Author Topic: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR  (Read 16285 times)

Offline rots5

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 7996
  • Total likes: 27
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 17
    • View Profile
    • Custom Cakes for Every Occassion
  • Location: Monsey
the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« on: July 29, 2013, 05:26:30 PM »
So here it goes. I will write up two types of TR's. One - a quick overview and outline of the trip, and a scoond - a detailed one (with pics and so on)

The trip consisted of one round trip itin, but many diff flights. i had someone book them using points on US airways (being that elal, still hasnt opened up AA award). i booked biz class for 75k a ticket. (i found my flights on UA.com, but UA uses 100k. the one advt of UA is easy switches while on US its 200$ a pop).

The trip started with a 5 am flight on july 17th from
tlv>zrh in business, with a 4 hr stopover on Swissair

zrh>bkk in royal silk, with a 1.5 hr stop on Thai Air

bkk>cnx in royal silk (empty middle seat) on TG. Arrived in Cnx on july 18th at 8:50am.

on July 22 we went from;
cnx>hkt in royal silk (empty seat again) on TG. (1 hr flight)

on july 25th we flew from;
hkt>bkk in royal silk on TG (1.5 hr flight)

bkk>kul in royal silk (i think it was a 777 jumbo jet) TG417. it was 1+ hr flight (gorgeous aircraft)

kul>ist in business on Turkish Air

ist>tlv in eco on TK.



if someone can help me upload actual pictures from image shack onto here id love to post them.
If you have any questions please search and then ask. PM me for detailed help.

Offline rots5

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 7996
  • Total likes: 27
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 17
    • View Profile
    • Custom Cakes for Every Occassion
  • Location: Monsey
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2013, 06:15:26 PM »
before i start, no one mentioned in the Thailand thread that you need cash :) i will. you need cash! very few places take cc. just a heads up.

Day 1(wed): flights from TLV>ZHR>BKK>CNX (day 2)

DAY 2 (thurs): We arrived around 9am and we got our luggage quick and easy. i followed fellow ddfers advice and DID NOT book a taxi. The taxi at the airport was 120 Baht (around 3$ or so. the hotel wanted 500 baht). We booked the Le Meridian Chiang Mai on 14000 points for 4 nights. i emailed previously and got the suite on the 11th floor. we settled in and walked to the chabad. everyone says that 7-11 sells sim cards, that is false, the only place who sells is across from the chabad.

We ate a quick lunch at the chabad (very good food) and we said our hello's and went next door to 669 tours (israeli guy). it was already 12 o'clock in the afternoon, and Yisrael wanted us to make the 1:30 mae se elephant show. as AJK mentioned it was possible to do all the shows in one day. so i mentioned this to yisrael and he said no prob. he called over Yahalom (his driver) and said to me 600 baht for the whole day with Yahalom, and i can pay in CC.

Yahalom got us there in time for even the pre-show. after the show yahalom also pulled strings to get us on the elephant riding. After that, we went down the block to the snake show. (I hate snakes, its my jewishness in me), but it was def an entertaining show. after the snake show we went to the monkey show. that was def a fan fav for me. After that we went to the long neck tribes. (personally it was dumb, but it a must see - even though its the most expensive admission). Then we went to Tiger Kingdom, we did hire a photographer for 500 Baht and we did the big tigers. It def was an amazing sight t see up close and personal. by now it was already 630.

Yahalom drove us back to the 669 and we paid and we went to chabad for dinner.  since it was pouring out we just skimmed thru the night market right outside our hotel.

Day 3 (friday): went for a late breakfast at the chabad, and just explored chiang mai. massages are pennies in chiang mai so go for them...or as often if need be. we arranged with the hotel before hand that we will be coming back from shul late and we need someone to walk us up to our room and walk us in. In addition to come pick us up in the morning (which meant opening the door for us to our room). Fri night at chabad was very nice! 300+ ppl were there. food was decent and def a doable shabb.

Day 4 (shabb): went to chabad for shachris (much less ppl) and meal was very nice. After the meal there was a mincha. walked back to the hotel, with the same drill. and back for maariv. We were told from ppl at the meals that, we must go to the sat night market. We went, and it was horrible. Its def diff from the regular nightly market and sun night market. its very long and just useless junk. We got back to the regular market just about 1130 when the real hándling can go on. (ill write my theory how to do it well later), but found great mitzeos arguing with them for great prices :)

Day 5 (sun): we arranged with yisrael to do Eagle Track Zipline. the other 2 he said was a bit more challenging and my wife as it is not a huge sports type. We did eagle track and my wife loved it! they picked us up from the hotel and brought us back. We were finished by 5 ish. we then went to chabad for dinner, and walked over to Yisrael one last time to pay and also get Yahalom to take us to the airport the next morning. From there we walked straight to the sun night market. it def was very good and found great stuff there.

