Hi all!
I'm planning on going to Thailand towards the end of February and was wondering if any one has tips or recommendations for where to go, which hotels or experiences, or any warnings to keep note of. Basically any tips would be helpful!
Tips for Travel to Thailand
Comments
A lot of drivers will offer cheap fares or tell you they know great jewellery or suit shops, or tourist places or temples etc. They get paid by these shops.
If anyone tells you Golden Buddha temple is closed but there is a better one nearby that is open, dont believe them.
Cheers! Will keep that in mind
This might sound silly but would it be safe to ask at the hotel for good shops or tourist places?
No, the hotel will mostly be pushing their commission earners too.
Yes hotels etc are very respectable. They will not give you a bum steer. In over 60 trips I have never heard of such a thing. It is a very civilized place.
The worst thing that will happen to you in Thailand is that you will pay a bit more than you should have for shopping or your taxi/Tuk tuk ride, or a tuktuk will take you to a tailor/jewellery store.
Shopping places in Bkk; - MBK, Pantip Plaza for computers, next to Pantip Plaza is Pantip shopping malls (mainly ladies clothes and accessories) Chatuchak weekend markets (hot crowded but good prices) http://www.chatuchak.org/ MBK & Chatuchak prices are negotiable.
I don't buy from stalls in the streets, but If you do, generally you will be ripped off on the prices. Often they state ridiculous prices to start with to see how stupid you are!
Food is generally very safe, if you accidentally drink the water then you will probably be ok, but not recommended. Just buy a few bottles from 7/11 - very cheap.
You can use this to your advantage if you want… Ask the Tuk Tuk driver if you can get a free ride, but you're happy to visit a suit / jewellery store and spend 15 mins in the store. I did that for a laugh with mates :)
I did the same thing for my trip back to the airport. Three gem factories/jewellery stores for an extra 250 baht off the price. They give you free cold drinks at those places too.
Yeah, an AUD$7 saving is not really going to wipe the misery of such an excursion from my mind.
Day 1: Thank you, kind sir, but I shall politely decline a Tuk Tuk ride.
Day 10: NO I DON'T F##KING WANT A F##KING TUK TUK RIDEHaha, not worth trying out?
Tuk Tuk's are great fun and you have to ride in one at least once. In Phuket they are run by the one group of "people" and they charge ridiculous amounts of money. In Bangkok they are much more reasonable however if you are foolish enough to pay the first asking price they will gladly take your money.
I was worried about the "tuk tuk mafia" and it wasn't until my husband and son caught one home from the movies - complete with stero synchronised lights - for the same price as my ordinary taxi ride (about $5) that I started taking them. I always think if you get ripped off its only a couple of dollars.
Where in Thailand are you going ? As a general I love going to the movies so cheap and Caramel popcorn and beer .IMHO Phuket is the worst part of Thailand.
Thai people don't like confrontation or shouting. If you have poor service or find something disagreeable then keep your voice low and stay calm, you are a lot more likely to get what you want sooner. If you yell and carry on then Thai people tend to shut down and just stare at you.
Dont hire a jet ski!!!!!
Don't leave your passport or credit card as security for jetski and scooter hire.
Thailand has the highest level of passports stolen in the world.
Grab the ais brands travellers sims. Easy to find a sim pck in 7/11 and family mart stores as well as recharges. Cost me about 400 baht i think or 500 as i was a nano sim. The micro sim folka got theres for 199 or 299?? Gave me 100 baht call credit and unlimited data for 7 days. Well in the sense of 1.5 gb at high speed and then unlimited but capped at 72kbps i think. Still decent to get any browsing needs done.
Any taxi n bargainable prices will be deeply inflated. Say 600 baht depending how nice u are if u were a local we'd say under 300-400 baht easily.
Once you've done it once dont know why tourists find it great to ride tuk tuks. They're mobile in traffic but otherwise u get the full bangkok smoke n dirt in ur face and your at risk of far more serious injury in the event of an accident
Immigration & Customs is very good. However I prefer to fly into Don Muang for the shorter queues.
