Thailand Overview

Short Overview of Thailand:

So, to start with Bangkok, what an absolutely amazing place. Being able to see both sides of the city (The Four Seasons area and the City Centre) shows how diverse it is and how it caters for every person, regardless of age, gender or genre! The incredible thing about Bangkok is how safe you feel, anywhere and everywhere you go, no matter the time of day or night. In South Africa I would never wonder the streets of Johannesburg Central at 2am!

For travellers who are nervous, such as I was, Thailand is a great place to start and to ease you in. They are 100 % catered towards tourists and everyone speaks English and can assist you everywhere you go.

Booking bus tickets, boat tickets, train tickets is the easiest thing in the world. There are travel agencies around you on every corner who can assist with whatever you need.

Next, Koh Tao, one of the top diving destinations in the world. This is the cheapest place in the world to do a diving course. Simple Life Divers where I did my open water course was fabulous. We had a great instructor who was knowledgable and professional and it was truly one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I could not have guessed that what I saw was exactly the same as watching the National Geographic channel, except you don't have some dude talking in the background. It's beautiful and quiet and surreal under water. Diving is also completely addictive because you can't get enough of it! Koh Tao is known for its hundreds of dive schools and exquisite diving sites scattered within the South China Sea. Sairee Beach where I stayed seems to be the place to be. The night life is sensational with the many beach bars and fire dancers / flame throwers or whatever they are called and hundreds of tourists and clubs that stay open until the early, early hours! Buckets of alcohol which consist of 380ml of hard liquor, a red bull and a soda / fizzy drink sold at every bar, club or street corner. Koh Tao is a must for anyone island hopping in Thailand. It is paradise beyond paradise!

Koh Pha-Ngan - Full Moon Party - is the most insane party you will ever go to in your entire life. I don't think anyone who has never experienced it for themselves will even believe the chaos and craziness of this event! Koh Pha-Ngan is known specifically for this occasion and the whole town of Haad Rin caters for the hundreds of flocking tourists and debauchery that follows on Sunrise Beach. This party continues for 48 hours, and if you stayed near the beach you will know that the music does not get turned off until around 6:30 am on the second day after the Full Moon Party!
It is a pretty hectic business going to one of these parties and the bottles and crap left on the beach the next day is quite revolting. If you do go, follow the Lonely Planets 10 Full Moon Commandments, religiously! My personal number 1, was wear shoes at all times on the beach. Others included drinking too much and swimming, dabbling in recreational drugs and just general crazy behaviour! Clearly most people didn't read the commandments! Other than the Full Moon Parties, Koh Pha-Ngan does offer a whole range of other places to see and gorgeous beaches. I hired a scooter and proceeded to 4X4 and attempt to ride the thing all around the Island. The scooter is not for the faint hearted, if you have never driven or been on one before, it is a frightening, near death experience! According to Travel Fish, you have about a 100 times more chance of being in a scooter accident than catching Malaria! I see now where they were coming from, anyway there are hundred scooters to every mosquito in the first place.
Accommodation in Haad Rin is pretty hectic over the Full Moon Parties, most hostels, hotels and backpackers require a 4-5 day booking and upfront payment to avoid the tourists flocking for one night and then leaving. It is also apparently a little more expensive over full moon as well. But, all in all, its something that must be done when visitng Thailand, perhaps when I go back in a couple of months i might attempt the Half Moon Party in the forest or Black Moon Party!

Now for Phuket, Patong Beach. Absolutely, absolutely and most definitely a must for anyone going to the islands! Bangla Road is sensational and the night life and creatures of the night are something you thought you only saw in the Rocky Horror Picture Show! However, there are other sides to it. Our first day tour to Maya Bay, Phi Phi, Loh Samah Bay, Pileh Cove and the Viking Caves are totally amazing! Maya Bay where the filmed "The Beach" is beautiful, but over run with tourists boats and tourists and it sort of ruined the experience for me, I think the over night camping under the stars trip would have been better. Swimming ad snorkeling around the islands is superb, the water is aquamarine, warm, clean, clear and flat. The beaches are amazing and the Sea Angel Cruises were really on top of their game. The second day trip was a boat trip to Naka Island, which had incredible swimming and a beautiful shoreline covered in umbrellas and beach bars. We did some some ocean Kyaking through a cave into a secluded lagoon which was something quite special. We then went to the Muslim Village of Panyee Island to have a look around. From there we missioned in a smaller boat in and around the beautiful islands and gorgeous sea views of Tum Talu, Hong Island and Khao Khian. From there we went to James Bond Island where they filmed the 1974 James Bond Movie, "The man with the Golden Gun". From there we caught a beautiful sunset back to the pier and enjoyed some hilarious entertainment from the staff on the boat!

The third day trip was to the Similan Islands. When travelling to Phuket and you only have time for one trip, make sure you do this one with Medsye Travel so you get to see the perfectly kept, beautiful, natural waters and sea life surrounding the islands. Turtles and lumo fish fill the waters, the beaches are pristine and tours are run like clockwork. I cannot describle the colour of the water and beauty of the beaches in full measure, you have to see it for yourself. Its hard to believe that places like this even exist. The great thing about Medsye is that they operate under Green Fins who ensure preservation of the marine ecology and coral reefs. This is something I will never forget and the next time I will definitely do the 3 day camp out and diving on the Similan Islands!

Until I go back to Thailand in a couple of months to experience the north, I can honestly say it was a truly awesome experience and pretty much one big party! Oh ya.... and it's hot. Its hot like you've never ever in your life hot...and it's humid! It takes a while to get used to, although I believe April is the hottest month in Thailand!