Mae Sot To Mae Sariang
Route 105 runs north along the Myanmar border from Mae Sot all the way to Mae Sariang 226km in Mae Hong Son Province. The winding, paved road passes through the small communities of Mae Ramat, Mae Sarit, Ban Tha Song Yang and Ban Sop Ngao Mae Ngao . The thick forest in these parts still has a few stands of teak and the Karen villages continue to use the occasional work elephant. Be prepared to show your passport to Thai border patrols often. If you have your own transport, be sure to stop and...
Sawadee Trat Yahoo.com
Trat has many cheap hotels housed in traditional wooden buildings on and around Th Thana Charoen. You'll find it hard to spend more even if you want to. Guesthouse owners in Trat are becoming increasingly competitive and you may be met by a scrum at the bus station. There have been reports of travellers being offered air-con rooms, but then having to accept cheaper, more budget accommodation once they were delivered to the guesthouse. Ask the touts to ring their guesthouse for you, and try and...
Eating Siv
Pai's range of eating options reflects the diversity of international residents and visitors, but there is also a healthy selection of well-priced Thai places. The places that we have selected are located in town. Cher Xin Jai Pure Vegetarian Food Th Ratchadamnoen dishes 20B S 8am-5pm Opposite the District Office, this simple place with low tables on rattan mats serves delicious and cheap vegan and vegetarian Thai food. Choose from the dishes in the metal trays out front, which are filled with...
Ban Khok SaNga Cobra Village
The self-styled 'King Cobra Village' of Ban Khok Sa-Nga has a thing about snakes. Locals rear hundreds of the reptiles, and most houses have some in boxes under their houses. The strange custom began when a herb farmer Phu Yai Ken Yongla began putting on snake shows to attract customers to the village, and the art of breeding and training snakes has been nurtured ever since. Today the King Cobra Club donations expected S 8am-6pm hosts short shows where handlers taunt snakes and tempt fate they...
Other Sights
Several of the city's wats are worth a visit. Thao Suranari and her husband founded Wat Salaloi off Th Thanonaosura S daylight hours in 1827. Her ashes are interred here, and many people also hire singers to perform for her spirit. The award-winning bot central sanctuary , built in 1967, resembles a Chinese junk and, along with several other buildings, is decorated with Dan Kwian pottery see p463 . Wat Phra Narai Maharat Th Prajak S daylight hours is of interest for two main reasons it has a...
Ko Tarutao
Most of Ko Tarutao's whopping 152 sq km is covered in dense, old growth jungle that rises sharply up to the park's 713m peak. Mangrove swamps and typically impressive limestone cliffs circle much of the island, and the western coast is lined with quiet white-sand beaches. Tarutao has a sordid history that pardy explains its great state of preservation today. Between 1938 and 1948, more than 3000 Thai criminals and political prisoners were incarcerated here, including interesting inmates like So...
Mae LaNa
Between Mae Hong Son and Pai, Rte 1095 winds through an area of forests, mountains, streams, Shan and hill-tribe villages and limestone caves. Some of Mae Hong Son's most beautiful scenery is within a day's walk of the Shan village of Mae La-Na 6km north of Rte 1095 via a half-sealed road , where you can stay overnight. From here you can trek to several nearby Red and Black Lahu villages and to a few caves within a 4km to 8km radius. It's possible to walk a 20km half-loop all the way from Mae...
Getting Around Krr
Oversea Shop g 0 5471 0258 488 Th Sumonthewarat bicycles per day 50-80B, motorcycles per day 150B rents out better bicycles and motorcycles than other places in town. It can also handle repairs. P Bike noroman-scriptsign g 05477 2680 331-3 Th Sumonthewarat Honda Dreams incl helmet amp 3rd-party insurance per day 150B , opposite Wat Hua Wiangtai, rents out Honda Dreams and bicycles, and also does repair work. Saamlaw around town cost 20B to 3 OB. Green sawngthaew circulating around the city...
