What's the shortest length trip you have ever made to LOS? [Archive] - Sawatdee Gay Thailand the oldest and most popular gay forum on Thailand and South East Asia

colmx

June 16th, 2009, 01:36

Hi All
I booked my next trip to LOS this afternoon and have now started the long 6.5 month countdown till i return around the New Year

In the meantime i still have a few days holidays that i could burn up in Sept or Oct on a VERY quick trip to LOS
With the price of flights these days (тВм529 return from Ireland) a 5 night trip to London would be as expensive as a trip to thailand (when accomodation, drink prices and Club/Sauna entry is factored in)

Just curious... what is the shortest trip any of you have made to Thailand?
Was it worth it?
Would you do it again?

I know Gaythailand from the Gaythailand board often makes flying trips like this... but he's a Billionaire! :santa:

June 16th, 2009, 01:43

Did a long weekend (Fri to Sun) once, however, I was working in Japan at the time.

"Was it worth it?" Yes, definitely, any time in the LOS is worth it. It was difficult to leave since I was not there long enough to to all the things I wanted. Hence, I did a quick return visit 3 weeks later with a longer stay.

If I was based in SE Asia, I would probably do more numerous short trips in between longer stays.

allieb

June 16th, 2009, 03:38

5 days from Saudi Arabia via Singapore Airlines 14 hours each way inc transit time. And yes worth it

Beachlover

June 16th, 2009, 04:00

Never been for less than 6 days....

It's only a 9-hour flight for me so I could quite happily spend just a long weekend there. I can do a day's work on the flight so there would be not much loss of time really...

It's quite tempting to flee this freezing cold city for a weekend now... some of the fares are as low as AUD$720 now... so really, a weekend wouldn't add up to more than $1,500 or so... cheap as chips. And a night out in Bangkok is way cheaper than a night out here lol.

June 16th, 2009, 04:27

Just curious... what is the shortest trip any of you have made to Thailand?

I think it comes down to the length of flight as to whether it'd be worthwhile. I'm waiting until I could get two weeks off since a 19 hour flight is a bit much. I've taken flights to Tokyo just to watch fireworks and flew on a buddy pass to AMS on a lark one weekend just to buy chocolate at the airport and turn around. :)

How long are the flights from Ireland? 8-9 hours, similar to AUS? I would...

colmx

June 16th, 2009, 04:53

Beachlover

June 16th, 2009, 04:55

flights from Ireland:
2 hours to Amsterdam
2 hour Stop over
11 hours to bkk
so allowing for checkin times its a 17 hour trip each way

Maybe i'm just being crazy - but it seems like a better idea than heading to London,Amsterdam or Berlin for those few days!

Makes sense... Thai boys are cute and always so friendly...

If you can sleep or work on the flight, there's not much loss of time.

atri1666

June 16th, 2009, 08:14

In march 6 days with nonstop flights from and to Amsterdam. I would do again because flying in business class is no problem. Already have been only 4 days in Singapore with nonstop flights from Frankfurt.

June 16th, 2009, 15:41

Just curious... what is the shortest trip any of you have made to Thailand?

About 30 minutes when I was working in Cambodia and commuted daily from Thailand, driving across the border with a Thai military border pass (no passports, so no passport control).

(Sorry, but you did ask .....)

pong

June 16th, 2009, 17:46

1.from UK: currently returns BKK from 333 GBP (less as 400тВм still-I think)-and there is Ryan to ferry you over, but will add time. singaporeair! check sites like travelsupermarket, westeasttravel or netflights.
2.about same as gonefisy-less as 1 hr once. just for administrative purpose.
for what one may call a ''holiday''-when I worked more, often 1 week )trying to squeeze it out till 1 week there) lve FR (THU if possible) after work-arr BKK next day afternoon-lve BKK su-eve-arr back MO-morning-going straight home->work. though it was worthwhile-then, yes

gra46

June 17th, 2009, 07:06

!5 days and Still too short of a time in LOS but anytime there is better than anywhere in the world

June 18th, 2009, 08:07

My first and only trip over here before I moved over was 8 1/2 days. Far too short for a first trip. I guess the old saying now is, if you book for 1 week you wish it was 2, if you booked for 2 weeks you wished it was a month!! Very, very, true indeed. I was almost in tears when I had to get back in the car for the ride back to the airport.

