Thailand
Gimme some advice!
Do you know of any people / places / hotels / restaurants / bars / guides / resources in this country that you think would be unmissable?
I need it written down.
Stick your advice in the comments - pleasepleaseplease
I'll be in Bangkok, in Thailand in December 2005:
Karen's gf P suggests:
1. The King's Palace. It's splendor is amazing and beautiful and disgusting at the same time. Bring an interpreter with you (at 300 Baht/hour) to interpret the history on the walls.
2. Siam Center.
3. Chinatown.
4. Take a long tail boat ride.
5. Take pictures of and buy from the floating market.
6. Wat Pho temple.
7. Victory Monument.
8. Thammasett University.
9. In Bangkok, don't, in any circumstance or however adventurous you are feeling, take the tuktuk. Trust me. Just don't.
Sal suggests
1. Maddox's Guide to Thailand. 2. and anything in south-east asia: Zalzadore's Big Wander for some of the posts re cheapaschips detox/yoga/taichi resort thingy, with own hut overlooking sea from forested hillside, that sort of thing
3. in the meantime, check out some of these photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zalzadore/
eg the photos surrounding this one
Daan says:
Can't really tell you much about Thailand that won't be bleedingly obvious once you get there. The tourist trail is so well-lubed... it's nigh impossible to "do your own thing" there. I thought Indonesia was much more "adventurous" in that regard, but hey, some people like more "guidance" or whatever you wanna call it and appreciate the solid tourist infrastructure Thailand has to offer. Just some random things that come highly recommended: a boat trip around Ko Phi Phi ("the" beach from "The Beach"), full moon party on Ko Pha-ngan (only if you're into that sorta thing), herbal whiskey, sweet sticky rice, renting a motorbike for a day on one of the islands, a Shan/Burmese massage, a two-day white water rafting trip in Pai, a ride on the Chao Praya river express in Bangkok, the Chatuchak market in Bangkok (a huge motherfucker of a market), wandering the grounds of the temples and the Royal Palace in Bangkok, ...
In Thailand, you should be able to get a decent room for around 200 Baht. In Malaysia, around 20-25 RM (twin/double). Singapore is much more expensive: 18 S'pore dollar for just a dorm bed.
Waterhot says:
1. Obviously the Grand Palac is exceptional
2. The Reclining Buddha is similarly stunning (and impossible to photograph, which lends a whole fun of its own)
3. A boat tour of the Bangkok Khlongs is an interesting way to see some of the variety of a major Asian city, but if your time is limited I wouldn't be inclined to try to force it into my schedule, as the boats go pretty fast and things either pass in a blur or are too far away to see a great deal
4. A typical touristy thing to do is to take a coach to the floating market at Damnoensaduak (worth doing, but to see the local residents, for whom this really is their local market, rather than the stalls of tat, which are straightforward tourist traps), before going on to the Rose Garden - a sort of country club that serves as a showcase for "traditional" Thai culture - there's a (very artificial) show depicting a traditional wedding, thai boxing, elephants, traditional dances and so on. If you like kitsch - or if you're only going to be in Thailand for two days and you want the rapid helicopter tour of the culture - it's for you.
5. Better than taking a tourist bus is to hire a personal guide for a couple of days - he'll also take you to the floating market, but you can negotiate with him to go more off the beaten track - there's an orchid farm about an hour outside Bangkok where most of the tourist buses stop, but if you continue from there another half hour or so you get into the coconut groves, you can stop and see real peasants doing real work, rather than artists impersonating them.
6. It's worth being quite firm with a personal guide and telling him that you want to see real Thai life - for example, visit the street market in Maeklong (and hour or so outside Bangkok). Once he understands what interests you, he can usually come up with some really interesting ideas - and it's not at all expensive.
7. Finally, if you're in Bangkok for a few days, it's seriously worth considering taking the opportunity to nip across the border in Cambodia to visit the legendary temple at Angkor Wat. I never realised how close it was the first time I went, but unless Cambodia is on your list for one of your other four round-the-world trips, you'll never get a better chance to see it.
Zalzadore says:
1. In Bangkok, unless you want nic hotels and pumping girly nightlife within a few meters of your door, you should stay at the National Library district.
It has some decent bus connections and is on the river bus route (stop Tha Thewet). It's quiet but right next to a bustling fish and food market, river side temple and make sure you feed the fish at the boat stop - It's a Thai custom.
2. I would recomend the north west of Thailand, particularly Chang Mai, Pai and Mae Hong Son (depending on how much time you have [Edit: I have a month!]). See my blog for the route I took on a motorbike tour of the area. As you get towards Burma, it gets quite spectacular.
3. Head to Pattaya for a night and walk along the beach front to check out the extent to which men destroy themselves through desire. Then take in the best Lady Boy Caberet show in Thailand. (Make sure you give yourself a chance to get to know a few lady boys. they are an interestng cultural island)
4. If you're into cheap, natural Islands, head over to the Cambodian side of the Gulf of Thailand. Head out to Koh Chang from Trat (a nice little town if you stay near the canal). From Koh Chang head to Koh Wai or some of the smaller islands. Koh Wai is stunning in it's cheap simplicity. But make sure you don't go during Thai holidays as it's small and you won't find anywhere to stay.
5. Oh, and don't spend too much time in Thailand because you might miss some of Vietnam.
Sal says:
and that nifty place zalzadore stayed at with the detox and the demi-courses and the private huts off in the trees, was in Koh Samui and is called Spa Samui. wander round the website, and consider treating yourself to a week or two there
Do you know of any people / places / hotels / restaurants / bars / guides / resources in this country that you think would be unmissable?
I need it written down.
