Pattaya – The Wonderful Thailand Spot Ever

Pattaya city is one of the most wonderful place in Thailand for tourists. It locates in Chonburi province which is in the eastern part of Thailand. With beautiful beaches and scenario, Thai girls and nightlife, activities and sports, millions of travelers travel to Pattaya each year to come and see what the real fantastic city is.

Getting to Pattaya is very easy. It is just 147 kilometers away from Bangkok and 160 kilometers away from Bangkok International Airport (Old Airport). It takes approximately 90 minutes by car. If you would like to drive by yourself, you can take Route 3 (Bangna-Trat) and go along until you find the junction telling you to turn right to Pattaya beach, or you can take Motor-Way which is more convenient. You can also take a flight operated by Bangkok Airways to/from Koh Samui at Sattaheep Airport.

About Pattaya’s weather, Winter season starts in November through February. The temperature is between 20-30 degree Celsius and 50% humidity. Summer season starts in February through May. The temperature is between 30-40 degree Celsius and 75% humidity. Rainy season starts in June through October. The temperature is between 25-30 degree Celcius and 90% humidity.

Pattaya comprises 4 areas – North Pattaya, Central Pattaya, South Pattaya, and Jomtien beach. There are few tourists in North Pattaya if you compare with others. Travelers love to be there when they want to relax, swim in the sea or take a water sports or activities. In Central Pattaya along to South Pattaya, there are a lot of business and services including bars, restaurants, department stores, souvenir shops, and entertainment complexes.

Jomtien beach locates in the southern part of Pattaya. It is 4 kilometers away from Pattaya city. Many tourists love to go swimming, sunbathing, surfing, and other water activities there. Also, tourists can travel to near islands such as Lan island, Krok island, Phai islands by speed boat.

Besides having fun with water sports and activities, Pattaya has much more wonderful attractions which you can’t miss such as Ripley’s Believe It Or Not museum, Pattaya Water Park, Pattaya Crocodile Farm, Elephant Village, Sriracha Tiger Farm, and Nongnuch Garden.

I have details of some interesting places here.

Cabaret Show – Amazing and fabulous ladyboy show with fantastic costumes.

- Tiffany Show – have three shows daily; 7pm, 8.30pm and 10pm and an additional show at 5.30pm on holidays.
- Alcazar Show – have three shows daily; 6.30pm, 8pm, and 9.30pm and an additional show at 11pm on Saturdays.

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum – located at Royal Garden Plaza Pattaya. There are more than 300 collections of unbelievable things from all over the world by an American Robert Ripley.

Mini Siam – located on Sukhumvit Rd. km 143th. It collects all amazing places over Thailand and the world in small size such as Dawn Temple, Rama 9 Bridge, Eiffel Tower and more.

Go-Kart – a small car racing field for people who love speed and excitement. It locates in Pattaya city. Some providers are Siam Carting Circuit and Pattaya Cart Speedway.

You can find more about Pattaya at my webblog at http://travel-pattaya-thailand.blogspot.com

The East Coast of Thailand

Located within easy reach of the capital, the east coast resorts and islands attract a mixed crowd of weekending Bangkokians, pleasure-seeking expats and budget-conscious backpackers. Transport connections are good, prices are generally more reasonable than at the biggest southern resorts and, if you’re heading overland to Cambodia, the east coast beaches make challenging territory across the border. You’ll find the whitest beaches on the offshore islands –the five-hundred-kilometer string of mainland strands are disappointingly grey and the resorts here cater more for Thai groups than solitary horizon-gazing foreigners. In addition, the discovery of oil and natural gas fields in these coastal waters has turned pockets of the first hundred-kilometer stretch into and unsightly industrial landscape of refineries and depots, sometimes referred to as the Eastern Seaboard. Offshore, however, it’s and entirely different story, with island beaches as peaceful and unsullied as many of the more celebrated southern retreats.

The first worthwhile stop comes 100km east of Bangkok at the less than scintillating town of Si Racha, which is the point of access for tiny Ko Si Chang, whose dramatically rugged coastlines and low-key atmosphere make it a restful haven. In complete contrast, Pattaya, just half and hour south, is Thailand’s number-one package-tour destination, its customers predominantly middle-aged Western and Chinese males enticed by the resort’s sex-market reputation and undeterred by its notoriety as the country’s most polluted beach. Things soon look up, though, as the coast veers sharply eastwards towards Ban Phe, revealing the island of Ko Samet, the prettiest of all the beach resorts within comfortable bus-ride range of Bangkok.

East of Ban Phe, the landscape starts to get more lush and hilly as the coastal highway nears Chanthaburi, the dynamo of Thailand’s gem trade and one of only two provincial capitals in the region worth visiting. The other appealing inland city is Trat, 68km further along the highway and an important departure point for Ko Chang, a huge forested island with long, fine beaches, plentiful accommodation and a host of smaller, less developed islets off its coasts. East of Ko Chang lies the Cambodian border post of Ban Hat Lek, one of two points – the other being Aranyaprathet, a little way north – where it is currently legal to cross overland into Cambodia.

Highway 3 extends almost the entire length of the east coast – beginning in Bangkok as Thanon Sukhumvit, and known as such when it cuts through towns – and hundreds of buses ply the route, connecting all major mainland destinations. Buses from Bangkok’s Eastern (Ekamai) Bus Terminal serve all the provincial capitals and tourist spots; there are a few services here from Bangkok’s Northern (Mo Chit) Bus Terminal as well, and tourist minibuses run direct from Banglumphu in Bangkok to the ferry piers for Ko Samet and Ko Chang. One Eastern Line train a day runs in each direction between Bangkok, Si Racha and Pattaya. There’s and airport at U-Tapao naval base, midway between Pattaya and Rayong, served by Bangkok Airways flights to and form Ko Samui and Phnom Penh in Cambodia.

