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Normally,
you arrive Thailand in Bangkok or Phuket. Ordinary flights lands in Bangkok,
many charters in Phuket.
I asume that most holidaymakers have two to three weeks time to spend here.
If you are on a charter
tour you likely have a hotel already, and perhaps some excursions and sightseeing
trips as part of a package. This can be convenient, as you need not be concerned
with any logistics or planning.
But some of the best offers are the ones you find yourself, even if you are
unfamiliar with the country. And it is easy to find alternatives and change
plans when you are here.
Coming here and going back
You can get lucky and find a very cheap charter tour, perhaps a last-minute deal or something that does not include your hotel. But charter tours are often of short duration, and it can be difficoult or impossible to change travel dates.
If you travel with an ordinary flight, you should book your tickets as far in advance as possible. The earlier you get your tickets, the better chance you have of getting a lower price. It is far easier to make changes than with a charter, and normally the seats are better and you have more leg-room - an issue for long flights.
If you are on a charter trip with everything included, the rest of this page is perhaps not of much interest to you.
If you are on your own you can make great deals on hotel rooms by booking in advance. Always check for special internet rates and promotions.
If you arrive in Bangkok I recommend the following:
First, get out of the city. Bangkok is not an ideal place to start your holiday. The metropol should be experienced, for a day or three, but it is better to do this at the end of your trip when you have had time to get some feeling for Thailand.
If you want to
do some trekking, elephant riding and hilltribe visits you can go straight
to Chiang Mai. There are around 15 flights daily from Bangkok, and you can
also go by train or
bus.
Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thailand, but can not be compared
to Bangkok. It is much easier to find your way, traffic is less intensive
and people are calmer. Chiang Mai is an excellent base for exploring Northern
Thailand. Spend a few days here to see the city. If you want to shop for souvernirs
(and many otherr things) the famous Night Bazaar has a great deal to offer
at low prices.
After Chiang Mai and the north it may be time to seek the beaches. For a quiet experience places like Kho Samet and Kho Chang are good. Cha-am and Hua Hin have some nice resorts, but the beaches at those parts are not the best.
If you want to combine the beaches with some more lively surrooundings you can stay in Phuket or on Kho Samui. In both these places there are some quiet spots, but there are more of restaurants and nightlife. Many diving shops operates from these locations, and you can make bargains on high standard accomodation.
When you are saturated with sand and sun it may be time to head for the Big Mango for a day or three before going home. I advice you to decide on a few spots to visit, like Jim Thompson's house, and allow plenty of time for the infamous Bangkok traffic jams.
Myself, I have arranged the following for friends and family on their first visit to the Kingdom:
Flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai, direct or via Chiang Mai depending on availability. Transport from Chiang Rai airport to the Mekok (not Mekong) river, for trip with long-tail boat to Ban Thaton on the Burmese border. Arrival at a resort there for dinner. Two or three days there, with some sightseeing. After that, transport by road to Chiang Mai.
The trip on the
river from Chiang Rai to Ban Thaton takes about 4 hours, including a stop
about halfway for a short elephant ride. This gives the unexperienced traveller
a real feeling of being in South East Asia, and is a nice experience. The
resort in Thaton is located right on the river, and has very nice bungalows.
They offer a vareity of excursions in the area and have facilities like a
special pool for small children, fitness centre, a bup and more.
The return leg by road to Chiang Mai takes about 3 hours, and you get to see
some nice scenery along the way.
If you are tempted to try this, one way to go is to send a mail directly to
the people I have been using for family and friends at tiger@loxinfo.co
and check what they are up to and what they ask for to set you or yours up
for the special experience. That's direct, I am not a booking service here,
you will have to do some "footwork" for yourself. Normally a good
way to go for Thailand anyway, it will proboably both save you money and get
you a better tour / hotel / golf deal, whatever.
There are good agents, but I think it's reasonable and sensible to check a
bit independently.
For those who arrives in Phuket
You are already on the
beach. Phuket has everything from more quiet spots to the active Patong Beach.
The prices are not the lowest in Thailand, but with western currency in your
pocket you will be ok.
Spend some time unwinding after the long journey, get some sun, eat cheap
lobster. If what you want is a holiday at the beach you may as well remain
in Phuket. If you want some variation you can hop over to Kho Samui.
Phuket is not far from Phi Phi Island, one of the most beautiful places in
Thailand.
If you want to experience Bangkok there are many flights, and buses. You can also travel by a combination of bus and train.
Money
Almost all banks offers
currency excange services, if you travel with cash. They also cash in travellers
checks.
You get the best rate by using your Visa or Mastecard in ATM machines. If
you need cash beyond your ATM cards limit, you can bring your passport along
and buy currency inside the bank with your credit card.
Bangkok Bank is proboably the most professional bank for foreigners.
Generally
When you have arrived in Thailand you will find that you have many options for independent travel. Thailand has a good infrastructure for the traveller.
Reasonably priced flights
are available to all major domestic destinations, and to some minor ones.
You can take the train all the way from Malaysia in the south, north to Chiang
Mai and to many other parts.
Buses travel everywhere, with standards ranging from VIP with only 3 seats
per row to the most basic vehicles without much in the way of springs and
shock absorbers.
You can also rent minivans or use a taxi for long distance travel, and many car rentals can provide a driver for a extra fee.
It is rarely difficoult to find a hotel room. But as I have adviced you will normally save money by pre-booking.
Visa
Check www.thaivisa.com
, but most nationalities gets a 30 day tourist visa on arrival. Flight attendent
(or train / bus attendents) will provide you with two forms prior to your
arrival. One is a customs declaration, the other a immigration form. Check
your stamp after you have been processed by immigration, as you may geta day
or three less than the full 30.
A tourist visa can be extended somewhat. The fee is 1.900 Baht, and you should
be able to get a week ekstra for that.
If you need a visa other than s standard tourist one, you need to get out of Thailand and apply at an embassy or consulate. The standard of service varies, and some stations are rumored to be more difficoult - if not even hostile - than other.
Remember to have a valid travel insurance policy before you go!