Going to the big city and the islands. Wine, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do must do’s. Any recommendations appreciated.
David
don’t waste your time with wine. Either it’s crazy expensive or poorly stored. Wake up in the morning and walk the streets, get a thai coffee in a bag and some food. If you stick to nice hotels and just going from location to location by car you’ll be missing out on a lot.
Also I’d recommend the financial district for staying. Tons of public trans. Malls, food, everything really. Not as “authentic” but the “authentic” parts of bangkok are just backpackers and massage parlors
Lumpinee Stadium for Thai kick boxing. Great fun.
Agree on Lumpinee, but it moved location this year. Might be different now.
Stay close to where you want to be the traffic is terrible, the worst I have ever seen.
Had a memorable dinner, sitting on plastic seats under fans and drinking Chang, at Nong Pla seafood shack near Rawai pier in Phuket.
Insanely good whole fried fish, delicious curry crab, and several perfectly charcoal grilled giant-sized prawns. It was perfect.
Thank you all.
You probably are aware of this but they declared Martial Law yesterday. Seems mellow so far:
nothing new. The military likes to take over every 8-10 years in Thailand.
I was there in 2009 during the “12 days state of emergency” in Bangkok. I had no clue until I got home.
I was there in 2010 when a huge chunk of the city was occupied by the red shirts. The protest lasted for months. They’re very civil in their protest but the military will go nuts and shoot up some people.
We mistakenly got off the train one stop too early in the shopping district and ended up in the middle of the protest, it was a little unsettling and I wouldn’t recommend it, but I didn’t feel threatened.
Thai people are the nicest in the world. Sad situation.
They can really pack them in, I’m the blond haired guy, the 6 footer in the picture. ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Mashable: In Thailand, Martial Law Is a Backdrop for Selfies. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwkZfhsho
Any updates? Headed over 11/17-11/24 and have the Fri-Sun free. Still don’t have a hotel for the second part, so open to recos there, as well 
BUMP
Staying across from Nana Plaza. Have yet to step outside the hotel, but will have free time coming up in a couple of days. Any restaurant recs? Friends considering Gaggan and Nahm; both seem relatively pricey. Maybe I’ve been watching too much Anthony Bourdain?