Sights Activities Cwa
Take the steps up the hill near the border to Wat Phra That Doi Wao, west of the main street, for superb views over Mae Sai and Myanmar. This wat was reportedly constructed in memory of a couple of thousand Burmese soldiers who died fighting the KMT here in 1965 you'll hear differing stories around town, including a version wherein the KMT are the heroes . There are also some interesting trails in the cliffs and hills overlooking Mae Sai Guest House and the river. Monkey Island Guesthouse p366...
Wat Pa Ban Tad
Luang Ta Maha Bua, now in his 90s and a former disciple of Ajahn Man, is one of Thailand's most revered monks. Though he earned his reverence as a meditation master, he gained universal celebrity after the 1997 economic crisis by collecting over 10,000kg of gold people turned in jewellery to be melted down and US 10 million in baht to help pay the country's international debts. He has been heavily involved in other charity work and in 2005 made unprecedented criticisms of Thaksin, the...
Longnecked Padaung Villages
Some come to Mae Hong Son with the intent to visit one of the nearby Padaung refugee villages where 'long-neck' women live. The women wear a continuous coil around their necks, and sometimes their limbs, that can weigh up to 22kg but 5kg is most common and stand as tall as 30cm. The neck coils depress the collarbone and rib cage, which makes their necks look unnaturally stretched. A common myth claims if the coils are removed, the women's necks will fall over from atrophy and the women will...
Ao Khlong Prao
About 4km south of Hat Sai Khao, Ao Khlong Prao is developing as the island's luxury hub, but a few affordable places remain. Blue Lagoon Resort g 08 1940 0649 www.koh changcookery.com Ao Khlong Prao r600-1000B E Simple wooden bungalows with private decks sit right above the water, and further back air-con concrete bungalows lie in a shady grove. A wooden walkway leads to the beach. The other reason to come here is to attend a Thai cooking class p259 , so you can be sure the restaurant's food...
Wat Phra That Narai Jaeng Waeng
in vn csafjuai acini uii Jin a About 5km west of town at Ban That, this wat known as Phra That Nawaeng, a contraction of the words Narai Jaeng Waeng has a 10th- to 1 lth-century Khmer prang in the early Bap-uan style. Originally part of a Khmer-Hindu complex, the five-level sandstone prang is missing most of its top, but still features a reclining Vishnu lintel over its northern portico and a dancing Shiva over its eastern one. This is not a particularly evocative temple, but it's the most...
Ao Phutsa
Also known as Ao Tub Tim, this small and secluded beach is popular with return travellers and Bangkok expats. Pudsa Bungalow g 0 3864 4030 r 600-800B E The nicer bungalows near the beach are trimmed with funky driftwood, but unfortunately are right beside the main footpath from Ao Phai to Ao Phutsa. You might have to put up with overhearing inane alcohol-fuelled conversations late at night. An OK backup if Tubtim is full. Tubtim Resort 0 3864 4025 www.tubtimresort .com r900-1600B E A range of...
Information Sxs
Phang-Nga town doesn't have a tourist office, but the TAT office Tourist Authority of Thailand Ig 0 7621 2213 www.tat.or.th 73-65 Th Phuket S 8.30am-4.30pm in Phuket Town provides maps and good information on the region. Head to the town centre if you need to catch a bus or pull cash out of the ATM. The post and telephone offices are about 2km south of the centre. There are numerous places to log on for your emails. Immigration office 0 7641 2011 S 8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri A few kilometres south...
BOAT Djf
Boats to Malaysia and Tarutao leave from Tammalang pier, about 7km south of Satun along Th Sulakanukoon. Large long-tail boats run regularly to Kuala Perlis in Malaysia 200B, one hour between 8am and 2pm. From Malaysia the fare is RM 20. A chartered boat to Kuala Perlis costs around 2000B for up to 15 people. For Pulau Langkawi in Malaysia, boats leave from Tammalang pier daily at 8am, 9am, 1.30pm and 4pm 250B, lh hours . In the reverse direction, boats leave from Pulau Langkawi at 9am, 10am,...
