Thailand Tourism Information

South East Asia - Thailand Report

2007-06-01T21:50:00.000-07:00

After spending 3 months in South East Asia, my eyes have opened up to the world, and I have realised how ignorant I was of many things. I am so thankful to live in Australia, and be born into a fantastic life of opportunities.

I had a wonderful trip and would recommend it to everyone. You’ll see that we stayed probably a bit too long in some places, this was because my boyfriend was doing 3 university subjects externally, and around these times assignments would have been due, so he would spend a few days finishing them. I will definitely be going back to Vietnam, to revisit the beautiful beaches there, and also to explore the northern end. I also want to go back to Laos, because we didn’t get much time there and I would really like to explore the northern parts of the country. This was my second trip to Thailand, so I’ve pretty much seen most of it. However, I could seriously live forever on one of the tiny national marine park islands near Koh Tao!

If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask. I also have a spreadsheet of my budget for 10 weeks; there was no budget for the last 3 weeks once my boyfriend went home with his laptop, and I met up with my friends.

Australia to South East Asia:
Starting out on 17th November 2006, my boyfriend, Alex and I flew from Brisbane to Darwin and stayed with my aunty and uncle, because we bought cheap flights from Darwin to Bangkok, via Singapore with Tiger Airways.

Bangkok:
We stayed on Khaosan Road for 2 nights, in accommodation booked online in Australia. It was terribly overpriced, and I recommend that if you do book accommodation beforehand, book only for 1 night!

Kanchanaburi:
To get to Kanchanaburi from KSR, we caught a tuk-tuk to Phacham Pier for 40b, and then a ferry across the river, and a taxi to the Thonburi train station. Train tickets to Kanchanaburi were 100b each. The train was 3rd class (wooden bench seats and open windows), but took us past some great scenery. I recommend staying at Bamboo House, but instead of getting off the train at Kanchanaburi station, get a ticket to the next station, being the River Kwai Bridge station, as it is much closer! The first morning we caught a train from the river kwai bridge station to Nam Tok, then a local bus to the Hell Fire Pass, and then jumped on a local bus going back to Kanchanaburi in the afternoon. The next day we hired bicycles and rode around town, seeing the war cemetery and one of many war museums. To get back to Bangkok we decided to get a minibus to KSR for 160b each, but I’ve since been told the public bus is better value for money. (We were at the beginning of our trip, so just getting used to the public transport idea!)

Bangkok:
Stayed near KSR, and woke up very early to catch the train to Aranya Prathet.

Thailand/Cambodia Border:
The 3rd class train to Aranya Prathet took a gruelling 6 hours on wooden bench seats! (Bring something soft to sit on). The border crossing was fairly good; watch out for “helpers” on the Cambodian side, and only pay in USD, otherwise they try to rip you off!

Siem Reap:
Hired a taxi with another couple to Siem Reap, which was a very slow drive. The road the whole way is unsealed, dusty and full of potholes. Along the way there were a number of times I thought we were going to either die, or be terribly injured! Our driver had a car that was right-hand drive (in a country that drives on the right-hand side of the road). So every time he went to overtake something, he would have to pull right out just to see if the road was clear!! A million near misses! Then…. Once it became dark we discovered he had no headlights! It was sheer luck that we arrived safely. I have don’t know of any easier way of getting to Siem Reap, apart from flying, although, if you were an experienced motorcyclist, it would be great to do the trip on a dirt bike. I recommend booking accommodation before you get to Siem Reap, because when we arrived everywhere was full and we had to pay US$8 for a dodgy place.
The next morning we found a cheaper guesthouse (US$4), and then hired a tuk-tuk driver for 3 days to take us to the Angkor temples. We paid him US$32 for 3 days, between 4 people. We bought the 3-day pass, which was US$40 each (ouch!). The temples were amazing, and it probably took us about 2 full days (1x full day & 2x half days) to see 20 of the 24 temples. If you want to see EVERYTHING, make sure you’re fit, because lots of the temples are very tall and have a lot of stairs. Our tuk-tuk driver was great because he took us in the opposite direction as the flow of HUGE tourist buses, so we got to see the temples at quieter times. We did see people riding bicycles around, but at that time of year I think it’s best to take the tuk-tuk or motorbike taxi, because it was boiling hot!

Angkor Wat was amazing. It was so huge and just about every square inch of it was covered in intricate carvings. The Banyon temple was probably my favourite. It looked like it was a movie set; it just seemed so impossible that people could have made a structure like that!

Phnom Phen:
We caught a local bus to Phnom Phen, which took about 4½ hrs. From the bus stop we took a tuk-tuk to the lake area, where we inspected a few guesthouses; some were really bad! Our first day there, Alex and I were both sick, so we did nothing all day. The following day we went on a city tour. We visited the S-21 Museum, the Killing Fields, the Russian Market as well as the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda. The one thing I really didn’t like about Phnom Phen was the amount of young children and young mothers begging. It’s terrible that those children are born into a life like that.

Cambodia/Vietnam border:
We got the local bus to the Mekong River, where we were transported by boat to the Cambodian Immigration, and then onto Vietnam Immigration. We purchased our Vietnam visa beforehand in Phnom Phen, through our guesthouse for US$33 each. We then travelled by boat along the Mekong to Chau Doc where we stayed the night.

Chau Doc to Phu Quoc Island:
We left early in the morning to catch the local bus to Rach Gia, which took 3 hours. Then got a motorbike taxi each to the Rach Gia harbour for the boat to Phu Quoc Island. We eventually had to pay extra for our ferry tickets because of commission that had to be paid to our motorbike taxis!! (Don’t you just love getting ripped off?). The boat was a hydrofoil, and was really big; the trip only took 2½hours. Upon arrival in Phu Quoc we caught motorbike taxis to the Beach Club Resort. They rode really fast on the dirt rode, usually sitting on 75-80km/hr! We ride motorbikes back at home, and I was preparing myself for in case we fell off; I was trying to think of the best way to protect myself, with no helmet, or leathers, just plenty of bare skin.