Highlights

Ko Si Chang – Tiny, barely touristed island with craggy coastlines and appealingly laidback ambience. more …
Pattaya – Away from the girlie bars and high-rise hotels, there’s rewarding year-round wreck and reef diving nearby. more …
Ko Samet – Pretty (and popular) little island fringed with dazzlingly white beaches. more …
Ko Chang – Large, sparsely populated island, with several good beaches and lots of accommodation. more …
Ko Mak – Stay in a teepee-hut on this diminutive island with fine white-sand beaches. more …

reference info. by The Rough Guide

TAG

Samet Island

Pattaya

Eastern Bus Terminal(Ekamai)

 

 

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Cruises in Phuket, Thailand Are Definitely Set to Be the Best Yacht Charters in Asia

When I landed in Singapore I went straight to my boat and fired up the laptop. I did a Google search for Phuket Yacht Charter and picked the first boat that came up.

Hey presto, there was a 70ft Catamaran which can sleep up to 16 guests, this was very similar to the boat I was currently on in Singapore however I wasn’t going to waste time and fuel sailing down to Phuket on my Cat.

This was great, I have my sister’s 40th birthday next week and she had only just been saying the other week that she did not know what to do for the celebration. This was the solution!

This looked like it was a fantastic boat for a larger group of guests that wanted absolute luxury on a cruise.

So I booked us all in as a surprise dream cruise for 3 days to the East Coast of Phuket. Im told that cruises to this part of the Island are unbelievable with the magical views of the world famous Phang Nga Bay.

Once this was done I needed to book flights, the best and cheapest I could find after looking around were Tiger Airway budget flights, which only cost around 0USD each return to Singapore so this was great, we were set!

We arrived at Phuket Airport all a little hung-over from the previous nights drinking, where the Shangani Captain, was waiting patiently with a banner. After getting everyone together, we jumped in the minibus and were all transferred to the Ao Po Marina, which is at the entrance to Phang Nga Bay.

WOW! We arrive and it is exactly as it was described! Fantastic! (A few people murmured). The limestone karsts of Phang Nga Bay were ahead of us. This really is like something out of a film, I’m not joking!

We all boarded the boat, and set sail to this Xanadu called Phang Nga Bay, in Phuket where we popped open the first of many bottles of Dom Perignon Champagne, at this point I knew my sister was going to have a 40th birthday that we would all cherish! Until her 50th that is!

This was the first time that many of the party had embarked on a yacht of this kind and many had never been on cruises before, let alone in Thailand so there was a good all round feel onboard!

After the first days cruising around these spectacular islands we Arrive at Ko Hong Phang Nga, were we anchored up for the first Night. There are fantastic surroundings here, we explored all of the sea caves and hidden lagoons by Kayak, which were supplied by the Yacht, all the guys in the party loved these adventures, but many of the ladies stayed on board and enjoyed their champagne and strawberry’s.

The next day after a late evening singing, drinking and dancing (hung-over yet again) on board the yacht, we set sail to Koh Hong Krabi. The beaches are beautiful here. So we all went for a swim and chilled out from the night before.

Now I feel like I’m on holiday! Was one comment I heard from a member of the party, as we swam in the clear waters and viewed the picturesque rock formations. We decided to Anchor up here overnight.

We all enjoyed a lovely dinner cooked buy the Cordon Bleu Chef. Now we were in Paradise!

The next morning we took a memorable scenic cruise down to Ko Naka this has a great long stretch of sandy beach, and a very characteristic little Thai Reggae, Caribbean Beach Shack bar, where one of my brothers friends had a guitar, so we all had a sing song with our feet in the sand sipping cold beer on the beach until sunset.

A lot of the blokes were being absolute kids as usual playing hermit crab racing against each other this was great fun to watch actually!

We enjoyed our last night onboard this fabulous yacht in the Phang Nga Bay which I have to say was as recommended on the Hong Kong to Singapore flight a week earlier, definitely correctly as one of the most magical places in the world! And I will definitely be returning for my 50th!

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Pattay Hotels, Pattaya Hotels Thailand & Pattaya Hotel Reservation– Booking Station

 

Discover Your Perfect Hotels in Pattaya Thailand at Booking Station

 

Booking Station provides the exclusive reservation of hotels in Pattaya Thailand.  Enjoy your stay in Pattaya with relaxing tropical ambience that makes the perfect ingredient for memorable holidays. All of our hotels in Pattaya have been chosen for their value and range of locations. Therefore, you can rest assured your stay is genuinely lower rates and a high degree of reliability.

 

On all our pages you can select the hotels in Pattaya Thailand by price and star rates. Our accommodation ranges from luxuriously appointed backside hotels with superb convention facilities to budget guesthouses.Just over an hour from Bangkok, you can enjoy fresh, funky, and relaxing Pattaya accommodation in the centre of the city with amenities tailored for business or pleasure from a full selection of Pattaya hotels. There are also a lot of activities and attractions for you to experience in Pattaya. If you’re looking for great Pattaya hotel deals, whether it’s a romantic atmosphere or a business destination, Booking Station can serve all you need with great value and exceptional service.

Travelling to Pattaya

By car

Pattaya can be reached in a 2.5-hour drive along Bangna-Trat Highway via Bang Pakong, Chon Buri and Si Racha. However, visitors can avoid Chon Buri by opting for Highway 36, the new Chon Buri – Pattaya – Rayong route or taking the motorway from Rama 9 Road.