Orientation Oes
The national park Igl 0 3955 5080 entry fee 400B reserve dnp.go.th S 8am-5pm is divided into four units, with offices at Ban Khlong Son, Tha Than Mayom, just west of Nam Tok Khlong Plu and Ban Salak Phet. Entry fees are collected at any one of the four park offices. Keep your receipt as rangers may demand payment from visitors who don't have one. Only the western coast has been developed for significant tourism and 75 of the island remains untouched rainforest. The paved road down the west...
Kantharalak
A saamlaw from the bus station to these hotels costs 20B to 30B. Rose Inn Resort no roman-script sign 0 0 4566 3310 Th SinpaditSoi 1 r 250-350B IE The closest lodging to the bus terminal it's about 1km away down a soi next to the Government Savings Bank doesn't deliver on the sign's promise of Book accommodation onlineatlonelyplanet.com SURIN amp SI SAKET PROVINCES Si Saket amp Around 547 VIP services, but it does have shades to draw around your car so your wife doesn't know you are here with...
Tofrom The Airport
There are direct international flights to Phuket from Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Osaka. All other international flights arrive via Bangkok. Many of these if you are coming from North America or are routed through Tokyo in particular arrive in Bangkok too late to connect with an outgoing domestic flight to Phuket. This means even if you buy tickets directly to Phuket you will likely have to spend one night in Bangkok first - it will likely appear as a layover on your ticket. The good...
International
BaanChivitMai Bakery Ig 081764 7020 at the bus station, Th Prasopsuk www.baanchivitmai.com S 7am-9pm Mon-Sat, 2-9pm Sun If you want to feel virtuous and eat delicious cakes, croissants and bread, then come to this two-storey, superclean Swedish bakery. Profits from the bakery go back into BaanChivitMai, an organisation that runs homes and education projects for vulnerable, orphaned or AIDS-affected children. The Old Dutch 541 Th Phahonyothin dishes 50-300B 8am-12pm Next to the Old Siam...
Soppong Around
Soppong is a small but relatively prosperous market village a couple of hours northwest of Pai and about 70km from Mae Hong Son. Since the paving of Rte 1095, Soppong and Tham Lot have become popular destinations for minivan tours from Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai. Soppong in particular is becoming a buzzing travellers' haunt. Although for many years this town was known only as Soppong, lately the Thai government has been calling it 'Pangmapha', since the Pangmapha District Office is now located...
Lei Province
Stretching south from the sleepy arc of the Mekong River near Chiang Khan to the undulating hilltops of Phu Kradung National Park, Loei is a diverse, beautiful province untouched by mass tourism, despite all it has to offer. This isn't the wildest place in Thailand, but potholes definitely pepper a still relatively untrammelled trail that will lead you from the hush of the region's tranquil national parks to the hubbub of Dan Sai's annual Phi Ta Khon Festival. The terrain here is mountainous...
TRAIN Rub
Eleven trains connect Bangkok to Khorat's two train stations. The express and special express services leave Hualamphong station at 5.45am, 10.05am, 6.30pm, 8.30pm and 9.50pm, arriving in Khorat about 4' i hours later, which is much longer than it takes to travel by bus. The lst-class fare express train only is 230B, 2nd class is 115B and 3rd class is SOB. There are also 10 daily train services, most taking about six hours, to from Ubon Ratchathani lst 2nd 3rd class 268 133 58B . You can get...
To Ko Samet
Ferries one way return 50 100B, 40 minutes depart throughout the day from Ban Phe's Saphan Nuan Tip pier - opposite the 7-Eleven, where the buses and sawngthaew stop. Tickets can be bought from a small tourist information center g 0 3889 6155 S 7am-5pm on the pier itself. From Ban Phe, three scheduled ferries 9.30am, 1.30pm, 5pm also make the run to Ao Wong Deuan one way return 70 11 OB, one hour . In the high season boats run to other bays if enough people show an interest. Ignore the touts...
Getting There Away Lkb
Than Bok, as the locals call it, is near the town of Ao Leuk. The park headquarters is about 1.5km south of Ao Leuk town along Rte 4039. Buses and sawngthaew from Krabi cost 25B and stop on Hwy 4. From here you can walk about 1.3km to the park headquarters or take a motorcycle taxi for 15B. The easiest way to visit the caves is to join a sea-kayaking tour from Krabi or Ao Nang that way you don't have to worry about transportation . To get to Ban Bho Tho from Ao Leuk on your own steam to...