Phu Quoc Island:
We stayed seven nights at the Beach Club Resort, and had a great time. Our bungalow was really big, really clean and right on the beach. Along the beach, between resorts, there was a lot of rubbish on the sand dunes. Most of the beach is clean though, because the resorts pick up rubbish that gets washed in with the tide. However, we witnessed some locals throwing their rubbish on the sand. We hired a motorbike from the resort staff one day and rode to the northern part of the island. The dirt roads were really bad in parts, but it was fun. Halfway up the coast we stopped on our own deserted beach for a swim and sunbake. Then we rode up to the northwest tip to have lunch; we found a little seafood restaurant, right on the water. We ordered a seafood hotpot, not knowing what it was, and when it came out it was MASSIVE!! Enough to feed about 6 people! For the rest of our time on the island I just relaxed and sunbaked most days, with a couple of massages. I was going to organise a snorkelling trip, but the days went by so quickly and I ran out of time. We will defiantly come back to Phu Quoc Island, and stay again at the Beach Club Resort.

Phu Quoc to Saigon:
We decided that we would fly to Saigon to save on time; tickets can be purchased from the Vietnam Airlines office at the “Saigon Phu Quoc Island Resort” a couple of days in advance. The flight only took one hour.

Saigon:
After finding a guesthouse, we went to the War Remanants Museum, which was a good history lesson. I am 20 years old and had no idea about the history of the Vietnam War, or like the Vietnamese call it, the American War. Other sightseeing activities included visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels and going to the Reunification Palace. At the Cu Chi Tunnels you have the opportunity to crawl inside one tunnel, which was very small, really dark and hot! If you get anxious in small or crowded spaces (like I do) make sure you are right at the back of the pack, so you don’t feel pressured and start freaking out. I would have loved to see more of Saigon, but we got terrible, stormy weather which kept us indoors most of the time. In the evenings we drank Bia Hoi at one of the busy intersections and watched the traffic police trying to organise the thousands of motorbikes stuck in a traffic jam, which was very entertaining!

Mui Ne:
We caught the tourist bus to Mui Ne, which was only supposed to take 3 hours, but instead it took 5! We stayed in some bungalows on the beach. Our first day there we were both sick, again, so we didn’t do anything, except feel sorry for ourselves. But the next day we hired a motorbike to do some sightseeing. It is very easy to do all the “touristy” stuff yourselves if you can ride a motorbike. We visited the very small Fairy Stream, and tried to find the White Sand dunes, but went about 10km past the turnoff! Once we realised we had gone too far, we turned around to head back, and ran out of petrol! But luckily it was downhill to the nearest roadside bowser, so we rolled down the hill and got up to 60km/hr! We went to the Orange sand dunes for the sunset, which made some beautiful photos.

Nha Trang:
We caught the tourist bus to Nha Trang (a different company this time), and it drove quite fast, only arriving 1 hour late. We stayed at Quang Minh Hotel, which was very flash for us, it was right near the beach, and the bars, and it had a balcony, hot water, and a TV!! It was also very clean and we thought we got it for a good price at US$6. Unfortunately the weather was bad the whole time we were at Nha Trang. The beach had massive shore-dumping waves that you would drown in, because of a typhoon that was up north. So instead of going to the beach, I hired a motorbike and explored the town. Alex decided to do a 3-day PADI diving course, because it was really cheap. We usually ate at the smaller, local cafes. We had a great goat hotpot and BBQ one night, where a local Vietnamese man gave Alex a shot of snake wine.

Da Nang:
We caught the 8pm sleeper train to Da Nang, which arrived at 5.30am. We got a taxi (very expensive) to My Khe beach, and stayed at Romance Hotel, which is a small hotel behind all the big ones on the beach. Alex rented a surfboard from My Khe Hotel 2, as there were some good waves breaking straight out from where we were staying. We also hired a motorbike for 4 days, from a man who couldn’t speak English, so we had a lot of trouble trying to explain we wanted it for 4 days, not 4 hours! From then on we kept our phrasebook with us at all times.

Hoi An:
We rode from Da Nang to Hoi An, which took only ½ hour. Hoi An is such a beautiful town, with all its old buildings that have French and Chinese influence. We spent Christmas in Hoi An, so found it fairly difficult to find accommodation, as everything was full.

Da Nang:
On the ride back to Da Nang we stopped at the Marble Mountains and went up to the temple, which had a good view of the swell coming in.

Hue:
We got another tourist bus, to Hue. We hired bicycles to explore the town, and rode to the Citadel. We also visited the markets, where we didn’t really buy much, because we didn’t want to carry it around for the rest of our trip. On the 26th of December, we discovered that the ATMs weren’t working, and the Eftpos machines weren’t working for MasterCard either, so we couldn’t get a cash advance. This was a real problem, because we didn’t have much cash left. The Internet was also not working, and this was all blamed on an earthquake in Taiwan. We wanted to leave by the 29th, so we could be in Laos for New Years Eve, so we had to change some US Dollars that we had for “just in case”. We were lucky, because we spoke to some people who had no cash at all, who had to just stay put and rack up a tab at their hotel. Our lesson: always have both MasterCard, and Visa!! (Visa was working).

Hue to Vientiane:
We decided to leave Vietnam a day earlier than we planned because of the money situation, hoping that there would be working ATMs or Eftpos machines in Laos. We got a tourist bus at 5.30pm, and travelled up to Vinh, where we had to change buses. From there we had no idea what was happening! We drove to near the border and stopped for 3 hours, while the driver slept! At 7.30am we crossed the border at Cau Treo/Kaew Neua.

Vientiane:
We finally arrived in Vientiane at 3.30pm. Many of the guesthouses were full, or dodgy. We had trouble getting Laos Kip, because the international ATM was out of money, and the MasterCard cash advances were still not working. The next morning we rushed to the ATM and luckily it had just been filled up.

