Holidays

Started by Oakleafer93, June 03, 2009, 01:17:25 PM

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omaghjoe


The other East Coast island is Koh Tao, you can basically divide them up as Ko Phang Nghan as the backpackers island, Koh Samui as the resort island and Ko Tao as the divers island. There is also the West Coast islands which are more dramatic pHi Phi, phuket, lanta and many more

Been twice to Thailand, first time around I went to Ko Pha Ngan Bangkok and Kanchanaburi near the Burmese border. Last time around was Koh Mook (Muck) and Bangkok. Done it pretty much independently the whole way took a few tours and tourist buses but nothing was arranged in advance the tourist buses can actually be cheaper sometimes than the public buses but the biggest advantage is they are leaving from and going to destinations you wanna go to. Be careful of scams tho with tourist buses trying to rope you in to other tours and overcharging. Don't be paranoid just be aware people will try and rip you off.

Koh Muck was the best, beautiful isolated island with scant enough amount of tourists, Was there with the Mrs so we had our own company but if you are looking for company you might struggle, we took a few tours with the guest house owner, and spent our time touring around the island on bikes. There is a tidal cave on the island that has an opening to the sky and has its own little beach and everything. You have to swim in through the darkness and then you come into the opening about 70meters? in diameter surrounding by cliffs on all sides with a little beach. An amazing place the guest house owner took us there later in the day so there was no other tours so we had the place to ourselves

Ko Pha Ngan is alright, I stayed in the north shore and toured about by motorbike. The full moon part area is Hat Rin in the south, gap year student zone if that's what your into. Much easier to meet people there than Koh Mook and more to do but no where near as pretty.

Bangkok is alright, its busy and fun and there's lots to do but hot and sweaty and difficult to get around, there's the palace and temples to visit and of course the famous red light areas. You'll probably end up staying in the Koh San road or in that area, which is ground zero for backpackers. Worth a visit on its own for that reason but you likely won't be able to avoid it.

You'll like Thailand, everyone does, good choice for a holiday, if you're there a month I would reccomend popping across to Cambodia to see the Temples of Angkor

50fiftyball

Cheers for the advice, deadly. Does it take long to get down to Koh Samui from Bangkok, and is it generally all buses or what? Flights are only reasonable into Bangkok!
I'm travelling alone and only have about 12/13 days.. so I really would want to meet other people, that's why the tour groups entice me, as I think they're for the 18-35 age.

Is 9-12 days enough or would you be rushing? My plan was to do those 3 islands and maybe back to Bangkok before I head home. Never even looked over to the west to Phuket as I don't have a clue how long it would take or how to get there!

Basically - It's too expensive to travel to the US next month, flights £700 + (I was looking at Vegas), and I don't really fancy travelling Europe, been to France, Germany, Spain Portugal etc. Plus I think or so I'm told a lot of young people travel Thailand. In saying that Croatia seems to have got very popular.

omaghjoe


I'd be kinda anti tour groups especially start to finish type ones as they constrain u to much and are way more expensive than independent traveling. You'll meet people anyway especially somewhere like Thailand when you get outta Bangkok but I would say its still easier to meet people in the tour groups

Most times I've been up and down the peninsula was overnight on the train. Overall more dignified way of travelling, you can have a beer and beer and dinner and sleep in a bed. Went by bus once (tourist overnight) and it was horrific, aircon broke and tight seats no sleep, local buses might be better alot have aeroplane business class type seats so you can actual sleep. However you probably won't get one directly to where your going and a messing session getting from the bus station to the ferry terminal(which u might have with the train as well TBF). The normal buses are better for travelling intercity in Thailand rather than to tourist spots. I think it takes about 12 hours on the train, might be less by bus. Anyway my advice...take the train

Your probably teetering on the edge of rushing to do all 3 islands and Bangkok, my advice is pick one island and stay as long or as short as the mood takes you, play it by ear basically. West Coast islands are a little further south but still easy enough to get to.

Croatia is an amazingly beautiful place but not sure that you'd meet to many when there, again I was there with the Mrs. The Beaches aren't great and anything resembling a beach is super crowded, also the Croats are not the friendliest bunch in the World. But the landscape, cities and towns are amazingly beautiful and the food and drink is great.

take_yer_points

Quote from: 50fiftyball on June 04, 2015, 05:40:04 PM
Cheers for the advice, deadly. Does it take long to get down to Koh Samui from Bangkok, and is it generally all buses or what? Flights are only reasonable into Bangkok!
I'm travelling alone and only have about 12/13 days.. so I really would want to meet other people, that's why the tour groups entice me, as I think they're for the 18-35 age.

