Going to Bangkok and Koh Samui in Sep 2011

Myself and my partner are planning to go to Thailand in September. We would like to spend a week in Bangkok and 10 days in Koh Samui. I was just wondering if any body here would be able to give me any info on the best places to stay and best clubs/restaurants to go to? We would like to be in the heart of all the action. I cant wait to visit. I have been wanting to go to Thailand for years.

Thanks

Dubgaz

[pong]

great, you certainly will not be disppointed. DO realise that sept is the lowest of low season and that has a reason; often rainy downpours, up to flooding. But thats why airtickets are also at their lowest.
What is your idea of ''action'' as to give a proper advice? Anyone has something else in mind for that. But for newcomers, most would advice the Silom/Suriwong area in BKK. In Samui? hmm, make up mind, read a general guidebook or peruse some of the many wwwguides, like dragoncastle, utopia-asia, gaythailand and do realise that none is 100% uptodate, also different groups appreciate different things, so without giving some more idea of what you call best one can only get the broadest of general advice. price rnage? Any minimum you will not go below? or is price the most imptt consideration? Needs to be specific gay or listed as that? Realise the dangers of the chocolateboys here for any serious relation?

[Beachlover]

In Bangkok, I'd recommend staying in the Silom/Sathorn area (where most of the gay/foreigner focused nightlife is... probably best), Sukhumvit (area) or the Lang Suan/Lumpini/Central World area in the middle of the city.

There's a good thread on things to do in Bangkok here: 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)



I'd love to hear everyone's suggestions for things to do in Bangkok too...

In mean the meantime, these are mine. I have not done all of these (so no guarantees), but the ones I haven't done are on my list to do...

During the day:

- Go for a walk around Chinatown - lots of great little markets, shops and eateries there.

- Visit Chatuchak Market. World's biggest weekend market. Saturday/Sunday. Better to go there early in the day but it is fine later in the day too (just hotter). You can spend hours walking around. Stuff is also the cheapest here too. For example, while you might pay 180 baht for underwear at the Patpong Night market, here they can be bargained down to 100 baht (rough comparison from memory).

- Visit one of the Floating Markets (have to be up early for this).

- Go for a walk or run in Lumpini Park. Or just laze around there beside one of the lakes. I was sick with a stomach/gastro bug once and was staying in a crappy room at the time so instead of resting in my hotel I went to the park and laid on the grass all day until I got better. Really nice spot.

- Check out Gaysorn Shopping Mall (spelling?). It's near Central World Plaza. It's a high end retail mall and quite spectacular. Worth a walk around even if you don't buy anything. But you might end up buying a few items as they have many brands you would see back home at ordinary prices like Lacoste etc.

- Check out MBK mall... it is huge and very messy.

- Check out Siam Square and all the malls and stuff around there. It's the bustling centre of Bangkok.

- Feast on the breakfast buffet at the Dusit Thani or Le Meridien Hotels. Both pride themselves on their breakfast spreads. I think they're somewhere around the 600-800 baht/person range. But well worth it. Or go higher and have breakfast at the Mandarin Oriental overlooking the river. I've heard this is spectacular.

- Eat lots of street food... I love Bangkok for its streetfood On days where I'm working out of my hotel, there's nothing like ducking downstairs every couple of hours to grab a delicious skewer of meat or a bag of jack fruit to munch on.

- Take a Thai cooking class...

- Have lunch or dinner at one of the Scoozi Pizza restaurants (there are a few of them, one on Surawong Rd in Silom, a few blocks West of Le Meriden, same side of the road). The pizzas and desserts there are to notch and absolutely delicious. http://www.scoozipizza.com/

At night:

- Obviously, go to DJ Station

- Check out some of the famous straight nightclubs like Bed Supper Club

- There's also another straight club (plenty of gays there too). I can't quite remember the name. It opens very late, until 5 or 6am. Thai style (dancing at tables). It's in a huuuge hall and seems to get packed with over 1,000 people. There are pillars inside and each pillar has a little elevated dancing platform running around it. Had a few crazy nights there. Anyone remember the name of this place?

- Have a drink at the rooftop bar (70+ floors high) at the Lebua State Tower at Sunset. Highly recommend everyone do this at least once. It's probably the most spectacular spot in Bangkok. It opens at 6pm but there is a bar next to it, which opens at 4pm so don't be afraid to arrive early. It's one of the most spectacular bars I've ever been to. Drinks are at Western prices. Martinis are 400-500 baht but very well made and still less than I pay back home. (Dress code applies). Wine is 400-500/glass too.

- Vertigo Bar at the Banyan Tree Hotel is meant to be taller than the Lebua but I don't think it's as spectacular. Felt more crowded too.

- Watch a Thai Kickboxing match at National Stadium in Lumpini.

- See the show at Boys Bangkok in Soi Twilight

- Have dinner at one of the riverside restaurants a the Shangri La or Mandarin Oriental... romantic.

- Have dinner at the Suan Lum Nightmarket at Lumpini. There's a great big food hall with a stage where cover bands of varying talent play. Food stands on one side. Beer stands on the other. Cheap but good food. And walk around the market too, obviously.

- Take a dinner cruise on the river

- Have dinner at this huge restaurant: http://www.royal-dragon.com/aboutus.htm - Haven't tried it yet but it looks pretty cool. The staff bring the dishes out by rollerblading, "walking on water" or flying through the air (attached to wires). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZucdpkOyis ... The food is meant to be ok/normal... but looks like a good experience.

