spouse pay-off

[Mr_Gimlet]

As a result of having to go to London in early August, I promised Mrs_Gimlet I would meet her on the way back. Out of Bangkok, Singapore and HK I am inclining to Bangkok - anyone any views or opinions? It would be for about a week - should we stick in Bkk or go elsewhere (we've done the north).

I guess I'm asking for creative suggestions to make the most of the work paid-for trip.

 

[Evan]

1 week in BKK your will be well sick of it i think, leave BKK and go somewhere else in the country. E

 

[JohnK]

Bangkok is not that exciting really unless you are interested in nightlife.

Ayutthaya, about 1 hour north of Bangkok, can be done in one day. Plenty of temples and is also an old capital of Thailand. Organise a tour from hotel and take the coach on the way up there and a river cruise on the way back.

Also worthwhile is a 2-3 day tour of Kanchanburi, River Kwai, if you haven't been there before.

Hua Hin is very nice and well worth spending 2 or 3 days relaxing.

If you haven't been south then coughet or Krabi are also nice places to visit. I would not spend too much time in coughet, only use it as a base to stay in hotels, but try to organise as many daily tours as possible. The Andaman sea is one of my favourites.

 

[clifford]

Im going to BKK for a week next month (cheap FF ticket) and looked at going to HKT (coughet) while I was in Thailand.

I found a return fare BKK-HKT on Air Asia for AUD 70 return, so thats where Im going. Also found a quite nice beachside resort for about AUD 40 a night, well awaｙ from　coughet city...

 

[simongr]

My view of Thailand is a little jaundiced but I wont even transit through there let alone spend time on the ground outside of passport control...

 

[one9]

My view of Thailand is a little jaundiced but I wont even transit through there let alone spend time on the ground outside of passport control...

I think it is a pity that some aspects of BKK have given Thailand such a bad reputation.

I also don't particularly enjoy BKK, but there are many things to enjoy once you get out of BKK.

 

[garyjohn951]

My preference would be HK. There heeps to do and the ferries to the outer islands for a day trip are just great. See the old HK.

 

[DTM1]

I would choose HK.

Plenty of options outside of the normal tourist places. OPtions include day trips by boat to various island, such as Lamma and Lantau (great walks and restaurants), a day trip to Macau (even if you don't like casinos, there's plenty to see in a day), or a train trip into china - lots of shopping options for the Mrs.

If you spend a bit of time planning, then also some nice beach options in the new teritories that can be reached by boat or land (day trips).

However, if you want a beach holiday, then don't go to HK.

If you want a beach holiday and don't want BKK, then try this - fly into singapore and take the ferry to Bintan (which is a Indonesian Island). Great range of beach resorts, but not much to do other than enjoy the resorts.

 

[Mr_Gimlet]

Sorry, HK is not a goer as I can't get the wife there.

Have shortened the trip to five days: a day spa, day trip to Ayutthaya and a cooking course will chew up a fair bit, so I'll just get a decent hotel with a pool.

 

[simongr]

I think it is a pity that some aspects of BKK have given Thailand such a bad reputation.

I also don't particularly enjoy BKK, but there are many things to enjoy once you get out of BKK.

Actually Bangkok itself wasnt too terrible - wife and I hid out in the Siam Paragon - it was outside Bangkok that was the worst experience.

Can I suggest SIN then? I have been there briefly and its a place I would like to go back to for a more relaxing time - it's asia-lite

 

[Happy Dude]

Couldn't disagree more about the BKK nay-sayers here, but each to their own. You're doing a cooking course so I'm guessing that you're into the food and that's where BKK is a viking. IMO, she's a fascinating city but, like any city on the planet, you have to do a bit of spade work and not just clumsily rummage around in her gusset and expect to get the treasure. You're only there for five days, so after absorbing Chinatown, hit the waterways and explore the city that way. It's very easy to find small food markets/stalls. To get the most out of these places you'll do well to learn the thai words for your favourite foods, if you don't already know them. It goes without saying that learning the numbers will help enormously too. Day spas and hotel pools can be found anywhere....

 

[IainF]

Just of the plane from BKK (via sin & hkg) but my wife and I had a great few days in BKK. We went to Chattachuk markets on the saturday, had massages, facials, awesome meals, saw the Grand Palace, rode a river ferry, braved a tuk tuk, lived like kings in the Intercontinental, and shopped at all the usuals (MBK, Siam Paragon, Central, Gaysorn etc).

It was cheap to get around, eat and shop.
The Thai's are brilliant people, happy and very eager to help.

Loved every minute of it.

And the bext bit was it cost me bugger all.
God bless the mavens who put me onto AA, PC and every other trick!

Nothing live a First Class lifestyle on a beer budget.

That being said, HKG would be my second pick.

SIN.....not a lot has grabed me there.
Cheers
IainF


ps trip report to come when I have settled back into life.