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5 Unmissable Melbourne Highlights

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The bustling metropolis of Melbourne sits on Australia’s south east coast in Victoria. Although in Ozzy terms it’s close to Sydney – only a few hours away by train or flight – Melbourne is very different to the capital. It’s a vibrant hub with a lot more architectural character than Australia’s other cities. A place where culture thrives, coffee shops abound, artists and musicians throng and is full of green spaces. Melbourne’s also the stepping stone to the South Coast, home of the famous Great Ocean Road, Phillip island and Tazmania. In this article we’re going at my favourite Melbourne attractions, the best things you definitely should check out if you have a few days in the city.

1 – Melbourne Street Art Trails

Melbourne is famous for its great street art. Rather than a kid’s spray can scrawlings on the odd sign, these are true works of art covering entire building walls and covering every inch of alleyways. The street art is such a big attraction that you can even find free tourist leaflets with walking trails so you don’t miss anything. It comes in all shapes and styles and best of all is always changing and new pieces are added all the time. It transforms grotty alleys and dull buildings into interesting focal points, and few cities in the world have it on this scale and quality.

The art is mainly concentrated around the CBD (city center) and the district of Fitzroy, and is found in well populated areas just meters away from banks and shops. It’s a great way to spend half a day and it’ll also lead you around much of the city. I actually split it over two days as we getting distracted by other things we found during our wanderings! Or, treat it like a treasure hunt and just explore all the side streets and alleyways that you find as you explore Melbourne (keeping safety in mind, although the city centre is pretty safe).

2 – Eureka Skydeck 88

This sky tower right in the city centre offers amazing 360 panoramas of the city and the landscape for many miles around – right out to the coast. Because Melbourne has such interesting architecture it makes for an interesting view below as you watch the tiny ants (people) below you and the streams of traffic as you sit in peace almost 300 meters about the city. Check the weather and try to time your visit when it’s clear.

The best time to come to the Melbourne Skydeck is shortly before sunset, which is when I did it – see the daytime view, enjoy a gorgeous Australian sunset and then see the city from above in a whole different light at nighttime, it’s fantastic. Look out for discount vouchers in the free tourist brochures available from Tourist Information offices.

3 – National Gallery of Victoria

Australia’s largest national gallery is a real treasure. Not just full of old paintings (although it has those), there’s art of every size and description you can think of here, from photography to modern art and wild sculptures. You can easily spend half a day or longer exploring here. There’s plenty of limited exhibitions, interactive art and fun kids areas which adults will secretly enjoy too! I’m not usually a big gallery fan but I found plenty to interest me here.

The National Gallery of Victoria also sits on the edge of a huge parkland, made up of Queen Victoria gardens, King’s Domain and the Royal Botanic gardens, all of which are very nice and a great place to wander around or sit and relax when you need a break from taking in art!

 

4 – Fitzroy

Fitzroy, the hipster epicentre of Melbourne is just a short tram or bus ride from the CBD. Be sure to pick up a pre-paid myki transport card beforehand to make hopping on and off public transport super simple. Fitzroy was a quite a dilapidated, poor area of the city, and still retains a lot of gritty and griminess, with a mixture of dubious characters interspersed amongst an astonishingly diverse mixture of people including students, hipsters, artists and white collar workers who live or hang out in this redeveloping area. Why do people come to Fitzroy? It’s full of great coffee shops, unique stores, boutiques and galleries, little pubs, bars and restaurants with loads of character.

 

Art is big here, street art and sculpture can be found everywhere. Many of the shops have elaborate or sculptured fronts. Upmarket independent fashion stores sit alongside trendy organic restaurants. At night the streets are full of a mixed crowd coming for Fitzroys great nightlife, with lots of live music at many venues and homely craft beer bars or trendy pubs. It’s a joy to just wander around Fitzroy, browsing its many outlets and galleries, stopping for a top notch coffee, grabbing some tasty lunch, discovering some street art, and redefining how skinny a hipster’s jeans can get! Also don’t forget to check out the excellent Melbourne Museum on the outskirts of the area, which you can easily spend a day in as well.

5 – St Kilda

Hop on the tram and head out to the beach! St. Kilda’s a thriving Melbourne suburb on the coast. Although there’s a tackier vibe here than Fitzroy, you’ll still find a lot of good bars, restaurants and a big arts scene including a number of theatres to choose from. The main part of St Kilda has gone a bit upmarket but the rest is still home to copious amounts of British and Irish ex-pats, and backpackers who frequent the suburb’s many bars and hostels, and there’s still a bit of a seedy atmosphere about the place. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time here – St Kilda’s well known for it’s boisterous night-life and many people choose go out here for a big party.

Out at the long beach, the main attraction, sit back and relax. Don’t expect the water to be too warm but if you’re feeling a bit more energetic it’s a nice walk along the beachfront with good views of the city, and some long piers to wander. It can be pretty windy so bring your jacket! The most iconic place in St Kilda is Luna Park (which has a sister in Sydney). This fun fair has a huge evil gaping mouth luring visitors within. Inside, there’s not much to get excited about, some small rides and stalls, but it’s all stylised in a cool way. There’s also a number of distinctive old buildings of various styles in the area, such as the Esplanade hotel. St Kilda is a great place to come for sunset, followed by a meal and a beer in one of the copious number of establishments on the waterfront. Keep an eye out on upcoming events, as St Kilda hosts a lot of big festivals throughout the year.

Ah, Melbourne, how I love thee

Of course there’s plenty more to do in Melbourne. There’s some great parks and gardens, more museums and galleries to explore. There’s a huge amount of shopping to be done with arcades everywhere in the CBD. The city is full of great bars, coffee shops and restaurants and there’s other trendy and historic districts to check out. The nightlife here is renowned, catering for every taste (a lot of people have told me it’s better than Sydney’s). And if you’re short on time during your Australian holiday, you can also arrange day or multi-day tours from Melbourne to places like the Great Ocean Road, The 12 Apostles and Phillip Island. This is a true city of culture, so be sure to give yourself at least a few days to see Melbourne’s highlights. It was definitely a highlight of my Australian trip!

Check out more of my Melbourne photos in the gallery below. There are shots from all around the city including Fitzroy, the CBD, St Kilda, the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium and various museums and parks. Click to enlarge, enjoy!

Going off with Strangers – The Real Jakarta

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Didn’t your mother tell you never to go with strangers? Well, sorry mum. I did just that. But on the plus side, I got to see a side of Jakarta that the average tourist will never set eyes on!

