Best Time for First Visit

[goteed1]

I am planning my first visit to BKK and was wondering what you thought the best time to visit in terms of weather, crowds, prices etc. For 2011 I am looking at March, April, May or September.

Also someone referred me to Purple Dragon as a tour guide, does anyone on this board have a recommendation for a gay guide?

Thanks

max

[Smiles]

I am planning my first visit to BKK and was wondering what you thought the best time to visit in terms of weather, crowds, prices etc. For 2011 I am looking at March, April, May or September.

Also someone referred me to Purple Dragon as a tour guide, does anyone on this board have a recommendation for a gay guide?
This is just personal preference, but I would vote for September. The reason I say that is that I like Thailand greeny green, rainy off and on, the flowers blooming and the waterfalls actually having, er, water falling.
March through May can be very very hot indeed and usually by April most of Thailand comes in different shades of dusty brown. The south is a somewhat of an exception in that it rains in those moths a bit more than the rest of the country.

Downside of September is that is the lowest of low season and many of the bars will have slimmer pickings and the energy level in most venues will be lower simply from lack of critical mass. Also it can rain most days in September, but usually only for a few hours a day ... making the air after the deluge clear and clean.
Actually, none of the months you've chosen (except possibly early March) can be considered high season. Especially lately.

[arsenal]

If you like swimming in the sea then avoid September as it's full of jellyfish.

I am planning my first visit to BKK and was wondering .........


If you like swimming in the sea then avoid September as it's full of jellyfish.


Yes, the sea in BKK can be downright dangerous - whatever time of year it is. I always avoid it.


:laughing3:

[arsenal]

Yes, my error. I did'nt see the BKK bit. I have seen kids swimming in the BKK river but I personally wouldn't recommend it.

[allieb]

I am planning my first visit to BKK and was wondering what you thought the best time to visit in terms of weather, crowds, prices etc. For 2011 I am looking at March, April, May or September.

Also someone referred me to Purple Dragon as a tour guide, does anyone on this board have a recommendation for a gay guide?

Thanks

max



There will be no crowds whatever time you go and the prices will be high all the year round. Sorry dear you have missed the boat.

[Beachlover]

I am planning my first visit to BKK and was wondering what you thought the best time to visit in terms of weather, crowds, prices etc. For 2011 I am looking at March, April, May or September.
Weather wise, I've always found December to February has the nicest weather - It's both cool and dry, relative to other months. March, April and May will be quite hot but it should rain too much, if at all. In September it is hot but not as hot. You get much more rain but it's not too bad.

Price wise, December to Feb/March tend to be the "high season" and the rest of the year is low season of off-peak season. But to be honest I haven't noticed this affecting accommodation prices in Bangkok. It tends to make prices in the tourist towns like Pattaya, Phuket and Samui fluctuate a lot where rooms can cost 50%-80% more in peak season but not so much in Bangkok, from what I've seen.


Also someone referred me to Purple Dragon as a tour guide, does anyone on this board have a recommendation for a gay guide?
In my opinion, if you're just visiting Bangkok you really don't need a tour guide... Booking through Purple Dragon will probably just mean you pay a big mark up for everything from accommodation and transfers and in a city like Bangkok none of this is going to add much value. Much more exciting to find your own way around.

Bangkok is pretty easy to get around. If you don't know much about Bangkok or Thailand, have a scan through a few travel forums/blogs/guides before you go so you have an idea of the basics. Best place to start is http://wikitravel.org/en/Bangkok - it gives you the basics; How to get in from the airport, areas to stay in (I recommend Silom), how to get around the city, things to do/see/eat/drink and scams and shit to watch out for.

[giggsy]

I am planning my first visit to BKK and was wondering what you thought the best time to visit in terms of weather, crowds, prices etc. For 2011 I am looking at March, April, May or September.

Also someone referred me to Purple Dragon as a tour guide, does anyone on this board have a recommendation for a gay guide?
This is just personal preference, but I would vote for September. The reason I say that is that I like Thailand greeny green, rainy off and on, the flowers blooming and the waterfalls actually having, er, water falling.

Wow goteed1 you don't know how honoured you are being a newby and getting a serious reply from Smiles. Usually he regards any newby as a troll.

If you have never been to Bangkok before perhaps you might consider xtravel as a tour guide. They cost a bit more but take care of you well.They fly you staight to the beach side in Bangkok.Check their Utube video for more info.

[youtube:2kt3q5d4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHn_DQUBtbw[/youtube:2kt3q5d4]

[bao-bao]

The months you're considering are during "low" season. There are pluses and minuses to this time of year, and many have already been pointed out above. I've been there during those months, and while some of the weather can be a bother I enjoy low season, myself.

There are lots of temperature/rainfall charts you can refer to. One of them is at:
http://www.amazing-thailand.com/Climate.html . If you have a low tolerance to heat, be aware that you're going to be uncomfortable. Plan to see outdoor venues such as the Grand Palace, Wat Arun, the Jatujak weekend market and other standard "newbie" stops when they open in the morning, and find someplace indoors for the heat of mid-day - such as an airconditioned mall, a museum, Pantip Plaza, or something like that. Even so, you're not going to be able to avoid the heat. Drink lots of water, even if you don't normally. ( http://khunbaobao.blogspot.com/2010/03/ ... buddy.html (http://khunbaobao.blogspot.com/2010/03/youre-couple-quarts-low-there-buddy.html) )

If you're visiting for the night life, sleep in the afternoon and begin the second part of your day around 5pm. If you already know someone you're going to take a chance on (from gayromeo or some other such site) meet them ASAP and if you click - and can communicate - you have a guide that can get you to places you want to see. If the comfort of having an actual guide or organized tour person to show you around, try Smiles' partner: gay-thailand-f9/new-vehicle-but-not-new-driver-yearly-tout-t18586.html?hilit=Suphot%20tour#p190389 (http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/gay-thailand-f9/new-vehicle-but-not-new-driver-yearly-tout-t18586.html?hilit=Suphot%20tour#p190389) (ignore the trollish posts after his).

