Thursday, February 7, 2013

Overview of Thailand

Thailand 2012:

 Here is a list of vendors I used in Thailand and some helpful information you should know prior to going to Thailand.

 Airfare:  

 Eva Air - SFO-TPE/TPE-SFO.  This was my second time flying Eva Air and I would highly recommend it to anyone traveling to Asia.  
  • Hub is located in Taiwan.
  • Organized check-in and boarding.
  • Coach has a lot of leg room.  
  • Blanket, socks, personal TV come with the coach seat.  
  • Food is good for airplane food and can be customized to your dietary needs for no additional charge. I get the Chinese vegetarian.  
Air Asia - TPE-HKT/HKT-CNX/CNX-DMK/BKK-TPE.  This was my first time flying Air Asia.  It is similar to Southwest in the USA. 

Pro's
  • Cheap airfare. 
  • Flies to most Asian airports.
  • Offers multiple times per day.
  • Comfortable seating. 
Con's
  • Carry on baggage cannot be more the 7kg.  (They are very strict on this policy!  If you are going to check a bag pre-pay the baggage fee online.  If you wait till the airport they will charge a high rate.  For example: TPE - HKT was close to 200 US Dollars for 2 bags because they were over carry on weight.)
  • No food or drinks are complimentary on the flight. 
  • Charge to pre-select your seats with your group.  
  • No TV's or movies shown. 
  • Depending on the airport - the check in counter can be a mess.  For example: In TPE the check in counter was very unorganized and the line was over an hour long. 
I would fly with Air Asia again - however - just beware of the few cons flying with a budget airline.

Hotel Bookings + Reviews:

Agoda:  http://www.agoda.com/

We booked all our hotels through this website.  They are reliable and provide reviews and pictures of each hotel.  

TripAdvisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/

Always a good source of information for hotels, attractions and useful information in forums. 

Railay:

Hotel: Railay Village Resort (544 Moo 2 Ao Nang, Muang, Krabi 81000 Thailand)

Car Service: http://www.krabishuttle.com/
  • Used from Phuket Airport (HKT) to Ao Nang
Ferry Service: Ao Nang Princess Ferry
  • http://www.globaltravelmate.com/asia/thailand/krabi/krabi-transport/2623-ao-nang-princess.html
Purchase tickets through your hotel or on the beach at the boat stand.

Long Boat Services:
  • Railay to Ton Sai Beach - 50baht
  • Railay to Ao Nang Beach - 100baht
Phuket:

Hotel: Blue Ocean Resort and Spa Phuket (273 Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong, Kathu, Phuket 83150 Thailand)
Tour: Phi Phi Island Full day - Speed boat
  • http://phukettour.com/phi_phi_similan_snorkeling.php
Chiang Mai:

Hotel: Shangri-La Chiang Mai (89/8 Chang Klan Road, Muang, Chiang Mai, 50100, Thailand)

Transportation to hotel: Taxis can be found on the ground floor of the domestic and international arrival halls.

  • Hotel is 10 mins by car to/from the airport (about 120BHT)


Tiger Kingdom:
  • http://thaielephanthome.com/
  • http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293917-d1422414-Reviews-Thai_Elephant_Home-Chiang_Mai.html
Jungle Flight:
  • http://www.jungleflightchiangmai.com/
  • http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1308496-d1739040-Reviews-Jungle_Flight-Chiang_Mai_Province.html
Siam Rice Thai Cookery School:
  • http://www.siamricethaicookery.com/about-us.php
  • http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293917-d1066025-Reviews-Siam_Rice_Thai_Cookery_School-Chiang_Mai.html
Bangkok:

Hotel: Hansar (3 Soi Mahadlekluang 2, Rajdamri Road, Bangkok 10330)

Packing Recommendations:
Medical Kit:

  • Antihistamine
    • Pill (Allergies)
  • Hydrocortisone
    • steroid cream for allergic
  • Stomach Issues
    • Pepto
    • Mylanta
  • Deet Bug repellent (Spray and wipes)
  • First Aid
    • Cream
    • Bandaids
    • Wraps
    • Nail clippers
    • Scissors
  • Advil
  • Sunscreen


Clothing:
  • Beaches:
    • Very humid weather. Bathing suits, light clothing is a must.
      • Note: Cotton does not dry fast due to humid weather.
    • Water shoes! Rocky areas are common on the beaches and in the water.
  • Temples:
    • Never enter a temple topless, or in shorts, sleeveless shirts, or other unsuitable attire. (Most temples will offer you free clothing to use during your visit)
    • It is acceptable to wear shoes when walking around the compound of a Buddhist temple but not inside where the Buddha image is kept.

No-No's:
Seashells:
  • Collecting seashells is illegal.
Littering:
  • A fine will be imposed on a person who litters or spits in public areas.
Drugs:
  • Penalties are VERY harsh in Thailand
Support of wild animal abuse:
  • Do not purchase any product or souvenirs made from wild animals - such as snake skin, ivory etc. Avoid restaurants that serve wild animal delicacies as it is against the law to kill wildlife for food in Thailand.
Touching a Monk:
  • Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman or to accept anything from the hands of one.
  • If a woman has to give something to a monk she should first hand it to a man who can then present it to the monk.
Helpful Numbers to have:

Police: Tourist Police - 1155

Visitor's needing assistance for safety or other matters should call the police.

Credit Card:

  • American Express Tel : 66(0)2-273 5100 or 66(0)81-559-5888
  • Master Card Tel : 66(0)2-256 7326 to 7
  • Visa Tel : 66(0)2-256 7326 to 7


Helpful Websites:

  • http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thailand
  • http://www.travelandleisure.com/search?query=thailand&search_cat=all
  • http://www.railay.com/railay/intro/activities.shtml
  • http://wikitravel.org/en/Thailand
  • http://www.tourismthailand.org/
  • http://www.frommers.com/destinations/thailand/
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