Where to get the best value vacation for your money

I lived in Thailand for 2 years, it’s fantastic.

Flights are not expensive, you can find accomodation in Bangkok ranging from 500TBHT (approx. $12) per night for a room that is basic but clean with aircon to around $150 per night for a luxury hotel. Forget about the seedy image of Bangkok, it’s not true. There are a few isolated hotspots for prostitutes but it’s a huge city and these places are easily avoided.

Food is riduculously cheap. Decent Thai restaurant? $15 for 2 including drinks if you know where to go. Try street food, it’s great. I never got sick in 2 years there. The cost? small change.

Transport in Bangkok is small change, too.

Outside ‘The Big Mango’ there are countless places to choose from. Beaches on the islands, I recommend Ko Chang, still relatively unspoiled. You can also travel north and visit the hill tribes around Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai.

Travel around Thailand is also cheap. They have an excellent inter-provincial bus system. One important tip here, go to one of the main bus stations in Bangkok and buy your ticket there from a government run bus operator. DON’T buy bus tickets from shady travel agents around the tourist hotspots. You might get an unpleasant surprise. I left Thailand 18 months ago and I still miss it like crazy.

Travel destinations: Siem Reap, Cambodia

Tips if you’re travelling to Siem Reap.

1. Wear comfortable shoes if you are climbing Angkor Wat. The steps are steep.

2. Wear sunscreen. The sun is merciless and they have a 13 hour day.

3. If you have a weak stomache, avoid eating from the roadside stalls, and drinking water with ice. Leave that to the last day when it doesn’t really matter.

4. Bring smaller USD notes, such USD$1 and USD$5. Don’t bother changing riels (cambodian currency). The locals use USD too, and only use riels mainly for change smaller than USD$1.

5. It is worthwhile to hire an English guide if you are travelling to see the temples. You’re contributing to tourism dollars, and also the guide would explain many things that would help you understand what you are seeing.

6. Cambodians sleep early, and rise early. They usually go to bed from 9pm onwards, and rise before 5am. They consider it bad luck and also a trait of laziness to rise late. So if you are up to it, you could also wake up early to catch some sights at the local markets.

7. If you are approached by little children to buy some counterfeit books, and would like to, remember to check the pages inside.

8. “Thank you” is “or kun”.

9. There is really nothing to shop in Cambodia, you’re better off doing the bulk of you shopping in Vietnam or Bangkok. So, don’t make Cambodia your last leg in Asia.

10. Ask your guide to bring you to some Khmer restaurants that the locals go to (and which are clean).

A look at Phuket nightlife

Phuket nightlife takes on many different forms. Phuket is one of Thailand’s top destinations and as such there is a diverse range of nightspots on the island. Although Phuket nightlife is not quite on the same level as in Bangkok, that doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to find somewhere to have fun.

Phuket nightlife is at its most lively in Patong. You’ll either love Patong or you’ll hate it. The bars are loud, the clubs are obnoxious and the streets are crowded. That being said, Patong is cheap and the bars and clubs stay open later than in other parts of Phuket.

Patong is famous for its nightlife. The center of the action is found on Soi Bangla, which is a hive of go-go bars, discos and stage shows. This is Phuket nightlife at its most seedy, but it can be a lot of fun if you go in the right frame of mind.

Generally speaking, the bars and clubs in Patong churn out hip hop and dance music hits. It can all be a bit predictable, so don’t go expecting anything special.

Patong is also known for its girls. Yes, it’s true, there are countless bar girls and sex shows in Patong, but the people of Patong make no effort to conceal these facts. Patong is what it is and it’s best not to take the whole place too seriously.

Perhaps the most fun that can be had in Phuket is at some of the local clubs. Phuket nightlife is at its most authentic in the small Thai clubs, where you can check out some of the local bands. Phuket Town is probably the best place to sample some Thai-style clubbing.

Also in Phuket Town there are lots of pubs and beer bars and much less of the seedy side of Phuket nightlife.