Vang Vieng:
We got the afternoon tourist bus to Vang Vieng, which took almost 5 hours (we were told it would take 3hrs). Once we arrived it was getting late and all the accommodation was full because everyone was there ready for New Years Eve. We finally found a bungalow at 10.30pm!! I really thought we were going to have to sleep on the street! Vang Vieng was quite cold at night. On New Years Eve we went to another guesthouse that was having a big party. It was a great night, and we kept warm with alcohol and sat near the bonfire. New Years Day was a beautiful, hot day so we went tubing; the river was fairly cool, especially on dusk when we were heading back to town. During the day we stopped at most of the bars along the river, where we drank and sunbaked. They also had some swings, which Alex jumped off. It was a great start to the New Year, and I enjoyed being in such a beautiful part of the world; the surrounding limestone cliffs were so huge, and so beautiful that you could just float along and stare at them all day.

Vientiane:
Heading back to Vientiane, we decided to pay a bit extra for the minibus. Accommodation was still hard to find.

Laos/Thailand Border:
We bought a bus ticket for the public bus from Vientiane to Nong Khai. The trip to the Friendship Bridge didn’t take too long, but once we arrived on the Thailand side of the border, the bus had left without us! Luckily we had our packs with us. So we walked about 1km to the Nong Khai train station, where all of the sleeper beds were full, on both of the 2 night trains to Bangkok. So we opted for a second-class seat, and had a terrible nights sleep.

Bangkok:
Back in Bangkok, we stayed on KSR. Activities included shopping at all the market stalls on KSR, and the surrounding blocks, as well as at the weekend markets. The easiest way to get to the weekend markets is to catch bus number 44 from the bus stop near KSR, and get the same bus back too. The markets are a must because they are so huge! We also shopped at MBK, and to get there you can catch buses 47 or 15. Sometimes the buses get really, really full, but its fun! Nightlife-wise, one of my favourite spots is the bar that sets up at the Shell Service Station just outside KSR. They have great buckets, and it’s just something great to experience that would NEVER EVER happen back in paranoid, health-and-safety conscious Australia!! We had to hang around in Bangkok (not recommended) until the 10th, when my mum was meeting up with us for two weeks.

So we discovered that the best way to get to and from the airport is the public bus number 556 from the stop near KSR. Or if you miss that, you can get express bus. Taxis are WAY too expensive.

We waited to do sightseeing with mum, so we walked from KSR to the Grand Palace, and the Wat Pho Reclining Buddha. We were led to believe that we only needed to wear shorts/skirts that covered our knees, but once arriving at the Grand Palace, we had to change into sarongs that covered our ankles. But it’s ok, because they have them there for free; you just need to pay a deposit. My parents own Harley Davidson motorbikes, so we thought we would visit the Bangkok Chapter. However, this proved to be a mission. We finally found it!! (If anyone wants to know where it is, I’m sure my mum kept their business card for future purposes).

Bangkok to Phi Phi Island:
I had planned to catch the overnight train to Surat Thani and then a bus to Krabi, and then the boat over to Phi Phi, but our plans were thrown out the window when we arrived at the train station earlier in the morning to pre-purchase our tickets; the trains were completely full…even 3rd class carriages! (Not that I’d put mum on 3rd class). So I checked the Internet for flights and luckily there were some fairly cheap ones to Phuket for the next morning. Nok Air (www.nokair.com) was the cheapest, and they were really good.

In Phuket we got the metered taxi to the Rasadar Pier for the ferry over to Phi Phi. We had booked accommodation ahead, because I didn’t want to stay somewhere dodgy when mum was with us. We didn’t do much at Phi Phi at all, just swimming, sunbaking and a snorkelling trip. For snorkelling, we hired a man and his long-tail boat for 3hrs. He took us to Phi Phi Leh, and we snorkelled at all the touristy spots, and even went to Maya bay. Alex did 2 dives, which he said were excellent. I cannot explain how beautiful Phi Phi is.

Phuket:
After catching the ferry back to Phuket, we found there were no metered taxis at the pier, only VIP ones (rip off). I was really annoyed because I’m tight with my money, and hate being ripped off. In Phuket we stayed at Kata Beach, again this was booked ahead. I couldn’t believe the thousands and thousands of beach chairs and umbrellas on the beach! We mainly spent our time at the beach. Mum and I also went on a 2½-hour tour, to a “safari” place where we did elephant riding, ox-cart riding and saw the monkey and elephant shows.

Phuket to Chiang Rai:
From Phuket we flew to Bangkok, where mum then flew home. Alex and I flew on to Chiang Rai. We flew with Air Asia (www.airasia.com) who were good. We arrived at Chiang Rai at about 9pm, and there were no taxis or buses into town! But luckily a man stopped and asked us if we wanted a lift into town; I thought we were going to have to walk. We had trouble finding accommodation that late at night, and had to stay at a really, really grotty and scary hotel. I’m sure it used to be a hospital or a prison! The night markets here were pretty good, and they had good live music and entertainment.

Thailand/Burma Border:
We did a day trip to Burma so we could get a new 30-day stamp. We caught the public bus to Mae Sae bus station and then a taxi-bus to the border. After crossing into Burma, spent a couple of hours shopping in the markets.

Chiang Mai:
We caught a local bus to Chiang Mai and stayed in town, near the Taipae Gate. The night markets in Chiang Mai are HUGE and really, really good. We bought heaps of stuff!! One afternoon we caught a taxi-bus up to the Doi Suthep Temple, which is the temple on a mountain overlooking the city. The road going up is really steep, all of the taxis and buses going up and down cut the corners, and it feels really dangerous!

We did a day tour to see the “long neck” hill tribes, which was interesting, but I felt awful because the idea of going somewhere to look at other people just doesn’t seem right. Then we went elephant riding, and rode an ox-cart to a Lisu tribe. We also did bamboo rafting and visited a waterfall.

