General Reports

[ChuchoLoco]

Lots of seasoned travellers with excellent advices.

One last question. Anyone ever go to Thailand from Istanbul? I could handle a nonstop from Chicago to Istanbul with some meds, no diapers hopefully and then fly to Thailand assuming Istanbul is about halfway.

Thanks in advance.

There are flights with one stop in Qatar. Cost now is around $850 RT. Total time 13 hours and so, e minutes including layover. At least there is an alternative but really not saving a whole lot of hours but it may work for me. Chicago to Istanbul is about 9 hours. Got to check price. Probably will end up double of a cheap Chicago to Bannon.

Thanks again everyone. I'll probably end up in Colombia for now and when I visit family in eastern Europe, I have an option to get to Thailand.

[Member #4698]

One last question. Anyone ever go to Thailand from Istanbul? I could handle a nonstop from Chicago to Istanbul with some meds, no diapers hopefully and then fly to Thailand assuming Istanbul is about halfway.

I was in Istanbul a long, long time ago. It is very a interesting city from a cultural & culinary perspective and a good layover candidate for that reason, but I very much doubt the girly scene in Istanbul today has much to write home about.

Turkish Air can hook you right up: ORD. IST - BKK. They have just what you are looking for and currently at bargain prices on relatively short durations.

[ChuchoLoco]

Moved response here from the Pattaya thread as the query is not Pattaya specific. I see Natty already had the same thoughts.

I think guys don't do overnight layovers on their way to Thailand because I find a short 2 or 3 day layover in another country like Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Taipei, etc. Would have more expensive flights. They also may have only 2 weeks vacation and want to spend every minute possible getting Thai pussy. None of us enjoy long flights. Why would we?

If I have a short layover of 1 or 3 hours I try looking for an extended layover of 6 or 8 hours and sleep for a few hours at an airport hotel. That way when I arrive in Thailand I'm ready to roll immediately.

Lots of seasoned travellers with excellent advices.

One last question. Anyone ever go to Thailand from Istanbul? I could handle a nonstop from Chicago to Istanbul with some meds, no diapers hopefully and then fly to Thailand assuming Istanbul is about halfway.

Thanks in advance.

[DazeUp]

French lady goes to Thailand. She satisfies the quarantine period and is now symptom free. Then she goes to a gym and catches COVID. Thailand's population is 70 million people and she is one of 135 active cases in all of Thailand. Pretty unlucky for her. If my rough math is correct without a calculator it's 500,000:1 odds she catches COVID.

Hmmm. Interesting, nice catch!

Either that or as another BM noted. Maybe not all Thai covid case numbers are what they seem.

[Whoreman]

French lady goes to Thailand. She satisfies the quarantine period and is now symptom free. Then she goes to a gym and catches COVID. Thailand's population is 70 million people and she is one of 135 active cases in all of Thailand. Pretty unlucky for her. If my rough math is correct without a calculator it's 500,000:1 odds she catches COVID.

The rumour is that she's actually a Thai woman married to a French man but arrived on her French passport, which is why they're referring to her as a French woman.

[Banana Boi]

That French lady caught Covid from interacting with infected gym equipment in Pooket.

French lady goes to Thailand. She satisfies the quarantine period and is now symptom free. Then she goes to a gym and catches COVID. Thailand's population is 70 million people and she is one of 135 active cases in all of Thailand. Pretty unlucky for her. If my rough math is correct without a calculator it's 500,000:1 odds she catches COVID.

[Tomasb]

Yes, I totally agree with you about Hong Kong and Wanchai. I have only been twice on layovers but the hotels and even AIR is quite expensive. Plus the P4 P girls are not all that great. I had a miserable experience with a Mongolian girl partially out of late night desperation. Met her in a popular bar but can't remember the name.

