Budgeting -- Thailand's lesser-known islands -- and other questions

Hi there, Thailand experts!

In the last two weeks of January 2004 I'm going to Thailand, and I'd
like to know what I should anticipate in terms of prices.

I was there last year at the beginning of January, in Koh Samui, so I
have a vague idea of what prices will be like. This time I'm going to
Koh Lanta, which I hear is much less developed. What I'm after is a
very mid-range beachfront bungalow room -- nothing too upmarket here,
just a double bed with clean sheets and working plumbing (including
hot shower.) A/C really isn't that necessary. What would I expect to
pay for a place like this on, say, Long Beach? And do you think it
will be relatively easy to find something like this if I just show up
on Koh Lanta on 17 January and start asking around?

Secondly, I'll only be in and around Koh Lanta for about six days.
I'll also be spending about two days in Bangkok and I'm getting to
Lanta via Krabi. What else, in your opinion, would be a "must-see"
day-trip or overnight diversion near Krabi (or Bangkok?)

And finally, let's say you're in Bangkok with your girlfriend and
you've already been good and scandalized by Khao San Road and Patpong
Road and you're after a romantic evening together, but also a romantic
evening without being overwhelmed with touristy crap. Can anybody
recommend some of Bangkok's best-kept-secrets
restaurants/neighbourhoods/etc?

Okay, that's all my questions for now!

Thanks everybody.


SJ

"Sean Jordan" wrote in message
m...
Hi there, Thailand experts!

In the last two weeks of January 2004 I'm going to Thailand, and I'd
like to know what I should anticipate in terms of prices.

I was there last year at the beginning of January, in Koh Samui, so I
have a vague idea of what prices will be like. This time I'm going to
Koh Lanta, which I hear is much less developed. What I'm after is a
very mid-range beachfront bungalow room -- nothing too upmarket here,
just a double bed with clean sheets and working plumbing (including
hot shower.) A/C really isn't that necessary. What would I expect to
pay for a place like this on, say, Long Beach? And do you think it
will be relatively easy to find something like this if I just show up
on Koh Lanta on 17 January and start asking around?

Secondly, I'll only be in and around Koh Lanta for about six days.
I'll also be spending about two days in Bangkok and I'm getting to
Lanta via Krabi. What else, in your opinion, would be a "must-see"
day-trip or overnight diversion near Krabi (or Bangkok?)

And finally, let's say you're in Bangkok with your girlfriend and
you've already been good and scandalized by Khao San Road and Patpong
Road and you're after a romantic evening together, but also a romantic
evening without being overwhelmed with touristy crap. Can anybody
recommend some of Bangkok's best-kept-secrets
restaurants/neighbourhoods/etc?

Okay, that's all my questions for now!

Thanks everybody.


SJ
Try the Orchard and Hiltons hotels they are good...lots of hot deals now in
BKK if you check them out...no secrets they are all out there on the web for
the world to see.

"Sean Jordan" schreef in bericht
m...
And finally, let's say you're in Bangkok with your girlfriend and
you've already been good and scandalized by Khao San Road and Patpong
Road and you're after a romantic evening together, but also a romantic
evening without being overwhelmed with touristy crap. Can anybody
recommend some of Bangkok's best-kept-secrets
restaurants/neighbourhoods/etc?

My Thai colleagues took me to a very nice (Thai) restaurant two weeks ago.
Very good food, attentive service and apparently one of the "in" places for
local Bangkokians.

Bussaracum restaurant
139, Sethiwan Tower, Pan Road
Silom, Bangkok 10500
phone 02 266 6312 - 6
www.bussaracum.com

Sjoerd