On our last day in Chiang Mai we hired dirt bikes to ride through the nearby national park. We had to ride back up to the Doi Suthep temple to get to the national park, which was really scary because all of the cars and buses try to take over the whole road! Once we passed the temple, it was much better. We had a lot of fun riding on the off-road sections through the national park.

Bangkok:
We got the overnight train back to Bangkok, but only the seats in air-conditioning were available – no beds!! In Bangkok we did a lot more shopping, and then sent a parcel home by sea, so we will get a surprise in 2-3 months time.

Krabi:
Alex had to leave to go home, and I stayed on to meet up with some friends. So while I waited for them, I flew to Krabi. Again, only VIP taxis available from the airport to Ao Nang beach. But I shared one with two other people. I didn’t do much for the week I was by myself. I was bored and felt sorry for myself! Just went to the beach and watched movies in my room (yes, I splurged and got a good hotel 1,200b).

Phuket:
I met up with my friends in Phuket. I got a minivan there, which took a while because we got a flat tyre halfway. I had to spend another day by myself, so just sunbaked. By now, I am very, very brown, and probably have many sun cancers forming. Finally my friends arrived, and they were shocked at my choice of accommodation. I thought it was quite flash – it had aircon, hot water, tv, a Jacuzzi and pool table upstairs, and was only 1 street back from Patong beach!! But no, they were horrified with the Asian-style bathroom that I was used to. (You know, a showerhead on the wall, which sprays the whole bathroom, including the toilet). So from then on, my funds were dramatically reduced. We stayed at 5-star places, which was absolute luxury for me! After spending a couple of days on the beach, we took a day trip to Phi Phi and did some snorkelling. The nightlife at Patong was okay.

Koh Samui:
We got a minivan from Phuket to Surat Thani, which took a long 4 hours; we all had hangovers, and the van had to stop a couple of times so I could be sick on the side of the road. Then, a bus to Donsat Pier, which took 1 ½ hours, and 1 ½ hours on the ferry, and ½ hour in a taxi to Chaweng beach. It was one of the worst days of travelling I’ve ever had; mainly because I was hung-over. But I totally recommend spending a bit more to fly. At Samui I didn’t do much at all, but my friends went to the wildlife zoo/park to see the tiger show, and they had a great time. I didn’t go because it was really expensive and I saw tigers last year at Kanchanaburi. One day we did a day trip to Koh Tao, which was awesome! The best snorkelling I’ve seen in Thailand, and the most beautiful beaches, definitely better than Phi Phi because there was a million-times less tourists! The nightlife at Samui was great, we had a lot of fun having pre-drinks on the beach, and then dancing in the clubs.

Bangkok:
We flew to Bangkok from Samui, with Bangkok Airlines. I stayed near KSR to do some last minute shopping, while I sent my friends to Kanchanaburi. Again, the public buses are the only way to travel – to the weekend markets, MBK and the airport.

Thailand Ko Tao

2007-05-31T21:44:00.000-07:00

Over the years, Ko Tao has been a pirate's hideout, a layover for fishermen, a prison and a badly-kept backpacker secret. Today it is one of Thailand's premier diving locations, attracting thousands of recreational divers and other tourists annually. The island is ranked number two worldwide for the issuing of PADI certificates. (Top spot is held by Cairns, Australia.)

Some claim Ko Tao has nothing to offer non-divers, but these days, nothing could be further from the truth. An increasing array of businesses offering non-water based activities is springing up around the island. Those willing to escape from the congested diver hotspots are rewarded with gorgeous beaches, great viewpoints and hospitable locals. Of course if you are diving, Ko Tao is a must, with some of the best diving in the Gulf of Thailand.

Western travellers first stumbled on Ko Tao in the 1980s, leading to the first rickety bungalows being thrown up. Within a decade, the island became a well-established alternative to Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Samui, thanks to its fine snorkelling and cheap bamboo huts. In more recent years, Ko Tao has exploded, with the number of resorts surpassing 100 in 2001 and the number of diving schools sprouting along with them. This rapid development has been accompanied by unregulated construction, which has transformed Mae Haad and Sairee from traditional wooden villages with dirt roads into carbon copies of the main centres on Pha Ngan, Samui and Phuket. Of the resorts from the early days, only Rocky Resort on Ao Thian Ok and Char on Haad Sai Nual remain.

The busiest time of the year is Christmas-New Year, when it can be difficult to find a bed, but, the number of visitors to Ko Tao as of May 2006 was significantly down on the previous year. Some of the island's tourism operators attribute this to ongoing violence in Thailand's deep south, a high-profile assault and murder of a young Welsh woman on Ko Samui around Christmas and continuing government instability. However none of these issues have anything to do with Ko Tao. The island is generally very safe with a good variety of activities and places to stay, so there's never been a better time to visit.

Thailand Chang Rai

2007-05-31T21:43:00.000-07:00

Thailand's northern capital, Chiang Mai is Thailand's second most-visited city, yet in terms of size it does not remotely compare to Bangkok. With its smaller size and population, Chiang Mai has a lot in its favour for tourists and travellers alike, with the centre of town packed with glittering wats, excellent restaurants and expansive shopping markets all of which are easily taken in on foot.

If Thai temples are your thing, then Chiang Mai has a lot to offer -- the hill-top Wat Doi Suthep is the crown jewels of a vivid collection of traditional Thai temples -- so popular in fact that one of Chiang Mai's most luxurious hotels (with some controversy) modelled itself on one.

Home to the prestigious Chiang Mai University, the city has quite a cosmopolitan feel to it with a lively entertainment scene and some of the best eating in northern Thailand -- this is not a town you'll go hungry in.

But most foreign holiday-makers find themselves in Chiang Mai not for the temples nor the food, nor even the entertainment scene, but rather for the hill-tribe trekking. For decades Chiang Mai has formed the trekking base of northern Thailand -- and while there are some excellent tour companies in the city, there remain a number of shoddy operators -- be sure to do your research before heading into the hinterland. Many travellers are now opting to commence their treks further afield in Mae Hong Son, Pai or Soppong (amongst others) where the tourist numbers are lower and the perceived experience more "authentic".

