Travel Guide : Thailand

[priss]

im going to thailand in a month, so excited! but we havent booked accommodation yet so i was hoping if anyon ehas any tips of good places to stay thats arnt to expensive! its 5 21yr old girls so were planning to shop, party, sunbake and do tours etc
our plan is Koh Samui 4 nights (one night at Koh Pangang for full moon party!!) then 2 nights phi phi island (staying at bay view resort) 6 nights phuket and 3 nights bangkok...

we plan to do our shopping in bangkok as it is cheapest.. we wanna stock up on the fake designer stuff haha!! anyone know if u can buy designer or good fake designer sunglasses over there anywhere??

any tips would be helpful!!

 

[ilaughead]

I don't have any good information from you, but I have a Thai-exchange-student friend, and I only hear wonderful things about Thailand!

 

[alix*]

In Bangkok you can find some great designer bags at a shopping mall called MBK. It's easily accessed by the Sky train.

There are also fakes at like Phuket and Koh Samui, and they can be really expensive. They ask for crazy high prices (ranging from like US$100+).

Also for general shopping, don't do it anywhere but Bangkok. There are some fantastic big shopping malls like Siam Paragon.

Basically, when shopping in Bangkok, take the sky train to Siam. There's about 4 shopping malls there : Paragon, Siam Square, Siam Discovery and MBK.

Anymore questions?
PS - i know thailand inside and out

 

[kissmesweet]

^^ Of course you know Thailand that well. I love the MBK + the Paragon.

If the thread is strichtly for shopping, you might go to the shop by city forum: http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/f97/

 

[pinnie]

you guys are right! i live in Bangkok

In bangkok you can travel around the city by skytrain. You should take skytrain to Siam station. this place can be called the center of shopping.Siam Paragon is quite expensive. they only sell designer clothes. MBK is totally different it's not too far from Paragon

 

[priss]

what about places to stay?? accommodation

 

[alix*]

^ where? in all the listed places?

 

[sarah13]

Also, if you are in Bangkok over the weekend, go the Chatuchack market. You can get to is via the sky train as well. Great finds there, from vintage t-shirts to Thai goods.

Patpong Night Market is crazy and fun. Lots of "go-go" bars on that street too, so don't be alarmed.

Also Khaosan Road is concidered the backpaker's road. Lots of internet cafes, pubs and I think some hostels. It has been a number of years since I was in Bangkok and I was staying with a friend, but I hope this is helpful.

Also this is a good website http://www.bangkok.com/shopping-market/index.html

 

[Snow-White]

Do you recommend any particular place to shop at Pinnie?

Do you get designer surplus or export rejects :-P

 

[astatine]

Snow-White, I found Suan Lom Night Bazaar on Rama IV Road fantastic for dresses, accessories and...furniture Not too sure if it's been closed down yet though, but it's one of my favourite places to shop in Bangkok.

Siam Square and MBK are the local youth hangouts and relatively budget-friendly. The Pratnunam area (which includes Platinum Fashion Mall) is the wholesale area, where prices are cheaper than the shopping malls. You should be able to take a skytrain, known as the BTS to these areas. They do provide English-language maps for tourists at the stations, which helped me a lot while I was there.

Chatuchak is the local weekend market; it's a bit far off from the city centre so you might have to take a taxi. They sell everything from pets to clothing to housewares so it's really interesting and fun to explore.

Hope this helps

 

[Snow-White]

Hey! Thank you for all the information!

I went to Chatuchack market. I dint shop much but it was great to see it!
I was hesitant to shop as I dont know how Thai sizes would fit me (but am quite small) I found that the shop owners can tell you what size will fit you and they are really honest about it. I bought a pair of jeans without trying them on (and nothing has ever fitted better!!!!)

Another amazing thing about Chatuchack market is that although it is so CROWDED nobody tries to bang into you on purpose~ its soooo safe despite being so crowded!

I loved the Bangkok experience. I wished I had shopped more because the clothes looks great.

I also went to Central World and Platinum Fashion Mall. I am now trying to convince my friends to go there with me!

Thanks astatine i dint make it to Suan Lom Night Bazaar but Ill keep it in mind for my next trip!

