Help me plan my Thailand trip please

[Keely]

Morning all, we have flights to Singapore booked for Jan 24 (surprisingly easy using new style 241 ) for two weeks. Third time lucky, first time cancelled for husband’s health, second time Covid, let’s hope we can get there this time. Slightly disappointed it’s not Club Suite but hey ho. I really need help planning my trip please as I’m going round in circles and know some people are regular visitors – not sure if @BJ, @Polly and @Samg are around?

Was thinking Bangkok, possibly Chiang Mai – and one of the islands ..? (Is Bangkok worth it – a friend has said not but I’m thinking surely I have to see it at least once..? )but not sure if that’s just too much…

We love nice beaches, snorkelling, sightseeing , wildlife, food. Not too busy but not dead either …An ideal trip is a day or two on the beach, followed by a day trip or two / sightseeing and then back to relaxation and repeat again. But I’m conscious that flying /moving around takes a lot of time up and is tiring – so if anyone has any suggestions I’m up for changing it all ! Maybe there’s other places where we can do day trips instead to minimise flying ..? Thank you 😃

[yorkshireRich]

Is there just 2 of you I presume? I’ve been to Thailand a fair few times pre covid, and I Love Bangkok. I couldn’t go to Thailand and not visit Bangkok. Whenever people I know are going to Thailand say they are going bypass Bangkok, I do my upmost to urge them to rethink. I just shake my head when I’m not successful.

Are you visiting Singapore at all, at the beginning or the end of the trip? I have had a quick look and there are direct flights to Phuket, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai. This would mean there would be no reason to go back on yourself. Internal flights are easy in Thailand also, and I highly recommend Bangkok Airways. If you didn’t fancy Phuket, there is always Hua hin. It’s a fairly short journey from Bangkok and plenty of resort type hotels there also. I stayed at the Hilton there.

As for Chiang Mai, it’s Thailand second biggest city, but more chilled than Bangkok. You can visit Chiang Rai from there if you fancied too.

I’m sure you will get a lot of great advice on here, and I will follow with interest.

[BJ]

I take it that your return flight is also from SIN? How many days do you want to stay in Singapore at either end so we know how many days in Thailand you have to work with? Chiang Mai is in the North, Bangkok near the centre and the best beaches are in the South. Thus if you want relaxation at beach it would be best at end so fly first from Singapore to Chiang Mai, nake your way to Bangkok then to beach of choice prior to return to Singapore. Polly and I are both fans of using the bus in Thailand so if you want to minimise flying, see the country and have a bit of an adventure you should consider the bus between Chiang Mai and Bangkok and/or Bangkok and Phuket. In both cases this would use a day but you would find it much more rewarding than getting in and out of airports, flying etc. If you are up for the bus kdt us know so we can advise you further; buses are much more confortable than in the UK. For the beach at the end the obvious choices are Phuket, Samui, Krabi and Hua Hin, you should research each and associated day trips to see which you find more appealing and come back with further questions. Going north to south I would ssy there is no reason not to spend a couple of days in Bangkok. IMO it is worth it just to see thd Royal Palace, experience the shopping malls and markets, the parks, the streetfood and the nightlife just to get the vibe of the city. Tours with Tong is hignly regarded by readers here and elsewhere so I would recommend yding them to get the most out a short stay in Bangkok.

[SamG]

Personally I’d do Singapore Bangkok and Phuket.

I’d do 1 or 2 nights in Singapore on arrival

Then I’d head to Bangkok and I’d book a Tour with Tong trip in Bangkok with a private guide and driver to hit up all the major sights

Then I’d head to Phuket for some R&R. Simba sea tours are excellent – some early starts but you beat the crowds and they don’t carry lots of people

Then I’d fly Singapore Airlines back on the lunch time flight day your BA flight is. They can send your bags through to BA on seperate tickets. Final early dinner in Singapore then a lounge crawl before heading home!

[Aston100]

Don’t skip Bangkok.
Bangkok + Phuket might work best, especially if you have to overnight in Singapore at both ends of the trip.

[yonasl]

I would pass on Phuket unless you are just using it as an airport and then moving north or east from there.

It is a great place as a base for diving but personally the peninsula itself feels crowded with the wrong kind of tourism.

[Keely]

Hi all thanks all for the fantastic advice already! There are two of us and return flights are back from Singapore too. I had planned to minimise our time in Singapore to maximise Thailand but liking @SamG’s idea. I’m going to do some research and come back . (Smiling a lot ..!)

[Keely]

@BJ I do like the idea of the bus -but I’m thinking that’s probably for a longer trip . Quick question re internal flights- they seem very reasonable- would you be booking now to get best flight times or is availability generally good all the time?