On one trip, I spent about $80 for a walk up broom closet but it was next to the ferry to Macau where I went the following day. Macau is expensive too but I did find a modern and hip type hotel for a reasonable Price under $100. Don't think they allowed guests but that was fine because the spas are so amazing there. I found out later that many of the spas it's possible to stay over as they have some dorm type rooms or sleep on the BarcaLounger. But, wow!, the ladies there are fantastic. I went to Familia Nobre but several other choices as well. Unfortunately, much of old Macao has been leveled and much of the island resembles a water bound Vegas with expensive hotels and casinos catering to the Chinese. There is a very small old section of Macau but Nothing to see culturally or of much historic significance except the old facade of St. Paul church.

I usually stop in Taipei from west coast of US via Eva Air but connections are good so carry on direct to Bangkok. I also generally travel to SEAsia in late December and the weather is always foggy and rainy in Taipei that time of year but would still like to check it out though there is no real club or bar scene like BKK or so I have been informed.

[Member #4698]

As with everything in life, there is a trade off between comfort and money.

Upgrading your seat from economy to premium economy may cost an extra 50%, but for me it is much more comfortable. I used to fly Korean Air, but they don't offer that class. For me, Cathay Pacific and Delta offer premium economy and affordable prices.

In years gone by, my long business trips were in business class. Felt as fresh upon arrival as I did before departure. I might spring for that sometime in the future. Cost is about 5 times that of economy.

Minimize your total travel time from home to BKK. For me, this means taking an airport shuttle or Uber to an airport 70 miles from home instead of the airport 25 miles from home. This way I can get 2 legs to BKK instead of 3. Saves about 3 hours total travel time for me. It also eliminates the chances of flight delays associated with a 3rd leg. My first ever personal trip to BKK was 3 legs and the first leg was delayed, which screwed my entire trip. Didn't get my luggage until day 3 in BKK.

For layovers longer than about 5 hours, you might find sleeping pods in your transfer airport. Longer than 8 hour layover might warrant a day room at your transfer airport hotel.

Upon arrival in BKK Im exhausted. I check into my hotel but cant sleep. A quick piece of ass at a place like Doki Doki completes the journey and I sleep perfectly for about 10 hours.

Extra legroom or premium economy is the way to go. United offers these seats as well as Delta and Cathay Pacific. I like Delta, especially on flights to MNL. United seems better for flights to BKK, Singapore or CGK. The problem with Delta is many of their trans-pacific flights are on Korean air and as you pointed out, there is no extra legroom on Korean Air, although many times I luck out with with an empty middle seat.

I also recommend getting an Ambien prescription from your doctor before the flight. I take 1 Ambien 10 MG pill and wash it down with a bloody Mary after dinner service with about 8 hours remaining on the flight. Twenty minutes later I am asleep for the next 5 hours.

Usually my flights arrive in MNL or BKK around 10/10:30 pm and although I am tired, I am not sleepy. Swampy or MNL Immigration, taxi, check in to my hotel room, take a shit, shave, shower, change of clothes and I am ready for action. Local time is a little after midnight. I Find a girl, we get it on, girl leaves around 2:30 am. I take another Ambien, watch TV, and I am back asleep in La LA land in 20 minutes. I wake up, it is 7:30 am to 8 am, Sun is out, no jet lag, and I am ready for the day. I text one of my regulars. Tell her I am in town. Confirm our reunion for the evening. My only issue is can I refrain from going to an oily in the afternoon or not.

I hear what you are saying a concerning hub airports, but for me living in South Florida, I detest Miami International Airport. They treat travelers like dog shit, so I prefer departing from FLL or PBI. I might gain 90 minutes on the longer flight duration, but I get it back with less travel time to the airport and a better experience in the airport once I get there regarding airline check in and airport security. To each his own, I guess.

[Member #4698]

I would always spend 2 nights in Hong Kong on the way to BKK enabling me to be fresh upon BKK arrival. Last year I flew non-stop LA to Osaka, then to BKK. Osaka is a great stopover. I plan to stopover in Taipei next time. Not a fan of Tokyo. I would prefer to stop in Manila but it's hard to get there non-stop from the west coast. I prefer not to fly Philippine Air for a long flight. Natty, I'm guessing Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, and Taipei are shorter transpacific flights from the west coast than HKG or Manila.