There are plenty of other areas where you can go and party, but usually they aren’t as busy and entertaining as in Patong or Phuket Town. There are a few exceptions scattered around the island in places such as Surin, Kata-Karon and Nai Harn.

The only area that Phuket really lacks anything in terms of nightlife is serious clubbing. There are a few Phuket clubs where you can hear cutting-edge music, but these are few and far between. However, it is possible to catch electro, techno, breaks, house and more in some Phuket clubs and bars.

Phuket could be a major clubbing destination in Southeast Asia, but the island has a long way to go before it can start competing with the likes of Singapore and KL.

For now, Phuket nightlife has enough depth to keep people entertained, but you feel as if there is more to come. The shining beacon of Phuket nightlife is that there is a great live-music scene around the island. There are lots of bands who can rattle out everything from rock and indie to jazz and blues. If you can get into it, there is a top indie scene in Phuket. Pick up some CDs in a local store to get a feel for the music.

What to know about traveling in Thailand – Part 4

Generally Thailand is a safe country for the traveller. The value of Tourism has long been recognized by the locals so crime is relatively low. Watch out for pick pockets in Pat Pong night market (the go go bar district of Bangkok) and watch out for TukTuk(3 wheeled tayi bikes) that will take you for a ride(literally) offering to take you to your destination for way low prices, you end up in a bar or souvenir shop the driver has a deal with. Sometimes you are even forced to consume there at astronomical prices. Refuse to be taken on such a ride and insist on geting to your destination directly. Getting orientation from a map ahead of time helps tremendously.Meter Taxis are generally safer at geting you where you want to go and are usually air con as well. Slightly more expensive but well worth it. A one time tuk tuk ride is a must though, such a hair raising adventure is nothing for weak nerves though.

Movie reviews: Ong

Ong-Bak; The Thai Warrior definitely has some of the best martial arts fighting scenes in films of the action genre today. Usually you do not see a lot of Muay Thai fighters and Tony Jaa was a pleasure to watch. He was poetry in motion, he was almost better then Jet Li, almost but not quite.

Our story opens with the purchase of a sacred amulet gone wrong and to get back at the owner of the amulet the criminal mastermind sneaks back into the village undercover of darkness and steals the head of Ong-Bak the sacred Thai Buddha. In the morning the theft is discovered and the young Ping (Jaa) volunteers to go to Bangkok and recover the head of the statue, which is the focal point of the villages upcoming ceremony believed to bring rain to the drought stricken area. While he is in Bangkok he is forced to use his most excellent fighting skills in an underground fighting club to earn some extra cash on his way to recovering Ong-Bak.

This is a Thai dubbed in english, and it also has english subtitles. I would rent this flick before buying, you might not be as mesmerised with it as I was.

Are You Looking for a Luxurious Beach Hotel & Resort in Pattaya?

Pattaya is well known for its nightlife and beaches and is located about 150 km southeast from Bangkok. By car you would have to spend about 1.5 hours as the motorways are very developed.  Starting as a fishing village, Pattaya has grown tremendously the last 40 years.  The hotel industry has flourished with lightening speed due to ever increasing number of tourists visiting Pattaya (about 5 million per year). Hence, it’s the most popular and profitable business of this region. For this purpose only, the right hotel with lots of offerings at low rates is very easy to find.  Pattaya has a lot to offer for anyone such as theme and amusement parks, golfing, ease of access to beaches, scuba diving, sailing, para-sailing, bungee jumping, go-karts, and a very vibrant nightlife.  Pattaya also has a wide variety of international cuisine as well as great sea food at the restaurants along the beach.  You can also find some great bargains on clothing in Pattaya.  Although not as extensive as Bangkok, it still has some great shopping venues. 

 

The general factor for choosing a right resort at Pattaya would usually be the starting price. You can visit each hotel’s official site to see and check their offerings. You can also browse directories and travel sites by price, by class or even by top 10 lists. This can ease your work of finding the right accommodation partner when you visit Pattaya; little bit of searching can get you more than what you invest for the stay.

