Insider Info on Thailand:
BANGKOK:
HOW IT GOES DOWN:
- The prostitution and lady boys are a fact of nature there. Deal, or get over it quickly.
- On the street corner you can have T-shirts being sold next to toys, next to Viagra, next to porn and sex toys on one block. Also of the same clothe most pharmacies there don’t require prescriptions….noted by the sign they will have in the window stating so.
- Bangkok was way more Metropolitan than expected
- Used my BBerry from home as a phone. Went to a department store and got a Thai SIM Card, then you reup and buy minutes at the local 7/11
- Relevant Nomad.ness Episodes: http://youtu.be/fncswmYbGCo,http://youtu.be/D0S67bULWrs, http://youtu.be/vqwK229EP7Y
TRANSPORT:
- efficient train station set up
- tuk tuks
- car cabs
- Note that the traffic is horrendous here, especially during rush hour. Take the train if at all possible. It took us an hour to go 5 miles.
- If traveling within Thailand/SEAsia, Bangkok is the major hub. If taking air travel, it’s a great airport…if that’s your style.
- Ground transportation- like much of what’s around in SEAsia- is dirt cheap. Take advantage if traveling long distances.
FOOD:
- Street food rocks
- For a higher end meal with a view, check out Long Table at the Column Hotel.
- Noodle Soup Bars, you’ll see them in closet sized resturants. Nuturing grounding hangover cure.
ENTERTAINMENT:
- Red Light District, ping pong shows, enjoy at your own discretion (Token note: Worth checking out. Like anything that is legit foreign, it’s a bit fascinating to see how the cultures of the world work…even the seedy underbellies of said cultures. Just be sure to have a couple of cocktails to loosen you up if you’re the squeamish type)
- Bar Crawls
- Art scene
- Worth it to take the quick train ride to Ayutthaya to see the Ruins and reclined Buddha at Wat Pho
- Emerald Buddha at the Grand Palace. It’s at the center of town, and is a complex of the most ornate temples you’ll ever see. WELL worth it.
- Muay Thai fights
- Khao San Road is the touristy/backpacker filled pedestrian only road with bars, hostels, restaurants and all kinds of stalls hawking clothing, dvds and such. Worth walking down just to take it all in.
CHIANG MAI:
HOW IT GOES DOWN:
- You’ll arrive at Hua Lampong Trains station and be bombarded by taxis. You can have a spot you’re trying to get to but if you don’t know where to sta and you’re just winging it, they will have more than enough guesthouses they have connects with to take you to. Up to you
- Caught Dengue Fever here. have that DEET spray on deck
- If you get sick, there is an English speaking doctor, Named Doctor Will, this is his email: wirachat@hotmail.com He works at a local hospital Ravajeva (sp?)
TRANSPORT:
- You can take a ’12+’ hour overnight train ride from Bangkok’s Hua Lampong Main Train station to get to Chiang Mai for the morning. Recommended you take the 1st or 2nd class sleeper fr around 600 bhat ($20) (Update!!! The train have been having issues with derailing. Trains have been halted for repairs.)
- You can also takes several bus lines from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Recommendation ->http://www.nakhonchaiair.com
- Sangtews in the north are a extremeley cheap efficent way to get around. It’s like a collective taxi.
- tuk tuks, rent moped recommended
- blue and red ‘buses’ that take specific routes
- WATCH YOUR SELF on those moterbikes sure are sexy but I ran into too many people who got mamed by them… YES MAMED. If you want to get your scooter on in Thailand, then practice.
- don’t mind the elephants that come out late at night
- Nearest Visa border run is Burma… approx 5 hour bus ride. US Citizens get 30 days for border crossing as of November 1, 2013.
- If you need specific directions on getting from Chiang Mai to Siem Reap, Cambodia hit Evita up (see end of document)
CULTURAL ACTIVITIES:
- Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center – http://www.oldchiangmai.com
- Wats or Temples (To big to list here so look for document named Chiang Mai Wats.)
FOOD:
- Hit those street carts, but the main downtown area by Thapae Gate has tons of restaurants
- fruit smoothies are the shit
- if you do street food your meals average around 25 baht a pop ($1…no bullshit)
- Chiang Mai is a BIG city, explore and stop for the ubiqitous food cart. You’ll find more local eats that the tourist Districts.
