badvoodoo Posted October 30, 2005 Posted October 30, 2005 Who's got it? Never been, planning to go. Looking up info on where to climb, where to stay, etc, so any info or info sources are appreciated. Quote
catbirdseat Posted October 30, 2005 Posted October 30, 2005 Ask dryad. She's in Belgium but she'll be back on Monday I think. Quote
badvoodoo Posted October 30, 2005 Author Posted October 30, 2005 Thanks CBS, I'll look for her. And for a more specific question, trying to get an idea of current post-tsunami accomodations. Quote
David Trippett Posted October 30, 2005 Posted October 30, 2005 (edited) I spent nearly a year there....this is the fastest and cheapest way I know of....Take plane to Bangkok(~700$ on EVA airways from Seattle)....take AC bus to Krabi from Khao San Road(~200Bhat)...from Krabi take Song Taew(small white pick-up truck) to Ao Nang(20 Bhat)....from Ao Nang take long-tail boat to Ton Sai(50 Bhat). Stay at either Andaman or Dream Valley(150-300 Bhat per night depends on season). There are heaps of folks to climb with....don't worry about finding partners. Take 15 Draws and a 60m rope and shit-loads of quality chalk. Tsunami problems are non-existant now(sounds like a new ad campaign, Thailand...Tsunami problems are non-existant now!). Enjoy. Edited October 30, 2005 by avitripp Quote
wfinley Posted October 30, 2005 Posted October 30, 2005 FYI - $1 (US) = 40 baht... or $7.3 / night! Cheaper than a USFS campsite! Quote
chelle Posted November 1, 2005 Posted November 1, 2005 There is also some good climbing up north in Chang Mai. Haven't been there, but I saw an interesting looking guide book at Feathered Friends in Seattle about a month ago. Â Another route to Ton Sai is to take a long tail boat from the harbor in Krabi to West Rai Lay (maybe 150 bhat if I recall correctly) and then walk to Ton Sai. About a mile. You'll get a sense of the whole place and will be able to stop off in one of the climbing shops in Rai Lay and get a guide book. I'd recommend picking up some snacks for your pack in Krabi. You can get a pound of cashews for about $2 and bananas and other fruit too. Eat the bananas & pineapples there and you'll never settle for another piece of fruit from Dole... Â If you're not wanting to stay in the grass bungalows with mosquito nets and have a bit more money to spend, upgrade to a cinder block bungalow with a fan for a couple more hundred bhat. Book for a few days at a time and renegotiate with them for a cheaper deal each time you "rebook". Â Have fun! Quote
Camilo Posted November 1, 2005 Posted November 1, 2005 Cool info! Thanks for asking, badvoodoo. I'll be there in 2 weeks. I'll let you know where I go, pictures, etc. We were planning on heading south to the beaches, but we might head north to Chang Mai and check out the climbing. Quote
Jason_Martin Posted November 1, 2005 Posted November 1, 2005 There's a new guidebook out from the Mountaineers on Thailand climbing. Sam Lightner Jr. has put together a very nice compilation of routes and info on getting to them, staying there, and everything else you need to know. Â Jason Quote
David Trippett Posted November 1, 2005 Posted November 1, 2005 (edited) It's actually East Railay chelle(unless you're talking about riding all the way around the penninsula...which is less-than-not-so-great to hellish 50% of the time)..... Thats another way to go....but for sure more money and you still need to get to Ton Sai via another longtail or walking over that "path" between West Railay and TonSai....a real pain in the ass with a big pack in 90 degree weather... and don't forget about the fight through the euro-hordes on Railay.  For first timers the Ao Nang route is best unless you're loaded and can afford a chopper. The ride on the Song Taew from Krabi to Ao Nang is super scenic and a cultural experience not to be missed....throw your pack on the top and hang on to the back like the trash man did when you were a kid...superfun!  Chelle is right about picking up snacks and stuff in Krabi....do it....you'll pay a premium on Ton Sai as it is only accessible by boat. Unless you really want a new one....there are guide books floating around everywhere....so save your money.  If you are in to deep water soloing (for a break from the over-run routes)....check out Matt Maddaloni's guide....  http://www.mattmaddaloni.com/Expeditions%20folders/Thailand%202004/Thailand%202004%20article.htm  There is also a great over-the-water slack line location down near princess cave on Phranang beach....ask around....  Have fun. Edited November 1, 2005 by avitripp Quote
badvoodoo Posted November 22, 2005 Author Posted November 22, 2005 Thanks to those who posted info! As an addition for others who haven't been before, here's a couple resources I found for info on travel and climbing to Thailand, particularly focused around Krabi/Railay Beach area. Â http://www.simonfoley.com/climbing/aroundthailand.htm Good overall info on Thailand in general. No real specifics for accommodations other than how to get them cheap. Â http://www.yourkrabi.com/ Fairly non-commercial travel information for Krabi area, including post-Tsunami updates and some accomodation links. Quote