By bus

Air-conditioned and regular buses depart from the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai) and Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal (Mochit 2 Bus Terminal) on Kamphaengphet Road daily. Buses (air-con) depart the Eastern Bus Terminal every 30 minutes from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and from Mochit II (Northern Bus Terminal) from 5.00 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Departure times and fares may be obtained from the Eastern Bus Terminal, tel. 0 2391 2504, 0 2391 8097 or the Northern Bus Terminal, tel. 0 2936 2852-66.

There are also minibuses that travel directly from Bangkok Airport to Pattaya at 9.00 a.m., 12.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. daily. For more information, contact the Bangkok International Airport, tel. 0 2535 1111.

In addition, most hotels in Bangkok provide bus services to Pattaya. Contact the tour desk at your hotel for details.

By train

The State Railway of Thailand offers a daily train service departing Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Station at 06.55 a.m., tel. 0 2621 8701. It takes about 5 hours to reach a station located near the Siam Country Club.

By Air

Bangkok Airways provides daily flights connecting Ko Samui and U-Taphao Airport. (Approximately 30 kilometers south of Pattaya).

Travelling in Pattaya

Pattaya City is divided into four major zones: North Pattaya, Central Pattaya, South Pattaya and Chomthian. It should be noted that there is a small mountain known as the Hill, located between South Pattaya and Chomthian. For a visual illustration take a look at the Map of Pattaya and Chomthian with the Hill.

Motorbikes are the most popular mode of transport in Pattaya. However, transportation in the city is facilitated through the use of special cars (song taew), customized pickup trucks with passenger seats in a covered overhead back cabin. These pickups, known as Bahts-Bus, can easily carry 8-10 passengers in the back, plus 1 or 2 passengers in front. They circle around the city and are allowed to stop anywhere. In addition to motorbike-taxis, the Bahts-Buses are the only form of public transport permitted in Pattaya. If not occupied, they also can be hired as private taxis. In fact, they are private vehicles in most cases belonging to the drivers. There are so many of them that they end up looking for passengers.

This compact city consists of 3 major roads that parallel each other. Right along the beach is Beach Rd., which is a one-way road from the north to south that is a few kilometers long. Second Rd. is a hundred or so meters away and carries city transport mainly from the south to north, although it is partly a two-way road. The last road is Sukhumvit Rd, a continuation of the highway leading to Bangkok. Many small streets called Soi(s) cross the roads. And it’s advisable to walk some of the small streets, which are enumerated from north to south, although some have names. Second Rd. continues on to South Pattaya and turns to Chomthian reaching Chomthian beach within 5 minutes, and continues alongside Chomthian beach, which is approximately 20 kilometers long with some secluded escapes.

Chomthian Beach Rd., which is a two-way road, also parallels Sukhumvit Rd and is the only road in the Chomthian area, except for some connecting streets. On the other side of Sukhumvit road are several country clubs, golf courses and typical Thai rural villages, providing charming escapes on the banks of sweet-water lakes and small streams in the leisurely and relaxing countryside.

Many kinds of motorbikes, convertible monster Jeeps, sport and passenger cars are offered for rent. A driver’s license is not required for driving around Pattaya and vicinity, so many tourists are tempted get behind the wheel. It should be noted that in Thailand drivers drive on the left lane, as in England and Japan

Myanmar’s Air Bagan offers Direct flights from Burma to Phuket, Thailand

MYANMAR – Air Bagan, the Myanmar (Burmese) airline, has announced the introduction of direct flights between Yangon (Rangoon) in Myanmar (Burma ) and Phuket, Thailand.

The first flight will be on April 11th 2011, with two flights scheduled per week on Mondays and Fridays. Return tickets will cost in the region of 10,900 baht (US0), including in-flight food and drinks.

Tickets are already on sale for the new route via the airline’s website, but later this month Air Bagan will open a ticket office in Phuket Town.

“The flights will be much more convenient and cheaper for tourists already in Phuket. The direct flights from Phuket will take just two hours, whereas the current flights depart only from Bangkok ,” said PB Travel Agency Centre, Managing Director, Suranat Taweesap.

The flights from Phuket will connect to a further twenty one destinations within Myanmar.

To promote the launch of the new route, Air Bagan has announced two discounted travel packages, including accommodation, return flights, food and tours of Yangon, Hongawadee and Kyaikhtiyo.

The packages cost 20,990 baht (US0), if travelling between April 11th and 14th, and 19,900 baht (US$ 655) for trips taken from April 15th to 18th 2011.

Once passengers arrive in Myanmar, they must provide two passport photos and pay US to be issued with a tourist visa.

Last year Air Bagan announced the opening of their Yangon to Chiang Mai flights, and due to their success, recently announced an increase in flight frequency between the two cities.

“This is our second route between Myanmar and Thailand and we think the flights will be useful for those who want to fly to Phuket directly without transiting in Bangkok .  We also expect to see a huge increase in tourists coming here from Thailand as a result of the new route,” said Daw Sao Thanda Noi, Air Bagan sales and marketing manager.

The airline has also said it is planning direct flights to Siem Reap in Cambodia as well as Bangkok , Kunming and Kuala Lumpur  in Malaysia and Singapore in the near future.

Posted by Vietnam Tours

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Political Downturn as Thailand Tourism Accelerates

This honor is considered to be the tourism equivalent of the Oscars, and Thailand has won it for eight consecutive years in the ‘world’s best country’ category. This is certainly a high accolade and not to be downplayed in any way, and proves there is more to the Land of Smiles than meets the eye.

