Thailand weather September - November

[lord-of-creation]

I'll be in Southern Thailand for 3 months from early september to late november. This is the monsoon season apparently and I was wondering from anyone who has been, just how bad this monsoon season is. Are we talking constant rain for hours on end or just short, sharp showers for a few minutes?

[anonymous-user]

Don't worry about it, it will rain for 20 minutes to 2 hours most days, normally towards the lower end of the time scale, (really hard anyway), in 14 years I've only known it rain all days on 3 days, plan to finish anything your are doing outside by 3pm, (golf bike ridding etc) and you will be OK). If you get caught out buy a cheap rain coat and just keep going, the rain is warm, remember it gets light at 6 am so get up early, and be in the bar when the rain starts.
Where are you going to? we are planning a bike ride to Sonklah for September.
If you are in the South avoid the East cost South of Sonklah, as there can be trouble, west cost, Trang, Hatyai etc is all OK.

[lord-of-creation]

Cheers for that

I'm scuba diving in Ko Tao for 12 weeks before heading on to Malaysia.

[rsv gone!]

lord-of-creation said:

Cheers for that

I'm scuba diving in Ko Tao for 12 weeks before heading on to Malaysia.

Have you booked your resort already? Want any pointers?

[lord-of-creation]

rsv gone! said:

lord-of-creation said:

Cheers for that

I'm scuba diving in Ko Tao for 12 weeks before heading on to Malaysia.

Have you booked your resort already? Want any pointers?

Yeah it's all booked, the course and accommodation.

The one thing I am curious aobut is getting from bangkok to Ko Tao. I was planning on getting a flight with airasia to Surat Thani and then getting a ferry across to the island. Any ideas how simple a task this is?

Sorry, I wasn't sure if you meant tips as in travelling tips or diving tips

[SimonV8ster]

I flew AirAsai from Bangkok to Koh Samui and then got a ferry to Koh Phangan, there are other ferries to Ko Toa quite easily I believe.

Edited by SimonV8ster on Wednesday 26th May 12:34

[bigandclever]

We took the catamaran from Chumphon - which was hilarious when we started off and it was hit a wave, glide, WHEEEEEE!, thump, repeat. After about 15 minutes the sick bags were out. By the end of the journey, which as about an hour and a half if I remember rightly, it was like a horror film about vomit.

I'd look at taking the train down from Bangkok to Chumphon, you get to see a lot of 'proper' Thailand and it's really quite a pleasant experience. I'd go at least second class though

Koh Tao is my favourite island, but I guess it depends what you like. Treat yourself and go to Papa's Tapas for a very posh, cheap meal with plenty of Absinthe to wash it down. It's a massive amount of money by Thai standards, so a corresponding low UK amount for what you get, but it's worth it.

[lord-of-creation]

Might do that then Simon. What were you doing out there, scuba diving or just a general holiday?

Another thing, does anyone know what you are suppose to do visa wise if going to Thailand for over 60 days. The first 30 days you don't need one, anything up to 60 days you need a tourist visa but there is nothing available for people staying longer than 60 days.

[anonymous-user]

I'm assuming that's near Ko Samui, if it is then the road ferry is a fair way from the town, done it a few times with the car and the bike, and it a simple drive on off ferry, Ferry every half hour or so, no problem for a foot passenger but you can miss the first one if you have a car, theve recently built a new road to the car ferry, but you may be able to get a foot passenger ferry fro Surit Thani The train down from Bankok is also an idea the overnighters are OK, buses in Thailand are a nightmare the driving std is awfull, but cheap. You can fly to Ko Sumu may be afoot ferry from there?
Not really Southern Thailand so forget what I said about trouble, that is much further south than you are planning. Air Asia is Ok and reliable, not like I read about Ryan, i use them every week to get to work. PM me if you get to KL.

[lord-of-creation]

bigandclever said:

We took the catamaran from Chumphon - which was hilarious when we started off and it was hit a wave, glide, WHEEEEEE!, thump, repeat. After about 15 minutes the sick bags were out. By the end of the journey, which as about an hour and a half if I remember rightly, it was like a horror film about vomit.

I'd look at taking the train down from Bangkok to Chumphon, you get to see a lot of 'proper' Thailand and it's really quite a pleasant experience. I'd go at least second class though

Koh Tao is my favourite island, but I guess it depends what you like. Treat yourself and go to Papa's Tapas for a very posh, cheap meal with plenty of Absinthe to wash it down. It's a massive amount of money by Thai standards, so a corresponding low UK amount for what you get, but it's worth it.

I will be doing a lot of travelling on the train after i've finished in Ko Tao. Firstly i'll be getting the train down to Kuala Lumpur and then a month later getting a train from there down to Singapore before flying over to Adelaide.

