Thailand Travel Guide @ TravelNotes.org

Travel Notes: Asia: Thailand Travel Notes

Thailand tourist information with details about travel to and around the country. Where to stay and what to see is made easier with insider tips and hand-selected Thailand links, by dedicated editors and visitors to TravelNotes.org - The Online Guide to Travel.

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Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand, formerly known as Siam, has never been a dependency of another country.

Countries neighbouring Thailand are: Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia.

The modern Monarchy is still very important to Thai people, and visitors should also show respect for the King, Queen, Princes and Princesses.

Weather in Thailand

View a graphical weather forecast for the week ahead in places around Thailand.

Ayutthaya Weather, Bangkok Weather, Chiang Mai Weather, Hat Yai Weather, Lampang Weather, Nakhon Pathom Weather, Pattaya Weather, Phuket Weather, Songkhla Weather, Ubon Ratchathani Weather, Udon Thani Weather.

Bangkok

There are more than 400 Buddhist temples and monasteries, wats, in the capital city, with Wat Arun, or Temple of Dawn, one of the most well known.

The central prang rises 104 metres above the temple compound, in the typical style of Ayuthaya, and is best seen from the opposite side of the Chao Phraya River.

Bangkok, Oriental City:
The capital of Thailand is often the starting point for travel to Thailand, unless you are travelling up by land up from Singapore and Malaysia.

Around Bangkok

Three to five days should be enough for Bangkok.

The traffic in the city is horrendous, although the many wats offer sanctuary from the noise and pollution.

Getting Around Bangkok

Tuk-tuks are an ideal mode of transport around the city, when your feet get tired, as buses can be rather overcrowded.

Bangkok Mass Transit System:
Getting around Bangkok using public transport.

Bangkok Skytrain Map:
On December 5, 1999 a new form of transportation became available to the citizens of Bangkok: The Skytrain.

Bangkok Tourism

Bangkok Attractions:
Things to see and do in and around the capital of Thailand.

Bangkok City Guide:
While Bangkok has embraced westernisation and modernisation, you only need to look a little under the surface to see that it remains undeniably a Thai place at heart.

Bangkok Magazine:
This electronic magazine provides a wide range of information about Bangkok, its people, and the many things to do and places to go in the City of Angels.

Embassies in Bangkok:
You may need a visa for onward travel to neighbouring countries and Bangkok is as good a place as any to get them.

Bangkok Accommodation

Bangkok Hotels:
Whether you want to reserve a hotel near the airport, for a late arrival or early departure, or in the popular Sukhumvit Road part of Bangkok, you're sure to find a suitable hotel in your budget.

Sort Bangkok Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, Hotel Name.

Budget Accommodation in Bangkok:
Reserve your accommodation online, before you arrive in Bangkok, if you don't want to find that the best bargains are already taken.

Rembrant Hotel Bangkok:
The Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok, on Sukhumvit Soi 18 in the centre of Bangkok, combines traditional Thai service with the highest European standards to create a unique blend of style and elegance.

The Former Thai Capital

Ayuthaya:
For a pleasant day-trip out of Bangkok, visit the ruins of the ancient capital of Thailand.

Around Thailand

Thailand's Beaches

Once they've done Bangkok, most people then head up to the hills of the north, or the Thai beaches of Phuket and Koh Samui Island to the south; ideally you would want to do both.

The train from Bangkok to Chiangmai takes between nine and fourteen hours.

For those on limited time, Pattaya Beach is closer to the capital, but it's getting to be like one giant brothel - you can get all that in Bangkok too - around Patpong.

If you get the chance, you should see a performance of colourful Thai court dance, brought to Thailand by the Thai armies which sacked Angkor in 1431.

Amari Hotels and Resorts:
There are currently sixteen properties in the group: in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Samui and Phuket. Amari Hotels and Resorts also manages a nature resort in the very north of Thailand and two city lodge properties.

