The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa, Phuket
Address: 21 / 4 Moo 1 T.Rasada A.Muang, Phuket, 83000 Thailand
Phone: (66)(76) 335 600

The Westin Hotel and Resort in Phuket, Thailand is a stunning luxury resort in Phuket’s Sirary Bay.

The Westin Siray Bay Resort offers ocean views from every guest room and a private white sand beach for guests to enjoy in seclusion.

Rooms at the Westin hotel and resort in Phuket are decorated in soft pastels and white, complimenting the tropical ambiance of the bay.

The hotel offers six restaurants and bars that serve a variety of international cuisines.

There is also a gym, a spa and a kids’ club at the Westin Siray Bay Resort.

Room rates at the Westin hotel and resort in Phuket start at 2,010 THB per night.

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The best luxury resorts in Koh Kood Thailand are also some of the top resorts in the country.

The area is home to some of the most beautiful natural scenery and a number of the top beaches in Thailand in addition to its resorts.

Koh Kood on the Gulf of Siam is fast becoming a top luxury travel destination in Thailand.

New hotels and resorts in Koh Kood are opening all the time, and the island is sure to be a hot spot for luxury travel in Thailand for a long time to come.

Below are my picks for the best luxury resorts in Koh Kood Thailand.

Soneva Kiri Hotel by Six Senses

X2 Koh Kood Design Resort

36 Hours in Chiang Mai, Thailand
By JOSHUA KURLANTZICK

BLESSED with a cooler climate than Bangkok and buffered by lush mountains, Chiang Mai has long served as a backpacker’s gateway to Thailand’s northern reaches. But an influx of Thai artists and Western expatriates has turned this quiet city into a vibrant destination in its own right. Design studios have sprung up in town, fusing traditional Thai with modern twists. Age-old curries are now paired with Australian red wines and croissants. The area around Nimanhaemin Road now looks like South Beach, packed with BMWs and Art Deco homes, alongside contemporary art galleries run by young Thais with purple hair and nose rings. But traditional Chiang Mai is still there. Walk away from Nimanhaemin into the old city and you’ll see shaved monks meditating and backpackers chowing down on banana pancakes.

Continued on nytimes.com

Google maps offers free maps of Thailand that are interactive and allow users to pinpoint and save favorite destinations.

Google maps of Thailand also include road and street maps of major cities like Bangkok.

Check out Google maps of Thailand below.

View Larger Map

Link to Google Maps

The Full Moon Party in Koh Panghan is one of Thailand’s most famous (and most fun!) repeating festivals.

Every month there is a Full Moon Party in Koh Panghan on Had Rin Nok beach, and thousands of people visiting Koh Panghan take part.

As the name implies, the Full Moon Party in Koh Panghan takes place on the night of the full moon, which changes monthly.

Music and dancing are all part of the Full Moon Party, and the party lasts all night.

Koh Samui, Thailand, is a popular destination for sun worshippers and beach lovers.

Located in southern Thailand, Koh Samui is the third largest island in Thailand.

Koh Samui is best known for its beautiful white sand beaches.

There are plenty of other Koh Samui activities to be enjoyed as well.

People visiting Koh Samui can take part in cultural activities like visiting the Leam Suwanaram Temple.

There are also amazing natural phenomena like Koh Samui’s stunning Namuang Falls.

Visitors can take part in adventure sports in Koh Samui as well.

Many people go ATV riding in Koh Samui or ride zip lines through the trees in Koh Samui’s jungle.

There is also a lot of good sport fishing to be done off the coast of the island.

The most famous beach in Phuket is Patong Beach.

With its beautiful blue water and white sand, Patong Beach is a breathtaking sight.

That said, Patong Beach also has its darker side.

The areas around Patong Beach are heavily built-up with a myriad of gritty souvenir shops, crowded restaurants, and loud nightlife.

If you’re looking for seclusion, Patong Beach is probably not for you.

If you’re looking for a lively party, Patong Beach might be just what you want.

In general, the best time of year to visit Thailand is November to February.

During this time the weather is cooler and there is less precipitation.