Thailand and Scandinavia have long established a firm and fruitful relationship, with 378,387 Swedish tourists visiting the Kingdom during 2007, generating somewhere in the region of 25 Billion baht in revenue.

14.4 million Foreign nationals visited Thailand in 2007 alone from over 45 different countries. The official 2008 TAT figures have yet to be released, but the mood suggests a slight decrease in tourist numbers due to the worldwide economic problems.

The downturn is clearly a widespread issue, which doesn’t represent any failings on the part of Thailand as a major tourist destination in any way. And though businesses in Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai have noticed a minor drop in profits, thing are still carrying on as usual and tourists continue to flock to Thailand’s four favorite tourist regions.

Mike Parry, a U.K. expatriate bar owner in Phuket stated, “The Island is still the place to be, and visitors from all over the world are visiting Phuket in droves, spending big money, and the vibrant atmosphere is still the same as ever. To be honest, we are starting to notice an influx of visitors from more diverse countries than ever before.”

The majority of tourists come from Western European nations and Australia, but over the past two years there has been a dramatic rise of visitors from the Middle-East, China, Korea and Japan. This is an ever-growing market which Emirates Airline is quickly trying to accommodate by initiating a new Airbus A380 Megajet service from Dubai to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. Chumpol Silpa-archa, Minister of Sports and Tourism explained, “This launch reflects how much the airline expects visitors to increase to Thailand.” TAT have projected that visitors from the Middle East will rise 6.5% in 2009, and Emirates must be commended for their vigilance and vision.

All the major Airlines are also doing their utmost in combating the worldwide economic decline by providing value-for-money flights to encourage greater numbers to visit Thailand.  For instance, Qantas/British Airways are beginning to offer special rates on economy tickets from Australia and the United Kingdom to Bangkok. From any major Australian city, British Airways are charging as little as 15,590bht, and 23,650bht from London for roundtrip economy tickets.

The American travel market is also receiving welcome discount prices for economy roundtrip tickets to Bangkok.  Northwest and Delta Air Lines are providing tickets from American Cities such as San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, Portland, Las Vegas and San Diego for as little as 20,000bht. Salt Lake City to Bangkok economy-class tickets are being offered from 26,500bht for the roundtrip.

David Phelps, an American national who has been visiting Thailand two times every year for the past decade said, “I wasn’t going to come to Thailand on vacation this year, what with the value of the Dollar and the economic hardships. But the airlines and Thailand themselves are making so much of an effort to drop the prices and encourage tourism, I have decided to make my usual pilgrimage to this beautiful country that I love very much.”

Repeat visitors make up more than one third of the Thailand tourism trade and this is not a coincidence. The magnetic allure of the country and its wonderful inhabitants is underestimated and is the foundation of the tourist industry. Long term visitors always joke, “Nobody visits Thailand only once.” This type of repeat visitor already understands how the country works and is not so dependent on package holidays or hotel bookings.

There is a reported 30% decrease in hotel occupancy, but when you take into consideration that so many repeat visitors are favoring self-catering short-term villa rentals instead of hotel accommodation, the industry is still very healthy.

The Pattaya based holiday home rental company Thailand Holiday Homes has seen their figures rise a massive 32% in a two year period, providing a fascinating insight to the changing demographics of the tourist industry. Khun Nom, the Thai owner of Thailand Holiday Homes said, “We have many repeat clients and referrals due to the fact of giving excellent value for money, a free car for their personal use and 24 hour service. It seems that modern tourists prefer the privacy and freedom which a luxury self-catering rental villa provides.”

Whether you are a repeat visitor or a first timer, Thailand is the quintessential tropical paradise, with a colourful culture and an electric atmosphere, where people fall in love at first sight. Many tourists visit the Kingdom for a number of reasons that include beachside getaways, cultural excursions and the amazing diving conditions with beautiful coral reefs.

Many western men fall in love with the country and the petite smiling females in particular. The feeling from the Thai women is mutual as a recent survey proved. The women of the Northeastern rural province of Isaan have long been famous for marrying western men. A recent survey which covered 484 women from the Northern provinces showed that a whopping 61% suggested they would like to marry a western man, not only because his wealth, but also for the respect and faithfulness they offer women.

It doesn’t really matter what your reason for visiting Thailand is, the country has showed massive resolve in combating the current economic problems of the world and is battling against adversity. Thailand will continue to win awards and accolades for being one of the world’s favorite holiday destinations for a simple reason. People love this amazing country and the exotic allure of its culture, breathtaking scenery and the gracious attitude of its inhabitants.

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Philippe Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand

Philippe Restaurant is a French Restaurant in Bangkok Thailand own and operated by Chef Philippe Peretti from Corsica. Philippe has had an interest in French culinary arts from a young age and has trained under some of the top French Chefs from various French Restaurants in France for many years. After twenty years of traveling around England, America, Australia, China, Japan, and most of South East Asia, Philippe came to Thailand on holiday and fell in love with Bangkok Thailand and decided to make it his home and open up his French Restaurant in Bangkok. Philippe Restaurant was opened in 1998 in Bangkok Thailand, a five minute walk from Phrom Phong BTS station, 200 meters from Sukhumvit Road at Sukhumvit soi 39. Philippe Restaurant is regarded as one of the finest French Restaurant in Bangkok, the restaurant is highly recommended by both local and oversea press and recognized by a variety of food critics and top magazines. Philippe has dedicated himself to excellent in French culinary art and achieved recognition and awards from various venues and magazine. In 2005, Philippe was invited by the Thai International Airway to exclusively design their in-flight menus for the First and Business Class on their Bangkok-Europe and Bangkok-Australia route. Philippe Restaurant is open seven days a week, from 11:30 am to 2pm for lunch Monday to Saturday and 6pm to 10pm for dinner Monday to Sunday. You can call Philippe Restaurant at +66 (0)2 259 4577 or email at info@philipperestaurant.com. The address is 20/15-17, Sukhumvit Soi 39, Bangkok, Thailand

