Ang Thong National Park outside Koh Samui

Overview

Thailand is a land the evokes many images for travelers.  White sand beaches in the south, one of the biggest, bustling metropolises in the world in Bangkok, and peaceful hill stations in the north.  There is a reason Thailand is one of the most popular travel destinations not only in Southeast Asia but in the entire world.  The beauty all  over the country is unmatched, the food absolutely mouth-watering, and the people as friendly as can be.  It’s not called the Land of Smiles for nothing.  While some may complain that it’s over-touristy, and there are plenty of tourists, it still has an unmatched beauty that will have any travel lover falling in love and wanting to return again and again.

Highlights-What to Do

Bangkok- Bangkok sometimes gets a bad rap amongst travelers, many of whom think it’s too big, too dirty, too crazy, and just too intense.  And while it is all of those things, Bangkok also has an energy like no other, scenery that is second to none, and food that is up there with the best the world has to offer.  And don’t even get me started on the markets.  If markets are your thing (they’re mine!), then get planning your trip there now!

Chiang Mai- A popular destination in the north of Thailand, Chiang Mai is the northern capital that is a great place to soak up the Thai culture.  Cooking classes, massage classes (or alternatively, really cheap massages), yoga, and hiking in the nearby hill stations are what brings tourists to this beautiful city.  The food here is also amazing and distinctly different than other parts of Thailand, and the Sunday Market is top notch.

Pai- 762 hair-raising turns north of Chiang Mai, Pai is a hippie haven that is becoming more and more popular on the backpacking circuit.  While the town itself is less than spectacular, the surrounding area is more than spectacular, and riding motorbikes through the northern Thai countryside provided us with some memories that will last a lifetime.

Koh Chang- When picturing the quintessential Thai island, you are probably picturing Koh Chang.  While Koh Chang is definitely getting more and more popular, and thus more and more commercial, it’s beauty is unmatched, and beaches like Lonely Beach are still a great place to get away from it all and soak up some rays while chilling on the white sand beaches and swimming in beautiful azure waters.

Koh Samui- Some headier than thou backpackers may scoff at the mention of Koh Samui, and while you can get a Big Mac at several of the McDonald’s on the island, you can also stay at really nice, dirt cheap bungalows on the beach, eat super fresh seafood on makeshift beach side restaurants every night, and go snorkeling and scuba diving in the surrounding waters.  Is Koh Samui touristy?  Yes.  Is it also drop dead gorgeous?  Yes as well.

Koh Pha-Ngan- Though we did not visit this island famous for its full moon parties, mentioning Thailand on a budget travel site without mentioning Koh Pha-Ngan would be blasphemy.

Budget

Thailand has been firmly on the backpacker trail now for the better part of 50 years, when the hippies first came through this area in the 60′s.  While prices have risen over the years, it’s still possible to travel around the Land of Smiles for next to nothing.  The most dedicated of budget travelers claim to be able to get by on $10US/day while staying in a dirty hostel, eating nothing but street food, and not doing much other than drinking Sangsom and partying on Khao San Road.

But for couples looking for private rooms, the occasional meal out in a restaurant, and sight-seeing, it’s probably more realistic to plan on closer to $35US/day per person.  We got around Thailand rather comfortably on the $70/day budget for the two of us.

When to Go/Weather

Weather in SE Asia is quite fickle, and figuring when to go and when not to go is a huge headache for anyone who has never traveled in this region.  Different parts of the country are better visited at different times of the year, but one thing we did find out is that there’s really no bad time to visit Thailand, just better.

Thailand is warm year-round, except for the hill stations in the north, which can see colder weather, sometimes even approaching the freezing mark.  There are three main seasons in Thailand:

• Hot- March to May it is extremely hot and typically dry.  This is the time to head down south to the islands, but beware that everyone else will be heading there, too, driving up prices and creating crowded beaches, bungalows, and hotels.
• Wet- June to October is what’s known as the wet season in Thailand and throughout much of SE Asia.  NOTE: We ended up here during the rainy season, for most of May and the beginning of June, again for a bit in July, and then again in mid-August.  Rain and weather was rarely a factor for us.  Though it did rain many of the days we were there, it was usually for an hour or two each day.  The rain did not prevent us from doing anything, temperatures were a bit cooler, prices were cheaper and attractions less crowded.
• Cool- Cool is a relative term in Thailand, but November to February is known as the cool season in Thailand, as the monsoons have moved on and the temperatures aren’t as sweltering as the rest of the year.  This also means high season in Thailand, with  bunches of tourists and higher prices.  The coolest festivals are also this time of year, so consider that when planning your trip to Thailand.

Transportation

I was planning for the worst as far as transportation goes in Thailand.  In fact, I thought it would be more like Bolivia than Argentina, but I was pleasantly surprised at both the comfort and efficiency of the public transport in Thailand.

Airplane- Be sure to check out Air Asia, the budget airline throughout SE Asia that sometimes has dirt cheap flights within Thailand and to other cities.  Sometimes it can be nearly as cheap as taking a train or bus, so make sure you at least check.

Bus- There are varying degrees of buses to get around Thailand, some really nice and some not so much.  If you don’t want to get ripped off, try going to the actual bus station to get your tickets instead of to a travel agent or company.  You WILL pay more if you use an agent.  It will be easier, but sometimes at double or triple the price.  If going on an overnight journey anywhere, I suggest looking into the trains as they are very efficient, very comfortable, and not terribly expensive.

Train- The trains in Thailand impressed the hell out of me.  The Bangkok train station is huge yet easy to navigate and figure out.  Check out the government operated train website for schedules, fares, and available seats.  The sleeper trains are top notch if you can splurge (well worth it), with each seat folding down into a fully horizontal bed with pillows, sheets, and blankets.  You’ll sleep like a baby.

Be sure to check back in the coming weeks and months as I will put up more and more posts and pages about traveling in Thailand, including city pages for all places we visited, plus various tips and advice for traveling around the Land of Smiles.  When a post or page is published, the links below will be live, exactly like the Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina pages.

• Bangkok
• Chiang Mai
• Pai
• Koh Chang
• Koh Samui