Where to Stay in Bangkok for Your First Night in Thailand

How to Plan for Your Thailand Itinerary - Your First Night in Bangkok

Planning your first night in Bangkok sets the stage for your entire Thailand adventure. Whether you choose to immerse yourself in the city's energy immediately or opt for a slower acclimatization, understanding your options is key.

Choosing Your Home Base in Bangkok:

The vibrant Sukhumvit area is a popular choice for first-time visitors. Boasting excellent connectivity via the BTS Skytrain and MRT subway, it offers something for everyone:

Shopaholics: Indulge in high-end malls like EmQuartier and Terminal 21 or explore bustling street markets.

Foodies: Sample diverse street food or savor delicious meals at renowned restaurants.

Night owls: Immerse yourself in the lively nightlife scene of Soi Cowboy or Nana Plaza.

However, Bangkok caters to diverse preferences. Consider alternatives like:

Old Town: Steeped in history and charm, with stunning temples and traditional markets.

Silom: Ideal for business travelers with its modern high-rises and convenient location.

Rest and Exploration:

While a long flight might make you want to retire to your room for a night of relaxation, you have options:

1-2 Nights: Explore key sights like the Grand Palace or Wat Pho and savor the street food scene.

Skip Bangkok: If your itinerary prioritizes other destinations, head straight to Krabi or Chiang Mai.

Remember, your decision is personal!

Tips for a Smooth Arrival:

Pre-book an airport transfer: Especially if you’re arriving late or seeking convenience, consider private transfers for around $27 CAD.

Exchange currency: Ensure you have Thai Baht for initial expenses.

Research visa requirements: Depending on your nationality, you might need a visa upon arrival.

Beyond Your First Night:

Stay tuned for upcoming articles on planning your itinerary, exploring Krabi, and uncovering hidden gems in Bangkok!

Tomtoc Travel Backpack 28L Review: The BEST Carry-On for Minimalist Travelers?

Carry-On vs Personal Item: Can the Tomtoc Travel Backpack 28L Do Both?

For my upcoming trip to Thailand and Dubai, I was looking for a one-bag travel solution that is small enough to be a carry-on or personal item, but also large enough to hold all of my essentials. For this trip, I am checking a small carry-on suitcase, so there is no need for a big 35L to 42L backpack and the Tomtoc Travel Backpack 28L fits the purpose perfectly.

The Tomtoc Navigator T66 Travel Laptop Backpack 28L is well priced and durable. Some of the features I like:

- The bag can be opened up like a suitcase, which makes it easy to pack and unpack.

- There are two separate laptop compartments, which can fit a laptop up to 15” and another small laptop or a tablet/Kindle.

- There is a hidden compartment that can be accessed from the outside of the bag, which is perfect for storing items that you need to access quickly, such as your passport or toiletries.

- The bag has a comfortable and padded shoulder strap, as well as a sternum strap for added support.

- The bag is made from recycled materials, which is a plus for environmentally-conscious travelers.

A few things to keep in mind about the bag if you want to use it as only one carry-on:

- It is not very spacious, so it should be fine if you are a minimalist packer, but if you like to bring a lot of stuff with you on your travels, you may want to consider a larger bag.

- The bag does not have a lot of organizational pockets, so you will need to use packing cubes to stay organized.

Overall, I can’t complain about anything with this bag, given that it’s reasonably priced. If you are looking for a small, durable, and well-priced travel backpack, the Tomtoc Navigator T66 Travel Laptop Backpack 28L should serve that purpose.

How to Plan for Your Thailand Trip (Stage Two) - Flights & Accommodations

How to Plan for Your Thailand Itinerary

In the first stage, we explored potential destinations and allocated days for each. Remember, your itinerary may differ based on your interests! Now, let's tackle the next crucial step: booking flights and accommodations.

The places you choose to visit and allocated days for each place may not be the same as me; you have your own needs and interests. However, what to do next should be the same regardless of your choices.

Start with Booking Flights

Start booking your flights immediately. If you don’t have your flights booked, do not book any hotels or activities. This is due to the fact that flights are always the most expensive and non-flexible part of the trip. You will always find hotels and tours later on, but that may not be the case for flights.