It was my second day in Jakarta, Indonesia’s massive, smoggy capital. My taxi had spent over an hour to grind through just a few kilometers of the gridlock of honking cars, tuk tuks, belching fumes and weaving motorbikes in the city centre, out to the old harbour of Sunda Kelpa. This area still has some old Portuguese colonial buildings, now rather dilapidated, and is also home of the Jakarta Maritime Museum, which I’d heard was worth checking out.

Jakarta

Welcome to gridlock city.

I took in the view of the museum, with its gleaming cream colonial buildings and red tile roof from the old watchtower. The complex rose like an island above a sea of rickety buildings with corrugated roofs jutting out like waves at every possible angle. This architectural chaos is typical Jakarta.

Back on true terra firma, I was approached by a local man who I will call Mr. Sukarno. He offered his services as a guide around the museum, and I politely declined. But I was travelling alone and happy to chat with him about the area, and the history of the old port. He seemed to know his stuff. There were no tourists here today, it was low season, so he offered to take me around the museum and I could pay him what I liked. If it was rubbish – then no charge. Normally I’d never go for a deal like this, but as he was local I thought it would be good to pick his brains on life in Jakarta anyway, and if I learned anything else, it would be a bonus.

Mr. Sukarno

It turned out Mr. Sukarno was actually a great guide. His English was good and he knew the museum well, as we wandered through the history of seafaring Indonesia and Jakarta, passing old ship hulls under the sloping wooden rafters of the building. Mr. Sukarno elaborated on a lot of the information of the rather sparse info boards and knew the answers  to all my questions. After an hour I was all boated out and ready to head off. Mr. Sukarno asked if I would visit his neighbourhood and see around the port area, knowing already that I was interested in local culture and photography.

Inside the Maritime Museum

At this point I had to make a tricky judgement call. Mr. Sukarno seemed legit, he was clearly well educated, and he was on good terms with the museum staff who obviously knew him, and he’d also chatted with my taxi driver earlier. But I’d heard of and encountered first hand con artists who lure tourists into “home invites” or “local tours” in various countries I’d visited, in the hopes of involving them into a scam, or worse. But my time with Mr. Sukarno had been good, and I’d quizzed him about his life and seen how the others treated him. After all, I’d also learned in my travels that some people just want to be hospitable and are proud to show foreigners their culture.

Mr. Sukarno led me out of the museum into the port streets. Stalls selling everything from fruit to Tupperware lined the roads, roofed by tarpaulins. We passed clanging workshops, fishing industry outfitters strewn with nets, and people carrying heavy loads and pushing trolleys of goods. The masts of ships of all shapes and sizes poked above the low rooftops.

Outside the museum.

“Don’t come here alone, this is not a good area.” I recalled the warning from my taxi driver. We were clearly entering a poor part of the harbour (large chunks of the city are slums or impoverished). Entering a warren of quieter alleys where people and bicycles barely squeezed past each other, we ducked into the tight maze of a dark concrete indoor food market, lit only by the occasional hanging lightbulb.

Mr Sukarno obviously knew a few of the stall owners here and although none of them spoke English, they were happy to see me and listen to my murdering of simple Bahasa greetings. After Mr. Sukarno’s comment about safety, during this part of the tour I kept my camera mostly in my bag, even with a guide I didn’t want to advertise I was carrying an expensive bit of kit. My flip flops slid on blood on the floor – but it was just the classic Asian market where butchery happens right in front of you. Fresh food indeed! I often pity the people who work in these dark and smelly indoor markets, where the sun never shines.

We exited the market and continued through a confusing maze of narrow alleys and wooden houses, we were at the waterside now and tromping over planks rather than concrete. Doors opening directly onto the walkway revealed compact households inside. Kids and adults alike stared in surprise or smiled and waved at the foreigner touring around their neighbourhood.

We emerged from the covered residential pier into bright daylight on a rickety bridge crossing the dark and oily harbour waters. Fishing boats ranging from big metal trawlers to low wooden longtails chugged around the port and rows of them were moored on every inch of free harbour wall. Wrinkled yellow strips lay on nets and the corrugated roofs around us – Mr. Sukarno told me they were dried fish. He explained that most of the families in this part of the harbour were poor fishing folk, many living right next to their boats on this cobbled together, ever expanding pier of houses.

Jakarta harbour longboats

Across the bridge, passing running, playing children, we entered a more regular neighbourhood, where Mr. Sukarno lives. Here the streets became wider again, and houses were taller and made of stone. It was clearly a bit wealthier, with some parked cars, brightly painted walls and various shops and stalls – although hardly commercial or modern. We stopped frequently to chat with shop owners and families, Mr. Sukarno certainly seemed to be a popular guy!

At Mr. Sukarno’s small but pleasant house he offered me tea and we talked a bit about his life. He used to be an English teacher, hence his good language skills, and after various business endeavours had started offering his services as a guide down at the museum, convenient because it’s so close to his home. Although it’s quiet for punters at this time of year, in high season it can bring him a nice bit of extra income. He claimed I was the first person to actually visit his neighbourhood and house, and he was very happy to meet someone who was so interested in seeing the “real” Jakarta, and learning about their culture. I was flattered.

With late afternoon creeping in I decided it was time to head back to my hostel before the dreaded rush hour, when the drive (or crawl, more specifically) could take literally hours. I was going to call a taxi but Mr. Sukarno insisted he would take me on his motorbike instead. I had seen how the Jakartan’s drove motorbikes and so was a bit wary, but a free ride is a free ride, and I knew it would be fun. We raced along as I clung on for dear life to Mr. Sukaro, weaving through multi-lane traffic (both sides of the road), driving on and off pavements and dodging bollards, just as I suspected!

We drove through a small Chinatown and stopped off at one of Jakarta’s few Buddhist temples there. Incense filled the air and red candles and Buddhist decorations filled the interior. I watched as people threw patterned paper sheets into a fire – a custom which I hadn’t seen before, even in Nepal and Thailand. Essentially it’s a burnt offering, the paper is called “joss paper” or “ghost money”, and it’s usually burned to honour ancestors or the deceased. After getting my fill of photographs, I hopped back on the bike.

We navigated the traffic gridlock in style, motorbike is definitely the fastest and most fun way to get around in Jakarta, if not really the safest! We passed through the true slums, visible over a dirty, rubbish filled canal. The people may be poor here but they’re still friendly enough – men waved to me at a traffic light from a weird floating wooden platform that I was informed was the canal’s informal ferry! Half an hour later back at the hostel and with a saddle-sore bum, I thanked and paid Mr. Sukarno a generous tip and promised to promote his guide services in the hostel. He’d shown me a side of Jakarta I never would have experienced, as well as allowing me to meet the locals, and I wished him well.