 

[Prague]

Went to Thailand as an exchange student last December.. Absolutely amazing! Go to the JJ Market in Bangkok, really CHEAP great clothes and bags - just be carfeful not to get lost (like I did) because it's like a huge maze.
Also go to Chiang Mai, which is up north, it is really beautiful there, and also quite touristy so they have a lot of shopping in the city.
Pattaya (the beach) is really beautiful, but that's the only beach I went to there, so I am sure further South to Phuket and Ko Samui is even more stunning!
Everything is REALLY cheap in Thailand, eat at the restaurants on the roadside, because it's the best Thai food and also the cheapest.
Learn Thai if you want to bargain at the markets, the Thai people actually will negotiate for lower prices and be more friendly if you know some thai, (the lowest you can usually go is half price). If you think 300 baht is cheap, you can go even lower with prices, like 70baht, that's a bargain! "Low dai mai?" means "Can you lower the price?", and "Long Dai Mai?" means "Can I try?".
Anyway hope this info helped! And enjoy it!! You'll fall in love with Thailand!

 

[Neeky]

Thailand - Things to do? How much to take?

Hey guys... I'm going to Thailand and Laos early next year.. I was just wondering what are the suggested things to do there and how much should I take? Where to get the best bargains and the best things to see that you wouldn't normally see at home.. This is actually my first real trip and I really excited and I want to make the most of it.. If you got any tips, ideas or suggestions let me know ! Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 1957]

I ve heard they have excellent beaches and scenery....pack ur best swimwear! Also depending on ur age and tolerance...you may wanna check out the more notorious shows available
Their cuisine is also reputable

 

[Neeky]

I ve heard they have excellent beaches and scenery....pack ur best swimwear! Also depending on ur age and tolerance...you may wanna check out the more notorious shows available
Their cuisine is also reputable

Oh My Goodness!!
Thanks for reminding me to pack my swimwear!

 

[Deleted member 1957]

though you should find out as much as u can possibly can i went to taipei last month without any knowledge of anything and didnt get to experience the city as i would hav wanted
also carry enough money for shopping apaprently theres plenty of clothing items and really nice fabrics
read more here
http://wikitravel.org/en/Thailand

 

[stateofbliss]

I love Thailand! How long are you going for?
I've been to Phuket - flew from Bangkok for around $100 roundtrip - and Ko Samui. Preferred Ko Samui.

I ate from the food stalls all the time - you'll get the best food there. Better than restaurants, IMO. Eat lots of fruits - there are fruit stands all over, and you can get guavas, rambutans, etc.

If you're in Bangkok on a Sat/Sun, hit up the Chatuchak (sp?) weekend market - I shopped like crazy there. The area is huge though and its easy to get lost. If you find something you like, buy it then instead of thinking that you can get it the next day because you may not be able to find that same stall the next day. I got really good deals on sundresses and tanks there.

Go to Jim Thompson for silk scarves.

My fave. malls in Bangkok were probably MBK and Siam.

Also, I'd advise you to take one empty suitcase with you. I guarantee that you'll go crazy shopping there.

 

[Neeky]

I'll be in Laos for 3 weeks and and a stopover in Thailand for 2 weeks... I will definitely check out the weekend market! sounds awesome... And I plan on Taking one suitcase and returning with two !!

 

[titania]

i have relatives mostly in champasak province (in southern laos) & some in vientiane as well. they've got the wat phou (mountain temple) ruins down in champasak, which is worth checking out. when the frangipani flowers are in bloom, the stairway leading up to the temple looks really beautiful. also in the south, there's the khon phapheng falls, which is the largest waterfall in south-east asia.

also, if you're in the region, luang prabang (in central laos) is said to be really, really beautiful (i haven't been there as of yet!). there they have the kuang si falls & pak ou caves, which i've seen from photos to be stunning.

as for thailand, phuket is really popular, of course, as well as all the other neighbouring islands (koh phi phi, etc). don't forget to pack the sunscreen too! there are lots of markets & stalls around here & the locals are really nice & helpful.

chiang mai is also a popular tourist hot spot; the city has a lot of history & culture. there are a lot of religious & historical sites to check out here. also, if you're in this area, you've gotta check out the elephants at the conservation centre.

things are incredibly cheap in both thailand & laos but, if they figure out you're from overseas, they'll try to rip you off. so, if you can speak the language (or at least get your mum to help out!), take advantage of that & you'll save a heap of money.

i think about two grand or so is more than enough to get you by for five weeks in both countries. everything is cheap. markets are literally everywhere & you can always haggle & get yourself a bargain (although it was probably already a bargain to start off with!). unless you plan on going to the bigger shopping complexes (& buying up big or buying designer labels), then you might need to double the amount of cash you take.