Hey all..

[J-Rod]

Hi everyone, Well just stumbled across this awesome site while doin a bit of research at work for my first trip into europe. Have previously travelled through New Zealand and South East Asia (Malaysia, Borneo, thailand Vietnam, Laos Cambodia.) and am now plannin on headin to Europe for a month, not a long time I know, but hopefully long enough to get a feel for the place and some good ideas for a more extensive trip next year.
Will be arriving in Paris on the 24th of August, and departing from Rome on the 20th Sept, and with no firm plans for the time in between, any suggestions on places to go, places to stay and most importantly good places to drink! would be greatly appreciated..

[omisan]

Welcome aboard.

Well, going out to drink in Paris can feel like highway robbery. The drink prices at most clubs and bars will leave you with a lighter pocket and not much of a buzz. However, wine is almost always cheap, and you can always pre-party with whatever friends you make before you go out, as liquor is very cheap in the stores.

A chill, cool club with a great crowd, check out Wax on Rue Daval (Bastille Metro). The atmosphere and music are great, but watch how no one in there knows how to dance! Up the street is a great little bar called La Leche Vin. Check out all the religious decor, down some reasonably priced litres of beer, and then go into the bathroom for a stark contrast to whatever you've just seen.. trust me on this.

There are loads of cool little bars in the St. Michel area - known for being swanky, you can actually get good drinks at reasonable prices in a lot of them. I usually avoid it when traveling, but the handful of American-themed bars around there probably give you the best bang for the buck. Enjoy!

[J-Rod]

Thanks mate.. that all sounds good.. I'm a bit the same would prefer to try something other then the American themed bars, but if that's where the party is.. so be it..

[llemus7]

welcome to the boards!!

as for a good drinking place, and very cheap. I would recommend prague(czhech-republic) that pilsner beer is amazing!

and they have great local bars that are really cool and something different.

[joanofarc]

give me any tips you have on thailand - i'm leaving in 8 days!

welcome to the boards too! nice resume!

[J-Rod]

I would love to goto Prague, (it's on my list.) but I think with the time constraints of this trip it will have to wait till next year.

As for Thailand, awesome country, depends on where you are goin there.. I tired of Bangkok fairly quickly, but Peninsular Thailand is beautiful, great beaches friendly people.. Phra Nang beach in Krabi is a great place to do some rock climbing by the water, but the whole areas is great.. Must see Phi Phi islands and go over to Ko Samui.
If you have the time head north from Bankok to the Chiang Rai area and the city of Chiang Mai.. This is area along the Northern vorder of Thailand was one of my favorite areas.

[joanofarc]

thanks for the BRIEF low-down! haha!

i'm flying into bkk then training to: chiang mai > sukhothai > bkk > flight to phuket > leaving p. as soon as possible > phi phi? (isn't it far too commercialised?) > ko lanta ... if the weather is bad on the andaman side once we get there, we'll just mini-bus to ko samui as previously planned.
do you have any guest house recommendations in chiang mai? a cool bar/restaurant?