I NEVER go in a taxi that will not use the meter. Getting a taxi from either airport you have to add 50 baht onto the final fare for the airport fee. Also you have to pay the driver in advance (he will tell you when) for the tolls for the 'Highway' as they call it. 75 baht toll from Suvarnabhumi and 110 baht from Don Muang. Road travel around town during peak hours is a nightmare, and this is when you will rarely get a taxi on the meter. Avoid travelling then, or try to go via skytrain or subway. As far as Tuktuks go, I prefer aircond taxis. And then there are the tuktuks that take you to places that you do not want to go to - tailors, jewellers etc.
As far as sights: Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha and Reclining Buddha are all worth seeing once. (Watch out for the scammers in the area) Veretigo at Banyan Tree is a brilliant spot for a cocktail (Google it) but I wouldn't stay for dinner $$$$$$. Also a longtail boat trip to the orchid farm from Saphan Taksin and visit wat phra kaew temple on the way back. You have to bargain hard, but you can get the boat trip for 2000 baht. + pay entry to orchid farm and temple. The orchid farm is not worth seeing, but the boat trip is brilliant!!
If you can arrange it, every Sunday there is muay Thai boxing at Channel 7 tv studio open to the public. Not easy to get to for a tourist, but it is the real thing. http://www.travelfish.org/blogs/thailand/2011/07/12/sunday-a….
I agree with SaberX, AIS 12Call sim cards are great and recharging is easy. Buy at any 7/11.
No matter what your sexual orientation, Nana Entertainment Plaza and Soi Cowboy are interesting for at least a stroll, & are safe.
I prefer to stay in the Sukhumvit area as there are lots of Pubs and restaurants catering for normal foreigners. And, if you wish, it is quite easy to avoid the pockets of bars.
My tips for tipping. Until you get a feel for it; Tip most bars restaurants etc. minimum 20 baht. Taxi, 0 - 30 baht depending on the length of the trip. Tip massage, hairdressers etc 50 - 100 baht.
If you want to go out of town, I recommend visiting the town of Hua Hin.
Take the same precautions against pickpockets as in any other foreign country.
Leave passport in safe, and carry a copy. It is the law there that you carry ID, and also you need it for money changing.
Vasu is the best 'convenient' money changer. http://www.vasuexchange.com/contact.phpI have to admit that was a bit overwhelming but VERY helpful. The boat trip sounds amazing but I'm terrible at bartering, hopefully I'll be able to stand strong to 2000 baht.
Would it be better to change money over there?You will need some cash in advance. You can get it either in Aust. or at the airport in Bkk. Both are rip offs. $100 / 2600 baht will be more than enough in advance, unless you are arriving late at night and are planning a big night out on THAT night. Then later change the bulk of your money in Thailand away from the airports. There are not the scams for changing money there that you find in many other foreign countries. Just count it (as normal). Plenty of ATMs around. I always use my CITIBANK PLUS ATM card at the bank (Corner of Asoke Road and Sukhumvit road) No fees and best rate.
I find the airport rates at bkk the same as those everywhere in the city. I exchange my cash at super rich.
@dasher86:
I'm in bkk now. Airport rates have changed. Do not change at the airport!! Super rich is still your best bet.I agree. But Superrich are not always easy to get to. The difference between and Vasu (below Nana skytrain) are insignificant.
I should clarify that 2000 baht for the long tail boat trip is not per person, it is for the whole boat charter, no matter the number of people.
Would it be better to change money over there?
if your staying in semi good hotels with a safe then yes, as they give slightly better rates due lower running costs
Didnt know you had to keep a copy of your passport on you. I left mine in the hotel safe and didn't carry any photocopies.
One thing i must mention is the VAT refund (gst) for tourists is a royal pain in the butt. You need a stamp at the vat stand before you go past check in etc before you collect the money past immigration. I flew from koh samui to bangkok and they transit checked us into our next flight to kualur lumpur on msian airlines. So we were happy baggage and check in didnt have to be done again.
