Ayuthaya

Ayuthaya

Ayuthaya (pronounced A-yood-tay-ya) is one of the old capitals of Thailand( before Thailand was actually Thailand) is about 650years old –a must see if you are traveling in Thailand. It is known for its temple complexes and ruins and a recognized UNESCO World Heritage site. Just over an hour from Bangkok, it makes for a perfect day trip for travellers that don’t intend to spend much time in central Thailand. It’s best to travel between the months of November – February while it’s still moderately cool weather.

There are a couple different ways to travel to Ayuthaya:

Train: You can take a train from Hualamphong Station for no more than 70baht. The ride takes about 1 hour 20mins hours and I recommend going for the 2nd or 1st class so you don’t end up standing for the entire duration. It’s a beautiful train ride and hawkers sell refreshments and food for a decent price.

Bus: I couldn’t find bus travel information but I know I’ve seen buses headed for Ayuthaya.

Van: Catch a van at Victory Monument for 65baht which will make it to Ayuthaya about 45minutes later.

Once in Ayuthaya you’ll have to hire a tuktuk or motorbike to take you around to all the temples. Prices vary depending on how many you want to see and where they are located. Another option is renting a bicycle and riding around yourself, which is great if you have the time and patience!

The temple/ruins admission can add up quickly some are only 50baht while others are closer to 200baht. The ruins themselves are very khmer-like in architecture and they reminded me of my past travels to Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. You can capture beautiful pictures that make perfect souvenirs for home.

Pattaya - Chon Buri

Pattaya 

Pattaya City is part of Chon Buri province, Thailand. A popular tourist destination, it’s filled with everything from cheap guesthouses to five-star hotels. Pattaya has somewhat of a reputation for being the red-light district of Southeast Asia, most-likely because it’s so accommodating to men with a plethora of go-go bars and massage parlors. However, there are many other reasons to visit this beach-lined city. Pattaya is approximately 2 hours from Bangkok city which makes it easy to get to especially if you want to visit the beach but not enough time to see the southern beaches. There are many tourist attractions such as museums, a decent aquarium, large shopping mall Central Pattaya, tons of nightlife, and one can easily access some nearby islands on a day trip.

How to get there:

By Bus: You can easily get to Pattaya by catching a bus from the Eastern Bus Terminal next to Ekkamai BTS(sky train station), buses vary in price depending on the number of stops, but it’ll run you approximately 120baht. This bus will take you to the Pattaya Bus Terminal from which you will have to make your way close to the action by songthaw(a passenger pick-up truck) which should be about 20baht per person to get to Beach Avenue.

By Van: You can catch a van to Pattaya from outside Century Plaza beside Victory Monument BTS station. These vans will wait to be completely full before leaving and cost approximately 200baht.
You can also catch a van to Pattaya from Ekkamai BTS station, although I’m unsure of the cost and in my opinion you’re better off taking the bus rather than taking the van if your are leaving from Ekkamai.

Attractions:
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is a great tourist attraction for families, you can visit it at Royal Garden Plaza. Admission price depends on which attractions within Ripley’s Believe it or not you would like to visit. The super-pass, which allows one to visit all the attractions at Ripley’s, runs at 1000baht per child and 1100 per adult. If you are a Thai citizen, hold a Thai residence permit or a Thai student card you will get a cheaper price.

Walking Street is another must-see nightlife hotspot. Walking Street is the place to be in Pattaya when the sun goes down. It’s lined with go-go bars, nightclubs, pubs, shops, and a whole lots more excitement, and usually offers an abundance of places with drink special to lure the tourists in.

Central Pattaya has most of what you can find in a western shopping centre and then some. It’s got a Top’s Supermarket which sells plenty of foreign foods, a department store which sells name-brand clothing and designer items, and a movie theatre on the top floor. Central Pattaya is a great place to spend a rainy day, and since visiting the cinema is very cheap in Thailand you may want to catch a few flicks while you are here.

Koh Phi Phi Don ( Phi Phi Island ) - Krabi

Koh Phi Phi Don 

Koh Phi Phi Don is one of the most popular tourist destination islands in Thailand. Koh Phi Phi sits off the coast of Krabi Province in the Andaman Sea. Koh Phi Phi Lee is the smaller island just a short boat ride away from Koh Phi Phi Don that was made popular by the Hollywood Blockbuster “The Beach” starring Leo Di Caprio. Both Islands have become the number one hotspot for travelers in search of pristine beaches and emerald-like waters. When visiting the Phi Phi islands you will be staying on Koh Phi Phi Don since Koh Phi Phi Lee doesn’t have any hotels or accommodations, but many travelers opt for the “Maya Bay Camping Trip” which allows them to stay a night on the island for around 1000b per person.