It just goes to show that sometimes you need to get outside your comfort zone when travelling to really experience what a place has to offer. I took a chance on this occasion, and it paid off handsomely. I was a little nervous until we reached Mr Sukarno’s house that I might have made a mistake, given the areas we were going through, but it turned out alright. Of course I don’t suggest that you head off with random strangers in cities, especially ones you meet at tourist attractions, but in this case I had carefully observed and questioned my host, and seen how the staff and locals knew him, before agreeing to accompany him into the unknown in a dodgy area of town.

Jakarta street photography

Often on the road you are put into situations where you have to make a gut call about trusting someone, and this gets easier with experience. It’s nice to know that not every person that approaches you is out to con you; some are just trying to make a living and are actually good at what they do. At the end of the day, an adventure with Mr. Sukarno taught me a lot more about Jakartan life than any museum!

 

Backpacking Bangkok – Beginners Survival Guide

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Monks at the Grand Palace

Monks at the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Obviously they knew big celebrity Alan Stock was coming…

First time in Bangkok or Asia? Tips, advice and recommendations for Thailand’s most crazy city.

Intro

“HELLO WELCOME KAA… YOU WANT MASSAAAAAGE?” Bangkok: a madhouse city of temples, street food, tuk tuks, ladyboys, and, look – wandering around like a little lost flea – it’s you! If you want to skip to the most essential tips, check out “Bangkok First Impressions”, airport taxis in the “Getting In” section, and “Scams” to avoid dirty horrible scammers (it happens). Everyone else, stick on your grandmas reading glasses and get your eyes stuck into this! Do you have any other good tips or suggestions for Bangkok – leave a comment below!

I’ve been to Bangkok many times and wanted to make this guide to ease you into the madness – learn from my mistakes and maximise your enjoyment. Whether you’re starting a backpacking adventure, its your first time in Asia or taking a few weeks off to party in or explore Thailand, you will arrive at the airport and then – what? It’s ok, a ladyboy won’t immediately jump on you (unless you like that sort of thing), but Bangkok is a pretty crazy city for first timers and there’s lots of things that are useful to know, from how to get around to how to avoid the common scams (dollar signs appearing in Thai peoples eyes is usually a bad sign). Sawat de kap! (Hello!)

Starting Out
Most backpackers stay around the famous travellers mecca of Khao San road in Bangkok (the slightly dented but well-oiled hub of travelling in SE Asia) and this guide is based on the assumption that you are heading there. Khao San road is a fun but tiring mix of everything that a traveller could need, but thankfully its surrounded by some chilled streets to get away from it all, ideal when you are about to punch the next person who shouts Tuk Tuk or Ping Pong Show! at you. You can still find backpackers scattered throughout Bangkok – if you want to stay away from the Khao San area (some people do hate it!) then do some research – but Khao San is where you’ll find the things you need to get started, and also the most travellers, from fresh-off-the plane wide-eyed 18 year olds chewing scorpions for dares with a grimace on their face, to dreadlocked veteran backpackers in hippy clothes who haven’t bathed for years, to fat 60 year old ex-pats with their Chang vests waddling along with a Thai girl on each arm – PS if in the future I become that guy… just shoot me.

Thai market stall girl on Khao San Road

Thai market stall girl on Khao San Road. The fake Diesel flip flops I bought off her broke after two weeks, but that’s to be expected when you spend two quid!

Bangkok First Impressions
Be prepared for a *lot* of heat and humidity outside of Nov/Dec especially if you are from the UK where a reward is offered for the return of the sun, last seen many summers ago. You will sweat like an obese pig who has just done a triathlon. It gets very tiring. Take your time! Stop for breaks at places with fans or air-con. Drink lots and lots of water or you will get weak and tired with heat exhaustion. Add hydration sachets or salt or look for other hydrating drinks like coconut water. Trust Doctor Al, it helps a lot to enjoy things to stay hydrated. Buy bottled water, tap water is not safe to drink here. Don’t worry, most of the rest of Thailand isn’t like being in an oven, more like a family BBQ.

A bewildered looking backpacker in the heart of the Khao San throng!

Khao San Road. This guy is thinking – What is happening? How did I get here? Why did that guy buy that stupid hat?

Bangkok is crazy, especially if its the first Asian city you’ve visited. Traffic is everywhere, tuk tuks and motorbikes rush past and ambush you even on footpaths, it’s noisy, its full of hordes of people and everywhere there is something new and weirdly Thai going on. It can be overwhelming for first-time travellers and you may feel your head will explode. It may be your first time from home and culture shock can happen. Instead of becoming a gibbering wreck hiding in the supermarket just for a taste of normality, once again I say – take your time! There’s no hurry. Take it all in, walk slowly, stop for breaks, drink your water, retreat to your room or a park if you need to give your brain a rest. Get on the wi-fi or to an internet cafe and contact home if you need to touch base. Head to Rambuttri parallel to Khao San to the quieter lanes there and get a fruit shake and sit in front of a fan. Get a dirt cheap massage! Just because the rest of Bangkok goes at breakneck pace doesn’t mean you have to to. Don’t get pressurised by salespeople or drivers. You get used to it and soon you will be click stepping along Khao San Road with a smile on your face, bantering and haggling with the hard sellers, exploring and making your plans for seeing the rest of this great country.

Please take the time to read the “Safety and Scams” section at the end, especially to avoid common scams which are easy to fall for and rife in this area. It’s ok, not everyone’s out to get you but you need to be aware of them.

Arrival
Most people swoop into Thailand via Bangkok International Airport (BKK). Otherwise you are probably on an international tourist bus from elsewhere in SE Asia (see “arriving by bus” below).