1PR4BKK

June 18th, 2009, 09:33

My shortest trip was for 10 days and I thought that was too short. However, I am tempted to do a few days in Thailand just so I can accompany my friend on his first trip to USA next week.

I am still shocked he got his visa on the first try. I guess that is what I get for saying, "Sure...you can come any time." And that invitation was just given to him in April.

yedo111

June 19th, 2009, 06:37

Normally I stay up to 60 days in LOS . And most of the time around June - August .

Yes I look forward to meet my bf again :cheers:

June 20th, 2009, 11:32

One week..after a 19 hr trip from San Francisco.

Going is not too bad but the coming home and jet lag at work the next day is murder. :drunken:

Alas, that's all I can swing now for my summer trip. In the winter, if I play my cards right with holidays, I can get almost 3 weeks.

I know one week sounds crazy but I'm going to see someone special and any time we have together is precious to me.

June 20th, 2009, 21:12

I know one week sounds crazy but I'm going to see someone special and any time we have together is precious to me.

I can empathize. There's that catch 22 -- if you make enough money to afford to travel then you probably don't have enough time away from work to do so. :blackeye:

ceejay

June 21st, 2009, 15:53

I'm beginning to think that a one-week trip from the UK is not as daft as it sounds. I've just been looking around for a reasonably priced one week break in the Mediterranean and, by the time you add up the prices of flights and hotels the cost is really not that different.

Depending on where you're going, air ticket ┬г200-┬г300 and the very best you can do on a decent place to stay is around 60 Euros a night, so the basics are around ┬г560-┬г660

You can get a direct flight to BKK for around ┬г520 at the moment, and 1000 to 1200 baht a night will cover hotel costs so that comes in at pretty much the same.

As an aside, it's not just Thai businesses that don't seem to get the supply and demand thing. There's a place on Santorini with 14 out of 22 rooms unlet for the second week in July. Are they offering deals to fill some rooms? No, they are not.

colmx

July 4th, 2009, 08:23

Just took the plunge and booked a 7 night trip to LOS at the end of October

Flights cost тВм529 return from Ireland to Bkk via Amsterdam
This is the same price that i paid for my trip around the new year last month...

So over all тВм1058 in flights... i paid approx this price for return flights to thailand around new year 2006... so the price of travelling has definately dropped for us europeans...

An even better offer was return fights to HK for тВм372... but the accom in HK was going to cost as much as my Accom+entertainment budget for LOS

I was planning on a 3 night rip to london around that time - which would have cost me тВм600 for flights+accom+entertainment... so aThailand trip seems to be a winner budget wise on all counts

16 weeks to go!

July 4th, 2009, 08:43

3 days....quick hop from Taipei to show my taiwanese bf bangkok - big mistake!

July 4th, 2009, 10:06

4 days, 3 nights. As a stopover between Melbourne and London. Just enough time for some shopping, a little sightseeing with freinds on their first visit to BKK, and then back on the plane.

ceejay

July 4th, 2009, 11:01

Was it worth it?
Would you do it again?
I'll let you know Colmx. This thread put an idea into my head - I arrive a week tomorrow for a week's stay :bounce: :bounce:

Alaan

July 9th, 2009, 23:14

Interesting comment from cnx4shan re:Soel and Taipei with no sick grannys or dead buffalos in sight.... and slightly off topic...but

Even though most of my thai boy experiences do fall into the Issan boy arena...including my bf from outside Khon Kaen...
the thing i do like about Thailand especially Bkk is that you can avoid any sick granny or buffalo requests if you meet a guy from the more affluent areas of Bkk and if the boy is perhaps a university student.

I do have a very cute 20 year old Thai boy i sometimes meet up with...he is a Uni student in Bkk with a fairly comfortable family life...father police... mother teaching.... and the places we visit and people we meet seems a world away from my Issan world. It is more likely they will be the ones with the jokes about sick buffalos etc...not me.

None of his friends have or have any desire to meet farang... and although they do not hassle him about going out with me... in fact we have real good fun with his friends as most of them can speak and understand very passible english and i can have much more interaction with these thais than i do my bfs family and friends in Issan.....well i have as much interaction only it is much easier on me and them.