- Must eats Pad Thai, Khao Soy,
ENTERTAINMENT:
- Rooftop Bar across from Thaipae Gate (called ” THC Rooftop Bar” and they do Treks too!)
- Jazz Bar by North Gate. Open mic on Tuesdays. Basically open every night.
- Reggae Bar…which is exactly all you have to say to someone to find out where it is. The Reggae Bar is actually just one bar in a cluster
- Get your ass up to the waterfall and Shrine at the top of Doi Sutep
- Tiger petting not far out of town (Token note: If you’re an animal lover, it’s a mixed bag; tigers are deadly. To pet one, it’s on a shit-ton of Ambien…or something like that.)
- Excursion companies are littered about all over the place; if you have the time, check them out for some day-long excursions. On my trip, we took a day trip that included an Orchid garden, a jungle hike, rafting, and an elephant ride. Affordable, busy, and a good deal of fun.
SPAS:
HEALING CENTERS:
SHOPPING:
- Saturday Walking Street Market (Handicrafts and lots of gift items excellent prices. Support the local economy and artists.)
- Sunday Walking Street Market (Handicrafts and lots of gift items excellent prices. Support the local economy and artists.)
- Warorot Market in Chinatown located near Ping River
PHUKET:
HOW IT GOES DOWN:
Small airport leaves a bit to be desired. Find yourself an official cab stand for transportation. They work in conjunction with reputable lodging, so if you’re not pre-booked, you’ll want a solid guide.
- Patong Beach only:
- Scout out during the day if possible before you venture out. It’s night and day down there. Daytime lends itself to a pretty cozy resort town. Cheap food/drink available. Beautiful beaches.
- Nighttime is another story. Travel in pairs if at all possible.
- Stayed at the Palmyra with a group of 5 guys. Accommodations were fine by my standards: place to lay my head, functioning showers, modern toilet. Pool, free wi-fi, and omlette bar included with the free breakfast helped, too. Plenty of places on your way in, though.
- Nai Yang Beach:
- Beautiful Tree lined beach very close to the airport (~5-10 min drive?)
- Businesses/restuarants/resorts line the tree lined beach
- A good place to unwind and the polar opposite of Patong Beach. Not sure if there was very much here in terms of nightlife, but a great place to unwind, if only a couple hours before your flight.
TRANSPORT: Tuk tuks worked well
- It should be noted in general that driving in this part of the world will make whatever metro area you’re used to seem like a joke. Shit is nuts. Best not to watch.
- Bike rentals worth looking into.
FOOD:
- If you’re not at least exploring the possibility of Thai food, get out.
- Street food is a solid bet. Patong offered a crepe stand. Seek it out w/ Nutella.
- If not on a terribly strict budget, it’s worth the extra $3 for an additional plate to share (if in pairs).
ENTERTAINMENT:
- Patong: Nightlife central. Alcohol and bad decisions aplenty. $1.25 mixed drinks? Uh oh. Tai Pan is no joke. Dance music, ladyboys, drinks…something for everyone, whether you want it or not.
- Prostitutes hanging out at bars playing bar games is a pretty entertaining time for the cost of a drink…best Connect Four players you’ll ever meet.
- If you go out in Patong, check out U2 Bar. On the ceiling, you should find a picture of Gary & the Mos. That’s my mark on Phuket. Take a snapshot and add your own. Let’s make that a Nomadness bar.
PHI PHI:
HOW IT GOES DOWN:
- Book a room.
- Drop your shit off.
- Unwind. When you arrive at port, the great majority of business will be along the coast: lodging, food, excursions, bars…if you’re looking for more relaxed pace, settle in and go out from there.
- Koh Phi Phi Don is the habitable Island
- Koh Phi Phi Le is the Island made famous by the move “The Beach”, although I don’t believe you can stay on this island. With daily round trip boat rides (~15 min each way).
TRANSPORT: Transport to the island is by boat. It’s a packed boat, probably uncomfortable. If you get seasick, try to stay close to the back and maybe on the bottom deck. Like a lot of transportation in SEAsia, it’s uncomfortable, but you can’t complain on account of the price. Besides, you’re heading for paradise. On the island, I’m sure there were bikes. It’s so small that you don’t need any, though. On foot is best.
FOOD:
- Same rules apply: cheap and accessible. Worth asking the locals for the best around. If they’re not working IN a restaurant, they’ll point you in the right direction.
- On the main drag from the pier, make a right, then a left about a fifth of a mile up. Lots of good eats for cheap. Bars, too (this is pleasure island, after all).