Getting there from Bangkok, you can take a bus from Khaosan road for about 500-600b including ferry ticket with Songserm Bus and Ferry connection, please note that this is not a luxury bus, it is merely the cheapest way to get there.If you have a bit more money and wish for a more comfortable and clean trip I suggest catching a bus from  the Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai), they could cost anything from around 500-900baht and give you a good comfortable seat, a snack or a few snacks and beverages during the duration of the trip. Buses leave in the early evening between 5-8pm so I suggest going a little early to buy a ticket. Upon arriving in Krabi, DO NOT GET OFF THE BUS where the bus driver insists... this is a trick to drop foreigners off at an overpriced ferry ticket agency where they’ll ask you to pay 400b each for a ticket when it’s actually half that. Instead, sit on the bus till the bus stops and all of the Thai passengers get off (that is the last stop).

Another option is flying from Bangkok to Krabi which saves plenty of time. For cheap flights check out Air Asia, Nok Air, or Bangkok Air. Once you get on Koh Phi Phi Don you will have to pay a 20baht “beach cleaning fee” which clearly doesn’t make a difference in the cleanliness of the beach. You will then be greeted by bungalow and guesthouse sales staff that will show you pictures of rooms and try and sell you a place to stay, my best advice is to ignore them and take a look around yourself. Accommodations can be as little as 300-400baht a night for a fan room with a double bed, bungalows closer to the forest area might be even cheaper.

Places to eat:

For Breakfast I recommend The Dojo Bar. Usually a nightlife venue, the Dojo serves a pretty mean American breakfast and plays Family Guy in the morning and noon. Looking for cheap filling dinner? Go to Papaya’s! They have HUGE portions for on average 100baht, enough for two people. Beverages are EXTREMELY over-priced on this island so I suggest buying the largest bottle of water and storing it in your room and filling up a smaller bottle to bring out with you during meals. No one will kick you out of their establishment for bringing your own water bottle.

What to do during the day? I suggest a hike to the viewpoint. It’s about 20 minutes uphill and stairs, but it’s absolutely breathtaking and well worth it. In addition, there are paths that lead to other beaches that are worth exploring, but make sure you bring enough water for the journey. The Andaman Sea is absolutely beautiful and full of life so take a day trip snorkeling or scuba diving or just take a long tail boat around the islands. Maya Bay is a MUST SEE and makes for a postcard perfect picture to take home with you.

Khaosan Road - Bangkok

Khaosan Road

Khaosan Road is the main backpacker’s area in Bangkok, Thailand.
It’s filled with budget accommodations, travel agencies, restaurants,
bars, pubs, clubs, and an abundance of food and clothing vendors.
It’s a great place to meet people from all over the world and share
stories of travels as well as make friends to travel with! Khaosan
Road is more active in the evening when food stalls and bucket stands
set up on the street, also there is much more shopping to do in the

evening rather than during noon.

Accommodations start at 150b per night and vary pending on what each guesthouse offers and its location. For a somewhat quieter stay, I suggest travellers stay on Soi Rambutri which runs parallel to Khaosan Road. To get to Rambutri just walk down Khaosan towards the police station, and turn right at the end of the street, cross the street then walk till you hit the next street corner and you will see Bank of Ayutthaya, this is Soi Rambutri.

Both Khaosan and Rambutri offer an extensive selection of food for world travellers, the cheapest option is eating Thai food sold at street stalls for example pad thai for about 30baht, however there are many places serving western, Indian, vegetarian, vegan dishes for
around 100baht or so. Make sure you try mango-sticky rice if you’re on khaosan road, it’s delicious and probably the cheapest you’ll see it.

Khaosan Road

Bars, pubs, and nightclubs scatter along each side of khaosan road, making it busy and entertaining during the night. You must be of at
least 20 years of age to enter a nightclub on Khaosan Road and generally a passport or government issued photo i.d. is needed to
enter. For Thai beers you can expect to pay up to 120b for a beer at a pub, bar, or club or a little less at a restaurant... and save a
bundle by drinking alcoholic beverages sold at 7-11 or Family Mart (alcohol stops selling at midnight).

Most travellers come to Khaosan with the intention of travelling somewhere else from there. There are many many many travel agencies and tour companies set up all over khaosan road or nearby! To save yourself some money I suggest going to a few places to inquire about prices before putting any money down! This can save you a few hundred baht!!

Khaosan Road

Also, if you are planning on travelling to Siem Reap, please, save yourself the trouble and DO NOT BOOK FROM ANYWHERE ON KHAOSARN ROAD! Please check my other entry about how to get to Siem Reap! You will be

ready to rip out your own hair if you buy your ticket on Khaosan road. I’ve gone the khaosan road route once and promised myself not
to do it ever again. Since, I’ve been to Cambodia 3 times, all much less stressful than the first trip, and much cheaper.

