Thailand Paradise Slightly Spoiled

Thailand has some wonderful activities and places to see, and the cuisine is fantastic. I’ve never had a bad meal in Thailand, and all the food is very economical, excluding some of the four- and five-star hotels, of course. Alcohol is much cheaper than in Malaysia or Singapore--good news for those of you who like to "tie one on". If you are a diver, like me, you will also find many cheap and excellent dive opportunities here. Thailand is also famous for its very active night scene too, but you have to be very careful on where you go.

Bangkok itself has something to offer for just about anyone. If you are a luxury or budget traveler you will find a hotel and restaurant to suit you perfectly. There is also a massive amount of shopping to do everything from knockoffs to the real stuff. Also don’t miss taking a canal ride around, it seems like you can get most anywhere on these great little boats, almost like Venice. There are also some incredibly beautiful and architecturally intricate Buddhist temples to see. The beaches are among the best in S.E. Asia, in my opinion. The sand is fine and pretty clean. The waters are also very clear and great for snorkeling.

There are many nice tourist areas, though, and most are very family-friendly. I just hate staying around these areas, as you feel a bit protected from a real experience. I usually don’t recommend the touristy places, but if you want a hassle-free experience, you may want to consider them, especially at night. We made the mistake of wandering around in some "bad" areas at night. It was much easier to avoid the bad areas in Bangkok than it was in Phuket and especially Pattaya.

I’m sure my title may have offended some Thailand lovers out there, and I am by no means an expert on the place. The place truly looks like a tropical paradise, but why did I add the "slightly spoiled" part? It just seems like many of the places are far too touristy or downright sleazy. My main problem is that I like to wander around the more realistic and gritty places and have never had a problem before. It’s a night-and-day difference with its southern neighbor, Malaysia.

Quick Tips:

Dont eat at your hotel. Hotel food is often five to ten times the price of a local place. Also, bargain for everything, even the price of your room. I find that it's best to call the actual hotel to get a room. The same hotel Travelocity wanted U.S. for, I got for by calling the hotel. Now is a great time to get some good deals in Thailand. They are really trying to attract tourists back after the tsunami.

Best Way To Get Around:

Cabs are dirt-cheap but not always honest, so be careful. Even if they are dishonest, though, you are only out about an extra . Bangkok also has a very nice elevated train, and you can take this to most destinations. You can also ride in a motorcycle rickshaw for very cheap, and it's good to do at least once for the experience.

Before going we asked my father-in-law, who had been to Thailand many times, where to stay. He said he had some great experiences at the Royal Benja Hotel, so we decided to check them out. I tried checking the rates through a travel agent and travel site, but the cheapest price I got was by actually calling the hotel. The people were very nice and helpful in finding the cheapest rate available. I got the room here for $10 cheaper than on ANY Internet site or travel agent I could find. I paid only $35 a night for a very nice room here.

The hotel itself is pretty well-maintained, especially in comparison to many other moderately priced Bangkok places. The staff was even friendlier in person than they had been on the phone. They helped me get settled and asked if I needed advice on where to go and what to see. All the front desk staff had excellent English skills and were impeccably groomed. The lobby itself looked like it belonged in a more expensive hotel. The room was spacious and very clean. I think they had just put in new carpet and decorations before I had come, as everything was in great shape. The decorations were not too cheap and added some class to the room.

The hotel also has an excellent restaurant and can start you off with a great buffet-style breakfast, which has a variety of Western dishes on it. The quality and variety was excellent, but as with any hotel restaurant, it is a bit more expensive than a local place. If you have a sensitive belly, you may consider starting your day like this. The hotel itself also seemed very safe and secure, and other guests all seemed to be nice people and families.

The location is almost perfect. You will be close to a rail stop, so getting around is easy. The hotel also had some taxi drivers they can call for you who are honest and reliable. These drivers want to maintain a good relationship with the hotel, so they will not overcharge you. The hotel is also close to the popular Sukhumvit Road, which can be a plus or a minus. There are numerous entertainment venues and stores here, but there are also a few go-go bars, and you will see prostitutes here. But this seems to be something that you see in many major hotel areas in Thailand--at least most that we went past--so it’s not just a problem with this hotel. I’m no expert on Thailand, but I did notice that all the affordable hotels seemed to have some sort of adult entertainment around them.

Overall, it was a great place, and I could recommend it to anyone. You can find their website here if you want to contact them:

Royal Benja

A fun thing to do if you are with your spouse and want to be a bit romantic is to take a dinner cruise. I believe there are several outfits that operate a dinner cruise in Bangkok, but the one that was recommended to us was the Loy Nava dinner cruise.

