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NAWT1BOOKA
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Hello all,
Me and my girlfriend are going to Thailand on 31st January for 22 nights staying in Bangkok, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, Ao Nang, Phi Phi & Puket. All the flights and hotels have been booked just need to sort out transport to our destinations.
I was planing on booking the train and ferry tickets online before travelling to save time when we're there (i like to be organised). Are the websites and the tickets that you print out reliable? Proposing to use thairailticket.com, and the lomprayh & phi phi ferry websites.
Also we are planning to take £1,500 spending money between us for the trip. How is best to take this? Sterling, Baht or use card (3% charge, but safer) or maybe a mixture?
Thanks
#1 Posted: 30/10/2012 - 10:46
bedu
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You really don't need to book in advance.
You can go to Hualampong Railway station and buy tickets for on the day, or ones for in advance.
If you want a comfortable train to the south, book the 8.05 am train. It has a toilet, they serve food and drinks (inc. in the price) and arrive in the afternoon at Chumpon or Surat Thani. (for the islands)
The station also sells ferry tickets for the islands.
Also check out www.seat61.com for info on trains.
#2 Posted: 30/10/2012 - 14:46
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captainbkk
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thats a load of islands-do you really think they are not all much of a sameness? in a short time.
Its as simple as buying a London tube ticket: can be done till 1 min before-thats all. Do not waste that precious time of yours now to book tickets that for most cannot even be prebooked. IF you really are serious about not wasting time-skip 2-3 islands and all the trips needed+wasted time to search for your prebooked accomm (tipically mostly hidden behind much more attractive places).
#3 Posted: 1/11/2012 - 04:13
NAWT1BOOKA
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I don't know about the sameness because we've never been before. I chose our destinations based on friend's recommendations and research on the internet. I thought we might as well do them all in one go as I might not be able to do anything like this again for a long time (getting married next year, possibly a baby).
We have 3 days/nights in each destination which I think is sufficient, we want this to be more of an adventure/island hop holiday instead of the two week lazy holidays that we're used to.
#4 Posted: 1/11/2012 - 05:37
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Everything booked like that, what a shame, so planned out
- I'm leaving Jan. 3rd, haven't got my plane ticket yet & have no idea where I'm staying... well Ok I want to stay on Koh Lanta for a month, then head to Cambodia... that's how I plan 
#5 Posted: 1/11/2012 - 11:35
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JP90
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A plane ticket, some cash and an ATM-card as back-up is all you need ...
#6 Posted: 4/11/2012 - 10:33
NAWT1BOOKA
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I'd love to just buy my ticket and go, but work are only allowing me 23 days holiday unfortunately so thought I best have it all planned to make the most of the time I have there.
#7 Posted: 5/11/2012 - 08:12
somtam2000
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Hey Nawtibooka,
In answer to your questions:
"I was planing on booking the train and ferry tickets online before travelling to save time when we're there (i like to be organised). Are the websites and the tickets that you print out reliable? Proposing to use thairailticket.com, and the lomprayh & phi phi ferry websites."
I've personally never used either, but have friends who have used both, especially Lomprayah, and they've had no problems. As others have inferred, booking the ferry isn't all that necessary, but I'd say if you can book the train in advance, not a bad idea, especially for a fairly tight itinerary like yours.
"Also we are planning to take £1,500 spending money between us for the trip. How is best to take this? Sterling, Baht or use card (3% charge, but safer) or maybe a mixture?"
I'd take a couple of hundred in cash and wear the fee & use ATM for the rest. Everywhere you are going has plenty of ATMs, so no need for TQs etc
Have a good trip
#8 Posted: 5/11/2012 - 08:44
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NAWT1BOOKA
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Thanks for your post Somtam it was very helpful. I've heard from a few people that the internet sites are reliable so it's given us more confidence to use them.
Think money wise taking some in GBP and changing it to Baht out there to get a better rate seems the best idea, and then the rest on a debit card.
#9 Posted: 6/11/2012 - 08:46