 

However, there are few points to be noted before choosing a hotel for your stay. Price should not be the only factor in choosing the right hotel. Other factors like location, services do matter in choosing the right hotel. If you want a cheap hotel yet want to see

the beach from the room, then it’s not difficult job to find one as there are lots of accommodations which offer cheap accommodations.

But, if you plan to stay in a luxurious hotel then you need to decide about the location, as you may be expecting high quality service for the money you spend.

If you have a fair budget and want all the luxuries of a hotel but also want to see the beach from the room of your hotel, then you might consider Siam Bayshore Resort & Spa located between “Walking Street” and Bali Hai pier. This hotel consists of 12-beautifully designed low-rise pavilions are set in acres of manicured tropical gardens and quiet lagoons.  You can definitely feel a sense of privacy from your hotel room.  Each room has a balcony overlooking the gardens, pool or ocean.  This resort also offers six tennis courts for the avid tennis player, fitness room, 20 acres of lush gardens, swimming pool, children’s pool, Jacuzzi, spa services such as Thai massage, full aromatherapy treatment and massage, facials and foot massage, full conference and high speed internet connection.  As the life in Pattaya can get a little hectic at times, many people prefer to stay in a serene and private resort located by the beach.  Daily tours and arrangements to enjoy beach activities are available and highly recommended if you plan your holiday in Pattaya.

Where to be at When in Thailand

What follows is various information about some of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand, as well as a number of other places. I have tried to give a summary of information about each area, as well as mention some of the most interesting things to do there, basically listing all of the sort of info that I think may be useful in making the vacation worthwhile.First of all,communicating is a huge concern in this part of the world, so, here are a few common terminologies for you to start off…..

Baht – 1). The unit of currency in Thailand.

2). The unit used in measuring the weight of gold in Thailand.

Khao Sarn – It is the name of the main road in the backpacker infested neighbourhood of Bangkok, but did you know that in Thai it actually means “un-husked rice”.

Ko – Thai for island.

Kop khun – Thai for thank you!

Ta – Thai for port or pier.

Teeruk- Thai for darling.

Wat – Thai for temple.

The cities elaborated with different places and events here include:Bangkok , Phuket, Pattaya, Ko Samui , Chang Mai, Udon Thani, Cha am All the above

locations have airports except for pattaya and cha am (there’s one in Hua hin)

Bangkok

Bangkok is truly a city that never sleeps, a city with a real energy that can induce you in, take a firm hold of you and in some cases, refuse to let go! Bangkok is not a city of endless tourist attractions and must see museums, but a city you visit to feel the vibe. Bangkok has an energy seldom found elsewhere.To the uninitiated, it can appear to be another big, drab grey city but if you persevere, exploring the city can be a rewarding experience.

Before you decide to go all out on the exploring stuff, I am sure its agreeable to get a suitable accommodation. Some of the Hotels/resorts giving best value for oney can be found here As far as attractions and interesting things to see and do in Bangkok go, there are a handful. The old part of town, that is the area down near the river, not far from the Khao San Road area, is where you’ll find a lot of the more culturally and historically significant building and temples. That is one part of the city that is actually quite pretty. For many the highlight of the area is the Grand Palace (Wat Pra Kaew), the most culturally important of all of Thailand’s 40,000+ Buddhist temples. The dress code for entry is strictly enforced – you shouldn’t wear anything to brief or a sleeveless shirt.Sort of over and behind the Grand Palace is Wat Po, which is preferable to the Grand Palace. The other major temple in this area is Wat Arun, most probably the most photographed temple, or for that matter, location, in all of Bangkok. Wat Arun is the fascinating temple just over the Chao Praya River from the Grand Palace and Wat Po.The tallest building in Bangkok is the Baiyoke 2 Tower which towers above everything else. It’s located a few hundred metres up from the Central World Plaza in a busy parks of the Pratunam Market. The tower soars around 300 metres into the sky and from the top, on a clear day at least, you get good views of Bangkok There’s a somewhat dated but still interesting