We were told that this was the oldest of the river cruises and that it would be great for couples. Well, since we were on an anniversary trip, we figured what the heck. The cost was around $30 per person, plus the cost of a cash bar; this may seem high for something in Southeast Asia, but it was really worth it.

You arrive at the Si Phraya Express Boat Landing, and the first thing you notice is the boat. It is really beautiful. It’s a converted rice barge, but it’s almost impossible to believe something this beautiful started with such a mundane past. It is made from what looks like teak or something similar and is decorated quite beautifully. The staff is all dressed in the most beautiful traditional Thai outfits and are all very pleasant. Their English skills were also very good, as was their knowledge of the menu.

The menu itself has something for everyone. We started out with the satay, which was good, but I prefer Malaysian satay to the Thai variety. Then we had some tom yum soup, which was excellent. For an entrée I had an excellent grilled chicken, and my wife had some prawns and squid. For dessert we had some wonderful fresh fruits. We avoided the coffee and went for some drinks instead. I love a good Tom Collins, and they did not disappoint. The bartender was excellent and made one of the best Collins I have had in Asia. The cost was under $4, so the drinks are pretty affordable. There was also a wide variety of wines and champagne, available so there should be something to suit just about anyone.

The trip takes around 2 hours, and you get to cruise by some major sites. It is a classy affair, so dress properly (no shorts), but also take into consideration that it isn’t air-conditioned and Thailand is hot. You do get a nice breeze and it is at night, so you do stay comfortable while on the boat.

Phuket is probably the most popular destination in Thailand after Bangkok. My wife and I went there specifically to dive and we were not disappointed with the diving. We were disappointed a little bit with the atmosphere though.

There are several ways to get there, but the most practical would be by air. You can take a car or a bus, but we were told that the bus ride would take up to 15 hours. Thai Airways has several daily flights to Phuket from Bangkok, and this only takes about 1.5 hours. The price isn’t too bad, either; we spent about U.S. $110 per person for round-trip tickets. It was well worth it to cut 13 hours each way off our journey. They had over 10 flights a day leaving for Phuket, and they were spaced about every 2 hours or so. You should be able to find a flight that meets your needs.

Phuket itself is a large island just off the coast and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful dive waters in the world. You can tell that at one time in the not-too-distant past, this island was an unspoiled paradise. Now it has become a bit touristy and is full of backpackers thinking that they are doing something different, even though they are following a well-worn trail. The huge influx of foreigners and tourists can bring many negative things. As with many popular tourist places in Thailand, you will find a rampant sex trade. If you stay around some of the nicer resorts or hotels, though, you won’t have to deal with it as much. If you are the type of person who likes a real native experience, Phuket definitely isn’t for you. Also, if you go out for a drink in town at night, expect to be approached by a hooker or pimp. Nice hotel bars are usually safe, though.

The food here is typical Thailand, which is to say GREAT! Thai food is just fantastic, in my opinion. Also, many of the people are very nice and very friendly. The hotels are getting more expensive, but they're still cheap compared to the west, as this is becoming such a popular area. You can still find some great deals, though; you just have to check around. Expect to pay anywhere from U.S. $20-$100 for a room. A nice, clean, air-conditioned, safe, resort-style hotel can be had for around $40-$50, though. Be sure to book ahead, though, as it does get rather crowded here on certain weekends, I’m told.

Well, diving was what I came for, and as far as diving goes, I wasn’t disappointed in the least. First of all, there are tons of dive operators, so prices stay low. An all-day trip with equipment and a few options can be had for $100 per person. You can pay less, but some of the operations might be less than safe. For $100, you can get a reputable person with modern equipment. There is also just about every option you could want available, so every diver should be satisfied. The water itself has fantastic visibility and a huge array of coral and aquatic life. There is even a fairly new shipwreck to dive--a ferry hit a coral reef in 1997 and sunk. There was no loss of life, and the ferry itself is in very shallow water.

If you have always wanted to learn how to dive, this can be a great place. Many dive outfits also offer certification and training courses, and you will find this much cheaper than in the west. All of the diving will be under 30 meters or so, and the waters are calm, so it would be great for beginners.

Overall, it’s a great place, although many of the places in town are becoming tourist traps. A family or couple can still have an exciting, fun, and cheap time here if you plan it right and use a bit of common sense.