Thailand/Phuket/Phi Phi/etc.

[Delphinus]

Just putting this out there for those who have been there, how is the transportation to there like? What kind of stopovers, layovers, etc. and how long was the total travel (ie. airplanes/airport-to-airport) time?

I'm just fantasizing, it's a place I really want to go see and do some diving/snorkeling/etc. but with a young family in tow I suspect it's something that needs to remain a dream for some time..

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Are you talking about travel time from Calgary to Phuket to Phi Phi? Or just travel between Thai destinations? I've been several times and it's WELL WORTH the wait!

[Delphinus]

Yeah, I was mostly thinking travel time over the Pacific, ie. Calgary/Vancouver/Seattle/L.A./SanFran/whatever to "over there". I've been to Australia and it was a direct flight (with a refueling stop in Honolulu) and I think it was about 6 hours and 8 hours for each leg. Having never been to Asia I don't know what it's like to get over there but I'm assuming you might have to layover in Singapore or Malaysia or Tokyo or something.

I have a two year old at home, so it's probably a bit too long of a trip to really consider making until he's a bit older. But it's just "one of those places" I do want to go see one day (the list to which you can also add "Bora Bora", "Palau", "Fiji", pretty much every Caribbean island, The Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Mainland China and and and and and and and .... oh who am I kidding. :( Darn it!)

[Der_Iron_Chef]

He he! I understand the travel thing. I've been in Calgary for two years now, and I'm dying to go somewhere. Hmmmm....*ponders next destination*

Going from Calgary to SE Asia is a very long trip. My typical routes have taken me from Calgary to LA (about a 2-2.5 hour flight), LA to Singapore/Hong Kong/Taipei/Tokyo (flight times on average are about 14 hours), and then one of those destinations to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia or Bangkok (flight times on average are about 7 hours). Typically the whole ordeal, including layovers, takes a little over 30 hours.

I'm a big guy, so sitting in economy is a royal PITA. So is getting stuck in the smoking section on a 14-hour trip to Tokyo (that was when they still HAD smoking sections!)

Definitely, however, worth the long trip.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Tattoos are cheap, too! lol....

http://x37.xanga.com/9cbd917347d32124326893/m89935295.jpg

[Delphinus]

Two years? Welcome!! :lol: I've lived in Calgary my whole life.

Yeah, I'm sure it's worth the trip, but only for me, who's basically jonesing for going somewhere. My son, on the other hand, I guess a 30 hour trip would be essentially torture to him (and consequently anyone unlucky enough to be seated near us :p ). I'm off to Ottawa for a friends' wedding this weekend (yay Aeroplan .. I guess I had to use those points on something or lose them, and there wasn't enough to go anywhere actually worth going to otherwise, so this is it), that will be interesting to see how it goes. Mind you he did fantastic on our trip to Hawaii last year (slept pretty much 95% of the way there, night flights are good for something!!) so .. maybe I'll make him a seasoned pro at this thing yet.

Well .. of course there's the whole "how exactly do I pay for it" thing. Oh right, never mind, I'm in Calgary, we're all millionaires here living high off the hog because we all have our own oilrig companies. I forgot. :lol: Where did I put my Stetson!!!

[Delphinus]

Got a picture of the ink itself?

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Well, it's a work in progress....so I wouldn't want to spoil the big finale when it's all done...:mrgreen:

[digital-audiophile]

The only Asian destination I have been to thus far is Japan. I went from Calgary to Vancouver then ~11 hours from VCR to Tokyo. It was a little shorter coming back around 9 hours from Tokyo to VCR but that was still hellish and I was even in first class. :O

[lastlight]

Oh right, never mind, I'm in Calgary, we're all millionaires here living high off the hog because we all have our own oilrig companies.

Get out you're rich too!? That's totally awesome man we should hang out and burn money someday soon lol.

I'm sadly joking bigtime. Plus, this has been a pretty pointless post.

