Mileage Run & Beach Resort in Thailand (help)
May 29, 2001, 1:19 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: WILD ANIMAL PARK (SAN), CA> GOLD-CO, MARRIOTT, HH, STARWOOD, HYATT,
Posts: 1,373
I didn't realize, that you wanted a secluded beach with a nice hotel! Romantic interlude?
From the Penisula Hotel take their boat across the river to the Oriental Pier and pick up the Riverside Marriott Free water taxi for a trip down the river for lunch or dinner seafood buffet on the terrace (weather permitting-NOT TOO hot!). Tour the hotel/gardens/pool and take their water taxi back to the Oriental pier, etc.
It is the best of travel!
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Don't let what you are being get in the way of what you might become.
From the Penisula Hotel take their boat across the river to the Oriental Pier and pick up the Riverside Marriott Free water taxi for a trip down the river for lunch or dinner seafood buffet on the terrace (weather permitting-NOT TOO hot!). Tour the hotel/gardens/pool and take their water taxi back to the Oriental pier, etc.
It is the best of travel!
------------------
Don't let what you are being get in the way of what you might become.
May 29, 2001, 5:31 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2001
Location: SAN
Programs: AA GLD 1MM, WN CP, etc. etc.
Posts: 386
We (I, actually, I'll let her in on the idea if it looks good) have been considering the same sort of thing; does anyone have any suggestions for places and hotels that would be
- as SLC2002 said, not DiscoCity -- more peaceful and
- high luxury, high sophistication (doesn't have to mean Americanized, shouldn't, in fact) and
- supports/close to scuba diving opportunities?
Thanks!
--L
- as SLC2002 said, not DiscoCity -- more peaceful and
- high luxury, high sophistication (doesn't have to mean Americanized, shouldn't, in fact) and
- supports/close to scuba diving opportunities?
Thanks!
--L
May 29, 2001, 7:45 pm
#18
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: BKK - 1P
Posts: 986
SLC2002 - Your plan is sound, although you may never want to leave the Peninsula. Call someone from the speakerphone in the bathtub!
Ko Samet should be just right for you. Fair warning, the drive down to Rayong from BKK can be a test of nerves. Make very certain that your driver (of whatever vehicle) will be taking the upper (toll) road. Insist! We paid $50 for this ride and the driver stuck to the lower road, which has uncontrolled cross traffic, just to pocket the $1 toll.
And be sure to skip Pattaya.
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"Blue days, all of them gone, nothin' but blue skies from now on"
Ko Samet should be just right for you. Fair warning, the drive down to Rayong from BKK can be a test of nerves. Make very certain that your driver (of whatever vehicle) will be taking the upper (toll) road. Insist! We paid $50 for this ride and the driver stuck to the lower road, which has uncontrolled cross traffic, just to pocket the $1 toll.
And be sure to skip Pattaya.
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"Blue days, all of them gone, nothin' but blue skies from now on"
May 30, 2001, 4:59 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: SLC
Programs: DL 1MM Plat; UAL 1K, Starwood Plat
Posts: 394
Originally posted by lairdb:
We (I, actually, I'll let her in on the idea if it looks good) have been considering the same sort of thing; does anyone have any suggestions for places and hotels that would be
- as SLC2002 said, not DiscoCity -- more peaceful and
- high luxury, high sophistication (doesn't have to mean Americanized, shouldn't, in fact) and
- supports/close to scuba diving opportunities?
Thanks!
--L
We (I, actually, I'll let her in on the idea if it looks good) have been considering the same sort of thing; does anyone have any suggestions for places and hotels that would be
- as SLC2002 said, not DiscoCity -- more peaceful and
- high luxury, high sophistication (doesn't have to mean Americanized, shouldn't, in fact) and
- supports/close to scuba diving opportunities?
Thanks!
--L
Lairdb,
You should buy the Lonely Planet Guild book -- It has a wealth of information about the different Thai resorts and cities. When are you heading over? If I get back before you leave, I’ll be glad to let you know my opinions.
Jun 1, 2001, 6:42 am
#20
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: NYC -- UA 1K; SPG Platinum; HH Diamond.
Posts: 2,924
Would it make sense to go to Bangkok and Phuket in late June--July considering the rain season? I'm looking to relax, shop and sight-see in Bangkok and relax, dive and spend time on the beach in Phuket.
Any thoughts?
Any thoughts?