Even if you don't care about the countryside and don't mind the rain, September is a good month. Expect rain. Every day.

Maybe let us in on what you want to see or do and a little more of why you're going there and we could help a little better. PM some of us here who sound at least borderline rational to you and ask. You're welcome to check my site out, too.

I envy you the excitement of that "first trip."

[Up2U]

I am planning my first visit to BKK and was wondering what you thought the best time to visit in terms of weather, crowds, prices etc. For 2011 I am looking at March, April, May or September.

Also someone referred me to Purple Dragon as a tour guide, does anyone on this board have a recommendation for a gay guide?

Thanks

max

Skip April, May. Go in January-March; high season but not peak season. Cooler with little rain.
You don't need a tour guide.

[goteed1]

Wow! Lots of very helpful information, thanks so much. The links provided are very helpful as well.

I actually like hot weather, so that's not too much of an issue. I originally tried to plan my visit for X-mas this year, but couldn't work it out. I'll be looking to explore the typical tourist sites during the day and the gay nightlife as well. Will probably spend part of the trip in a beach city as well. Not sure which one yet. (Again, any suggestions appreciated)

I travel alot and usually don't do tours but have used tour guides on an as needed basis, so I think the tour guide that was linked above sounds just about right.

Right now I'm leaning towards a March visit.

[chillnorth]

Too bad December didn't work out as an option; try to aim for it for your second trip. March strikes me as a good choice, with the caveat that the air in the North is pretty awful if you plan to put Chiang Mai or the Golden Triangle on your itinerary. I like the weather in September myself, but if you have a yen for country lads you'll find that many are off helping with the rice or taking their time getting back from the village. Which is not to say you'll be lonely. Fundamentally, though, it's hard to say there's a bad time for a first visit.

I used a tour agency (Utopia, way back) for my first trip, found it helpful at the time and certainly paid an unnecessary premium for that. I wouldn't book a tour in advance. Depending on where you want to go or where you end up staying, any good gay hotel or guesthouse will be able to set you up with someone to offer you guidance if you decide you need or want it. I'd put emphasis on staying at specifically gay hotels as they have much experience helping first-timers in the Kingdom find their way.

[bing]

Being from the south in the USA, the heat in BKK is not an issue. I find May and good time for me. I like the heat and all my bones seem to work better than if it is cooler. It may mean an extra shower a day and the heat is a good excuse to use the pool which will not be so cold to take a nice swim. Heck for the joys of Thailand, don't worry about the month so much, any time is a great time.

[Beachlover]

I travel alot and usually don't do tours but have used tour guides on an as needed basis, so I think the tour guide that was linked above sounds just about right
Fair enough. I don't think a guide is adding any value for Bangkok. It would be like hiring a guide for London or Sydney. Only time I'd hire a driver and/or guide is if I wanted to check out things outside of Bangkok or to some of the more distant places.

Check out this thread for good stuff to do in Bangkok: gay-thailand-f9/trip-ideas-for-things-bkk-t20256.html (http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/gay-thailand-f9/trip-ideas-for-things-bkk-t20256.html)

[goteed1]

Fair enough. I don't think a guide is adding any value for Bangkok. It would be like hiring a guide for London or Sydney. Only time I'd hire a driver and/or guide is if I wanted to check out things outside of Bangkok or to some of the more distant places.

Check out this thread for good stuff to do in Bangkok: gay-thailand-f9/trip-ideas-for-things-bkk-t20256.html

Thanks for the link, that's the kind of stuff I'm looking for.

For guides, I was in Paris a couple of months ago for the first time and did my research to make sure I was really seeing Paris. However, one day I met with a "Paris Greeter", a free service for tourists, they pair you with a local who gives you a tour of a specific area and that tour really connected me to the city and the people. The guide was a lifelong resident who loved his city and helped me look closer at things for the rest of my trip. I'm the type who will just jump into a new city country headfirst and not look back, but I don't want to spend alot of time spinning my wheels either.

Even in places like Chicago and New Orleans, I have gone on odd tours that helped me understand the place and appreciate the whole city more than I did. I think it's possibly that I get overwhelmed when wandering into a new place and like to get my bearings quickly, so often a tour guide for a day is a big help.

[pong]

most has been said, most is good advice. Just 1 more: in APRIL-around the 14/15th is SONGkran=Thai new Year, or the ''water spashing festival-dates vary a little between towns. This is really the worst time to even consider a visit-also all transport is fully packed-all Thai return hometown. Rule of thumb: when airpirces are lowest, the wheather is the worst.
Also- it may make a difference if you have even travelled on your own and are willing to chance it. And have any Asian expereince or it is a total new 1st time. But guides are not needed. Also do not expect any GR or whatever boy to know all those gay places-BKK (here I am now) is so big and spread out, this is sheer impossible for anyone.