[christyf5]

Get out you're rich too!? That's totally awesome man we should hang out and burn money someday soon lol.



:rofl:

[Der_Iron_Chef]

...but that was still hellish and I was even in first class. :O

LOL. Jerk :mrgreen:

[trilinearmipmap]

If you are planning to go there you should check out Oasis airlines, they are a new budget airline with low fares from Vancouver to Hong Kong $299 each way and I think they fly elsewhere in Asia too I am not sure.

[Phanman]

they fly just to hong kong, and those prices are before taxes and fuel... which im sure aint cheap

[Pescador]

You might check out Far Eastern Air (http://www.fat.com.tw/en/Ewebpage_beta3.asp), we flew with them to Palau.
They are based out of Taipei, Taiwan but if you can connect in Seoul, Korea to a Vancouver flight you might save some time and money. There are some pretty cheap flights from Taiwan to Thailand.
They have a booking agent in LA that I'm pretty sure I still have the number for.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Once you're in Asia, Air Asia is ridiculously cheap. Kind of like Europe's Ryan Air. I remember taking a flight from Singapore to Bangkok for roughly $30.

[Ruth]

Go Tony - go! And don't let the small children hold you back - nobody else on the flight I was on last spring did - they pretty much yodel in concert with each other:mrgreen:
I am pretty sure that my flight from Vancouver to Hong Kong was about 13 hours (Cathay Pacific) and the return flight was about 11 hours. The flight from Hong Kong to Bangkok was another 5 hours and then on to Koh Samui for 4 days and then Koh Tao for 6 days then return to Hong Kong for 4 days. The most wonderful vacation I have ever been on and if you are looking at going to Thailand consider those 2 islands. Beautiful places - some of the (apparently) best diving in SE Asia. Transportation is no problem at all once you are there and neither is the language. Diving (including instruction and certification) is cheap and so is everything else. The Thai people are amazing. I went by myself and at no time did I feel uncomfortable or unsafe. And the thing about going by yourself is you really spend a lot of time just "people watching". In the just about 2 weeks that I was there I did not hear raised voices by any Thai people at all (the tourists were another matter - particularly those from Northern Europe).

[Snappy]

In the just about 2 weeks that I was there I did not hear raised voices by any Thai people at all (the tourists were another matter - particularly those from Northern Europe).
Yeah Europe would be a great place if it wasn't full of Europeans.:razz:

[trilinearmipmap]

OK Ruth here is a question about Koh Samui and Koh Tao because I have been thinking of going there or somewhere similar around November or December.

I am worried about a place being overrun by hordes of European tourists.

I want a place that is relaxing with good scenery and a good feel about the place. I would be interested in taking a dive course, doing some sightseeing, and spending time lazing around.

I don't want lots of commercialization, beer-drinking loud smelly European tourists, pollution etc.

So tell me if these places are suitable or not.

[Ruth]

OK Ruth here is a question about Koh Samui and Koh Tao because I have been thinking of going there or somewhere similar around November or December.

I am worried about a place being overrun by hoards of European tourists.

I want a place that is relaxing with good scenery and a good feel about the place. I would be interested in taking a dive course, doing some sightseeing, and spending time lazing around.

I don't want lots of commercialization, beer-drinking loud smelly European tourists, pollution etc.

So tell me if these places are suitable or not.

Without a doubt go to either of these places. Koh Samui is more touristy but still lots of things to see and do and from what I understand not nearly as many tourists as Koh Phi Phi or Phunket and I did not see any of the other "recreational" activities associated with Thailand there. Good scenery, diving, lazing around ........Koh Tao all the way. Very laid back, excellent diving schools - I stayed at the Coral Grande and they have an excellent reputation and IMO are the best on the Island. The people there still live a mostly traditional lifestyle so are not chasing the Tourist dollar nearly as much as other places.

[Moogled]

I went to Pattaya and Bangkok during my trip to Thailand.

Went parasailing - incredibly fun. This was several days before the tsunami hit too!