Non-smoking rooms at Le Meridien (Arandora please help)

We have a reservation to stay at Le Meridien for 7 nights in February. We are considering changing our reservation because the room rate has been reduced since we made our reservation. Our current reservation states that we have a non-smoking room, however, the Starwood website now states that no non-smoking rooms are available. I have e-mailed the hotel asking about this, but have not received a response. Can anyone help - are all the rooms at the hotel non-smoking/ will the hotel be full in February - do you think we%26#39;ll have difficulty getting a non-smoking room?

P.S. Arandora - you are doing a great job on PR for the hotel - they should treat you like royalty when you vacation there.

Non-smoking rooms at Le Meridien (Arandora please help)

We are staying at the Meridian next Saturday for 7 nights at the start of our holiday and have requested a non smoking room. Will try to check out about a non smoking room for next year and post a report when I get back to UK. If there is any other information you want let me know.

Agree about Arandora! particually when the hotel do not reply to e-mails.

Pete

Non-smoking rooms at Le Meridien (Arandora please help)

Thanks guys, I keep trying but no special privileges - yet! Since my contact at Le Meridien left for a new job, I%26#39;m not receiving replies either! I%26#39;ve Emailed Starwood (since after last stay I enrolled as an SPG Preferred Guest) and complained about this, and they replied that they had forwarded my complaint to the hotel and I should get a reply direct within 5 days - that was on 27th October. Still waiting. If I do get a reply with a direct Email address I will publish it here.

Shame about this lack of attention ';first impressions being lasting impressions'; and all that, as It is a superb hotel and once there the staff are wonderful (well they were and I know there have recently been a few departures/replacements so new ones obviously still bedding in!)

As for Smoking Rooms, when we checked in we asked for confirmation of our reservation of a Non-Smoker and were told that officially there is no distinction but that unofficially if you%26#39;ve asked for one you will get one. Strange system!! I think Photo-Pete should clarify it on his forthcoming trip - Have a great one Pete!!

As for changing your booking. Yes, the rates have changed. Who did you book with? If you can cancel and rebook at a lower rate safely and with no loss (or at least saving by rebooking would more than outweigh any loss) I would. The less you spend on the hotel, the more to spend on rest of holiday.

Let us know how you get on.

Alan

Thanks for the quick response. We made our booking directly through the Starwood website. Asiarooms does have a slightly cheaper deal for the 7 days, but the difference is only US70 and the cancellation policy is less flexible and so I think we keep our booking through the Starwood website (no cancellation fee if cancelled by 2pm the day prior).

The change to the deal on the Starwood website is that we can now get the %26#39;Passport%26#39; rate which appears to include breakfast for the same rate as we currently have under the AAA rate. Comments in this forum have stated that the breakfast at Le Meridien is relatively expensive and so if we take a package that includes breakfast then this will free up pennies for other activities.

Have a look a rates on www.mykhaolak.de

Although it is a German site you can follow the links to Resorts, Le Meridien and see the rates there. They are PER PERSON per night in Euros and include all taxes AND breakfast. They are the cheapest I have seen anywhere and I%26#39;ve booked through the site%26#39;s travel company My Khao Lak Travel for next March/April. If you Email any queries in English you will get an answer in English. I think you will find it is more than a $70 saving on Starwood price!

Thanks again. We checked the German site - it is cheaper than Starwood%26#39;s website and asiarooms, but we also checked travelocity and Expedia - both have excellent (better than Starwood). Expedia is offering a 20% discount for stays of more than 4 nights for a rate of USD96 per night (including %26#39;full breakfast%26#39;, taxes and service charge). This rate requires prepayment and again the cancellation policy is less flexible than the Starwood terms, but considering the saving we%26#39;ll make - I think switching to Expedia is what we%26#39;ll be doing.

That is an excellent rate but it doesn%26#39;t apply for our dates in March/April. On Expedia.co.uk it would be £700 ($1300+) in total more than we are paying!! Expedia.com quotes an average $121 per night! Starwood seem to be selective in the dates they negotiate ';special offers';.

I sent an email to the hotel directly, and they responded (it took a few days) that they do have non-smoking rooms. You might want to contact them if you make a reservation, and they should be able to accomodate you.

Congratulations for getting a reply as I have been unable to do so either from the hotel or via Starwood. Do you have an Email address please?

Arandora,

Here%26#39;s the email address that I used. The person%26#39;s name who got back to me is Ekarach, and he is the reservation manager. Hope this helps.

Adam

p.s. still trying to decide whether to book here in Feb. Your posts are extremely helpful, please keep them up.

reservations@khaolak.lemeridien.com

Thank you very much,

I will give that one a try. We return next March/April. Hopefully the newe staff will be better trained by then. A few uncomplimentary reports on another forum.

Alan

Thai Airways ph number

How painful can it be to confirm flights...

Home from work at 530 tonight, thought i%26#39;d settle in and confirm our flights.... not so easy!!

Every number i can locate is for office hours 9am to 5pm... this is an international airline! I use to work for one of the domestic one and we operated 24hrs a day - now I know the frustration of being on the other end.

Does anyone know or have the Aust. phone number to confirm flights 24hrs or at least outside office hrs for Thai airlines. Otherwise I%26#39;ll just spend my lunch break on hold tomorrow :)

Thanks.

Thai Airways ph number

Had the same prob this year =settle down and call -9to5 even their web page is under consrution-or destruction??

Pete 48

Thai Airways ph number

I called them yesterday and had no problems although I was on hold for awhile. Just to let you know you can have liquids, makeup etc in your hand luggage out of Australia but flying internally within Thailand and coming back from Thailand you are not allowed any makeup or liquids in your hand luggage. You don%26#39;t need to reconfirm your flights. I just rang to give them our frequent flyer numbers and order child meals.

Thai Airways 1300 651 960

To check arrival and departure times from Melbourne 9517-2833

When are you in Phuket?

Thanks heaps!

I got through to them today, and was told my flight was confirmed and %26#39;thankyou for your call%26#39; . I quickly jumped in and asked for baggage allowance and restriction (was told no liquids, gels or creams?) so, interesting you should say fine on way over... we will see what happens.

I was unable to find out our seating, or make a request. I have a feeling the person I was speaking to was in a hurry to get of the phone!

We fly out tomorrow night!!! YAY :)

Hi neegs,

I noticed that you flew with Thai Airlines Melb to Bkk, how did you find the flights, food etc?

Were there movie screens in the rear of the seats and entertainment during the whole flight?

Did you fly at 00.45 am from Melb?

Thanks

Di.

Hi Di.

We Flew Thai on the 12.15am and also for our connections and return trip. Every flight was fantastic in way of departure times, helpfulness etc.

As for meals they were good for aircraft food. They tend to offer a western option and a thai option for your mains, and keep they keep the snacks simple such as crossiants.

We always had the TV screens over head every few seats, not one of our planes had the tv screens in the back. On our flight over we had only one movie (possibly so people could get some sleep) and the flight home, via syd we had 3 movies.

I found on the way back they weren%26#39;t as fore coming with the food and drinks as all our other flights, but we survived!

Hi,

I find this interesting as last time I called Thai airways about our flight and requesting childrens meals for our girls. A recorded message was saying that Thai airways did not require flight confirmation any longer.

So that is maybe why some people are finding it hard to get a hold of.

I must admit, it just does not seem right NOT confirming and will certainly do so when our time arrives to fly over.

I just thought I would let you know about the ';no need to confirm'; policy they had. I think I also saw a mention of it on their website too.

Cheers

T4

Patpong vs Suan Lim

We might not have time to visit both these night markets.. if i had to make a choice between the two, which one should it be?

Patpong vs Suan Lim

I prefer the Suan Lum night market. Especially since its going to be destroyed in April, I%26#39;d prefer to visit Suan Lum. Patpong is also an ';adult'; touristy area, so its up to u to decide which one you want.

Patpong vs Suan Lim

I guess then we do Suan Lum first and just go to Patpong to see what its like for a bit if time permits.

Any recommendations on good eating places around Suan Lum?

Also would it be possible to do suan lum from 6.00 pm (which is when i guess it opens)till about 9 and then head to patpong to catch the night market there? or is it being over ambitious? how far are both the places by cab?

Hi,

We like both Patpong and Suan Lum and you could easily do both in one night,maybe not see all they have to offer though.Patpong is best for copy watches,CD%26#39;s,T shirts handbags etc whereas Suan Lum is better for handicrafts and souvenirs. We eat/drink in the ';beer garden'; at Suan Lum but there are restaurants all over the place.As far as distace apart,it%26#39;s not far at all but traffic congestion and one ways mean it can easily take30 mins by taxi.Trick is to catch the taxi going in the right direction otherwise they have to take a big detour to get in the right direction.

