Bangkok
Bangkok, the capital, is a case in point. Often thought of as little more than Khao San Road-the backpackers’ haven in the northwest of the city-actually Thailand’s capital is so much more. Many young travelers on a budget will instinctively head for the Khao San area, a street lined with cheap guesthouses, food stalls, internet cafes, bars and of course, young backpackers. Other travelers, myself included, avoid it all costs.
If you’re looking for cheap accommodation (starting from US $5 a night), there are other options, including Soi Ngam Duphli in the southeast of the city near Lumphini Park. This is only a 15-minute walk from the Skytrain, the monorail, which must rank as the most convenient mode of transport in this otherwise congested city. With the addition of a new metro system, Bangkok is beginning to offer alternatives to taxis, which are invariably caught in solid traffic, meaning a ride across the city can take up to two hours, if not more.
On the positive side, Bangkok is a vibrant city that swings between the ultra modern and, well, the typically Thai. Indeed, in places Bangkok is far from typical of the rest of the country. Ploenchit and Sukhumvit roads, for example, are stuffed full of ultra chic department stores of up to six stories perched along the route of the monorail, the streets below sectioned off into fashion boutiques, western pubs and Italian restaurants. In this area you’ll also find much of Bangkok’s more ritzy nightlife, including the relatively new Bed nightclub, where entry is 600 baht (US $17) and drinks start at 170 baht (US $4.75).
If indeed Bangkok is merely the start of your journey in Thailand, then you’ve started in the middle of the country. To the south lie the many beaches from which Thailand has made its name (and further south the restive Muslim provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, which remain prone to violence). To the north (and east) there’s Thailand’s second city of Chiang Mai, former capitals Sukhothai and Ayuthaya, as well as border crossings, which serve as gateways to overland travel in Burma, Laos, Cambodia and beyond.
Bangkok, the capital, is a case in point. Often thought of as little more than Khao San Road-the backpackers’ haven in the northwest of the city-actually Thailand’s capital is so much more. Many young travelers on a budget will instinctively head for the Khao San area, a street lined with cheap guesthouses, food stalls, internet cafes, bars and of course, young backpackers. Other travelers, myself included, avoid it all costs.
If you’re looking for cheap accommodation (starting from US $5 a night), there are other options, including Soi Ngam Duphli in the southeast of the city near Lumphini Park. This is only a 15-minute walk from the Skytrain, the monorail, which must rank as the most convenient mode of transport in this otherwise congested city. With the addition of a new metro system, Bangkok is beginning to offer alternatives to taxis, which are invariably caught in solid traffic, meaning a ride across the city can take up to two hours, if not more.
On the positive side, Bangkok is a vibrant city that swings between the ultra modern and, well, the typically Thai. Indeed, in places Bangkok is far from typical of the rest of the country. Ploenchit and Sukhumvit roads, for example, are stuffed full of ultra chic department stores of up to six stories perched along the route of the monorail, the streets below sectioned off into fashion boutiques, western pubs and Italian restaurants. In this area you’ll also find much of Bangkok’s more ritzy nightlife, including the relatively new Bed nightclub, where entry is 600 baht (US $17) and drinks start at 170 baht (US $4.75).
If indeed Bangkok is merely the start of your journey in Thailand, then you’ve started in the middle of the country. To the south lie the many beaches from which Thailand has made its name (and further south the restive Muslim provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, which remain prone to violence). To the north (and east) there’s Thailand’s second city of Chiang Mai, former capitals Sukhothai and Ayuthaya, as well as border crossings, which serve as gateways to overland travel in Burma, Laos, Cambodia and beyond.
Thailand Guide | An Exotic Home Away From Home
Of the many destinations in Asia, Thailand remains one of the most visited by western tourists and with good reason. Sporting some of the best beaches in the world, superb food, a tropical climate and the kind of modern conveniences you might expect in Europe or North America, Thailand has adapted itself almost too well to the needs of the western tourist.
For some, the country is the entry point for an extended holiday throughout the region, for others it will be a vacation in itself. Either way, Thailand still offers the best of what most travelers are looking for, as always it’s just about looking in the right places.
For some, the country is the entry point for an extended holiday throughout the region, for others it will be a vacation in itself. Either way, Thailand still offers the best of what most travelers are looking for, as always it’s just about looking in the right places.
More up-market resorts including Phuket are home to some of the best restaurants, where you’ll find live seafood on display ready to eat, including dishes like lobster, which cost a fraction of the price when compared to home. And what better way to enjoy it than right on the waterfront. Many dishes are grilled or served as part of thick red or green curries with coconut cream that taste divine.
North of Bangkok
If you’re also thinking of seeing the north of the country, then a trip back to Bangkok will almost certainly be required. A train north from the capital overnight goes as far as Chiang Mai, a city that moves at an altogether slower pace than Bangkok and is considerably smaller, although equally well set up for foreign tourists.