[SamG]

I’d do your arrival night in Singapore and an evening flight out the next day at a minimum. Gives you chance to have a look around and to be honest these days I’m skeptical of BA ability to deliver me anywhere on time / on the right day so gives you a buffer

Forgot to add as well, if you can get any Krisflyer or Star Alliance miles then I don’t think Singapore to Bangkok is terrible value. Get to use the lounges at Changi, it’s a proper business class seat with champagne etc and unless it’s changed post COVID you get a Bangkok immigration fast track pass which can save a lot of time.

Wouldn’t worry coming out of Phuket as it’s a 737 and the lounges there aren’t great

[SamG]

Keely wrote:

@BJ I do like the idea of the bus -but I’m thinking that’s probably for a longer trip . Quick question re internal flights- they seem very reasonable- would you be booking now to get best flight times or is availability generally good all the time?

Internal Thai prices don’t change much and unless it’s a major holiday then prices /availability doesn’t change much . Probably less of an issue on Bangkok-Phuket but I’ve had it a couple of times where my flight on one carrier has been cancelled and I’ve been rebooked at a very awkward time and ended up just binning the ticket so I could fly with someone else. This can be avoided a bit by buying nearer the time

Singapore airlines schedule basically never changes so you can buy those whenever

[memesweeper]

I would recommend:

SIN to Krabi (or another southern airport)

Krabi island (eg Koh Jum, might be a bit quiet for your liking)

Sleeper to Bangkok from Trang – two days one night there, ideally to catch the weekend market

Sleeper to Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai to SIN

Or the same in reverse. But personally i’d prefer beach first.

[BuildBackBetter]

Bangkok is a congested, polluted, humid and more commercial version of Chiang Mai. Love Chiang Mai – nice small city with fabulous food, some good sightseeing, activity and day trip options.

First question is how many days in total? I’d suggest minimum 3-4 days in one place. Anything less, you’d be wasting time. Select the beach resort as the last stop in your journey as it’s best time and place to relax.

[SamG]

Krabi or Koh Lanta definitely worth checking out for the beach bit as you’re in season for either (I find them too quiet out of season personally) . There are direct flights to Krabi from Singapore too

Chiang Mai, I didn’t really think much of it (except visiting the Elephant Nature Park)…I much prefer Bangkok, especially for the first time visiting the temples and palace etc. But that’s purely a matter of personal opinion !

[AJA]

If it’s your first time to Thailand definitely stay in Bangkok for a couple of nights. Plenty to do and see in that time.

I recommend Chiang Mai, stayed at the Rati Lanna on the edge of town but easy to get a taxi into the centre. Fantastic hotel with brilliant friendly service. Booked a couple if day trips using the hotel concierge.

Then went to koh samui for a bit of beach R&R.

In total I did 28 nights and had a great time in Feb 2019.

Flew between BKK and Chiang Mai on Thai Airways and then BKK and USM (Koh Samui) on Bangkok Airways.

[Michael C]

Keely wrote:

Was thinking Bangkok, possibly Chiang Mai – and one of the islands ..? (Is Bangkok worth it – a friend has said not 😃

Send your friend a bar of Wright’s coal tar soap and tell them to scrub their mouth out!!!

[Keely]

These are great suggestions , thank you all. We only have 14 nights so I’m conscious that we are trying to pack a lot in – unfortunately couldn’t get more leave at this stage but I’m already thinking that we will need to return! I want to do the beach side last. @memesweeper I’m interested in the sleeper train idea though…travelling while we sleep (im guessing the sleep won’t be that good but I’m a rubbish sleeper anyway..) so will look into that.
I’m going to put together a first draft itinerary t
and then come back for comments 😄

[Keely]

Ha I will do!

Michael C wrote:

Keely wrote:

Was thinking Bangkok, possibly Chiang Mai – and one of the islands ..? (Is Bangkok worth it – a friend has said not 😃

Send your friend a bar of Wright’s coal tar soap and tell them to scrub their mouth out!!!

[jimchef.]

Lots of great ideas here.

From an ex Thailand resident…my tuppence worth….

I personally love Chiang Mai for its laid back nature, comfortable climate, and being able to take in most attractions on foot

Islands? The simplicity of Koh Chang & Koh Samed, especially for their easy reach from the Eastern Seaboard

Bangkok? Put this another way, would anyone really advise a friend to not bother with a stop in London on their first trip to the uk!

Places i’d personally avoid would be most of Phuket / Koh Samui, but thats just me.

Other place worth putting on a shortlist might be Krabi and Ao Nang bay….both very beautiful.

Whatever you choose have fun.

[Karl]

The sleeper trains between BKK and Chiang Mai/Laos are great. Leave early evening and arrive the next morning. They’re pretty modern too (<10 years old) and are fairly clean/comfortable.