Obviously for vat we arrived and because your in transit your past immigration while we could access the second counter we couldnt the first for the stamp. So i lost nearly 40 bucks. Not life shattering but when you buy yoir first suitcase for 350 aud and goto all the trouble getting the retailer to do the vat receipts, nearly being late for my bro wedding reception youd think the koh samui girls would at least advise us this before we checked in all the way. Or at least have just one counter that does the whole process.
Bitterly disappointing but a good reason to make sure ur fully aware of it. Im sure many tourists get caught out
Go to Chiang Mai - it's a lot less of a tourist trap than Phuket, warm friendlier people and a lot cheaper - buying street food at night markets was about 1/3 of the prices asked in Phuket. Had one of my best authentic Thai meals ever in a little restaurant where no English was spoken at all (hired driver for the day took us there) and it cost well under 100 baht ($3-$4). I insisted on leaving a tip so they made me an extra snack for the road… awesome.
Avoid 'long neck' villages they're a depressing scam. Exorbitant entrance fees just to get into a motley collection of shops, not a true village by any stretch.
If you insist on Phuket, 1. don't cheap out on the tours. I did that once and got crammed like sardines with the equivalent of bogans from Europe and Asia. Lookup ''Phuket Sail Tours', they were really good but horrendously expensive compared to the local price. 2. Don't book a taxi at the counter in the Phuket airport it is a rip off and they'll take you to a travel agency etc before your hotel. Get the 'meter taxis' just outside the airport there's a booth.
Just wondering what was the name of the place you ate at Chiang Mai?
For your own sake, never ever ever say anything bad about the monarchy!
Yes, in asia free speech doesnt lack the liberal respect we sometimes have in the west. Never say anything bad about the king. Or point at anyone with your feet. Deemed disrespectful.
I remembeer a news story of a foreigner pointing with his feet at a worker lazily and ended uo he got killed in anger.
Just so others can give you better recommendations - How long will you be there for, what age are you and who else are you travelling with? I went in 2013 with a mid 20's group of 4 and we had a blast.
Some highlights:
Chiang Mai - Songkran Festival is in mid April, so depends whether or not you'll still be there. We also rode elephants as part of a tour which was a great experience.
Phi Phi - We spent about 4 days here at the end of our trip, but wish we had longer. Awesome nightlife if you're wanting to experience it and I'd recommend Bob's Booze Cruise for a fun tour of the island with all the beer you can stomach. If I were to go again, I'd want to spend more time on Phi Phi.
Railay Beach (near Krabi) - We stayed here midway through our trip for some relaxation at a nice hotel and it's a beautiful area. Head to the other side for one of the best beaches we found in Thailand and swim to the rock island opposite. There's also a climb on Railay which gives you a great view over the area and a more extreme climb down into what was supposedly a beautiful lagoon (only 1 of us made it down there).
Koh Samui - Great nightlife, check out the Reggae Bar at night. We went quad biking which was lots of fun, you'll need to ask around at tour places for some ideas. We also bought most of our token Thailand clothing here.
Koh Phangan - We went here for a full moon party (on around Thailand at various times). Had a bloody awesome time with friends, but other than that there are better islands to be explored.
Chiang Rai - Was OK. We got a really cheap price on a flash hotel and stayed for a few nights. Went on a tour to see the very impressive White Temple and a few other places.
Tips:
As others have said, don't pre-book transport unless it's for a tour. Also don't pre-book accommodation - There were a few occassions where we booked a hotel at a new area and were away from everything. Arrive, find a good spot and book. Ask their price, but also check online for last minute deals (we used Agoda which was good).
Don't buy any 'beef' burgers etc. Their beef comes from Buffalo and isn't great. Maccas and Burger King are fine though.
Greet and say thank you in their language. Not necessary, but it's fun to do and they seem to enjoy it. Just don't switch around the male / female greetings.
If you're in a group, be careful, look out for each other and don't leave anyone on their own.
Beware of people selling Marijane in the street.
Try SangSom (Thailand rum).
Don't be a douche.
Your last tip had me giggling for ages.