Bangkok Airways:
If time is limited you can even fly to Koh Samui or Chiang Mai. Bangkok Airways also have services to Cambodia, Myanmar, and Singapore.

Festivals in Thailand:
What's going on in the Buddhist kingdom from month to month?

Tourism Authority of Thailand:
A warm welcome to the Land of Smiles with plenty of helpful tips and advice to help you plan your trip to Thailand.

Pattaya

Pattaya is a great holiday destination and is perhaps one of the best places to escape to.

Unusual and exotic, Pattaya is among the few cities in the world that offers a unique blend of urban life and tropical paradise. Warm and sunny throughout the year, this city is the prefect getaway for the family, or if you just want to be by yourself.

Accommodations in this beautiful city range from hotel rooms at very low rates to those with exorbitant price tags. The cheaper hotels offer basic but clean rooms with a fan or with air conditioning, with bathroom facilities usually also provided.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, five-star and luxury resorts offer their guests plush rooms with spa treatments and massages. The grandest of rooms and the most sparse, all can be found in Pattaya.
Sent in by: Discover Asia.

Accommodation in Pattaya

Hotels in Pattaya:
Find hotels in Pattaya with special online rates.

Sort Pattaya Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, Hotel Name.

Northern Thailand

Chiang Dao:
Chiang Dao, literally translated 'the City of Stars', is North of Chiang Mai en route to Tha Ton.

Northern Thailand:
The Chiangmai & Chiangrai Magazine is an informative source for northern Thailand. There's even a travel help section where they will try to answer your e-mail questions.

Chiang Mai

Advice for Visitors to Chiang Mai, Thailand:
Many guide books on Thailand only partially cover the subject of health and well-being while travelling in the country, so this article gives you some advice about transportation, protocol, health, and the law.

Chiang Mai:
Chiang Mai has many ancient temples to visit, and is the jumping off point for Chiang Rai.

Chiang Mai Hotels:
Find hotels in Chiang Mai with special online rates.

North Thailand Adventures:
If you don't have much time and want to go elephant riding, do a little rafting and spend the night in a traditional hill tribe village; this is the program for you.

Tarin Hotel: Chiangmai:
First Class accommodation in 170 spacious guest rooms and suites, ten minutes from Chiangmai's Night Bazaar. Personal attention to detail and caring in the 'Lanna' tradition.
Special rates for Internet bookings. Highly recommended.

Wayfarers Travel:
Tours and treks in Chiang Mai and throughout Northern Thailand. Itineraries take you to temples, handicraft centres, elephant camps, hill-tribe villages, bamboo rafting and some fantastic scenery. Customised programs anywhere in northern Thailand.

Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai:
Ride an elephant around the hill-tribe villages, spend time trekking, or visit the Myanmar border market.

Koh Phangan

Ko Pha Ngan is the nearest island to Samui. Boats can be readily hired for the trip. The beaches are good and there are also several scenic waterfalls, but while there is some budget accommodation, the island is much less developed than Samui.

Full Moon Party Tips

If you're going out to the famous Full Moon Party at Haad Rin Beach, make sure that you only take out what you really need - most resorts provide a free safety deposit box to keep your valuables in.

Phangan Info:
A natural paradise island in the Southern Gulf of Thailand, Koh Phangan is a perfect getaway retreat for relaxing on deserted beaches, learning to dive at Koh Ma or trekking Than Sadet National Park.

Koh Samui

Koh Samui has more than it's fair share of beautiful beaches, from quiet, laid back beaches with few people and authentic Thai villages to busy beaches and modern resorts with lots of people and attractions.

Getting to Koh Samui:
Bangkok Airways is the only airline that flies directly to Koh Samui or you can fly to the Surat Thani airport with Thai Airways and make the bus and ferry connection to Koh Samui.

Samui.org:
Comprehensive information about the island of Koh Samui.

Accommodation in Koh Samui

Hotels in Koh Samui:
Find hotels in Koh Samui with special online rates.

Sort Koh Samui Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, Hotel Name.