Thanks for the info about the ferry, something to look forward to

Edited by lord-of-creation on Wednesday 26th May 12:59

[rsv gone!]

lord-of-creation said:

rsv gone! said:

lord-of-creation said:

Cheers for that

I'm scuba diving in Ko Tao for 12 weeks before heading on to Malaysia.

Have you booked your resort already? Want any pointers?

Yeah it's all booked, the course and accommodation.

The one thing I am curious aobut is getting from bangkok to Ko Tao. I was planning on getting a flight with airasia to Surat Thani and then getting a ferry across to the island. Any ideas how simple a task this is?

Easy

http://www.lomprayah.com/

You can even book online.

lord-of-creation said:

Another thing, does anyone know what you are suppose to do visa wise if going to Thailand for over 60 days. The first 30 days you don't need one, anything up to 60 days you need a tourist visa but there is nothing available for people staying longer than 60 days.

http://www.thaivisa.com/visa/non-immigrant-visa.html

Edited by rsv gone! on Wednesday 26th May 13:07

[lord-of-creation]

rsv gone! said:

lord-of-creation said:

rsv gone! said:

lord-of-creation said:

Cheers for that

I'm scuba diving in Ko Tao for 12 weeks before heading on to Malaysia.

Have you booked your resort already? Want any pointers?

Yeah it's all booked, the course and accommodation.

The one thing I am curious aobut is getting from bangkok to Ko Tao. I was planning on getting a flight with airasia to Surat Thani and then getting a ferry across to the island. Any ideas how simple a task this is?

Easy

http://www.lomprayah.com/

You can even book online.

lord-of-creation said:

Another thing, does anyone know what you are suppose to do visa wise if going to Thailand for over 60 days. The first 30 days you don't need one, anything up to 60 days you need a tourist visa but there is nothing available for people staying longer than 60 days.

http://www.thaivisa.com/visa/non-immigrant-visa.html

Edited by rsv gone! on Wednesday 26th May 13:07

Magic. £18 is a very good price

Cheers for the link about the visa too

[SimonV8ster]

lord-of-creation said:

Might do that then Simon. What were you doing out there, scuba diving or just a general holiday?

Just a general holiday for me. A mate of mine lives over there now, in Pattaya. Saw that (bit of an eye opener) and then travelled around a little bit, stayed on Koh Samui for a few days and then Koh Phangan for a few. Went scuba diving a few times but never proper diving.

The scuba diving off Koh Phangan was unreal !! Just 50yards from the beach and you were in the middle of a coral reef !! I really couldn't see the point of actual diving as I would't of thought you would see too much more.

Sounds like a great trip you are planing.

[rsv gone!]

SimonV8ster said:

I flew AirAsia from Bangkok to Koh Samui and then got a ferry to Koh Phangan, there are other ferries to Ko Toa quite easily I believe.

Edited by SimonV8ster on Wednesday 26th May 12:34

Bangkok Air


One of my best mates lives on Koh Tao, surviving (just) as a diving instructor. Nice island but very over-developed now. But the upside is you can get cuisine from all around the globe and I've had some fantastic steaks there.

[Johnniem]

rsv gone! said:

SimonV8ster said:

I flew AirAsia from Bangkok to Koh Samui and then got a ferry to Koh Phangan, there are other ferries to Ko Toa quite easily I believe.

Edited by SimonV8ster on Wednesday 26th May 12:34

Bangkok Air


One of my best mates lives on Koh Tao, surviving (just) as a diving instructor. Nice island but very over-developed now. But the upside is you can get cuisine from all around the globe and I've had some fantastic steaks there.

We had a great holiday in Koh Tao. Superb diving! We took a try dive with a northern chap called 'Chill' (seriously!) Great bloke too! I was so envious of his job.

Take the Lomprayah ferry from Koh Samui. About 2.5 hours will do it. Air Asia are good. We arrived at 12 noon for a 3 pm flight back to Bangkok and they said, 'there's one leaving in 10 minutes. You can get that one if you like" 10 minutes later (literally!) we were on the plane and taxiing towards the runway. Excellent!

Have a great one geez!

[anonymous-user]

Tried to email you with info on cheap hotel in Kl as per request, but can't reply to you, so her goes.
Hotels in KL have gone up around 20% in pound terms in the last year, best places I can find in KL
1 YY38, [e-mail] my, 38 Tengkat Tong Shin 50200 KL, 100 Rm a night plus service tax at 5%, I am advised clean but very basic, nasty thin foam mattress,
2 Hotel Rea, www.hotelrea.com 42 Tenkat Tong Shin, good hotel around same price as above with a good sea food resturant
3 Green Hut, 48 Tengkat Tong Shin, www.thegreenhut.com, tooms from 39Rm a night, best room 80rm a night with breakfast, this is budget but I told is clean and good.

All above are in the center of the city, and afew minutes from the train