Thailand Travel

2007-05-31T21:40:00.000-07:00

Travelling in Thailand
Introduction

Thailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia and is overflowing with destinations worth visiting. You could spend three months in Thailand and barely touch the surface.

Bangkok, the epitome of a thriving Asian metropolis is a fascinating place to explore, particularly once you get past the smog and traffic. Aside from the Thai capital, most first time visitors, plan a hill tribe trip in the north of the country, often operating out of the northern capital of Chiang Mai and a beach side sojourn on one of the many Thai islands in the south, Ko Samui and Phuket to name but two.

Remember for every well-known tourist hub there are a bunch of other equally interesting yet less-touristed destinations. For example in the north, many travellers now choose to use the northern towns of Pai, Mae Hong Son and Nan as a trekking option, while in the south, Ko Tao is very popular with wannabe divers, Ko Pha Ngan with the party crowd and Ko Lanta with youngish families.
How long a holiday?

In Thailand, if you plan to see the north and the south of the country along with Bangkok, seven days is an absolute minimum, add four days if you want to do a trek in the north and add another five days if you want to do a PADI certificate on Ko Tao also budget for at least a couple of domestic flights to save time.

With an extra week, plan on visiting a second or even third northern Thai town -- Nan, Pai or Mae Hong Son are all excellent options. Alternatively, strike out west from Bangkok to the riverside town of Kanchanaburi and the stunning Sangkhlaburi by the Burmese frontier, or visit the ancient capital of Sukhothai.

With still another spare week, spend more time on the beaches -- Ko Chang on east coast near Cambodia is a very popular destination as is the rock climbers paradise of Raileh Bay near Krabi and Ao Nang.
A few ways to see more in less

Fly, fly, fly
Thailand has a good network of budget airlines that cover most of the popular destinations. Two one hour flights can save you 36 hours on a train or bus and often not cost much more.

Don't island hop in Thailand
If you've allotted a week on the Thai islands, pick an island and stick to it. There is really little to differentiate one Thai island from another nowadays and if you only have seven days, packing up and moving from Ko Pha Ngan to Ko Lanta really makes little sense (unless bad weather is to blame). Of course if you have more time, island hop to your heart's content -- but don't expect a totally different experience on each island.

Thailand Attractions

2007-05-30T20:04:00.000-07:00

Thailand - Attractions

Bangkok
This teeming city with a reputation for pollution and sex shows also has havens of beauty and tranquillity. There are hundreds of temples in the city, ones not to miss include the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Wat Pho which has a 50 foot high Buddha. Museums worth visiting are the National Museum and the Royal Barges Museum. The city has a network of canals called khlongs and exploring these by river taxi provides a different view of Bangkok life. Bargain hunters should head for the open-air markets at Chatuchak Park.

Phuket
This is the country's largest island and one of its main tourist destinations, which means some of the beach resorts are ugly and crowded but do have lots going on. If you're after neon and nightlife you'll enjoy Patong. If you want peace head north to Mai Khao and Nai Yang which are a national park with unspoilt beaches and marine turtles. There's masses of activities on offer such as bungy jumping, elephant trekking, sea kayaking, cookery courses and mountain biking; that's if you can tear yourself away from the spectacular diving and snorkelling. The interior is interesting too with its paddy fields, rain forests and plantations of pineapple, rubber and coconut.

Other islands that have excellent beaches, swimming and snorkelling are Ko Samui, a place of coconut plantations and palm-fringed beaches. Nearby Ko Phangan is less busy although the beach at Hat Rin is renowned for wild full moon parties. Ko Samet gets busy at weekends because it's close to Bangkok but is relatively undeveloped with some peaceful beaches.

Pattaya
Thailand's infamous sex resort is not a pretty place but then scenery is not what most people who come here are after. The town is famous for its prostitutes, transvestites, massage parlours and go-go bars. It's home to Thailand's largest gay scene too. Efforts are being made to clean up both the town's image and its environment.

Chang Mai
This lovely old city is the second largest in Thailand. There are interesting temples and markets in the town and it's a good base for exploring the north of the country. The road from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son close to the Burmese border winds through mountains, paddy fields, jungle and limestone cliffs. There are lots of mountain treks on offer, particularly to the villages of hill tribes. Nearby is Doi Suthp National Park with a 5,000 foot peak, Buddhist temple and Phuping Palace, the winter residence of the Royal Family.

National Parks
Thailand has over 80 such conservation areas. Khao Yai in the northeast is the oldest and one of the best for wildlife with elephants, bears, leopards, tigers and a good selection of snakes. Thung Salaeng Luang in the centre is one of the largest forest areas with unusual rock formations. Khao Sok is dense tropical rain forest and home to elephants, leopards and a wealth of birds, reptiles, and insects. Thaleh Ban on the Malay border has a huge variety of wildlife including the Malayan sun bear, gibbons, macaques and several rare birds. In the south of the country there are several marine and coastal parks, however many have not escaped development.

Singapore Guide

2007-05-28T06:01:00.000-07:00

Malaysia Vacation guide is your one stop source of trusted updated information to Visit Malaysia.
Train travel in Singapore & Malaysia

Route map

.

Taking the train is the safe, comfortable, cheap and traditional way to travel between Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Bangkok. It's the environmentally-friendly way, too, compared to unnecessary short haul flights. Singapore to Bangkok is a wonderful 1,249 mile journey by train, it takes about 48 hours, departures are daily, and it costs a bargain £33 ($50) one-way including comfortable sleeping-berths with fresh clean sheets. You change trains at either Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth or Kuala Lumpur and Hat Yai, and of course you can stop off to see Kuala Lumpur or Penang, or catch the ferry to Ko Samui or the bus to Phuket or Krabi.

In Malaysia, you travel on a railway built by the British, mainly single-track, past palm plantations and jungle. Trains in Malaysia & Thailand run on metre-gauge track, narrower than European standard gauge.

