Thailand Travel Tips
Thailand Travel Tips
Tips for Travel Around Thailand
Things in Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, move at a different speed. Don’t be in a hurry! Bus and even train breakdowns are common. Don’t loose your cool, remember – mai pen rai. This is the single most important Thailand travel tip!
TAT is NOT a friendly government office there to help travelers. They are there for one reason – to make money! Book tickets directly yourself and save a bundle.
Always settle on a price before getting inside a tuk-tuk or taxi. Insist that the taxi cars use the meters (they aren’t really broken!)
To hitchhike, point at the ground in front of you. If you stick your thumb out someone will probably give you a “thumbs-up” in return as they blow by in a cloud of dust.
For good maps of an area, try searching on http://images.google.com and then just printing it for a few cents at the local internet cafes. Much cheaper than buying a tourist map!
Night trains are an enjoyable way to get across the country and it saves you from paying for a night of accommodations as well.
Never pay extra for “VIP buses”. They are usually the same bus, break down just as often, and many times you will end up on the regular bus anyway without a refund because the VIP bus will conveniently be broken.
The insides of air con buses are literally freezing. Take something to cover yourself up with!
When choosing a seat on a bus, try not to sit over an axle, it will jar your teeth out. Always try to sit on the same side as your bag if it was put in the cargo hold underneath.
Treat your ticket stubs and receipts like gold! There is often no computer network to reprint a lost ticket.
Keep your knees and elbows tucked in tight when riding on the back of a motorcycle taxi! Your driver will probably have your life flashing before your eyes and guess what…..he gets to wear the helmet, not you!
Read some tips for riding motorbikes in Thailand.
Thailand travel tips for trains
Trains in Thailand are old-school but fun. The 2nd class sleeper trains are open air and you can smell the country side as you bump and sway along. Here are some tips:
Top bunks on night trains are smaller but cheaper and slightly more private than the bottom bunks.
When you are ready to sleep, an attendant will come around and has to convert your bunk from a seat into a bed. This is your chance to ask him to wake you at a specific destination – they are quite reliable and helpful. Otherwise every time the train stops and someone makes an announcement in Thai (don’t expect English) you won’t be sure if it is yours or not.
Train food is expensive and terrible and most of the attendants are pushy (they get a commission per expensive beer that they bring to you already opened). Bring lots of snacks to avoid buying the stuff.
Keep your rucksack in the bunk with you just for safety. If you have to go somewhere, get another traveler to keep an eye on things or take it with you.
Don’t be late! Show up at the station early because it may take some time to figure out where to go and which train is yours. They won’t wait on you!
There are some great Thailand travel tips for trains here: http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm
Here is the inside of a 2nd class night train: (no AC, fan only)
Categories: Getting around
Hiring a motorcycle in Thailand
Motorcycle in Thailand
Some tips for hiring a motorcycle in Thailand
You will no doubt encounter scores of travelers with oozing bandages or healing road rash scabs. Having a motorcycle wreck is almost a rite-of-passage here and some people call it the “Thai tattoo”. This is mostly because people aren’t used to the road conditions, aren’t very good riders, or just plain got drunk and went down.
Still, don’t shun that little Yamaha just yet. Riding a motorcycle or scooter around Thailand can be terrible fulfilling in some twisted Che Guevara way and it is just plain fun. Even if you have never been on one before, find a quiet place in the islands and give it a shot!
Only Westerners call it a “scooter”. It may not carry much credit in a gang, but they are still “motorcycles” in Thailand.
Always try to leave a copy of your passport at the rental office rather than the real deal.
Always check a rental motorcycle from top to bottom for scratches and scrapes. Some dishonest places will try to charge you for scrapes when you bring it back.
Always wear sunglasses when riding your motorcycle in Thailand. The road is usually dusty and a pebble or Southeast Asian sized bug could easily cause enough eye damage to ruin your trip.
It is actually law to wear a helmet in Thailand – but it is rarely enforced and usually just against travelers. The locals almost never wear them. Go ahead and get one from the office and despite the heat, wear it – if it doesn’t save you a few Baht on a ticket, it might save you from taking home an interesting brain injury.
Always use the chain and lock up your motorcycle in Thailand when you aren’t on it. They disappear rather quickly in some places.
Ask for a couple of bungee cords at the rental office. They will come in handy for keeping your daybag in the basket and may keep someone from snatching it as they drive past on another bike.
The good news is that petrol is cheap. You can purchase it in glass bottles at small shops or find a guy with a barrel and a hand pump like this one.
or better yet….this one!
Go read this funny story about riding a motorcycle in Thailand!
Categories: Getting around
