Two weeks in Bangkok... Recommend a side trip

robyntmorton

Hi all,

I'm hoping you can give me some advice.

I'm going to Bangkok for two weeks (end May to mid June). This is my first time in Thailand. A couple of colleagues have recommended Phuket and Phi Phi separately. My question is, would you recommend one, the other or both as a side trip (approx 5 days mid trip) or something completely different?

Just for background: I'm female, early 30's and travelling solo, though solo travel doesn't bother me.

Thanks for any advice

The Buster

I like Bangkok but 2 weeks is too long there! Maybe 2 or 3 days at both start and end of trip and leaves you 8 or 9 days for side trips.

The islands are great. Either of two you mentioned. I would probably prefer Samui over the two but it is a bit more expensive. Also if you are flying there the flights to Samui are expensive.

Would also add Chang mai to you list of options. I think t would be a grea5 option for solo travel. There is plenty to do

MarkY91

2 weeks is far too long in Bangkok or any city. I however spent longer than I needed I'm Bangkok and enjoyed myself as I was being shown around by local friends and my brother and I enjoyed the nightlife a little too much.

I'd suggest a couple of days in Bangkok exploring the temples. Definitely get yourself to Ayutthaya..it's temple heaven.

I haven't been to Chiang Mai but I've never heard anyone have anything bad to say about it.

robyntmorton

Thanks for the replies so far. I could probably get lost in the city, and happily spend several days there, but yeah, I am thinking the full 2 weeks will be a little long. At least while I am in that part of the world it is easy to hop about.

I had a look at flying to Phuket, and can do it for about €50, but at this point nothing is decided except for the flights to and from BKK, so the recommendations are awesome:)

pleas advice

One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can't be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me

Froggy123

I would recommend Chiang Man, Koh Samui and Koh tao.

When I went to Thailand a few years ago, I flew into Bangkok and was sad to leave, however as soon as I went to other places in Thailand I realised how good it can be.

If you are only there for 2 weeks, I recommend just flying to Koh Samui, 1 or 2 days and then getting the ferry over to Koh tao, such a beautiful place.

If your vibe is moreso seeing elephants, hiking (things like that) Chiang Mai in northern Thailand would be best!!

robyntmorton

My flights to and from Bangkok are confirmed at this point, so that's why I'm working from there. Chiang Mai isn't one I'd considered but it has come up a couple of times, so I'll be looking more into it. Likewise Kho Samui.

Thanks for the advice (and song lyrics) so far!

Tilikum17

There’s an elephant sanctuary about 2hrs from Bangkok. We went there a few years ago.

Wild life friends of Thailand. Something like that. It’s actually a proper santuary, not one of those **** holes where you ride on the poor elephants back.

We did 1 night in Bangkok. Few night in phi phi, few nights in Khao lak & a few nights in Phuket. The highlight of the trip was meeting the elephants.

Fly to samui and get the boat to koh phangan.
you wont regret it!

shar01

Kanchanaburi.

We stayed here - https://www.uhotelsresorts.com/en/uinchantreekanchanaburi/default.html

We also did a few nights in Chiang Mai. It is worth it. Chances are you'll get cheap flights with Air Asia. A work colleague was in Thailand just before Christmas. Their itinerary was fairly loose so internal flights were booked close to departure and were still cheap.

Uncharted

Absolutely don't spend 2 weeks in Bangkok if you only have 2 weeks available to you. It's definitely a 2-3 night location at most.

The temples in Bangkok are a must,I'd also recommend the floating markets and a quick bit of shopping/browsing on Khao San road.
I'd use Bangkok to your advantage as a bookend to your trip.

I'd second other posters opinion on Koh Samui. Internal flights are cheap as chips,and Samui is beautiful. Fly to Surathani and then take the short ferry. Chaweng beach is the liveliest area(touristy).

Phuket is also an excellent option.Patong beach is their temple bar. Bangla road is an experience in itself.
The rest of the island is beautiful.


Alternatively Koh Samet is about a 4 hour bus ride from Bangkok also.
Beautiful white sand beach.
Much more sedate island though.

Enjoy your trip.

ozzy jr

You should consider Cambodia too. I loved Phnom Penh, and it's only an hour away. Plenty to do there for a couple of days. I haven't been but Ankor Wat is also easily accessible from Bangkok.

robyntmorton

I'm starting to think two weeks is not enough! Maybe a second trip will be needed

I'm not one to try and do too much too quickly, so you're making it difficult to choose what happens when!