North of Bangkok
If you’re also thinking of seeing the north of the country, then a trip back to Bangkok will almost certainly be required. A train north from the capital overnight goes as far as Chiang Mai, a city that moves at an altogether slower pace than Bangkok and is considerably smaller, although equally well set up for foreign tourists.
Head South for Thailand's Famous Beaches
Many visitors head straight to the south, usually by bus or plane, for the most popular beach destinations Phuket, Krabi and the islands of Ko Samui, Ko Phi Phi (where the Hollywood blockbuster “The Beach” was filmed) and Ko Pha Ngan, home of the infamous full moon parties that go on long into the following morning.
Like most parts of Thailand, the best time to go is between November and April when there is almost no rain. At this time of year the skies are clear and the air less humid. It’s still hot though down south at around 35 degrees Celsius, but the nights are usually pleasant.
The dry season is also preferable if you’re thinking of scuba diving or snorkeling in the many reefs that dot the shoreline and the islands in Thailand’s south, a time when the rains end and the sea becomes crystal clear, allowing for excellent underwater views.
The food in Thailand’s southern region, like the beaches, is arguably some of the best you will find anywhere in Asia, especially the seafood.
Many visitors head straight to the south, usually by bus or plane, for the most popular beach destinations Phuket, Krabi and the islands of Ko Samui, Ko Phi Phi (where the Hollywood blockbuster “The Beach” was filmed) and Ko Pha Ngan, home of the infamous full moon parties that go on long into the following morning.
Like most parts of Thailand, the best time to go is between November and April when there is almost no rain. At this time of year the skies are clear and the air less humid. It’s still hot though down south at around 35 degrees Celsius, but the nights are usually pleasant.
The dry season is also preferable if you’re thinking of scuba diving or snorkeling in the many reefs that dot the shoreline and the islands in Thailand’s south, a time when the rains end and the sea becomes crystal clear, allowing for excellent underwater views.
The food in Thailand’s southern region, like the beaches, is arguably some of the best you will find anywhere in Asia, especially the seafood.
The town is centred around an old city wall. Its main backdrop is Doi Suthep, a hill that lazily climbs to a peak northeast of Chiang Mai, offering spectacular views of the city and the surrounding area. Like many parts of the north, the ride up the hill is littered with waterfalls, many of which are fit for bathing, and there is an impressive Buddhist temple at the top.
Visitors should take note that bare shoulders are not welcome in Buddhist temples no matter what the temperature outside is so make sure you cover up.
Chiang Mai is unsurprisingly less expensive than Bangkok in almost every respect-a decent guesthouse house will cost about US $7 and meals as little as 40 US cents if you’re eating from stalls in the street, which serve a variety of northern specialties. Noodles with broth and skewered pork and chicken, or satay, are the most common dishes on offer.
Visitors should take note that bare shoulders are not welcome in Buddhist temples no matter what the temperature outside is so make sure you cover up.
Chiang Mai is unsurprisingly less expensive than Bangkok in almost every respect-a decent guesthouse house will cost about US $7 and meals as little as 40 US cents if you’re eating from stalls in the street, which serve a variety of northern specialties. Noodles with broth and skewered pork and chicken, or satay, are the most common dishes on offer.
There are restaurants that cater to western tastes as well, particularly Italian and Mediterranean but also chains of the fast food restaurants that some will no doubt have come to escape, including McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
And that’s the thing about Thailand. The reason it has become so popular as a tourist destination is that it manages to provide the things that we cannot get at home with the things that we can. It effortlessly mixes beautiful beaches with Big Macs and Buddhist temples with Tescos supermarkets and therefore makes itself accessible, convenient and just different enough from home to make visitors want to come back.
As the main hub of Southeast Asia, Thailand also serves as the ideal starting point for adventures elsewhere in the region.
With many of the comforts westerners take for granted, Thailand will ease you out of jet lag and into the ways of the east ready for nearby destinations that will seem a lot further from home. And when you’ve had enough of the unfamiliar, it will be waiting for you, burger in hand, all over again.
Gwyneth Harland - November 20, 2006
And that’s the thing about Thailand. The reason it has become so popular as a tourist destination is that it manages to provide the things that we cannot get at home with the things that we can. It effortlessly mixes beautiful beaches with Big Macs and Buddhist temples with Tescos supermarkets and therefore makes itself accessible, convenient and just different enough from home to make visitors want to come back.
As the main hub of Southeast Asia, Thailand also serves as the ideal starting point for adventures elsewhere in the region.
With many of the comforts westerners take for granted, Thailand will ease you out of jet lag and into the ways of the east ready for nearby destinations that will seem a lot further from home. And when you’ve had enough of the unfamiliar, it will be waiting for you, burger in hand, all over again.
Gwyneth Harland - November 20, 2006
Chiang Dao National Park, Chiang Mai Province
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