Know this:

  • Arrival/Departure Card: On your flight, your sexy flight attendant should give you an Arrival/Departure card in two pieces. If your flight attendant isn’t sexy, spend more money on the flight next time. Keep the two card pieces together. Don’t panic if you forget to get one – you can find these on the desks just before immigration, or ask a staff member there. You need to fill both of these out, including the Departure section. If you have a one-way flight to Bangkok, just make a rough estimate of departure date and country destination, and you can just make up a flight number if necessary. If you don’t have accommodation booked, just write Khao San Road. No worries.
  • Tourist Visa: Easy peasy – Most western countries are able to enter Thailand if flying in by visa exemption – basically you get 1 month automatically that you can spend in Thailand – they put a stamp with your departure date on a separate bit of paper which you should keep with your passport. If you want to stay longer, you can also extend your visa by a month at a time by just leaving the country by plane or land, officially they are cracking down on this for long term “offenders” but in reality it seems most people can still do it – you can book Visa Runs at travel agents around the country specifically to do this. I met one guy in his 50s who has been living in Thailand for 20 years by doing a visa run every month! You can see a list of countries that are eligible here: http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/changes-visa-exempt.php – however Thai visa rules change often and its best to do your research beforehand and if you aren’t in the visa exemption list you will need to get hold of a tourist visa before you travel, and possibly proof of onward travel to show when you board your flight to Thailand.
  • Address of Accommodation: if you have booked accommodation in advance, its a good idea to have the address written down, and in Thai too if possible – useful for immigration card, taxis and if you get lost!
Coins in offering bowl at Wat Pho temple

Coins in offering bowl at Wat Pho temple. Be prepared to have lots of annoying 1 Baht coins in every orifice. Where do they all come from?

Cash Up!
For travel money tips check out my article here. First thing you need when you arrive is to get some dosh. You’re going to need cash to get transport at the very least unless your plan is to teleport (in which case why did you fly?). If you haven’t already got Thai Baht (the currency) – the cheapest way is to withdraw it at ATMs in the airport or there are expensive money exchange desks in there too. I wouldn’t get out more than 5000 Baht to begin with (around 100 pounds). Bet you feel rich now! If everything’s written in Thai, look for a button to change the language to English, they all have them. At ATMs, you will be charged a small amount to withdraw cash – accept this when it asks you. When asked if you want to do a conversion to your own currency, pick No – it will save you money. Keep your money in your bra, up your bum, or my favourite, in my wallet like normal people do.

If you are planning on carrying large amounts of cash around or going to be backpacking around Asia, a money belt to wear is wise especially for crowded places or transport you will be sleeping in. Travellers cheques are another, probably safer option to get access to cash and add extra security, if you can be bothered with the hassle of organising it – might be good for emergencies and you get a better exchange rate. The majority of Thai banks accept them. Most people I know use credit cards though. Don’t forget to let your bank know that you are going to Thailand. It sucks to arrive and then get locked out of your account because they think there’s something fishy going on leaving you high and dry in the airport!

Getting from the airport to the city
Congratulations, you have arrived in Thailand! Unless you fancy a half day walk along a highway, I recommend finding some transport. If you are staying around Khao San, then get a taxi – trains don’t stop nearby and buses are hard and stressful to deal with when you have just arrived.

Taxi *RECOMMENDED*

    • The easiest and fastest way is by taxi to get into town is by taxi. By western standards the taxis are cheap. Bangkok traffic can be terrible, so allow between 40 minutes to an hour (longer at rush hour) to get into town whilst watching motorbikes carrying 3 people, mental Thai drivers probably whilst some awful Thai music is pumped out of the stereo. At least there’s aircon!
    • To get a taxi *always go to the public taxi rank*. It’s easy these days! Its down on the 1st floor of the airport just outside the doors and well signposted throughout. Ignore the other transport desks and people, they will overcharge you.
    • In front of the taxi parking bays there are a number of terminals and queue barriers and sometimes helpful staff to make life easier. Just hit the button on the terminal touchscreen to print a ticket. This is your receipt – do NOT give it to the taxi driver, even if they ask for it. It is your insurance and contains the details of the taxi that is assigned to you, protecting you from scams and so on. The ticket has a bay number printed on it – just walk to the corresponding bay and if a taxi is not there already, just wait and it will come – Thai taxi black magic, I say. Other organising staff may ask to see your ticket, that’s fine, but don’t give it to the driver.
Tuk Tuk Rank in the Old City

Tuk Tuk Rank in the Old City. Tuk Tuk drivers seem to have only 3 states: Annoying, Asleep, and Not There

  • Your driver may not speak English. Oh no! You don’t speak Thai! MELTDOWN. Breathe. No problem. If you have your acommodation booked, tell or show him your address. Otherwise just ask for Khao San Road which most of them will understand and you can find your way from there. If you have problems you can just go back to the machine and get another number, or get someone to translate for you.
  • These are meter taxis – do not agree a price in advance – when you set off, the meter should be at around 35 baht or zero. Be aware you also need to pay cash seperately during the drive for toll booths (see below). Don’t worry about needing small change.
  • Costs to Khao San Road vary depending on traffic but you shouldn’t be paying more than about 700/800 Baht plus the road tolls and 50 baht extra for the driver which is complusary from the airport. The majority of drivers are fine but occasionally some naughty drivers try to con tourists with rigged meters – just keep an eye on it. If it seems to be jumping up way too quickly or going over the amount you expect, point it out to the driver. Any problems – make a note of the driver ID in the left of the windscreen and make it obvious you are doing this. There are authorities which can be complained to so a driver will think twice about scamming you if you do this. Eat that, dirty driver!
  • Toll booths – taxis will use the highways and will usually pass through one or two toll booths. You give the driver cash to pay for the toll when you arrive at these and he will give you the change back directly. Don’t worry if you only have 1000 baht notes, they should still be able to get change. Occasionally a driver may want the toll fare in advance when you leave the airport, its up to you. Personally I would hold onto your money until you need to give it to them to be on the safe side.
  • At your destination, pay the driver whatever it says on the meter plus 50 baht. The 50 baht is an airport charge that is paid to drivers directly by you (it tells you this at the taxi rank there) and is not negotiable . Tipping is not expected in Thailand for metered taxis, 50 baht or less would be a nice little tip if you have had a good experience. Welcome to the city! How many near-fatal accidents did you witness on the way? Only 3? Good going!
A public meter taxi - I have been told the green and yellow ones are the most trustworthy as they are an older firm

A public meter taxi – I have been told the green and yellow ones are the most trustworthy as they are an older firm. Sometimes I never want to leave a taxi – I see them as portable aircon machines!

From Airport By Bus
There are classic old Bangkok public buses that you can get that will take you around the city and also to a road near Khao San. If you really need to save money this is really cheap, but allow around 2 hours and be aware in rush hour you may struggle with fitting in your luggage. There is usually a conductor who will come to collect your fare when you sit down. It will likely be very hot, too. Google for info on these buses. Also I recommend having the name of the street or area you need to get off at written down and even a map so you can show the conductor as most don’t speak Engish. Make sure you get off where you intended and check the bus is going in the right direction before you get on it! I have met travellers sat on Bangkok local buses who have no idea where they are because they didn’t get off at the right spot and noone talks English! For the stop near Khao San, a good landmark you will pass on the bus is the Democracy Monument, its not far after that.