Philippe Restaurant is a French Restaurant in Bangkok Thailand own and operated by Chef Philippe Peretti from Corsica. Philippe has had an interest in French culinary arts from a young age and has trained under some of the top French Chefs from various French Restaurants in France for many years. After twenty years of traveling around England, America, Australia, China, Japan, and most of South East Asia, Philippe came to Thailand on holiday and fell in love with Bangkok Thailand and decided to make it his home and open up his French Restaurant in Bangkok. Philippe Restaurant was opened in 1998 in Bangkok Thailand, a five minute walk from Phrom Phong BTS station, 200 meters from Sukhumvit Road at Sukhumvit soi 39.

Philippe Restaurant is regarded as one of the finest French Restaurant in Bangkok, the restaurant is highly recommended by both local and oversea press and recognized by a variety of food critics and top magazines. Philippe has dedicated himself to excellent in French culinary art and achieved recognition and awards from various venues and magazine. In 2005, Philippe was invited by the Thai International Airway to exclusively design their in-flight menus for the First and Business Class on their Bangkok-Europe and Bangkok-Australia route.

Philippe Restaurant is open seven days a week, from 11:30 am to 2pm for lunch Monday to Saturday and 6pm to 10pm for dinner Monday to Sunday. You can call Philippe Restaurant at +66 (0)2 259 4577 or email at info@philipperestaurant.com. The address is 20/15-17, Sukhumvit Soi 39, Bangkok, Thailand

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Important Checklist You Should Know Before Checking In Thailand

Thailand check in is the guide for any travelers to prepare themselves before landing to Thailand, the land of smile.

Getting There

There are several ways to arrive to this country depending on where you come from.

By air: The main airport of Thailand is in Bangkok called Suvarnabhumi International Airport. However, there are many other airports in every region around Thailand in order for travelers to connect to all parts of the country such as in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui and Krabi. A little trick is that as there is a high competition in domestic flight market, travelers should compare the air fares from more than one source before booking. Also, be careful with the initial price offered as there could be a large amount of extra taxes and surcharges applied in the further booking steps. So, make sure, you continue the booking process until the final total price is shown. The popular airlines for domestic flights are Thailand Airways, Bangkok Air, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air and Air Asia.

By train: If tourists travel from Malaysia, a train is another option to enter Thailand. Moreover, as the railway connects to every part of the country, if tourists don’t mind spending a little more time on transportation, this is another option to travel around the country and enjoy scenery of Thailand.

By ship: This way is becoming more popular nowadays. There is the cruise line heading to South East Asia route, including visiting Thailand. The recommended 5-star service cruise is Costa Cruises.

Checklist before Thailand check in

1. Seek for some basic information

After choosing the transportation to enter the country, learning some basic information is always a wise idea to do before your arrival.

Tourism Authority of Thailand or TAT is always a trusted and valuable source to seek for any information about the country. The main channel to connect to TAT is through its website. In addition, even when you have arrived to the country there are many branches of TAT around Thailand to serve tourists, starting from the one at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

2. Vaccinations preparation

In term of health preparation, vaccinations for hepatitis A and B, polio, rabies, typhoid and tuberculosis are advised but not necessary. If you plan to get into jungles around the border areas (connected to Cambodia, Burma and Lao), Malaria vaccination is also recommended.

3. Entry document check for Thailand Check in

For Visa, the regulations for visa can be changed without notice so when planning to visit Thailand, make sure to re-check with the Thai embassy before departing. For passport, it must be valid for at least six months from the date you arrive Thailand.

4. Prepare some money and know its currency

About currency, currency used in Thailand is Thai Baht (฿). Its money includes both coins and notes, starting from “satang” coins, 100 satangs equal to 1 baht, 1 baht, 2 baht, 5 baht and 10 baht coins. For bank notes are 1,000 baht, 500 baht, 100 baht, 50 baht and 20 baht notes. One recommendation is that do not keep the large-denomination bank notes such as 1,000 or 500 notes or try change them to the smaller ones as street vendors or taxis don’t usually have large amount of changes. Exchange counters are also scattered around the country especially in tourist places. It is highly recommended to exchange your money at these bank counters rather than at hotels as the rate from the latter one would be more expensive. Besides cash, it is also a wise idea to bring cards with you as ATM machines are widely available everywhere around Thailand. Credit card is also accepted in many places however make sure you keep an eye on who handling your cards to avoid any cheating practices such as copying your card codes.

5. Clothes to match with the climate

The usual weather in Thailand is hot. There is a Thai joke that Thailand has 3 seasons: hot, hotter and hottest. As a result, clothes to be used in this country should be something light with short sleeves. However, trousers or a long skirt are something you should also bring at least one as some tourist attractions such as temples will not allow people with shorts or singlet to get in. Some winter clothes may be needed only if you plan to go up the hills in the northern part or north eastern part of the country during winter time, otherwise, they will be quite useless for your trip. To make sure with this, it is highly recommend travelers to check the weather forecast again before their departure.

6. Baggage check

To make your Thailand check in smoother, check the allowance of your baggage properly and make sure your bags are not overloaded. The baggage allowance is up to the airline policy so check this in your booking that issued by the airline.

