Monday, December 12, 2011

KP with a 2 year old

Hi,





Does anyone know if this is a suitalble place to take a young child? We weren%26#39;t going to go for a full moon party, but is it okay for children at other times of the month?





Also, does anyone know where on the island has the best snorkelling?





Thanks





KP with a 2 year old





We took our then 19month old daughter last year to KPG and she loved it , I did however take those milton tablets with me to wash her cups and bottles(as she was still having a bottle at night) and she was not ill once. We stayed up in thong nai pan noi and she loved it, we went on plenty of longtail boat rides around the island and just popped a life vest on her, we also had a toddler back pack carrier for trekking up to waterfalls etc and I cant stress enough how fab it was. So go have fun..





KP with a 2 year old





i would have no hesitation taking a 2 year old to any where in thailand ,we are much travelled in asia and will be taking our baby long before he is 2.




  • makeup ideas
  • Current Weather (sorry!!)

    I know this is one of the most frequently asked questions on this forum, so apologies for asking again... we arrive in Krabi (Railay) on Sunday and if the forecasts I%26#39;ve seen are to be believed, it%26#39;s not looking so good weatherwise for us. Can someone in Krabi please let me know what the current weather is like - is it just short showers, or constant rain? Or does anyone know of a relatively reliable weather forecast site(s) for Krabi?





    Thanks in advance!





    Current Weather (sorry!!)





    We haven%26#39;t had rain for about a week - it has been hot and sunny.



    I%26#39;m playing tennis this arvo, so it will probably chuck it down!!!





    LF





    Current Weather (sorry!!)





    Thank you lost_farang... you%26#39;ve put my mind at ease! I should have known not to believe the forecast!!!





    Enjoy your tennis this afternoon and I hope the sun continues shining for you!

    Jungle Flight or Flight of the Gibbon?

    Hi,

    Any advice to which one is the better day out,

    Flight of the Gibbon is 2,300( regular time pick up), or 2,800 for early pick up,

    Jungle Flight is 2,200 or 2,800 ,( interesting that they used to be cheaper , but not anymore)

    I realise I could probably get cheaper if I booked when there, but I%26#39;m keen to do it on a specific day that we are there, so am prepared to pay a bit extra to lock it in.

    Any advice to which may be the better one would be appreciated

    Jungle Flight or Flight of the Gibbon?

    Since Jungle Flight is new, I doubt many have been to both yet. Why don%26#39;t you try it and let us know how it is?

    Thom

    Jungle Flight or Flight of the Gibbon?

    I am not sure why they boosted the price at The Jungle Flight. Seems a little crazy in a slow market but they did just open their newest longest zip line and maybe this made the difference. I%26#39;m sure you can get a better price if you send them an E Mail. If not post it here.


    Hi!

    if you really interesting want to joint for the zipline?I can only help you with';Flight of the gibbon';for early pick up from 2,800 to 2,080.again,for early pick up at';Flight of the gibbon';as mention only.

    is it interesting?.......


    Flight of the Gibbon was 3 hours late picking us up. On top of it we did not get a refund to late pick up from regular pick up. They rushed us through the whole event in 40 minutes, I barely remember the scenery. This was suppose to be a 2.5 - 3 hour activity. If I went again I would personally try Jungle Flight hoping for some better serive. I was just there in April, hopefully they pulled up their panties.


    hi

    I think that you got a bit confused about Jungle Flight price now.

    I went there,in fact they have two packages now. one is 2,200,that was the first package with 22 platforms.that%26#39;s the normal one.

    The 2,800 one is the new package, with 34 platforms, and 4 of the longest cables,one of them is 300m and very high.4 abseils, 570m canopy walk....one extra picnic snack as well,sweet and nice I would say... food was very good, nice vegetables....


    34 platforms! I would go with that tour!


    Hey guys

    DON%26#39;T USE JUNGLE FLIGHT!! crap safety procedures. they abseiled you between platforms and try to give you a scare by dropping you a little bit, but they dropped me all the way. i broke my ankle in thailand!! the company won%26#39;t pay my costs and had no first aid kit or safety plan, i had to direct them to cut wood for a splint and make a stretcher! for the whole story and photos see my blog at http://dontdojungleflight.blogspot.com/.

    be warned! ive done ziplining in samui so love it but use the main company %26#39;flight of the gibbons%26#39;which was set up by a New zealand crew..