From Airport by Skytrain
The Skytrain rail service is quite fast and friendly, and fairly easy to use. I recommend it if your accommodation is easy walking distance from a Skytrain terminal. If you want to get to Khao San by train, I have been reliably informed that you can take the city line from the airport to Makkasan station and then catch the 556 bus to the Democracy Monument (or get a taxi from the station).

It's worth walking down to the big park in front of the Grand Palace in the late afternoon/early evening, especially on Sundays. Thai people hang out here and you can often see cool stuff like this! Who needs Tuk Tuks to get around?

It’s worth walking down to the big park in front of the Grand Palace in the late afternoon/early evening, especially on Sundays. Thai people hang out here and you can often see cool stuff like this! Who needs Tuk Tuks to get around?

Arriving in Bangkok via Bus (long distance)
International or domestic tourist buses will usually drop you in the Khao San area. Check with your travel agent/driver exactly where you will be dropped in Bangkok. Often the big buses drop you about a block away from Khao San. Ask the driver or locals for directions if you are confused about where you have been dropped off instead of playing the random direction game – its easy to get lost in Bangkok!

Public buses and some “VIP” (VIP meaning you paid like 50 Baht more than the other guy… ) buses arrive at one of the two city bus terminals, which are right on the outskirts. From there you can get public buses into town but its usually easier just to take a taxi from the taxi ranks. The cost will be similar to the aiport transfer price and it will take up to an hour or more to get in. Both bus stations now have information points or at least counter staff who speak English, so its worth asking what your options are – sometimes there are minibus shuttles available for example.

Budget hotel room in Bangkok. Does the job, nothing more!

Budget hotel room in Bangkok. Does the job, nothing more!

Accommodation
The Khao San area is packed with accommodation for all budgets. It’s not hard to find decent rooms. Just be aware that you are in Thailand, standards may not be as high as you are used to, but remember you are paying a fraction of the price! Most places accept walk-ins and are used to sweaty tired backpackers rocking up any time of the day looking for refuge.

For your first night or two, I highly recommend booking in advance either online (Booking.com, Tripadvisor, Agoda, Hostelworld, Hostelbookers are a good start) or by phone – it saves you so much time and energy to have everything arranged and to know you are getting somewhere decent too. Expect to pay between 200-600 baht for your own room or dorm. Why not splurge out a bit for your first few nights, after all you are probably quite rich by Thai standards! There are quite a few hostels in the area, which is a great way to meet people if you’re travelling solo, however most of them are pretty low quality and dingy, if you can live with that its the best social option.

Accommodation quality varies massively for the same price, some places are nasty, dirty and cockroach infested, others are more like cheap hotels – clean and with aircon. Its fine (and recommended) to ask to see a room before you pay. If you don’t like it, ask for a different room or haggle the price down – or just go elsewhere. If you arrive at midnight though, your options will be more limited – I have stayed in some rancid hovels because nothing else was available. Suck it up, at least you’ll have a nice travel horror story about cockroaches crawling over your bed to tell your friends!

If your room doesn’t have a safe inside, its a good idea to leave your essential valuables such as your passport at the front desk safety deposit box. Security can be lax in some guesthouses so its wise to play it safe. Treat your passport like solid gold, its the most important thing you own (even more important than your little teddy bear you just couldn’t leave at home).

A bar on Rambuttri street. If you stay above one of these, don't expect to get an early night till the live music in the area stops around midnight.

A bar on Rambuttri street. If you stay above one of these, don’t expect to get an early night till the live music in the area stops around midnight.

Staying on Khao San road itself is going to be noisy, with the party continuing to the wee hours. Of course if you are out in the party all night, every night, or enjoy sleeping to the thud of bass drums, by all means go ahead. In general the better acommodation (and I recommend for first timers) is found on Rambuttri street which runs parallel to Khao San. Here its much quieter and relaxing assuming you don’t stay right next to the bars. If you want an even quieter stay, follow Rambuttri around the back of the temple and try the guest houses down there. Other options include Trok Mayom – an alleyway running parallel to Khao San just to the south which is packed with cheap little guest houses which I have heard is nice and quiet. Another quiet alley with accommodation runs between Khao San and Rambuttri Soi just after Buddy Lodge on Khao San road. Another option is to follow Samsen road over the canal away from Khao San for about 5-10 minutes – there is tons of cheap accommodation hidden down the Sois (side streets) there.

It’s hot and tiring walking around Bangkok with all your luggage. If you haven’t booked in advance, don’t waste hours and precious energy looking around. Just pick somewhere half-decent, you can always use earplugs if its noisy or look for a better place the next day without dragging your 100 kilo luggage behind you!

Street food trolley on Rambuttri street. These are probably seafood balls, quite good actually.

Street food trolley on Rambuttri street. These are probably seafood balls, quite good actually.

Eating
One of my favourite things to do in Thailand is stuff my fat little belly full of as much food as I can fit in there. Restaurants and food stalls are everywhere serving Thai and Western food. The little Thai restaurants with stools and tables outside generally have better and cheaper food than the restaurants. Don’t be afraid to try the street food from stalls and trolleys. If its well-frequented and there aren’t flies over everything it’ll be fine. If you think the food (especially meat) has been sitting out in the heat then be wary. Most vendors speak some English, if they don’t just point. Cheap and yummy! Don’t miss out on nighttime snacks like roti pancakes. The bugs and scorpions are generally safe to eat too and not too bad (they are deep fried to a crisp in oil so quite tasteless) – personally I won’t go any bigger than grubs or grasshoppers as I don’t like crunching through shells into oily bodies, it triggers my inner “urgh” switch.

At the “proper” restaurants you can get an approximation of Western food and an easy introduction to Thai food, though the quality is usually average. Thai food will usually be less spicy. You are in Thailand, get involved in Thai food!

Personal recommendations for Thai food are Tom Yum Soup (spicy prawn+veg soup – ask for less spicy if you can’t handle chillies), Red, Green or Massaman Curry (green and red again ask for less spicy at first), Pad Thai (noodles with prawns, egg, lime and peanuts – not spicy), Pad See Ew (flat noodles with meat, really tasty and not spicy). I’m drooling right now thinking about them.