Day 6 (Mon): we took an 8:20 flight from Chiang Mai to Phuket. very short flight and not bad. Since we were flying Biz, our bags came out the first and we were on our way. i tried to get Boss to taxi us, but he didnt answer. so i just took a taxi from the airport. *Just to note: everything in phuket is a bit more pricy than chiang mai, bec (i think) its a resort town* anyways after a nauseous 40 min ride we pulled up to our hotel/resort. we were greeted like a king and queen. We got to our private villa, and we ordered from the chabad food for dinner and lunch and dinner for the next day as well. We also paid more for the chabad to double wrap it. There was a library on campus to rent DVD's and also our villa came with a spa room to get massages.

Day 7 (tues): We scheduled with the hotel a phi phi island tour the night before. when i got up at 630 am to daven it was pouring, so we cancelled the tour for the next day. instead we just chilled around for the day (which ended up being real nice). The resort manager said it happens alls the time. At night we decided we'd go to the chabad to eat, which was nice.

Day 8 (weds): It was on and off in the morning with the rain. Dolphins Asia (tour) picked us up at 730, and drove us to the marina. we got all geared up and we were on our way (an hr speed boat ride to the islands. be prepared for seasickness). the tour was amazing and unreal. The weather cleared up with-in the first 25 min of our boat ride. the waters were green and the beaches gorgeous white. Our tour took us to, Maya Island, Phi phi island, Bamboo Island and Monkey Island, as well as snorkeling). I paid thru the hotel (double points on ink) instead of straight to the company. It cost around 3000 Baht pp (around 100$). It was well worth it. We ordered from chabad, and we packed for our 4 flights coming up the next day...

Day 9 (thurs): We chilled and had breakfast in the morning. our villa had a private pool as well (i forgot to mention), and then we left at 10:30 am to Phuket International Airport. Our luggage was being sent straight to Israel, but we only got boarding passes till our third flight in Kuala Lumpur to Istanbul... (day 10)

Day 10 (fri): flight from IST>TLV bh all went well. Hocker had it arranged for us to be ballabatish and pick up a car from hertz and we were off to jlem back home for shabb!

I will try to write up piece by piece a detailed TR... i.e. what method i think is the best to haggle. where i found the metzios. where not to go and so on :)

Ask away if need any further assistance.
If you have any questions please search and then ask. PM me for detailed help.

Offline Ergel

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jun 2010
  • Posts: 12818
  • Total likes: 905
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
    • View Profile
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2013, 06:22:35 PM »
Nice TR. Were you with baby? What hotel in Phuket?
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline rots5

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 7996
  • Total likes: 27
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 17
    • View Profile
    • Custom Cakes for Every Occassion
  • Location: Monsey
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2013, 06:27:14 PM »
Nice TR. Were you with baby? What hotel in Phuket?
thanks!

ahhhh the baby q... :) i have a blessed mother who offered to watch my son (she almost didnt make it bec her flight got delayed 15 hrs on tisha bav).

and we stayed at the pavilions. damaxer and andrew both recommended it. i would say its a non-cheesy version of cove. Much nicer and not fruity and weird.
If you have any questions please search and then ask. PM me for detailed help.

Offline Ergel

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jun 2010
  • Posts: 12818
  • Total likes: 905
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
    • View Profile
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2013, 06:31:02 PM »
Price?
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline rots5

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 7996
  • Total likes: 27
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 17
    • View Profile
    • Custom Cakes for Every Occassion
  • Location: Monsey
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2013, 06:35:19 PM »
Price?
i got it on jetsetter. 325 a night. (the only part of my trip i paid for really)
If you have any questions please search and then ask. PM me for detailed help.

Offline yoruel

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Gold Elite
  • ******
  • Join Date: May 2013
  • Posts: 765
  • Total likes: 11
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: New York
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2013, 10:59:45 PM »
Nice TR.
want to see some pics.

Offline rots5

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 7996
  • Total likes: 27
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 17
    • View Profile
    • Custom Cakes for Every Occassion
  • Location: Monsey
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #7 on: July 30, 2013, 01:01:36 AM »
Nice TR.
want to see some pics.
i dont know how to post them as actual pics, not just links from image shack
If you have any questions please search and then ask. PM me for detailed help.

Offline rots5

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 7996
  • Total likes: 27
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 17
    • View Profile
    • Custom Cakes for Every Occassion
  • Location: Monsey
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #8 on: July 30, 2013, 04:13:36 AM »
here are from the flights

the Swiss air flight, with lie flat beds


The next TG flight, with angle flat, (still amazing) and the service is impeccable!!


