Thinking of a trip to Thailand/Cambodia/Viet Nam....suggestions anyone?

[likesmountains 52]

I like active travel....hiking, biking..living among the locals. Thanks!

[DrDan]

1. only one suggestion

GO!

My wife has Viet Nam high on our list of places to visit.

Have been to Thailand several times - Bangkok and Phuket. If you go - make sure you visit the snake farm - what a facinating place. Phuket is wonderful - of course, it was hit hard by the tsunami - so not sure how accessible it is. It is one of the few places left where you can actually see elephants in a working role. The beaches are great. Terrific restaurants. The diving is world-class. Bangkok also has great food - and the shopping and custom tailor shops are probably better than Honk Kong.

Enjoy!

[Jean Louise Finch]

2. advice from a local

I've been living in Bangkok for three years and have hit up a bunch of places in the region. In summary: come to Bangkok to eat, I think the food (all the food, not just the thai food) is better than any food anywhere has any right to be; go to Hanoi and surrounds for epic cuteness; and go to Angkor Wat to see the most amazing complex of temples you'll ever see in your life! The beaches in Phuket have all recovered from the tsunami, you just have to get an up to date guidebook as a lot of the guesthouses and things have changed hands/names. A few areas in the province north of Phuket are still recovering, but the beaches are super easy to get to and they need your tourism dollars. There are other amazing beaches, too, not just in Phuket. If you have the time to explore around the smaller islands it's well worth it. Here's a good list: http://www.travelfish.org/islands.php

DrDan -- I am so delighted to hear that you liked the snake farm in Bangkok. It's my number one favorite thing to do in the city, it's absolutely amazing. I think i've been 8 times! Did you take the canal boats around Thonburi as well perchance? That's the second best activity.

I'm headed up to Luang Prabang this weekend in Lao PDR and shall report back -- i've heard nothing but glorious tales about it so it might be worth adding to the itinerary. I am moving back to the states in a few months after being abroad for six years -- have to soak up the region while I can.

Jean Louise

[DrDan]

3. no - unfortunately we have not taken the canal boats

But - as you said, the food in Bangkok was absolutely wonderful.

There was one restaurant in particular - located either on a stationary boat or something similar that was very highly recommended. And we were not let down one bit. The food was absolutely incredible. I suppose there are a number of these - but I remember this one in particular as it was so highly recommended. That was quite a few years ago (15 or 16), but does this ring a bell?

The Snake Farm used to be run by the Red Cross - I guess because of the collection of venom. Is that still the case?

[Jean Louise Finch]

6. Indeed it is

They make the antivenom there still, milk the snakes during the show (as well as in the actual laboratories etc). I do believe it's just undergone extensive renovations -- I have a friend in town and intend to visit again in a few weeks!

There are heaps of boats along the river that serve great food, I wonder if you were at one called Supatra? Or the one associated with the Oriental? Some of them tend to tone things down so they don't blow the heads off the tourists, but it's a lovely lovely setting and some of them are just divine!

[likesmountains 52]

4. Wow! Thanks for the suggestion..you must have had an awesome 3 years..

[likesmountains 52]

5. Also, what months would you suggest for a visit? Thanks

[Jean Louise Finch]

7. it depends on your tolerance for heat

Like the rest of the world, climate change has really messed up the seasons, so it's all a bit up in the air these days. In Thailand, it's always hot, except in the Northern regions. But Bangkok is ALWAYS hot. It's quite weird to live here (I'm from New Hampshire!) and never experience even the slightest sensation of being cold (except in the movie theatres, skytrain and shopping malls where they crank up the AC to unbearably frigid levels). Traditionally, the most delightful time of year to be in Thailand is between November and early February. Avoid March/April/May like the plague as it's absolutely brain meltingly hot and tends to be rather miserable, especially in the cities. Even the Thais whinge about it incessantly (not just me, who melts in a pile as soon as I step out into the sun). The problem is if you come in Nov-Feb it's high season and so things are more crowded and generally more expensive. I quite like June-October, as long as you don't mind a bit of rain --- there are incredibly impressive earth shattering thunderbolts and rain like you've never seen for about an hour or two most afternoons. But it's worth thinking about the weather in other parts of the region too. It gets legitimately cold in Hanoi (not freezing, but rainy and damp and definitely jacket-worthy) in the period Nov-Feb, which for me is glorious respite but if you're aiming tropical it's probably not a great time to come. Angkor Wat is always hot, as far as I can tell, and you're always outside, so you just get used to being hot and dirty. Always. I think it's really important that visitors be prepared for the weather -- it's really super hot. My family came to visit during the December "cool period" and wilted immediately on stepping outside...the heat and humidity is really different from anything I'd experienced before coming here. Obviously somewhere like Bangkok just retains it like crazy, and you get a bit of a breeze when you get to the islands or the parks.