Is 9-12 days enough or would you be rushing? My plan was to do those 3 islands and maybe back to Bangkok before I head home. Never even looked over to the west to Phuket as I don't have a clue how long it would take or how to get there!

Basically - It's too expensive to travel to the US next month, flights £700 + (I was looking at Vegas), and I don't really fancy travelling Europe, been to France, Germany, Spain Portugal etc. Plus I think or so I'm told a lot of young people travel Thailand. In saying that Croatia seems to have got very popular.

Flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui was an hour and about £70 return i think. Bangkok Airways fly every couple of hours

omaghjoe

Quote from: take_yer_points on June 04, 2015, 09:39:46 PM
Quote from: 50fiftyball on June 04, 2015, 05:40:04 PM
Cheers for the advice, deadly. Does it take long to get down to Koh Samui from Bangkok, and is it generally all buses or what? Flights are only reasonable into Bangkok!
I'm travelling alone and only have about 12/13 days.. so I really would want to meet other people, that's why the tour groups entice me, as I think they're for the 18-35 age.

Is 9-12 days enough or would you be rushing? My plan was to do those 3 islands and maybe back to Bangkok before I head home. Never even looked over to the west to Phuket as I don't have a clue how long it would take or how to get there!

Basically - It's too expensive to travel to the US next month, flights £700 + (I was looking at Vegas), and I don't really fancy travelling Europe, been to France, Germany, Spain Portugal etc. Plus I think or so I'm told a lot of young people travel Thailand. In saying that Croatia seems to have got very popular.

Flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui was an hour and about £70 return i think. Bangkok Airways fly every couple of hours

Yeah for all my wafflin I forget to say that! Good man take yer points!

A flight is probably the better option if your limited on time, there are also flights to Phuket on the west coast

50fiftyball

Got a buddy last minute, gonna go to vegas to f**k.  ;D One question I'd like an opinion on from the Vegas experts on here - Is July too hot? I know its between 35-45 celsius, which seems mental! I was once in 38C in Lanzarote and thought it unbearable, no air - real sticky heat even in the shade. September etc cheaper and not as hot, but I just want to seize the moment or I'll never go!

What I'm asking is - for us paddys - Is it brutal outside i.e. you can't walk up and down the strip without having a constant river of sweat running down you, no breeze? Or could you work round it by getting up late (partying all night), staying indoors to 4/5pm and then going out to the pool? or is brutal hot at night too.   :-\ :-\

All being well gonna book it tonight, we'll go for a week/10 days between 1st-16th July. It is expensive yes - flights gonna be 6/700 , accom isnt too bad. might rent out a car when we land dependin on price. Would love to just land out and not have anywhere booked so could drive from vegas etc to places but prob get ripped off out there by hotels!

Gonzalo15

Condisering going inter railing over the summer, any suggestions for a good route? So far considering Amsterdam berlin budapest prague croatia

AZOffaly

Vegas is a dry heat, there's very little humidity. It will feel very hot, of course, but the A/C will be spectacular in every hotel and restaurant. And then because it's 'dry', you won't sweat as much you'll find. Be careful though, you'll burn like a crisp if you're not careful because of the heat not feeling so 'oppressive'.

armaghniac

#743
Quote from: Gonzalo15 on June 05, 2015, 10:19:27 AM
Condisering going inter railing over the summer, any suggestions for a good route? So far considering Amsterdam berlin budapest prague croatia

it's an alternative viewpoint, but I would say visit places using the train  that do not have several flights from Ireland rather than biggies that can be easily reached any weekend. Go to Aachen, Nuremburg, Dresden, Brno, Kosice, Linz, Ljubljana to reach Zagreb and the coast. But that is easy to say if you've already been in Amsterdam, Berlin etc.
If at first you don't succeed, then goto Plan B

Mikhailov

Quote from: AZOffaly on June 05, 2015, 10:24:33 AM
Vegas is a dry heat, there's very little humidity. It will feel very hot, of course, but the A/C will be spectacular in every hotel and restaurant. And then because it's 'dry', you won't sweat as much you'll find. Be careful though, you'll burn like a crisp if you're not careful because of the heat not feeling so 'oppressive'.

