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General Trip Planning Other Holiday Planning. |
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14 Jul 19, 08:31 AM |
#1
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Imagineer
Join Date: Mar 16
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Thailand
We're about to press book on a holiday to Thailand for next April. We've been looking at various holidays from WDW, Maldives and now Thailand. I just want to get something booked so I can stop looking and start planning 🤣
We're family of 4, 2a 2k (13 and 10). We've found 3nights in Bangkok followed by a week in Khao Lak for school holidays in April. Anyone done Bangkok with kids - we'll only have two full days to see stuff. Not sure what's to see. Will we find something to do? Then on to Khao Lak. Apparently it's the end of the hot/dry season so sea might start to be rough. We wanted to snorkel each day. Anyone tried at this time of year? We're going B&B in Bangkok and I'm thinking about all inclusive in resort. Everyone says it's cheap but I like convenience of all Inc and not having to count the ice creams. Plus it helps with budgeting to know it's all paid. Has anyone been as family of 4 and paid for meals and drinks out every day to give me an idea of cost. We wouldn't want to try and prepare any food in our rooms. It's about £150 a day for all Inc but if I factor in £40 for lunch and £80 for dinner then that's £30 for drinks/ice-cream so I'm wondering whether to risk it without all inc.? Are meals significantly cheaper than what I'm estimating? Experience anyone? |
14 Jul 19, 08:54 AM |
#2
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Apprentice Imagineer
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I haven’t been to Khao Lak but unless you are drinking a lot of alcohol (and even then beer is cheap! ) I can’t see how you’d be spending that much on ice, drinks and food every day even for a family of four.
Thing is though it depends what you want to eat. If you want to go authentic and eat Thai food / street food etc. It’s going to be cheap. If you go western then it will be more expensive. So really depends on you. For me I wouldn’t go all inclusive in Thailand. I think it would be a massive shame to go all the way to Thailand and then not get out and experience the food. However if you are nervous about it you could always do all inclusive but still go out for dinner a couple of nights. When we went last year. We found Koh Samui expensive (for Thailand) but for a meal out for two of us (with alcohol) we weren’t spending more than £30 and that was in a restaurant. If you do street food I mean it would be like £5! Re: Bangkok, there’s loads to do, getting around Bangkok is easy. There’s the sky train and metro. Both really easy to navigate and cheap. You can also do the river boat, so if you want to go up to the place I’d suggest doing the river boat as it’s pretty fun and nice to see Bangkok from the river. Taxi’s are cheap in Bangkok, and Tuk Tuk’s are cheap but you’ll probably find they quote you a ridiculous price, if it’s ridiculous walk away and they’ll usually reduce it. Don’t get in a Tuk Tuk without agreeing a price first. We did a street food tour in Bangkok, even though we’d been to Thailand before we wanted to try more street food than we had previously. It was great! It was about 3/4 hours and we went to so many markets / streets and tried so many amazing dishes. I’d really really recommend it. If you want the link let me know. Not sure what days you’ll be in Bangkok but you have to try and go to a night market if you can. Depending on the day of the week there will be different night markets but they are great. A true Thai experience and you can get some great bargains! I love Thailand, it’s honestly one of the best countries! Oh and re: time I’ve been in both April and June. You will probably have a few showers but nothing major. I didn’t notice the sea being particularly rough but again I think it depends on the island and the weather on the day! |
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14 Jul 19, 10:53 AM |
#3
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Imagineer
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I have only done Bangkok but loved it a lot more than I ever thought I would!
I did a trip report which is in my siggy! That should give you a few ideas! And I agree it is cheap!
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Index of my trip reports 2016 Quebec - Kuala Lumpar - New York City 2017 Dubai - Eurocamps France - Ontario and Quebec - So-Cal 2018 Montreal - Bangkok - New England 2019 Argentina - Quebec City - Hong Kong - 2020 Switzerland 2022 Arizona - Costa Med Cruise - Oslo 2023 Hong Kong - Gothenburg |
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14 Jul 19, 07:17 PM |
#4
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Imagineer
Join Date: Jul 09
Location: Llandudno
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I definitely wouldn’t go all inclusive in khao lak.