In my opinion Suan Lum markets are better and bigger. Lots of choice of eating places in the beer garden as well as some restaurants. It really isn%26#39;t terribly far to walk between Suan Lum and Patpong.

You can get to patpong from Suam Lumn by taking the MRT 1 stop to Sala dang then a short walk to patpong.

the MRT station exit comes up right at the night market

Last time I was at Suam lumn I found a shop that did Lazer crystal they take a pic of you and loved one and then do a 3-D image inside a crystal block. to me it is the best souvenier I ever bought.

wow, Sawadeeka, that sounds amazing. Was it very expensive?

Not that expensive I had two made 1 for me and 1 for my girlfriend

total was 2500 baht. they took 3 to 5 pics then you pick the best 1

I was there at 8 pm they had the finished product at my hotel the next morning by 8 am. by courier. they actualy woke me up to come down and sign for it.

I would love to have something like that made! Do you remember at all what part of Suan Lum the shop was at, or what it was called? (I don%26#39;t know why i am asking; i NEVER find anything i%26#39;m looking for specifically in bangkok; just stumble across things!)

Flutish

the address is

Divine Glass

Suan-Lum night bazaar

zone : Ayuthaya 8

Room: C/ 285-286

Tel phone 02 375 7901 2 9 am to 5 pm

tel phone 09 527 7635 5 pm to 12 pm

if you are in the middle of the beer garden head back towards the park. good luck

Celine

Hi Celine,

You recently recommended this restaurant on the river - Khinlomchomsaphan restaurant, is it easily accessible from the Marriott and what is the best way to get there?

Thanks

Sarah

x

Celine

Hi Sarah

You are talking about Marriott on the Chaopraya river?

I have never been there (Khinlomchomsaphan) by the boat but as far as I know, the closest pier is %26#39;Sam Phraya%26#39; and you have to do some walk to get there. However, I think the boat service is close early in the evening like 6-7 pm.

I think it is better to go there by taxi. If you know Khao San Road, this place is close to Khaosan.

I hope this help.

Fee free to ask more if you want : )

Celine

Celine

See Celine%26#39;s following directions to this restaurant . She%26#39;s most helpful!

';You can tell a taxi to go to Samsen Soi 3 near Wat Sam Praya.

If you can see below in Thai language. You can copy and print for a taxi.

Restaurant name: ร้านกินลมชมสะพาน

Location: ซอย สามเสน 3 ใกล้ วัดสามพระยา แถวสะพานพระราม 8';

Celine and Broadacres,

Thank you both for the advice.

Sarah

x

Hi Balimoon,

I%26#39;ve went there with Celine and I really must tell you it is the most memorable dining experience I%26#39;ve ever had in Bangkok! The food is great (even though Celine keeps saying it%26#39;s just alright ... haha!) ... and the view of the bridge is absolutely beautiful.

We were there on the eve of the Loy Krathong Festival - and it%26#39;s such an amazing sight seeing the colourful floats cruising along the river. And the price isn%26#39;t that expensive either - for what we ordered.

You really must go there! Try to call and make a reservation - coz I remember Celine telling us it%26#39;s almost always full on weekends.

Celine gal - I%26#39;m counting down my days to when I%26#39;ll go back to the restaurant again with you! This time, it%26#39;ll be a crazy gals%26#39; night out without some irritating, childish spoilt brat. Hahaz!!!

Hi Checkers ; )

How are you? This time you are coming alone or with your aunt? You wrote in another post that she wants you to bring her here right? ; )

Well, I hope you are doing well. You know, this evening, I%26#39;m going there %26#39;Khinlomchomsaphan%26#39; restaurant again with another guest! It thinks I should ask the owner for a discount hehehe ; )

By the way, i%26#39;veheard from my friend that there is another restaurant is better than this one, I will check it out and if it is good, I will bring you there next time ok? : )

Take care

Celine

Wedding in Phuket - URGENT!

Dear all,

my friends will have their civil wedding in Finland, but would like to have a nice wedding ceremony also in Phuket. We will spend the Christmas time at Kata Beach Resort.

We are altogether 11 people and just would like to have a simple, small ceremony (on the beach?) with some decoration, flowers etc and a dinner afterwards, perhaps also set on the beach.

We have contacted Kata Beach Resort several times, but for some reason they do not give us replies.

Is there some other place that would be absolutely great for our purposes and perhaps even cheaper than KBR?

Some nice, romantic place...

I thank you very much for all replies that can help us planning this event!

Wedding in Phuket - URGENT!

We happened to find outselves on the beach at Kata Noi one evening when a beach wedding took place. I think the resort right opposite the beach probably arranged it. They had a flower strewn area to walk through a flower covered arch - it was very pretty with the sun setting behind them. Kata Noi is very close to Kata. Someone on this forum could tell you the name of the resort or do a google search for Kata Noi and see what comes up.

Good luck.

Wedding in Phuket - URGENT!

Hi Missnelly. Have a look at my earlier reply to petaoco on this forum. Hope this helps.

Regards,

Mark.

Ted or Richard can no doubt help you out, you could also search on Yahoo Asia which is brillaint for anywhere in Asia including Thailand,( otherwise you won%26#39;t see lots of the local Thailand sites )

http://asia.yahoo.com/

Blessing ceromonies can be arranged quie easily and then have a great dinner, it would be %26#39;easier%26#39; to get your hotel to sort this for you as Christmas is soon.

I am organizer(freelance) in Phuket. If u would like to have wedding in Phuket(on beach or anywhere in Phhuket) U can contact me via mn_organizer@hotmail.com. Pls, tell me about your need. Such as kind of event,food(cocktail party,dinner or speacial menu that u rather like),music,color and type of flower and so on that to be guide line for me to present my presentation to u. Or just les%26#39;t me contact with supplier only and u arrange it by yourself,it%26#39;s also can. About price that can discuss and I will tell u for budget after u tell presentation that i will sent to your e-mail. I hope this can help u.

Best regards,

M%26amp;N Organizer

bangkok suvarnabhumi airport to hotel

hi there,

any idea how to get from the airport to mandarin hotel?

should i not go by cab, is there any public bus or something like that?

what are the charges like, and how long is it needed to get to the hotel/ town pls?

thanks!

bangkok suvarnabhumi airport to hotel

Cab will cost around 300-350 baht broken down like this:

50 baht airport tax

65 baht toll way

200-250 baht meter fee

Takes about 30 min to get into town.

A public bus is cheaper, but I%26#39;m not sure how much it is, but I%26#39;m sure someone on this forum will.

eyebrows liner

Thomson flights - no need to worry - report

I%26#39;m currently in Phuket having flown on the Thomson flight on 22nd Nov. It was O.K and I have no complaints about it.

The flight from Manchester was about 6.5 hrs to Al Ain. We spent just over an hour here and then back onto the same plane, same seats and a further 5.5 hrs to Phuket.

Al Ain is a small airport but there is a duty free shop and cafe. Enough to have a walk around and stretch the legs.

We have flown economy with Emirates twice, Qatar Airways and KLM all the Far East. I found the seat pitch was no worse than these airlines.

The Thomson flight doesn%26#39;t have TV%26#39;s in the seats but has plenty in the aisles. We watched Pirates of the Carribean 2, Mission Impossible 3 and and third film which was current but I can%26#39;t recall the name now. The food was also OK, not restaurant standard but I don%26#39;t expect that on a plane!

So, no need to worry about it now. One tip that we used was to book seats together and specify window seats. It only cost 17 pounds each (return). You just book by phoning Thomson - the number is with your tickets. The premier seats at the front had a larger seating pitch with leather seats. This looked good too.

All in all, I was satisfied with the flights. They were great for 350 pounds each return. The cheapest alternative I could find were 420 to Bangkok and then extra for an internal flight. This would have also taken a lot longer building in time for delays etc.

Personally, I%26#39;d rather spent my extra money here in Phuket. There is certainly plenty to buy! I%26#39;ll complete a full report on our return from this beautiful country, it is just paradise!

Nicola

Thomson flights - no need to worry - report

Thanx for taking time out from your holiday to update us on this particular topic Nicola, I was sure it would be OK. Just over two weeks for us to go! Hope you enjoy whats left of your holiday!

Thomson flights - no need to worry - report

Hi Nicola,

We are a retired couple from Glasgow - not infirm! but used to a decent seat pitch - was told Thomson was only 28'; and with it being such a long flight was a wee bit concerned. We also have the flight from Glasgow to Gatwick beforehand and as our return flight to Gatwick arrives too late for a flight back to Glasgow we have had to book a room for the night and fly the next day which is a bit of a nuisance. Hubby and I have been discussing the premier seating and was it worth 拢450 for the two of us. Can%26#39;t decide whether to use that extra money for spending when we get there! We are flying out on 5th February for 3 weeks at Merlin Beach Resort. This will be our first time in Phuket and are so looking forward to it.