SNAKE FARM right in the heart of the city. Located on Rama 4 Road, within the Red Cross compound, it features a show that is presented in both English and Thai.Also in the Lumpini area is one of the city’s two major Thai boxing stadiums, Lumpini Stadium. Rather than go for ringside seats, I think it is a lot more fun to sit up in the main stand with the Thais and watch them gambling. Heaps of fun!The Ancient City, known as Meuang Boran in Thai, located a fair distance from the centre of Bangkok, is another excellent attraction, in fact the word excellent really doesn’t do it justice. It truly is a photographer’s dream. There are a number of different companies offering dinner cruises on the Chao Praya river. Some of the deals are for a buffet dinner and some are a la carte.

Pros: The Thai capital is less about tourist attractions – although there are many, but more about the vibe. Friendly people who are easily excited like to have fun – and their attitude and zest for life can be infectious.

Cons: It’s a drab, grey city with awful traffic problems. It is also home to many people who prey on tourists with various scams. You won’t get hit on the head, but you might get tricked out of your money.

The Bottom Line: Worth a few days of your time!

Phuket

It was the beautiful island of Phuket that first lured me to the Kingdom Of Thailand. In fact when I first moved to Thailand my plan was to go to Phuket and secure a job teaching English down there but for whatever reason, it never happened and I ended up in Bangkok.Phuket is one of the world’s premier beach holiday destinations and ranks alongside the French Riviera, the Mediterranean and Hawaii as places where people will happily endure up to 24 hours discomfort on a plane for the promise of the quintessential beach holiday.

Phuket is an island connected to the Thai mainland by a bridge, and is located about 1,000 km from Bangkok There are many beaches around the island province of Phuket but by far and away the most developed is Patong Beach. Patong Beach is tourist central where all of the nations of the world come together. Here you will find far, far, far more Indian and Italian restaurants than you will Thai restaurants, proving just how touristed Patong place has become.Patong is the nightlife capital of the island, not that much different to Pattaya, only smaller. For Phuket nightlife, Patong is the centre.South of Patpong Beach is Karon Beach, my favourite of Phuket’s beaches. 3 km of soft white sand lead gently down to the beautiful Andaman Sea. While accommodation prices have moved in a similar manner to those at Patong, the prices at Karon are more attractive than Patong.South of Karon Beach is Kata Beach, a somewhat smaller beach that is NOT a private beach for Club Med as some people believe.This, like Karon, is another really lovely beach and a great place to wile away the days and baste yourself under the hot Thai sun.Accommodation and restaurants are a little cheaper there than the other beaches. It is certainly much quieter and less hustle and bustle than Patong. .

There are many day trip options available from Phuket.Two of these in particular are well worthwhile. The first recommended day trip is the one that takes you to Phanga Bay and the so called James Bond Island. The second day trip that is well worthwhile is over to the small paradise like island, Phi Phi.

Pros: Beautiful, diverse island with a little something for most people. Some beautiful beaches. Some SUPERB day trips available including Phi Phi Island and Phanga Bay.

Cons:Phuket isn’t cheap. A lot of very jaded Thais work the Phuket tourist scene. Local transport is far too expensive. Food prices, especially some of the restaurants in big hotels targeting Westerners, are expensive.

The Bottom Line: If you want a comfortable beach holiday with Western comforts, Phuket is the place for you.