There are regional variations in seasons and temperatures in Thailand.

Central, eastern, and northern Thailand weather tends to be cooler.

November to February is still the best time of year to visit Thailand in these areas, but farther north it will be colder.

The best time of year to visit Thailand’s southern areas is slightly different, and depends on your destination.

The best time of year to visit Thailand’s southwestern areas like Phuket, Phang Nga, and Krabi is November to April.

The best time of year to visit Thailand’s southeastern areas like Koh Samui and Hat Yai is May to October.

There are airlines that fly to Thailand from all over the world.

The following are airlines that fly to Thailand.

Airlines that fly to Thailand from the US:

Northwest Airlines
Thai Airways

Airlines that fly to Thailand from Australia:

British Airway
Emirates
Jetstar
Qantas
Thai Airways
Tiger Airways

Airlines that fly to Thailand from Hong Kong:

Bangkok Airways
Cathay Pacific
China Airlines
Emirates
Finnair
Gulf Air
Kenya Airways
Thai Airways

Airlines that fly to Thailand from Singapore:

Air Asia
Bangkok Airways

Cathay Pacific
Finnair
Jetstar
SilkAir
Singapore Airlines
snowflake
SWISS Airlines
Thai Airways
Tiger Airways
Transaero Airlines
Turkish Airlines
Valuair

The island of Phuket, Thailand is one of Asia’s most popular beach destinations.

With the azure water of the Andaman Sea and its white sand beaches, Phuket attracts visitors from all over the world.

People visiting Phuket can enjoy a range of activities.

Phuket diving and snorkeling are popular, as well as Phuket’s golf courses, eco-tourism in Phuket, and boat tours in Phang Nga Bay.

Phuket nightlife centers on the famous Patong Beach, where people visiting Phuket can party the night away.

There are thousands of pictures of Thailand on Flickr!

Looking at pictures of Thailand on Flickr can help you get an idea of what part of Thailand you would like to visit.

If you already know were you are going to travel to in Thailand, you can look at pictures of Thailand on Flickr to find specific places you want to go, or to get inspiration for your own travel photography in Thailand.

Cabbages and Condoms Restaurant, Bangkok
Address: 6 Soi 12, Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok, Thailand

Cabbages and Condoms Restaurant in Bangkok is one of the most famous restaurants in Bangkok.

Cabbages and Condoms Restaurant is run by Thailand’s Population and Community Development Association.

The association believes that contraceptives should be as inexpensive as vegetables.

Cabbages and Condoms Restaurant in Bangkok offers traditional Thai food and, of course, condoms.

There is no shortage of Bangkok food from street vendors in Thailand.

At any time of day or night, people visiting Bangkok can find a large variety of Thai food sold by street vendors.

The most common types of food found in Bangkok’s vendor stalls include pastry foods, dumplings, fried meats on skewers, and fried vegetables.

If you plan to buy food from a Bangkok street vendor, make sure that it is thoroughly cooked.

Also make sure that the food has not been sitting out for too long.

If you have a sensitive stomach, think twice before eating food sold by street vendors in Bangkok.

The Thai currency is the Bhat (THB).

Thai bhat are divided further into satang. One Thai bhat is equal to 100 satang.

Thai bhat coins come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50.

Visitors are unlikely to use them, as they are worth very little.

Thai bhat notes come in denominations of 10 (very rare), 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000.

Visitors are most likely to use Thai currency notes.

You can get Thai currency at ATMs in the country, or at money exchange booths in your home country or in Thailand.

There is plenty of sightseeing in Bangkok, Thailand.

From palaces to temples, markets to houses, Bangkok’s sightseeing can keep visitors busy for days.

Below is my list of the top 5 sightseeing in Bangkok:

1. Jim Thompson’s House, Bangkok

2. Wat Arun, Temple of the Dawn, Bangkok

3. Golden Buddha, Wat Traimit, Bangkok

4. Giant Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho, Bangkok

5. Grand Palace, Bangkok

The best Bangkok hotels are scattered throughout the city in various neighborhoods.