I am sure you are having a ball there and hope the rest of your holiday goes brilliantly! Look forward to your trip report and let us know the best bargains!

Kind regards

Djan17

The premium seats with Thomson are a 2-3-2 configuration as opposed to 2-4-2 in economy. This is roughly the same pitch you would get on Virgin, Malaysian etc. None of the TV`s were working in premium seating on our way back from Phuket to Al Ain, and you are not guaranteed seats together, as we found out when my wife and i were sitting in differant rows.

I dont know whether they`re worth the money, i would have to sit in thomson economy for 14 hrs before i could answer that one, but even with the extra cost of 拢450 it is still quite cheap compared to other airlines.

Thanks for that.

We fly out on wednesday 29th .........so appreciate you taking the time.

Hi Texantutor

Thanks for your report Rr Thomson flight. I think it is such a pity that you payed 拢450 for Premium Seats and not able to sit with your wife also the fact that the tv console was not working on your return flight - the airline should have been giving you a refund! Was paying that amount of money worth having a little more leg room and a leather seat?

Hi Dajan17

On our flight from Manchester there were 31 seats in Premium class and with mostly couples in there, 2 couples are bound to be unlucky, we were one of them. The seat pitch wasn`t bad but they certainly weren`t leather, although i believe some of thomson planes do have them.

I am not a great flyer so personally i would say it is worth 拢450 to make my journey as painless as possible, especially on the dreaded flight home. But i can understand other peoples veiw that 拢450 goes a long way, especially in Thailand.

As regards delays, i know a few of the flights from UK were diverted to Abu Dhabi, ours being one of them, because of fog at Al Ain. This delay was 4 1/2 hrs, but we had no trouble on the way back, and actually arrives in Manchester 20 mins early.

Hi Celtic Fire,

We don%26#39;t stay far from your beloved football ground!

Are you flying from Gatwick? If so - would be much obliged if you could let us know how about the Thomson flight.

We don%26#39;t go until February so any tips would be much appreciated.

Have a fabulous holiday.

Hi Texantutor,

It would be just our luck to get separated and hubby hates my not being at his beck and call! Only joking! Just us oldies don%26#39;t like the thought of sitting apart. I would have thought when you booked Premier in advance seat numbers would be issued. We have flown many times long haul economy - usually with the bigger airlines but because this being a charter flight we though that paying the extra for an upgrade flight seat would be more comfortable. Not bothered about free drinks although hubby loves watching films on tv - he would be sorely put out if that was unavailable! So still undecided what to do!!!

Yes Dajan17 that was a mistake on our part, we just presumed that because we were getting premier seating we would be seated together. We booked this holiday on the internet, but we should have phoned Thomson as well for the `seating together ` option at a later date. Again, my wife wasn`t too upset that she didn`t have me fidgeting next to her all the time !!!

Let`s face it, you can`t lose either way, a relaxing long haul flight or 拢450 to spend in a special location.

Your choice ?

Nicola,

another thankyou here for taking time out of your holiday to post a report - it is very much appreciated.

We fly out Dec 20th (staying at Merlin Beach also) and I have to say we have been a little worried regarding the flight. I know it is only a means to an end, but it is such a long way!!!! We did try to book premium but they are all gone (as well as extra Legroom).

Wo originally thought we would be able to pre-book out actual seats but were told this is not the case, so we have already done as you suggest and pre booked seats together and requested a window.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday and look forward to hearing about more of your trip on your return

Carolynn

is the sea warm

Could anyone tell me whats the sea like, yes i know its blue and wet but is is warm.

is the sea warm

The sea and pools are beautiul, and warm (Compared to south Australia they are) no getting in the water inch by inch, its straight in over there.

is the sea warm

i trust u are not pulling our legs here but with phuket being a few degrees north of the equator the water temp is bath like.

Yes ! thats is correct, in fact i have heard it referred to as Buddha%26#39;s Bath !!!!!

Always warm! I hate getting into cold water - and never a problem here.

Nice and warm and very hard to get out!!

Had to bump this one up.

It was a lovely day here in Adelaide, South Australia on Saturday and we spent a few hours at the beach. As I was inching my way into the cold water psyching myself up to duck under I remembered reading this post a few weeks ago.!

Wow, 4 weeks time and we will be able to just walk straight in!!!

Can%26#39;t wait :-)

Lesley

Know how you feel Lestel, Its hot here again and we have a pool, its looks beautiful but we have only been in it about 5 times in 10 years haha. I hate cold water. (Its nice after a few days of 40 odd degrees though)

Hi Lestel %26amp; Cathy, We had a scorcher here in sydney on Saturday %26amp; I had my first swim for the season in our pool. Boy did I get a shock it definately wasn%26#39;t warm like in thailand.CJ

If the water%26#39;s considered not warm in south Australia and the like, imagine what temperatures we Brits have to endure. Looking forward to that oh so warm Phuket water!!!!!!

Average water temperature all year is 28degrees.

Boat express

Hi may i know if the express boats that go to the grand palace, wat arun etcetc... operate on a loop service?

for those who have gone to bangkok, do u guys wait at the same place and board the boat as where u alighted previously?

thanks!

Boat express

See my posts regarding boat services on the Chao Phraya river. Tha Tian for Wat Pho and Grand Palace, or Tha Chang for Grand Palace. The Chao Phraya Express Boat company operates a regular public scheduled boat service throughout the day to these piers and others along the river, at very cheap fares.

Recommend transfer from Bangkok to Koh Chang?

We will be in Thailand in Feb and need to get from Bangkok to Koh Chang. I would like to get a mini bus and driver as there will be 4 adults and one baby.

Can anyone suggest a good transfer company?

Not looking for the cheapest - safety is most important.

It needs to have seatbelts so that a car seat can be installed. I can provide my own car seat if it is not offered by the company.

I have tried several times to get in contact with Julie Taxi who has been recommended by a few people (good for families) but have had no replies to my emails.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Recommend transfer from Bangkok to Koh Chang?

Hi,

we are doing the same trip in December. The link below maybe of use.

Cheers,

iamkohchang.com/Transfer_to_Koh_Chang/Bangko鈥?/a>

Recommend transfer from Bangkok to Koh Chang?

Thanx Leyton. I%26#39;m actually staying in Ian%26#39;s bungalow on Koh Chang!

Problem is his transfer guy doesn%26#39;t have seatbelts in a van big enough for our party, and with a car seat 4 baby - its a must!

I%26#39;ve managed to find a few companies now, so just have to haggle best price!

In fact that%26#39;s where we are staying as well! Good luck and I hope all goes well.

Phuket Richard

Could someone please let me have Richards email address.I would like to book and find out the costs of the rehab centre trip.

Phuket Richard

richard@phuket-scuba-diving.com

regards

weather in may ,june

looking at spending 2 weeks in may or june, is this a good time to go regarding rain,how hot is it then mid 80;s

weather in may ,june

Dear Coilpit

I%26#39;m THAI, May and June is a raining season already, but it%26#39;s grate if you like raining season. If you have more question please ask me. ^_^

Au

weather in may ,june

thanks for that, when is the best time to visit hua hin,i dont get much holiday time in the winter so it has to be may to october.

Ummmm........I like Hua Hin in summer season. But between May to October, i think in October is better because less rainning and beginning of winter season. it%26#39;s beautiful.

Au

Hua Hin has overall a very dry climate, the only time when there is heavy rain tends to be September into early November. We have spent many weekend throughout the year there and the weather was just fine. Average temps about 28 to 34 so warm to hot without excess.

The monthly rainfall in inches per month for Hua Hin are:

Jan 0.6

Feb 0.8

Mar 0.8

Apr 2.5

May 4.3 ( Phuket=13.7 )

Jun 3.1 ( Phuket=8.4 )

Jul 3.1

Auf 3.5

Sep 5.4

Oct 10.5

Nov 5.2

Dec 0.4

I have put in the Phuket ones simply so you can compare the difference between the fine weather in the Gulf area as opposed to what it is like down south at that time.

eyebrows liner

Which is better Samui or Phuket?

I have been to Thailand quite a few times but have never made it to Phuket I hear that it is even more touristy than Samui if that is possible.

I had intended to stay on Lamai beach in Samui but now I am thinking Phuket may be a possibilty as I have already seen Samui. I am looking for somewhere we can stay on a beach in a quietish area but not too far from a bit of nightlife and an airport as I have friends making the trip from Europe.