Pattaya

Nowhere on earth can you find such a well developed tourism industry where sex is such a big part of it, as you can in Pattaya. It is located 150 km south east of Bangkok.Once you’ve reached Pattaya you’ll have to find somewhere to stay and if there is one area where Pattaya really excels in a huge choice of very affordable accommodation, like the Dusit Resort, the Marriott and the Sheraton. But it is in the mid-range where Pattaya accommodation represents the best value for money.There are a few beaches in the Pattaya area. The first and most popular beach is Pattaya beach. Over the hill to the south is Jomtien Beach which is very popular with Thais, especially at the weekend, and to the north of Pattaya are Nagleua and Wongamart beaches, both of which are popular with older Europeans, particularly German speakers (meaning not just Germany, but Austria and Switzerland too.)Naglua Beach, just north of Pattaya Beach: Pattaya Beach. Well, what can I say? It’s your typical crescent shaped beach, perhaps 3 km long, and is one of those beaches that is just long enough that you can walk from one end to the other without taking a break and without getting bored or tired.There are numerous fishing vessels moored relatively close to the beach and while one understands that they have a living to make, they can be quite an eyesore. Over the hill from Pattaya, is Jomtien Beach, a nicer beach than Pattaya Beach, and a quieter area.Being next to the sea and home to a lot of fisherman, the seafood is obviously pretty good in Pattaya although I have to say that I much prefer Hua Hin for good, inexpensive seafood.

The sun sets at Pattaya: There is a reasonable shopping centre in Pattaya called Royal Plaza and another mediocre one called Mikes Department Store. On the top floor of Royal Plaza is a cinema multiplex, various amusement and fair style games and a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum. It’s a good place to spend an hour wandering around in air-conditioned comfort away from the heat.

Pros: Close to Bangkok and therefore both cheap and easy to get to. Very reasonably priced accommodation and easy to get around. Good level of English due to high tourist numbers. Most reasonably priced of the popular Thai beaches. Good seafood as well as many very good, reasonably priced restaurants.

Cons: Prostitutes are everywhere – though this will appeal to some. Beaches are far from the best in Thailand. The British lager louts as well as the Russians have discovered Pattaya – and there can be some tension at times as some people consume way too much alcohol – and prove they can’t handle it by getting into fights.

The Bottom Line: It really depends on what you want in a holiday but frankly, if you are not interested in going on a holiday and meeting a local to have as your travel companion, amongst other things, Pattaya may not be for you. While reasonably priced, the beach really is nothing special at all. Still, there is a very pleasant atmosphere about Pattaya.

Ko Samui

Ko Samui, once known as an affordable destination and a backpacker’s paradise, is the second largest island in Thailand. You can reach Ko Samui on Thai Airways in a flight that is a little under an hour.There are several flights between Bangkok and Samui every day. You can reach the island overland by travelling by Bangkok to Surat Thani by road and then taking a boat across.Samui is dominated by two beaches, Chaweng Beach which is the largest and most popular beach and Lamai Beach which is a few kilometres south and also very popular, although perhaps a little quieter as it is smaller and has less places to stay than the heavily developed Chaweng. There are other locations all over the island including Big Buddha and Bophut The infrastructure on Samui is still coming along and for many that it is one of the big appeals about the place.

Nearby Samui is Ko Phangnan and not far from Ko Phangnan is Ko Tao. Ko Phangnan is where a lot of the backpackers end up these days, a smaller island that is a short boat ride north of Samui. There is nothing on this page at this stage as I have never been there. It happens to be the home of the Full Moon Party when everyone parties all night and gets silly on dope and all sorts of other illicit and dangerous substances – not really my idea of fun but many seem to have a real blast there. Ko Tao is said to be one of the best places in Thailand for diving, although again, I have never been there.

Pros: Nice beaches. Has a nice atmosphere, not too quiet but not too developed. Still affordable – but for how much longer?

Cons: Getting there from Bangkok is a little pricey. Too many backpackers arguing over who has paid the least for this or that.

The Bottom Line: A nice alternative to Phuket. It is not as developed as Phuket, which may or may not be to your taste.

Chiang Mai

Tourism is a huge part of the local economy and the city of Chiang Mai is set up very well for visitors. Accommodation is available in all price ranges, though there are not that many flash places in the centre of the city. If you are looking for lots of 5 star options, you won’t have anything like the range of properties that are available to you in Bangkok.In Chiang Mai there is heaps to see and do. The city itself is pleasant with a lot of temples and there are a couple of very impressive temples outside the city including Doi Suthep which to me is probably the most impressive temple complex I have ever visited. It is in my mind a MUST visit attraction if you make it up to Chiang Mai. Another of the popular trips is to Doi Inthanon, which is the highest point in Thailand.