Thailand travel stories

2007-05-27T01:45:00.000-07:00

So many people travel south from Bangkok either by plane or overnight bus or train but miss out of an amazing coastline that sttretches from Cha Am and Hua Hin all the way south to Chumphon. This is the Sunrise Coast Thailand. Hua Hin is very busy and is the gateway to the coast, just south is Pak Nam Pran, Pranburi, Dolphin Bay, Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Baan Krut and Bang Saphan, Koh Talu island, then south to Chumphon.
You can find cheap places to stay but in Hua Hin and pranburi there are also top luxury beach hotels and beach resorts. Around Baan Krut and Bang Saphan are local style beach resorts but with air conditioning and restaurants. You can snorkel from Bang Saphan and Koh Talu and also north of Chumphon.
From Chumphon there are fast boats to Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui.
You can travel along the Sunrise Coast by bus or car and you can also go by train as the rail line runs along the coast. This is great for beach hopping fdown the coast. Even if you like comfort you can find some very nice resorts. Pranburi hotels include the Evason, Purimuntra, praseban and Aleenta. There are national parks and caves, elephant nature reserve, farmlands and all those quiet beaches.

Thailand Travel Tales

2007-05-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

Prachuap Khiri Khan is the name of a long narrow province a few hours southwest of Bangkok. Hua Hin is its most famous beach resort and one I've visited numerous times. However, there are about 150 kilometers of province south of Hua Hin and a bit more to the west of which I've seen, well, some of. I do not profess to be a Prachuap expert but that doesn't mean I can't waste a little internet bandwidth telling you about it.

Hua Hin
Pa La-u
Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park
Prachuap Khiri Khan
Bang Saphan
Cha-am
Phra Ratchaniwet Marukhathayawan

Hua Hin

This is a big beach resort popular with middle-aged European tourists and anyone who can't be bothered to go any further south. Well, I'm not European nor am I middle-aged (I think) so I guess that puts me in the latter category.

I spend a weekend here a couple of times a year, usually as an excuse for the significant other and I to flee Bangkok for a day or two. As a weekend getaway I like the place but with so many better beaches and islands in Thailand I'd be disappointed to center a Thailand beach holiday solely around this place.

The beach is plenty big and runs for a few miles south of town and it's an enjoyable hour or so long walk from that southern end back to town. Since I first visited here in February 1998 I have noticed an increasing amount of garbage on the beach with each successive visit. Still, I've seen worse and the water is always warm and quite gentle. However, there's no snorkeling whatsoever, you'll have to head much further south for any of that, and there's not much else by way of watersports either, head up to Cha-am for more of that. Also be careful of jellyfish that make an appearance here from time to time. Well, you can always take a pony ride up and down the beach.

Accommodation in Hua Hin runs the entire range from flophouse to four-star resort. The guesthouses with rooms out on the pier over the water seem a bit pricey for what you get. Nice views and relaxing decks, but not much by way of a room.

Much to choose from to eat, western and Thai, as Hua Hin is equally popular with Thais as well as foreigners. Local seafood is the staple and would be your best choice. There's a lively nightmarket along Thanon Dechanuchit, center of town a couple blocks up from the beach, and at the corner with Thanon Sasong is, in my opinion, where you can find the best seafood in town. Go to the tables in front of the 7-11 at the northwest corner of the intersection. It's a crowded and noisy environment and the food prices are jacked up a little here, but I've never begrudged a meal I've had. The nightmarket offers almost every conceivable snack/dessert you could think of, or at least think of in a Thai sense. Hua Hin has plenty of drinking holes accommodating all tastes. There's a good Italian ice cream shop on the road leading from the train station to the beach.

In Hua Hin there are plenty of tuk-tuks/pick-up trucks that will take you anywhere you want to go in the area and there are also plenty of motorbike rental shops. Most bikes are the 110cc scooter variety as well as Honda Phantoms, which only look like a big bike until you actually start driving one and you realize the motor is but a wimpy 125cc.

Though there is a train station in town it's much easier to take a bus from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal in Pinklao. Buses run from every half-hour to every hour or so. Just turn up when you're ready to go. You can also fly in and out now on Bangkok Airways.

One thing about the bus. On the way back every bus makes a pit stop around the town of Phetchaburi. The main purpose is so the Thais can pile off the bus and stock up on khanom (sweets). There are huge outlets selling a wide variety of Thai junk food here and few Thais would return home from a trip through Phetchaburi without stocking up on some khanom for the folks back at the Bangkok office. If you're a tourist, do use this opportunity to try out a few things, though for much of the Thai khanom, enjoyment is an acquired taste, but how else are you going to acquire it? As I once said to my girlfriend, "you know you've been in Thailand a long time when the bus pulls up at the khanom outlet and you're the first one off." And yes, I now buy as much junk as any Thai.

Pa La-u

This is a waterfall about an hour and a half maybe two hours west of Hua Hin near the Myanmar border. We rented a motorbike and took a trip out here in early December 2002. It's a fairly scenic ride. The waterfall is, like so many waterfalls, part of a national park and as such has the pricing of 20 baht for Thais and 200 baht for foreigners. A few polite words of Thai out of my mouth and I was let in for the local price of 20 baht, which is often the case and in this instance particularly fortunate. While not only did it save me 180 baht, I would have been rather disappointed to have paid 200 baht to see the Pa La-u waterfall. Granted, It's a multi-stage affair, but the stages aren't particularly awe-inspiring and it takes a bit of walking through some sometimes thick brush and over slippery rocks to reach the second and certainly the third stage. Still, it's a nice ride in the country.

Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park

This is a big national park along the coast south of Hua Hin. I haven't been there yet so I can't tell you anything about it. But if I didn't mention it then somebody would probably e-mail asking me about it. My apologies if a search engine brought you here under this category... but as you're here...

Prachuap Khiri Khan

The name of the province is also the name of the provincial capital which is a nice little fishing town and certainly a more charming place than Hua Hin, though it is lacking for a decent beach.