Can anybody give me some tips?

Ciaran

Which is better Samui or Phuket?

Hi, my husband and I have been to Phuket many times and then were persuaded my friends to go to Samui. I really love it at Lamai - Chaweng is great for shopping and nightlife but we are always glad to get back to Lamai - it is lovely to go to the beach at night and have dinner at a lovely little Thai restaurant right on the waters edge. It is VERY commercial in Phuket - we much prefer Samui because it is everything we want in a holiday - horses for courses as they say. Hope this helps a little.

Which is better Samui or Phuket?

hey...

me and 6 others are going to S Thailand on 22nd Dec. We heard Samui and Phulket are almost identical, in terms of nighlife, beach, price, amount of tourists and so on. but I have discovered near phuket, you have Phi Phi islands (they look amazing) which have accomodation surrounded by chilled out beaches...not too far from phuket%26#39;s buzzing nighlife.

check it out - phi phi islands are 2 hrs boat from phuket

hope helps

anotherpratik

Yeah we only want to stay in the one place as it%26#39;s only for a week so Phi Phi is out but cheers anyway for the idea. Kaz thanks a lot I thought as much myself but just wanted to hear someone else say it. I reckon we have the same tastes I like a drink but I don%26#39;t want the bar outside my bungalow. Thanks guys.

HI

Have been to both Samui %26amp; Phuket in the last two years.Still prefer Phuket .My favorite place is Merlin Beach Resort as it has 3 pools,swim up bar ,four restaurants and is 5 minutes ride to the night life of Patong Beach.

Another option is Le Meridien or Novotel Phuket

Regards

KIWIKEITH

Phuket is more touristy the Samui and I think they are both very much the same. However I do prefer the resorts on Phuket to Samui the luxury category is better hands down. However I would strongly consider the time of year you are travelling as Phuket and Samui are better in different seasons. I would travel to Phuket end of year (December period) and Samui mid-way through the year (June period). If you travel to Phuket for a change you may consider catching at boat to Phi Phi and spending a few night on a more remote island or even Ko Lanta.

Travelingmoe

You don`t mention the time of year you are thinking of travelling which is important weather wise. We went to Phuket in June last year and had a week of rain. still loved Phuket though. We stayed on Karon beach which is away from the hectic Patong but easily reached by Tuk Tuk for those all important nights out. For quieter evenings there are lots of bars and restaurants at Kaorn and Kata Beach. We stayed in a fantastic hotel called the Anadaman Seaview (andamanphuket.com) it is small and beautifully maintained and their delux rooms are like junior suites and their prices are a fraction of the cost of other equivilent hotels. It really is lovely.

Hope that helps. By the way Karon and Kata are much nicer beaches than Patong.

Hotels near Suvarnabhumi Airport

Does anyone have a reccomendation other than Novotel for a 3star or higher hotel near the airport. I stayed at the Miracle Grand last year but my repeated attempts to book a reservation there have gone unanswered.

Thanks

Hotels near Suvarnabhumi Airport

There is the Novotel %26#39;at%26#39; Suvanrabhumi ( the %26#39;New%26#39; Airport ) or the Novotel Bangna which is a good 3 star about 25 mins away, that sounds like it would suit you.

Orphanages

I am interested to hear about experiences with orphanages in Chiang Mai and surrounding area. I would like to visit and help out with one but not any which are run by Christian Missionaries.

Working with children with A.I.D%26#39;s would be of interest also.

Orphanages

http://www.school-for-life.org/

See more about the woman who started the School for Life at www.joyshouse.net

Orphanages

There are real government and Royal patronaged orhanges here in the north.

Like the one on Mae Rim road or

Ban Kingkaew Orphanage on Wuali road in town for very young children.

or Ban Mitrathorn in Chiang Dao district under the patronage of the Princess Ubolratana Foundation which is aids related

Here are some good places to start but there are dozens of non Christian ophanages that could use a hand.

Thanks for that, I went out to Vieng Ping today. Surprisingly hard to find the first time as few people seemed to know here it was.

Anyone else interested had beter ask for the Chiang Mai boys home which is in the front of it on the main road.

Also One needs to call ahead and make appointments apparently. I was allowed to spend an hour with the little ones and their teachers in the play grounds though and it was good fun.

Honeymoon in Thailand

We are thinking of spending our honeymoon in Thailand. We will have about 17 days in winter of next year. We will arrive in Bangkok, spend a few days there, and than its on to other cities. What would you recommend? Phuket, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, other? Thank you for any feedback.

Honeymoon in Thailand

we have just returned from Thailand and visited Bangkok and Chiang Mai, we found them both really different but interesting and can%26#39;t wait to go back.

Bangkok has a real city feel to it but china town and the canals are somthing else. It is best to stay by the river as it is then very easy to move about.

In Chain Mai the street market is enormous and there are lots of really good eating places. it is really good for trips out to the mountains and the other local activities. The elephant sanctuary and rafting is really good fun and excellent value for money.

Honeymoon in Thailand

thank you very much for your input. where did you stay when you were there? was it romantic, but not in a cheesy way? was it easy to get around chiang mai?

Hi Neil

Sorry to butt in but was interested in your post

i have booked 4 nights in china town, did you have any favourite places for eating in china town. then i also have 4 nights in chiang mai, can you reccomend anything as a must see in these areas,

rob

currency exchange rate

hi,

any singaporeans recently exchange sgd to thb? what%26#39;s the current rate?

thanks

currency exchange rate

Hi, I%26#39;m not Singaporean but if I want some idea of the exchange rate I go to www.bangkokbob.net and choose ';money'; then ';jump'; to see the current rates offered by the Bangkok bank. It%26#39;s also one of the best web sites for information about Bangkok.

currency exchange rate

thanks

is it really better to change over at bkk??

Hi,

I can only comment on the UK situation, if I change here in England I will get 62 ish baht to the pound (I checked it last week) but in Bangkok today I would get about 70 less 33 baht per travellers cheque charges. So for me it%26#39;s much better to change in Bangkok.Maybe Singapore isn%26#39;t such a rip off as the UK?

trans with mr mor

does anyone know how much mr mor charges for trans from the airport to patong resort. thanks jenny

trans with mr mor

he%26#39;s charging us 800bhat but thats to cape Panwa a bit further than

Patong; actually its his father , he is very very busy its tp season !!

eyebrows liner

River Kwai and Tiger Temple

How far are both of these from central bangkok? is it possible to do the floating market, river kwai, tiger temple, grand palace and the wats in once day or is it being ambitious?

River Kwai and Tiger Temple

Hi- just back from Thailand, yesterday

Alex and I did the following trip and it took a full day

River Kwai, JEATH museum- Bridge and Cemetary

Monkey Training School- good fun

Lunch

The Tiger Temple (you gotta visit- it%26#39;s amazing)

Feeding wild monkeys

We left at 7.30 and got back to the hotel at 5.30. The trafiic in Bangkok can be difficukt to say the least, it is a coule of hrs by road each way to the Kwai. If it helps we used Oriental Escapes- they did a good job we had an excellant guide for the day- Jayne

Cheers

Dave

River Kwai and Tiger Temple

Thanks Surreydave. If I may ask, how much did oriental charge you for the trip? Am trying to book Tong but she seems to be busy as I havent heard back from her so looking at someone else who is good... oriental sounds nice.. you did cover a lot.. and its similar to what tong does... !

As I recall it was 2750 bht for each of us ask for Wittaya at Oriental Escapes. Jenny and the driver Mr Tong were excellant. I had the tour quoted the week before, rang them on Wednesday to book and had the trip on Friday.

Inclusions :

%26gt;%26gt; A private executive car with experienced driver [our vehicle]

%26gt;%26gt; English Speaking guide

%26gt;%26gt; All admission fee as mention in program

%26gt;%26gt; Lunch

%26gt;%26gt; Boat fee

%26gt;%26gt; Tiger Temple Admission Fee (THB 300 pp)

%26gt;%26gt; Gasoline fee

%26gt;%26gt; All tickets for the Express way

%26gt;%26gt; Drinking Water

Full day River Kwai Experience Tour.

- Death Railway Musuem

- Bridge Over River Kwai

- Long-tail boat to Monkey School / View Point

- Buffet Lunch at local restaurant by the river

- Krasae Cave, Feeding Wild Money,

- Tiger Temple

Good luck and enjoy the trip

Dave

This does sound very interesting.. Will it be possible for you to share their email id or any other contact info... I would love to get in touch with them and book the tour..

What is the monkey school? Is it worth the time since we would like to do the Grand palace and the wats in the same day as well...