We met my chance when we were both on holiday in Phuket and checking out Paradise Complex as he has a gay friend who is a proffessional coyote dancer there and he was visiting him... while i was just checking out the local gay bars etc... for some reason we just got on...... introduced into the same company going to the Galaxy disco... and got on from there.

He said he had never been looking to hook up with a farang...but seemed comfortable with me...

So all this long winded post is to say......more upscale or pseudo upscale boys with no interest in the sex trade and no connections to the sick mother/dead buffalo brigade can be found in Bangkok also.... and in its own way is very enjoyable too.

You do stand out more... but if the boy and his friends are comfortable with it...it can be very good fun. I am actually a bit disappointed that i will have to stop seeing him when i visit due to my now having a Thai bf. He knows i have a Thai bf but asks me to go see him every time i visit...he says its ok to have one 'gig' on the side! No need to travel to korea or Taiwan to avoid the sob story guys.

July 9th, 2009, 23:24

you can avoid any sick granny or buffalo requests if you meet a guy from the more affluent areas of Bkk and if the boy is perhaps a university student.

Brilliant idea. But, 1) there is no such thing as "more affluent areas of Bkk". There are rich people, and poor people, in every area of Bangkok. And 2) there are just as many university students on the make as there are non-university students on the make. Going to university means absolutely nothing, unless it happens to be one of the handful of very expensive private schools.

July 11th, 2009, 18:52

Less than 24 hours. I had a layover and decided to stop over for the night and party a little if I was flying through anyway. I don't count my numerous layovers that I have had in the past few years and didn't stop as a 'trip' though. I also don't say I have visited a country if I never left the airport. I have flown into KL many times but I can't say I have been to Malaysia in all honesty.

x in pattaya

July 12th, 2009, 17:19

Just curious... what is the shortest trip any of you have made to Thailand?
Was it worth it?
Would you do it again?

Did a two day run from Dubai in 1998 when I needed to finalize something ... can't recall what ... to do with the purchase of my condo. My Thai friend of that time was doing most of what was needed, including over-seeing the remodelling and purchase of some major furniture items, but I needed to be here for something. He met me at the airport, we checked into the Ambiance ... not even sure if we spent one night or two ...and then I was back to work in the UAE.

Back then I came to Thailand at least four times a year and the length of visits varied from less than a week to three months. The dates for shorter holidays in the UAE were often announced on very short notice ... sometimes literally a day or two before they would officially begin, so travel agents were accustomed to people making tentative airline bookings only confirmed at the last minute.

When Sheikh Zayed passed away everything in the country shut down, including travel agencies, so I had to call Bangkok to change bookings I had made on Thai Airways for a holiday that came soon after the period of mourning began. I already had the tickets, though with the wrong dates, but they had been changed it in the computer from Bangkok so I got away earlier than many who wanted to extend their holidays out of the country.

Yes, it was always worth it.

July 20th, 2009, 09:01

Definitely worth it. Five days is forever. But not long-haul.

I recently, just a week ago went on a seven day trip but found I was ready to leave after four days so changed my flight. If you can accomplish what you need to in a short time why not.

Must add I live 2 hours away by plane but still I enjoyed the three full days and four nights I had and can recommend.

It helps if you do all your research, phone calls and appointments before you leave.

One thing I would never recommend is economy long haul not even for two weeks, it would knock the stuffing out of you, you need longer to recuperate. Bangkok as a stop over for a few days is excellent and far nicer than Hong Kong or Singapore. Stop overs also knock the stuffing I find, can be quite horrific, so it helps if it's Bangkok.

p-hess (What an adorable sniffer Chihuahua, it looks just like mLomker niet?)

colmx

November 4th, 2009, 03:05

Just back from my 7 night trip to LOS!
1 night in Bkk followed by 6 in Pattaya

I was joined by an Irish friend on the trip -so it helped to shorten the journey- although the 21 hour journey back to Dublin (via Amsterdam) was pretty gruelling

The trip itself was pretty full on and i don't think i saw any sunshine - except the sun in the morning as we struggled home from the night club!
But as usual a fun night was had by all

We stayed in the Mosaik this trip - my first time staying there, both my friend and I were very impressed with the quality of finish of the apartments and the location... Unfortunately they are already booked out on teh dates of my next trip so i will have to look elsewher

Was it worth it?
Absolutely

Would i do it again?
Probably!

