Frommer's Thailand (Frommer's Complete Guides)

* **Our long-time resident author** will lead you to the tastiest street food, finest beaches, liveliest nightlife, richest temples, and most restorative holistic health retreats. * **A new active vacation planning chapter** will help you plan the best swimming and diving adventures on the eastern seaboard and southern peninsula, the wildest white water rafting expeditions in Pai, and jungle treks for all ages and abilities in the North, among other outdoor activities. * **Insider safety tips** provide the lowdown on everything from food stalls to jungle treks to Thailand's booming sex trade. A Little Bit of Thai to Help You Get By will have you ordering pad thai like a local. Opinionated reviews. No bland descriptions and lukewarm recommendations. Our expert writers are passionate about their destinations--they tell it like it is in an engaging and helpful way. * **Exact prices** listed for every establishment and activity--no other guides offer such detailed, candid reviews of hotels and restaurants. We include the very best, but also emphasize moderately priced choices for real people. * **User-friendly features** including star ratings and special icons to point readers to great finds, excellent values, insider tips, best bets for kids, special moments, and overrated experiences. FROMMER'S THAILAND, 10TH EDITION......Page 1 CONTENTS......Page 5 LIST OF MAPS......Page 8 CHAPTER 1: THE BEST OF THAILAND......Page 13 THE BEST CITY EXPERIENCES......Page 14 THE BEST WAYS TO EXPERIENCE THAILAND LIKE A LOCAL......Page 15 THE BEST FAMILY EXPERIENCES......Page 16 THE BEST BEACH EXPERIENCES......Page 17 THE BEST GIFTS TO BRING HOME......Page 18 THE BEST SMALL-TOWN EXPERIENCES......Page 19 THAILAND TODAY......Page 21 THE MAKING OF THAILAND......Page 23 RELIGION IN THAILAND......Page 30 ART & ARCHITECTURE......Page 31 THAILAND IN POPULAR CULTURE......Page 34 EATING & DRINKING......Page 36 WHEN TO GO......Page 38 RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL......Page 42 SPECIAL-INTEREST TRIPS......Page 44 TIPS ON SHOPPING......Page 46 CHAPTER 3: SUGGESTED ITINERARIES IN THAILAND......Page 47 THE REGIONS IN BRIEF......Page 48 BANGKOK IN 3 DAYS......Page 51 ANCIENT CAPITALS TOUR IN 1 WEEK......Page 52 ISLAND-HOPPING TOUR IN 1 WEEK......Page 55 NORTHERN ADVENTURE TOUR IN 1 WEEK......Page 57 ORGANIZED ADVENTURE TRIPS......Page 60 ACTIVITIES A TO Z......Page 61 CHAPTER 5: SETTLING INTO BANGKOK......Page 70 ORIENTATION......Page 71 GETTING AROUND......Page 75 WHERE TO STAY......Page 81 WHERE TO EAT......Page 98 CHAPTER 6: EXPLORING BANGKOK......Page 114 BANGKOK’S WATERWAYS......Page 115 TOP ATTRACTIONS......Page 118 TEMPLES (WATS)......Page 124 CULTURAL & WELLNESS PURSUITS......Page 127 STAYING ACTIVE......Page 130 SHOPPING......Page 131 BANGKOK ENTERTAINMENT & NIGHTLIFE......Page 137 SIDE TRIPS FROM BANGKOK......Page 141 PATTAYA......Page 146 BAN PHE & KO SAMET......Page 157 CHANTHABURI PROVINCE......Page 160 TRAT & KO CHANG......Page 161 HUA HIN/CHA-AM......Page 170 CHUMPHON......Page 182 SURAT THANI......Page 184 KO SAMUI......Page 187 KO PHA NGAN......Page 211 KO TAO......Page 218 THE FAR SOUTH & ON TO MALAYSIA......Page 221 CHAPTER 9: SOUTHERN PENINSULA: THE WEST COAST & ISLANDS......Page 224 GETTING TO KNOW PHUKET......Page 226 WHERE TO STAY IN PHUKET......Page 233 WHERE TO EAT IN PHUKET......Page 247 EXPLORING PHUKET......Page 252 SIDE TRIPS FROM PHUKET: KHAO LAK & OFFSHORE ISLANDS......Page 259 KRABI (AO NANG, RAILAY, & KHLONG MUANG BEACHES)......Page 263 KO PHI PHI......Page 269 KO LANTA......Page 272 TRANG......Page 274 AYUTTHAYA......Page 276 LOPBURI......Page 284 PHITSANULOK......Page 286 SUKHOTHAI & SI SATCHANALAI HISTORICAL PARKS......Page 290 TAK PROVINCE: MAE SOT & THE MYANMAR (BURMA) BORDER......Page 296 CHAPTER 11: CHIANG MAI......Page 300 ORIENTATION......Page 301 WHERE TO STAY......Page 304 WHERE TO EAT......Page 312 EXPLORING CHIANG MAI......Page 318 CHIANG MAI ACTIVITIES......Page 323 SHOPPING......Page 326 ENTERTAINMENT & NIGHTLIFE......Page 330 SIDE TRIPS FROM CHIANG MAI......Page 331 THE LAND & ITS PEOPLE......Page 337 WHEN TO GO......Page 342 THE MAE HONG SON LOOP......Page 343 MAE HONG SON......Page 349 CHIANG RAI......Page 355 CHIANG SAEN & THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE......Page 363 CHAPTER 13: EXPLORING ISAN: THAILAND’S FRONTIER......Page 369 NAKHON RATCHASIMA (KHORAT)......Page 370 KHON KAEN......Page 372 UDON THANI & BAN CHIANG......Page 373 LOEI......Page 374 ALONG THE MEKONG FROM LOEI TO NONG KHAI......Page 375 NONG KHAI......Page 376 NAKHON PHANOM......Page 377 SURIN......Page 378 GETTING THERE......Page 381 TIPS ON PLACES TO STAY......Page 384 HEALTH......Page 386 FAST FACTS: THAILAND......Page 389 MONEY & COSTS......Page 398 BASIC PHRASES & VOCABULARY......Page 402 Index......Page 407