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    Wow thats so bad, i think i will stay with flight of the gibbion that i have used before ! Since my 69 yo mum is coming along with me this time. Thanks for the heads up !


    We did Flight of the Gibbon in June this year and loved it! No issues at all.

  • fish
  • Centara Grand Resort - club extra's ??

    We are thinking of staying here with an offer through our travel company. I am aware of a Club upgrade , but wanted to check what alcohol is included if anyone knows ?





    Are the cocktails alcoholic or just fruit one%26#39;s ?



    Does the offer include local beers and spirits ?





    Many thanks





    Centara Grand Resort - club extra's ??





    It doesn%26#39;t include cocktails and the only alcohol served is the session starting around 6ish and you get heiniken, Singh, vodka or rum.





    Centara Grand Resort - club extra's ??





    OK thanks thats very helpful









    We are also asking the same question - did you take the %26#39;Club%26#39; option? Was it worth it?





    Did you like the resort?









    Unable to help you as havn%26#39;t travelled yet !!



    We where thinking if going due to a special offer but it was for 8 nights, decided against it as we like to stay at a few different places !



    Food and drink can be obtained very cheaply rather than staying in hotel, plenty of choice in Chaweng.









    Hi!



    There are quite a few reviewers who specifically mention the club room extras - they include fionahendry, atcer28, suzyglasgow and Janbru-8 - who said that there was Australian red wine and French sparkling wine included.



    I like a decent wine but have read that wine%26#39;s expensive on Koh Samui so if youu%26#39;re a wine drinker it may be an option. Why don%26#39;t you read all the reivews then try PM%26#39;ing some of those who mention the club rooms to ask them exactly what%26#39;s included?









    Thanks for response - may see you there! We will be there in Dec









    Oh! When in December are you going? We go to Bangkok for a couple of days first then heading to the centara for 2 weeks - leave on 24th December.









    We are going to Bangkok first too - where are you staying? I have heard Siam#Siam is great! Will be in Koh Samui until 26 Dec









    We are also gojing to Bangkok first - where are you staying? I have heard good things about Siam@Siam. We will be in Koh Samui until 26 Dec









    Kerri - I%26#39;ll pm you,



    Shena.

    fractional ownership

    has anyone bought into a fractional ownership in Phuket? been looking on net at details of villas, is it worth doing and what sort of costs involved? any info on this subject





    fractional ownership





    I think this is much the same as the old timeshare ownership.





    fractional ownership





    yeah thats what we thought, but reading articals seems different as you actually own part property, look up on siamrealestate.com/info/fractional-ownership and also www.thailand-fractional-ownership.com would like feedback off thoughts on this, maybe still the same as timeshare? thanks









    This %26#39;term%26#39; is appearing now in Thailand quite a lot - not my type of thing at all so I am no hope there : )





    When talking property in Phuket is difficult as property is so hugely expensive compared with elsewhere in Thailand.





    However, before going along with any sort of Fractional Ownership / Tiem Share or whatever sort of deal I believe it is a help to compare with whyat property does costs to own.





    Although not Phuket, keep at the back of your mind that in popular condominium / vacation apartment areas ( such as Jomtien Beach ) in Thailand a decent hotel-room size studio apartment in condo block with pool etc costs to %26#39;buy%26#39; around THB 1- 1.2m about US$ 31-37k , AU$ 34 - 40k, GBP 18-22k - and you own that to use or whatever.



    Maintenance charges are minimal, think THB 3,500-6,000 per year covering insurance, security, swimming pool and any other facilities, common areas etc etc.





    Legal fees are minimal ( very low ), even as a Foreigner the legal side is quite clear and simple.



    I have friends from Canada, US and Europe who have all bought and all have said it was a %26#39;breeze%26#39; compared with buying in their home countries.





    A 2 bedroom bungalow ( different laws apply here as you cannot own the land - but this is another whole long story but is still %26#39;do-able%26#39; for those looking at holiday and / or retirement home ) think double those amounts above but again, that would be perhaps Jomtien Cha Am, Hua Hin areas.





    It comes down to whether you are hoping for a return on investment, looking to have your own holiday place or whatever.