Only 8 weeks till my next trip!

sjaak327

November 6th, 2009, 03:05

How do you define a trip ? If it means entering and exiting Thailand, I have had trips of a few days. As I always travel to neighboring countries (mostly Laos and Cambodia, but also side trips to other places like Hong Kong, Vietnam, KL or Singapore).

My shortest trip Europe-Thailand-Europe was 11 days.

November 6th, 2009, 22:16

ceejay

November 7th, 2009, 02:26

I've done a one week trip, this year as it happens. The total journey, out the door at home to checking in at Baan Dok Mai was a touch over 18 hours. The trip was well worth it.

I favour taking one of the many flights that leave Heathrow at around 9.30 at night UK time. That'll land in BKK at about 3.30 in the afternoon local time, so by the time you're through immigration you get to Pattaya sometime before 6. Then I just have a shower, find something to eat, chill for a couple of hours and go to bed at about 10.00 pm. Next day, I'm up at a normal local time and ready to go, without jet lag. Same on the way back - I landed at Heathrow at 7.30 pm on sunday, home and in bed by 10, up and at work by 9.00 am next day with no ill effects.

I travelled light - cabin baggage only - to speed up the transit through the airports.

atri1666

November 7th, 2009, 02:41

My next shortest stay will be 65 min. at 17th december in Bangkok before departing to KUL with boyfriend

Beachlover

November 7th, 2009, 07:31

My shortest trip Europe-Thailand-Europe was 11 days.

I think the length of your travel is a big factor. I couldn't imagine doing America-Thailand-America on less than 2 weeks. It's 24 hrs of airports/planes and at least a day jet lag on each end.

Wow... didn't know it was so far from the US.

Guess I am lucky - In Sydney it's just a 9-hour hop.

I have sometimes considered a weekend trip... fly out of here Friday afternoon... land in Bangkok that evening... spend Friday/Saturday night in Bangkok and then fly out Sunday night to be back at work 7am Monday morning.

But I think I would need to fly out Wednesday or Thursday afternoon and make it a 3-4 day weekend for it to be worth it.

November 7th, 2009, 17:04

Alaan

November 7th, 2009, 17:26

I squeezed in a last minute April trip of 13 days for songkran earlier this year. Thoroughly enjoyed the visit and didn't really feel short changed on the length of time in THailand..i just made sure i made the most of every minute. I would easily do a 7-8 day trip if i had to and only had a limited amount of holiday time.

How i look at it coming from the uk is like this.....11 hour flight at night LHR or Amsterdam to BKK is only 3 hours more than my normal night of sleep.....if the flight leaves europe at 9pm and then something to eat 11pm is my normal going to sleep time at home..arrive 7am(1pm local time) and i just think that for that length of time is equivalent to part of an evening and a nights sleep back home and here I am in Thailand......I dont find the jet lag much of a problem...i can still enjoy the first day and evening of arrival in Bkk and just have a longish sleep the next day.....

In my opinion coming from europe for a week in Thailand would be well worth it..and more so if a flight could be found at a reasonable price.

November 7th, 2009, 18:19

if the flight leaves europe at 9pm and then something to eat 11pm is my normal going to sleep time at home..arrive 7am(1pm local time) and i just think that for that length of time is equivalent to part of an evening and a nights sleep back home and here I am in Thailand......I dont find the jet lag much of a problem.

I agree, I have the same experience when going to Europe--you just sleep through the 9 hr flight. The time difference is also advantageous since it allows me to be wide awake during 'bar hours' in Europe.

For Thailand I leave around 3pm on a Friday and arrive at the hotel around 3am on Sunday. The sleep scenario isn't quite as convenient but I did find it easier going there than coming back--anticipation was a key factor. :)

I'd also agree that I wasted a lot of time on my 2 week trip...hanging out in the hotel, not having firm plans, etc.

Beachlover

November 7th, 2009, 18:34

Wow... didn't know it was so far from the US.

I just booked a flight for April. It's 20 hours going there and 25 coming back (a 2nd connection and the only affordable itinerary that I could find).

I did decide to only come for one week, so I guess my 2010 trips are going to be a little extreme at only 7-8 days each. I just couldn't imagine waiting a full year to go back and in the US we don't get a lot of holidays...

