Tips for Thailand

Thailand is a very easy and lovely country to explore. This is partly due to the hospitality and friendliness of the Thai people. Most people speak a little 'tourist' English, which means you're likely to be understood. On these pages we’ve put together a few tips from our own first-hand experiences.

We offer some practical tips concerning:
Bangkok
Chiang Mai
Phuket and Islands
Samui and Islands
Hiking trips

Bangkok:

Eating and drinking in Bangkok:

We found the best mango shakes in Banghlampu at the New Siam Guesthouse. From Khao San Road, simply set off in the direction of Thanon Phra Athit, go past the temple, down to the River Chao Praya and walk along the riverside. The Guesthouse is on Soi Chana Songkhram- and the mango shakes are most definitely worth the walk.

You can get a really good coffee (not instant) and tasty western-style bread on a very narrow lane running parallel to Khao San Road. The lane is just past the cafe where the tuk-tuk drivers congregate on the gravel outside. Go into the lane, which then widens out a bit. On the left you’ll see the terrace-  Joe's Guesthouse (or something similar). They do fantastic cappuccinos if you're craving some caffeine. You can also buy bread on the corner near the New Siam Guesthouse on Soi Chana Songkhram.


You must also try the ‘Pad Thai’ (noodles with egg) from the little stalls on and around Khao San Road. They also sell spring rolls, with delicious sweet and sour chilli sauce. Fantastic and at true bargain. 

We can also highly recommend Singha Beer. So do the Thais, who say, 'In Thailand we call beer ‘Singha’! A small beer costs around 80 baht (£1.20), the other Thai beer which is a little cheaper and has a more European taste is Chang Beer.

In Thailand, you'll find that food stalls often have rolls made from a very hard dough, with a delicious coconut filling. You can also buy rolls filled with a scrumptious green paste that tastes of almond.

You can find a good inexpensive dinner on the Khao San Road, or great Chinese in Chinatown.

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For a taste of luxury, try a wonderful meal in Bangkok on an evening dinner cruise. There are plenty of operators, several of which are named in the Lonely Planet guide. We would recommend making a reservation in advance.


Places of interest in Bangkok:  

The Royal Palace: This incredible temple complex is only a 5 minute walk from Khao San Road and is a tourist must-see attraction. It really is worth the visit - unusual, beautiful and hugely humbling. If you go early in the morning, you can beat both the heat and the tourist rush. The complex opens at 8:30am. Entrance costs approx 200 baht per person.

Lumpini Park: This is Bangkok's biggest park, and a great place to take things easy when you first arrive. It's a little less humid than the city- a little oasis amid this hectic metropolis. You take a pedalo around the lake and see if you can spot turtles. In the early hours of the morning, many Thais practise Tai Chi here- a amazing sight to start your day. February to April is kite-flying season, which is also pretty spectacular to watch.

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Snake farm: This farm is run by the Red Cross. It opens from 8:30am to 11:30am and again from 1 pm to 4pm. However, please note that at the weekend they sometimes only open in the morning. The farm milks the snakes for venom, which is a fascinating process and you’ll be surprised at the huge amount each snakes stores. The farm is close to Lumpini Park and Pat Pong.

Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn): You can take the river express to get here- a cheap and cheerful way of getting around. Step aboard and someone will be along to collect your 8 baht. The back of the boat is reserved only for monks. There are also ferries that only go directly across to the other bank. Make sure you board the right one!

Muay Thai (Thai boxing) tournament: There are two boxing stadiums in Bangkok- Lumpini Stadium and Rachadamnoen Stadium. The best fights usually takes place on a Tuesday or Thursday, and the cheap seats provide a good view. Avoid the human crush of ‘betting area’.

Massage at Wat Po: This is THE place to get your Thai massage in Bangkok. You'll be a guinea pig for a massage student... such a tough life. You'll keep your clothes on, and sometimes you may have to wait a little for your turn. It's a great experience and most definitely worth the wait.

 


Shopping in Bangkok

You're expected to haggle at all of the stalls in the street market. Start with half the asking price. If you want to have a little fun, you can bluff by starting to walk away - if the seller doesn't call you back you'll know that your opening bid was too low.

Khao San Road: This legendary road is ideal for your shirts, sandals and souvenirs. It is a long street, lined with stalls and restaurants on both sides. You have the feeling that you're walking down a boulevard.

Pat Pong nightmarket: This the most famous neighbourhood in Bangkok, and you should go least once in the evening. This is where you'll find everything from fake Rolex watches to imitation Gucci sunglasses. The market itself lies in the middle of the red light district- but it's not dangerous. We found prices here very high compared to other markets, so haggle hard.

Siam Square: This is the heart of the business centre full of western brands such Hard Rock Cafe and McDonalds. You'll find many expats in this area. This is a good place to be if you fancy going to the cinema (just stand up for the national anthem). All the big superstores can be found here as well, with all sorts of software and DVDs at incredibly cheap prices.

