Thailand Baby! thumbs up appreciated

[Jande]

Chiang Mai Tiger Kingdom is apparently fantastic. My mother-in-law and her hubby went and she had her photo taken WITH a tiger.
Food was apparently good. And she went somewhere nearby to ride elephants up river but I cannot remember the name of the place.
Kayak/ self-paddle tours of the sea-side caves is something we intend to do when we head over as well. Just search for sea kayaking and you'll get heaps of hits.
Negotiate prices for Tuk Tuks BEFORE you get into one was the biggest piece of advice to us from the parents. They like to claim they are 'lost' and take you a long way out of the way or take you to shops on the way (which are normally their friends and family) hoping you will spend money at them before getting to where you were going.
Hopefully we can make the trip one day but until then I can't tell you much more, sorry. Have a fantastic and safe trip!

 

[Venomous1111]

What day are e leaving? I'd say full moon party Koh Phangan style but not sure if it will be the right time, there's always some sort of party happenin there. Also tubing Laos floating down the river to different bars plus swings,slides etc equals messy timez. Enjoy! Get heaps of photos. Take care miss

 

[Heelssss]

What day are e leaving? I'd say full moon party Koh Phangan style but not sure if it will be the right time, there's always some sort of party happenin there. Also tubing Laos floating down the river to different bars plus swings,slides etc equals messy timez. Enjoy! Get heaps of photos. Take care miss

Thanks spunky I'll be leaving this Saturday 19th with 2 girlfriends, messy times is my sort if thing hehe but will take heaps of pics

 

[pythrulz]

Good for you I love Asia as some others hace mentioned Its not far from Australia but cery differnt well as you know certain areas of Thialand are set up especially for tourist so get some good travel insurance dont take photos inside the bars obvisouly dont get caugt doing or buying drugs and enjoy the holiday

 

[Basstones]

I've been to Thailand a few times, and absolutely love it. Out of all the spots i've been Phuket is my least favourite by far. There are some tourist attractions that are fun to do once, but some were a bit of a let down.

The show aspect of Fantasea was the least enjoyable aspect of the experience, but there were interesting things to look at on the grounds. Unfortunately despite being adamant to our tour guide we wanted to arrive earlier as suggested by a couple we had met (suggested 2hrs), we were far too rushed and barely got to see anything after having dinner. Buffet was a bit ordinary too. Best bit was getting a photo with 4 macaws between both arms. Because it was my girlfriend and I, we paid around $15 and got photos with us together, individual, on CD + allowed to take photos on our own camera.

Phuket zoo was a bit depressing and not sure if I could go back again. Seeing a tiger with absolutely no water in it's enclosure was heartbreaking. Ended up buying 4x 2L water bottles for him from the canteen and making a new furry friend in the process.

Snake show is worth seeing, for me I had really wanted to see a king cobra in person and was well worth the money. We turned up at the same time as another couple so we all went around together. Within 2 minutes of arriving we were already layered up with Albino's and other pythons. Wasn't sure if the owner was joking when inviting us to go in the enclosure and hold the Burmese and Reticulateds but apparently not because I now having photos of me in the enclosure We weren't sure what to expect before we arrived, with either attractions or living conditions, but compared to many other places we went, it was better than expected.

It's worth doing an elephant trip if you get the chance, but be picky which one you choose. The locations and their aesthetic appeal vary a lot. Best one i've done was in Khao Sok, bit far for a day trip but good for a couple of nights (They have adventure packages from Phuket with a range of activities).

I've never hired a scooter in Phuket, I just don't see the point when there are tuk-tuks every few steps. I've seen first hand how badly tourists can get hurt over there, especially with lack of experience. It's just not worth it.

Apart from that, my advice is to get as far out of Phuket as possible. The people are so much nicer and you aren't constantly hounded. I'm still in touch with a few Thai locals i've met on my visits, really genuine and friendly people.

Down the south end, if you get the chance I highly recommend Ko Lanta. Not far away, but beautifully relaxing. Only way to get around is a scooter though, but the roads are nearly empty and the danger is very low. If you're in to Rock Climbing, Tonsai is a must stop.

Hope you're lucky enough to see a Tokay Gecko while you're over there. Was amazed the first time I saw one had snuck in to the bungalow, beautiful creature.

Enjoy your trip, i'm sure you'll have a great time whatever you end up doing