OTHER SIGHTS Mpu
Officially it's Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaeo, but these days nearly everyone calls it Wat Lan Khuad S daylight hours , the 'Million Bottle Temple'. In the 1990s the abbot dreamt of a prasat in heaven made entirely of glass and he longed to copy it. Since that wasn't possible he did the next best thing he covered nearly every surface of nearly every building, from the bdt to the bell tower, of his current temple with glass bottles. The more you look around, the less the name seems like an...
Nakhon Ratch Asima Province
Silk and stone are the cornerstones of the Na-khon Ratchasima tourist industry and it is well worth dipping an inquisitive toe into both facets of the region's heritage. First up, history aficionados should soak up the stone remains of the region's Angkor-period heyday. Khmer temples dating from this time still pepper the province and while many have been reduced to amorphic piles of rubble, the restored complex of Prasat Phimai provides an evocative glimpse of times past. If you're a...
Baan Th Dusit
East of the island and just beyond the train station is another collection of ruins in a more pastoral setting than central Ayuthaya. Tourist groups are rare out here and most of the grounds are kept trimmed by local farmers' livestock. Wat Maheyong is an operational temple with a popular weekend meditation retreat held in a leafy courtyard beside the temple ruins. The historic portion of the temple was built in 1438. The outstanding chedi is bell shaped and was once surrounded by a ring of...
Wat Phra That Nong Bua
The richly adorned chedi at Wat Phra That Nong Bua S daylight hours is an almost exact replica of the Mahabodhi stupa in Bodhgaya, India and a much better copy of the subcontinental original than at Wat Jet Yot in Chiang Mai, which is also purported to be a Mahabodhi reproduction. The jataka reliefs on the outside of the chedi are very good. Two groups of four niches on each side of the four-sided chedi contain Buddhas standing in stylised Gupta or Dvaravati closed-robe poses. It is the only...
Getting Buzzed In Trang
Trang is famous for its coffee shops r an kaa-fae or r an ko-pii , which are usually run by Hokkien Chinese. These shops serve real filtered coffee called kaafae th ng in the rest of the country along with a variety of snacks, typically paa-th wng-k h, saalaapao Chinese buns , khanoni pip dumplings , Trang-style sweets, m u y ang barbecued pork and sometimes noodles and jok thick rice soup . When you order coffee in these places, be sure to use the Hokkien word ko-pii rather than the Thai...
Nam Tok Thilawsu
In Amphoe Um Phang you can arrange trips down Mae Nam Mae Klong to Nam Tok Thilawsu and Karen villages - inquire at any guesthouse. Typical three-day excursions include a raft journey along the river from Um Phang to the falls, then a two-day trek from the falls through the Karen villages of Khotha and Palatha, where a 4WD picks up trekkers and returns them to Um Phang 25km from Palatha by road . Some people prefer to spend two days on the river the first night at a cave or hot springs along...
Tha Bo
Surrounded by banana plantations and tobacco fields that flourish in the fertile Mekong flood-plains, prosperous Tha Bo is the most important market centre between Nong Khai and Loei. The covered market, which spills out to the surrounding streets, is full of tobacco, tomatoes and other locally grown products. The area's largest Vietnamese population lives here, and they've cornered the market on noodle production. You don't have to travel far before you'll see sheets of kuaytiaw wide, flat...
Getting Around Lva
Ko Samet's small size makes it a great place to explore on foot. A network of dirt roads connects the western beach and most of the southern bays, while walking trails snake over the boulders and headlands that separate beaches all the way to the southernmost tip. It's only a 15-minute walk from Na Dan to Hat Sai Kaew, but if you are carting luggage or want to go further, sawngthaew meet arriving boats at the pier and provide drop offs down the island. Set fares for transport from Na Dan are...