Jun 1, 2001, 7:40 am
#21
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: alexandria, Virginia usa
Posts: 1,092
While it is the rainy season for the western resorts, it is the dry season for the Gulf of Siam resorts like Koh Samui. Last summer we braved the rainy season to visit Phi Phi Islands and were lucky- only a few brief showers in 8 days.Hotel prices are drastically reduced for the Andaman sea resorts and high season Prices for the Gulf of Siam resorts. The weather watchers say that despite the title of monsoon season, periodic showers are more likely than steady rain for days on end- it is said that one can expect rain half the time during the season. We lucked out. On a previous trip to Samui in July, it was dry- as predicted.
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Jun 2, 2001, 9:51 am
#22
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: New York New York USA
Posts: 4
For seclusion in Phuket, try Kata Thani:
http://www.phuket.com/katathani/
For a great place to stay in Bangkok, try Pantip Court. It is a "serviced apartment," meaning it is an apartment house run like a hotel, 24-hour room service and all:
http://www.pantip-court.com
Royality is known to stay there, and the prices are unbelievably reasonable.
http://www.phuket.com/katathani/
For a great place to stay in Bangkok, try Pantip Court. It is a "serviced apartment," meaning it is an apartment house run like a hotel, 24-hour room service and all:
http://www.pantip-court.com
Royality is known to stay there, and the prices are unbelievably reasonable.
Jun 3, 2001, 3:22 pm
#24
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 172
I have been to Koh Samet (Samed), Koh Samui, Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lak and Similan Islands.
My favorite is Koh Samui, which is still very affordable and more unspoiled than Phuket.
Koh Samet is mainly for day-trippers from Pattaya and backpackers. The same kind of luxury accommodations on Koh Samet costs 100-200% more than those on Koh Samui. Koh Samui is a lot bigger island and offers more activities. Chaweng Beach has some noisy bars but other beaches are very relax. It still doesn’t have the big disco or high rise buildings that Phuket has.
I would suggest flying to Samui from Bangkok than Singapore. Singapore as a city is a lot more expensive and bored. There is only one flight from Singapore to Samui except Friday to Sunday. Bangkok has hourly flights to Samui and roundtrip tickets cost half of that from Singapore. Hotels in Bangkok are also 50% cheaper than Singapore.
It takes only an hour to fly from Bangkok to Samui. I went there 2 times and will be there soon this August.
I will use my UAL miles for the roundtrip tickets. I need to stopover HK first. Thus I have to fly from HK to Singapore and I need to buy my own ticket SIN-Samui-SIN. UAL doesn’t fly from HK to BKK.
If I don’t need to stopover in HK, I definitely would fly to Bangkok and then Samui.
My favorite is Koh Samui, which is still very affordable and more unspoiled than Phuket.
Koh Samet is mainly for day-trippers from Pattaya and backpackers. The same kind of luxury accommodations on Koh Samet costs 100-200% more than those on Koh Samui. Koh Samui is a lot bigger island and offers more activities. Chaweng Beach has some noisy bars but other beaches are very relax. It still doesn’t have the big disco or high rise buildings that Phuket has.
I would suggest flying to Samui from Bangkok than Singapore. Singapore as a city is a lot more expensive and bored. There is only one flight from Singapore to Samui except Friday to Sunday. Bangkok has hourly flights to Samui and roundtrip tickets cost half of that from Singapore. Hotels in Bangkok are also 50% cheaper than Singapore.
It takes only an hour to fly from Bangkok to Samui. I went there 2 times and will be there soon this August.
I will use my UAL miles for the roundtrip tickets. I need to stopover HK first. Thus I have to fly from HK to Singapore and I need to buy my own ticket SIN-Samui-SIN. UAL doesn’t fly from HK to BKK.
If I don’t need to stopover in HK, I definitely would fly to Bangkok and then Samui.
Jun 3, 2001, 3:50 pm
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: SLC
Programs: DL 1MM Plat; UAL 1K, Starwood Plat
Posts: 394
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by travelem:
I have been to Koh Samet (Samed), Koh Samui, Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lak and Similan Islands.
My favorite is Koh Samui, which is still very affordable and more unspoiled than Phuket.
Koh Samet is mainly for day-trippers from Pattaya and backpackers. The same kind of luxury accommodations on Koh Samet costs 100-200% more than those on Koh Samui. Koh Samui is a lot bigger island and offers more activities. Chaweng Beach has some noisy bars but other beaches are very relax. It still doesn’t have the big disco or high rise buildings that Phuket has.
