Other areas of Thailand

[forky123]

Next visit, rather than the usual mix of Bangkok and Pattaya, I'm hoping to see other places in LOS. I've already planned to start my holiday by spending a week in Chiang Mai. Anyone know of any other places worth spending a week or so? Preferably somewhere with a beach and at least one M2M massage place is a must.

[Alexx]

I'd say Phuket meets all of these requirements.

[Boy69]

Phuket or Krabi.

[Moses]

Hua Hin as well

[forky123]

Cost-wise is Phuket at the Bangkok or Pattaya end of pricing or does it fall in the middle?

[Moses]

Phuket is trap for tourist, so everything is more expensive there than in Pattaya.

[Boy69]

Phuket is very expensive but you can avoid tourist traps and reduce the costs.

[colmx]

Drinks in gogo bars in Phuket run at 100-120 as far as I remember... A lot cheaper than Pattaya or bangkok

Tip expectations are also on the low side (same as Sunee/Jomtien Complex)...

 

Hotels can be got at the same as Pattaya rates

 

On the other hand transport is a ripoff 200B tuktuk minimum and expect to pay 450B for a meal which you could get for 300B in Pattaya

If you stay in and around the Paradise complex you are in walking distance of most place and no need for transport - except airport transfers

[Londoner]

Phuket certainly has a gay scene in Patong, though I've never seen it busy.I have just returned from a trip there; hotels are reasonably priced in the low -season but I agree that travel around Patong is a nightmare. Some areas are very noisy- huge sound systems continue until 0600. The Paradise area is OK in this respect. 

 

We like Krabi but no sign at all of any gay scene, including massage joints. Have stayed four times over the past few years; usually, we never even see another gay couple. Our beach hotel is, nonetheless, very friendly towards us.

 

May I put in a word for Chiang Rai? that's "Rai", not Mai. The best scenery I've experienced. Quiet town with a superb night market. Competitively-priced hotels but no gay scene. It's my favourite Thai town.

[Guest ronnie4you]

The Phang Nga Bay is a beautiful sea area of Thailand, available by boat from Phuket. It's well-worth seeing, even if the James Bond Island is a bit hokey. I've been twice and enjoyed it each time. One of the attractions was a Muslim fishing village we visited that was surely wiped out in the tsunami.

[faranglaw]

I've become quite fond of Nong Khai, on the Mekong River near the Friendship Bridge to Lao. Not much of a gay scene but a bit of a vibe. If you are willing to cross the border and pay the extortionist fee for a Lao visa (1800 baht) you can try out Vientiane, where there seem to be lots of willing boys on Grindr and Hornet. Unfortunately I was with my husband and didn't get to sample the wares.

 

There are some nice cheap hotels in Nong Khai with a view of the river. I love the street food there. There is quite a strong Vietnamese influence and we found a place that served exquisite Vietnamese style crepes. The Isan style street food has me drooling, all that sticky rice, grilled pork, Isan style phad thai and som tam. And then there is the Isan warmth that I find appealing. Whether it morphs into another kind of warmth, I'm doubting, but ya never know!

[forky123]

I've bottled it a bit. I'm spending the first 8 days in Chiang Mai then 12 days in Patts. I figure in future each time I go I'll try somewhere new the first week or 10 days and then somewhere familiar for the rest.

[Guest whall]

Where you staying in Chiang Mai? I'm looking around.