Planning Your Thailand holidays

Thailand offers a very comprehensive experience to visitors from far and wide. When you draw up an itinerary for Thailand holidays, it is important to understand that you are considering a cluster of absorbing islands with many of them offering pristine natural beauty and surroundings.

Tourism is a major economic driver for Thailand and therefore visitors can expect world class facilities once they arrive here. Bangkok, the capital of Thailand offers plenty in terms of history, ancient culture, distinct architecture, colorful local festivals, and outstanding Thai cuisine – with some mouth watering sea food included.

First time visitors to Thailand would do well to invest in quality time doing some home work well ahead of drawing up the itinerary itself. Thailand has far more than what the travel agents would like you to believe, and with focused research, you can decide on an itinerary that caters best to your tastes and needs.  Off the beaten path, there are smaller places offering comfortable hotel accommodations in virtually the lap of Mother Nature. Never take the ‘home page’ description of your hotel. Instead, research deep and ensure that you are choosing a hotel that offers more than a place to rest your head. This is one area where you should exercise great caution.

Make notes of all factors that can influence your Thailand holidays because you will find them extremely helpful once you land at the Bangkok International airport. English is not a widely used language in Thailand. Therefore, visitors arriving from other parts of the world would do well drafting the services of an English speaking guide. An accredited guide can significantly impact your experience from sight seeing to shopping to night life and more. In choosing the guide, ensure that the individual is bi-lingual and can handle the local dialect efficiently.

Most of Thailand’s tourist centers offer decent accommodation at affordable prices. Between $40 and $50 you can expect the equivalent of a hotel room in cities like Florida, Atlanta, and Los Angeles where you shell out three times the money.

Plan your Thailand holidays at a leisurely pace because you have plenty to explore away from the places that tourists normally flock to. Your itinerary should undoubtedly include the popular destinations, but the beauty of Thailand is best enjoyed in the hinterlands in relative solitude. Depending on your personal preferences you can choose between action filled sporting activities, water sports or a relaxed Thailand holiday with the soothing massages and Spas for which Thailand is famous for.

Weather is an important aspect that will impact your Thailand holidays. November to March is more ideal and will have fewer surprises. Avoid the traditionally rainy season because things can turn really nasty during some of those days.

Familiarize yourself with the local currency in Thailand – the Baht and once you disembark at Bangkok, get enough local currency from the money changers at the airport. Generally, you are given 1,000 Baht bills, but you will need plenty of smaller denomination bills. One U.S.dollar converts to a tad lower than 30 Bahts and for a short distance taxi ride, you pay the equivalent of about $7.  For travel within Bangkok city, you can find a number of metered taxis. Remember however that some drivers can be smarties asking for a flat fare on one pretext or the other. The best for you is to avoid them and look for another that agrees to go by the meter. But, once you decide on hiring a taxi to farther places like Pattaya for instance, it is always a negotiated flat rate. The 2 hour drive to Pattaya can cost about 1200 to 1500 Bahts depending on your ability to bargain.

Culturally, Thailand is distinct from the west. Display of affection in public, getting angry, head to head contact, gestures with your feet, and mocking at the monarchy or religion are best avoided. The predominant religion in Thailand is Buddhism and it is not uncommon to find the monks in public places. These religious heads are highly revered by the locals and it is best when you leave them on their own.

Preparing well is the key to exciting Thailand holidays and that includes new ways of fun, sports and food.