First time going to Thailand

This will be my first time going to thailand and i was hoping to get some advice on planning our trip.

First time going to Thailand

depends on when you want to go and what you are look forward to seeing ?.. there are a lot of wonderful people on here whom can suggest things to do and places to go , as for me its gonna be my first time going in 16 days ... and i got mostly all the info i wanted to know from here even down to the most dumbest of questions ppl will give you honest answers so good luck in planning !

First time going to Thailand

For first timers, a good way to get a taste is to see three places, Bangkok, Chiangmai, and Phuket (or one of the other islands).

I came back from my first trip to Thailand a couple of weeks ago.

We did Bangkok 4 nights, Kanchanaburi 3 nights and Phuket 9 nights. We got a good feel for the country by splitting our trip like that...city, countryside and beach.Depending on how long you%26#39;ve got, I would try and split the time so you go to a couple of places. Either way, you%26#39;ll fall in love with Thailand!!

Hey Escape Toronto,

Thailand is diverse in its cultures and has something for (almost) everyone!

Here are some ';tasters'; so you can think about what you%26#39;d like to do/see/travel around!

Shopaholics

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Bangkok is a shopaholic%26#39;s paradise with clothing quality good at prices which are some of the cheapest in Asia. Unique to Thailand is Thai silk of which Jim Thompson is the most famous. The silk has a different feel and look to silk of other countries and reflects colors with a brilliance and unique style that is not found in other countries silk. If you%26#39;re looking for antiques or other Asian art you will find that in stores all over Bangkok and at the Jatujak market which is the largest in all Asia. For techo stuff head over to pantip plaza where you%26#39;ll find an assortment of parts and peripherals at very cheap prices (as some IT things are now made in Thailand). Thais are also known for their homewares such as Benjarong and Celadon (Thai pottery) of which Benjarong has gold lined on its pottery. High quality Benjarong is exquisite! Gold is another specialty in Thailand due to the lower labour costs you can find high quality gold at reasonable prices (even if you consider the recent rises in gold prices) - the Thais deal more in 18 to 24K gold rather than in Western countries which can go as 9K gold. As the Thais have been doing gold for ages the workmanship is normally very good. You will find good gold products in Chinatown or you can try the Peninsula arcade not far from Erawan Hyatt Hotel.

Food

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A sensation of the sense of taste, smell and sight is what you will experience with Thai food which blends spices, sauces and other ingredients that lets you rediscover food all over again. Think your local Thai store turns out a good green curry or pad Thai, try the real thing in Thailand where the ingredients are fresh and the food is running hot straight from the kitchen. Thai food takes a fusion of Malaysian, Indonesian, Burmese, Laotian and Vietnamese to provide a unique blend that distinctly lets you know it is Thai food. Despite what you may think the Thais have many non-spicy (i.e. no or few chillies in dishes) which will delight non chillies eaters - such as prawn cakes, fried rice, pomfret fish with garlic, satay with toast, noodles with soya sauce and seafood, soup noodles with fishballs and more!) Local snacks are a feature such as banana chips, coconut cups with corn or other ingredients, Thai Eclairs from S%26amp;P (melt in your mouth mini puffs), and seafood that redefines freshness and taste. In addition to Thai food there are many Italian restaurants in Thailand as many Italian chefs now live there. Try pizzas and pastas from Antonios and other places which are equal to what you%26#39;d find in Italy. Along with that runs Japanese food with many Japanese forming part of the melting pot of the city - try the Oishii buffet which is all you can eat wall of sushi and sashimi, tempura, chawan mushi etc etc. High quality japanese is also available at the Tsu and Nami restaurants in the Mariott which has an amazing Bento box that folds out on three layers. There are also good French and reasonable to mid quality chinese restaurants in Bangkok.

For those into taking some of the culinary skills of Thailand back home, there are many restaurants and hotels and resorts that run cooking classes so you can take the tastes of Thailand back home. For example, the Blue Elephant restaurant also runs cooking classes.

Beach and Spa

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Thailand is known as an oasis of beach resorts and spas - of which the Chiva Som resort ranks in the top three spa resorts in the world. South of Bangkok are many beach and holiday resorts. Made famous by the tsunami a couple of years ago Phuket is rebuilt and running as strong as ever and there are many other islands that are great to kick back and relax on the beach with a Thai massage or swim in waters that are so crystal clear you can see the fish around you. Other resorts include Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Koh Samui, Pattaya (although a bit too commercial now), Hua Hin and many others. Access is easy with many airlines running flights to Phuket and Samui, Hua Hin and Pattaya being easily accessed by bus or train.

Mountains and tribes

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To the north of Bangkok you will find Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai - made famous by the hill tribes and the infamous golden triangle. The scenery, weather and food is markedly different from the food in the south or in Bangkok and provides an other dimension to what visitors normally expect to see in Thailand. Weather is normally considerably cooler and the views of lush green jungles takes over from the palm trees of the south and hustle and bustle of the big city of Bangkok.

Temples Plus

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Temples form a key part of the distinctive landscape of Thailand and there are many temples scattered all over Thailand. The architecture of these temples with the colored rooves, ornate carvings and bhudda images provide a place of meditation and tranquility for the people of Thailand as an escape from daily life.

Klongs and rivers

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In Bangkok most the Klongs (small riverways) are all but a past memory as the city moves towards modernisation. However the main river - the Chao Phraya provides a the ability to view Thailand of the past as well as Thailand of the present. If you take a trip to Ayutthaya which is the original capital of Thailand you can then take a boat ride back which weaves its way along Thailand%26#39;s main river where you will still see houses on stilts and communities through to the tall buildings of the modern city of Bangkok. Another way to experience Thailand is to take a trip to the Floating market which was the traditional way many people used to go shopping whereby vendors on boats sold everything from meats, fruits and veggies to toys and souvenirs along the Klongs that used to exist in Bangkok.

Accommodation

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In Bangkok and the resorts you will find everything from backpacker style to the ultimate opulence of five star hotels. Depending on your style, you can find something to suit your needs with ease. Khao San Road - once a bit of a rough district is now a trendy area still frequented by backpackers along with some boutique hotels. In Phuket there are several resorts including Club Med and many hotels all providing a relaxing beach getaway.

Travel

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Travel around Thailand is generally easy with taxis, an efficient Skytrain system and underground train system in the city of Bangkok. Outside the city take taxis or tuk tuks or even hire your own bike to get around and see things. Buses are also readily available to get around the resorts. Connections to the other cities in Thailand are easy with many budget airlines such as nok air and air asia or buses running frequently to major towns. If you%26#39;re after a great experience even the Orient express runs from Singapore to Bangkok so you could take a few days to experience the countryside of Thailand.

Have a great time in Thailand!