From the short haul TG flights, empty seat in between


The one short haul flight in a jumbo 777 TG, it was gorgeous with wood floors in the entrance and so on.




and the last long flight on TK (which we were the last ones to make it on....
« Last Edit: July 30, 2013, 04:19:06 AM by rots5 »
If you have any questions please search and then ask. PM me for detailed help.

Offline world2see

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Jul 2010
  • Posts: 453
  • Total likes: 1
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: israel
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #9 on: July 30, 2013, 07:42:50 AM »
Great TR!!!!

Offline Ergel

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jun 2010
  • Posts: 12818
  • Total likes: 905
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
    • View Profile
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #10 on: July 30, 2013, 08:31:32 AM »
Pics no worky
ETA: Working now. Maybe I just didn't have a good connection. Sorry about that
« Last Edit: July 30, 2013, 09:07:07 AM by Ergel »
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline rots5

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 7996
  • Total likes: 27
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 17
    • View Profile
    • Custom Cakes for Every Occassion
  • Location: Monsey
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #11 on: July 30, 2013, 08:36:14 AM »
Great TR!!!!
it all started from you!!! its because of you that i even knew what thailand was, around 7 yrs ago at the shabbos table, the pics on the elephant :)

Pics no worky
really?! there working on my computer
If you have any questions please search and then ask. PM me for detailed help.

Offline sky121

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: May 2011
  • Posts: 11513
  • Total likes: 168
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 12
    • View Profile
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #12 on: July 30, 2013, 08:39:23 AM »
Pics working here as well.
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline rots5

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 7996
  • Total likes: 27
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 17
    • View Profile
    • Custom Cakes for Every Occassion
  • Location: Monsey
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #13 on: July 30, 2013, 08:41:22 AM »
ill start the detailed a bit later :)
If you have any questions please search and then ask. PM me for detailed help.

Offline Marco Polo

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 13121
  • Total likes: 49
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 104
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #14 on: July 30, 2013, 09:04:49 AM »
Does the place next to Chabad have more than one driver they work with, or is the first person to get Yahalom it for the day?

Aside from how to haggle, what kind "metzios" did you find?
Quaerite et Invenietis.

Offline Drago

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 8388
  • Total likes: 74
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 18
    • View Profile
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #15 on: July 30, 2013, 09:11:08 AM »
Did Chabad deliver the food to you in Phuket? If so, what was the additional cost?

Offline Racer7400

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 379
  • Total likes: 0
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Lakewood NJ
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #16 on: July 30, 2013, 10:24:22 AM »
nice TR

Offline Twin

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2010
  • Posts: 1445
  • Total likes: 3
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: lkwd
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #17 on: July 30, 2013, 10:30:11 AM »
Amazing tr

Offline mochada

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 1164
  • Total likes: 13
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #18 on: July 30, 2013, 11:05:07 AM »
Nice TR- Keep it up!

Offline rots5

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 7996
  • Total likes: 27
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 17
    • View Profile
    • Custom Cakes for Every Occassion
  • Location: Monsey
Re: the Rots5's Chiang Mai and Phuket TR
« Reply #19 on: July 30, 2013, 11:29:35 AM »
thanks everyone!

Did Chabad deliver the food to you in Phuket? If so, what was the additional cost?

@drago, the chabad in phuket did charge us for delivery it was 1000 baht. one night we went there it was 800 each way, but it was also a night out. so u take ur pick. (also when we ordered in, we 'ordered for 30 ppl' as the chabad guy said to us the next night. :)

Does the place next to Chabad have more than one driver they work with, or is the first person to get Yahalom it for the day?

Aside from how to haggle, what kind "metzios" did you find?
i dont know if they have other drivers, but it didnt seem like it was an issue. i have my taxi from the airports number if u want. he was great and so cheap. he wanted to take us to the other elephant farm and this whole day excursion for like 500 baht (or something like that).

in terms of metzios, i got myself a new watch :D and i got my neice a kipling bag (looks actualy real). great clothing. thanks to moish, (who i couldnt get what he asked for :( but my wife got a few knock off clothes and jewlery. the painings as dan said look great (we didnt have a good picture) but i got his contact info and he will ship a paining to america for 300 baht (10$) so its just also about getting contacts.

and theres also just the ins and outs that ppl didnt write about, ie that no one accepts cc. or where to really get a cell phone. or where to get a normal massage thats not in the front window. or to advise ppl not to go to the sat night market. or which place to get long sleeve polo shirts.

a side thing, someone booked for me the room in LM CM and i was not on the reservation, they told us that we cant go to the lounge for some reason. the morning after we got there i was exploring the 20th floor bec dan wrote theres a pool up there (which i didnt find) but i found the 3 floor lounge and i walked in and she didnt even ask me my room number or name, and this happened every time from then on. so it seemed once i was up there i was good. (no alcohol except from 6-9).
If you have any questions please search and then ask. PM me for detailed help.