Tom Yum Soup - one of my favourites. This was a particularly lethal one full of chilies, the crying began pretty quickly!

Tom Yum Soup – one of my favourites. This was a particularly lethal one full of chilies, the crying began pretty quickly!

If its all too much and you are craving familiar food – there are a few pizza places and a Burger King and Macdonalds in the area and its pretty much the same as home. You wimp. However even I admit to occasionally crumbling when I get a hangover burger craving!

Another easy option is the 7/11 supermarkets you’ll find everywhere. They sell sandwiches, microwave food (which they will usually heat for you at the counter), crisps/chips, hot asian buns and hot dogs etc at the counter. Also be sure to check out the toasties in the fridge for amazing post-drinking food (they’ll heat them at the counter). The staff usually speak English.

Drinking
Where: Khao San Road for the big party, Rambuttri for good beats and live music, Rambuttri behind the temple for chilling.

What: For beer, Chang is the traveller favourite but try Leo and Singha too. Spirits give good old Sangsom a go with coke or red bull, it tastes a bit like dark rum but is a whiskey. Cheap and strong cocktails can be found everywhere. But if you want to go partying or are sharing, get a bucket!

When: Every night, though Friday and Saturday is busier and everywhere opens later.

Sangsom and Red Bull bucket - this will keep you up all night dancing!

Sangsom and Red Bull bucket – this will keep you up all night dancing!

Khao San road is where the mad drinking is, full of party bars and street bars, Rambuttri also has a bunch of nice bars and street bars, many with live music. The little thai stool restaurants also sell much cheaper drinks than the big bars, and you can usually meet people more easily there with their close table proximity. For the cheap cheap option, buy beer at 7/11 or the little coolers on the street and walk around, its acceptable in this area. Check Trip Advisor for some other good chilled bars nearby particulary for live music. Outside of the weekend most of the area closes down by 1am, so get drinking early, but there are a few clubs on Khao San you can migrate to.

Ping Pong Shows and Go Go Bars
Many tourists end up going to see the notorious Ping Pong shows (pop pop! Look it up) or go and check out the red light district which is full of bars and strip clubs. You will find a bunch of tourists of different backgrounds, groups and couples all enjoying (or being gobsmacked by) the various “entertainment” on offer at these places. However – if you are interested in doing this – be wary of offers from tuk tuk drivers offering you it around Khao San, especially if you are a group of guys. A lot of these guys will take you to expensive private places way out in the city and charge you a fortune. Do a bit of research before hand, ask other travellers who have done it or just take a meter taxi to the red light area – its quite commercial and relitavely safe. If you are in a large group and go from Khao San road to a Ping Pong show even if you get ripped off a bit it will still probably be a laugh. Most of the main bars on the red light drag will have hostesses who may come and join you – nothing is expected by this, although its nice to buy them a drink. Of course most are available for other “services” but they are also employed to just give customers social company out for a drink and are usually a good laugh to hang out no matter your group composition.

The big party bars at Khao San road are always a riot - if only they stayed open later!

The big party bars at Khao San road are always a riot – if only they stayed open later!

What to do around Khao San?
Time to be a tourist! There are quite a few things nearby to see. Khao San is a short distance from Bangkok’s two most famous temples – the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, which are both great. If you only want to do one (they are pretty similar) I would suggest Wat Pho with its massive reclining golden Buddah and its many spires and statues. Its about a half hour walk from Khao San, but be warned that you will be crossing some big roads and it will probably be super hot. You can get a metered taxi for really cheap to these locations. Don’t take a tuk tuk unless you want to get ripped off or scammed!

The massive reclining Buddah at Wat Pho

The massive reclining Buddah at Wat Pho

Another good option is to head down to the docks opposite the big tower temple of Wat Arun which has a good view of the temple particularly at sunset (unfortunately it is currently in scaffolding – August 2015). The docks are full of colourful stalls and markets. If you make your way back along the river street towards Khao San, you will come to a road full of stalls where people buy holy amulets and its common to see monks around here.

Wat Arun - taken from the docks opposite

Wat Arun – taken from the docks opposite

You could ride the ferry down the river (there are stops near to Khao San) and see some of Bangkok’s sights, Chinatown is only one stop away and full of cool markets and a big flower market.

If you have a bit longer and you like temples then there some interesting ones beyond the Demcracy monument which is a long walk but worth it, and you will see very few tourists there. There’s also the quaint and quiet old town to explore there with wooden buildings and craft workshops.

Don’t miss your chance to get a super cheap massage around Rambuttri street – Thai massage is awesome, although if you don’t want bits of your body wrenched around then go for a foot or head and shoulders massage. Buy a one hour massage for pure relaxing bliss and they are open late into the evening, perfect to unwind after a busy day in the city. Don’t worry, these are professional establishments and they shouldn’t be asking you for happy endings… you should feel happy enough already!

Thai Foot Massage - I hadn't realised it was a reflexology massage, which resulted in mega pain as the guy scraped a metal rod along my nerves - I suggest a normal foot massage instead!

Thai Foot Massage – I hadn’t realised it was a reflexology massage, which resulted in mega pain as the guy scraped a metal rod along my nerves – I suggest a normal foot massage instead!

Tours and Activities

For tours and activities around the city expect to pay quite a bit more, but some are pretty good:

  • Cooking schools around Khao San are good fun and highly rated, you get to make a bunch of Thai dishes and visit local markets to buy ingredients. Check Trip Advisor for reviews. I ate so much on mine with Lee’s cooking school (recommended) that I fell asleep for 5 hours straight afterwards!
  • Bicycle tours are a great way to see the real Bangkok and really get away from the tourists, again check Trip Advisor. Be prepared for a hot ride in the day but there are late afternoon and night rides also available. Try not to get flattened by crazy Thai motorists or fall in the canals, whether they contain actual water in that liquid is debatable…
  • The floating markets are interesting but exist just for tourists and will have a lot of hard sell. There are “real” floating markets around Bangkok that you can visit that will be more hassle to arrange but will be more authentic.
Chef Lees Cooking School near Khao San Road

Chef Lees Cooking School near Khao San Road

For shopping, prepare your mind and wallet and get a taxi or bus to the Siam Square area which is full of huge malls and cheap prices compared to home. Allow half an hour to an hour for the journey as the traffic is awful around there. Around Khao San there are loads of stalls where you can buy everything a backpacker could need from bags to beachware to souvenirs, but remember to haggle and with a smile! Remember that most things you can find everywhere here, so if you don’t like the price, try somewhere else. For more expensive things check out a few places to get a feel for the going price. It’s quite annoying to realise you paid triple what its worth because you were too lazy to check around. At least you only probably “lost” a few hundred Baht.