50/50ball, listen to what AZ says here because he is 100% correct and has lived in this region previously. It will be Hot but bearable but it is a dangerous hot as you will get roasted easier than you think. However, there are loads of pools in all hotels, loads of malls with AC so you will be fine. However, like all Paddies you have to slap on the sun creams as do all the Yanks in any case so no worries on that front.
Cant wait your hear your review of it...

omaghjoe

Quote from: Mikhailov on June 05, 2015, 03:50:51 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on June 05, 2015, 10:24:33 AM
Vegas is a dry heat, there's very little humidity. It will feel very hot, of course, but the A/C will be spectacular in every hotel and restaurant. And then because it's 'dry', you won't sweat as much you'll find. Be careful though, you'll burn like a crisp if you're not careful because of the heat not feeling so 'oppressive'.

50/50ball, listen to what AZ says here because he is 100% correct and has lived in this region previously. It will be Hot but bearable but it is a dangerous hot as you will get roasted easier than you think. However, there are loads of pools in all hotels, loads of malls with AC so you will be fine. However, like all Paddies you have to slap on the sun creams as do all the Yanks in any case so no worries on that front.
Cant wait your hear your review of it...

Would agree with this, in fact I would also take you own advice and stay out of the sun midday completely, and cover up if you are in it, that's what cultures who live in desert climates do. I am actually more uncomfortable in this type of climate than a tropical one as i feel like I am a piece of bacon under a grill.  It will still be hot at night but it will cool of substantially from the day, I kinda like the warm nights.

50fiftyball

Cheers for all the info, will book flights & hotel tonight. Final bit of advice  -

Can get Sun 5th-Sun 12th for £580 flights - must be a one-off. Is this enough 7 days? I don't want to take it just cause its cheap if we'd be better with 8/9/10 days max (all I can afford). But for even 1 day extra it'll cost me £700 flights..

Regards the hotels - obviously want to be centre strip close to the action, we're both in our early twenties!
I've narrowed it to - Excalibur, Harrah's, LINQ, Westin, Flamingo, Monte Carlo, could push the boat out for New York New York or Polo Towers.. but is it needed for 2 lads ?

Canalman

Quote from: 50fiftyball on June 05, 2015, 04:44:42 PM
Cheers for all the info, will book flights & hotel tonight. Final bit of advice  -

Can get Sun 5th-Sun 12th for £580 flights - must be a one-off. Is this enough 7 days? I don't want to take it just cause its cheap if we'd be better with 8/9/10 days max (all I can afford). But for even 1 day extra it'll cost me £700 flights..

Regards the hotels - obviously want to be centre strip close to the action, we're both in our early twenties!
I've narrowed it to - Excalibur, Harrah's, LINQ, Westin, Flamingo, Monte Carlo, could push the boat out for New York New York or Polo Towers.. but is it needed for 2 lads ?

For me anyway all about location on the strip. Imo best to stay mid strip. Use Ballys as a guidepoint. For me Ny/NY, Excalibur too far one end of the  the strip.
I would choose the cheaper hotels on the strip . They are all pretty ok, big rooms, tv with plenty of channels (alot of them spanish language).

The newish hotels for me anyway are sterile and characterless.



Others may differ in their views.

Mikhailov

Quote from: 50fiftyball on June 05, 2015, 04:44:42 PM
Cheers for all the info, will book flights & hotel tonight. Final bit of advice  -

Can get Sun 5th-Sun 12th for £580 flights - must be a one-off. Is this enough 7 days? I don't want to take it just cause its cheap if we'd be better with 8/9/10 days max (all I can afford). But for even 1 day extra it'll cost me £700 flights..

Regards the hotels - obviously want to be centre strip close to the action, we're both in our early twenties!
I've narrowed it to - Excalibur, Harrah's, LINQ, Westin, Flamingo, Monte Carlo, could push the boat out for New York New York or Polo Towers.. but is it needed for 2 lads ?

Believe me there are quality hotels in LV wherever you choose but as previous poster said, the location is key. The 3* and 4* hotels are like 5* here - you will be pleasantly surprised at what your money will get you. I would go for Mirage/Treasure Island or similar. If you are at one end of the strip it is quite a walk to get to the other end and the best way to experience LV is to walk/stagger everywhere and take it all in. You don't want to spend all your time stuck in taxis in traffic queues. Check out the hotel location map on whatever website you are booking through and you will be able to sort out the hotels from the mid strip location. Mid strip is Caesars Palace area / Ballys area. You sound like you cant wait to get there !!!

AZOffaly

I like MGM Grand, but I also like Caesars Palace, just to say you stayed there 😄 as the lads said most hotels in Vegas are good. The worst I stayed in was with 3 lads from home in one room in a hotel called Bourbon Street, and even that wasn't bad. Mind you it was a water bed, and we were lying across it like hot dogs in a packet 😄 every time some got up for a whiz, the whole bed moved like a tidal wave. 😄