The plan is to escape songkran pattaya and explore sights unseen april 11-19.

Insights, recommendations, accommodation low to mid level, entertainment, etc welcome.

Also will i be able to avoid songkran in these areas?

Thank you.

I think accommodation will be a bit tough?? I was on Samet several years ago duing Songkran. Had to sleep in a tent for 2 nights until a room opened up! Horrible.

Anything near the beach will be packed. We were in Chantaburi recently and on the weekends, even then, the hotels were pretty much fully booked.

Can't say about all these cities, but where I live, in Ban Amphur, Songkran is only on one day, and really only in the main part of "town". We went through it by accident a few years ago. Only 50 people or so out in the street dancing and getting drunk. No hassles at all. Even got handed a beer through the window as we passed by! 55555

Will you have a car???

i have considered ban ampur but i have been through there a couple of times already

do they have any hotels?

i am also considering ban saray

any hotels there?

you bring up a good point about finding accommodation but i plan to avoid the major beach spots and areas like kho samed and kho chang

i think i will stick to the mainland

and sadly no tent

which sounds like a good back up plan

thanks

I'm not really recommending Ban Amphur, just saying that Songkran outside Pattaya doesn't last 10 days! 55555

Yes, quite a few hotels in the area. Some on the beach, some inland. Bang Saray is quite nice. Several of my favorite places to watch sunsets are down there. Relatively quite except on the weekends. I have no idea what it will be like over Songkran....but I'm guessing it will be busy. Too close to Bangkok!!!

I saw this not too long ago. Looked interesting:

http://www.homeresortgetaway.com/

I'll keep my eye open for others. I have read about a national part in Chantaburi. Has a beautiful waterfall and rooms that you can rent in the park. Also, you might consider Chao Lao Beach down there. It will be busy, but a fairly nice place to hang out.

I think a great trip would be to just cruise down the coast. Check out Bang Chang (there is one street with lots of action, and a few good hotels nearby), then down to Laem Mae Phim, Chao Lao and even Chantaburi has a nice old section of town. Only takes a short while to explore, but a nice place for a drink overlooking the "river". It's OK.

Just brainstorming!

excellent thanks

i feel drawn to ban saray for the beginning

any idea about the accommodations?

low to middle range

i am also considering going inland to visit parks and forests and stuff

i have no idea what the towns will be like or if they have hotels even

most towns do?

or i might just do exactly like you suggest

should i avoid shatahip?

someone told me nothing to see or do and just military

i will be hoofing it so a place to stay close to internet cafe 7/11 and thai food

Will you have a car? Traveling around these areas could be tough without your own transport.

Bang Saray does have some interesting places to stay. I can't recommend any, but would use booking.com, agoda, tripadvisor and for sure airbnb. I've seen some recently on airbnb that don't show up anywhere else....

Pretty much every town will have a place to stay. Most likely not listed on the internet in English and probably a good value. Some may argue, but I don't think Sattahip has much to offer. If you are in Bang Saray, it's easy to pop over and see the beautiful beaches on the navy base. Definitely worth a peek....but very crowded on weekends.

thanks much

this is the plan and i am going to wing it

(with some more internet research too perhaps)

ban saray and ban chan

then? rayong and/or?

i have been advised more than once to avoid shtahip but maybe i should find out for myself

got a bit scared about 'all booked up' as is a holiday plus weekend

ANYONE???

songkran dates for ban ampur?

ban saray?

shtahip?

ban chan?

rayong?

pattaya 11-19 my reason for this great escape

Banchang Sonkran Fri. 17th