I am starting a RTW trip in January, and part of the last leg of my trip involves goin overland from Singapore to Bangkok. FIrstly can any one recommend a route i can take, i want to see as much of the beaches islands etc as is possible. Secondly, quite a few people have warned me from going to Bangkok as a single female traveller, but of course these people have never actually been there. Is it just like any big city, use common sense, or should i reconsider going there? Any help would be massively appreciateD! Emma.
Posts: 11 | Location: Wales | Registered: April 13, 2005
Can't help about the route from Singapore, but Bangkok is totally fine to go solo. I just returned and had no problems. The city is easy to get around - using the boats on the river and the Skytrain - no problems at all alone. Lots of other travellers. If you go to Kao San Road you'll hook up with many others that are travelling alone. I didn't even stay there and still had no problems. As for the beaches...ah...the best! You can skip Ko Samui - nothing to see. Go to Ko Phangan and head to one of the small beaches away from Had Rin. If you're going to the "other side," Ko Phi Phi is still beautiful and needs volunteers - even for a short time, and Phuket is running as usual. Go. Have fun.
No problems at all in Bangkok, as the guy said use same procedures as at home. If you intend to go to Indonesia though, I would advise against it, I was robbed in Mataram on Lombok, and no way is that country safe for travellers. Happy Trails. D.R.
Doing the same route myself at the moment. Just left Singapore and got a train to Kuala Lumpur - seemed the easiest thing to do as the others all involved lots of changes and Kuala Lumpur is situated well for routes to the rest of Malaysia. To book the train you have to actually go to the Railway Station in person in Singapore and they only accept Cash. We went first class from Singapore to KL on train and it was $68 Singaporean Dollars but there isn't really any difference between classes and we should have gone 2nd class for $34 Singapore Dollars. Kuala Lumpur is nice, would definitely recommend paying a little more and staying in the Golden Triangle although the Monorail here is pretty easy to use. We have used a place called The Shuttle Inn (address Jalan Bukit Butang) and it is definitely a budget place but clean enough. Hope this helps!! We are off to the Perhentian Islands next and getting a bus from KL to Kuala Besut (Booked the bus ticket at Putra Bus Station) and then getting a boat over to Perhentian Kecil which we have heard is meant to be amazing from lots of different people!
Hope this all helps. By the way the train journey was completely safe for travelling alone. Lots of staff who are friendly and there is a cheap buffet cart on the train so you don't have to worry about food etc.