That is brilliant advice, cheers! Firstly, I also really enjoyed the last tip, being a douche in a foreign country would probably be the most stupid thing you could do so I'm definitely steering clear of that. Second I'm in my early twenties and travelling with my boyfriend, just the two of us and we'll be in Thailand for 9 days.
From your advice, I guess the only thing I'd be worried about is not pre-booking accommodation. It sounds like the best thing to do because obviously it's hard to tell what hotels are actually in prime areas without going there first, but it always makes me nervous not having that set in stone. That said, I think I will take your advice, purely because you sound like you know what you're doing and why not be spontaneous?Glad I could be of help. 9 days in Thailand will be a great break, but you won't want to spend too long travelling between areas.
Seeming as you're young, I think you'd appreciate the nightlife and general 'vibe' of Phi Phi. Railay is across on the main land too if you wanted to venture over (as is Phuket, but I didn't go there). Each location in Thailand has something unique to offer, but you can always go back for another visit later and explore more. I personally enjoyed the islands more than the cities.
By all means feel free to book accommodation in advance, but I think not booking anything could be the best option for a first timer, even more so considering you're not there for long and don't want to be stuck somewhere you're not happy with.
Phi Phi is a great example - you get off the boat, walk along to the main hub and there are plenty of local agents to help find you somewhere to stay. We walked with a guy to a couple of hotels and inspected the rooms first, which worked out well.
Seriously, most foreigners holidaying there are fine and we met some great people, but there were the odd few that were a bit of an annoyance.
Have fun. I'm interested to know what you eventually decide on.
Pre book one or two nights at a well researched guest house or hotel. That way you know you have accomodation when you get there but are free to exchange or extend as you please
In BKK young people seem to prefer Khao San road area. I am not in that age group, and so all that I can opine on is that it is not an easy area to get into and out of, due to high traffic volumes in the area.
www.booking.com/Khao-San-Road-Hotels is a good starting point for that research. Remember $15 rebate thru Cash rewards for booking.com. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/159308
Do not expect to get cheaper prices by walking up to hotels in BKK. Cheaper by internet.
My recommendation is to learn a few basic words….
Thank you = Kap Kun Kraap (speaker being male)
Hello = Sawa di kraap
How are you? = Sabai di mai?
Yes - Chai
No = Mai chai
You're pretty, how much? Very expensive! = Kun sui, tow rai? Pang maak!
Mai ow - no thanks
That's the most useful phrase, tbh.
-If you are planning on staying in Phuket, stay in Kata as the beach there is much nicer than Patong. The food at the Kata Seafood restaurant is delicious and cheap and it is right on the beach. I can recommend a boutique hotel called Kata Minta (look it up on trip adviser) I have stayed there many times. There are many cheaper places to stay along the road that the kata minta is on.
-If you want to go to a temple and someone tells you that it is closed, this is not true- they will be trying to get you to go to a shop.
-Check out Big C and Tesco Lotus, they are both stores that sell food and clothes- you can buy cheap tourist souvenir's and clothing for the family.
-If you plan to stay at a big resort you should prebook on the internet for the best price. If you are plan to stay at a b&b or small hotel then just rock up and ask for a room.
-Do not be afraid to eat street food, you can get some delicious food for 30 baht!
-Take a day to go and check out phuket town, there are many interesting temples and sights to see. Near the bus station there are a few big used book stalls that sell cheap English language novels.
-where ever you stay ask where the local markets are. every day of the week there will be a local market that sets up somewhere and you won't pay tourist prices.
-Remember most Thai people only get Sunday off so expect Sundays to be busy everywhere, especially malls and markets.
-If you get the chance, a day tour to Phung Nga and James Bond Island is a wonder. Make sure it goes to the sea gypsy village (which is a village totally on the water, it is amazing). The rock formations are beautiful and the longboat ride is lots of fun.
-If you want to go Elephant trekking the Siam Safari Company are a good one to try. They are not the cheapest but they really look after you and they treat their elephants well.
-If you go tp Phuket, when you arrive at the airport there is a stand in the baggage claim where they give out free SIM cards called Happy. If you are there for a short time these are fine and you can top up at 7/11
-You must try SangSom it is yum and it is cheap.