There are definitely cool and interesting treks in national parks around Thailand, as I think you mentioned you like being outside and doing active stuff. Khao Yai and Khao Sok are two famous parks that are super popular with Thais and tourists both; I think Khao Sok is a bit more wildernessy, but I think you'd be rather hard pressed to find any true wilderness in Thailand any more! Some of the border towns in the north, like Mae Hong Son, Pai and Chiang Rai, are also great for motorbiking around/biking around, etc. Great rockclimbing and kayaking down on the islands, too.

Anyway, keep us posted on whether you decide to make the trek!!

Jean Louise

[babylonsister]

8. Just the person I'd like to talk to! Jean Louise,

do you have any thoughts on Phuket? My DH is currently planning a trip there; we fly standby, so we needed to pick a place that has more than one airline servicing it.
We've been to Thailand before, did the Bangkok tour, spent a week in Hua Hin, and decided we'd like to go back.
If possible, can you recommend any areas in Phuket that might be more desirable than others, or any decent hotels? We're both beach bums and love nothing more to relax on the beach and read, besides going to the amazing seafood restaurants (if they're anything like Hua Hin). I went and picked up a Lonely Planet today on your advice, but their newest addition is pre-tsunami, 2005, so will be roaming the internets to see what's available.
Thanks for any info!
And we're from 'back east', MA and NY respectively. You must have had quite a culture shock moving to Bangkok, but what an experience you'll never forget!

[Jean Louise Finch]

9. Phuket is good times!

Hi babylonsister!

Phuket is really lovely, the beaches are much prettier than Hua Hin. I've stayed at both Kata and Karon beaches, which are beautiful, with lots of yummy places to eat beach front. Hat Surin in the northwestern part of the island is also lovely, more secluded and quieter, but I was there before the tsunami so I don't know what it's like now. My impression is really that these places have all recovered, though, so I think you'll be fine in Phuket.

Number one piece of advice: Avoid Patong beach like the plague -- there's nothing there you want to see, it's the grossest, most over-developed girlie-bar part of the province.

Sorry about the Lonely Planet, I thought they had a new updated version. The Rough Guide to Thailand's Beaches and Islands is also supposed to be quite good and probably picks up a few nicer spots than Lonely Planet! The internet though is probably the best source, you just have to check around to make sure (a) you're not getting ripped off and (b) the place is as cute as it looks. www.travelfish.org is a really reliable source, and has good reviews from people who have stayed at various accomodations in the past, and they have downloadable (you have to pay for them) little guides that are quite good, here's the one for Phuket

From Phuket you can also really easily take a longtail boat over to Krabi (Rai Leh beach is really fun for rock climbing, sea kayaking and so forth), Phi Phi or even Ko Lanta, all of which are a bit less developed and more low key. It depends on how long you are there, though, as it means losing a precious half day of lounging on the beach!

Also, just because I think it's funny when I hear tourists mispronouncing it, the PH in Phuket isn't pronounced as an F like it would normally be. It's pronounced P (a bit aspirated). So, it should really be spelled Puket. Just a helpful tip though you may already have been well aware of this factoid.

Good luck! Keep us posted!!
Jean Louise

[babylonsister]

10. Thanks so much for your input! If we can coordinate the flights (no

small feat for us when having to go offline/using different carriers) we plan on being there for a week to 10 days, and do want to take a boat trip somewhere for the day. Hea, we'd still be out in the sun (or rain). We were thinking more along the lines of a sailboat, as I like to photograph everything when I'm somewhere new.
Also, thanks for the links. I had found an Aussie's personal site and she recommended a cute-looking hotel in, you guessed it, Patong Beach. Here's her website just for grins;
http://www.cathyandgarystravelpages.com/index.htm

she does have some good info, and the hotel she recommended was the Swiss Palm Beach, here:
http://www.swisspalmbeach.com/
We really prefer the small, homey places, and the price was right. I'll be doing some more researching, and will check out your links. And I will definitely keep you informed of our plans.
Many thanks!

:hi: