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The wife and I, with a few other friends are headed to Thailand for 11 nights. We'll stop for 1 night in Singapore and then take off to Chiang Mai for 4 nights. After, we'll be in Bangkok for 4 add'l nights. We'll finish the trip off with 3 nights in Phuket.
First question: Is the monsoon season really bad in September? Since we've already booked, what should we do to prepare for rain or storms?
Second: Do we need to take the Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccinations? We will be going on an adventure trek for 2 nights where we'll stay with the tribes in Chiang Mai. I'm not sure if I've gotten either of those in the past, however the Hep A vaccination is supposed to be 2 doses, 6 months apart. We don't have 6 months before the trip to get both doses.
Lastly: Any other tips for us on your trip? Anything to watch out for?
The wife and I, with a few other friends are headed to Thailand for 11 nights. We'll stop for 1 night in Singapore and then take off to Chiang Mai for 4 nights. After, we'll be in Bangkok for 4 add'l nights. We'll finish the trip off with 3 nights in Phuket.
First question: Is the monsoon season really bad in September? Since we've already booked, what should we do to prepare for rain or storms?
Second: Do we need to take the Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccinations? We will be going on an adventure trek for 2 nights where we'll stay with the tribes in Chiang Mai. I'm not sure if I've gotten either of those in the past, however the Hep A vaccination is supposed to be 2 doses, 6 months apart. We don't have 6 months before the trip to get both doses.
Lastly: Any other tips for us on your trip? Anything to watch out for?
I appreciate all the help. Thanks!
With regard to the monsoon season (Rainy Season), there can be some pretty hefty downpours, but generally the rain can come in spurts throughout the day, with periods of sun, or at least when it isn't raining. But it's not like a continous downpour through the entire season. Even during the Hot (Dry) Season, there can be times when it rains a bit. It shouldn't be too much of a hassle at the time you plan to be there. If you're going trekking around Chiang Mai, it might be a bit muddy. I'd suggest taking along some jackets and/or an umbrella to repel rain - just in case. Better to have it and not need to use it than to not have it and need to use it.
Secondly, if you haven't had any vaccinations or boosters for quite a while, you might want to consider doing so to be on the safe side if you feel so inclined. You might want to consider a tetanus shot. Again, in general, I think you'll be fine. I think the last time I had any shots to prevent malaria, etc., was about 20 years ago. But then I haven't gone out on any hilltribe treks. Still, there are areas in the north where mosquito-related problems can occur. Mosquitoes can be a nuisance, even in Bangkok, but carriers of diseases like dengue fever, etc. tend to be pretty fussy about where they lay their eggs. They like stagnant, but somewhat clean water, and seem to avoid areas where pollution is found, like cities. There are a lot of people who go trekking to various hilltribe villages. I've not heard much about any contracting mosquito-borne diseases, but it is possible, especially during the rainy season. My wife and I have a place in the Central Plains, out in the sticks of Saraburi Province.
You will very likely be dined upon by swarms of mosquitoes though, especially in the north. Be sure to take along a good mosquito repellent to apply at night. Avoid getting it in your eyes though. Wash it off in the morning. Also, if you have a room with air-con and/or fans, it'll help keep the mozzies at bay.
Chiang Mai is a pretty neat place. Our daughter and son-in-law live there. No doubt you'll likely spend some time strolling around the Night Bazaar there. It's fun but it is a tourist trap. A lot of fascinating crafts and artwork can be found around Chiang Mai. Prices around Chiang Mai tend to be much cheaper than in Bangkok.
Bangkok is a fun and interesting city as well. A lot of thing to see and do there. And you can find almost anything under the sun in BKK. You'll have a great time. Be sure to visit the Chatuchak Weekend Market if you have a change.
Whether in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, the food is fantastic. If you've eaten Thai food back home, I think you'll find it's even better in Thailand.
Just curious but are you and your friends planning a do-it-yourself tour, or some kind of guided tour?
I've never been to Phuket, but there are some good beaches there. A friend just posted a video on YouTube today of a boat trip to one of the nearby islands (Koh Pii Pii Leh) by Phuket.
Feel free to drop a Direct Message if you have any questions. I'll do my best to try offer whatever I can in the way of suggestions.
NightBazaar, thanks for the reply, that helped answer my questions. I will share the knowledge with my group.