-try to stay away from western food, Thai food is so delicious and it is cheaper than western food.
-You have to eat a banana roti from a street stall, it is delicious and make sure you get condensed milk drizzled over the top.A lot of the steet food stalls come out at night along the streets.
-If you take tuk tuk's or taxi's try and befriend a certain driver (this is not hard)most of them have business cards and book them for a whole day to take you out of the tourist area and show you local places.If you are genuinely interested in Thai culture you will find that the driver will be happy to show you their culture and not try to rip you off. if you act like an uppity tourist who looks down on the Thai people you will pay more. Remember not all Thai people recommend places or stores because they are getting a kick back a lot of the time it will be a relatives shop or restaurant and they are just trying to get them some business.
-if you will be there for Chinese New year you must ask your driver to take you to a Chinese temple and check out the celebrations.
-As has been said earlier Thai people do not like shouting or aggression so keep your cool even if you think you are in the right. If you have a traffic accident it will be your fault (even if it isn't) so be prepared for that. It is customary for the guilty party to pay money to the wronged party as well as a little for the police for their time.This is just the way it is done, the more you argue the price goes up!
-if you rent a bike check the body over with the vendor before you drive away. Buy a chain for the bike as there is a bike theft scam going on (but I think the army has cracked down on this pretty hard). You do not have to leave your passport a photocopy should be sufficient, if it is not then go to the next vendor there are plenty around. If you ask at reception there are a lot of hotels that rent out bikes too.
-In a restaurant don't expect all the food to come out at once, there may only be one burner, it comes as it comes!
-don't wear gold or expensive jewellery, leave it at home. when walking along the street do not wear your bag facing into the road as it is easy for snatching.
Just relax and have a great time and remember if you wouldn't do it at home, don't do it on holiday!It is always good to carry copy of your passport in case of emergency as should you fall ill or be in an accident your Embassy can be contacted. I was told that by an Embassy official who told me how difficult it was to establish a person's identity when such instances occur. Never needed to produce mine but always carry it.
- Bring cash to exchange into Thai Currency. It is always the best option to make your money go further.
- Never point at something with your feet in a shop. You might as well be grabbing your balls.
- Respect their love for their monarchy.
- Be nice to the ladyboys, they are still men and they can be quite vicious in gangs. (I have seen it with my own eyes)
- Thai massage is essential. Oily massage is almost always an invitation for "additional" services.
- Greetings and "thank you" in Thai along with the praying hand movement is very well received and appreciated.
- Make sure the Taxi driver turns on the meter, otherwise get out and find another taxi.
- Always drink bottled water. If ice is provided, consider asking if the ice is filtered.
- Maybe consider keeping pictures of medications you might need on your phone, local pharmacies can assist readily if you lose anything.
- Smile a lot, if you're grumpy, you might be incorrectly labelled a Russian (the scourge of Thailand IMO!)
- Western food like McDonalds is safe, but I would worry about other types of Western foods. Thai food is absolutely the best and so cheap.
- Agoda.com seems to have a very good way to search for hotels in Thailand. Depending on where you wish to go, I could suggest some places.
It is a wonderful country.
If all of the 'dos' and 'dont's' here are scary, the 2 main things are to lock up your passport & carry a copy of the id page, and drink bottled water. Re ice; I spend about 12 weeks per year there and always have a lot of ice in my drinks. Never a problem.
Actually, same here. I have been there at least 10 times and only gotten sick once. And that was from some luke warm Thai Chicken noodle dish. The ice has never bothered me, but I can see how it might be potentially an issue. I just noticed our exchange rate is terrible now! I will be there in a few days.
Just noticed cashrewards offers 5% cashback from the Agoda website purchases. Good value.
If you want to stay longer than 9 days & for free, buy some illegal drugs.
Being in BKK jail won't be any holiday especially if you are part of pre-arranged set up between police and dealers!
any tips for Krabi? ATM locations for Citibank Plus etc..
Make sure she's a girl if you think you're getting lucky in the bar.