Where to travel around Xmas?

[SS1]

Coming to Bangkok on Christmas day and staying for 4 weeks, but I have no idea where to travel this time. I'm gonna be spending a lot of time in Bangkok, but would like to travel somewhere for a week with my friend who's got some time off work then. Looking to get some ideas!

Traveling on quite a low budget this time..

So far I've already been in the following places in Thailand, but nowhere else in Asia:

-Bangkok
-Chiang Mai

-Phuket
-Krabi

-Pattaya
-Ko Phi Phi

-Ko Chang

-Ko Samui

To get an idea what sort of trip I'm looking for, I'll just list some stuff

I Like: natural wonders e.g. waterfalls, beautiful sceneries, renting a big bike to travel around is perfect

I don't like: overly crowded touristy places, organised tours and city holidays

Any ideas? Neighbouring countries are options as well, e.g. Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos

[kurnell]

Khao Kho, near Petchabun is the best place I have been in Thailand. No tourists, but you will need a car.

[craigt3365]

An easy option would be Kanchanaburi. Not far from Bangkok, waterfalls, rivers, national parks, lakes, etc.

You could stay on a floating room on the river as well as one on the big lake towards the Burma border. I even think the Mom wooden bridge has been rebuilt.

If you've not been to Angkok Wat, it's definitely worth a visit. Amazing...but will be crowded. A must see.

Vietnam has, from what I hear, a great motorcycle trip in the highlands.

Laos is a great place also. Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang...both on a river and a nice national park with waterfalls nearby LP.

Or, try heading up to Loei. Beautiful mountains.

[SeaVisionBurma]

If you're traveling on quite a low budget, I'd probably skip Myanmar. It's peak season, the country hasn't quite caught up with supply of tourist accommodation, and as a result it's not cheap.

[scavenger]

Nan, Lampang, Phrae, Sukhotai.

[dddave]

Laos has spectacular mountain scenery between Vientiane and Luang Phrabang; 10 hours on a rickety bus but a journey you would not forget.

Luang Phrabang itself has become tourist central but there are some very worthwhile nearby attractions. If you wished, you could go from there on a Mekong River trip to Chaing Rai.

Vietnam has so many great attractions; the Mekong Delta, the coast by train, the central highlands by motorcycle, the boat into Ha Long Bay and the amazing street culture of old Hanoi. If I had only seven days: Hanoi with a side trip to Ha Long Bay, then the train to one of the coastal cities. www.seat61.com is a great train travel site with good Vietnam and Thai sections.

Just keep aware that the Xmas-New Years period is the absolute peak of high season so you will need to plan and book. It's a very difficult time of year for impromptu itineraries.

Edited November 2, 2014 by dddave

[TSF]

Actually Bangkok is one of the best places to be in Thailand over the Xmas/NY period as so many Thais flock out of the capital to holiday destinations.

Also very little accommodation is available at the popular holiday destinations over this period. People tend to arrive at all these places (PhiPhi/Samet/Chang/Krabi) around Dec 20-22 and stay put until after NYE. Around Jan 2-3 they start to move on and accommodation becomes available again.

So my tip is just stay in BKK until early Jan, which you indicate you plan to do anyway. Then early Jan check out some nice places not too far from BKK. Kanchanaburi is a good choice, try Koh Samet or Koh Chang if you want beaches, Korat/Surin if you want some old temples.

Personally I wouldn't bother leaving Thailand for Lao or Cambodia as you don't have too long time and on a low budget.

[smokie36]

Laos has spectacular mountain scenery between Vientiane and Luang Phrabang; 10 hours on a rickety bus but a journey you would not forget.

Luang Phrabang itself has become tourist central but there are some very worthwhile nearby attractions. If you wished, you could go from there on a Mekong River trip to Chaing Rai.

Vietnam has so many great attractions; the Mekong Delta, the coast by train, the central highlands by motorcycle, the boat into Ha Long Bay and the amazing street culture of old Hanoi. If I had only seven days: Hanoi with a side trip to Ha Long Bay, then the train to one of the coastal cities. www.seat61.com is a great train travel site with good Vietnam and Thai sections.

Just keep aware that the Xmas-New Years period is the absolute peak of high season so you will need to plan and book. It's a very difficult time of year for impromptu itineraries.