I used to enjoy 2-night layovers in HKG too, but that was a long time ago when there used to be rockin' bars filled with hot Viet, Thai, Korean, and even Mongolian girls. HKG used to be great, but not anymore! I went back to HKG for the last 2 nights of my 2018 Fall Trip. The Wanchai bar scene was dismal. I did not see 1 doable girl. I arrived at the bar scene on a prime Friday night in Early November and every single FL girl I saw was friendly, fat, over 35 way past her prime, and from the PI. Now, I had just arrived in HKG after 10 nights in MNL and 5 nights in Macau shagging hot, young, Burgos Bar girls in MNL and supermodel Chinese and Korean girls in Macau, so the difference I saw in Wanchai was truly shocking. 555.

The HKG bar scene was so bad that around 1:30 am I gave up, grabbed some late night dinner, and went back to my hotel room empty handed. It was the only time that happened on my entire 75-day trip. The next night, the final night of the trip, I gave up on the bar scene and I booked an attractive Taiwanese 141.com hotel reservation girl for 1700 HK dollars. The girl was friendly and session was good, but was not completely satisfied. Note: this all occurred before the "disturbances" and later the Mainland crackdown. I don't think HKG will ever recover and I know I will never lay over there again, but I will always remember the good times and the fabulous girls I had there prior to 2011!

I have never laid over in Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, or Taipei. From what I have heard over the year, s it can be very challenging to monger in Seoul and please correct me if I am wrong, but unless you are fluent in Japanese or have a Japanese friend along to take you around, you will never get into the best bordellos and clubs or have a chance to meet the top girls. Taipei sounds interesting, however. I have never been there, so I might go one day to find out what's what. If you go, let me know if you liked the place.

And then there is Macau. I really like Macau. It is or was, pre-pandemic, ridiculously expensive, but some of the top sauna girls were nothing short of spectacular and the sex was most times right on too. I used to enter SE Asia through HKG, spend 2 or 3 nights there, and then take the ferry to Macau for 5 nights before heading to Thailand or the PI. What a great way to start or end a trip. I hope all the saunas reopen after the Pandemic.

My plan for my next big trip, to make up for all of 2020, will be to fly into MNL (spend 10 days), then Macau (5 nights), LOS (BKK 6 weeks / Pattaya 2 weeks), a visa run to Phnom (5 or 6 nights) and then finish up in Jakarta for 3 weeks. Now all this is contingent upon the venues in each of these destinations re-opening and being viable again by the time I get vaccinated and am ready to fly. It may turn out only Thailand is back up and running or Thailand and Cambodia only. It may turn out Thailand remains closed in which case I am going to Brazil. Fuck it! We all will just have to wait for the vaccine and then what's happening.

NB.

[HorseTrader]

As with everything in life, there is a trade off between comfort and money.

Upgrading your seat from economy to premium economy may cost an extra 50%, but for me it is much more comfortable. I used to fly Korean Air, but they don't offer that class. For me, Cathay Pacific and Delta offer premium economy and affordable prices.

In years gone by, my long business trips were in business class. Felt as fresh upon arrival as I did before departure. I might spring for that sometime in the future. Cost is about 5 times that of economy.

Minimize your total travel time from home to BKK. For me, this means taking an airport shuttle or Uber to an airport 70 miles from home instead of the airport 25 miles from home. This way I can get 2 legs to BKK instead of 3. Saves about 3 hours total travel time for me. It also eliminates the chances of flight delays associated with a 3rd leg. My first ever personal trip to BKK was 3 legs and the first leg was delayed, which screwed my entire trip. Didn't get my luggage until day 3 in BKK.

For layovers longer than about 5 hours, you might find sleeping pods in your transfer airport. Longer than 8 hour layover might warrant a day room at your transfer airport hotel.