I'm going to stay at Le Cafe Royale in BoyzTown this trip. I stayed on the beach last time and only went to Boyztown one evening--this time I'll base out of BoyzTown and try to make one trip to Sunnee. The hotel looks like good quality for the money...I overspent on accommodations on the last trip.

Goodness... that is a long time.I guess you must be flying from the far side of the US. We could fly all the way to London from Sydney in 24 hours.

Two weeks' holiday a year is so little!

If you wanted to spend more time traveling... then, depending on your occupation... you might want to see if it's feasible to work remotely some of the time.

November 7th, 2009, 19:05

Beachlover

November 8th, 2009, 05:32

Goodness... that is a long time.I guess you must be flying from the far side of the US. We could fly all the way to London from Sydney in 24 hours.

I live in the North central part of the US--Minnesota borders with Canada on the North side. We fly to Tokyo and then from Tokyo to Bangkok for the 20hr flights. My return flight is much longer because it stops in Seattle, WA.

Working remotely wouldn't be impossible but it is an 11 or 12 hour time difference, so I'd be working from 8p-5a Thailand time. That wouldn't be very conducive to enjoying my trip.

Fair enough... haha... 8pm-5am... if you stay out/up all night in Thailand you probably don't need to change your body clock much at all.

If you're not in a role that requires you to be available to respond during the entire working day, you could offer to be available/online for say, half of it. But in your case, I probably only offer the 8-10pm or 7-10pm period for being online. That way, after 10pm you're free to enjoy the nightlife. It also means during your first 5-6 working hours (2pm-7pm) you are left in peace.

Long term... if you really wanted to spend more time in Asia... work remotely for someone else.

cdnmatt

November 8th, 2009, 05:51

Shortest trip to Thailand? Can't remember, but I'm guessing around 14 days or so.

Shortest trip to SE Asia, while spending the majority of time in Thailand? That would actually have to be this one, which is now going on a little more than 6 months. Obviously, I seem to like it here. First time I came for a one month visit, and spent a year here. Now I'm back, and did the exact same thing, except this time around looks like I'm making more of a permanent move. Go figure...

And I agree, flights from North America are a pain. This recent trip to Asia, of course I went to visit my parents first. From leaving my condo in Vancouver, to arriving at my parents place in KL, I think was a total of about 35 hours travel time. Unfortunately, I'm not filthy rich, and don't have a T&E account to put $18,000 on for a business class, direct-route ticket.

EDIT: I also highly agree with Beachlover. If you can somehow manage to work remotely, definitely do it. Not only do you get to wake up (almost) every day with a smile on your face, great climate, great culture, lots of fun, some tropical islands in your backyard, etc. On top of that, you get to sit around and watch your investment portfolio grow, because you don't know what else to do with all this extra money you have, which you used to spend on basic living essentials.

Beachlover

November 8th, 2009, 17:37

Hey Cdnmatt.... in KL, how long is a taxi trip from the airport (low cost carrier terminal) to the city centre (KLCC)? Just wondering.

That waking up everyday with a smile on your face thing description is really tempting me to drop all this here and head over.

cdnmatt

November 8th, 2009, 19:01

Hey Cdnmatt.... in KL, how long is a taxi trip from the airport (low cost carrier terminal) to the city centre (KLCC)? Just wondering.

Depends on time of day and traffic, but about 1 - 2 hours. Honestly though, you'd be stupid to take a taxi from either airport, especially if you're going all the way to KLCC. It'll cost anywhere from 80 - 250 RM, and will probably take longer than the mass transit.

From KLIA, just take the KLIA Express, and you're at KL Sentral in 28 mins, costs 35RM. From LCCT, just take the bus, and you're at KL Sentral in 50 mins, costs 8RM. From KL Sentral, just hop on the Putra line for a couple RM, and you're at KLCC in about 15 mins. Or if you're looking for more nightlife, head on the monorail to Bukit Bintang. KL Sentral also has a Hilton and Le Merdian hotel right there, which lots of people like to stay at, because it's right beside the central mass transit terminal for the city.

Just don't get a massage in KL. Christ, they hurt. I tried three times, and each time I walked out with more bruises than I had going in. I have no idea how they think that feels good, so stick with Thailand for massages. :-)

That waking up everyday with a smile on your face thing description is really tempting me to drop all this here and head over.

