Hi again,

would like to know if the white water rafting tour is good, I will be in Phuket in september and and would like a heads up as to weather it will be worth the cost.

Thanks in advance.

These tours are done in another province, Phang Nga, so take quite some travel time into account.

tarsh, I dont believe that the white water rafting is anything special, but the trip you MUST do is the Sea Kayaking on Phang Na Bay. This bay area is a Natural Wonder of the World and Kayaking through narrow tunnels in what seem like solid "Limestone Rock Islands" to reach the hallow lagoons that are contained inside them is just a fabulous experience.

If your Mum is reasonably mobile she will love it too. You dont need to be strong paddlers as each boat is manned by a guide. Shop around for pricing on this trip instead of booking at the hotel you are staying at as pricing will vary greatly.

The weather in September can be a little dodgy, but it shouldn't stop you from having a great time. Just be flexible with your itinerary, as they will cancel the boat trips on days when the currents are too rough. Expect some rain, but this will be interspersed with plenty of sunshine as well.

When do you leave and where are you staying?

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Thank you, yes I have been advised to expect some rain but that won't dampen our spirits, my mum and I are flying out on the 10/09 staying in bangkok for two nights at the siam @ siam and then flying to Phuket and staying at Gracelands Resort. I have been to Bali several times, but my mum has only been on a cruise so this will be a first for her, she is still very able but she will be relying on me to organise everything as she does not know what to expect, so I am trying to get as much advise before we get there. I am definately planning on doing the sea Kayaking in Phang Na Bay, looking forward to that very much! I am very nervous about Bangkok though
as we will be arriving late afternoon and by the time we get checked into hotel, it will probably be getting dark and as we only have limited time in Bangkok I don't want to waste it. I just don't know what we should do on that first night having not been there and unaware of the area, I am thinking of going out for some dinner and maybe to see some night markets, but I don't know where to go. Any advise on Bangkok or phuket would be very much appreciated.

Hi Tarsh,

What time do you get in? Have you paid for transfers or are you planning on catching a taxi?

Siam@Siam is well located to access the main shopping district. You will be able to walk to the MBK shopping complex which will be a good thing to do on your first night. There are 2 great food courts there, one offers very cheap reasonable quality food and the other is a bit more upmarket. The shops at MBK offer much cheaper pricing than some of the street markets without the hassle of too much hard core bargainning. You can still haggle a little but many prices here are fixed. Dont buy too much on the first night as you should probably wait until you go to Chatuchak Market. You can do this early on Saturday morning.

Getting to the market is easy by the skytrain. Your closest station is National Stadium, which is the end of this line. From here, catch the train one stop to Siam. You will then change trains which is as easy. Board a train heading for Mo Chit. This is, once again, the end of a line so you will not miss it. Just follw the crowd, as 80% of people that get off here will be heading towards the market. Dont eat too much at the Hotel buffet as some of Thailands best street food will be on offer here. Get a market map at the Tourist Police booth near the entrance...you will need it to find your way around. Plan on spending most of the day here if you like to shop.

If you want to see some temples and experience some of Bangkoks culture, consider getting a guide on Sunday. I would recommend contacting Bangkok Guide - Tour with Tong in Bangkok. It is easy enough to do it on your own, but as your time is so limited, you will get the most out of the experience this way. A morming with Tong or one of her guides is like being shown around town by a good friend. You and your Mum will have a blast. Tell them what you want to see and they will tailor a tour around you. They will also drop you off at the airport to meet your plane to Phuket. Hopefully, your flight is late in the day.

With only 2 days, I wouldn't try and see anything out of the City as you will spend too much of your precious time travelling.

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If you want to orientate yourself a little before you reach Bangkok, I find this map to be a handy tool.... Bangkok Map - Bangkok Interactive Map of Bangkok Thailand,Location of hotels

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Thanks for the maps that's a big help, only a week to go now I picked up our tickets after work yesterday, it makes it feel real now we are actually going
Unfortunately we fly out of Bangkok heading to Phuket around midday, which in hindsite had payed more attention I would of tried to get the flight later in the afternoon to give us more time in Bangkok, as having a flight in the middle of the day is quite restricting. But never mind you live and you learn I will know better next time.