My boyfriend and I will be spending about one week in Thailand from December 26th - January 3rd. I know this is nowhere near enough time but it's all we've got! My ideal trip would include Chiang Mai, Ayutthaya, and Khao Sok National Park. No tickets have been booked so we can fly in and out of wherever works best. So far my only idea is to fly into Bangkok, head straight to Ayutthaya, take a train from there to Chiang Mai, fly or take a train down to Khao Sok, and then fly home from Phuket. Is it at all reasonable to think we could fit all of this in? Which stop is the best to cut out if necessary? Thanks!
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2762 results for Chiang Mai hostels guesthouses
3
nehaagarwal
Hi There,
I am travelling from September to November so yes, I intend to do both and yes some weeks will spill over into the other months.
My indicative budget is basis my (albeit little) research on hostel world. I was easily getting Italy dorms in well rated hostel in that range - and under. My main reason of posting a query here was to rely on the expertise of others to get inputs on other smaller towns that are in and around the areas that Ive mentioned, those that wouldn't otherwise show up easily on an internet search.
Thanks
80
Skyetravels
blog
Title: The New Chiang Mai Water Park at the Grand Canyon Quarry
Destinations covered: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Theme: Informative Guide
Style: Information with personal recounting
Synopsis: Just a few miles outside of Chiang Mai is the Chiang Mai Quarry, also known as the Grand Canyon. There are now three waterparks available with cliff diving, an inflatable obstacle course and sunbathing on the sand. This post gives you all you need to know for your adventure.
1
anonymous
Doable, sure.
Personally I would take it a bit slower however. All those 1/2 night stops don't give you much time really.
Of course you can take a morning train/bus to Ayuttheya, then check in a guesthouse and see the temples, but essentially that gives you about half a day there. I would prefer to have that extra day there cycling around and spending more time.
Same goes for Vang Vieng, etc.
In Myanmar I would love to have at least two full days for Inle Lake (one for boat trip, one for cycling trip), means 3 nights.
Plus maybe add in Hpaan on the way to Mawlamyine. Mawlamyine I could easily spend more than 2 nights, too.
So yes, I would likely take those 8 nights Laos out and sprinkle them over the rest of the trip.
I would even go further and take out Chiang Rai and spend that time Chiang Mai-Pai-Mae Hong Song-Mae Sot.
7
herbie47
Certainly numbers last year seemed up, many people coming over from Thailand, even towns such as Hpa-An it was difficult to find rooms even in early November. I think Yangon the pressure has easied with quite a few new hostels opening recently but if you want a room with a bathroom you will be lucky to find much under $25. Yes prices in the south are up, prices around Mandalay and Hsipaw seemed ok. December will be busier than November though. For Bagan and Inle I would consider booking ahead, just get your guesthouse to ring them up a day or 2 before. This saved me a deal of hassle as in Myawaddy the planned guesthouse longer had a foreign license, the next did not either, the next choice the prices had doubled, in the end I did not bother and went across the border to Mae Sot. If I had not phoned it would have been loads of hassle finding a room.
6
aveale
So your ausgestion would be to have less points on the itinerari and just go with the flow? I have 2 nights booked in Chiang Mai so will explore the surroundings and doi setump and on the third day we will have the elephant sanctuary and from there the next day work our way to doi innahoi. Would like to have a circular route to be able to see the Laos border and basically get to Sukhothai and Ayutthaya by the eleventh. Will simply experience the various towns we will be able to see in between these points. Seems reasonable? We have nothing booked.
lynnstephenson857817
It’s been wonderful writing my blogs, re-living all of my memories. When I did my 1st round the world trip in 1993 there were no mobile phones, no e-mail, no internet, no Google. You were armed with a book ‘Lonely Planet on a Shoestring’. You turned up somewhere and wandered around looking for a place to sleep. Now 138 countries later I’m still travelling.
If someone wanted to contact you, you had to try to figure out where you would be in a few weeks, find a post office address and get them to send a letter. It may arrive or you may have already left or you might have changed your plans.
It’s so easy now and there are pros and cons for both. I wish I’d been able to keep in contract with some of the amazing people I met when I was first travelling.
It was much more of an adventure back in 1993 and also places were unspoiled. I’ll never again go to a place where they’ve never seen a white person. Where they want to touch me to see if I’m real or have old ladies stroking the blond hairs on my arms, or frightening old men because they think I’m their ancestors coming from the forests to haunt them.