Cheap Places to Stay on Koh Samui

Finding a place to stay on Koh Samui is not that hard; the bungalow owners will probably find you first, if they have vacancies.

To be sure that you have a bed in the resort of your choice, it might be wise to book online before you go.

Chaweng Villa Beach Resort:
Stay in traditional Thai bungalows and enjoy modern facilities, right on Chaweng Beach. Enjoy windsurfing, diving and kayaking as well as swimming at the resort's own beach with sun-loungers provided.

Samui Beach Resort:
All the bungalows at the Samui Beach Resort stand in a tropical garden right on the quiet beach of Lamai. They range from standard bungalows with fan and hot water to superior bungalows with air-conditioning, TV, mini bar and hot water. Restaurant, bar and swimming-pool.

Phuket

Phuket Beaches:
The reason most people go to Phuket. Also includes the islands within a daytrip of Phuket.

Phuket Guide:
The online version of A Visitor's Guide to Phuket has all the current information you need to make informed choices.

Phuket Sailing:
Sail away from the main island of Phuket and discover hundreds of unspoiled idyllic anchorages in the Andaman Sea.

Travel Phuket:
Phuket travel information and news, with plenty of suggestions on where to go and what to see, in and around Phuket.

Accommodation in Phuket

Hotels in Phuket:
Find hotels in Phuket with special online rates.

Thavorn Beach Village Hotel & Spa:
Set in a truly breathtaking environment; a prime location amongst the lush greenery of Nakalay Bay, close to the crystal clear ocean and fine white sands. Guestrooms are arranged in traditional Thai style with direct access to the swimming pool, or with a magnificent view over the ocean.

Sort Phuket Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, Hotel Name.

Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta is about 70km south of Krabi, on the eastern side of southern Thailand's Phang Nga Bay.

Getting to Koh Lanta

The nearest airports are Phuket, Krabi and Trang.

From Phuket

Most travellers to Koh Lanta make the journey from Phuket, via Phi Phi Island. This is only possible from November to April.

From Krabi

Coming from Krabi, two boats a day depart from the Klong Chi Lard Pier (west of the town). The journey takes around two hours and again only runs from November to April.

From Trang

Minibuses to Koh Lanta leave from opposite Trang railway station at 12:00 throughout the year, with more departures in operation from November to April (10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 15:30). The journey takes about 2½ hours.

Koh Lanta Island:
Not long ago there were only ten resorts on Lanta, now there are around a hundred. This site lists them.

Lanta Info:
Koh Lanta Island is a long thin island running north to south. The west coast (or sunset coast) faces the Andaman Sea with a string of beautiful white-sand beaches that host the island’s resorts.

Surin

Surin:
Surin is internationally famous for the elephant festival in mid-November.

Thailand Tours

Circle Of Asia:
Thailand and South-East Asia travel agency with plenty of Thailand information and travel tips, including a side look at Cambodia.

Thai Travel Tips

Do not wear shorts around The Grand Palace or in religious shrines, and women definitely shouldn't parade themselves in a bikini top.

Shoes have to be removed when entering the chapel where the principal Buddha statue is located.

Outdoor footwear is also removed when entering Thai homes, and you should avoid pointing your feet at people when sitting on the floor; it is considered rude.

If a Buddhist priest is to receive anything from a woman, it is first passed to a man, and then to the priest.

When greeting Thais it is customary to press the palms together in a wai, or prayer-like gesture.

Never touch a Thai on the head, this is considered the highest point of the body in a very literal sense.

Plan Before You Arrive in Thailand

Thailand has great beaches and great inland scenery and accommodation of all standards. To make your trip run smoothly do some planning before you arrive and if its the high season or public holidays make sure you have transport and accommodation pre-booked.
Sent in by: Wayfarers Travel.

Thailand Travel Guides

More detailed travel destination information for:

Bangkok.

Books on Thailand Travel:
Browse Amazon's best-selling list of books on travel in Thailand.