- Try and get some sleep. I hardly sleep at all when I'm in Bangkok. On my last trip I was there for over a week and think I had less then 3-4 hrs of sleep each night. Yet I feel more awake than ever in that city...

Might think of more later... Hungry now.




Let's hope Khun Bao-Bao weighs in on this one as well.

Personally,
I still have quite a bit to do and see in BKK as I'm pretty much still a newcomer comparatively and only stay for a max of 4 days at a stretch in transit to other destinations. But It's funny how even after a little while you get into a groove with your likes and dislikes. Habitation is an amazing and frightening thing. I hope to mix it up a bit more in between bouts of political unrest. Here goes.

1. Wat Po Massage-Oh Man! The original, the one and only! I can easily spend several hours there in the temple, lose myself in the fantastic bliss of massage (foot, body, face), and of course the home to the famous Reclining Buddha. There are stores selling cures and herb tonics just outside across the street, along with all manner of interesting curios Thai. Note Well: purchase and consume the Thai herbal remedies with extreme reserve and caution! I attempted an herbal OTC tonic there and was trippin' my f*ck'n nuts off for three days!! Seriously! :tongue3:

2. Soi Pollo Fried Chicken-giving away my hide out but this stuff is addictive with the fried garlic on top of the chicken. Nice morning glory, assorted Som Tam-just to name a few things on the menu. It's a little hole in the wall but the locals love the place. Great Issan Food

3. Siam Paragon-yes, I am a spoiled westerner and love shopping, eating, and hanging out there. The movies upstairs have nice comfy seats, and tri-flavored popcorn (sweet, cheese, and some other flavor I cant recall now). Eating Hagan Daaz ice cream in BKK is a gourmet experience!!! :hello1:

4. Water Taxi Ride-BTS Skytrain Silom Line to Saphan Taksin and hop on the cheap 30THB river taxi. It is a really nice ride during a hot day and you pass all the sights on the way to Chinatown, Wat Po, or further up the river.

5.Chinatown-At night and Texas for BBQ and hot pot (Texas Restaurant, 305 Soi Texas). Great food for starters and it's just the openers for the Chinatown eating experience. I prefer Chinatown at night for the lights and excitement!

6. Babylon-Need I say more?

7. Silom Street Food-How could I forget this? I live for this stuff! The soup! The noodles! The fried chicken! :notworthy: This is one thing I always do when in BKK. Just start at Silom Soi 4 and walk towards Chong Nansi under the Skytrain..oh man!!! There are numerous locations as you know all over BKK after 6pm, I fancy this one.

So just take what you like for suggestions and leave the rest. Have a great and safe time-I love BKK now more than when I first visited and look forward to seeing and doing so much more there.
:thumbleft:
DZ

Thanks everybody for the replies. I think we are going to fly to Bangkok with Eva Airways (can get a flight for тВм620 return). Probably spend a night at a hotel near the airport and then straight to Koh Samui for a week to 10 days. Then fly up to Chiang Mai and spend a few days there. After that we are going to get the train back to Bangkok and spend a period of time there. I have been reading up on the Silom/Sathorn areas and it looks like a great place. I want to experience what the gay scene is like in Thailand but not to take part in it if you know what I mean. Dont think my boyfriend would be too happy if I did that :violent1:

Hoping to check out as many gay bars and clubs as we can when we are there but also to do a fair few trips and sample the cultural side of Thailand. I cant wait to go. I have been wanting to go to Thailand for years but things always got in the way.

Thanks again

G

[Dani69]

I use Eva Air all the time out of London Heathrow to Bkok and can highly recommend it ( ok food is average) but flight it self great value and very comfortable . Especially if Boeing 777.
If you can afford it pay the little bit extra for Elite Class - worth every Euro.
Also join their free Evergreen Club and you will get instant discounts.
Enjoy.

[bao-bao]

I think we are going to fly to Bangkok with Eva Airways (can get a flight for тВм620 return).
Here's another vote for EVA, and a second on the motion to spend a bit more for their Economy Deluxe or Elite service (different names, depending on the aircraft). I've also had good service on Japan Airlines. The only flight disappointments so far have been United and Northwest - I'd only fly them again if they were offering half-off tickets, and even then I'd think twice.

I've sent you a message here - check your In box. Best of luck with your plans. I envy you the excitement of a "first trip"!

BTW - Lumpini Park is a lovely place for a walk, especially mornings or late afternoons, but if I had a gastrointestinal problem as Beachlover mentions above I'd personally rather be in my own room near a "Western" toilet and not stretched out on the lawn somewhere and have to risk making a hurried trip to a public lavatory and risk a first try at a squat toilet. Evidently I'm not alone in my apprehensions, as that post (http://khunbaobao.blogspot.com/2010/11/ ... at-is.html (http://khunbaobao.blogspot.com/2010/11/to-squat-or-not-to-squat-that-is.html)) consistently gets a lot of views. LOL

[Beachlover]

After that we are going to get the train back to Bangkok
Are you getting an overnight train? I know this may not be possible with your itinerary the way it is but I've done the Bangkok-Chiang Mai overnight sleeper train both ways and I found the BKK to Chiang Mai ride the most rewarding because when you wake up in the morning the scenery for the last couple of hours going into Chiang Mai is really beautiful.


Hoping to check out as many gay bars and clubs
As a starting point... check out DJ Station in Bangkok for a foreigner-oriented gay nightclub.

The show at Dream Boys (gogo bar) is probably the biggest out of all the gogo bars and is worth watching if it's your first time in Thailand (yes, there's nudity etc.)...