pnut4912

Hi, i'm looking for some good specific activities, tours, sights, and food that are not to be missed in Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Bangkok, and Bali. My full itinerary is below along with where i will located in each city.

The hotels are all booked using points, so I am purely looking for local suggestions on what to do, not where to stay. Also, we already acknowledge that this is a lot of moving around for our time, but its something we've done in the past and enjoy. We are comfortable walking, taking public transit, etc in unfamiliar areas and willing to transit as needed if something is a day trip, etc. Any and all suggestions are much appreciated!


Transit Accomodation
8/24/2012 Friday Depart ORD
8/25/2012 Saturday Arrive BRU Hilton Brussels City
8/26/2012 Sunday Depart BRU
Arrive BKK
Arrive USM Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa
8/28/2012 Tuesday Koh Samui Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa
8/29/2012 Wednesday Koh Samui Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa
8/30/2012 Thursday Depart USM
Arrive CMX Le Méridien Chiang Mai
8/31/2012 Friday Chiang Mai Le Méridien Chiang Mai
Drive Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai
9/1/2012 Saturday Chiang Rai Le Méridien Chiang Rai
9/2/2012 Sunday Depart CEI
Arrive BKK Millennium Hilton Bangkok
9/3/2012 Monday Bangkok Millennium Hilton Bangkok
9/4/2012 Tuesday Depart BKK
Arrive DPS W Retreat & Spa Bali - Seminyak
9/5/2012 Wednesday Bali W Retreat & Spa Bali - Seminyak
9/6/2012 Thursday Bali W Retreat & Spa Bali - Seminyak
9/7/2012 Friday Depart DPS
9/8/2012 Saturday Zurich
9/9/2012 Sunday Arrive ORD

eponymous_coward

Looking at your itinerary in the other thread, it looks like you will only have one full day in Bangkok and two full days in Bali.

The Hilton Millennium is on the river, and it's easy to take boats on boat tours there. You'd be able to hit a temple or two that way. There's also a market nearby and a restaurant ("Be Our Guest") that will save you from the higher prices in the Hilton's restaurant.

If you want to get around town, the Hilton's boats will take you to Saphin Taksin on the BTS Skytrain. That can get you to some places.

Bali doesn't have public transport out where you are; you'll be cabbing it (though there are tour busses). The area around the W has some nightclubs and art galleries, trendy shops, but it's a bit of a walk down the beach to places like Kuta (though I enjoyed doing that, and there's a temple at Pettinget where you might run into locals).

Might I ask... what are things you've done in the past on your feast-paced trips that cover a lot of ground and enjoyed? Might help with the recommendations.

pnut4912

We're big on local culture. We enjoy local eats, markets, shopping. Outdoor activities such as nature treks, zip lining and similar, and more are always on the agenda. And of course some beach relaxation.

eponymous_coward

Well, where you are in Bali is a cab ride into someplace like Kuta if you want to go someplace a bit more lively. If you wanted to do cultural stuff in Ubud or hit the Monkey Forest that's a day tour that you could do from your hotel, or someplace like West Bali National Park.

The beach out where you are at for the W is pretty nice (I didn't stay there when I went last year but I dropped by as I was tramping around).

You'll have easy access to boats and BTS from the Millennium for anything you would want to do in Bangkok.