[0 post]

Check what chatgpt would suggest. Just make sure to include as many details as you can in your request.

[memesweeper]

The sleepers are drastically better than flying because you see a huge amount of countryside as you go, and meet non-tourist industry Thais. Only possible downside is my memory of the catered food being insanely hot on the Trang to Bangkok leg. I last made the journey a decade ago, so more western-friendly options placed in the buffet. But I hope not.

Seat 61 has a Thailand page with all the details including timetables.

[BJ]

@Keely, as you see Thailand always provokes passionate and divisive debate 🙂 That is a good thing because it shows that it has something to offer (almost) everyone and explains why many visitors return time and again. None of the views expressed are without merit, there is no right and wrong answer. This is why I think you need to do some destination research first and come back with your own personal wish list. For now, a few points on the planes, trains and automobiles. For internal flights in Thailand you have Air Asia, Thai Smile, LionAir, Bangkok Airways, Vietjet and Nok. For your trip fares will be reasonable provided you arrive after 6-8 January but to be fair you will not even find Western style peak fares even at the most expensive times. I’ve always found walk-up fares to be palatable gives the freedom and flexibility they afford. There are a huge number of schedules to choose from between primary and secondly cities. I prefer Air Asia myself due to punctuality, frequencies and use of a320s. For Bangkok I prefer DMK over BKK. Personally I would not bother using SQ from SIN to BKK but if you do want a premium cabin on wide body and don’t have the *A miles then Alaska MP usually have good SQ availability for 25k in J. That would be 40k MR points via Bonvoy. Buying them in a 60% bonus sale from Alaska MP might also work. Probably there are better routes to *A miles but I’ve been away from that so ling nithing comes immediately to mind. I agree with sentiments on sleeper trains but sound a note of caution relating to schedules and journey times given your short trip duration. It gets dark early in Thailand so if you want scenery from sleeper train then it is best taken northbound from Bangkok to Chiang Mai so that you wake up early as the train enters the hjghlands. In the reverse direction you miss the most scenic part as it’s already dark and in the morning you just see central plains as you make your way to Bangkok. Between Bangkok and the South it is better to head southbound from Bangkok as the most scenic part of the journey is in the south and you want that in daylight. Heading from south to Bangkok the scenic parts are in the dark. Note that the trains from Bangkok to the South are very slow so both speed and direction of travel have implications to your journey planning and whether to do beach first or last. You avoid these issues and get a more comfortable hotel sleep by using daytime buses. The buses are faster than the trains, you can make entire journeys during daylight hours (between Bangkok and both Chiang Mai and Phuket at least) so you miss no scenery and can go northbound or southbound in daylight without restriction. The VIP buses can be extremely comfortable, think a double decker with only 24 large reclining seats on board akin the the best airplane business class seats on days gone by. They have clean and maintained toilets, hot and cold driks and snacks are provided on board and they have stops to take meals and stretch h your legs. They are like a sightseeing tour in themselves, it is good just to relax and watch fhe scenery and real Thai life just pass by in front of your window.

[mypoint]

Yes, Bangkok is definitely worth it for its vibrant city life, bustling markets, and stunning temples like Wat Arun and Wat Phra Kaew. While Chiang Mai offers a more relaxed atmosphere, with beautiful temples and the opportunity to interact with elephants. For the beach, you can check Phuket or Koh Samui.

[travelersolo]

I spent 4 weeks travelling around Thailand maybe 7 years ago (the old king had just died). Bangkok was the only part of country I disliked. I was travelling on my own but felt such a target for people trying to rip me off around Bangkok maybe it has changed since.

Chiang mai and chiang rai well worth a visit.

I even managed to cross over to Burma for a few hours while up at mai sae.

Bangkok Airways are an excellent option for air travel especially if you are time limited

The day before I left I had all my laundry done it only cost about 5 quid but was great to get back home with a case full of clean clothes 🙂

Don’t forget the bug spray

[Keely]

Evening all been busy enjoying other holidays but now looking at locking this down. Thinking:

Arrive SIN 16-55 stay 2 nights
Early flight to BKK stay 2 nights
Fly to Chiang Mai stay 3 nights
Fly to beach (tbc ) stay 6 nights
Fly back to SIN on day of travel as per @SamG’s suggestion, fly home 23-15.

Now…I know it’s a lot (!) but thinking I can rest on the beach (and when I’m home). What do you think? Too much? I was thinking about cutting out Chiang mai but didn’t fancy more than 2 nights in Bangkok or Singapore? I was also thinking about the sleeper train but would rather have the extra night in a hotel I think …

Lastly – I did think about doing Chiang mai first as furthest away but understand that the floating markets are on the weekend in Bangkok ?

Looking forward to your comments 😁