Thailand ______ Islands, elephants and clubs.

Chowley

There is a few of us going to Thailand in September got a few questions.

Supposedly one part of the country can be in rainy season and another not so.True?

I have read about elephant rides in the jungle anyone have any idea where in the north and any of that in the south?

What are the best Islands to go to for a bit of general partying, nice places, cheap drink? and preferably a lack of europeans and americans would be nice.

Any general tips from personal experience from people who have travelled in Thailand would be nice.

We only have 3 weeks there though.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

:ninja:

Wook

there several 'thailand' posts here in the archives.
if you need to know something specific , fire away .

willing to help , not an travel agent

(sorry it's 08:26 in the morning and in a bad mood)

Chowley

Well Im looking for up to date info.Any of the stuff in the archives could be outdated.

Dont worry about it Id say about 50% of the people who use boards are perminantly in a bad mood.:D

Coyote

check out www.lonelyplanet.com
and buy a Lonely Planet Guide book for Thailand
you don't have to stick to it. but it's just about the best guide
book you can get.

Coyote

Chowley

Ya got the guide books but the website is pretty run of the mill to be honest.
The guide book is good but I would always prefer to hear it from a person rather than a book.:D

Frank Grimes

Take a look at the boards on http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/
And remember, someone has to write those books

cannonfodder

Hay Chowley,

The guidebooks would be your best bet for uptodate info before you go, but when you get there ask the other backpackers.

Koh Phan Ngan (it has been awhile, excuse the spelling), the middle of the 3 Islands on the South East Coast, is wellknown for its Full Moon Parties (Raves), lots of people including Europeans and Americans. In relation to Irish prices for accom and drink it is cheap, so unless you are traveling on a really tight budget you should be fine.

Chang Mia in the North offers Elephant Treks, Rafting and tribal visits. Lots of different companies with different choices, past (recent) travelers would be the best for info on them. The thing about these is that they are touristy and in most cases are run to a time limit.

If you and your mates feel brave you can do them by yourselves but you have to speak the language and most of the Tribes have their own dialects which are totally unlike Thia.. go for the organised trip.

It is true that the weather varies, but unfortunately I could never get it straight in my own head.. Once again talk to the other travelers you met..

It has been along time since I have been there, so I am jealous as hell,

Have a good trip and enjoy the food,

Cannon

pissedasanewt

Hiya,

The Guide books are spot on especially the Lonely Planet....

It does rain in one place when its gorgeous in the other, to be sure check the Lonely Planet for weather conditions in that area. Then again, I was in Ko Samui during the rainy season and saw 2 days rain in 7 days... always hot so you can still sit in your shorts in a cafe on the beach watching the thunder storms.

Ko Samui is good. Modern (McDonalds, Boots). Lots of pubs, lots of parties. The beaches are beautiful.. accomodation can be very cheap if you want to live in a banana leaf hut or expensive if you want all the works. Krabi as a town is a hole (opposite side of Thailand to Ko Samui), the beaches near it are nice, but its more expensive and less action.

Ko Samui has good diving and Ko Tao close by also offers a quieter option. The airport in Ko Samui makes it really easy to get there too.

Finally Phi Phi is nice... has party options, more limited in terms of beaches and more pricy then Ko Samui... i'm a fan of Ko Samui what can I say....

Chang Mai... up north... elephant rides and bamboo refting + rain forest walks offered in one day trips or 2/3 days trips.

Drop me an email if you want to know more. Although fresh in the head still its been a while since I was in Thailand..

Chowley

I would really love to have more time out there ffs.

I woud like to go to chiang mai I heard it is lovely.
But my problem with the guide books is they really dont tell you much about things.I would like to go to the Khmer ruins but it tells you where it is and little info but not much.Being limited on time i dont wanna go all the way east for nothing.

Phi phi is supposed to be nice alright some friends of mine are out there at the moment he says its really beutiful but non-existent night life.
Thanks for the info, its just being so limited on time its hard to know what to do.
Anyone know a good national park to spend a day or two in?