• Our long-time resident author will lead you to the tastiest street food, finest beaches, liveliest nightlife, richest temples, and most restorative holistic health retreats.
• A new active vacation planning chapter will help you plan the best swimming and diving adventures on the eastern seaboard and southern peninsula, the wildest white water rafting expeditions in Pai, and jungle treks for all ages and abilities in the North, among other outdoor activities.
• Insider safety tips provide the lowdown on everything from food stalls to jungle treks to Thailand's booming sex trade. A Little Bit of Thai to Help You Get By will have you ordering pad thai like a local. Opinionated reviews. No bland descriptions and lukewarm recommendations. Our expert writers are passionate about their destinations-they tell it like it is in an engaging and helpful way.
• Exact prices listed for every establishment and activity-no other guides offer such detailed, candid reviews of hotels and restaurants. We include the very best, but also emphasize moderately priced choices for real people.
• User-friendly features including star ratings and special icons to point readers to great finds, excellent values, insider tips, best bets for kids, special moments, and overrated experiences.

Our long-time resident author will lead you to the tastiest street food, finest beaches, liveliest nightlife, richest temples, and most restorative holistic health retreats. A new active vacation planning chapter will help you plan the best swimming and diving adventures on the eastern seaboard and southern peninsula, the wildest white water rafting expeditions in Pai, and jungle treks for all ages and abilities in the North, among other outdoor activities. Insider safety tips provide the lowdown on everything from food stalls to jungle treks to Thailand's booming sex trade. A Little Bit of Thai to Help You Get By will have you ordering pad thai like a local. Opinionated reviews. No bland descriptions and lukewarm recommendations. Our expert writers are passionate about their destinations--they tell it like it is in an engaging and helpful way. Exact prices listed for every establishment and activity--no other guides offer such detailed, candid reviews of hotels and restaurants. We include the very best, but also emphasize moderately priced choices for real people. User-friendly features including star ratings and special icons to point readers to great finds, excellent values, insider tips, best bets for kids, special moments, and overrated experiences. A visitor's guide to Thailand that provides rated information on accommodations, restaurants, entertainment, and attractions, and features detailed maps, trip-planning advice, itineraries, and information on the country's culture and history.