Two more questions

The first question is quite simple - anyone know where to buy silk filled duvets - I'll be in Bkk, Pattaya and CM.

The second question has probably already been answered at sometime but here goes - I arrive at Bkk at 3pm on a Wednesday - using a pre-booked taxi how long would it take to get to Pattaya. The alternative will be to wait until 7pm and catch the flight up to CM [yes I know there is a flight at 5:15 but with a slight delay in the flight from the UK it wouldn't take much to miss this flight] - if you had the choice which would u do - up to cm first or down to pattaya? [no i don't want to spend a night or 2 in bkk - that's for the end of the holiday.

cheers
Brian

How long is your vacation, and are you looking to relax or looking to get laid non-stop?

This is a short 3 week trip with 1 week in cm, pattaya and bkk. And no, getting laid is not a priority.

Brian

I would pick Chiang Mai then, you can get in that night, have a nice relaxing time, catch up from the jetlag, maybe have a casual night out, and get started the next day. I would rather stay at the airport and fly four hours later than drive even for a short time to pattaya and then drive back a couple of days later. Keep in mind I've never been to Pattaya, but I think Chiang Mai is a great way to start a Thailand vacation.

That's just what I think.

Oh, and I know they had a lot of bedding stuff at Jim Thompson on Suriwong, but I don't know about duvets.

This is a short 3 week trip with 1 week in cm, pattaya and bkkAnd this is a holiday?

[lonelywombat]

This is a short 3 week trip with 1 week in cm, pattaya and bkkAnd this is a holiday?

Well homi what do you call a holiday.

You have said in the past you like to holiday at home.

What is wrong with a 3 week , 3 stop vacation?

[Mi Cow Chai-old]

Depending on traffic it is 2 to 2 1/2 hours to Pattaya.

Last time I travelled from BKK to Pattaya was on a weekday and it took 2 hours exactly by taxi, previously I have travelled on a Friday and Saturday and the trip took considerably longer. Personally I never like scheduling another air journey when travelling such a long distance due to the reason you state, 'what if your flight is delayed and you are stuck at the airport'. Going to Pattaya first means you can exit the arrivals area at the airport and be on your way instead of waiting at the airport for your flight, rushing to catch a plane or worrying over possibly missing it.

Unfortunately I do not think any airline flies from Pattaya to Chang Mai directly, so you would have to taxi back to Bangkok and then catch a flight or do the risky thing again of booking a flight from Pattaya to BKK and then another flight to Chang Mai. Having experience several short delays with Air Asia and one long 4 hour delay with Bangkok Air, I personally would not recommend this.

Enjoy your trip, I still aim to go to Chang Mai as everyone tells me how beautiful it is.

[AMARETTO-old]

Alternative : When you arrive, you can go straight to domestic departure and then book your flight to CM. If no flight available then take a taxi to Pattaya.
There are several companies desserving CM from BKK : One2Go, Airasia, Orient, bangkokair.... I don't remember all of them, you must check them all.
A taxi ride to Pattaya is about 2,5 hours from the airport.

Have a nice trip.

Thanks for ur replies guys. Think it's 50/50 as both have their + / - so will have to do the sensible thing and flip a coin.

Any further suggestions on silk filled duvets?

And now a question for Monty {yes I know I can contact him directly but the answer may be of interest to others} What time do you serve breakfast from and to.

Thanks
Brian

[CHAOTOU]

Do you really mean a "silk filled duvet?" Or, are you just looking for a silk duvet? I think Jim Thompson House will be your most expensive option. Any silk shop in Bangkok or Chiang Mai will make one for you. You just pick out the silk. If you do this be sure and bring the measurements of what you want made. I did not as I wasn't planning on buying a silk duvet. However, when I got there, I decided I wanted. The salesperson told me that "queen size" was a standard size. The duvet I have is too small. It covers my queen sized bed, but not in the way I wanted. So, bring measurements for the most satisfaction. Also, I have purchased bulk silk from the shops in Chiang Mai before. The places where the retail shops get their silk. Then I brought it back home and had curtains made in the USA. I had a Thai friend take me to the silk shops and bargain for me.

If you want to go to Chiang Mai first, i'd book the 5pm flight. If your flight from the UK arrives late they will just roll over your reservation to the next flight, the 7pm one you are thinking of anyway. You will be on standby for the next flight, but I don't think you will have a problem. That's what i'd do. I have arrived in BKK from the USA before at midnight and waited at the airport until 0600 for the first flight to Chiang Mai. It was horrible. I just did the drive from Bangkok to Pattaya and back. It was 2 1/2 hours down and 2 back. I was traveling from the city not the airport. Isn't the airport closer? Or farther? Anyway, I was driving to Pattaya during the Songkran weekend, traffic was horrible and it only took 2 1/2 hours. I'd say two hours is a safe bet. It seems to me the traffic in the city is as big a factor as the traffic on the motorway as to the time required

Whatever you end up doing, it will be fun. Enjoy.

yes it is a silk filled duvet I'm looking for and not the covers. They are filled with raw silk, they are light in weight, cool in summer and warm in winter.