Safety and Scams

Water
Do not drink water from the tap in Thailand, its generally not considered safe. You can buy bottled water cheaply and sometimes you can find water bottle refill services. Brush your teeth with bottled water and don’t swallow water when you take a shower. Some people are paranoid about ice for drinks in Asia, in my experience it’s not a problem at least in Thailand, if you have a particularly sensitive stomach do a bit of research about what to look out for. The accepted “safe” ice in drinks is blocks like a cylinder with a hole punched through – fragmented ice less so, but don’t worry too much.

Check out Magic Thaifood - a little street restaurant on Rambuttri, you can get cheap food and drink listening to live music from other bars and in the evening Max does tricks for customers - he is pretty good!

Check out Magic Thaifood – a little street restaurant on Rambuttri, you can get cheap food and drink listening to live music from other bars and in the evening Max does tricks for customers – he is pretty good!

Scams
The Khao San area attracts a lot of scammers who love to try and take tourists’ money. It is quite common to end up on the receiving end of a scam but they are easy to avoid once you know what to watch out for. These people see Farangs (westerners) as a walking ATM, which is often true! As a general rule, use your head. If an offer sounds too good, something is dodgy. Never buckle to pressure to buy things or do or go places that you don’t want to. You are your own boss. Sometimes the scams are quite believable so here are things to look out for:

  • Tuk tuk drivers are terrible for scams of various kinds. Cheap tuk tuk tours are anything but. If they try to take you to tailor shops or gem stores or “shopping” firmly refuse and continually do so if they persist. If you do end up in any of these shops on a tuk tuk tour, they will pressurise you to buy things. Just stand firm, if you aren’t spending money they are wasting their time anyway and they will take you back. Worst case scenario just leave and flag down a taxi.
  • I have also heard first hand reports of travellers being asked by tuk tuk drivers (or other individuals) if they want to buy drugs, particularly weed, or that they are getting weed for a friend. These are scam tactics which will end up with you trying to be framed for buying weed by a convienient police raid. Basically, be extremely careful if you want to buy drugs in Bangkok – I wouldn’t recommend it. Places where weed is relitavely safe to buy is on the chilled out islands in the south full of rasta bars. In the city, take the risk if you dare…
  • Strangers, usually Thais, may approach you in the streets around Khao San being friendly or asking questions. Unless they are other backpackers, beware. They may ask you about your family, where you are from, claim to be working for the tourist department, a teacher, whatever and they may look completely respectable. At the end of the day their main aim will be to scam you in some way. Its happened to me and its easy to be taken in by their “hospitality”. Normal Thai people will never randomly approach you like this except in the non-touristy areas. You can just ignore them and they will soon leave you alone.
  • Sellers will always be trying to make sales or strike up conversation with you around Khao San, it gets annoying. Just ignore them completely or say no thank you and then ignore them. Its the fastest way to get rid of them, if they think there is any chance of a sale they will follow you like a little lost puppy. Aww.
This little temple opposite the entrance to Khao San is worth a look. Remember in temples to respect the rules - no short shorts, no vest tops/bikinis and take off your shoes at the entrance to buildings

This little temple opposite the entrance to Khao San is worth a look. Remember in temples to show respect for the culture – no short shorts, no vest tops/bikinis, take off hats and take off your shoes at the entrance to buildings. Busier temples have long sleeved clothes you can borrow.

General crime
Thailand is generally very safe for travellers. The recent bombings are an isolated event – are you really going to let one terrorist and a few isolated attacks scare you out of the city? Be aware that it seems religiously motivated and not targeted at tourists, especially not backpackers. Sadly though, it has massively hit tourism and I have seen a lot of businesses affected by rich tourists cancelling their holidays and scared to go to the country. Its had a devastating impact on a country which relies heavily on tourism. Don’t let it stop you having a good time!

Muggings and violent crime against tourists in the country are rare. I feel far safer walking around Bangkok at night than I would in a city in the UK! The main crime to be aware of is general theft. Like any tourist destination, it can happen, although don’t let paranoia ruin your holiday, just be sensible. Don’t leave valuables lying around screaming “free money!” especially if you are popping to the toilet in a restaurant for example. Keep your passport and other valuables on your person, in a safe or at your accommodation front desk. For larger expensive things you can put them in your main bag and lock it with a padlock – combo locks are good because if you lose those annoying little keys, you are screwed! Can you tell its happened to me? Of course it is just a deterrent but unless you want to take a Fort Knox with you then it’ll do the job. I love those ridiculous cage meshes you can buy for backpacks, which most people ditch after two weeks of lugging the stupid heavy thing around!

An important thing to do is bring two credit cards which let you withdraw cash from ATMs. Keep one in your main bag and one with you, or in a safe. That way if something happens to one you have a backup and won’t go broke. ATMs occasionally eat cards in Asia, its happened to me before, and if you have any PIN or lose one, no worries, you have a spare! I have met naive backpackers who travel with one card and then have a massive nightmare when something happens to it. Don’t walk around with hundreds of pounds worth of Baht, a few thousand Baht should be enough. As a last resort, if you need money, head to a Western Union which you can find in the major towns and cities and get money sent from home to you.

The awesome tourist police of Surat Thani who helped me out a few years ago. Very nice people!

The awesome tourist police of Surat Thani who helped me out a few years ago. Very nice people!

Police
Many local Thai police may not speak good or any English and there can be problems with corruption and shakedowns. If you have any problems with crime or local police, always use the Tourist Police who speak English and are usually very helpful. They have branches in most cities in Thailand and you can call them on 1155. I had a great experience with them in Surat Thani when I lost my bag and the tourist police guy looked after me for two days, and actually managed to track down my bag which had somehow ended up in Bangkok!

Crossing The Road!
Why did the backpacker cross the road? Actually they didn’t cross the road because they were too scared!

Look for white stripey lines on the road if it is busy, these are crossing points. If there are pedestrian lights, use them. But be aware that just because the light says green doesn’t stop some drivers for going for it anyway leaving a wake of flattened tourists. If there are no lights, a good tip when you are learning is to follow in the footsteps of a Thai person or group, I love doing this with little old ladies or monks because noone wants to run them over, haha! When they go, you go. If you are alone, pick a gap in the traffic (the gap doesn’t have to be all the way across) and move forward with purpose. Don’t stop and don’t turn around (unless you are definitely about to get flattened!). Hold out your hand towards oncoming traffic. Thai drivers are used to this and will adjust speed or drive around you. It takes faith and practice. Use your judgement and watch how other people do it. Be extra careful on the fast main dual carriageways – its better to wait for a while for a good gap across the whole road than risk your life! Also watch out for motorbikes on narrow streets, I have met people who have had their feet ran over because they weren’t careful enough. That hurts quite a lot!