    Keep figures like that in mind and at least it is a base-point to get some bearings whern they start talking money.





    It at least gives you a perspective when figures are quoted.









    dragonc - that%26#39;s what I thought, I had to look at Wikipedia to ind what it really meant but the mentioned of it%26#39;s not the same as time share and then went on about owning a share in the deeds to a property - at that point I clicked away, not the same but same same but different :) LOL









    Mossy, I think it comes down to what you are after.





    I would not go down anything that shares with others or some scheme like that. But that is me.









    In Thailand you have to be very careful as there are lots of restrictions about foreign ownership of property. Fractional ownership sounds like it may be fraught with legal difficulties here. We only hear about it in Phuket, no where else in Thailand that I know of.









    Hi, please do not look at costs involved first.





    Firstly evaluate your present and foreseeable lifestyle. Then,familiarise with geographical location of the whole of Phuket.





    Familiarise with the unit of measurement used in Thailand for area,though many have converted to SI units.





    As the name suggests, own property on the desired period of time for your holiday rather than buy the unit and use only a few times in a year.





    In Phuket, if I still remember, David Lloyd was the first to conceptualise this.





    Besides the property,other throw ins(e.g. yacht, airport transfer,concierge etc. are available.









    Very good point made by Dragonc ;







    ..and also I too have only heard of this being promoted in Phuket, but again same goes with the time-share which is so big there.



    With just one requirement issue about the % of condominiums in a developemnt available for foreign ownership that is the only point for a foreigner buying a condo, otherwise it%26#39;s a breeze and 100% clear, you get full ownsership papers etc etc and there are no %26#39;grey areas%26#39; to worry about.









    ok thanks for the info everyone, sheds a bit of light on it all now, but if anyone has actually bought like this please let us know how it went thanks all









    ';With just one requirement issue about the % of condominiums in a developemnt available for foreign ownership that is the only point for a foreigner buying a condo, otherwise it%26#39;s a breeze and 100% clear, you get full ownsership papers etc etc and there are no %26#39;grey areas%26#39; to worry about.';





    I would not be too sure about the gray areas. No more than 49% of the total units of any condo may be foreign owned - sounds straightforward, but who actually is the legal owner under Thai law of the unit you%26#39;re buying %26#39;fractual%26#39; ownership in. I think you would need expert legal advice from a property lawyer, and not one based in Phuket who might have vested interests.

    I'm confused: Where to stay in Bangkok?

    Hi there,





    Me and my significant other will be arriving in Bangkok for 3 nights from 11/11 to 14/11 in 2009.





    It%26#39;s an old question posted on these forums, but I%26#39;ve read them and now I%26#39;m all confused!





    We would ideally like to find a hotel that is situated close to attractions i.e. 15min bus ride, close to night markets (walking distance), shopping malls (walking distance), good authentic thai cuisine etc





    Someone I know is suggesting Sukhumvit, Silom and Siam Square. Can anyone confirm this, or suggest an alternative location where it%26#39;s all at?





    And please don%26#39;t forget to suggest a hotel in the area too.





    Many thanks in advance, I really appreciate it.





    I'm confused: Where to stay in Bangkok?





    Yes to those locations as you need to be near the skytrain for ease in getting around. With the trafic there a bus would not be a good option. I have stayed in Majestic Grande and atm they have a special on pay 2 nights stay 3. But that is only one of so many hotels,





    I'm confused: Where to stay in Bangkok?





    The main attractions (Grand Palace etc) are not in the same area as the main shopping centers, night markets, etc. Bt most visitors choose to stay around Sulhumvit, Silom, Siam, Ploenchit area as the transport is good, the shops and markets are closeby, and access to the real tourist sites is easy using the skytrain and river express boats.









    Thank you.





    So what hotel/s would you recommend for that particular area you have suggested, in terms of good value and high accommodation standards?





    Thanks









    sukhumvit would be ideal..but depends hw $$$$ you want to pay......



    orelse at MBK....which is 1 of the main shopping complexes..in Siam there is a wonderful,very nice hotel above called.



    Pathumwan Princess



    close to everything etc aswell





    il actually be in thailand with 6 friends during your stay..can email me,and can exchange more details or even catch up









    Hi Zee,





    I have stayed in lower Sukumvit a couple of times and really like the area, it has a real buzz to the area, close to to a sky train station and some great places to eat and drink.





