is that it'll be cheaper.

But consider the source: I'm in my late 50's, not into drugs, booze or womanizing, and have already done the Tokyo, New York, Rio, Full-Moon Party, Pattaya thing. Maybe everyone has to do it at least once to get their fill.