After all the lists have been checked, you will be quite ready for checking in to Thailand. The final suggestion is that always find the promotional price in advance for any services you are going to use in Thailand such as accommodations, transportations, limousines, spas or other activities. Many services are often offered with promotion prices for advance booking.

You may check further information about Thailand here.

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The True Tastes of Thailand – Eating in Bangkok

Food, even the most expensive items on the Menu like “Kawiya” or Romantic dishes like “Sushi” food, one way or other owe their existence to Thailand. Food in Thailand is a complete world in it self to discover. However, eating in Thailand is not very expensive. For begin with, Bangkok is a wonderful place to shop, eat and have fun. Besides that, the perfect serenity of Pattaya Beach is just in 2 hours drive from Bangkok. The weather in Bangkok is amazingly welcoming, wearing a night royal blue tuxedo and walking in arms with elegant women in evening gown, a dinner in Thailand seems like a short straight from a James Bond Movie. Food is a major reason for many tourists to flock to Thailand. Not only for its affordability, but because the Kingdom’s exotic cuisine offers an unparalleled gastronomic experience that is internationally famous for its distinctive flavors and rich recipes. In Thailand, Food or Cooking seems like a religious performing, an art, a skill, an integral part of Thai culture just like kick boxing, traditional Thai massage, tuk-tuks, palaces, temples and saffron-robed monks… In a metropolitan city like Bangkok, you don’t have wonder where to find something good and traditional to eat. There are food carts at almost every street corner, at pavement eateries with fold-up tables and chairs, and in the smallest of streets, where you can eat just the “Thai way” of eating. One major reason for this food cart fashion in Thailand is that people are very very busy to stand at stare at things in a country where the world comes to enjoy nature at its best. Thai people are very hard working and the little time they have to eat, they eat something worth it. In Thailand, the mouth watering scent of food is unavoidable in the sprawling metropolis, when you are walking around to see the temples, palaces, museums or festivals. There is a world more to Thai food than the green, red and yellow curries that are served up at ‘Westernised’ Thai restaurants back home. For the most part though, the food is delicious, exotic, and prepared with a wonderful array of fresh herbs and spices like lemongrass, sweet basil, ginger, garlic and, of course, chili. Lots of it. Some dishes are so spiced up it will have you gasping for air, make the world around you spin and leave you with tears running down your cheeks. So be aware and keep a spring water bottle or a sweet with you before eating some thing new in the Menu. With some of the hot smelling cuisines, that you may have tasted at home, you will imagine that your tongue is on fire; its because the westernized food we eat here is altered according to our requirements but the real Thai Food is ummmmm… You will also find many dishes and snacks that will be more than kind to your taste buds, while restaurants generally go easy on the chili when preparing food for foreigners. After all it’s a biggest holiday spot and Thai people care for that! As it’s a famous holiday destinations, there are many flights direct, indirect and with almost all big airlines like British Airways, Virgin, Etihad, Qatar or Jet Airways starting from as low as 350 GBP to 1200 GBP for Business Class. For more details on cheap flights to Bangkok In your next trip to Thailand, don’t fear to try something new…

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Best time to fly to Thailand “The festival of lights 2010″

The beauty of Thailand is in its vastness, in a week’s trip you can travel from the shopping districts to food capitals and food capitals to tropical beaches and see all its attractions in a rapid version. Thailand makes travel fantasy real and affordable too; like you save cost of regional flights at large (as Pattaya is only a 2 hour drive from Bangkok) while cheap flights to Thailand from international airports are also accessible with top airlines of the world like Thai air, British Airways, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Virgin Atlantic and KLM-Air France.

The country carriers a fair standing as “Shopping Paradise” in the whole continent. Also the dinning and wine experiences are exotic here. The array of activities, water sports, beach lazing and clubbing make it a suitable destination for all age groups. But this time, travelers are flying to Thailand for another reason and that is “The Festival of Lights”.

“Loy Krathong” or the Festival of Lights is an amazing time to visit Thailand. For a traveler, it provides great opportunity to get closer with the Thai culture, the traditions, and friendly locals. In addition, you can take lot of stunning photographs too.

The “Loy Krathong” Festival holds great significance in the spiritual life of a Thai. It is traditionally a “thanks giving time”. During this festival, Thai generosity reaches its extreme and virtues like forgiveness, grievances, and pray for good luck are celebrated all over the country. This year, on November 21st (on the 12th of full moon) Thais will light up rivers, canals, lakes and the night sky with lamps of hope and prayers. Flights to Bangkok are relatively cheaper during the last week of November while there are also plenty of cheap accommodations in Thailand available too. Some accommodations, especially those by the Chao Phraya river or in the city center, also offer Festival activities giving guests a unique and unforgettable experience of this special Thai occasion.

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Places To Visit in Thailand

So, should you cancel your travel plans to Thailand? Absolutely not. Thailand is still a great place to visit and if you hadn’t seen the coup on TV, you would never have known it happened.

Life goes on in the Land of Smiles with the only difference being a new Prime Minister being installed. General Surayud was appointed the new PM, has selected his cabinet and restored calm to the country. Free elections will commence next year.

Apart from the newly appointed government, nothing has changed in Thailand. You can still go shopping, dine in some great restaurants and ride elephants. The Thai people will still welcome you with open arms, smile all day long and treat you to the best vacation you have ever had.

In addition, you will get to see the most spectacular airport in all of Asia. Suvarnabhumi Airport opened on September 28th and is a sight to behold. It is located 50 kilometers south of the “old airport” – Don Muang. So, if you are planning on visiting Pattaya, your ride from the airport to Pattaya should be approximately 30 – 45 minutes faster.