Don%26#39;t think phone numbers are allowed, Google for ORIENTAL ESCAPE. The contact detailswill be on the web site. You could drop an e mail to them I dealt with ';Wittaya'; and we went on Friday 17th Nov. Just mail them the tour that you want and they will quote. They have set tours on there but will quote for whatever you want. Wittaya mailed me back and gave me his mobile number which was very helpful as he claims phone on 24/7. Have to say the service we had was excellant and covered everything we asked for. Professional tour guide and great driver in comfortable car, we always felt safe.

Am sure is not possible to combine Grand Palace with the tour to the South- just not enough time. You will need to allocate at least 4 hrs to this. The Grand Palace is somewhere you will want to enjoy to the full, it%26#39;s truly amazing and maybe attach the Reclining Buddah to the same day.- stunning. It%26#39;s been a long time since I visited the floating market so cannot be very objective, as I recall it was a little touristy- but then again thats what I am I suppose. Why not ask the site for an opinion on the value of a visit compared to visiting the Kwai.

The monkey school was something I added as Alex likes Monkeys. It%26#39;s not far- maybe 10-15 mins by Long Tail boat from the JEATH museum. We found it entertaining and interesting and we wre ther maybe 45mins. The truly charming lady that runs the ';school'; started out I think by taking in strays and then developed the site a lttle. Try Google ';Monkey School Kwai';

Best wishes

Dave

relaxing beach holiday

spending two weeks in Kuala Lumpur in March and would like to spend our final week relaxing in Thailand. Can anyone recommend where the best places would be? We would like a lovely beach with plenty of restaurants nearby. Have been to Malaysia several times before and decided to take the Air Asia flight up to Thailand. Any help would be appreciated.Don%26#39;t want to spend too much time travelling from the airport. Looked at Phuket which seems promising.

relaxing beach holiday

have a look at Koh Samui, a lot smaller than Phuket but I think it%26#39;s worth it just for the airport there!

relaxing beach holiday

check out Nai Harn beach on south tip of Phuket.

if you want a quiet beautiful beach with few people.

only 2 resorts on the beach Sabanna and le Meridian.

I spent 3 glorious days doing nothing but swiming and laying under the unbrella. white sandy beach. warm water and some fun little waves.

Flying from Australia to Phuket & Best times to travel. Help

Hi There,

I am thinking of taking my wife to Phuket for our 1st wedding aniversary and just have a few questions for all of you knowledgeable advisors out there!!

1) Best airline/way to Phuket from Brisbane Australia. i.e most affordable.

2) Best time to travel there. i.e when is low season. I am thinking early March 07!!??

3) Can you recommend your favourite areas and hotels to stay in the Phuket areas?

4) Are visas and vaccinations required?

I thank you for your suggestions in advance!! : )

Flying from Australia to Phuket %26amp; Best times to travel. Help

Low season is always a great time better prices, quiter beaches, better service. Late March the weather is still great - but prices are dropping all the way until Oct/Nov when they start to rise again.

Flying from Australia to Phuket %26amp; Best times to travel. Help

Thanks Ted, but when exactly is low season?

In terms of most affordable ways to fly ...

Jetstar can be cheap if you get in early while the cheap seats are still there, or while they have a sale. I think they were about $300 cheaper than thai airways when we booked but it probably depends on what deal you can get, because our agent told us it is usually thai that is cheapest...

but that said none of the agents get commission thru jetstar so they don%26#39;t like to book thru them so i don%26#39;t know how true that is!!! If you were interested in Jetstar i would go to their website and look at prices/ availability before going to agent so you know they are telling the whole truth!

Overall thai airways and jetstar are the cheapest we found but depends on who has deals going

Hi Firebucket

I suggest you go to two different travel agents and ask for a package deal then compere the prices. Then jump on the internet and look up Jetstar and Thai airways to see what you can get airfares for, then have a look at sawadee.com and check out accomodation.

As for were to stay Patong is very busy then Karon and Kata are more quieter and laid back

No visas are required and vaccinations are up to you. Theres been a lenghty discussion on vaccinations on this site so you can do a search and read what others had to say about them.

Murf

Hey bucket,

We just came back from Phuket. We caught the end of low season and it was great. Prices were good and crowds were not large.

We flew Singapore airlines and did not have a problem. It included a free stopover in Singapore.

As for locations it all depends on what your after. We stayed at various places to get a feel for the whole island. Patong was good for a party. Karon was good for party but also nice for family and Surin Beach was peaceful honeymoon / luxury sort of deal.

I think a trip to Phi Phi for a overnight is a must. Hongs by Starlight is a must tour and although i didn%26#39;t get to it, Richards Friday night BBQ sounds not to be missed.

No visas or vax%26#39;s from Australia.

Thanks everyone for your valuable info!

Are you aware if any airlines fly direct from Brisbane into Phuket or is it always via Bangkok?

I have found some flights on the Jetstar website Brisbane/Phuket for about $1000 AUD return. Which sounds really cheap to me. Is it?

I would like to arrange the flight and accomodation myself using this website and direct with the hotels over the internet.

Would this be the best way to do it or is it just as cheap and more convenient to utilise a travel agent?

Thanks again legends!

Hi Firebucket,

first of all, low season in Thailand is April to oct. that is for accom.

Air fares vary, My wife ad I are flyinfgJetstar in May, from Bris to Bangkok. We got a cheap fare but have found out that the flight goes via Melbourne making it a long day. The flights to Phuket go via sydney so they are fairly long also.

It depends on whether you want to save money or have a quick flight.

We have been to Thailand 7 times and love it, Patong I think is the best place if you are into Bars, Shopping, beaches, and entertainment. It all depends on whether you want romance or excitement.

Hervey

The flight on jetstar is direct ot phuket, but you have to go via sydney! so sorta direct, well from Australia anyway!

The price sounds good...well cheeper than what we paid anyway, jetstar also have packages on their website that are sometimes good depending what they are offerring.

We booked thru a travel agent, but it was more for convience. I think it may have been cheaper to do it ourselves online...it would have def. been cheaper to organise our own transfers, but we just wanted it all done for us... but i think you can def. save money doing it online

Hi Firebucket

We are going 31st March 2007 for 3 weeks. We have booked most everything ourselves via web (first time I%26#39;ve done it this way). Although, we have found that some of the hotels we were interested in do not drop their prices until mid April, 20th April and a few not even until May 1st 2007.

The travel agents keep telling us the accom prices will come out ';soon'; or by 15th of November (originally we were told 15th Oct). According to them prices have gone up by about 8% on the prices quoted in the current brochures. However, they do offer stay 8/pay 5 night deals. I think the booking web sites also offer these, but there is not much available at present for April 2007.

If you are not in a hurry, you could do some searches on the web for the hotels you are interested in and then compare between web site and travel agent, when their prices come out ';soon';.

Hope this helps

Lee

We have just booked Thai Airways for my sister Brisbane- Phuket return for $969 (overnight in Bangkok).

Cathy

Where is food court at central chithom

Hi Guys,

You mentioned this food court in past posts could someone please let me the the directions and the name.

Thanks

Pauline

Where is food court at central chithom

Here you go

www.central.co.th/web/html/foodloft.htm

Where is food court at central chithom

All the shopping malls and department stores have food halls. Central Chitlom%26#39;s is great as is the one in the basement of Paragon.

Leaving Tomorrow!

Want to echo others sentiments..............thanks to all for the most helpful advice.

I now know that Thomsonfly will be OK

Have booked Mr Mor for a Day

Thanks to Richard %26amp; Megumi have booked BBQ and rehab centre

I even know how much we should pay at the market/shops

Bring it on..........................................and looking forward to meeting all at the BBQ on the 8th.

Slanthe

Jim

Leaving Tomorrow!

Have a great holiday Jim, looking forward to lots of info when you get back.

Cathy

Leaving Tomorrow!

Have a wonderful holiday Jim.

Lesley

Hi Jim

Have a great time, enjoy your holiday.

Lee xx

All the best Jim on your travels,

Happy holidays

Nicky

Similana Resort: For Tedkarma and others

Tedkarma, your and others%26#39; posts have me interested in going to the Similana Resort with my wife about a year from now. A couple of questions:

1. If we have our pick of Deluxe Chalets, which one(s) would you most recommend in terms of privacy? In terms of sunset views, if any?

2. My wife is a woman of admirably simple tastes in most respects, but she likes to watch an occasional movie on vacation. I see that Similana has televisions in their rooms. I assume it doesn%26#39;t have DVDs. Do you know whether it gets any cable English language channels that would have movies?

I%26#39;d welcome any additional comments from you or others familiar with Similana. Thanks!

Similana Resort: For Tedkarma and others

Sorry, I just thought of a couple of other matters.