ENTERTAINMENT:
- The full moon parties are not to be missed if you’re around during that time of the month (note that Phi Phi isn’t known for the full blown Full Moon Parties, that’s Koh Pha Ngan, on the other side of the country near Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand).
- If not, lots of relaxation. Tranquil beaches.
- Boat tours, kayaking, hiking…all available.
- I went scuba-ing. Intro course with certified diving instructors. Went through Hippo Divers (take pier to main drag, make a right, no more than a couple hundred feet up on your left. Ask for Goose), and had a blast. Very thorough session, and managed to swim with some solid aquatic life.
- Make a trip to Reggae Bar – Nightly Thai Boxing that borders on WWF “fake” wrestling. Lots of aerobatics and stunts you wouldn’t find in a standard thai boxing match that we experienced in Chiang Mai. They also have amateur thai boxing matches, where you square up against a random person at the bar, winner gets a free bucket of booze. Worst comes to worst it’s good entertainment to start out the night.
- For those that toke up – Visit the Rolling Stoned Bar by day, on the other side of the island (not very far) from the main pier. It sits on the beach and word has it that you can buy joints and hang out in their chill/lax area.
- There are a good deal of bars on the island that cater themselves to all of the backpackers/ex pat workers that make their way through this tiny island.
KOH CHANG:
HOW IT GOES DOWN:
- Book a room, near White Sand beach for more action or head towards Klong Prao forsomething more relaxed.
- Check in and start your exploration
TRANSPORT:Transport to the island is by boat only. From Bangkok, it’s a bus to the port(Laem Ngop) which takes around 5-6 hours. Leave early morning, say 7am and youcan get to the port by 2pm to make the ferry across to Koh Chang. The ferrystops at around 6pm and does get busy at peak season so allow time. This is thecheapest option although it is possible to take a domestic flight from Bangkokto Trat and a ferry from there. To get around the island it Is possible to hire a moped or quad bike, it isn’t compulsory to wear a helmet but be sure to have your own insurance! Had an accident on one of these myself and a friend managed to break four ribs, an arm and an ankle… it WILL ruin your holiday not to be cautious.
FOOD:
- Avoid buying in the resort if you can. As Koh Chang is slightly more remote than other islands, a lot of prices are at a premium (around 25% mark-up at times!) so don’t be afraid to leave the resort and check out the local area.
- Cheap and cheerful is always possible in Koh Chang, especially if you head closer toWhite Sand Beach where there are a lot more backpackers around.
ENTERTAINMENT:
- Koh Chang isn’t the place for the Full Moon Parties, it is definitely more of achill-out place with beautiful beaches although White Sand beach will occasionally throw parties (nowhere near the scale of Koh Phangan).
- Trips to other islands is a possibility, prices are typically available online to book in advance. The companies are generally reliable but don’t be afraid to book in person and haggle on price.
- Boat tours, kayaking and trips to one of the five waterfalls is possible
- Tree Top Adventure is also on the island, I didn’t try this myself but have heard good reviews about it.
- If you head towards Lonely beach in the evening, there are open fires, cocktail and beer bars if you prefer a chilled out evening.
TRAVELING FROM CHIANG MAI TO SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA:
Getting from Chiang Mai to Siem Reap.
Take the train (10-12 hours depending on how it’s running) from Chiang Mai station to the Hua Lampong station in Bangkok (this is Bangkok’s main train station). If you’re trying to do border AND get to Siem Reap in the same day (which I highly recommend), catch the 5:55am train from Hua Lampong to Aranyaprathet. Aranyaprathet is the border area of Thailand and Poi Pet, Cambodia. The crossing is sketchy as fuck, just a heads up. But there will be other backpackers there. Get a tuk tuk to take you to the border. They’re notorious for trying to take you to other spots that they say will give you visas. Get to the border/market and somewhere in the market there is a spot for visas. Usually you can get a visa with a CRISP $10 USD bill or you’re going to have to pay in Thai Bhat the equivalent of about $30 USD. Cross the border and get to the sign that says ‘Free Bus Shuttle’ or something like that. Don’t worry, this free shuttle is legit and it takes you about 5 minutes away to the bus depot where you can pay for a van to take you to Siem Reap. It’s about a 2-3 hour drive before you hit the Old Market area of Siem Reap. For more info, also check out the website www.seat61.com.