The food is amazing in the restaurants & it would be a shame to miss out on this. Going out to eat in the evening,is part of your night out,as the evenings are pretty chilled & relaxed. Are you booking this yourself,where are you thinking of staying? You won’t be spending £150 a day on food,drinks & ice creams. You are better spending your money,in the many local restaurants & sampling their wonderful food,helping the local economy,rather than give it to a big hotel.you will also save money,because you won’t spend £150. Our next trip,will be our 5th in khao lak,we average £50 a day & I do like my cocktails & hubby likes a drink on holiday,although we are not stay out till the early hours kinda people. Tracy x
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14 Jul 19, 07:31 PM |
#5
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Imagineer
Join Date: Jul 09
Location: Llandudno
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Just been looking at some prices on line.
Plain rice 20 baht Fried rice with beef 90 baht Fried chicken with chicken 110 baht Masaman curry 120 baht Cocktails 100 baht Large Chang beer 200 baht That will give you an idea for prices Tracy x
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14 Jul 19, 07:36 PM |
#6
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Very Serious Dibber
Join Date: Jul 12
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Agree with not going all inclusive, local restaurants are incredibly cheap and serve delicious authentic Thai food, definitely think you are overestimating food costs.
Bangkok I would say a visit to the grand palace is a must! You have to wear long trousers/cover arms so we went as early as possible to try and avoid the crazy heat and also seemed to be the quietest time before the masses arrived
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Disneyland Paris: August 1999 Sante Fe - October 2000 Sante Fe - March 2002 Sante Fe - November 2010 Cheyenne
Walt Disney World: May 2011 All Star Movies - November 2011 Animal Kingdom Lodge |
14 Jul 19, 09:28 PM |
#7
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Thread Starter
Imagineer
Join Date: Mar 16
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We're booking Emirates flights and hotel through Virgin.
Looking to stay in Centara Seaview as it's got two bedrooms plus living room so the space we need. We can get B&B. We'll probably stay in hotel during the day and buy pizza/burger there but each evening we'd like to go out to a restaurant to eat. We'll give anything a try plus a few drinks. My concern is more drinks and ice creams around the pool in the day. Plus if it's raining during the evening and we don't go out and then stuck paying hotel prices. Thanks to PP for prices. Off to check out the exchange rate 😀 |
14 Jul 19, 09:29 PM |
#8
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Thread Starter
Imagineer
Join Date: Mar 16
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14 Jul 19, 10:06 PM |
#9
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Imagineer
Join Date: Jul 09
Location: Llandudno
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the centara is in a really central location & you are walking distance to many lovely restaurants & cocktail bars.
You have a mini mart right outside your hotel,where you can buy drinks to put in your fridge in the room. The supermarket is just up the road,to stock up on drinks as well. You have coconuts beach bar,on your doorstep for a cheap lunch & also a couple of little cafe type places,which are really popular & cheap. That’s the location we always stay in,as we like to be central. You won’t be stuck paying hotel prices if it rains,there are places to eat on your door step.if it does rain it doesn’t usually last long. I was looking at the webcam yesterday & it was lovely,with people out in their shorts & July is in the middle of the rainy season,so April will be fine. We are there in March,just booked a tree house for a couple of nights,in khao sok national park. My husband says I won’t last a couple of nights,because of the critters,but I like the thought of it lol,so we’ll see. Tracy x
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14 Jul 19, 10:16 PM |
#10
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Apprentice Imagineer
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This is the one we did Check out this experience in ...tour-d5c9f078/
You choose your local, we chose Big and he was GREAT. I’d really recommend him. We got so much food included in the price it was really worth it. Not sure if you are flying in on Sunday but the most famous market is Chatuchak, it takes place all day on Sunday. It’s GINORMOUS but incredible. Try to go if you can. If not we went to the train night market which was great, I can’t remember which night it’s on but google train night market Bangkok and you’ll find it! Also another tip to save a bit of money, Thailand love food courts, you’ll find them in shopping centres. You will usually buy tokens or a card at the main kiosk and then use that to buy food at the different stands. It’s like street food but obviously within a shopping centre so you can sit down and eat. It’s a cheap and quick way to eat and we love it! The food is always great. Not sure if you’ve found a hotel in Bangkok but we stayed at Tints of Blue, it’s a lovely little boutique hotel, about 5 mins from the metro / sky train (and shopping mall) and you get breakfast (and a rooftop pool). It wasn’t expensive at all. Oh and wherever you are in Thailand go to the 7/11s they are amazing! So cheap and great for quick snacks (especially cheap lunch you can get a cheese toastie they’ll cook for you for 40baht) we love them! |
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