Travel Advice

[superhaz]

Hi.

There are 3 of us travelling in 1 week to thailand, none of us have been before.

Our plan is to land in bangkok then to travel after 2 days to Cambodia to Angkor Wat. Could you please tell me the easiest route to cambodia from bangkok, i would ideally use train i think due to cost.

also then for travelling back, i would like to come via pattaya, how easy is this and how shall i do this?

Also then for the second part of the holiday we are looking at going to the south around krabi and phuket and islands around here, what would people advise for three 20 year olds, looking for a mix of culture and partying.

Many thanks, please help us! Harry

[PoorSucker]

No trains to Cambodia.

The bus will take you two days.

1. Fly to Siem reap.

2. Stay minimum three days.

3. Boat to Phnom Phen.

4. Taxi or bus to SihanoukVille, stay a couple of days.

5. minibus to Koh Kong.

6. Cross the border.

7. Minibus to Pattaya.

For the south of Thailand.

Go for the Islands in the gulf.

Rainy season in Andaman sea.

Go for the full moon party at Koh Phangan.

Edited June 4, 2010 by PoorSucker

[ALFREDO]

You open three threads for one trip? Difficult to follow.

Hotel in Bangkok, BUSINESS INN Sukhumvit Soi 11/1 600-800 Baht, maybe cheaper with the just finished Bangkok protests. Just take Airport Taxi, about 250-350 Baht and go there, it has more cheap Hotels in that small road.

Or book in Internet at the IBIS Hotels Website, the IBIS NANA, it has now special rte, stay 3 nights, pay only 2, that comes down than to only 880.- Baht for a nearly new 3 Star Hotel, one year open and near NANA Plaza and Sukhumvit road.

Nightlife, NANA Plaza, Soi COWBOY, THERMAE-corner Sukhumvit/Soi 15, BEERGARDEN Soi 7 in daytime-afternoon, all around.

airasia.com hat Fluege nach Phnom Penh-one way um 2.-3.000 baht, (I drive only by Bus if I have to, more dangerous and lost time!) than you could go with Bus to Siam Reap-flight directly to Siam Reap good option, Bangkok Air, but Overpriced I think- and later down to Cambodias beach resort SIHANOUKVILLE, worth a trip-completely different to Thailand. Look it now before its the same Overdeveloped place than TH.

Hotel in the center and cheap, has big Bar and some nightlife-FREEDOM Hotel, opposite the old Busstation and not far from the new one.

At night there also to VICTORY Hill and late afternoon, have a look at the CHICKEN farm near the Sihanoukville harbour-a special experience in a developing country.

From Sihanoukville you have possibilitys to make a trip to Pattaya with Bus threw the border of Koh Kong.

You can arrange that by yourself with public transport, or it has package tours, Sihanoukville-Pattaya.

To Phuket or Surat Thani-way to Koh Samui-Koh Panghan, I would also take a flight with Air Asia or Nok Air, OneTwoGo Air, but these two, are starting from the old Don Muang Airport, check the Websites.

Edited June 4, 2010 by ALFREDO

[thrilled]

Definitely go to the full moon party ay koh phangan.You'll have A great time.I recommend to go at least 1 time.

[moe666]

Do not open any more threads

[NADTATIDA1]

No trains to Cambodia.

The bus will take you two days.

1. Fly to Siem reap.

2. Stay minimum three days.

3. Boat to Phnom Phen.

4. Taxi or bus to SihanoukVille, stay a couple of days.

5. minibus to Koh Kong.

6. Cross the border.

7. Minibus to Pattaya.

For the south of Thailand.

Go for the Islands in the gulf.

Rainy season in Andaman sea.

Go for the full moon party at Koh Phangan.

Not true.

Train can be got from Bangkok to Aranyaprahtet border and a hop over the border and a taxi or a private car can get you up to Siem Reap in a few hours!

Bus will take 2 days also not true,bus from Bangkok 4/5 hours to the border and a few hours up to Siem Reap depends what you are traveling in in Cambodia

[consnabit]

Sorry Newbie, for the conflicting suggestions. Most of us have done it all, at different times, in different ways, and differ greatly on best plans. My personal advice based on 5 trips to Cambodia over the past five years is as follows. First, a week is way too short to do what you are planning but if that is all you have I suggest a more moderate travel itinerary. You will see nothing but the road if you try to do it all. Each has merit but not worth your limited time to see it all. Assuming that you are males based on your Pattaya interest. Here is my optimum for your short time. Cool in Bangkok for two nights to get your legs and jet lag behind you. Do Nana and soi Cowboy from the Nana Hotel or similar on Soi 4, I like Dynesty. Fly to Siem reap, day trip is a bitch on the bus and taxi route over a dirt road for a total of about 9 hours bus and taxi from the border. A killer wasted day. Plane is not as cheap but much more pleasurable and dependable. Book a guest house via net and don't go with touts to their cousins dump. Be careful in that town. Do one or two days there as your heart dictates. it is awesome. Get up at 430 hire a tuk tuk for the day and be there for sunrise. Forget the trip to Sihonookville as it is nothing but a mediorce beach and a few bars in an otherwise industrial area. Much nicer places everywhere else in Southeast Asia. Jump back to Bangkok same way, on the plane. Catch the direct pattaya express for 5 bucks is on your timeline. Taxi 1000-1200 baht. Do not pay more. Try the nice hotel on Soi boocow, the Recon 750 baht now. Nice central location. Best of luck, PM me if you need more.

[superhaz]

Hi everyone.

Many thanks for all the help, it is all very much appreciated.

I think after seeing the advice everyone has left, we will decide a matter of days before we go wether to take on the likes of Chiang Mai or Cambodia, it is basically one or the other.

After we have done we will look at what people advised on here then head to the islands for FMP then after this we will head to krabi, phuket etc where we dont have a solid plan but we are all pretty adventurous etc so we will just get involved and see what we fancy at the time! Sound okay?

[ALFREDO]

I cannot go with the advise against Sihanoukville. maybe the weather at this time of the year is not in favor of Sihanoukville, but it is still completely different to the extremly overdeveloped Thai Beach resorts, that it is worth to look there now until the Cambodian flair is gone.

Industrialised? There is a deep sea port nearby without a problem, more quiet and I could not recognice pollution at the beaches.

And there is a Beer brewery, thats it, no need to talk about it.

I recommand SNV because of its different laid back style.