Advice for females travelling alone in Thailand?

Aura

Hey fellow boarders...

Travelling to Thailand for a month in a few weeks time and am just wondering if any of you, who have been there or are going soon, have any tips for me? Places to go, places not to go as a single girl, safety, budget, accommodation etc. Also wondering what the story is with Visas as I think I overstay the 30 day one by a day or two.

Haven't travelled that far afield on my own before so all advice welcome!

Steveire

I haven't been but seems to me that no one should travel in a place like that alone.

Rcuomo

i think the last post is exaggerating a little, if you havent been then how do you know what a place 'like that' is?
thailand is perfectly safe if you take proper precautions like travelling anywhere else alone... as in dont go any areas that have a bad rep after dark...e.g dark alleyways. thousands of people visit thailand on there own every year with no problems.
im male and i travelled alone when my friend had an accident and i had no trouble anywhere...i know there's a little diff between male and female but i think the bottom line is just to use common sense...and have a great time!

re. accomodation in bangkok, head for the khao san road and you'll meet loads of fellow travellers. there's also a ton of budget accomodation in that area and cheap (some good) restaurants aswell, aswell as lots of bars... as for down south on the islands theres accomodation everywhere, if you want to spend a few days on a beautiful quiet island try koh tao. its the northern most island of the three main islands in thailand. the other 2, koh phangan(sp?) and koh samui. Most travellers spend all their time on these 2...

newgrange

With respect, it's quite different if you are travelling alone as a woman, especially in a different culture.

That said, I haven't heard any widespread bad reports about Thailand, though I'm sure there are individual horror stories.

Many individual female tourists join another one or two and travel together through Thailand. Have you had a look at www.virtualtourist.com ? It's very informative, and you might find someone there who will be there when you are - and you can always switch your travelling partners every few days to avoid the 'getting on your nerves' factor.

ferdi

i'm one of two guys going on july 9th, if you want to discuss meeting up mail me

ferdi@dublin.com


ps - we are not wierdos

Aura

Cheers Guys, good to hear some positives. Consider myself clued in enough to avoid any obviously dodgy situations but was just wondering what others had heard or come up against themselves?

Really looking forward to it I have to say. Always did admire Uncle Travelling Matt!

P.S. Really decent offer Ferdy, thanks. What's your itinerary?

RasTa

Dont worry about overstaying your visa. We overstayed ours by 2 days and when you leave they just bring you into some office and make you pay a fine. They scan your passport aswell(they didnt say why) The fine i think is 400 baht a day(bout 4-5 quid) but they dont care how long you overstay once you pay the fine.

Dont worry about traveling on or own either, Thailand is very safe and more tourist geared then anywhere i have ever being. Dont stay in Bangkok too long as there is nothing to do and it might suck on your own. Go north and south and you will meet loads of travelers on your way (if thats what you are looking for)

Ah i wish i was heading off somewhere nice

Aura

Yeah that's exactly what I'm hoping, to meet others along the way. All part of the experience I'd imagine!

Have been reading my trusty guide book and reckon I'll do few days in Bangkok then skip off to Koh Phangan, Koh Samui etc.

Hoping to make it up to Chiang Mai too.

Any other have-to's? Anyone gone to a Full Moon Party? Sounds deadly though possibly a bit full-on for a girl toute-seule....

Knifey_Spoony

RasTa wrote:

Dont worry about overstaying your visa. We overstayed ours by 2 days and when you leave they just bring you into some office and make you pay a fine. They scan your passport aswell(they didnt say why) The fine i think is 400 baht a day(bout 4-5 quid) but they dont care how long you overstay once you pay the fine.

Dont worry about traveling on or own either, Thailand is very safe and more tourist geared then anywhere i have ever being. Dont stay in Bangkok too long as there is nothing to do and it might suck on your own. Go north and south and you will meet loads of travelers on your way (if thats what you are looking for)

Ah i wish i was heading off somewhere nice

Nothing to do in Bangkok??? You crazy?? The place is massive and days or weeks could be spent exploring it. Everyone says to avoid it or stay there for as short a time as possinle, but i disagree.

A must do is defo Chang Mai. Kho Phi Phi is another one.

empirix

Advice - have a good time, thats all the advice you need, tis as safe as houses, unless your a complete divy. It might be a bit intimidating at first around the markets on Kho San rd etc, but just be cool and haggle, you'll get it. Enjoy - might see you there, although looks like i won't be there til end of August, stuck in Oz at the mo on a contract.
Bangkok is great, lots of exploring to do, trouble with people is thay only go to the main attractions and hang out on KSR for a few days and then head off, BK has a lot of hidden places worth "buzzing" along too, tis polluted though, especially in a tuk tuk at rush hour

Aura

I'm intrigued, can you tell me more of these "hidden places" Empirix ....

Looking likely that I'll do Bangkok on my way home. Pretty eager to get some sand between my toes first!

Anyone have any tips accommodation-wise on Koh Phangan/Samui? Heading there first so was thinking of booking ahead... Or is it best just to arrange it when there?

Still unsure 'bout the Full Moon Party.... Anyone else going? It's on July 21st I'm told.

Aura

... Air-conditioned or fan?

Have been looking at various resorts on net and as I'm traveling on a shoe-string was wondering if I'd get away with the older style rooms with fans or would the heat/humidity over there in July be unbearable?

RasTa

Full moon party is great.Goggle the site and you will find the proper date it is on. Koh Tao is nice aswell, if you would like to do a dive course(very cheap aswell).
When we where there we did no planning, just hoped off the boat and someone offers you accomadation, didnt have any problems with crappy rooms etc.
Didnt like Bangkok at all, too polluted and im not a fan of cities so was glad to leave. Although in saying that i loved Mumbai and hated Dehli so maybe there is some cool stuff to do.

empirix

Aura - when in Bangkok, just hop on any bus and hop off where you like, costs bugger all, also ask the tuk tuk drivers to bring you around many of the popular(touristy) temples then ask for the not so poplar(hidden temples), i actually have a cool map with around 40 or so marked off but its unreachable at present. Go to the sanke farm(just to see the King Cobra - what an amazing creature), go to the floating market and a day to the crocodile farm(again all touristy things to do but pretty cool, make sure you hit Chatachuk weekend market - huge and you'll get anything you want there, will be packed though), China town(especially for gold) after you do all these then maybe do the bus thing and jump off and do whatever, walk around, eat in local places, have a drink and just chill and watch - tis a fascinating place -and you will find and see things most people don't, be warned it is polluted(car fumes) during the day - although not as bad as Malaysia .

Enjoy and take it as it comes

Aura

Thanks so much guys for all the advice, really appreciate it!