There was also more spontaneity. If you got on the wrong bus you went somewhere else. You had a plan but you’d meet someone who’d just been somewhere fantastic or was going somewhere fantastic and everything would change.
Now everything tends to be pre-booked. It’s good and bad. I think it’s great that I can book a room in a hostel in Tonga. I remember turning up a hostel in Quito I’d heard about to find it was full. I was wandering around at midnight trying to find a place to stay. Even the hostels had armed guards and there was an air of tension. On the flip side I also found some really hidden gems that weren’t in any of the guide books. Of course, trip advisor didn’t exist.
I’m glad I saw both sides. It’s nice to have a bit more luxury now. My 1st room in Thailand had a bed on the floor with an inch gap to each wall and a 2 inch gap at the top, now hostels have swimming pools and spas, I like that. Won’t go into some of the toilets I’ve experienced – you learn to breathe through your mouth and not your nose.
I’ve had some amazing times, seen some amazing sights, met some incredible people and the experiences I’ve had I’ll always remember. It’s also been really nice being able to share some and I hope you don’t think I’m being self-indulgent. I just want to share with people, make them laugh and make them want to travel. There is so much to seeand experience with. Do it now. Don’t wait for retirement or make excuses, go out and explore. Happy travels.
To read some of my travels old and new:
https://stephensonspocketrockettravelandadventures.com/
CzechGirlTraveller
Dear fellow travellers,
I will arrive in Bangkok on October 27th and leave back from Bangkok on November 24. So I have a month. I came up with the the following itinerary trying to get the most out of my Thailand/Vietnam experience while being able to enjoy it and without feeling rushed.
I enjoy beautiful nature,interesting markets and people, fish markets, anything exotic, adventure, beautiful beaches with crystal clear water, places with a great vibe and atmosphere, exotic getaways, great Thai food, vibrant as well as untouched beaches and more.
Itinerary:
1) I will arrive in Bangkok on October 27th and without leaving the airport, immediately take a flight to Chiang Mai.In Chiang Mai (I have not booked that flight yet as I keep my options opened), I will stay for one week to explore all the highlights and must sees in that area leaving Chiang Mai on November 3rd (and might possibly consider to stay until Sunday November 5th to witness that amazing parade of that famous festival on the evening and leaving Chiang Mai on Monday November 6th instead (do not know if that is not too long though)
2) Take a flight from Chiang Mai to Krabi and do the following in 7 to 10 days:
Enjoy Krabi and then I might go to Khao Lak and possibly include Khao Sok park as well (however I read that guided tours there are extremely expensive and without them, it is not worth it and difficult to go there...is this true?). From Khao Lak, I am thinking about taking a 3 day snorkeling liveaboard to the Similan Islands (Is this worth it during this time of the year? I am not sure about this and would greatly appreciate other options and ideas) After Khao Lak, I would go to Koh Yao Yai. There is a ferry between Koh Yao Yai, Koh Yao Noi (a nearby, smaller, but more populated/developed island), and Phuket island
3) Take a flight to Saigon and do the following in 7 to 10 days:
a) Explore Saigon
b)Relaxing in Nha Trang
c)Explore Hanoi and Halong Bay
4) Take a flight back to Bangkok (maybe spend a day in Bangkok as I have been there before and spend a week there) before taking a flight back home.
Questions to part 1 of itinerary: What are the absolute highlights and must sees in Chiang Mai and the surrounding areas that are just amazing? I mean I have my ideas but I would like to get your ideas and suggestions as I am trying to avoid wasting time through tourist traps where you get there and say to yourself why the hell did I come here? Also, is 10 days too much time staying in Chiang Mai exploring all it and the surrounding areas have to offer considering I have 30 days overall?
Questions to part 2 of itinerary: Is 7 to 10 days a good amount of time to explore the south Thai islands as indicated in my itinerary? Again, I am looking for must sees and highlights that significantly add to the overall experience that have that wow effect. Would you add something or leave something out? Any specific advice/suggestions greatly appreciated.
Questions to part 3 of itinerary Vietnam: Is 7 to 10 days a good amount of time to explore Vietnam as indicated in my itinerary? Again, I am looking for must sees and highlights that significantly add to the overall experience that have that wow effect. Would you add something or leave something out? Any specific advice/suggestions greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much for your help.
Klara