You'll probably have to cross this busy road to Khao San a number of times. This is quite gappy compared to normal!

You’ll probably have to cross this busy road to Khao San a number of times. This is quite gappy compared to normal!

Money
Almost all ATMs charge you to withdraw with a foreign card, usually about 150 baht. Take out a couple of thousand at a time or watch your costs rack up. There are ATMs everywhere around Khao San. There are money exchange places all over too. You can pay by credit card for many things.

Get Out
When you can’t take any more of Bangkok, its not too hard to just do like the locals and head to the bus terminals or train stations and make your own way to your destination. At the bus terminals on the outskirts of the city you can take buses anywhere in the country and the staff generally speak English and you will be travelling with Thai people in a safe bus for locals.

Flights are a good option to major cities in the country, cheap, fast and pretty easy. For flights you can just book online and make your own way to the airports. It’s often only marginally more expensive to take internal flights than long bus/boat journeys and you will save a lot of time. Try Skyscanner, AirAsia, Lion Air and Kayak.

Trains are more difficult, staff don’t always speak English but they are usually happy to help and its a great experience on the old Thai trains, mingling with the locals, buying food off vendors and you’ll usually run into a few other backpackers doing the same thing. Definitely try it once – the train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai or night trains from Bangkok to the south are good options. If you book in advance you can even get private booths for a bit more money.

Siranee - awesome travel agent at Roof Garden on Rambuttri

Siranee – awesome travel agent at Roof Garden on Rambuttri

For anything else, including buses to other countries and island transfers, Khao San area has travel agents in abundance and most tourist specific transport leaves from the Khao San area. Be warned that there are a lot of dodgy and rip-off agents in this area. I always use Siranee at Roof Garden (see below) who I can trust. Do take the time to do a bit of research or get recommendations from other travellers for reputable travel agents here, there are a lot of horror stories out there.
I personally use Siranee’s travel desk at the Tree House accommodation on Rambuttri, who I met through a tour guide. She is great, she knows her stuff, she is honest and she is a traveller too and wants you to have a good, safe time – and prices are good. I have used her many times and never had a problem. I do not get commission for recommending her, she is genuinely great!

Siranee's business card. Follow Rambuttri behind the temple all the way round and keep an eye out for the Roof Garden sign

Siranee’s business card. Follow Rambuttri behind the temple all the way round and keep an eye out for the Roof Garden sign

Useful Thai Words

The Thais, like any other country, appreciate it when you try to speak a bit of their language. At least try to learn Hello and Thank You and you will often get a smile! The wording may depend if you are a guy or a girl speaking, (m) for male, (f) for female.

  • Hello – Sawat Dee Kap (m), Sawat Dee Kaa (f)
  • Thank You – Khop Khoon Kap (m), Khop Khoon Kaa (f)
  • Goodbye – Lah Gorn
  • Good – Dee
  • How are you? – Sabai Dee Mai?
  • I am good – Sabai Dee Kap (m), Sabai Dee Kaa (f)
  • Toilet – Hong Naam
  • It is very hot! – Rorn Mak Ma!

That’s It!
Now you know what to expect, you can concentrate on enjoying Bangkok’s melting pot! Nothing can quite prepare you for the experience of entering a new city in a foreign land and a different culture – that’s something you can look forward to! After Bangkok, everything gets easier and you can escape to the other great places Thailand has to offer, relax and go on your adventures!

Railay Beach near Krabi - paradise, if you can ignore the hordes of tourists and chugging of longboats all day! Tip - go further along the beach to avoid them!

Railay Beach near Krabi – paradise, if you can ignore the hordes of tourists and chugging of longboats all day! Tip – go further along the beach to avoid them!

Personal Thailand Highlights
Here are some of my favourite places in Thailand:

  • Koh Tao – Great diving and snorkeling, lovely chilled beaches but you can still party in town.
  • Railay Beach – Beautiful beach surrounded by limestone formations everywhere where you can rock climb or just enjoy the views.
  • Khao Sok National Park – Stay in floating huts on a huge lake in the jungle full of limestone formations, kayak around the lake, see wildlife and trek in the forest in isolation.
  • Chiang Mai – Relaxed city full of temples, monks, and loads of things to do such as trekking, elephant camps, cooking classes, rafting, Thai boxing shows and night markets with a great coffee shop and arts scene.
  • Pai – Chilled out town in the hills near Chiang Mai with a hippy arts vibe and awesome caves and landscapes reachable by scooter, with cool bonfire bars at night.
  • Koh Phi Phi – Horribly touristy but still beautiful and good beach parties for the young at heart.
  • Sankhlaburi – Little town up near Kanchanaburi on a lake. A floating village, hardly any tourists, relaxed atmosphere and lots of friendly locals, fishermen and boat trips on the lake available. Super chill. Check it out on my blog.
Floating accommodation in beautiful Khao Sok National Park

Floating accommodation in beautiful Khao Sok National Park

Useful Information:

  • Wikitravel – great for Asia, lots of insider knowledge although remember not all info may be up to date
  • Travelfish – particularly good for Thailand, similar to Wikitravel
  • Trip Advisor – Particulary useful in Asia for finding decent accommodion and restaurants if you don’t have the energy to go hunting around yourself – although be aware of course not all accommodation is in here, you may miss some gems. Also good for learning about activities and tours available in the area.
  • Lonely Planet Thorn Tree Forums – If you have any questions head to the Thailand forum, it’s quite well used by other travellers and you often get a reply within a day. Do a forum search for what you are looking for, usually someone’s asked the same question already.

Enjoy your time in Thailand! Lah Gorn! (Goodbye!)

I would love to hear your own tips and recommendations for Bangkok – please leave a comment!

Monks I met at one of the quieter temples in Bangkok. Monks tend to be quite friendly, don't be afraid to approach them and have a chat, many speak English in the cities. In some temples "Monk Chat" is available, its an interesting experience.

Monks I met at one of the quieter temples in Bangkok. Monks tend to be quite friendly, don’t be afraid to approach them and have a chat, many speak English in the cities. In some temples “Monk Chat” is available, its an interesting experience.