The Chiang Mai trek will be guided. For Bangkok, we may have a guided tour for half-day or so, otherwise we'll be running around the city by ourselves.
NightBazaar, thanks for the reply, that helped answer my questions. I will share the knowledge with my group.
The Chiang Mai trek will be guided. For Bangkok, we may have a guided tour for half-day or so, otherwise we'll be running around the city by ourselves.
Cool! Mid-September will be here in no time at all. If you haven't already made plans for the guided tours part of your trip, there isn't really need to do so. You can find tour agencies all over the country. Nearly all hotels can offer to arrange various tours. At that time of year, while there are indeed tourists, there's by far much less than during the peak season.
A typical touristy-type tour in Bangkok often includes a visit to the Grand Palace (it's very impressive), and various temples around the city. If you can, try to squeek in a stop at Wat Traimit which houses the Golden Buddha. It's made of about 5.4 tons of gold. The color of it really is dazzling. You should dress modestly. Levis are fine, but no shorts or grubby clothes. That said, there are other tours apart from the usual temple tours, although many of the temples are pretty jaw-dropping to see. If you're into malls, a trip to the MBK (Mahboonkrong) mall in BKK is interesting. If you're interested in seeing historical ruins near BKK, there are tours by bus to see some of the ancient structures at Ayutthaya. I think they have them as day trips.
Things to watch out for, or at least be aware of, is that there are plenty of scammers and pickpockets in the touristed areas. If someone along the street come up to you says, "Welcome to Thailand sir. Where are you from?", it's probably a good idea to just smile and keep going. There are a lot of fakes claiming to represent the Boy Scouts of Thailand, or various charities for the poor or sick, etc. Actual organizations don't send people out on the streets to do that. Avoid taxi drivers that offer to take you on shopping tours, etc. It's usually a rip-off.
Another thing to think about is don't leave any valuable laying around in your room if you're going out for a while. Things like cameras, laptops, money, etc. Ask at the lobby if they have a safe. If they do, get an itemized receipt of the items you want to store. Carry your wallet in your front pocket.
If you happen to go into someone's house, a temple or a royal building, be sure to remove your shoes before going inside. There's no need to do that at other buildings, like hotels, restaurants, malls, etc. If you're going to be taking photos or videos inside temples, it's a good idea to ask someone if if it's okay. Some places don't want photos taken at all, although the outside of the building is okay.
It's a good idea to make copies of your passport, in case you lose it. Keep in mind that unfortunate things can happen. but the odds of anything like that happening to a specific person are very low. No need to be paranoid about things, but it doesn't hurt to exercise a bit of caution and common sense.
As for luggage, I'd suggest to travel light, either a carry-on bag or some kind of backpack or both. Nothing more of a hassle than lugging around several pieces of luggage. Take a few clothes, but you won't need a lot. Clothes are cheap and available all over. Just about anything you need can easily be found there.
Any idea what part of Bangkok you're thinking about staying in?
Great posts. My daughter and I was in Thailand about 10 years ago and we loved it and would go back in a heartbeat. Of course, she and I both love the food. We did not get to the south of the country, hopefully, that was to be another trip. We did see the Golden Buddha (?). We were up in Chaing Mai and Chaing Rai and I loved them both. We didn't spend much time in Bangkok.
We went over to Cambodia and toured Angor Wat. We loved that country, as well.
Good luck on your trip and I know you will enjoy it. Everything that Night Bazaar wrote is on the money.
Generally, Bangkok is a great place to visit. It is warm and humid, dress appropriately. As other posters mentioned, watch out for potential scams, although unlikely. I did have a taxi driver drive us around in circles to increase the fare. I noticed it and walked out of the cab.
Generally, Bangkok is a great place to visit. It is warm and humid, dress appropriately. As other posters mentioned, watch out for potential scams, although unlikely. I did have a taxi driver drive us around in circles to increase the fare. I noticed it and walked out of the cab.
