sunshinesarah

Hi there
Totally unrelated to Australia really apart from the fact some of you may have 'done' Thailand as a stop over on the way to Oz or simply gone on holiday from Oz but I'm after good accommodation tips (budget, don't mind backpacker style but clean!).

We went backpacking to Thailand in 2001 and now, having been in Oz 18 months, are going on a long awaited return.

Would welcome any tips ono the following places rather than just go by Lonely Planet's recommendations...

Bangkok (always stayed on Khao San road before open to other suggestions)
Krabi
Koh Samui
Ko Pang Ngan
Koh Phi Phi (anyone been post Tsunami? Have heard it's mainly 5* resorts opening??)

Thanks a lot
Sunshine Sarah

Buzzy--Bee

Hi, we stayed in Bangkok on a stopover to Oz, we stayed at the 5 star Shangri-La hotel which was about £25 per night for the room!!!!

Cheers

Buzzy

Rachel1978

Hi, I've stayed in Bangkok, Koh Samui and Ko Pang Ngan. We stayed in the Asia Hotel in Bangkok which I really liked. Has I think five different restaurants inside and a couple of pools and is in a good location quite central in Bangkok.

Samui is nice, very commercialised now, has plenty of clubs, bars and restaurants along the main drag in Chaweng, even a boots chemist!

The hotels are all very nice along there, would stay away from Lamai beach, we stayed for a couple of nights and there's a lot of girlie bars and middle aged men hanging around them. We stayed at the beachcomber in Chaweng and found it nice.

Ko Pang Kgan is my favourite, the best time to visit is for the full moon party, but the island does get full very easily so best to book accommodation. We stayed at Tommy resort and wouldn't recommend, we had some money stolen from the safe there. Accommodation is all quite basic, we had cold water showers and just a sheet and pillow for bedding. Would definately recommend the visit though, I would love to go back for another party there

sunshinesarah

Blimey! Bargain. Was that recently? Did you book or was that a 'walk in' off the street price?

Sarah

Buzzy--Bee

That was january 2004, and we booked through a UK travel agent www.travelmood.co.uk

Cheers

Buzzy

geordie downunder

[QUOTE=sunshinesarah]Hi there
Totally unrelated to Australia really apart from the fact some of you may have 'done' Thailand as a stop over on the way to Oz or simply gone on holiday from Oz but I'm after good accommodation tips (budget, don't mind backpacker style but clean!).

We went backpacking to Thailand in 2001 and now, having been in Oz 18 months, are going on a long awaited return.

Would welcome any tips ono the following places rather than just go by Lonely Planet's recommendations...

We have a retirement home in Chiang Mai but I know bangkok very well and drive round there a lot.stay in mid Sukhumvit road then night life is within walking/sky train distance.the islands are more commercialised now,Krabi is where the religious problems may be found so possibly dangerous .On S/khvt road soi 8 the President is a clean basic hotel for around 600 baht a night.On soi 15 is the Manhattan which probably can be booked online and viewed online (Manhattan bangkok into google should do) around 1100 baht a night. on soi 19 there is a backpackers run by an indian family,around 300 baht a night probably 100 metres up from the Honey hotel (1000 a night).Soi 13 has the Miami hotel,long past its best when US soldiers had Rand R there from the vietnam war but cheap around 600 per night.The haus of Munchen over the road from Manhattan does a passable jaegerschnitzel if you like german food.Skytrain will take you to Patpong night market for approx 30 baht each,last train is 11-45 pm i think and taxi-tuk tuk drivers will rip you off to take you back to S/khvt road.For P/pong change on the sky train at Siam interchange station and get off at Sala daeng.Buses can be caught to all parts of Thailand from Ekamai bus station on the sky train route Ekamai station.there is a good cheap market at Victory Monument again sky train route but off the tourist track.Bus from the airport is approx 120 baht each ,a taxi is around 250,catch a taxi from the departure terminal (upstairs) as there is a 50 baht surcharge from the arrival hall.Try thai food but if you do not like very hot chillies give it a miss.Prices are subject to seasonal changes,we go up next month.have a good time.

sunshinesarah

GREAT info - thanks so much. We tend NOT to like to book anywhere in advance and just wing it.
Surprised what you said re Krabi - had only hear good things about the place.
Would welcome more info on the 'religious problems' you mentioned, if you have time to write more.

Sunshine Sarah

geordie downunder

Like the UK Thailand has tribes so to speak (jocks,geordies,welsh etc),in the south there are a few muslims that over the past 18 months have been causing trouble,letting off bombs etc and quite a few people have died,mainly thais.Usually not in the tourist areas but you never know.Krabi is nice,a friend lives there and loves it but he stays away from problem areas.Overall thailand and BKK would be one of the safest holiday places in the world but it is changing rapidly as cheap air fares put more football hooligans on the beaches of Pattaya than in Spain,and the internet makes thais aware of the rest of the world.Still a great place to holiday and live but be aware there can be problems if you go off the beaten track outside of BKK and other tourist areas.Thais take UK football very seriously and a lot of fights and gambling result from it but outside of the tourist areas.The hotel on soi 8 is Premier not president (alzheimers kicking in I think).Have a good time,great backpacking and working there in the 70,s when it was well off the beaten track.

sunshinesarah

I was horrified at how horrible Pattaya and parts of Phuket were 5 years ago so am hoping other areas have not been ruined.

Think we'll take our chances with Krabi - I so want to go there.

Another Geordie Down Under eh - my man's from Shiney Row and is SO happy Graham Souness has been sacked!

Thanks again