Brian

[Surfcrest]

I did a similar trip a few years back, although I stayed in Pattaya much longer than what you are planning.
There are several flight options to Chiang Mia and most schedules are available online to review in advance. You are wise not to cut it too close for the transfer. Recently upon arrival at BKK from Vietnam, we taxied in the air around BKK so long that it put us way behind schedule.
When I flew in from Hong Kong a few years back I was able to skip Customs in BKK and go through Immigration and Customs in Chiang Mai. The inbound transfer through BKK was smooth. The airport in Chiang Mai is pretty close to the city and you can make it to most hotels / guesthouses in a half hour or less, most of which will pick you up for a very small fee. This will get you to some well-deserved rest quickly so your holiday can begin as soon as you wake up. Next, Chiang Mai is plenty hot but is not really a destination where you will lay out in the sun tanning (if that's your thing). This will allow you to acclimatize to the heat and sun, build a base (rather than burning yourself). There are plenty of silk factories in Chiang Mai and indeed the North West. Provided a tout or tout-taxi doesn't bring you, you should be able to buy a great silk Duvet Cover there. It will take up a bit of room in your luggage, as will the many other crafts available, especially at the Sunday City market. If Thai culture is your thing, this is where you should see the sights and immerse yourself in real Thailand
Now that you have a few interesting treasures, have sampled the exquisite Chiang Mai boys your тАЬboy expectationsтАЭ will be set high enough not to get stuck with any тАЬPlain JaneтАЩsтАЭ later on.
You should now be ready for some sunshine (although itтАЩs raining now more than it did during high season) and all the pleasures of sin city. Although many may not agree, there is very little if any Thai culture in Pattaya, unless its тАЬbar cultureтАЭ. As Lonely Planet says, тАЬThose after temples, open spaces and history should give Pattaya an extremely wide berth, but the city moves to the kind of unashamedly decadent rhythm some may find irresistible". I personally love Jomtien (although the ocean itself is just short of a sewer) for the people and the atmosphere, both Thai and Farang. As Pattaya is pretty much a тАЬmadeтАЭ city from the Vietnam war era, most of the boys come from all regions of the country and you can find boys from the region you prefer or sample them all. That taste selection extends a great deal farther in Sunnee, but you have to go and sample the circus there for yourself. There is nothing to buy in Pattaya either, other than good food, drink and boys. Save your shopping for Bangkok.
I like to finish each tour in Bangkok, because it allows me a relaxing trip to the airport rather than that stressful dash from Pattaya or beyond. It also allows me to but all the things I never bought it all the other places I went (except Pattaya). Although there are no beaches, the bathhouses provide a great option for a bit more sun and some serious relaxation. They are more like spas to me than our western bathhouses. The priority seems to be more to relax and enjoy, rather than get in / get laid and get the hell out. Many are so beautiful and comfortable to spend hours upon our simply enjoying the facilities. IтАЩve been several times already this year without anything more than being groped a few times. I imaging is I spent any time in the тАЬGarden of Earthly ParadiseтАЭ or whatever they call these areas in whatever place IтАЩm in, the situation would have probably been different (But public playtime isnтАЩt my thing). Again, Bangkok is where you want to be on the weekend for Chatuchak (Weekend Market).
Using this itinerary plan will reduce your transfer fees (hotel to airport) and the amount of time in transit. It sounds as though you already have pre-arranged your Pattaya transfer. ItтАЩs always a good idea to arrange the Pattaya to Bangkok transfer as well. Although it is no longer high season, it is always a good idea to make your bookings in advance to ensure your plans fall perfectly into place.

Enjoy your holiday and Chok Dee Brian!

Surfcrest

[DJB0Y-old]

Silk Duvets in Pattaya

I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for. But perhaps if you contact this place, they could better refer you to find what you are searching.

I saw this in the Chiang Mai Mail newspaper on-line edition. I have no experience with this company.

http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/classic/classic.html

Please do let us know if you find this. I might be interested in one of these silk duvets too. It sounds very interesting. I'm not sure I'd like the silk duvet cover as cotton sheets are more my style, but the silk inside the duvet sounds very interesting.

Thanks, DJB

[wowpow]

I have never seen or heard of Silk Duvets being on sale in Thailand. These are filled with silk fibres and have silk outsides. I think they come from China where it gets cold. They are supposed to be very light and warm

Have flipped the coin and will be heading up to CM for the first part of the holiday.

Silk duvets are not necessarily covered in silk - they are far better made with a cotton cover. I have e-mailed the company mentioned by DJB and will report back if i hear anything.

cheers
Brian

[jvt22222]

I am American so not real sure what a DUVET is, but think it is what we call a BED SPREAD but with lots of stuffing. If I were in the market for such, the first place that I would go is a beautiful shop in JOMTIEN COMPLEX. They sell Asian-style beds as well as all sorts of silk bed dressing: various size pillows, pillow covers, bed spreads, and I would bet, duvets. If not, since they seem to be a good source, I would guess that they would/could do something made-to-order.

Cannot recall the name, but it is mid-way on the south side of the southern most soi in the Jomtien Complex; has a beautiful display so don't think you can miss it.

We have duvets in America, too, jvt. You should get out more.

[dab69]

obviously not a "guy" thing...

obviously not a "guy" thing...
Depends...if one says, 'dove-it,' or 'doo-vay.'
Europeans often buy them plain and get decorative covers (Sacks. Made like plastic sandwich bags: with a flap at one end.) to put them in. (Pillow covers made same way.) You'd need a sketch & measurements but wouldn't need tote all those feathers: they come in different 'weights' and the heavier ones can be bulky: a 'queen' could fill a medium-size duffel-bag but you might have more selection of patterns\colors.

And before anyone asks if the feathers are sterilized?...
How does one sterilize a goose?