Another question: Internal travel - fly, bus or train?

Uncharted

robyntmorton wrote: »

I'm starting to think two weeks is not enough! Maybe a second trip will be needed

I'm not one to try and do too much too quickly, so you're making it difficult to choose what happens when!

Another question: Internal travel - fly, bus or train?

If time is of the essence,flights are obviously key. If you're being more relaxed,I'd recommend the train. Nearly all of the train journeys are far more scenic than the main road option.

Bussing around in Thailand would not be my preferred choice,im probably biased because iv done my fair share of 5 to 6 hour bus rides over there.
Flights are crazy cheap too. Most averaging roughly 45 - 70 euro. About 2000-3000baht.

On a 2 week trip,I'd recommend flying but I'd certainly suggest attempting one train trip.
Great photo ops too.

Enjoy

Uncharted

Uncharted wrote: »

Internal flights are cheap as chips,and Samui is beautiful.

This was not true when I was there in 2016,
I think the flight was 300e each round trip to Samui .
30 minute flight,they started serving lunch before the plane was at cruising altitude and hardly had time to finish eating before we were on the ground !

Uncharted

BrownFinger wrote: »

This was not true when I was there in 2016,
I think the flight was 300e each round trip to Samui .

Wow,that seems high. My last trip there was 2012,booked flights with Nok Air. Off the top of my head,roughly 3000/3500 baht. (70 euro ish.) One way admittedly.

True about the on board food though

Handed a 6inch pizza flatbread thing about 5 minutes into the flight

ozzy jr

You can fly to Surat Thani with Air Asia and then a short ferry trip out to Samui, it works out cheaper and is a nice way to land on the island. As far as I know Bangkok Airways are the only airline to fly direct from Bangkok (that's the way it was when I first went).

A short train journay (2-3 hours) out to Kanchanaburi for the River Kwai Bridge is a nice day out from Bangkok.

So much to do, can't wait to go back!

robyntmorton

Hi all,

Just for an update, and hopefully to help others, I have decided to do Phuket and Phi Phi as a side trip, so I'm doing 4 nights in Bangkok, flying to Phuket, spending 2 nights in Patong, 3 nights on Phi Phi, 1 night back in Phuket town, and back to Bangkok.

Flights: Bangkok to Phuket is served by too many airlines to count, so feel free to shop around. I'm flying out with Thai and back with Nok, costing about 30 each way including luggage.
Accommodation: There's a huge variety of accommodation in Phuket, so you can go from really cheap to really expensive. I spent between 11 and 15 euro per night, for a double room. Phi phi does come up more expensive, and I was treating myself, so I have a bungalow for the 3 nights at about 24 euro per night.

Hope this helps someone, and for the other suggestions, there's always next time

Uncharted

Enjoy your trip

irishrover99

robyntmorton wrote: »

Hi all,

Just for an update, and hopefully to help others, I have decided to do Phuket and Phi Phi as a side trip, so I'm doing 4 nights in Bangkok, flying to Phuket, spending 2 nights in Patong, 3 nights on Phi Phi, 1 night back in Phuket town, and back to Bangkok.

Flights: Bangkok to Phuket is served by too many airlines to count, so feel free to shop around. I'm flying out with Thai and back with Nok, costing about 30 each way including luggage.
Accommodation: There's a huge variety of accommodation in Phuket, so you can go from really cheap to really expensive. I spent between 11 and 15 euro per night, for a double room. Phi phi does come up more expensive, and I was treating myself, so I have a bungalow for the 3 nights at about 24 euro per night.

Hope this helps someone, and for the other suggestions, there's always next time

When you are on Phi Phi, i am sure you will go up to the viewing point as most people do, but don't come back down the same way you go up which will more likely be on the pathway plus a few hundred steps.

From the top look out for a walk down the opposite side through the jungle to a beach called Rantee bay.
I done it about 9 years ago and it wasn't very well known at the time and at the time it was a good work out going through the Jungle on the small pathway but you come out to views like this(jungle will be behind you)
https://www.chiangdao.com/hotels4/asiahotels/thailandhotels/kohphiphihotels/newranteebeachresort2.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbawF9Axzl8

Its amazing and the beach is quiet. You'll need to take a long tail boat back to the main beach but its really worth it and its really cheap for the boat trip.

robyntmorton

irishrover99 wrote: »

When you are on Phi Phi, i am sure you will go up to the viewing point as most people do, but don't come back down the same way you go up which will more likely be on the pathway plus a few hundred steps.