I would suggest flying to Samui from Bangkok than Singapore. Singapore as a city is a lot more expensive and bored. There is only one flight from Singapore to Samui except Friday to Sunday. Bangkok has hourly flights to Samui and roundtrip tickets cost half of that from Singapore. Hotels in Bangkok are also 50% cheaper than Singapore.
It takes only an hour to fly from Bangkok to Samui. I went there 2 times and will be there soon this August.
I will use my UAL miles for the roundtrip tickets. I need to stopover HK first. Thus I have to fly from HK to Singapore and I need to buy my own ticket SIN-Samui-SIN. UAL doesn’t fly from HK to BKK.
If I don’t need to stopover in HK, I definitely would fly to Bangkok and then Samui. </font>
I have been to Koh Samet (Samed), Koh Samui, Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lak and Similan Islands.
My favorite is Koh Samui, which is still very affordable and more unspoiled than Phuket.
Koh Samet is mainly for day-trippers from Pattaya and backpackers. The same kind of luxury accommodations on Koh Samet costs 100-200% more than those on Koh Samui. Koh Samui is a lot bigger island and offers more activities. Chaweng Beach has some noisy bars but other beaches are very relax. It still doesn’t have the big disco or high rise buildings that Phuket has.
I would suggest flying to Samui from Bangkok than Singapore. Singapore as a city is a lot more expensive and bored. There is only one flight from Singapore to Samui except Friday to Sunday. Bangkok has hourly flights to Samui and roundtrip tickets cost half of that from Singapore. Hotels in Bangkok are also 50% cheaper than Singapore.
It takes only an hour to fly from Bangkok to Samui. I went there 2 times and will be there soon this August.
I will use my UAL miles for the roundtrip tickets. I need to stopover HK first. Thus I have to fly from HK to Singapore and I need to buy my own ticket SIN-Samui-SIN. UAL doesn’t fly from HK to BKK.
If I don’t need to stopover in HK, I definitely would fly to Bangkok and then Samui. </font>
Thanks for the feedback. The place we are staying at (Ao Proa -- Ko Samet) is $$$ for Thailand but it is also on its own beach (only one other resort near by). We are on the opposite side of the island from town. I assume most of the day-trippers spend their time on that side of the island where there is more to do and more restaurants. I guess I’ll know more in a few weeks.
[This message has been edited by SLC2002 (edited 06-03-2001).]
Jun 5, 2001, 10:39 am
#27
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Santa Barbara, CA USA
Posts: 20
Ao Prao is a lovely, tiny little island. You can take a ferry over to Kho Samui. Ao Prao is for divers mostly and has fantastic little cottages on the rocks. After working in Thailand for 4 years we have to go back every year to explore more beaches that we did not get to . Avoid Penang and beaches nearby. water is terrible, food is only passable, and worst of all it is not Thailand.
Jun 5, 2001, 11:29 am
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: SLC
Programs: DL 1MM Plat; UAL 1K, Starwood Plat
Posts: 394
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by Safari:
Ao Prao is a lovely, tiny little island. You can take a ferry over to Kho Samui. Ao Prao is for divers mostly and has fantastic little cottages on the rocks. After working in Thailand for 4 years we have to go back every year to explore more beaches that we did not get to . Avoid Penang and beaches nearby. water is terrible, food is only passable, and worst of all it is not Thailand. </font>
Ao Prao is a lovely, tiny little island. You can take a ferry over to Kho Samui. Ao Prao is for divers mostly and has fantastic little cottages on the rocks. After working in Thailand for 4 years we have to go back every year to explore more beaches that we did not get to . Avoid Penang and beaches nearby. water is terrible, food is only passable, and worst of all it is not Thailand. </font>
Jun 5, 2001, 11:39 am
#29
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 172
As far as I know, Ao Prao isn't an island.
It is a small beach (200M length) on the NW corner of Koh Samet. Koh Samet is too far away from Koh Samui, there is no ferry between these two island.
I think the previous poster misidentify Ao Prao as Koh Tao. Koh Tao is a famous scuba diving island close to Koh Samui. There are also ferry and speed boat between these two islands.
However, there is still not much to do on Ao Prao because Koh Samet is simply too small.
It is a small beach (200M length) on the NW corner of Koh Samet. Koh Samet is too far away from Koh Samui, there is no ferry between these two island.
I think the previous poster misidentify Ao Prao as Koh Tao. Koh Tao is a famous scuba diving island close to Koh Samui. There are also ferry and speed boat between these two islands.
However, there is still not much to do on Ao Prao because Koh Samet is simply too small.