Hua Hin - Prachuap Khiri Khan

Hua Hin

Hua Hin is located in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, about 3-4 hours from Bangkok by bus. Hua Hin is known for its beautiful rocky beaches separated by
white sand and luxury accommodations. Hua Hin has some of the best seafood you will find in Thailand and world-renowned resorts and spas. Many nationals of Thailand like to visit Hua Hin for the excellent night market with an extensive selection of fresh seafood, to visit Plearnwan a museum-like attraction full of Thai novelties from the 60’s as well as food from back in the day, another attraction is the Hua Hin train station which happens to be the oldest in Thailand, well-kept and historic. Khao Takiab is a breath-taking temple
situated on a mountain which makes for a very beautiful day trip. From Khao Takiab travelers can see all of Thailand’s beautiful Hua Hin, and also see plenty of monkeys.

Plearnwan 

Hua Hin is famous for holding a jazz festival every June, so make sure
to reserve early if you plan to travel at this time.

Travelers travelling from Bangkok can travel by bus, van or train:

By bus: Catch a bus from Southern Bus Terminal ( Sai Tai Mai ) for around 150-200baht with the trip duration being between 3-4 hours.

By Train: Travel by train from Hua Lamphong Railway Station to Hua Hin Station from as little as 44baht and takes about 4 hours. From Hua Hin Station you can walk to find accommodations, as it is NOT FAR from the town centre, so if you have a map, save yourself some money by skipping the
overpriced motorbikes or tuktuks.

By van: travelers can catch a van from either Southern Bus Terminal ( Sai Tai Mai ) or Victory Monument for about 200baht and the trip is about 2.5-3hours.

Khao Takiab

Once in Hua Hin transportation is very easy, as there are public buses, songthaews (passenger pick-up trucks), tuktuks and motorcycles all readily available. Taking a songthaew or public bus WILL save you plenty of money, so I firmly recommend it rather than getting ripped off from over-priced tuktuks and motorbike drivers.

Koh Samet ( Samet Island ) - Rayong

Koh Samet
Koh Samet, in Ban Phe sub-district of Amphoe Muang Rayong province, is a beautiful destination not too far from Thailand’s metropolis Bangkok. Koh Samet has assorted accommodations in all different price ranges to suit a budgeting backpacker or five star travelers It is especially a great place for travelers to visit that don’t have plenty of time to travel the southern beaches of Thailand. Koh Samet is a great destination for families travelling to Thailand and provides a very relaxing low-key feel, that can be hard to find on some of the busier southern islands such as Koh Phi Phi or Koh Phangnan. There are many beaches on Koh Samet (Ao Sapparos, Hat Sai Kaeo, Ao Cho, Ao Wong Duean, Ao Lung Dam, Ao Wai, Ao Kio Na Nok, Ao Pakarang, Ao Phrao, and Ao Noi Na ....with plenty of smaller beaches scattered between them)

Koh Samet

How to get from Bangkok to Ban Phe Pier?

There are a few different ways of getting to the ferry which will take you to Koh Samet, but the easiest are either: Take a mini-van from Victory Monument in front of Century Shopping Plaza( A yellow building right beside the Victory monument sky train station). This should approximately 200 baht and will not leave until all seats in the minivan are full. Mini-vans are generally faster than the buses, but most foreign travelers don’t find them very comfortable as they don’t have much space inside and air-conditioning can’t be relied on.



The preferred mode of travel would be a bus from Ekkamai Bus Station. They leave right on schedule once every hour and cost 124 baht. The three hour trip has fairly comfortable seats as well as air-conditioning and a toilet on board. If you buy a bus ticket from Ekkamai you will have the option of paying for your ferry as well, it’s best to do it all there at the bus station so you don’t get harassed by ticket sellers once you get to the pier. Once you get to the Ban Phe Pier you have the option of taking a speed boat or a ferry. Most travelers choose the ferry because it’s much cheaper. The most popular beach to take a ferry to is Had Sai Kaew. From Had Sai Kaew you can take a motorbike, passenger pick-up truck, or walk your way into the island. Benefits of walking include getting to stop at various accommodations, cheap food places, and possibly avoiding the national park fee which can be quite pricey for foreign nationals... last I heard is that it was 400 baht a per foreigner. The passenger pickup truck and the motorbike might stop at the park “toll booth” for the park patrol to collect the fee from you.

Koh Samet

The east side of the island is busier compared to the rest of the island. During the day one can enjoy himself on the beach sunbathing or doing one of the many water activities they have available, such as snorkeling, jet skiing, para sailing, banana boat riding etc. There are also a few places where motorbikes and 4-wheeler are available for rent, so you can check out other parts of the island. At night there’s a fire show at and plenty of beach lounging area set up where you could enjoy good low-cost seafood, beer, sheesha, and usually a live band or some good music.

Koh Samet is a great destination to travel in Thailand, and I highly
recommend it to first time visitors looking for a tropical get-a-way.