First of all, the weather is much more pleasant, it is cooler (though this depends on the time of year), has less pollution and at night it was genuinely cool. Secondly, the food up in Chiang Mai is a little different to what is available in Bangkok. Apart from the khao soi, sort of crispy noodles in a mild curry. The people in Chiang Mai are noticeably friendlier, more polite and generally a whole lo nicer than people from any other part of the country.The north of Thailand, of which Chiang Mai is the centre, has done a much better job preserving the culture of the country, and indeed the region, than any other parts of the country and Chiang Mai is THE place to go to celebrate the major Thai festivals like Songkran and Loy Kratong.It is ironic that it took 7 years living in Thailand before I made it to Chiang Mai for the first time. It is something I want to fix and an extended stay up there is well in order! I have only spent two days up there and thus my report on that part of the country is relatively short.

Pros: Very well set up for tourism, affordable, pleasant people, pleasant environment and heaps to see and do! It is much more a cultural visit than is Bangkok.

Cons:I can’t think of any but some might consider it a bit quiet compared to Bangkok.

The Bottom Line: Very much worth visiting!

UDON THANI

Another 100 or so kilometres up the road from Khon Kaen is Udon Thani, a smaller provincial capital which has proven to be popular with Westerners in recent years and even has a thriving farang bar scene. The city of Udon doesn’t have any major tourist attractions, or at least none that I am aware of. The provinces attractions are well outside the provincial capital and include national parks and Ban Chiang, a site where a lot of old fossils and relics were found and a spot said to be of archaeological significance. A friend who has visited was not that impressed but that said, I have not been there myself. In downtown Udon there is a large shopping centre with a greater vibrancy than any of the other shopping centres in the major centres of Udon. Here you will see far more Westerners than anywhere else in Isaan, some are tourists and some are locally based. I guess most make it to Udon with their teeruk.This shopping centre is where many of the more well to do Udonites venture at the weekend and I cannot imagine what they think of establishments opening that target farangs directly, bars and restaurants.Food in Udon Thani is very good. Westerners rave about the Irish Clock, a small Irish bar which I have yet to try. There is also a very, very good Italian restaurant called Roma Piccolo which is superb. It is located a bit outside the city centre, out on the road past Big C. It is well worth going out of your way for!

Cha Am

About 25 km north of Hua Hin on the way to Bangkok is Cha Am, a beach that curiously you’ll read much less about in the guides and brochures than Hua Hin, but which at the weekend seems to be almost as busy, if not busier than its more well-known neighbour, Hua Hin itself.Cha Am is a long beach which is very popular with Thais and becoming increasingly popular with Westerners. It is very popular with Bangkok Thais, as well as upcountry Thais, who flock their in droves at the weekend.The big advantage of Cha Am over Hua Hin is that generally speaking, Cha Am attracts Thai tourists who are a bit more sensitive to price than Westerners. That means that things are cheaper. So, if you are sensitive to price, then Cha Am offers you nice Thai beach resort at very reasonable prices.

Pros:Cheaper than Hua Hin, especially in the case of lower end accommodation.

Cons:The beach really is not that special.

The Bottom Line: An alternative to Hua Hin.

Ko Samet

Ko Samet is located about 200 km from Bangkok and as the word “Ko” designates, it is an island. If you’re coming from Bangkok you will need to make your way to Bahn Pe where most of the ferries leave the mainland from, bound for Ko Samet, or Samet Island as it should technically be called in English.Ko Samet can be reached from Bangkok in about four hours and there are a couple of different ways of getting there. Once at Bahn Pe, you take a boat over to the mainland. There are a number of different piers with ferry boats going to the different bays on the island – so you need to know which part of the island you wish to go to.Samet is small in size and there is very little industry on it apart from tourism, fishing and basic services offered for both tourists and the island’s residents.With this in mind, a lot of what is sold on the island has to be brought over from the mainland and this means the prices of basic goods can be much higher on the island than on the mainland.Samet can get quite busy at the weekend, especially long weekends, when Bangkokians escape the madness of the capital and rooms can be hard to come by. Samet is one of few places in Thailand I would not head to without making a reservation first as there is only a limited number of places to stay, and there are even less in Bahn Pe, on the mainland.