From the top look out for a walk down the opposite side through the jungle to a beach called Rantee bay.
I done it about 9 years ago and it wasn't very well known at the time and at the time it was a good work out going through the Jungle on the small pathway but you come out to views like this(jungle will be behind you)
https://www.chiangdao.com/hotels4/asiahotels/thailandhotels/kohphiphihotels/newranteebeachresort2.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbawF9Axzl8

Its amazing and the beach is quiet. You'll need to take a long tail boat back to the main beach but its really worth it and its really cheap for the boat trip.

Okay, I think I'm going to have to do that! It looks stunning!

secman

I'd say it an amazing place for gravel bikes or MTB, for something totally different to here.

robyntmorton

secman wrote: »

I'd say it an amazing place for gravel bikes or MTB, for something totally different to here.

And me being a devout roadie! Dare I convert (temporarily)?

irishrover99

Not much gravel riding in Phuket tbh from what I have seen although you will get some on road/ off road day trips on MTBs I’d say but I can’t imaging the sections of off road would link up into much more than few hundred meters at times.
If you can get a road bike, the coast road all around the island is amazing with some cracking places to stop for food or coffee with amazing views.
Make sure you bring you helmet and lights even for day time if you are planning anything.
Chiang Mai is a different story all together for cycling.
https://www.strava.com/routes/169183

ozzy jr

If you want a nice safe road bike experience in Thailand, there's a purpose built cycle path around BKK airport. One lap is 23km. I've cycled it a couple of times, its brilliant.

snotboogie

Uncharted wrote: »

Wow,that seems high. My last trip there was 2012,booked flights with Nok Air. Off the top of my head,roughly 3000/3500 baht. (70 euro ish.) One way admittedly.

True about the on board food though

Handed a 6inch pizza flatbread thing about 5 minutes into the flight

Nok Air don’t fly to Samui. Bangkok Airways own the airport and only let certain foreign providers operate there (at the moment I think it is only Chinese routes) to give themselves a monopoly on the Bangkok route. Hence why the prices are so high. You can however fly to Surat Thani with Nok Air for much cheaper and then get the boat across to Samui.

OP I’d take into consideration that you are going during rainy season and Samui gets far less rain than Phuket at this time of year.

robyntmorton

ozzy jr wrote: »

If you want a nice safe road bike experience in Thailand, there's a purpose built cycle path around BKK airport. One lap is 23km. I've cycled it a couple of times, its brilliant.

I had actually read that somewhere previously. It sounds cool!

Uncharted

snotboogie wrote: »

Nok Air don’t fly to Samui. Bangkok Airways own the airport and only let certain foreign providers operate there (at the moment I think it is only Chinese routes) to give themselves a monopoly on the Bangkok route. Hence why the prices are so high. You can however fly to Surat Thani with Nok Air for much cheaper and then get the boat across to Samui.

OP I’d take into consideration that you are going during rainy season and Samui gets far less rain than Phuket at this time of year.

Exactly what I did,I flew to Surat Thani.

I'm not sure why you quoted my post,when you're informing the OP about no direct flights to Samui. ??


The heavily diesel fumed ferry crossing was actually well worth it,because as it chugs along, the landscape reveals some beautiful Buddha statues along the river bank.

robyntmorton

Firstly, excuse the bump.

Secondly, I embarked on my adventure today, and type this from Frankfurt Airport, waiting for my onward flight. With that in mind, I wanted to thank everyone again for their advice, and will add to this thread, if not during my trip, than afterwards, as my way of paying it forward Hopefully the advice given to me will lead to good advice for someone else.

ozzy jr

Looking forward to hearing how you get on. Have a great trip.

robyntmorton

So, just a brief update from Phi Phi.

This country is amazing. There are so many different ways of looking at it. Here on Phi Phi everything is so laid back, and the view on the beach is spectacular. Patong is a bit more intense, depending on where you are and when, but still charming. Bangkok is another world altogether, but impresses in it's own way.

I'll try write more when I get back

blowin3

Uncharted wrote: »

Exactly what I did,I flew to Surat Thani.

I'm not sure why you quoted my post,when you're informing the OP about no direct flights to Samui. ??


The heavily diesel fumed ferry crossing was actually well worth it,because as it chugs along, the landscape reveals some beautiful Buddha statues along the river bank.

There is also a flight to Chumphon and catch the ferry there.

TimeToShine

Khao Sok national park is fabulous if you're into nature and hiking.