Holiday in Thailand/Burma in August?

[Alan Medic]

My son and friends are planning on going there in August for a few weeks. I don't think much thought has gone into it as looking at the climate then it's usually rainy all the time. The brains behind the trip has been there a couple of times but I suspect not at that time of the year.

Has anyone any experience/advice you could share on the subject? It seems a less than ideal time to be going to me.

[KidKruger]

I've been there for 3 or 4x rainy seasons - this is when traditionally the "3 month monks" do their Buddhist obligatory term in the temples, so there's plenty of festivities around that. The reason they traditionally enrol thn I believe is because the rice gas been planted and hardest work has been done in the fields.

I generally found there were a couple of heavy showers a day and them it brightened up. Good thing about the rain was it took the edge of the heat and humidity.

If you're after a beach hol rainy season may not be for you.

Huguenot PM this forum lives out that way and my have more specific / accurate advice.

I think Thailand is a fascinating country at any time of year but in rainy season hiking is tougher (slippy paths and mucho leeches) and trail biking is obviously tougher due to deep deep mud off-road).

If you're mainly city based I don't see a material issue with rain.

[Huguenot]

If he's after a fun beach holiday at that time of year he'd be better off in Koh Samui or Koh Phangnan (Gulf of Thailand) rather than Phuket, Krabi or Phi Phi (West Coast) because of rainfall.

Most of the rain will fall late afternoon.

However, in general it's not an ideal time for snorkeling or diving on either side, as the water is stirred up by the monsoon and gets murky. He'll still have a good time though.

As Loz said, he might want to schedule some time in Bangkok or Chiang Mai so there's other stuff to do if it rains a lot.

[KidKruger]

You're not wrong there Huguenot, a few years ago I went to Sri Lanka for a month intending to go snorkelling most of the time. It was monsoon season, I was inexperienced in snorkelling, the water from Columbo to Matara was murky with visibility of 6 inches !!

Another activity not practice during monsoon.

[NewToDulwich1]

I was there for a few weeks late July/early Aug. did the islands on both sides... Ko Suami, Ko Phangan, Ko Tao and Ko PhiPhi, Krabi... There was a bit of rain on the west side, but overall it was stunning weather. The rainy season in Aug usually effects the west side more than the east! Hope he has a great trip - beautiful place!

[KidKruger]

Well.. there's also the islands on the other side of the gulf, accessible from coastal towns such as Traad (great night/food market), such as Ko Chang, if you want something a bit less developed.

Won't improve snorkelling prospects though.

You can get to Traad by bus from the Eastern bus station in Bangkok.

[Alan Medic]

Son is now planning a visit to Burma during his visit to Thailand. Has anyone been there not too long ago? What was your experience of the place? Sounds a bit iffy to me from what I've read on the UK Gov site.

[KidKruger]

UK Govt are obliged to warn of things that happen, I think the robberies etc. on foreigners have been mainly way out of town / fairly remote areas. So I'd guess you're safe in popular / populated areas.

[Nigello]

Burma is a delight and easy to get to from Bangkok. I was there in 2004 and had a great time. Rangoon, Inle Lake and Bagan are all must-sees; a good ten days is a minimum. It's not a southeast asian party destination, like some parts of Thailand, Vietnam and Laos have become, so he'd need to get that out his system - if at all - in BKK/Samui etc.

[Alan Medic]

Now speaking of Burma/Myanmar, son has been there a week and not a word from him. In Thailand he was in contact quite often particularly as he had a motor bike accident and ended up in a hospital for the second time in two months (last time was in France where he sliced the bottom of his foot open).

Am I right in thinking that communications by mobile are next to impossible in Myanmar. His mum is stressed out not having heard from him. Anyone know if this is the case?

[KidKruger]

Domestic calls on mobiles fine in cities but provincially it's limited.

[Alan Medic]

Domestic but not international? Is that what you mean KK?

[KidKruger]

What I'm saying is if you're not in a big town there you'll have limited mobile comms especially outside the Rangoon/Mandalay/Pagan loop.

In a city I'd expect he'd use a phone service ?

[Cassius]

Alan - hope that you've heard from your son and that all is OK.

[Alan Medic]

Thanks Cassius. Heard from him right after he landed back in Bangkok.