1. How quiet are the deluxe chalets? How far are the deluxe chalets from the road and from any other sources of noise. I realize this can change, but is there any construction going on nearby?

2. Are there other restaurants within walking distance?

Thanks again.

Similana Resort: For Tedkarma and others

I will try to answer your questions as best I can.

1.

Deluxe Chalets #1-6 offer the best views as they are in the front row. #6, then 5 then 4 then 3 would offer the best privacy.

2.

Simple TV, no DVD that I recall - nor can I recall what channels were available. This is a relatively simple Thai resort - so will not have all the bells and whistles of some other places.

3.

Last I was there - no construction in the area at all - nor for any distance near by. Quiet! Peaceful!

4.

Restaurants: One to the right as you hit the beach - around the rocky outcropping - probably not more than 100 meters. Two to the left as you walk toward the beach probably 500 meters or less. Some photos of the ones to the left are at the bottom of the page here:

khaolaklovers.com/Khao_Lak_Restaurants.html

Hope that helps!

Great! Thanks very much!!!

For anyone intending using the river boats in Bangkok.

Reading the various websites concerning Bangkok I%26#39;ve found the information on the Chao Phraya river boats to be out of date and unreliable. For current, accurate information on routes, schedules and fares, go to the boat company%26#39;s own website as follows:

http://www.chaophrayaboat.co.th/

For anyone intending using the river boats in Bangkok.

This site is just for this one particular company - there are many companies operating various types of boats on the river. There are dinner cruises, water taxis, express boats, tour boats, etc.

For anyone intending using the river boats in Bangkok.

BEWARE of the Chao Praya river scam in Bangkok.

If you take a taxi to the river,the driver will take you to a private jetty which will con you into a 1200 Baht river ride and the taxi driver gets a huge commission.

You need to go to a public pier numbered 1 through 35 and hop on the Baht boats which will charge you 10 Baht,big difference huh!

You can alight at the Grand Palace jetty and it%26#39;s just a short walk to the Grand Palace.When,not if,but when a Thai local tells you that the Grand Palace is closed today,don%26#39;t believe him/her,they will try and take you to another place to receive commissions.

BEWARE!!!

The website I quoted is for the main boat company on the river that runs regular scheduled services throughout the day from public piers at fixed fares available to all. It will take you to most places on the river a tourist would want to visit, very cheaply. You can, of course, hire your own boat on the river from various companies at negotiable rates, but you will pay a great deal more for the privilege.

the Chao Phraya Express Taxi is a little confusing. If you find the right one it is really cheap (about 12 bhat from the Shangri-La to the Grande Palace. Look for the dock with the big numbers. I think it starts with #1 or 2 at the last sky train stop near the shangri-la and goes up from there as you go up the river.

The boats that you want are the ones that fly a yellow or orange flag. They have some seats in the front, but many people standing near the rear. Good luck. It is an adventure...

The BTS terminus is Saphan Taksin on the river. From there it is a short walk to what they call the Central Pier. All scheduled boats call at this pier.

The most useful route is the one where boats fly an ORANGE flag. These boats call at most piers, named and numbered sequentially, (and certainly the ones of most interest to tourists) and run about every 20 mins throughout the daylight hours.

The flat fare to anywhere on this route is 13 baht, buying your ticket at the pier or on the boat. So you can go as far up the river as Nonthaburi (Pier No30) for peanuts if you wish to, but calling en route at Tha Tien and Tha Chang for the Grand Palace.

Providing you know the pier you want and are ready to disembark when your pier is next, there%26#39;s nothing to it really and a great way of sampling the life of Bangkok

Agree with Broadacres, this is a great way to see Bangkok very cheaply. Whenever we visit the Grand Palace we always use this service. A trip up to Nonthaburi is a great way to see life on the river for such a small amount of money.

Just make sure you buy your ticket on board the boat, not at the ticket kiosk otherwise you will end up on a tourist boat.

be careful of the longtail boat shopping scam

one of my first trips i thought I booked a longtail boat tour go upriver

through back cannels and stop at some temples with tour guide evereything was fine until the long tail boat left us at a temple the tour guide then took us across river to a taxi then to a gem stone

store for a tour and shopping. I was not pleased or happy I took the 5 minuet tour then headed out to waiting Van for ride back to my hotel no one asked me if I wanted to go he just took me. then looked sad becasue i didn%26#39;t buy anything.

eyebrows liner

ATM's on Koh Chang?

Hello.

Are there ATM machines on Koh Chang? Just wondering how easy it would be to withdraw cash or would we need to bring travellers cheques?

We are staying at Klong Phrao area.

ATM's on Koh Chang?

Lots of ATMS on the west coast of Koh Chang.

Several ATMs on Klong Prao beach - three at the north of the beach in VJ Plaza plus a bank branch. One in Klogn Prao village - easy walk from Tropicana/Barali and two at the southern end near the Amari.

ATM's on Koh Chang?

Ian. Is Klong Phrao village an easy walk from the Panviman?

It%26#39;s about 15-20 minutes walk from Panviman to the main road %26amp; the start of Klong Prao village, and then about 10 mins walk down the road to the ATM. Or quiicker to walk down the beach to Tropicana Resort, cut through the hotel walk to the main road, and the ATM is nearby.

Blue Hill Resort Location

My boyfriend %26amp; I are staying at Blue Hill for a few nights in January.

Can anyone tell me if Blue Hill is walking distance to Had Rin town? I would also like to know if there are any restaurants near by that could be reccommended.

Many thanks!

Blue Hill Resort Location

According to other reviews its a 20 min walk into the town via the beach as the hill area is very steep.

kacha resort, much needed help...

Hello to everyone, I%26#39;m trying to organise a trip to thailand for a group of about 14 people. two groups of 5 (mum,dad,3 children) one couple and two singles. we are looking at kacha resort at koh chang. My (mum,dad 3 children)quote came back at $714 for 7 nights (this was online no travel agent) this sounds very cheap to me does it sound right to anyone who has stayed there? we normally holiday in fiji which I love, but you would be pressing to get 2 nights for that price. any information would be greatly appreciated, or is there any where else that would fit 2 adults and 3 children into one room? thanks

kacha resort, much needed help...

I forgot to add we are thinking of late october 07 to travel is this an ok time to go?

Booking accommodation in Bangkok, Koh Samui & Koh Pha-Ngan

I%26#39;m sure this has been asked before, and my honest apologies if so, but I did a search and couldn%26#39;t find anything...

In regard to booking accommodation in Bangkok, Koh Samui %26amp; Koh Pha-Ngan, is Sawadee generally the best priced and most trustworthy website or are there other sites I should use? Or is it better to go direct to the hotel?

Any tips much appreciated :-)

Booking accommodation in Bangkok, Koh Samui %26amp; Koh Pha-Ngan

sawadee, sawasdee, res24, precisionreservation, hoteltravel,bestthaihotel, asiarooms,asiatravel, bangkokian, circleofasia, morethailand, Worldres, holidays2thailand, planetholiday, asiabesthotel, atsiam,directrooms, farangs, thailand-hotelguide, asiareservations.net, asiahotels.net, thailandhotels.net, www.resorthotel.net,

Booking accommodation in Bangkok, Koh Samui %26amp; Koh Pha-Ngan

Thank you :-)

Is any one better than the other?

from my experience

find a hotel or resort you like then check all sites for best price and availability. I have stayed at resorts where 1 site says no room and another will have rooms. Usually most of the sites are only 15% to 20% different.

Thank you, I really appreciate the advice :-)

My only other concern is I have read about ppl having experiences with dodgy booking websites. Are all of the sites listed above legit and relatively trouble-free?

the sawadee sites incl. r24 are high standard... albeit not always the cheapest...

Asiarooms are often cheapest.. but want all monies up front at time of booking... and if they don%26#39;t have the room for you.. they will have put a hold on the total amount and it can take time before they release it.

I have used them often in spite of this (as they can be cheap), and never had trouble with them.

Hoteltravel is probably my favorite... good prices and terms... as far as payment and cancellation goes...

Precisitionreservations are also good.

mosegrisen thanks so much, really appreciate it :-)

question for gismo re patong beach hotel

Hi Gismo

have read your posting in relation to query by Slackus on Patong Beach Hotel in which you suggest ';seaview'; rooms as having best view of Patong Bay. What do the ';sunset'; rooms have a view of?

I ask as we are going to be staying there soon and am now quite curious. Thanks if you can help me

Kind regards

Wendy bushell

question for gismo re patong beach hotel

Hi Wendy,

I will also be staying at the Patong Beach Hotel soon.