We spent a weekend here in August 2003. It being the rainy season we weren't so much looking for a beach to visit but rather a seaside place with something else to do than swim. And eating seafood was also a priority. I had heard that the seafood here was every bit as good or better than in Hua Hin and for about half the price. So we wanted to see if this was true or not.

We took the bus from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal, needing about four and a half, maybe five hours to get here. A word of caution if going to the bus terminal. The ticket window for Prachuap Khiri Khan is one of the only windows in the station that does not have the name of the destination in English. So if you can't read Thai, look for the window for Hua Hin or Pranburi and then look for a window next to it with a long place name and no English equivalent. That should be Prachuap Khiri Khan.

We stayed at the best place in town, the Hadthong Hotel. A decent seaside room was going for around 650 baht plus the usual add-ons. The price was 20% off high season rates. The rooms have a fridge, air-con, balcony, and satellite/cable TV but no English-language channels. At least not in room 224, anyway.

The town itself is small, you can walk around it in an hour or rent a motorbike. Only small 110cc bikes appeared to be available. The Hadthong Hotel has bikes as well as a few other places in town that didn't seem to make much of an effort to advertise this fact. We sat down at a coffee shop a block or so from our hotel and asked the girl working there if she knew of any motorbike rental places. Well, the coffee shop has a couple of bikes available but to find this out you either have to read the fine print on the coffee menu or ask the girl working there if she knows of any rental places in town, to which she'll name her own shop possibly after mentioning one or two other places first.

After lunch we walked over to the "beach". The beach was more like a couple of meters of muddy sand but if one wanted a swim I see no reason why you couldn't do so right then and there. There's a single pier where several fishing boats were docked at the end. We walked over, first passing a bar/restaurant inhabited by a few drunk young men who at the presence of a western guy and a Thai woman made a few comments all of which we ignored. Reaching the end of the pier we found several boats preparing for the evening's expedition. One boat had dozens upon dozens of laborers crammed in what looked like most uncomfortable surroundings. We thought a few or more of them might be Burmese. The Myanmar border is only a dozen kilometers away. Unlike the bar/restaurant we passed a few minutes earlier nobody said anything obnoxious and after a minute of standing around taking pictures the two of us took up conversation with a few of the boathands. No, not Burmese (or at least not admitting it). Yes, very crowded on board, something like fifty or sixty of them. Only go overnight and back in the morning with the fresh catch. And of course who was I, how long in Thailand, how come I could speak some Thai, and so on. Friendly group of characters.

We then walked to the north end of town to Khao Chong Krajok (English: mirror tunnel mountain) which is home to Wat Thammikaram and great views of the area as well as home to dozens (hundreds?) of monkeys. I don't like monkeys. My girlfriend doesn't like them either. And we almost didn't go up top as there were so many of them and neither of us relished the idea of being attacked by one of those psychotic creatures. Well, we persevered and made it up to the temple and found the most pleasant of surprises. A 10-week-old Rottweiler puppy!

Click here to see more silly pictures of the Rottie puppy.

There's obviously someone breeding a lot of Rotties in this province because we see one or two every time we come, but this was the first time we had met a puppy. We played with the pup for awhile, before paying our respects to the Buddha and then taking some time to look at the views up and down the coastline and off to the mountains of Myanmar. Then it was back to the pup to play around with her some more.

Tearing ourselves away from the pup we headed back to our hotel for a short nap before we would stuff ourselves with seafood. There's a large nightmarket in the center of town as well as a number of food stalls next to the town park, Suan Saranrom. We opted for the latter and ate well and cheaply. However, the quality of the seafood at this particular place on this particular night was in fact inferior, though not significantly, to what we've had in Hua Hin, though it was about half the price. Perhaps we ate at the wrong place or the catch was off that day, I don't know.

Next to our hotel is the Phloen Samut Restaurant which I've heard is quite good, if not more expensive. It was crowded with both Thais and foreigners when we passed by. If we had another night we would have eaten there. Next time, I suppose.

Prachuap Khiri Khan is a nice place to spend a day. It's attracting more foreigners now. We saw about twenty, though that's still a tiny fraction of what was probably in Hua Hin this same weekend. While I wouldn't go out of my way to visit here, if you can squeeze an extra day in your schedule and certainly if you're an expat based in Bangkok looking for a weekend getaway, do give this place a try.

Bang Saphan (Yai/Noi)

There are two Bang Saphans. Bang Saphan Yai is the main one and Bang Saphan Noi is not. Guess what 'yai' and 'noi' mean in Thai? If you guessed large and small you win the grand prize. Both are located at the far southern end of the province. We visited here once in December 1999 having heard there might be some quiet beaches. Well, there might be. See, we arrived late morning having spent the previous night in Hua Hin and no sooner did we get ourselves checked into the Hat Somboon Sea View Hotel that it started to rain. And rain. And rain. And rain. And then it started to pour. And we sat in the room and among other things, watched the rain. Then we ran across the street to the restaurant, a very good restaurant I might add, and in between bites of food we watched the rain some more. Then we went back to Bangkok and the rain stopped.

Cha-am

This town is actually in Phetchaburi province and is the closest beach resort to Bangkok on this side of the gulf. It's very popular with Thais but gets a handful of foreigners as well. I've only been here once in 1998. Sitting in a beach chair eating cheap crab for an hour or two was a real highlight. When I ventured for a swim I was the only foreigner among dozens of Thais and heard more than enough shouts of "farang!" for one afternoon so I decided sitting in a beach chair under an umbrella eating crab was a better alternative as I got less attention and more satisfaction. I don't recall where we stayed but it was one of the many mid-range hotels along the beach and it was perfectly adequate for the price.

Phra Ratchaniwet Marukhathayawan

This is a royal palace constructed of teak wood located between Cha-am and Hua Hin and if you have your own transport and an hour to spare it's a pleasant way to spend part of an afternoon.