Pros: Not too far from Bangkok and relatively easy to get to. Beautiful beaches on a paradise island. Low level of development – comparatively.

Cons: Not a huge amount to do there – but some would consider that a bonus. Accommodation is expensive for what you get. It can get busy during the high season and the beach can get over run.

The Bottom Line: Paradise is only four hours from Bangkok. A little pricey given the poor infrastructure but a nice place that appeals to some, and not to others.

What to know about traveling in Thailand – Part 2

Traveling in Thailand is easier than most other Asian countries. Many people speak English, you can change money in the airport and getting from one place to another is usually easy. Coming into Bangkok, on an overseas flight, the differences in cultures between the east and the west are amazing. Booking a hotel while at the airport is advisable since the cost is often much higher if done in advance from your home country unless you have an agent in Thailand that you can trust to work hard for you.

I have been to Bangkok many times and prefer to stay at a hotel called The Montien in the Patpong area. Even though Patpong is a veritable smorgasbord of sights, sounds and smells, the Montien is an excellent hotel with great restaurants and shops. Across the street from the hotel, is a decent night market. Patpong has a reputation as being rather off-color but if you enjoy watching people and like to shop, it is a very interesting place to stay. There are many sights nearby and all are within a walk or tuk tuk ride. Note: when going to places on a tuk tuk, make sure that you negotiate with the driver and tell them that you do NOT want to go anywhere but where you have asked him to go. He may tell you that he will get free gas if he takes you to a shopping center and plead with you to allow him to take you there. DON’T go. It is a scam.

There are many things to see in Bangkok, and many trips that are day trips outside of the city. The floating market is a good day trip with lots of color. Part of that trip is by boat and the shopping at the market is good. On this trip there is a little more local color than some of the city trips. A day tour of the city is a good thing to invest in if you aren’t sure what you want to see, otherwise all of the sights can be reached by taxi and will be less expensive. The tour usually takes in several of the temples like Wat Pho where the reclining Buddha resides. The royal palace is also an interesting and visually pleasing sight to see. If it is Thai dance that you are interested in, there are many dinners with dancing to see.

One of my favorite things to do in Bangkok is to go to the Muay Thai Boxing fights at Lumphini Stadium which is located fairly close to Patpong. They are very exciting but not for the faint of heart. There is often blood and the atmosphere is quite raucous with much local betting going on. VIP seats are usually about $50 USD for an evening of about eight fights. I highly recommend

Learning To Sail In Pattaya, Thailand

There comes a time when the weekends in Bangkok suddenly become mundane…the same shopping centers, movie theatres and bars. Even the latest and trendiest restaurant seems boring. You’ve experienced every thrill Thailand has to offer – or have you?

Ever thought about Learning to Sail?

Bangkok’s nearest yacht sailing base is Ocean Marina Yacht Club, located some 15km down Sukhumvit Road from Pattaya, towards Sattahip. At Ocean Marina you’ll find a number of companies that offer an exhilarating and fun day out visiting the beautiful and untouched islands off the coast of Pattaya.

But if you’re the kind of person who longs to be a participant instead of a spectator, why not actually learn what it takes to move and drive a boat?

A word of warning: once you undertake the challenge of learning to sail, it may very well become an all-consuming passion that takes over your life.

So, where does one start? Usually there are two options:

1. You can learn to sail experimentally by simply going out to crew with the racing teams at the monthly racing events held at Ocean Marina.

2. You can enroll for a course or courses at a sailing school.

The sailing school option is the most popular, so let’s focus on this approach. It raises a number of questions and hopefully we’ll be able to answer a few of them.

How Do You Choose a Sailing School?