Price vs. Convenience: Compare prices across airlines, but consider factors like travel times, layovers, and airport convenience. Start with international flights first and then move onto local flights.

For our itinerary here, I would book the Toronto to Bangkok and back flight first, followed by local flights (Bangkok to Krabi and Phuket to Bangkok).

Start Booking Your Hotels or Airbnbs

Once your flights are confirmed, lock down your hotels or Airbnbs. Booking accommodations secures your home base for each stop and gives you peace of mind.

Remember, with your flights and hotels sorted, you've conquered the core logistics! The most important segments of your trip are done.

Last Word

I recommend booking all your flights and hotels 6 to 8 months before your trip. Early Bird Gets the Deal: booking 6-8 months in advance ensures better options and potentially lower prices. If you leave it for the last minute, you will lose better flights, seat selections, and accommodations.

In the next part, we'll dive into planning specific activities and sights for each location in your itinerary.

Tile Mate Tracks My Luggage from Toronto to Manila: A Bluetooth Tracker's Journey

Putting Tile Mate to the Test: YYZ to MNL Flight Experience

I'm an Android user, so when it comes to luggage trackers Tile Mate is my go-to option. While not as widely discussed as Apple AirTags, it serves as a reliable tracker for those outside the Apple ecosystem. So, how did Tile Mate fare on my recent flight from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL)? Let's find out.

Initial Tracking Success, then Radio Silence

Before check-in at YYZ, the Tile app easily connected to my luggage. However, after dropping it off the connection vanished – likely due to the increased distance. Tracking attempts at the gate and onboard proved futile.

Taipei Layover: More Frustration with Tile Mate

At Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), I repeated the same tracking attempt at check-in and on the plane, encountering the same frustrating silence.

Manila MNL: A Glimmer of Hope (Finally!)

At MNL, I held onto a sliver of hope. Thankfully, just before the luggage carousel started rolling my Tile Mate sprang to life, showing my bag's location as it approached. Relief washed over me, but the near miss left me with mixed feelings.

Mixed Verdict on Tile Mate's Effectiveness

While Tile Mate ultimately delivered at MNL, its performance throughout the journey left me divided. Its inability to track throughout most of the trip, especially during crucial moments like flight connections, raises concerns about its reliability for long-distance travel.

However, a few silver linings remain.

Rough GPS location potential: Tile's network of app-running devices can offer a rough GPS location when a connection is established, providing some peace of mind.

Android compatibility: For Android users like myself, Tile Mate remains a valuable option in the limited world of luggage trackers.

Final Thoughts

Despite the frustrations, I'll continue using Tile Mate, aware of its limitations and hopeful for future improvements. It's not perfect, but Tile Mate remains a viable option for Android users seeking a basic tracking solution , albeit with a few caveats.

Is It Best to Pay in Local Coin or US Dollars When You Travel?

Why You Should Always Pay in Local Currency (And Not USD) When Traveling

Here’s a simple mistake most travelers make when paying abroad and so did I: Whenever asked if I wanted to pay in local currency or US dollars, I chose US$, thinking I was making a smart decision. I was so wrong.

Whenever you are using your credit card outside your home country, never choose to pay US$ and always insist on paying in local currency. The reason merchants are eager to charge US$ is because they will charge you what's called a Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) fee.

A DCC fee is in addition to any other foreign transaction fees that your credit card may charge you, which is usually 2.5 to 3% (See the Pro Tip below). The DCC fee can be 1% of the total transaction, but that’s not all. Merchants will always use a bizarre currency exchange rate at the point of sale to their advantage.

Your credit card networks can always negotiate better exchange rates to your advantage, so if you are letting merchants do the exchange, you are losing big time. It has been proven that you can be paying 7 to 12% more in total if you let merchants do the conversions.

So whenever you are traveling, always pay in local currency and if you are not told, ask the merchants how they are putting the transaction through.

Pro Tip: Always use a No Foreign Currency Transaction Fee credit card. Many of the so-called best travel credit card promoters are trying to sign you up to get charged a foreign currency fee (usually 1-3%). So always make sure the credit cards you are traveling with have zero foreign currency fees.