Agree with all of that however Hanoi is likely to be chilly and raining that time of year.

[pomchop]

Chiang Rai is very nice around xmas time with perfect weather ...one of the best motorbike riding areas in all Thailand for natural scenery.

The annual flower festival is about dec 24 til early jan. New year's eve in downtown CR is a fun very thai place to be.

Nha Trang in Vietnam is also worth a look if you want beach time.

[SOTIRIOS]

....Chiang Rai....

[rotorbreeze]

An easy option would be Kanchanaburi. Not far from Bangkok, waterfalls, rivers, national parks, lakes, etc.

You could stay on a floating room on the river as well as one on the big lake towards the Burma border. I even think the Mom wooden bridge has been rebuilt.

If you've not been to Angkok Wat, it's definitely worth a visit. Amazing...but will be crowded. A must see.

Vietnam has, from what I hear, a great motorcycle trip in the highlands.

Laos is a great place also. Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang...both on a river and a nice national park with waterfalls nearby LP.

Or, try heading up to Loei. Beautiful mountains.

Last year took my new Honda Forza to Kanchanaburi with help in navigation a local Thai lady, 5 days touring some 1200 km a interesting trip...now as for Viet Nam here is a story: attachment:

Vietnam copy.pdf

[craigt3365]

Interesting trip report. Lots of scams in Vietnam. I was there for 30 days about 10 years ago. Had a great time, but it was definitely an eye opening experience!

[morpho]

My suggestion would be northern Vietnam. You can pick up a bike in Hanoi. The loop I would suggest is Hanoi-Mai Chai-Son La-Dien Bien Phu-Lai Chau-Ha Giang-Cao Bang-Lang Son-Hanoi. From Lang Son, you could also drive to Halong Bay along the coast and return to Hanoi from there. Tons of beautiful mountain scenery along this route and great people. The weather can a little bit cool and damp at times but also can be sunny and warm at other times.

If you want better weather, riding north from Hue or Danang to Khe Sanh and Phong Nha Park and then south to Quang Tri/DMZ and The Street Without Joy near the coast back to Hue or Danang would be a shorter loop.

[morpho]

An easy option would be Kanchanaburi. Not far from Bangkok, waterfalls, rivers, national parks, lakes, etc.

You could stay on a floating room on the river as well as one on the big lake towards the Burma border. I even think the Mom wooden bridge has been rebuilt.

If you've not been to Angkok Wat, it's definitely worth a visit. Amazing...but will be crowded. A must see.

Vietnam has, from what I hear, a great motorcycle trip in the highlands.

Laos is a great place also. Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang...both on a river and a nice national park with waterfalls nearby LP.

Or, try heading up to Loei. Beautiful mountains.

Last year took my new Honda Forza to Kanchanaburi with help in navigation a local Thai lady, 5 days touring some 1200 km a interesting trip...now as for Viet Nam here is a story: attachment:

That is an interesting trip report…and totally diametric to my experiences traveling to Vietnam 8 times since 2004. Looks like you just had a string of very bad luck. In my time there, I definitely have had some bad encounters with locals (just like I have had almost anywhere where I have traveled). However, I have found most Vietnamese to be very friendly and accommodating (especially more than most Thais). But much depends on where you go. People in the South (esp. Saigon) are definitely different than people in the North (and both still don't care for each other). And the problems I have had have mostly been in the South, but I also made great friends in the South too. Being American, I wondered how I would be viewed in the North and have been amazed to see how friendly and open they are to me. Some of the nicest local people I have met anywhere live in the North, esp. in the countryside in the Far North. Heading back to Vietnam in February for 3 months and greatly looking forward to it.

[Nignoy]

An easy option would be Kanchanaburi. Not far from Bangkok, waterfalls, rivers, national parks, lakes, etc.

You could stay on a floating room on the river as well as one on the big lake towards the Burma border. I even think the Mom wooden bridge has been rebuilt.

If you've not been to Angkok Wat, it's definitely worth a visit. Amazing...but will be crowded. A must see.

Vietnam has, from what I hear, a great motorcycle trip in the highlands.

Laos is a great place also. Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang...both on a river and a nice national park with waterfalls nearby LP.

Or, try heading up to Loei. Beautiful mountains.