Tiger Temple Wat Luang Ta Bua Yanna Sampanno
Tfmm jmibtintufraiiu'lu What could quite possibly be one of the worst tourist traps in history is actually an incredible photo opportunity. This forest monastery 0 3453 1557 admission 300B S 3.30-6pm is a petting zoo for the big boys, tigers that is. Fulfilling its mission as a refuge for all life, this temple adopted its first tiger cub in 1999 after its mother was killed by poachers. Word spread that the temple could care for orphaned tigers and soon others were brought in for adoption. Now...
Doi Muser Hilltribe Cultural Center
n u ciiiai u a ii a c fr a i ri 7 c till a t i ii a fi o ci y i u o At the top of the mountain before you descend into Mae Sot is this small research and cultural centre 0 0 5551 2131,0 5551 3614 Km 28Th Tak-Mae Sot bungalows 200-700B where you can visit for the day, or spend the night. Here they grow and sell crops such as tea, coffee, fruits and flowers. Call ahead to find out about seeing a cultural performance. The temperature can go as low as 4 C in the winter. During November and...
Ao Ton Sai Ao Lo Dalam
Business in Ao Ton Sai and the Tourist Village is pretty much normal again. Redevelopment of Ao Lo Dalam has been slower. There are still lovely, long stretches of sand devoid of bungalow operations, although this could change at any moment. RockBackpackerf 07561 2402 therockbackpacker hotmail.com dm 350B, r800B Backpackers looking for company will like this place. The funky restaurant, on a boat dry-docked on the hillside, is conducive to mingling. The 16-bed dorm room is a real rarity on Ko...
Pattaya Vice
Pattaya's notoriety for sex tourism revolves around the agglomeration of discos, outdoor 'beer bars' and go-go clubs making up Pattaya's red-light district at the southern end of the beach. Known as 'the village', the area attracts a large number of prostitutes, including kathoey trans-vestites , who pose as female hookers and ply their trade among the droves of farang Western sex tourists. There is also a prominent gay sex-for-sale scene in Pattaya, especially at nearby Hat Dongtan. This...
Activities Mzn
The strenuous climb to the Phi Phi viewpoint is a rewarding short hike. The trail is off the path to the dam - look for Phi Phi Dream heading towards the dam, the resort will be on your right and take the path on the opposite side of the road. Follow the signs from here. The viewpoint is reached via a 1000ft vertical climb that includes hundreds of steep steps and narrow twisting paths. The hike will get your blood pumping and sweat pouring, but it's worth the effort. The views from the top are...
BUS Brf
Mukdahan's bus terminal 0 0 4261 1421 is on Rte 212, west of town to get there from the centre, take a yellow sawngthaew 8B from Th Phitak Phanomkhet near the fountain. There are regular buses to Nakhon Phanom ordinary air-con 52 93B, two hours, every 40 minutes going via That Phanom ordinary air-con 28 50B, one hour , and also service to Khon Kaen air-con 155B,4' 2 hours, every half-hour , Ubon Ratchathani ordinary air-con 80 144B, 354 hours, every 45 minutes and Yasothon air-con 104B, two...
Minivan
Dozens of travel agencies in Krabi run air-con minivans and VIP buses to popular tourist centres throughout southern Thailand, but staff can be very pushy and you may end up crammed cheek to jowl with other backpackers. Destinations from Krabi
Ban Thoet Thai
Those with an interest in Khun Sa history p362 can make a side trip to this Yunnanese-Shan village, 12km off the road between Ban Basang and Mae Salong. Today, many of Ban Thoet Thai's 3000 residents - a mix of Shan, Yunnanese, Akha, Lisu and Hmong - claim to have fond memories of the man once hunted but never captured by heroin-consuming countries. The warlord's former camp headquarters, a simple collection of wood and brick buildings on a hillside overlooking the village, has been turned into...
BUS Yzy
From Chiang Mai there are two bus routes to Mae Hong Son the 270km northern route through Pai ordinary air-con 142 200B, seven to eight hours and the 368km southern route through Mae Sariang ordinary air-con 187 337B, eight to nine hours . The fare to Mae Sariang is ordinary air-con 100 180B . Two minivans also run to Chiang Mai via Pai 250B, seven hours at 8am and 9am. Although it may be longer, the southern route through Mae Sariang is much more comfortable because the bus stops every two...
