i want to travel to thailand?

Question

I wish to see thailand, please suggest me the place which I must see. Further I am interested to see local living style/culture their life/village life. Is it possible to stay with some family?

Answer 1

There are a lot of places to see in Thailand. Since it's a predominantly Buddhist country, I suggest that you sample first their many temples and Buddhas. You can visit famous landmarks like Wat Phrakaw, Wat Arun and the largest reclining buddha Wat Pho. Thailand is also associated with elephants so no one leaves this country without riding an elephant. I suggest that you book a tour to the Elephant Village then later watch an elephant show. These tours have side trips to the famous Handicraft Center. In the morning, you can also visit Bangkok's famous Floating Market. This place is infested with tourists but what's good about this floating market is that they have everything...as in everything under the sun...to sell. You ride in a paddled banca while shopping. Isn't that unique? If you're with some friends or even with someone very special, I highly recommend the Dinner Cruise at night at Chao Phraya river. Every guest is treated to a sumptuous buffet while someone either sings or dances for everyone's entertainment. Kickboxing is also big in Thailand and it wont hurt if you watch a single fight. If you get tired of the city, try spending a few days at Hua Hin, a heavenly beach retreat. Did I mention that Thailand is a haven for shopping? The massive Chatuchak in Bangkok will certainly satisfy anyone's thirst for shopping. Just be careful because there are a lot of scams in Bangkok especially when riding a 'tuk-tuk'. If you belong to the younger generation, you will probably enjoy to shop at MBK and Paragon. I'm sure it is possible to stay with some family but this one I did not experience. Enjoy your 'pad thai' and don't forget to say your greetings..."Sawadeeka"!!!

Answer 2

If you want to get to know Thailand, I recommend spending a couple of days in Bangkok. Check out some sites like the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the floating markets, and some of the night life. After that, I would suggest taking a comfortable bus ride north to Chiang Mai. Spend a day or two checking out the temples both inside and outside the city (especially Doi Su Thep), some night life and Muay Thai boxing on Loi Kroh road, and some shopping at the night bazaar. You can sign up for an outing to the "Long Neck" village at any tourist agency. You might also consider the "Flight of the Gibbon" expedition, in which you glide through the jungle canopy on guide wires. Then I would suggest taking a bus up to Chiang Saen. This is a quiet, lovely little town right on the MeKong River. Across the river is Laos. 15 minutes away is Golden Triangle, the area where Thailand, Burma (Myanmar) and Laos meet. 15 or 20 minutes from Golden Triangle is Mae Sai, where you can get some really cheap prices in the markets, and you can cross the border into Burma for a few hours and look around.



Many people say Phuket is the best place to be in Thailand. If you want a relaxing resort type of vacation, I would agree. I spend several summers in Phuket, but now I always go north.



Whatever you choose, I hope that you enjoy your trip!

Answer 3

I would say that if your intent is to see culture and village life, you should focus mainly on Northern Thailand and stay away from the South. While the south of Thailand is extremely beautiful, it is more for tourists who want to relax and hang out at the beach all day and do ocean activities. I really loved Chiang Mai, though it's far from what village life is like.



I read a reply above telling you to ride an elephant and go see a show. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS. I cannot stress this enough. I beg you, do not support that. While even I'll admit that riding an elephant would be a cool experience, I've learned first hand the abuse that elephants succumb to in order to be made "submissive" and taught how to do those tricks/paintings, etc. If you would like an experience with elephants, one that helps to rescue and save elephants rather than jabbing them with sharp hooks and putting metal pins behind their ears, I would recommend the Elephant Nature Park(an elephant sanctuary) located north of Chiang Mai city. You can apply online as a volunteer(a very rewarding experience and you learn SO much) or you can choose to go on a day trip or overnight trip there instead, where you'll learn about where these elephants are rescued from and are able to feed and bathe them every day. If you choose to volunteer there, you also get to spend a day in the local village school. ENP has a different volunteer program as well, called Journey to Freedom, where you get to go visit hill tribes and learn their way of life, which sounds like something you might be interested in. The food is fabulous, the accomodation fitting to it's surroundings and the elephants are an amazing experience. Check out the website if you want more info: elephantnaturepark.org

Answer 4

You can do many things in Thailand - time permitting! If your time is short skip Phuket because it is way on the bottom of Thailand and the most expensive place to visit.



Start with a few days in Bangkok! Most flights are booked to Bangkok anyway. During this time you can book flights or train rides to the northern Thailand city of Chiang Mai. (In Chiang Mai and Bangkok you can get tours through local travel agencies if you want on short notice.) In Chiang Mai you can visit Long Neck Women Villages, Chiang Rai/Golden Triangle and other local attractions such as visiting elephants and shopping. Many tourists feel that you will see more of the "real" Thailand up north.



Spend a final night or two in Bangkok before you go home. You can take in a few tours, maybe a dinner cruise and do some last minute shopping. You will also be close enough to the airport so you can take a meter taxi to get there when you fly home.



For Bangkok get a hotel on or near the Skytrain route. This way you can use this efficient rail service to get around the city. For Chiang Mai the over night sleeper train is popular but you can also use buses or fly. There are other beaches other than Phuket that are closer to Bangkok.

http://www.urbanrail.net/as/bang/bangkok.htm



Read up on Thailand, visit a library and check out some travel guides. This way you will be able to see what you like and then plan your trip around that. You can also use the below travel forums for specific questions too.



http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g293915-i3686-Thailand.html

http://forum.virtualtourist.com/forum-1943-1-Travel-Thailand-1-forum.html

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forum.jspa?forumID=51



A Lonely Planet Travel Guide is helpful if you are on a tight budget. Frommers and Fodor's Travel Guides are often used by tourists with more spending money. But plan a budget first and see what you can afford and ask for hotel recommendation in your price range. A quick Google check will give you the "things to see and do" in various cities.

http://www.asiatraveltips.com/ThingstodoinBangkok.shtml

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Thailand/Northern_Thailand/Chiang_Mai-1445733/Things_To_Do-Chiang_Mai-TG-C-1.html



Good luck.

Answer 5

If you want to see the real village life I know of two places you can stay between Phan and Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. One is rustic and empty. The other is nicer. Surrounded by family and villagers and a main highway nearby with blue pickup and bus transportation, a busy morning and evening market with great grilled sausages and a few small restaurants and shops and there's banks in Phan, which is a good sized town. All middle aged women farmers in charge. Contact me if you are interested.

Answer 6

First, Phuket is very very touristy and barely retains a flavor of Thailand. You will find that by going north to Chiang Mai there will be more of a cultural feeling. I live in a small village but they do not really have tourists coming through. You will need to find a connection somehow. Or better yet, you might find a way to stay with the monks at a forest temple. You can email me if you need details.

Answer 7

I second Spanky's point. Phuket is extremely touristy, so if you're looking for local culture/village life you should look elsewhere. Up here in Chiang Mai is quite the opposite, and it's easy to find small villages and the 'real' Thailand. Perhaps Pai?

Answer 8

Try Nakhon Lampang in Northern Thailand, Lampang is a relaxing and peaceful old town that you should not miss. Find out more information : http://www.allthailandtravel.com/nakhon-lampang/nakhon-lampang.php

Answer 9

try Phuket. You will find good thai food and beaches. book your hotel at http://www.asialodge.com