Upon arrival in BKK I’m exhausted. I check into my hotel but cant sleep. A quick piece of ass at a place like Doki Doki completes the journey and I sleep perfectly for about 10 hours.

[Allover]

The shortest duration USA transpacific route is to either Manila or Hong Kong. Hong Kong now sucks and I will never lay over there again, but Manila is a great place to stop off for a few days on the way to BKK.

I would always spend 2 nights in Hong Kong on the way to BKK enabling me to be fresh upon BKK arrival. Last year I flew non-stop LA to Osaka, then to BKK. Osaka is a great stopover. I plan to stopover in Taipei next time. Not a fan of Tokyo. I would prefer to stop in Manila but it's hard to get there non-stop from the west coast. I prefer not to fly Philippine Air for a long flight. Natty, I'm guessing Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, and Taipei are shorter transpacific flights from the west coast than HKG or Manila.

[Bunky]

If I have a short layover of 1 to 3 hours I try looking for an extended layover of 6 or 8 hours and sleep for a few hours at an airport hotel. That way when I arrive in Thailand I'm ready to roll immediately.

This is a good strategy if you arrive in Thailand after sundown. But I prefer a shorter layover (no more than 3 hours) and an arrival just after sunrise. Landing at that hour always gives me a boost, no matter how long the journey or how little sleep I got along the way. I feel fine as I deal with immigration, collect my bags, clear customs, buy my SIM card, change money and find my driver. Maybe a stop on the way to Pattaya for a coffee or a Red Bull. Still feeling fine, I check into my quarters (because I'm not a Cheap Charlie and I pay for the extra night). At this point it's still only midday, which gives me time to go shopping and have a bite of lunch. About 1500 I usually start to feel sleepy, and take a two or three hour combat nap. I get up around 1800 ready for a night on the town. Not a late night. But a night where I'm rested enough to have fun (provided I don't drink too much).

Obviously there's no escaping jet lag. So the next morning will find me up earlier than I'd prefer. But I make the best of it by getting outside and walking to Casa Pascal for the terrific breakfast buffet, which goes a long way toward resetting my body clock.

[Banana Boi]

Has anyone broken up the long flight into 2 or 3 shorter legs with overnight layover? Would love to go but don't think I could handle the long flight.

Moved response here from the Pattaya thread as the query is not Pattaya specific. I see Natty already had the same thoughts.

I think guys don't do overnight layovers on their way to Thailand because I find a short 2 or 3 day layover in another country like Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Taipei, etc. Would have more expensive flights. They also may have only 2 weeks vacation and want to spend every minute possible getting Thai pussy. None of us enjoy long flights. Why would we?

If I have a short layover of 1 or 3 hours I try looking for an extended layover of 6 or 8 hours and sleep for a few hours at an airport hotel. That way when I arrive in Thailand I'm ready to roll immediately.

[Member #4698]

Has anyone broken up the long flight into 2 or 3 shorter legs with overnight layover? Would love to go but don't think I could handle the long flight.

I used to enjoy laying over for a couple of nights in Amsterdam on my way to and from Thailand. I liked the Coffee shops and then doing the shop girls stoned on nederhash. I have not flown the trans European route in a long time, ultimately preferring the longer trans Pacific route, but I am sure that post pandemic USA. AMS- BKK will be available again. The shortest duration USA transpacific route is to either Manila or Hong Kong. Hong Kong now sucks and I will never lay over there again, but Manila is a great place to stop off for a few days on the way to BKK.

[PedroMorales]

And yes there have been ties with these activists in HK with Taiwan activists and Thailand activists.

You wish to believe they are nice kids whom added each other on facebook or line and there is no larger scale financing or agenda behing, more power to you.

As I've known quite a lot of middle class HKers over the years, I was shocked to see them torching people. Somebody has got those nice folk to a situation where they torch people to death, I don't mind being John Rambo but even Rambo knows when to get out of town.