Stick your advice in the comments - pleasepleaseplease
I'll be in Bangkok, in Thailand in December 2005:
Karen's gf P suggests:
1. The King's Palace. It's splendor is amazing and beautiful and disgusting at the same time. Bring an interpreter with you (at 300 Baht/hour) to interpret the history on the walls.
2. Siam Center.
3. Chinatown.
4. Take a long tail boat ride.
5. Take pictures of and buy from the floating market.
6. Wat Pho temple.
7. Victory Monument.
8. Thammasett University.
9. In Bangkok, don't, in any circumstance or however adventurous you are feeling, take the tuktuk. Trust me. Just don't.
Sal suggests
1. Maddox's Guide to Thailand. 2. and anything in south-east asia: Zalzadore's Big Wander for some of the posts re cheapaschips detox/yoga/taichi resort thingy, with own hut overlooking sea from forested hillside, that sort of thing
3. in the meantime, check out some of these photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zalzadore/
eg the photos surrounding this one
Daan says:
Can't really tell you much about Thailand that won't be bleedingly obvious once you get there. The tourist trail is so well-lubed... it's nigh impossible to "do your own thing" there. I thought Indonesia was much more "adventurous" in that regard, but hey, some people like more "guidance" or whatever you wanna call it and appreciate the solid tourist infrastructure Thailand has to offer. Just some random things that come highly recommended: a boat trip around Ko Phi Phi ("the" beach from "The Beach"), full moon party on Ko Pha-ngan (only if you're into that sorta thing), herbal whiskey, sweet sticky rice, renting a motorbike for a day on one of the islands, a Shan/Burmese massage, a two-day white water rafting trip in Pai, a ride on the Chao Praya river express in Bangkok, the Chatuchak market in Bangkok (a huge motherfucker of a market), wandering the grounds of the temples and the Royal Palace in Bangkok, ...
In Thailand, you should be able to get a decent room for around 200 Baht. In Malaysia, around 20-25 RM (twin/double). Singapore is much more expensive: 18 S'pore dollar for just a dorm bed.
Waterhot says:
1. Obviously the Grand Palac is exceptional
2. The Reclining Buddha is similarly stunning (and impossible to photograph, which lends a whole fun of its own)
3. A boat tour of the Bangkok Khlongs is an interesting way to see some of the variety of a major Asian city, but if your time is limited I wouldn't be inclined to try to force it into my schedule, as the boats go pretty fast and things either pass in a blur or are too far away to see a great deal
4. A typical touristy thing to do is to take a coach to the floating market at Damnoensaduak (worth doing, but to see the local residents, for whom this really is their local market, rather than the stalls of tat, which are straightforward tourist traps), before going on to the Rose Garden - a sort of country club that serves as a showcase for "traditional" Thai culture - there's a (very artificial) show depicting a traditional wedding, thai boxing, elephants, traditional dances and so on. If you like kitsch - or if you're only going to be in Thailand for two days and you want the rapid helicopter tour of the culture - it's for you.
5. Better than taking a tourist bus is to hire a personal guide for a couple of days - he'll also take you to the floating market, but you can negotiate with him to go more off the beaten track - there's an orchid farm about an hour outside Bangkok where most of the tourist buses stop, but if you continue from there another half hour or so you get into the coconut groves, you can stop and see real peasants doing real work, rather than artists impersonating them.
6. It's worth being quite firm with a personal guide and telling him that you want to see real Thai life - for example, visit the street market in Maeklong (and hour or so outside Bangkok). Once he understands what interests you, he can usually come up with some really interesting ideas - and it's not at all expensive.
7. Finally, if you're in Bangkok for a few days, it's seriously worth considering taking the opportunity to nip across the border in Cambodia to visit the legendary temple at Angkor Wat. I never realised how close it was the first time I went, but unless Cambodia is on your list for one of your other four round-the-world trips, you'll never get a better chance to see it.
Zalzadore says:
1. In Bangkok, unless you want nic hotels and pumping girly nightlife within a few meters of your door, you should stay at the National Library district.
It has some decent bus connections and is on the river bus route (stop Tha Thewet). It's quiet but right next to a bustling fish and food market, river side temple and make sure you feed the fish at the boat stop - It's a Thai custom.
2. I would recomend the north west of Thailand, particularly Chang Mai, Pai and Mae Hong Son (depending on how much time you have [Edit: I have a month!]). See my blog for the route I took on a motorbike tour of the area. As you get towards Burma, it gets quite spectacular.
3. Head to Pattaya for a night and walk along the beach front to check out the extent to which men destroy themselves through desire. Then take in the best Lady Boy Caberet show in Thailand. (Make sure you give yourself a chance to get to know a few lady boys. they are an interestng cultural island)
4. If you're into cheap, natural Islands, head over to the Cambodian side of the Gulf of Thailand. Head out to Koh Chang from Trat (a nice little town if you stay near the canal). From Koh Chang head to Koh Wai or some of the smaller islands. Koh Wai is stunning in it's cheap simplicity. But make sure you don't go during Thai holidays as it's small and you won't find anywhere to stay.
5. Oh, and don't spend too much time in Thailand because you might miss some of Vietnam.
Sal says:
and that nifty place zalzadore stayed at with the detox and the demi-courses and the private huts off in the trees, was in Koh Samui and is called Spa Samui. wander round the website, and consider treating yourself to a week or two there
posted by Lectrice at lunes, junio 07, 2004
1 Advice:
A month in Thailand!
Definitely go to the King's Palace and get a local interpreter to tell you the stories on the walls.
Then go in one of the Buddhist temple and experience at least 3 days of meditation.
Don't miss getting anuat Thai, which you can get even in Bangkok.
Hmm. I should ask P more. I should badger her. She likes your stuff, btw, in the other blog.
And oh yeah. Bangkok is just 5 hours away from Manila. Yim.
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