Chatuchak weekend market, next to Chatuchak Skytrain station is well worth a visit. It is very busy, with a huge variety of stalls. You can find clothes, shoes, sandals, food, T-shirts, and pets (dogs, rare birds, fish, and even snakes?!?). The market only tkes place on Saturday and Sundays.

Chinatown: well worth visiting, wonderful smells and weird and wonderful trinkets to buy. Very busy streets. A fun experience.


Getting around:
Tuk-tuks: These are a cheap, easy, and interesting way to get around. Don't allow your driver to take you to a gemstore, invariably owned by his family or friends. If this happens just get out and find another tuk-tuk- DONT go and have a look in the store as you'll be coerced into buying something before you leave. The normal price for a short journey in the centre is from 40-80 baht. Avoid free or very cheap trips, as these will involve an unwanted trip to a gemstore.

Taxi: Only use taxis that run on a meter. Frequently the taxis, in tourist areas, state that they only run off the meter and then ask for ridiculously high fares. Ignore them and walk on until you find a real taxi. Taxis are more comfortable than tuk-tuks because they have air conditioning, and you won’t have to inhale quite so many exhaust fumes.


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Chiang Mai:

Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thailand, and is easy to find your way around. This is mainly because the old city centre is built inside the city walls and moats. In Chiang Mai there are over 300 temples.

Good Eating and drinking in Chiang mai:
Eat at the night market in Chiang Mai. A good and inexpensive alternative is to eat at the covered stalls by the Main Gate. The customers are mainly Thai; we found it great while we were there.

The Sunday bazaar: Local people come from outside the city to sell their wares. There are a lot of different Thai delicacies on sale.

We found all the best restaurants inside the old part of Chiang Mai. If you're riced out; then we suggest you leave the town through the Main Gate, walk straight on and you'll come across the Il Forno restaurant on the right-hand side, where you can get the tastiest pizzas and pastas in town.

Our places of interest in Chiang Mai:
The Night Market: outside the old centre. This is the best place to get the souvenirs and the cheapest. There are also lots of stalls with shirts, sandals, watches, sunglasses and lots more. The night market is pretty big so it will take you a while to look around it.

Take a half-day cookery course. Learn how to cook great Thai food when you get home.

You can also visit the Tribal Museum (next to the Chiang Mai golf course). Here you can learn about the everyday life of the hill tribes, and from here it’s easy to get to Doi Suthep by moped.

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Chiang Mai has lots of temples, we thought the most beautiful was Wat Chedi Luang. This temple is surrounded by huge stone elephants. The temple is in the old part of Chiang Mai. Another beautiful temple is Wat Phra Sing. This temple has a terrific wihara (a Great Hall where monks and devotees listen to sermons) with stairs adorned with mythical snakes and dragon heads.

Unusual Buddha statue: Phra Buddha Sing, which has disputable origin (the statue is, like many important Buddhist statues, decorated from head to foot). Don't forget to take in the wall paintings from the 19th century- it will give you a good picture of Thai life in that period.

On 13th April it’s the Sonkran, also called the water festival - the Thai New Year celebrations. In Chiang Mai, this means a whole week of frenzied merrymaking and lots of fun. Get yourself a good super soaker.

 


Phuket and Islands:

There are three famous beaches at Phuket. The most famous (and perhaps the least nice) beach is Patong. Karon is the second biggest and Kata Beach is the quietest. If you’re staying in the Orchidacea resort it's good to be able to take the free shuttle to the quieter beach.

Buy a snorkel in Phuket; you can get a fairly good one for about £4. You can snorkel along the rocks just off the beach. Take an underwater camera with you; the coral and the fish are so beautiful you’ll want to show everybody when you get back.

If you're flying in, you can share a minibus or take a taxi from Phuket airport. A minibus takes about 1½ hours to get there and costs 180 baht per person. A taxi costs 250 baht and takes an hour.

There are some cash machines on the smaller islands. If you don’t want to take too much money with you during your stay, reckon on about 500 baht per person per day. This should be more than enough as a simple budget.

Samui and Islands:

Ko Samui is the biggest island off the east coast of Thailand. The north and east coasts of the island are the most developed - the east coast attracts the most tourists, while the north coast is well-known for its peace and beauty.

Take a daytrip out to the Ang Thong National Marine Park from Samui; there are countless limestone islands and colourful coral reefs to snorkel around.

Visit the Big Buddha. This Buddha is on the junction of the north and east coasts. You'll find good shopping on Chaweng Beach.

Tips for hiking:

Hiking in Northern Thailand and walking in the Khao Sok National Park (Giant Trees and Lakes), is done always under the supervision of an English speaking guide. Your meals are included, but you may want to ful to take along some snacks.

We have a whole page about hiking / treking trips in Thailand, please refer to this for more detail.

Keep in mind that in the mountains it’s a good a few degrees cooler than it is at sea level, which is nice when you’re so physically active. This means that, between November and February you’re advised to take a thick pullover or jacket, as well as a warm sleeping bag or an extra fleece blanket because the sleeping bag that you can hire is quite thin. From March until October it’s sufficient to have either a fleecy jacket in combination with a cotton inner sleeping bag, or a thin sleeping bag.