Backpacking Abroad - Travel info for backpacking in Thailand, Laos, China & Vietnam

Visiting Thailand in June/July

I’ve heard a lot of conflicting opinions about going to Thailand and the surrounding areas during June/July.. a couple of people have said to me I’ll be sitting around doing a lot of reading because of the rain. Am I going to be really suffering or is it not really a problem?

Diatribe, May 11, 2008

I hope not - that’s when I’ll be there again! I’ve not heard anything that suggests it’s not worth going at that time.

ReindeerF, May 11, 2008

I really don’t think it’s all that bad - and of course different areas of Thailand have different weather. Islands, for example, vary in rainy season depending on what body of water they’re in.

It’s really not that bad, but you will have to tolerate rain for an hour or so every day and on a few days it will rain all day. I don’t find that debilitating though. Just get an umbrella while you’re here and use it. Thailand’s at its greenest and most lush during this season, so it’s a great time to see the countryside and the rural areas.

Packing for my trip to Thailand - other than my digital camera what should I bring?

Pompous Rhombus, May 20, 2008

Pretty much it, really… if you find out you need something, you can probably buy it here for less. Well, Hep A and tetanus vaccinations are a good idea, but I guess you can get those here as well. Guidebook is useful but not necessary and you can find used ones for sale all over (in touristed areas). One of those inflatable neck pillows is good for those long-haul plane flights, and they work out pretty well on night buses once you get here as well.

Isaan in north-east Thailand

Pompous Rhombus, May 17, 2008

I spent last week in Isaan (northeast Thailand) and it was really good time. Lots of old ruins (both Thai and Khmer), friendly people, and not at all over-touristy. I made it the whole time without hearing “Mambo Number 5″ once. I really recommend checking out Phra Wihan (Preah Vihear) if you’re in Thailand and not planning to make a trip to Angkor Wat in Cambodia; it might be a little underwhelming if you’ve been to Angkor before, but taken on its own it’s pretty damn impressive. It’s just over the Cambodian border (much easier to reach from the Thai side than from the Cambodian), you make a photocopy of your passport at the border and are permitted to enter for the day. It’s a relatively easy daytrip from Ubon Ratchathani (which is now linked to Pakse in Laos by international bus, 200baht), though if you want to get there when the border opens at 8am you’ll have to wake up around 6ish and take your own motorbike. The other option is to take a bus to a town called Kantaralak about 40kms from the park and get either a songthaew (slow) or motorbike taxi (fast, but 300-400 baht for a round trip). The bus + mototaxi costs the same or more than just renting your own bike in Ubon + gas, so I say it’s probably better to just do your own thing.

If you don’t want to mess with that, Phanom Rung near Buriram/Khorat is another impressive Khmer-type complex, perched on an extinct volcano.

How big of a problem is lice?

I was planning on bringing a sleepsack, but do you think this is really necessary? How big of a problem is lice and should I bring a bit of shampoo or shave my head?

spog, May 16, 2008

Sleepsack - Not really necessary

How big of a problem is lice? - Depends on whether you make a habit of rubbing your head vigorously against stray dogs or not.

Shampoo - Plenty of shampoo available in a nation filled with people with beautiful, shiny, healthy-looking hair.

Shaving your head - Are you thinking of becoming a monk?

Saving money with a student ID

Pompous Rhombus, May 17, 2008

A General Tip: If you have one, bring a student ID. It’s totally up to the mood of the person at the gate, but you can often score a student discount off the 200 baht foreigner fee at national parks. Just smile, have it handy, and ask if there’s a student price [in Thai: "mii raakhaa samrap nakrian mai khrap/ka (depending if you're a guy/girl)]. Technically I don’t think there is, but it seems like most of them want to help you out if you can give them an excuse. I have yet to pay the full foreigner price using this strategy.