Hey folks, thanks for your replies. Our Thai journey is fully planned out now - we are going to spend one night in Bangkok (makes the world your oyster...) before heading north to Chiang Mai and Pai.
Hi Christian, thanks for your post - we have been to Chiang Mai and Pai before and just loved it so much we are going back. This time we are going to spend a day at an elephant sanctuary -
http://www.elephantnaturefoundation.org/
Please, if anyone visits Thailand and wants to spend time with these amazing amazing animals, please visit one of these sanctuaries - these are safe havens for abused elephants. Do not simply go elephant riding/trekking - as fun as you may think it can be. The level of abuse and trauma these animals endure in order to be 'broken in' is utterly cruel and disgusting.
Afterwards we are heading south and back to Koh Tao for 5 days of diving and Koh Phangan for 5 days of beach fun and motorbike riding.
I did want to see some of the other side of Thailand - Krabi, Koh Chang, Koh Lanta, Khao Lak, Similan Islands but we read that it was not the best time of year to visit - many things being closed, many ferry routes being closed and bad diving conditions (visibility etc).
This will be my 4th time in Thailand - 4th time on Koh Phangan and Koh Tao but my partner has only been there once and this time we will be able to dive together which is very exciting!
Hi Smokerx,
In regards to organising a trip to Thailand - in the past I just waited for cheap flights from Australia to Bangkok, making sure it was a good season to visit and literally fly over without plans.
Check out the website "Skyscanner" - it's a search engine for airlines and the best way to find cheap flights.
I've been during September and February and the weather was both excellent and the diving conditions in Koh Tao, extremely good - great visibility even 40 metres down, which is almost unheard of in other places in the world. Diving in November was not so good, neither was the weather.
If you have never dived before, it is an experience absolutely not to be missed - it's life changing. I have only ever dived at Koh Tao, and though I have nothing to compare to, it has a very high reputation for being a fantastic and very cheap place to dive. I can recommend you a great dive company through PM if you like.
It's very easy to be flexible with your plans within Thailand, but you can make bookings ahead of time if you prefer. I can recommend you a very good and reputable company that runs a bus and ferry package from Bangkok to the island cluster of Koh Tao, Kao Phangan and Koh Samui.
If you would like to visit the infamous monthly Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan, I highly recommend booking well ahead of time because it can be hard to find vacancies for accommodation. The party is in the busiest area (Haad Rin) but it's not really necessary to find accommodation within this town, many taxis are going to and from the party regularly all night and their prices are not that ridiculous considering what a savior they can be.
My first time in Thailand, I was staying on Koh Samui and still went to the party on Koh Phangan - I had taken 1.5 hits of LSD and drank mushroom shakes and at 9am was competing within a frenzied crowd of about 1000 people trying to get a speedboat back to my island. The weather was nuts, the waves were huge and a few year before, one of these speedboats had collided with another and killed 18 people. I got back safe and sound, but it was intense and not recommended - stay on the island!
Don't buy drugs off people, anywhere in Thailand, especially off Thai people - they will rat you out to the police and share the profit. "Don't buy drugs in Thailand" sounds like obvious advice but when you are there, the care-free attitude of holiday life can make you complacent and relaxed enough to take chances. I have seen countless people arrested at the Full Moon Party and badly beaten by Thai undercover police before being hauled off. It's just not worth the trouble.
That being said, there is a bar built into some cliffs called "Mellow Mountain" at the end of the beach at the full moon party where you can get "special shake". It's a mushroom drink and very tasty - don't drink too many, the party is wild and not pleasant tripping atmosphere. Mellow Mountain bar however is nice and chill, away from all the madness. I've been to the party 3 times before, I don't think I need to go ever again - but it's worth checking out, 30,000 people unexpectedly-more-wasted-than-ever-before, must be seen to be believed.
Alcohol is often bought in "buckets" - literally toy sand castle buckets. These usually consist of half a bottle of spirit (of choice) mixed with cola and energy drinks and sold very cheaply. Thai beer is also very good and cheap - try Chang or Singha. Stay away from the, alleged, amphetamine based energy drink "M-150" - I can testify it is not worth the horrific suicidal come down.
If you hire motorbikes or scooters anywhere in Thailand, don't hand over your passport as a deposit - use cash, drivers license or other form of ID. If they insist on passport, go hire a bike somewhere else.
Same goes for accommodation, don't give anyone your passport - it's not even your passport to give away (it's 'owned' by your country, not you). See if you can give a photocopy or cash deposit or just find somewhere else.
If you hire a bike/scooter in Koh Phangan, make sure it's got some power behind it - there are some very dangerous hills just outside of Haad Rin and you will need some oomph.
Chiang Mai has a very chill reggae themed bar named Freedom Bar run by a wonderful Thai man named Sal. Wonderful relaxed atmosphere, great for meeting people and cannabis can be openly smoked there without any problem - sit on the balcony at the top, it's just great. Again, cannabis is totally illegal - my advice may seem contradictory regarding drugs in Thailand just play it by ear, talk to other travelers, don't get complacent and use discretion
Reading back through what I have written, it seems like a big list of "do nots" and hope this doesn't give the wrong impression. The country is amazing, beautiful and mesmerising - the people are lovely, friendly and interesting. The food is just magnificent, I can't say enough about that. The islands are paradise, the atmosphere care-free. One of my favourite places on earth, I hope I haven't give the wrong impression of the place!
If there is anything else you or anyone else needs to know, I'm happy to help. Peace and Love.
I am a piece of knowledge-retaining computer code imitating an imaginary organic being.