You're right, although it's also fair to say that not all cabbies are out to squeeze extra fare from you like that. Most will get you to where you want to go as quickly as possible. They pretty well know that where ever they drop you off, there's bound to be someone else nearby that needs a ride. For anyone who is visiting the country for the first time, it's hard to know if you're being taken advantage of or not. It's a good idea to ask someone who has a reasonable idea of what the fare to a certain destination is likely to be. Hotel staff would be a good idea to ask about estimated costs and might even send someone out with you to hail a taxi and ask directly the cabbie about the cost. It's when you've been there long enough like yourself, to know how far certain destinations are, the best routes to get there, and about how much it should cost that you can tell if it's reasonable or not. Sometimes, depending on the time of day, a longer route might be faster to avoid being stuck in traffic jams. These days in the city, it can be cheaper and faster to use the BTS skytrain to get you a little closer, then hop a cab or tuk-tuk, if necessary, for a shorter right to get to where you're going.
The wife and I, with a few other friends are headed to Thailand for 11 nights. We'll stop for 1 night in Singapore and then take off to Chiang Mai for 4 nights. After, we'll be in Bangkok for 4 add'l nights. We'll finish the trip off with 3 nights in Phuket.
First question: Is the monsoon season really bad in September? Since we've already booked, what should we do to prepare for rain or storms?
Second: Do we need to take the Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccinations? We will be going on an adventure trek for 2 nights where we'll stay with the tribes in Chiang Mai. I'm not sure if I've gotten either of those in the past, however the Hep A vaccination is supposed to be 2 doses, 6 months apart. We don't have 6 months before the trip to get both doses.
Lastly: Any other tips for us on your trip? Anything to watch out for?
I appreciate all the help. Thanks!
When staying in Phuket, I recommend that you do not stay near Patong Beach. It is ok to visit for an evening to see the bars and masses of people on the main street, but the whole area is very overcrowded with other foreign tourists. The Thai people you can see near Patong are pretty much all there working in the tourism industry. In addition, the overcrowded beach is not one of the more beautiful beach areas in Phuket.
I was in Bangkok last winter and I greatly enjoyed walking around eating all kinds of street vendor food. After Phuket, it was nice to observe some daily lifestyles of Thai people.
Yes Patong is a tourist ghetto. Phuket is a large island, there are plenty of other, quieter options. Karon is quite nice, or Phuket town. September is not the ideal time to visit Central Thailand, so just bring an umbrella!
Yes, 99% of the taxi drivers in Bangkok I have faced were honest and efficient. It was that one, that left a poor impression on me. BTS is efficient and bypasses the traffic congestion in Bangkok, which is a story for another day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NightBazaar
You're right, although it's also fair to say that not all cabbies are out to squeeze extra fare from you like that. Most will get you to where you want to go as quickly as possible. They pretty well know that where ever they drop you off, there's bound to be someone else nearby that needs a ride. For anyone who is visiting the country for the first time, it's hard to know if you're being taken advantage of or not. It's a good idea to ask someone who has a reasonable idea of what the fare to a certain destination is likely to be. Hotel staff would be a good idea to ask about estimated costs and might even send someone out with you to hail a taxi and ask directly the cabbie about the cost. It's when you've been there long enough like yourself, to know how far certain destinations are, the best routes to get there, and about how much it should cost that you can tell if it's reasonable or not. Sometimes, depending on the time of day, a longer route might be faster to avoid being stuck in traffic jams. These days in the city, it can be cheaper and faster to use the BTS skytrain to get you a little closer, then hop a cab or tuk-tuk, if necessary, for a shorter right to get to where you're going.
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You're right, although it's also fair to say that not all cabbies are out to squeeze extra fare from you like that. Most will get you to where you want to go as quickly as possible. They pretty well know that where ever they drop you off, there's bound to be someone else nearby that needs a ride. For anyone who is visiting the country for the first time, it's hard to know if you're being taken advantage of or not. It's a good idea to ask someone who has a reasonable idea of what the fare to a certain destination is likely to be. Hotel staff would be a good idea to ask about estimated costs and might even send someone out with you to hail a taxi and ask directly the cabbie about the cost. It's when you've been there long enough like yourself, to know how far certain destinations are, the best routes to get there, and about how much it should cost that you can tell if it's reasonable or not. Sometimes, depending on the time of day, a longer route might be faster to avoid being stuck in traffic jams. These days in the city, it can be cheaper and faster to use the BTS skytrain to get you a little closer, then hop a cab or tuk-tuk, if necessary, for a shorter right to get to where you're going.