If you have plans to visit Bangkok or any of the other cities in Thailand, there is no need to cancel. If you have never been, now is a good time to go.

Exercise the normal cautions you would on any trip to a foreign country. Register with the state department or your local embassy. Don’t flash your money or jewelry, use the buddy system, and be aware of your surroundings. Be safe and have a great vacation.

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Getting to Ko-samet island in thailand

Getting to Ko Samet Island in thailand:

including all the good parts, is part of Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park and thus has an entry fee. Thais pay 40 baht for adults, 20 baht for children (current as of June 2009); foreigners pay 200 baht for adults, 100 baht for children (current as of November 2009). This two-tier pricing policy is applicable to all national parks. If you can explain, however, that you actually live or work in Thailand, then you may not have to pay the “tourist” price. One excuse for the difference is that “Thai citizens pay taxes”.

If your ferry arrives at the main pier and you take a songthaew to the beaches, there will be a stop at the main ticket checkpoint. If your ferry arrives at one of the beaches, an officer will collect the fee as you step out of the surf. Note that there is plenty of foot traffic in and out of the park to the 7-Eleven, ATM or other shops and restaurants and if you have no bags you can nonchalantly walk into the park without anyone checking your ticket. There is a road via the temple which avoids the checkpoint entirely. Note: some bungalows might give the impression that the entry fee is included in their booking, but it is not.

By car and taxi

As Ko Samet is an island, you first have to drive to Rayong. From Bangkok, you can take Sukhumvit Rd (Highway No. 3) passing Chonburi, Si Racha, Pattaya, Sattahip and onto Rayong. The total distance to Rayong is approximately 220 kilometers. If you drive onto Highway No. 36 at Bang Lamung (before Pattaya), you’ll take a shortcut inland and save about 45 kilometers (but the scenery is not as impressive).

Taxi services are available from Rayong. You need to specify Ban Phe since the pier at Ban Phe is at the lower outskirts of Rayong itself. The metered fare is approximately 1600 baht, but most drivers will want to go “off meter” for a fare ranging from 1500 baht (some drivers don’t realize the meter is slightly higher) to 2000/2200/2500 baht. Expressway tolls of about 100 baht are additional. You can either grab a taxi from your hotel or guesthouse that is willing to make the drive on the spot, or pre-arrange a pickup from a taxi driver you like by asking for his cellphone number and calling to make a booking — the latter routine works best if you have a native Thai speaker to help you. Look for a later model taxi and do a quick visual check of the tires before committing to a trip. As a general precaution with all taxis in all countries, it’s better to double up in a taxi with a friend on a long ride like this.

Getting to Ko samet Island By bus

The bus from Bangkok’s Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai) to Ban Phe usually takes 3.5 hours, costs 157 baht (current as of July 2009), and terminates opposite the ferry piers. There is no direct service to Ban Phe from Bangkok’s Mo Chit Bus Terminal — it only brings you to Rayong, from where you can take a songthaew (20 baht) to Ban Phe.

There are direct first class bus services between Rayong and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. If you take a regular bus from Pattaya or Sattahip, you’ll need to take a songthaew or charter a tuk-tuk to the ferry piers.

There are also mini-vans that leave from Victory Monument in Bangkok’s Phahonyothin district. They charge 250 baht per person and bring you directly to the ferry piers. This is a slightly nicer alternative to the larger tourist buses that depart from bus stations. The mini-vans drive faster than the tourist buses, but they also make several stops along the way in Rayong which makes the trip about the same time. Also, the ride is quite bumpy, so even reading a book is a challenge.

Getting to Ko samet Island By plane and by boat

Bangkok Airways has operated a flight daily from Phuket and Ko Samui to Pattaya’s U-Tapao Airport. For more information, contact Bangkok Airways at number +66 2265 5678 or contact a travel agent. From the airport, it is about one hour by car or bus to reach the pier. This way of transportation is only recommended for travellers from Southern Thailand.

By boat

Ferries from Ban Phe or Nuan Thip (they are about 1/8 mile apart, with Ban Phe to the north opposite a 7-11) to Ko Samet take around 30 to 45 minutes. Only buy a one-way ticket (50 baht), as there’s no discount on round-trip tickets (100 baht) and you won’t have to worry about losing it or finding that your ticket isn’t valid for the most convenient return ferry. The ticket sellers state you must buy your national park ticket from them also.

Nuanthip pier (tel +6638651508/+6638651514) runs boats to various piers on Ko Samet. One-way tickets are half the price of a round-trip, you might need to insist of booking one. The boats tend to wait until full so timetable is more like a hint than a fixed departure time.

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The scintillating destinations of Thailand

Thailand, a country full of fun, activity and colors is an amazing destination to visit. Thailand Holiday Packages never fails to fascinate and amaze citizens of various age groups. Nevertheless, there are several gorgeous towns, shoreline and isles; and the hospitality the people extend is beyond imagination and this makes the city a very popular place with the travelers. Some of the famous Thailand Destinations during the Thailand Holiday Package are

Bangkok, to be found on the edge of the Chao Phraya River, is the vibrant capital city of Thailand. Bangkok is the biggest city in the whole country with the population of about 7,000,000

A globally famous seashore resort, Patty is positioned nearly 170 km south of Bangkok on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand. The city extends some 15 kilometers all along the coastline. People of different nationalities reside over here.

Koh Samui is the third biggest isle in Thailand. It is to be found in   the Surat Thani area and is approximately 500 km south of the Bangkok. The beautiful island, more or less round in shape, is cited in the bay of Thailand.