Highly recommended! :-)

Beachlover

November 9th, 2009, 15:12

Man.... 60-90 mins to get to your hotel. What a pain in the @rse.

I guess I will bus it from LCCT airport to KL Sentral then get a cab from them to the hotel.

Any idea how much a cab would be from KL Sentral to The Bukit Bintang/KLCC area? Just want to know the norm price so I don't get ripped off... that's all.

Haha... I've not heard anyone else describe Malaysian massages like that. I will have to try it out. Did you go back to the same place 3 times? lol.

cdnmatt

November 9th, 2009, 16:39

I guess I will bus it from LCCT airport to KL Sentral then get a cab from them to the hotel.

Any idea how much a cab would be from KL Sentral to The Bukit Bintang/KLCC area?

Again, would probably be much quicker to just take mass transit from KL Sentral vs. a cab. From KL Sentral to downtown, depending on time of day, you're looking at 15 - 45 mins, whereas with mass transit you're 15 mins max. Nonetheless, it's about 16RM to downtown. If you take the bus from LCCT, you'll end up at the rear of KL Sentral. Go up the escalator, inside the building, and head to the very front (up another escalator). Just on your right-hand side there's a ticket counter for taxis.

Make sure to use them, and don't just hop in a random cab, because alot of the drivers in KL are total pricks. By that I mean, they won't just try to get an extra 20% out of you, but an extra 600% if they think they can get away with it. You're asian though, right? If so, you'll probably have it easier than us white folk. Sometimes I'll have to go through five cabs, just to find one that will take me for a reasonable price. Sometimes the drivers will just wave me away because I'm white, which means I don't bow down to Allah five times a day, so I'm not allowed in their cab.

Or for example, sometimes my 59yo mom will hop into a cab, and they'll turn the air conditioning off on her, just to be a dickhead to a white person. If you can't tell, I prefer Buddhist countries over Islamic ones. :-) Malays should be more grateful there's so many Chinese there, or else the country would probably be another Cambodia.

November 9th, 2009, 21:25

cdnmatt

November 10th, 2009, 02:50

Malays should be more grateful there's so many Chinese there, or else the country would probably be another Cambodia.

Fascinating...I had never heard that about Malaysia. I've dated a couple Malay guys here in the States and liked them a great deal, but I guess they wouldn't have come here if they didn't care for white folks.

Nah, it's not actually that bad. Like everything in life, the worst always sticks out in your mind, right? In general, Malays are really friendly, but you do tend to run into more dickheads there than in Buddhist countries.

It's a weird country though. They preach that they're multi-cultural, but that's hardly the truth. The Malays hate the Chinese, and the Chinese don't particularly seem to give a shit what the Malays think, because they own the economy, and they know it. Malays just simply aren't capable of building a thriving economy like that. Then you have the East Indians who are very much in the minority, and nobody seems to like them.

I don't know, I'll shut up while I'm ahead, before I say too much. :-)

November 10th, 2009, 03:41

Malays should be more grateful there's so many Chinese there, or else the country would probably be another Cambodia.

There is probably some truth that the Chinese presence (stranglehold) in Malaysia has helped transform the country from a factor-driven to an efficiency-driven economy.

However I really dislike the comparison with Cambodia. There have been large Chinese communities in Cambodia since the 13th century, and the Chinese have everything to do with Cambodia's recent history. Pol Pot was Khmer-Chinese and was inspired by Maoist philosophy. In the present day, Chinese Nationals own most Khmer businesses and Khmer-Chinese make all the new laws.

Basically, Malaysia vs. Cambodia's economy/recent history has nothing to do with Chinese running the country. The Chinese have run both countries for quite some time.

cdnmatt

November 10th, 2009, 04:18

Malays should be more grateful there's so many Chinese there, or else the country would probably be another Cambodia.

There is probably some truth that the Chinese presence (stranglehold) in Malaysia has helped transform the country from a factor-driven to an efficiency-driven economy.

"strangehold"? Huh? Malaysia has a free-market economy.

Anyway, I'm not overly certain if I was too harsh or not, and neither of us know. Honestly though, I bet there's a pretty decent chance that if there was no Chinese presence in Malaysia, West Malaysia would currently look more like Kuching & Sarawak. It definitely wouldn't have become such a powerful economy. Whether or not that would be a good thing for Malaysia, I have no idea, as it all depends on your perception of good and bad.