If you're going to make a move anywhere around Songkran, do it early and plan to ride out the long weekend (Sat-Sun-Mon, 13-14-15). Buses and borders do not stop for the festival, but it gets busy. Try to get a "Green Bus" to Chiang Khong. Or spend a night in Chiang Rai, see the white "temple" then get local 2.5-hour bus to Chiang Khong.
http://www.greenbusthailand.com/website/en/services/bus/time-table
Cross the bridge to Huay Xai, then get bus (12+hrs) or slow boat (2 days) to Luang Prabang (refer above hobomaps link). If arriving LP in the middle of Songkran (Pee Mai Lao) expect to get soaked arriving in the city, and accommodation will be quite full, so maybe plan it out, pre-book a room. That, or just stay in CM until it's over.
Hey there
I am going om a huge 2 year backpacker trip around Asia. When I am om the go my old parents wanna visit me in Thailand (they are 70 years old).
My question is: which place can you recommend? They have never been outside of Europe. They will visit for 14 days and we wanna stay at one place for the entire duration. They wanna relax but also see some of the real Thailand. Bear in mind they are old and cannot handle too much chaos:). Tx in advance. Mads
Vientiane LAOS, Luang Prabang, Hanoi, Siem Reap, Penom Penh. These places don't really combine for a trip that flows in a natural way.
I'll agree w/ poster #8, and suggest eliminating Hanoi from your list. Instead from Luang Prabang you could take the 2 day boat trip on the Mekong river to Huay Xai. There you could stop to to do the "Gibbon Experience", or just go directly by bus to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Which is different, but just as wonderful as Hanoi.
And you can treat your Cambodia time for Siem Reap and PP as a separate excursion from Bangkok.
Hi everyone!
So I'm planning my first solo trip to Thailand (Dec 15-Jan 4) and I have a multi-part question. I'm planning to fly into the southern part somewhere (more on that in a moment) and make my way north - I have accommodations booked in Chiang Mai for New Year's - then fly out from somewhere up north. I have decided to book my first few nights when I arrive and then a few days around New Year's but that's it. So my first question: at that time of year, will I have trouble finding accommodations the rest of the time? I really wanted to be able to try and wing it, something I've never done before. While I understand Christmas isn't a big thing in Thailand, I know tourists are flocking there at that time of year and that could make finding places to stay harder. I'm just wondering if others have traveled during this time of year and have some experience with this. Any tips or suggestions? Do I need to book in advance, or can I just go with the flow?
For my next question, I wasn't sure where to head for my first few days! I was thinking of starting at one of the beaches (to be honest, I don't really want to go to Bangkok), and had thought about Railay because of the rock climbing and just how pretty and cool it looked. : ) I'm not a big party girl and I wouldn't mind someplace more laid back, though I understand this might be a bit touristy. Hopefully if I hit this right at the start of my trip, I can get there before the holiday crowds? I'm not a "sit on the beach all day" kind of person, but I would love someplace beautiful with fun things to do. Hopefully someplace where it won't cost me an arm and a leg, though. Doesn't have to be Railay - I was just thinking I could fly into Krabi and start my Thailand adventure there, but having no clue about the area, I would love some opinions!
Thanks, all!
**I have never had a safe in my room or even one offered by reception in Thailand.**
Even in the cheapest places I have used for over 20 years if not a safe in the room there was a security box at reception. I never choose hostels but I have used a heck of lot of cheap guest houses and small private hotels. If a hotel or guest house has no safety box or safe I will not use it!
Just how many tourists fall off roofs or balconies in Thailand? I bet it is a tiny percentage of the number killed and seriously injured on bikes
It is a running joke about tourists and expats falling off balconies and roofs. For some expats it could mean a wife or girlfriend gets all of his money and other values.
https://cambodiaexpatsonline.com/thailand-news-and-discussion/naked-british-tourist-falls-off-hotel-balcony-after-paying-ladyboy-for-sex-pattaya-thailand-t13784.html
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2016/03/24/1458792504/
http://www.samuitimes.com/many-people-falling-balconies/
https://thethaiger.com/news/british-tourist-falls-from-condo-balcony-in-chiang-mai
https://thethaiger.com/news/dutch-tourist-falls-from-ladyboys-condo-balcony
https://www.farang-deaths.com/cause/falling/
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/brazilian-tourist-injured-after-falling-from-third-floor-at-bangkoks-suvarnabhumi-airport.html
Etc.
Like I said, this has been a running joke for many years!
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Yes, too many tourists get injured or dead using bikes! Even long time expats who are skilled riders can still end up just a grease spot on a road when some kid riding the wrong way without lights runs into him! Or, some truck has a "brake failure" and clobbers the rider. (Brake failure another long running joke as a cause of fatal bus, truck and car accidents! Speed, inattention, alcohol or drugs not a factor! Yeah, sure! 5 5 5)
https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/945573-brake-failure/
Okeydokey.