Bangkok - Singapore Travel Plans- what do you think?

Okay, so after looking at the options, this is my first rough plan! Please let me know if it is:

a) stupid
b) ok, but i would change...
c) great!

Thanks

BANGKOK
train (DEP 22:50 ARR 05:42)
CHUMPON
ferry
KO TAO (DEP 07:00 ARR 08:30)
ferry
KOH PHANGAN
ferry
KOH SAMUI
ferry
SURAT THANI
bus
PHUKET
ferry
KOH PHI PHI
ferry
KRABI
bus
HAT YAI
bus
SATUN
ferry
LANGKAWI
ferry
PENANG

2 options from here:

by bus to CAMERON HIGHLANDS (bus - £4.50) ---> by bus to KL (£5) ---> by train to SINGAPORE (DEP 21:10 ARR 08:15 £6 / £12)

by train to KUALA LUMPAR (DEP 21:45 ARR: 06:10 - £7) ---> by bus to CH (£5) ---> by bus to SINGAPORE (£22)

what makes more sense??

Ok, so what how am I doing??

Thanks for any help / advice

K x

B

Quoting Kitty123

Okay, so after looking at the options, this is my first rough plan! Please let me know if it is:

a) stupid
b) ok, but i would change...
c) great!

Thanks

BANGKOK

Thanks for any help / advice

K x

A little "B" with comments.

How long will you be in Bangkok before you leave for your next place? Is it just land and a few hours later take off? Why not spend a day or two in Bangkok and see the city. This will make it easier to make your connections.

You have a lot of beach areas, did you ever consider seeing some of North Thailand - like Chiang Mai so you can see some of that part of the country? Bangkok is worth a visit too! You could take a train up to Chiang Mai if you want and see some of the things that make Thailand unique. There is always lots of beaches in the world, for some people you see one you see them all!

I would take the train to Butterworth/Penang it is more comfortable. Just around 2 months ago I took the train from Bangkok to Hat Yai and made it from there to Butterworth (no train when I needed one!) From Butterworth/Penang I used the train to get to Singapore via KL. Interesting train ride. They did have some cheap chicken dinners available. There are a few shady bus companies, some advertise that they have toilets on board but they don't want you to actually use them!

In Hat Yai, not far from the RR station there is a hotel called the King Hotel. Across from that hotel is a travel agency that can make arrangements for bus travel if needed.

Do you fly back to Bangkok at all or do you go home from Singapore? Have you priced a round trip flight to Bangkok compared to flying into Bangkok on a one way and out of Singapore on a one way - if that is what it is? Sometimes round trips are much cheaper in the end. Or even a round trip to Singapore and then work your way up to Bangkok and then back to Singapore?

Good luck.

[ Edit: Edited on Jan 2, 2009, at 1:15 PM by karazyal ]

That itinerary is a true beach lovers one. So, for me personally it would be all right but in need of some change.

Besides perhaps Bangkok, Phuket Town, countryside of Krabi province and Penang, you arent gonna see much in the way of history/authentic culture.

If you arent up for travelling all the way to the north of Thailand, other places located near Bangkok and also on the sourthern route worth visiting would be the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, the WW2 history and lovely scenery of Kanchanaburi and the temple-ridden town of Phetchaburi etc....

Thanks for your feedback guys!

We are staying in Bangkok for four nights, so hopefully this will be enough time to see and do everything! We also plan to go to Chiang Mai before we do some beach hopping too. How long would you say we should stay there? I was thinking two nights, but maybe we need more time there? I have also heard much about Ayutthaya and will look into this more.

From Singapore we go onto Oz to start raising some more funds!

Opospa- any comments greatly received

Yeah, that looks good. The Kanchanaburi suggestion is also a good idea if you have time.

Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Phi Phi are my two favourite places in Thailand so I would personally recommend spending slightly longer there than in any of the other beach destinations but it depends what you're after.

Quoting Kitty123

Thanks for your feedback guys!

We are staying in Bangkok for four nights, so hopefully this will be enough time to see and do everything! We also plan to go to Chiang Mai before we do some beach hopping too. How long would you say we should stay there? I was thinking two nights, but maybe we need more time there? I have also heard much about Ayutthaya and will look into this more.

From Singapore we go onto Oz to start raising some more funds!

Opospa- any comments greatly received

Two nights might be okay but I think three nights in Chiang Mai might be better. Like Bangkok and Phuket you can find tours to many places at travel agencies. They are set up to pick you up at your hotel and return you there at the end. Usually a shared van with around 10 seats. In Bangkok you can do 1 day tours to Ayuthaya and River Kwai. In Chiang Mai you can take a tour that includes the Golden Triangle area, some hill tribes and a border stop at Chiang Rai. Other tours also available for rafting or elephant rides.

Good luck.

Anyone have any suggestions about the end of my trip between KL, Cameron Highlands and Singapore?

Thanks

Quoting Kitty123

Anyone have any suggestions about the end of my trip between KL, Cameron Highlands and Singapore?

Thanks

Yeah, you will find Singapore more expensive than Malaysia and Thailand! Singapore, a nice clean, sterile country. Decent MRT and bus service. Nice airport too! I took a side trip to Malacca.

Thai trains and Malaysia and Thailand were a little cold with the A/C on full all the time.

That's it. Good luck.