Thailand travel

2007-05-25T18:51:00.001-07:00

Thailand is a lot more diverse than the popular impressions make it out to be. From the gorgeous backpacking and trekking available in the untrammeled north, to the hedonistic Thai Islands, to the famous temples or palace ruins in Ayuthaya and Sudon Thani, the country offers a bewildering array of options. There are metropolises and ruins, gorgeous beaches, and luxurious resorts with prices so cheap you'll blush. Thailand can seem too good to be true. It's an inexpensive and beautiful paradise filled with the young and adventurous.

Thai tourism has a darker side though. It has long been infamous for sex tourism and some cities (like Pattaya) become overwhelmed by it. There has also been some ethnic tension in the Muslim south, with occasional acts of terrorism. And a recent miliatary coup (in September of 2006) leaves the country in a state of political instability.

While paradise is not without trouble, it is still paradise. Come to Thailand with an appetite for adventure, the outdoors, and a rich history and culture and you won't be disappointed.

Why visit thailand

2007-05-24T08:40:00.000-07:00

Thailand - Why Visit?
Thailand is unique in that it is probably the only country in the world that is fairly modern, but has lost very little of it cultural heritage. The most visible elements of that heritage involve Buddhism; namely the awe-inspiring temples you see everywhere, and the saffron clad monks.
resort spa and hotel Amari Rincome Hotel € 40
At the end of the superhighway and Nimmenhamen Road, near Chiang Mai Univessity. The Amari Rincome is a top class tourist hotel with pool, landscaped gardens and excellent rooms. La Gritta Italian cuisine as wellas the Lanna Coffee Shop. Baby sitting service, airport transfer and much more
But Thailand's uniqueness doesn't stop there. Take the food, for example. Or the architecture and the history. How about the music, dance and even the language?

There's more good news. Thailand is a free and open society and visitors are welcome in the country. There are no restrictions as to where you can go, what you can see or how to get there. You can rent a car and travel the length and breadth of Thailand visiting temples, historical sites, national parks, mountains, waterfalls, beaches restaurants and bars. All this can be done in an atmosphere of fun - called sanook in Thai There are probably no friendlier people in the world and when it comes to sanook, Thais take the cake.

It's true you can't go skiing or snowboarding. (If you've really got to have that winter stuff, there is an ice rink in Bangkok.) But nature lovers have an abundance of activities to choose from, including: Trekking, kayaking, rafting, hiking, camping, riding elephants, swimming in crystal pools near waterfalls, bicycling and well, pretty much anything else you can think of.

Thais love to party with the best of them. Thailand, except sleepy villages, offers excellent nightlife. There are bars, discos, karaokes and restaurants galore in all major cities and tourist destinations.

Do you want to immerse yourself in Thailand and maybe learn some Thai? Perhaps make a friend or two? Head for off the beaten track places not hit by tourism. You'll be welcome, although probably starred at. People will try to help you even though they can't speak English. Take your phrase book along and have fun.

And actually, to tell you the truth, you can find snow in Thailand .. at Dreamworld, a theme park the kids would enjoy.

Thailand Tourism Information

2007-05-23T05:23:00.001-07:00

(including Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan and Ko Tao)

The largest province of the South located 685 kilometers from Bangkok is Surat Thani the province with a name that literally means "City of the Good People". A former capital of the Srivijaya Empire, the province covers an area of approximately 12,891 square kilometers. Surat Thani Province borders the Gulf of Thailand to the north and east, Chumphon Province to the north, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Krabi Provinces to the south, Phang-Nga and Ranong Provinces to the west and Nakhon Si Thammarat Province to the east.

High plateaus and forested mountains are located to the west of the province, while there are low basins in the center and along the eastern coast. This topography has created 14 river basins including Tapee, Pum Duang, Tha Thong, Tha Krajai, Chaiya, Tha Chang which are the most important basins. All rivers in Surat Thani flow east of the province to the Gulf of Thailand.

The numerous islands along the coast makes Surat Thani (often known as Surat in short) a perfect hideaway for vacationers from around the world. The ideal destination for many is the Penang-sized Ko Samui, Thailand's third largest island, and its neighbour Ko Pha-ngan a celebrated island that hosts the biggest beach full moon party. North of Ko Pha-ngan is Ko Tao, renowned for its excellent coral reefs. To top it all is the dazzling 250-square-kilometer Ang Thong Marine National Park, where a stunning archipelago awaits to greet visitors with their charming palm-fringed beaches, crystal clear water and colorful coral reefs. The best time to enjoy one of these islands to the fullest is from April November.

History of Surat Thani

Surat Thani is a city with a long history. Archeologists believe that it was once a community of prehistoric tribes of indigenous people including the Saemang and original Malays who built their communities on the Tapee River Basin and Ao Ban Don. Later on, the Indians migrated into the area and gradually spread out their culture, as evidenced in the discovery of ruins of ancient communities in Tha Chana and Chaiya Sub-districts.

In the 13th century, the city became a part of and, as some historians might claim, a center of the glorious Srivijaya Empire the kingdom that dominated the whole Malay Peninsula and much of Java. It was during this period that Mahayana Buddhist reached its height of influence. The empires grandeur can still be admired in many areas of Chaiya District.

When the empire hit the bottom, it was divided into 3 main cities namely Chaiya, Tha Thong and Khiri Rat. They were all under the jurisdiction of Nakhon Si Thammarat until King Rama IV decided to move Tha Thong City to Ban Don and required that it report directly to Bangkoks administration. The name Ban Don was, at the time, changed to Kanchanadit. It was with the establishment of the Monthon, a former administrative unit, that all three cities were merged into one under the name Chaiya. In 1915, King Rama VI changed the name Chaiya to Surat Thani.

The seal of Surat Thani says a lot about its history. Featuring the pagoda of Phra Boromathat Chaiya, the seal is proof of the influence of Mahayana Buddhist on Surat Thani. Phra Boromathat Chaiya is the most revered and important historical place in the province. It is believed that the pagoda contains Buddha relics.

Today, Surat Thani is an important commercial and shipping hub for rubber and coconut trading.