    I really loved staying at the The Landmark Hotel so if it is in your price rage check out all the reviews on it.





    A bit cheaper is the Belaire Princess I have researched this one and am going to be staying there with my boyfriend in Sept.





    Other hotels I have looked at are Dream, Pathumwan Princess(attached to MBK)and Park Plaza all look good on reviews and offer something different in location so see if one suits.





    I think overall it is hard to cover all your requirements but with the sky train and boats you can navigate round the city really easily and forget the busy traffic! that way transport is part of the holiday experience.





    Enjoy the search





    Cheers Jazz :O)









    Zee,





    For a first time there you can beat the www.sheratongrandesukhumvit.com. You can walk onto the Sky Train platform from the lobby of the hotel. Breakfast is really good. Pool is adequate. Not over the top. Rooms are very nice.





    Thai cuisine can be had all over. I think even Basil in the Sheraton Grande is very good but we didn%26#39;t eat there this last time.





    I%26#39;ve stayed all over Bangkok..Silom, Ploenchit, Sukhumvit..I think for you this Sheraton would be ideal.





    If you%26#39;d like some more advice give us your budget, spot on. It really makes a difference and will help us narrow down the choices.









    Hi





    I have just returned from Bangkok this week and i stayed at The Courtyard by Marriott. The hotel itself is only a couple of years old and it was lovely. I booked through Trailfinders and paid about £70 for b%26amp;b per night but that was for a triple so it might be cheaper for you. It was only about 5 min walk to one big mall and the night markets and other malls are only just over a pound in a taxi(even when roads are busy).



    The food in the hotel was very very nice and on a lunch time they have a special on each day for less then £3 each.



    Hope this helps, just let me know if you want anymore info.



    Cheers









    Thanks guys and girls..





    Well it would be on our way back from Pattaya. We are kind of splashing out in Pattaya, so when we get to Bangkok we might have already blown our budget away!





    suppose you only live once but hey!





    Coming back to Bangkok.. well I have looked at a place to some detail called the Sasha Hotel Uno..





    http://www.hotel-uno.com/





    I did a search on agodo.com and it quoted me at £35 per night for b%26amp;b. It gets good ratings on this website and on Sukhumvit 19.





    Is that where I need to be??









    Imo the location is fine. I looked at the website.









    How about the Pathumwan Princess..next to MBK shopping mall, not too far from the night market, go to the 6th floor for authentic thai food.



    Siam@Siam is another good choice.

    Which sunset dinner cruise would you choose please?

    I just wanted to book up one of these to celebrate a birthday, anniversary and engagment all in one!





    Any tips greatly appreciated.



    I have seen many different boats. Wooden ones that look beautiful and modern ones.





    Which sunset dinner cruise would you choose please?





    I am looking at doing a Manohra luxury cruise (sunset dinner) have any of you done this?





    Which sunset dinner cruise would you choose please?





    Haven%26#39;t done Manohra, however we were on Loy Nava in January and absolutely loved it! The ambience was fantastic, very authentic and intimate. The food was some of the best we had in Thailand. We went on the 6pm cruise ( there are 2, one at 6 and one at 8pm) . It%26#39;s on an antique teakwood rice barge. We would definately do it again.. and again.. and again, lol. :)





    www.loynava.com









    I%26#39;ve tried them all and every one of them can be recommended. However, for me, Loy Nava gets the nod of approval over its rivals.









    Hi,





    We did the Grand Pearl in December and loved it. It was the last night of our honeymoon (last night in Bangkok before flying home) and we couldn%26#39;t have ended our trip any better. The food was superb, the entertainment was fantastic. It was romantic and wonderful, definitely one of my favourite Thailand memories!









    I just love the Loy Nava cruise :) http://www.loynava.com









    I intend to take one of these cruises on our next visit to Bangkok. My only concern is if is suitable for people who suffer from motion/sea sickness?Are there swaying movements while on board? I had been on a moving ferry for 15 minutes onboard and didnt feel sick.





    Please advise. Thank you









    Very little sensation of that kind of motion.









    Hi



    we were in bangkok 3 weeks ago and we did the La Noya the 8pm cruise



    was really good




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