Whether you are starting from scratch or continuing your sail training, it is very important that you choose a school that meets your requirements. This choice is difficult for the new sailor as you will have little or no direct experience to base your decision on. Therefore, you should evaluate all of your options and ask questions of the schools you contact to ensure they can meet your needs.

Your prospective schools should be accredited by the International Sailing Federation, which has guidelines on setting up schools and the facilities they should have.

The Basics

Yachts – You should make sure that the yachts the school uses are appropriate and in good condition. Ensure that there are not too many people in the class, so that you will always have things to do rather than watching and waiting for your turn.

Instructors – You need to be sure that the instructors are qualified, having completed approved international training programs.

Courses – You must ensure that the courses are appropriate to your level and to the sailing level you wish to attain.

Certification – The certifications issued must be recognized in the geographical areas where you intend to use them. Ask about international accreditation – once you’ve passed will your certificates be accepted internationally?

Code of Ethics – Does the school have an ethical approach that will deal with you as an individual and help you attain your goals?

As far as training schemes go, there are two basic types of syllabuses used internationally now.

The first starts your teaching to sail on live-aboard type boats progressing from crewing to acquiring skipper skills.

The second, which I favor, teaches you how to sail on smaller yachts and covers all the basic elements of sailing including decision making. As your certification levels increase, so do the size of the yachts and the distances sailed.

This scheme was initiated in the USA & UK and is replacing the former in a number of areas.

The student-to-instructor ratio has of been concern to many of the sailing authorities, due to the rapid growth of commercial sail training. Obviously a yacht carrying six students makes more money than a yacht carrying three at the same or similar price.

Unfortunately, however, the students on the crowded yacht get only half as much instructor time as the others. In these days of furling headsails and other labor-saving devices, there is an optimum student capacity; exceeding this is not in the student’s interest.

Another concern of the sailing authorities is the very question of what certification actually achieves. Simply handing out certificates that denote course completion is in no one’s interest. Every student should NOT automatically be entitled to a certificate.

Only students who satisfy the examination components and are in the opinion of their instructor, competent and confident at their certified level, should be certified.

Sailing takes practice. For the training benefits to be maximized, all the skills you learn should be practiced over and over again. At all advanced levels of qualification, time with hands-on experience is required.

The waters off the coast of Pattaya make for excellent training grounds.

The Ultimate Traveler’s Day Dream Come True

More than a few times, I’ve caught myself sitting at work day dreaming about dropping everything and just jumping on a plane. In October of 2003, I did just that.

Life can grind you down when you get in a rut. In my case, I had a particularly bad case of the blues in October 2003. My girlfriend and I had apparently come to an agreement that there was no need for me to exist on the face of the earth. My glamorous and exciting Internet business had become a bore. All and all, I was in a rut and needed a change. The travel gods apparently agreed.

On a Wednesday, I made the final decision to sell my business, get what I could for it and hit the road. The next day, I received a call from a man in Chicago what wanted to buy my web sites. This was particularly interesting since I hadn’t actually told anyone the sites were for sale. By the end of the day, we had agreed on a price, signed a contract and he was wiring the money.

First thing Monday morning, my bank verified the wired money had been received and credited to my bank account. I picked up a couple of American Express checks, packed a small backpack and headed to the airport in Los Angles, known as “LAX”.

The Dream Comes True

I walked into the international wing of LAX and did what every traveler has dreamed of doing. I stared at the flight board and just let the various destinations soak into my brain. After a few minutes, Asia percolated to the top of my grey matter and I started searching for the airlines with flights there.

After a few misses, I was able to get a ticket on a Korean Airlines flight to Bangkok. I passed through security, picked up a guidebook for Asia and headed to my gate. Three hours later, we lifted off the runway and I waived goodbye to rut for three months.

I’ve disdained heavy planning for my trips. I prefer a very loose schedule because I want time to live out unexpected events. If you ever get the chance to chuck everything and go travel for a few months, just do it. You never know when you’ll get the chance again!

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