If you want to find out information about their rooms the hotel website is : www.see2sea.com . You can also email the hotel from this site. Their replys are very prompt. When will you be staying there? I will be there for new years and I just saw on their site that they will be having a Pirate themed gala new years eve dinner with heaps of fun entertainment planned. It looks to be a great night.

Cheers

Cindy

question for gismo re patong beach hotel

Hi Wendybushell. From memory they call the main building the sunset wing and it houses all the deluxe rooms and any floor higher than the 3rd should give you a decent view, we always stayed on the 5th floor, there are ten floors. You used to be able to go on the roof to get some great photos but last time we visited the hotel(June 06) the top floor was locked, maybe for security. I was hoping to get back this last trip last week to see how the hotel was looking but ran out of time. The Siam wing is low rise and has garden %26amp; views of the rear pool. The floors lower than the 3rd have views over the main pool and some of the ground floor rooms have access to the pool. Sue

Thanks Gismo

I hope we are above the third floor, should be great. Thanks again for the info

';wendy';

Thanks Cindy!

Thank You Cindy, you are a wealth of information!!

I checked out sea2see and wanted to email to ask where our room might be, but the ';boss'; said no.

We arrive on 22nd and check out on 1st. so we are there for arabian nights and pirate night, both look like a lot of fun.

Have you stayed at this hotel before?

';Wendy';

Thanks Cindy!

Hi Wendy,

glad I could be of some help to you. I haven%26#39; t stayed at the hotel, havent been to phuket either, but I know someone who has stayed at the hotel who enjoyed their stay there. Also there are lots of good reports about the hotel on this forum. I arrive in phuket on the 23 Dec , just after you. I am staying at the Patong Merlin for 5 nights, then move to the Patong Beach hotel on Dec 28 for another 5 nights. I am disapointed I wont be there for the arabian nights gala dinner. Not sure what the other hotel is having, am waiting to find out. But the pirate night sounds great though, I can%26#39;t wait. Maybe we can have a new years drink together there.

Cheers

Cindy

Thanks Cindy!

Thanks again Cindy

Yes, that would be good. Look forward to it.

Gismo has responded with some info on the rooms, if you want check out ';questions for gismo re patong beach hotel';

Cheers

';Wendy';

lorraine

eyebrows liner

Transfers from airport

Hello there,Can anyone tell me how much it would be to get from the airport to Le Meridian Beach Resort.And would it be better to arrange pick up with the hotel or just grab a cab .

Transfers from airport

I would arrange a pick when I arrived there in October I got a car ar the Airport.The problem was that on the way to Patong he stopped at a Tourist office three people came out and pestered us for trips it%26#39;s not what you want after a long flight.

Delboy London

Transfers from airport

I had no problems using the public taxi rank just outside the front of the airport. I just walked straight out of the airports sliding doors and you see them all waiting make sure the meter is switched on though.

Hi,

Is the taxi rank much of a walk from the airport? I have two toddlers in tow and just weighing up the pro%26#39;s and con%26#39;s of a long trek to the stand or a limo job prepurchased inside the airport.

Thanks

Thanks for your comments.Has anyone actually done the same journey and therefore can let me know in a bit more detail.Cheers Carol

boat taxi phi phi

we are thinking of staying at either holiday inn or island village we know it is isolated which is ok but will want to try other bars and restauraunts at least once how easy is to get a boat back late at night and at what cost?

boat taxi phi phi

It is a 40 minutes boat ride each way.

boat taxi phi phi

We too will be staying at Holiday Inn and might want to try one night at Tonsai Bay. Can you get a boat taxi back to Holiday Inn late at night? Can you drink cocktails in the boat? Do not want to disrespect anyone but why should the party end just cause you are in a boat? We are not driving the dang thing! :-)

Susie

6hrs to spare in Airport at Bangkok

Could anybody give us some tips on what to do on our return journey home to Manchester,We have 6hrs to spare , and would love to be able to go back into Bangkok , as we only get 1 day there on our flight out to Krabi, Would we be able to leave the Airport ? and how far is the City from the Airport.Would we be able to get to the Golden Palace?

6hrs to spare in Airport at Bangkok

6 hours is a bit short with the current check in time required.

Factors are too many to really make suggetions. - airlines - time of day- checked baggage - to name a few and all will have a direct effect on any suggestion made.

If you do go out do not forget you will need 500 baht international departure tax

IMO 6 hours is a little short to leave the airport if you have to check in for your international flight.

As a guide these times may help

Time to get out of airport after domestic arrival 20 - 30 minutes f luggage checked through 30 - 60 minutes if mot

Time to from town 30 - 60 minutes depending on time of day and day of week

Currently time to departure gate 30 - 45 minutes if straight from check in.

Currently requested time to arrive for check in 3 hours.

My opinion for what it is worth 6 hours is too short. Have a nice meal in the airport and maybe a final Thai massage and relax.

Dont spoil a nice holiday by missing your international flight.

Is the JW Marriott located on the beach

We are planning to stay at the JW Marriott in Jan. We love the beach and were wondering if the property is on the Beach or if the beach is away from the property. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

Is the JW Marriott located on the beach

I%26#39;m staying there in January as well (15-22) and I%26#39;m told the proprety is on the beach however Mai Khao beach is not exactly your typical sunbathing and swimming beach, it%26#39;s a steep slope I think and the water may be a bit rough for swimming. I think the hotel has a bar down by the beach (see candid traveler photos in the hotel review). Seems the beach is best for walking and maybe a quick dip but from the reviews and what people have said on here I%26#39;m guessing the pool(s) are the hang outs. But the property is definitely ON the beach, no roads to cross or anything. You can google Mai Khao beach to find out more. Have fun!!

Is the JW Marriott located on the beach

Stayed at the Marriott June/July and it is on the beach. Or at least it backs right up to it; the pools are at the very end of the property, then there%26#39;s the walk way parallel to the beach and then the natual flat sandune section with some plants, then the beach and ocean.

We were in the villas, so towards the back, but could walk out and be on the beach in a few minutes. Well, we tend to walk fast too, so maybe 5 minutes for others!

It was monsoon season when we were there, so the waves were rough and the drop off appears steep so it really is not ideal as a play beach or for inexperienced swimmers. However, it was beautiful and peaceful to have the beach to yourself when you walk! Pools are great and the south one has a swim up bar and waterfall and is raised, so you can see the ocean. Main pool is also nice, large and raised to see the ocean.

Waves might be better in January and the local experts can tell you that.

Have fun! It%26#39;s a nice property! And Phuket is beautiful!

is it a luxurious hotel? 4 or 5 stars in your opinion? is there anything around the hotel (restaurants, bars), or do you need to go into phuket town? how long does that take ? what about everything else (boats to phi phi, snorkling, etc..) sorry for so many questions. iam planning my honeymoon, and i am having a hard deciding where to stay. thanks in advance.

Charley/Lum Yai Baby!!

Hi Richard %26amp; Co.

How fabulous with all the positive news from all concerned! Everyone loves a happy ending, which brings me to the subject ...would I be opening up a tin of worms if we start a %26#39;naming for the baby/s!%26#39;. I have no doubt there is so many clever minds out there that someone will come up with the perfect name for Charley%26#39;s and Lum Yai%26#39;s offspring so let%26#39;s all throw some ideas around.

May I start the ball rolling .....

%26#39;Charley%26#39;s Angel!%26#39; (my kids%26#39; choice)

Cheers

Tiff xxxx

Charley/Lum Yai Baby!!

Hi Tiffo

Interesting post and idea since there are so many now who are familiar with our frends at the center. If others decide to contribute to this there are a few things to consider.

The key point I guess would be the gender of the baby and the next could even be the colour. Anything including the names of the parents however may not be considered by the managment because just like a human the baby they would identify and answere to a name used all of the time. Consider how confusing it would be around your home having two kids with and answering to the same name.

It%26#39;s also hard to say if the baby will recieve a Western name or a Thai name. The newest addition to the center has been named ';Frank'; and if they decide to go with a Thai name anyone with a Thai dictionary will have the advantage.

I will let them know that you have started this post and begin saving and printing out a sheet of recommended names for both sexes. I have actualy considered this myself and have a few names in mind but I%26#39;ll wait and see what happens with this.

Regards From Phuket

Richard %26amp; Megumi

Charley/Lum Yai Baby!!

Are we jumping the gun here (could be a shotgun wedding?!). Mr Mor told me he hasn%26#39;t had a chance to examine Lum Yai yet in his capacity as trained vet... so do we know for sure or is someone monkeying around?

Good job there Charley!!!!

I may have to start saving some cash to revisit the bubs. When baby arrives I hope someone post photos on net.