ajm Posted November 23, 2005 Posted November 23, 2005 Hey BadVoodo are you back from Thailand yet? Illini and I are going for the month of December and are super excited about climbing in Tonsai and Chang Mai. Give a shout if you have advice... Quote
badvoodoo Posted November 23, 2005 Author Posted November 23, 2005 Hey BadVoodo are you back from Thailand yet? Illini and I are going for the month of December and are super excited about climbing in Tonsai and Chang Mai. Give a shout if you have advice... Nope, planning for late Feb. I'll give info when I get back though! Quote
Camilo Posted November 23, 2005 Posted November 23, 2005 Hey everyone! I'm in Thailand right now. I just left Ton Sai and it was amazing. I stayed in Rai Lai with my girlfriend for 3 nights, and then realized we should be in Ton Sai. It's 10x more laid back, and pretty much all climbers. Really cool and cheap. The longer you stay, the cheaper the places are. I stayed at the Green Valley Resort which has bungalows ranging from bamboo shacks with for about $10 a night to wood places (where I stayed) for about $15, to brick places for $25 a night. There's also apparently a place up in the hills where you can stay for 100 Baht per night. That's $2.50 a day. Basically a bamboo box, and you have to worry about monkeys stealing your stuff. Â There's lots of construction going on right now, a lot of beachfront buildings were lost in the tsunami but a ton have already rebuilt. The Ton Sai places were rebuilt pretty basic for the most part, out of wood, bamboo, and thatched roofs. Â Speaking of tsunami, my girlfriend and I are in Khao Lak right now, about a 2.5 hour drive from Krabi. This area was the hardest hit area in Thailand, with around 80-90% of the population lost. We're volunteering with the reconstruction and it's amazing. Meeting the nicest people we've ever met, both locals and volunteers from around the world. If anybody is interested, their website is www.tsunamivolunteer.net. Anybody can show up to volunteer, but (as we found out when we showed up yesterday) they require a minimum of 2 weeks work. Luckily, there are tons of other projects going on and we met up with other people and got some work. We've seen some crazy stuff, specifically the three boats that got washed ashore at least a mile from the beach. I'll post pictures when I get back. Much more sobering to see in person than in pictures or on the news. Quote
ajm Posted November 23, 2005 Posted November 23, 2005 Wow! Thanks for the update. We unfortunately will be unable to help with the reconstruction but perhaps our $ will be enough to help the local people. Camillo - maybe we'll run into eachother. We have planned to stay at the Countryside bungalows in Tonsai for 9 nights and then going to an island Ko Loaliang for 5 nights (deep water soloing). . . Quote
Camilo Posted November 24, 2005 Posted November 24, 2005 Have fun Avie! I'm headed back to Bangkok tomorrow night, and then home on Monday so we probably won't run into each other. Have a great time though. And you should definitely check out the little coffee stand across the road from the Green Valley in Ton Sai. It's really cool, and the guy who runs it is awesome. Quote
David Trippett Posted November 24, 2005 Posted November 24, 2005 I TOLD you....Stay in Ton Sai..... Quote
cj001f Posted November 28, 2005 Posted November 28, 2005 Any metrosexual approved nightspots for a 2 10hr layovers in Bangkok? (no ladyboys!) Quote
David Trippett Posted November 29, 2005 Posted November 29, 2005 Just go to Khao San rd. and gape....you can check your bags at the airport in the international terminal. Quote
Camilo Posted December 1, 2005 Posted December 1, 2005 Any metrosexual approved nightspots for a 2 10hr layovers in Bangkok? (no ladyboys!) Man, what's a nightspot without a ladyboy? Honestly, we didn't really hit any nightspots. We stayed in the Sukhumvit Rd. area which was way mellower than Khao San Rd. I couldn't even hear myself think on Khao San Rd during the day, I don't know how people could sleep there at night. There was a cool bar by where we were staying, outdoor and no bar girls. Called Chucks I think, on Soi Sukhumvit 11. Takes about 30 minutes from the airport with no traffic. Costs about $6 for a cab into town. I can't imagine going into a bar in Bangkok as a guy alone, the bar girls are relentless. I went walking for 10 minutes without my girlfriend once, and the girls were grabbing at me trying to pull me in. . . not that that doesn't happen to me everywhere Quote
Winter Posted December 1, 2005 Posted December 1, 2005 the bar girls are relentless. Â I think you mean the bar "girly boys." Quote
cj001f Posted December 1, 2005 Posted December 1, 2005 I think you mean the bar "girly boys." I prefer women without the, um, "option package" Quote
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