Thread: Travelling to Thailand - First Time

Elephant riding is great.
Ooh!
Don't forget arguing with the local mafia... priceless.
Or a million baht actually.

^ One of the most beautiful places in Thailand, but not the best idea when you only have two weeks and it's your first trip IMO. It just takes too long to get there.

It doesn't tick enough boxes either. A couple of nights on PP and they will be able to do some amazing snorkeling just like on Similan, but will have the night life and restaurants as well.

Contex resort, Koh Chang, remote pristine private beach, new bungalows facing beach, 600 baht a night, no cars or motorbikes, nice family who runs the place. Great food. Good jungle walking, hornbill watching.
Koh Chang-Ranong

^ Two weeks on Ko Chang? Need to tie it in with other places.

I would definitely recommend Krabi.


it has environment you're looking for + it's a little bit more expensive than rest of the Thailand.

Originally Posted by Fozzy

^ Two weeks on Ko Chang? Need to tie it in with other places.

Why? He's looking for clean water, a place on a beautiful secluded beach, snorkeling, good food and no night clubbing. It doesn't get any better than that.
They could spend a couple days hanging in Ranong visiting the various hot springs, the fish market and eat somtam up in the mountains. It doesn't get any better than that!
Not to mention they wont be asshole to elbow with a gazillion tourists in Krabi, Phuket
or Samui.

^ Because they're in their early twenties. I didn't read "not in to clubbing scene" as that they were dead!

Ko Chang's great but for two whole weeks on your first trip to Thailand when you're in your early twenties. Not for me personally. So much more to see and do.

^Yea but I wouldn't send them to shitholes like Krabi or Samui.

Phuket Town on the other hand is at least interesting and represents a slice of real Thailand.
If they wanna blow some cash and be pampered at a really nice resort I'd send the to The Mangosteen resort in Phuket.
That way they can at least avoid for the most part the grubby busloads of Chinese and Koreans.

Originally Posted by Mr Earl

^Yea but I wouldn't send them to shitholes like Krabi or Samui.

Phuket Town on the other hand is at least interesting and represents a slice of real Thailand.
If they wanna blow some cash and be pampered at a really nice resort I'd send the to The Mangosteen resort in Phuket.
That way they can at least avoid for the most part the grubby busloads of Chinese and Koreans.

The Krabi region is one of the most stunningly beautiful places in Thailand IMO. I still have a vivid memory of the first time I was there when I was about a year older than the OP.

I remember sitting on the back of a songtao as it wound its way through a bendy road with the sheer cliffs on either side as the sun was setting. Fucking stunning.

No offence Earl but I think you're giving them tips for your ideal trip not theirs. You're trying to suggest somewhere quiet and away from it all when they're 23 years old!! 23 year olds want to be where it's at, see what needs seeing and experience everything they can. They don't want a 50 year old couples second honeymoon!

Stop trying to make them jaded old bastards like you.

Lol, some really interesting feedback. Just want to say thanks again guys, still looking but luckily I've started planning it early. We really do apprecicate all the help as we want this holiday to be memorable. Maybe I wasn't clear enough with some things so maybe I'll fill in some more things.

1. We don't like clubbing just because we've done enough in Australia, I'm sure overseas it's different but yeah this is for a relaxing time not who the heck spiked my girlfriends drink while I have to hold her hair back from her vomiting type of thing.

2. We do want to go do travelling around, would love to go see the history, snorkeling, elephant rides and other things whatever else we can throw in.

3. I've been looking for a "beach" front type of place to live in for the two weeks, even if we have to mix the accommodation up, but we do want something that is somewhat modern. Our budget for 14 nights stay is $4000 AUD, and that's just for accommodation, if anyone can show me hotels / suites / any places that are pretty much beach front / beach view that'd be so good for around that price (or cheaper)

4. We will be looking to get a fair few massages, got a few years of tension built up on me :P

The rest will be able to be worked out a lot easier, right now I'm just struggling with the hotel side of things so if anyone else can help it'd be great.

Cheers again!

Originally Posted by Mr Earl

Contex resort, Koh Chang, remote pristine private beach, new bungalows facing beach, 600 baht a night, no cars or motorbikes, nice family who runs the place. Great food. Good jungle walking, hornbill watching.
Koh Chang-Ranong

Your link is to a generic page about Koh Chang.
Do you have a link to the 600B a night resort?

Originally Posted by chassamui

Originally Posted by Mr Earl

Phuket Town on the other hand is at least interesting and represents a slice of real Thailand.

Nothing wrong with Phuket for those who are aware enough to walk round a turd instead of stepping in it.
To say it represents a real slice of Thailand is only true in the geographical sense.

Note I said "Phuket Town" and not just Phuket. There is a significant distinction.

Phuket Town is the old business center, many of the streets and buildings in a French colonial style, with all the charm of old New Orleans, Louisiana, with a a Thai/Chinese twist.
Not to be confused with the rest of Phuket which is mostly a tourist horror show.

Originally Posted by Koojo

Originally Posted by Mr Earl

Contex resort, Koh Chang, remote pristine private beach, new bungalows facing beach, 600 baht a night, no cars or motorbikes, nice family who runs the place. Great food. Good jungle walking, hornbill watching.
Koh Chang-Ranong

Your link is to a generic page about Koh Chang.
Do you have a link to the 600B a night resort?

Here's a better link with phone #'s The price are wrong on the link of course. but the phone #'s probably current.

Koh Chang - Ranong Province - Thailand

Earl, cheers for your help. I apprecicate that you've found a beach and the "quiet' area, but we are looking for better accommodation :P

Soneva Kiri, Koh Kood

Soneva Kiri, Thailand | Soneva Resorts and Residences Official Site

Originally Posted by pseudolus

Soneva Kiri, Koh Kood

Soneva Kiri, Thailand | Soneva Resorts and Residences Official Site

May be reading it wrong, but $2,000 + usd per night..?

@ user chassamui, thanks for the PM I can't reply as my post count isn't over 20+ replies, so I'll do it here:

"Thanks so much for the reply and the help.

Just curious, if we were looking for a place that isn't on the beach, with that budget we could get somthing really nice? "

Why not go to a travel agent as well, they can point you in the right direction and may have good deals.

Will be doing that soon enough,

Just an update, now the mrs is saying it doesn't need to be "near a beach".... Lol women.

We are looking at ;
Phuket Panwa Beachfront Resort ? Live The Moment? Enchant Your Experience

$250 a night, looks pretty decent. Anyone else with any suggestions?

Thanks heaps!

Originally Posted by brae

Will be doing that soon enough,

Just an update, now the mrs is saying it doesn't need to be "near a beach".... Lol women.

But what do YOU say? Lol dickheads.

Lol, fair point but she wears the pants generally. (kidding)

I'm easy to be honest, this was just to get away from our busy lives for a few weeks, have never had a week holiday in 7 years of full time work so whatever gets me away is good enough.

Mate I don't want to be disrespectful but you have many options here and go to a travel agent, that's probably your best bet. We can only say I stayed here or there avoid this or that place. Go with the flow.

Seven years without a holiday? What are you, secret service? You're Australian, the land of bludgers, all love their holidays.