Last year took my new Honda Forza to Kanchanaburi with help in navigation a local Thai lady, 5 days touring some 1200 km a interesting trip...now as for Viet Nam here is a story: attachment:

Wow!!you must have visited a different Vietnam to the one 1000,s of other tourists visit, my wife and I are elderly disabled pensioners, the scams are the same as anywhere in southeast asia,we always travel on a tight budget, but we do also research our trips first, we are great fans of Vietnam and usually keep to southern Vietnam, because of the weather ,the food and the Fishing!!12 months ago we decided to visit Hanoi, what an experience, sort of communism meets Andy Cap and Flo for a beer or two,we found the people warm and caring and always willing to help, I must admit we never got scammed but we did get robbed by a taxi driver, but after 40 years of travelling the far east there is always a first time for everything, and no where else in the world have I ever seen students acting as voluntary tourist guides to help improve their foreign language knowledge,we are looking forward to a return trip soon, even old codgers like us know to organise reliable in country travel anywhere in asia through seat 61 ,and to keep an open mind!!

[smokie36]

Another vote for Chiang Rai.

[farangmick]

Khao Kho, near Petchabun is the best place I have been in Thailand. No tourists, but you will need a car.

I agree Khao Kho is a lovely spot and well worth an overnight stop. With two little kids, I have only seen a fraction of what I want to see of Thailand, but it,s only a two hour drive from home to Khao Kor. Phetchabun great province to live in, but not too much to see, although if driving up from BK it is worth a stop at the Khmer ruins at Si Tep. No big bike rentals that I know of. If anyone knows different I should be very glad to hear.

[sotsira]

If you like waterfalls and a bike trek, then consider the Khone Phapheng Falls

which are the largest in SE Asia.

Not far from the Thai border going into Laos/Cambodia border.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khone_Phapheng_Falls

[craigt3365]

If you like waterfalls and a bike trek, then consider the Khone Phapheng Falls

which are the largest in SE Asia.

Not far from the Thai border going into Laos/Cambodia border.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khone_Phapheng_Falls

I bet now would be a great time to visit. We drove a part of the Mekong River 2 years ago in April. It was really low...and no rapids!

Great recommendation.

[bigyin]

I think Kanchanaburi is a fantastic idea. The scenery is spectacular, lots of waterfalls, the railway plus the town itself has some nice restaurants and bars for the evenings. Khao Kho is absolutely spectacular but there is nothing around there for the evenings. Loei is the same...quiet at night but lovely scenery nearby.

[Tywais]

Inappropriate post removed.

[ripstanley]

Another vote for Chiang Rai.

I agree with your comment. There are great places to visit. If you hire a car you can see a lot more including Phayao which is 100 km south of Chiang Rai.

[smokie36]

Another vote for Chiang Rai.

I agree with your comment. There are great places to visit. If you hire a car you can see a lot more including Phayao which is 100 km south of Chiang Rai.

There is a trip report page on the Chiang Rai forum which is worth a look for some ideas.

Can't link it from the phone.

[Jaggg88]

last year my mate did an organised bike trip from Chang mai and went up country - they ended up at http://www.cavelodge.com/ He said it was the best bike trip he'd ever done. If you're interested PM me and I'll get the details.

[SS1]

Does anyone know if you can ride a rental bike from Thailand to Laos? I've been trying to research this but getting mixed answers.

[craigt3365]

Does anyone know if you can ride a rental bike from Thailand to Laos? I've been trying to research this but getting mixed answers.

Why don't you open a new topic in this forum:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/117-bikes-in-thailand/

I'm sure this question has probably already been asked and answered there also. Good luck!

[otocheater]

Thailand (Korat) Cambodia(Siemriep)

[phuketrichard]

fly to chaing mai and rent a big bike ( 250 is fine) and travel around northern thailand

Fantastic scenery, small towns, mts galore

check out gt-riders for ideas and David is a great guy

as to rentals yes gt has info

[daveAustin]

You say you don't like overly crowded tourist places and yet those you list as already visited are THE top tourist destinations in Thailand?

Christmas is peak season practically everywhere bar the lower Gulf. However, Nan and Loei are quite nice -- great riding north of here on a big bike. Mae Hong Son, Mae Salong, Chiang Rai's alright for couple nights, AVOID Koh Tao!