AROUND TRAT Beaches
The sliver of Trat Province that extends southeast along the Cambodian border is fringed by several Gulf of Thailand beaches. Hat Sai Si Ngoen Silver Sand Beach lies just north of the Km 41 marker off Hwy 3. Nearby, at the Km 42 marker, is Hat Sai Kaew Crystal Sand Beach and at the Km 48 marker, HatThapThim also known as Hat Lan they're OK to walk along the water's edge or picnic in the shade of casuarina and eucalyptus trees. The only place for accommodation here is the Sun Sapha Kachat Thai...
Eating Cky
Don't leave town without trying the local Burmese curry. There are a couple of places around the market that serve a delicious assortment of curries 20B . Many of the guesthouses do a thriving dinner business because of their waterfront locations. Baan Unrak Bakery 0 0 3459 5428 snacks 10-30B One of the few non-guesthouse restaurants in town, this simple caf has a rotating selection of baked goods and vegetarian options. It is affiliated with the Baan Unrak organisation that operates an...
Detour Islands Around Phuket
There are several islands off the coast of Phuket that make for quieter, more romantic getaways. Ko Heh also known as Coral Island and sometimes spelled Ko Hae is a few kilometres south of Ao Chalong. It's a good spot for diving and snorkelling the coral is beautiful if you don't plan on going further out to sea, although jet skis and other pleasure craft can be an annoyance. The island gets lots of day-trippers from Phuket, but at night it's pretty quiet. Coral Island Resort g 0 7628 1060 fax...
Ban Prathup Jai
On the outskirts of the town is Ban Prathup Jai ImpressiveHouse 005451 1008 admission30B SSam-5pm , also called Ban Sao Roi Ton Hundred Pillar-Filled House , a large northern Thai-style teak house that was built using more than 130 teak logs, each over 300 years old. Opened in 1985, the house took four years to build, using timber taken from nine old rural houses. The interior pillars are ornately carved. The house is also filled with souvenir vendors and is rather tackily decorated, so don't...
AROUND KHON KAEN Chonabot
This small town located 55km southwest of Khon Kaen is one of Thailand's most successful silk villages. The easiest place to see the fabrics is at Sala Mai Thai Thai Silk Pavilion no roman-script sign 0 4328 6160 donations appreciated S 8am-5pm , a resource centre for the local silk industry on the campus of Khon Kaen Industrial amp Community Education College. There are a couple of traditional northeastern wooden houses with looms and other artefacts ask the staff to unlock them , plus an...
Letongkhu To Sangkhlaburi
From Ban Mae Khlong Mai, just a few kilometres north of Um Phang via the highway to Mae Sot, a graded dirt road Rte 1167 heads southwest along the border to Beung Kleung sometimes spelt Peung Kleung - a Karen, Burmese, Indo-Burmese, Talaku and Thai trading village where buffalo carts are more common than motorcycles. The picturesque setting among spiky peaks and cliffs is worth the trip even if you go no further. Impressive Nam Tok Ekaratcha is an hour's walk away. Sawngthaew from Um Phang...
Eating Axt
A lot of large, lively outdoor restaurants sit on Th Chotchaplayuk south of the Phetcharat Garden Hotel. 0ne-0h-0ne 04351 4070 Th Sunthornthep dishes 40-140B s lunch amp dinner You'll almost always find an expat or two lounging over a beer at Joey's, as this little lakeside place is also known. It's got a full Western menu, but pizza predominates. Medsai no roman-script sign 0 4352 0338 160 9 Th Ploenchlt dishes 30-180B, lunch buffet 49B S lunch amp dinner lli Karaoke, Beer Chang and some...
Hin Pholeung Diving
Sailboards, boogie boards, inner tubes and snorkelling equipment can all be rented on the beaches at Hat Sai Kaew, Ao Hin Khok and Ao Phai. Dive operators run trips to nearby sites the best diving is at Hin Pholeung, halfway between Ko Samet and Ko Chang. This isolated spot is well away from destructive boat traffic and has two towering underwater rock pinnacles with excellent visibility up to 30m . Here you can spot large pelagics like manta rays, barracuda, sharks and, if you're lucky, whale...