Chiang Mai is the city that combines the most excellent portion of Bangkok but it is an extremely small city. It is perhaps a fantabulous place to give a jerk start to your trip. Other than this, mountain bikes, mountain climbing, hot-air ballooning and horse riding are some of the most famous amusing activities among the travelers.

Hua Hin Just some distance from Bangkok, is a wonderful beach resort that is very famous with the residents. A submissive spot makes a grand place for family vacationer on their way to south.

Phuket is considered to be one of the most famous and popular tourist spots in Thailand Holiday Package. Phuket is a conspicuously stunning island. This island is full of fun and the individuals and families coming over here have a lot of fun. Visiting Thailand and not going to Phuket will be the biggest blunder you will do. There are numerous beaches in Phuket that are actually jam-packed round the year.

Some of the most popular airlines providing service from UAE to Bangkok are Thai Airways Flights, Express Rail Flights. There are nearly 27 direct flights from Dubai, AE to the Thailand. There are 2 aircrafts with straight flights from Dubai, AE to Thailand.

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Cheap Flights to Thailand

Thailand is one of the most popular spot for tourist who wants to experience the multi-cultural, historical and beautiful natural surroundings. Tourism being one of the sources of income for local businesses, the Thai government prepared many facilities to promote visitor to the country. Visas are usually not required and the list of exempted countries is published at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

A long holiday in Thailand cost very little money. The cost for 3 days in Paris is equal to 3 weeks in Thailand due to the low prices for accommodation, travel and food. Flights to Thailand might cost more from certain countries but earlier bookings and comparing special promotions before choosing can get you unbelievably cheap flights to Thailand. Currently, Gulf Air is popular for offering the cheapest air fare as publicized by the official web site.

Thailand is developing at a fast rate while trying to maintain its traditional identities. More cheap flights to Thailand will open up the country to other cultures and economic opportunities. Well-known for its low labor cost, many companies are setting up services, manufacturing and sales companies in Thailand. Business trips often make the bulk of travels to Thailand. Booking from agencies using corporate rates will give cheaper flights to Thailand. Traveling agencies also does group booking to bring down the price of air ticket. Thailand is also popular for its historical temples, food and prostitution.

Cheap flights bought through promotional offers or an early booking doesn’t mean the flight is low classed and horrible. The experience will just be the same as travelling normal rate economy class. The low price is due to the limitation of seats offered at below normal rates to attract people to book earlier.

Prices of local goods made of high quality raw materials such as silk, gold, platinum, silver and many others are sold at a cheap price in Thailand. Exotic decorative items and creatively crafted objects can be found everywhere. Going to Thailand is a travel through time. Cheap flights to Thailand gave everybody a chance to experience the uniqueness of this country and its people.

Top 5 Reasons to Travel Off-Peak to Thailand

So you’ve decided that the Land of Smiles is the destination for this year’s vacation. Tropical, easy on the budget, great food, what’s not to like? And to make the best of your time, you go when things are happening—Flower Festival in Chiang Mai, Songkran in northern Thailand, New Year, the Lantern Festival. Right? Wrong. Here’s why.

 

Airfare deals, bargain flights. Budget travel is the key. Take a look at Thai Airways or do a general search for flights to Thailand, and you’ll find great packages and cheap flights. Some won’t let you cancel and/or change your dates, but if you’ve already got everything organized, that shouldn’t be any trouble.
More flexible. Need to extend your stay a day or two? Can’t. The day before you arrive, or the day after your intended check-out, is already packed. The receptionist will apologize and tell you they’d have loved to let you stay on, but they simply don’t have the space. Time to lug your suitcases around town in a rented car or worse, a tuk-tuk, and nobody to blame but yourself. Traveling in off-peak months and want to extend your stay? They’ll probably give you a room upgrade or a discount for the privilege.
Last-minute decisions. We’ve all been there! Your schedule got tight, your client wanted this job done right now, things piled up and you lost track of time. Before you know it, it’s just a day before you board the plane and head for the tropical warmth of Thailand. Oops. You forgot to book a hotel. Now all there is left is a bunch of run-down bed and breakfast and guesthouses. Cheap, sure, but do you really want to spend your holiday in those? You deserve better. Travel off-peak and you’ll find yourself in luxury three-to-four-stars hotels at almost the same price you’d have paid for dilapidated guesthouses during Flower Festival.
More expensive. Accommodation during peak times is at a premium. Hotel rooms in tourist hubs like Chiang Mai, Phuket and Koh Samui will be full up. Ask for the best suite, tell them you’re a millionaire, but if they haven’t got it, they haven’t got it. If you do squeeze in, be assured that on New Year’s Eve you aren’t going to get that last remaining room for nuts. You can threaten to take your business elsewhere or tell them that so-and-so hotel is giving you a much friendlier rate, and the receptionist will shrug and wish you luck. They can sell the room to someone else, after all. It’s supplier’s market.
Crowds, crowds, crowds. Those charming street markets sure looked great on the postcards until you’re there and realize you are another tuna in a tin can. Want to know a secret? They’ve got street markets all the time! Same goes with many year-round events and festivals. Look up your destination and do a little research. You’re bound to find any number of fairs. Plus, the tiger farm or the elephant camp you’ve always wanted to see? Yup, that’s also active round the year, and what’s more you won’t be rubbing shoulders with so many tourists. No reason to put up with long baggage collection waits, either.

The best months to do all these are May to September. Weather in Thailand during this time of the year is on the warm side with a bit of rain, but if you’d wanted wintry, you’d have stayed home, right? Besides, you can always duck into a café for some iced drinks and air-conditioning. And with all the travel budget you’ll be saving—along with everything else I’ve listed right here—the climate isn’t going to bother you for long.