Cheers from Adelaide,

Troy

Hey all :)

If I%26#39;m not mistaken, there%26#39;s the trend that if it%26#39;s a boy, it%26#39;s a western name (Charley and Frank) and a girl, a thai name (Lum Yai)...

Was Frank named after the beloved late Frank? If so, maybe if it%26#39;s a boy, it could be named after Richard! Mind you, that would cause even more confusion in photos *lol*

What about Phuket Rose (or the thai version of it) for a girl?

Happy naming!

Charmaine

Has the baby been born yet? If so any photos and name?

Regards Troy

hello there you have obvioulsy been to the rehab centre%26gt;could you please let me know Phuket Richards email address as we would love to go in Jan.Please dont take offence at my log in name it was just done in desperation.

Hi,

this is PhuketRichards e-mail address

richard@phuket-scuba-diving.com

Nicky

Thank you for your swft reply Nicky.I just hope that we can get a tour;

Aside from naming the baby, I am wondering how the dynamics of the center will change with the new ';arrival%26#39;. When we were there in October, the obvious sign of an extending belly was showing in Lum Yai and we were told not to touch her nipples...sensitive like human...imagine that?

I%26#39;m glad we got to see the new to be parents prior to the arrival as they may be very protective and not come around as they do now.

My last vision of Lum Yai was her chasing our Tuk-Tuk down the road as we left, arms raised in air, her version of ';goodbye';. It was the most incredible experience I have ever had w/a mammal (other than my husband, ha!) and look forward to the ';name game';.

Hi to Richard from the Cheeze Whiz gal from California!

Babs, the hubby comment cracked me up, very funny.

fishing

Hi all,

I,m in Phuket now can anyone tell me who to go fishing with?

Someone told there are not many fish about, is this true?

I just want to catch snapper or tuna not marlin or sailfish

thanks,

Dave

fishing

Hello Dave

I am a relative newcomer to this forum but have been scouring it over the last weeks while planning our holiday to Thailand in March, I too was looking for the same information as yourself as my husband, myself and our son are keen fisherpersons

Phuket Richard may well be able to help with this, I believe he can point you in the right direction, another regular poster on this forum Cathy has been on a fishing trip in Phuket and caught tuna if you type in fishing in the search bar I am sure you will bring up one or more of her posts and she has info regarding fishing charters on her virtual tourist site as well as other very useful info.

Hope this has been of some help to you.

Trish

fishing

Thanks Trish,

Richard organised our fishing trip, it was just the best day out and we also caught 68 tuna. Heres the link to the fishing info and contact details etc. (Under Travelogues, theres a full page on it with photos, then under things to do theres more info and photos).

Cathy

members.virtualtourist.com/m/b3082/160bcd/

eyebrows liner

Pottery and ceramics villages

Any info on location and how to get to actual villages where pottery and ceramics is produced around the area? I had a post card two years ago showing an earthenware village somewhere to the north.

Pottery and ceramics villages

Hi

Glad you enjoyed the orphange

The pottery village is out hang dong road and just before the Sumong road turn off , there is a small road into it on the right side of the hyway.

pj watergate hotel

will be staying in pj watergate hotel for my last night.. is it good?

thanks

gordon

pj watergate hotel

Hi gordtay:)

I did stayed before in this hotel about 2 yrs back.. its pretty gd based on its price..location is at pratunam area.. but u need to take cab if u r going to MBK n etc...

Cheers!!

pj watergate hotel

Yea, the problem with that place is its not accessible to the skytrain. You have to cab it just about everywhere.

totally nt possible to walk to mbk? wat abt to areas like platinum and world trade centre?

Not possible to walk to MBK, but it might be possible to walk to WTC (or Central World plaza, which is the new name) and platinum. It will be a bit of a walk though.

hi,

Platinum can walk there..walked before... but for MBK a bit far but i believe can.. forgot that time gt walk to MBK from PJ.. but after that we found that its a bit waste time so we took cab.. and the road there not as it is as our country...

hey...

wat about the rooms and the hotel itself? is it up to standard?

Motorbike Hire

Hi Guys,

My hubby fancys taking a bike out for the day (probably with me on the back???!!!??) Can anyone recommend a good place to hire from and what are the requirements, ie; licence, deposit?

Also what about security? If we park it up and go to the beach or stop for lunch with bike not in sight, is it safe?

What cc are they and can you hire helmets with them?

Hope someone can help, thanks in advance

Getting so excited, only 33 sleeps to go!

Sarah

x

Motorbike Hire

put ';motorcycle hire'; into the search facility bali--its all there

Motorbike Hire

Andy,

Tried that, not a lot from the search.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

Sarah

hi balimoon, the best way to hire a bike is from your hotel , as you have to leave your p/port as sureity with anyone else--

its not a good idea to leave your p/port with anyone else

also your hotel may not require your p/port as they know all of your details anyway

the bikes are normally honda 120cc and are easy to ride- don,t pay more than 200bht per day

if u want it for a longer period negociate a deal

don,t forget--your not insured! btw

you can get any size bike but they are more expensive to hire and as i say ,you have to leave your p/p u can also go on a proper organised tour on harleys etc with no risk on you finacially - as you both go pillion and the rider is thai--

u can ride the big bikes on a tour, but u need to also show a valid uk licence and have passed your test for that size engine here in the uk

you also need an international d/l too obtaiable from the aa or the rac here in the uk if you wish to drive a bike

the driver must wear a helmet, but the pillion doesn,t have to!

helmets are supplyed , they are pretty uesless in an accident though

take the helmet with u if u leave the bike parked anywhere or someone might nick it

the bike should be ok parked ,there are thousands of bikes everywhere so the chances of yours being stolen is remote (imo)but if anything does happen to it you have to pay

hope your hubby is an experienced biker, as its a bit ';hectic'; there! los of accidents occur

i saw 2 in one day on the x road at the end of bangla(both riders holiday makers)but both were speeding

just follow the locals and go steady

make sure your trav insurance covers u -medically

most do-- but only up to 124cc engine size (sorry if thats all a bit garbled writing,s not my best subject!)

if u want to know anything else, just fire away

have a nice time

Hi Andy,

Thanks that is really helpful. Hubby has been riding for years, he still does and used to race so should be OK experience wise, will check out the insurance tho%26#39;, thanks for the tip. wouldn%26#39;t want to miss out on the pay out - (haha)

One last question, if you don%26#39;t mind. I have been doing some surfing but can only find info on the smaller cc bikes, do you know anywhere there hires something a little more powerful?

Thanks again

Sarah

if your hubbys experienced thats a great advantage sarah (also on phuket, they drive on the same side of the road as we do-well mostly--)

the only place i actually know that hires sports bikes /crusers is in patong

but i cant remember the web-site

if you walk up bangla road going away from the sea-- turn left at the end, and walk down the road,(rat-u thit road) for about 10 mins , its on the other side of the road(on the right) , u can,t miss it as there are bikes parked out the front --they do tours as i mentioned --

a blade costs about 1000bht a day to hire i think

i hired a shadow ,(but from the beach road sharks) and had a brilliant time (600bht a day )

they told me it was a 750, but when i looked at the engine later, it had 600cc stamped on it ! conned again!

i was there during the tsunami but luckily-- didn,t hire a bike on that occasion , it was just as well, as the beach road guys would have kept/retained my p/p and i may not have got it back! as some of them probably drowned

Andy,

You%26#39;re a star. Pauls just peaked over my shoulder and apparently a Shadow will do the job, whatever one of them is.

Got your instructions and will take a wander over there.

Thanks again

Sarah

Nickys%26#39; Handlebar on RatUThit Road (2nd Road) near the Post Office hires bikes like Harley Davidsons and does Big Bike Tours.

Drive carefully. There%26#39;s an average of 3 deaths a week from bike accidents in Phuket and if if you have an accident it will be YOUR fault...even if it%26#39;s not!

nickyshandlebar.com/Touring_Bikerental.htm

...and buy fuel at the main garages...only 1 in Patong. You pay twice the price if you use the small roadside booths.

thats the place phuket rex!i couldn,t remember the name !

Here%26#39;s my tuppence worth on hiring a bike. Hubby and I (late 50%26#39;s) always hire a bigger bike. He is an experienced rider and says the little ones are too dangerous for two average size Aussies to be messing about on - not enough power. We hired a Harley look alike in the Kata beach area. - If you find Marlena Bungalows behing club med - they had one for hire (we didn%26#39;t get ours there) but we stayed there and saw it parked out the front - at least a 500 cc. size and in much better condition than the one we got. You need to ask around to find a bigger bike. And if you take it for a week - don%26#39;t forget to barter hard and get a good price. Have fun - recommend you keep out of the Patong area - they%26#39;re crazy!! and not too safe at night either.