The hotels come from a range of styles and sizes.

The best Bangkok hotels cater for clientles from business travelers to family holidaymakers.

They vary from the large international luxury hotels in Bangkok to the smaller, more intimate boutique hotels in Bangkok.

Bangkok has no shortage of hotels, but the best Bangkok hotels are a cut above the rest.

Below is a list of what I consider to be the best Bangkok hotels, large and small.

Four Seasons Hotel, Bangkok

The Eugenia, Bangkok

Jim Thompson’s House in Bangkok is a great destination for visitors to Bangkok.

Jim Thompson’s House is a well-preserved traditional Thai house in Bangkok made of teak wood.

Jim Thompson was an American living in Thailand who revived the silk industry in Bangkok.

People visiting Bangkok can tour Jim Thompson’s House to see antiques and art from Thailand.

Jim Thompson’s House also has a good restaurant and a silk shop.

Jim Thompson’s House Opening Hours: 9am-4.30pm

Jim Thompson’s House Entrance Fee: 100 Baht.

The floating market in Bangkok is a cultural adventure that requires an early start.

The floating market in Bangkok, Thailand is one of the highlights of visiting Bangkok.

The floating market is a produce and general market that is mostly done from small boats.

Visiting the floating market is best done by taking a bus from Bangkok.

The floating market in Bangkok closes in mid-day, so people visiting Bangkok are advised to wake up early to get to the market.

When you get to the floating market, take a small boat through the market and browse through the fruits, vegetables, noodles, souvenirs, handicrafts, and spices while honing your bargaining skills.

Wat Arun Temple of the Dawn in Bangkok is a spectacular sight on the banks of the Chao Praya River.

The first thing visitors to Wat Arun see is the stunning 79m Phra Prang pagoda.

The pagoda is covered in ceramic and porcelain tiles.

Although there are a lot of kitschy tourist shops around, Wat Arun in Bangkok is worth a visit.

To get to Wat Arun, take Arun Amarin Road or take a ferry from Tha Tien Pier.

Wat Arun Opening Hours: 8.30am – 5.30pm

Wat Arun Entrance Fee: 30 Bhat

The Golden Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand is one of the top sights to see in Bangkok.

The buddha is smaller and less opulent than either the giant reclining buddha or the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

However, Bangkok’s Golden Buddha still has its own charm.

Made of solid gold and weighing over 5.5 tons, Bangkok’s Golden Buddha is quite impressive.

The Golden Buddha in Bangkok is located in the upper level of the small Wat Traimit temple in Bangkok’s Chinatown.

The Golden Buddha is open to visitors for an entry fee of 20 Bhat.

Visitors must remove shoes before entering the room, and photographs are allowed.

Wat Traimit and the Golden Buddha in Bangkok are located on Yaowarat Road near Hualamphong Train Station.

The Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand is one of Bangkok’s most visited destinations.

The palace is situated on the river in Bangkok.

It is surrounded by several acres of grounds and is easy to spot from the street.

The sprawling grounds, beautiful architecture, gold statues, and long history all attract visitors to Bangkok’s Grand Palace.

Visitors to Bangkok’s Grand Palace can walk around the grounds and through some of the buildings.

Make sure to check out the Temple of the Emerald Buddha while you’re there.

The giant reclining Buddha in Bangkok is one of the most visited destinations in Bangkok.

The buddha is 46m long and 15m high, filling up an entire room.

The buddha is plated in gold.

The Giant Reclining Buddha is situated in Wat Pho, a large temple in central Bangkok.

The Buddha is worth a visit, if for no other reason than to prove to yourself that such a large statue actually exists!

People visiting Bangkok can see the Buddha and walk around the Wat Pho grounds to admire the other buildings and statues.

Wat Pho and the Giant Reclining Buddha are located Chetuphon Road, an easy walk from the Grand Palace.

Giant Reclining Buddha Opening Hours: 8am-5pm (closed 12pm-1pm)

Giant Reclining Buddha Entrance Fee: 20 Baht

The Four Seasons Hotel, Bangkok
Address: 155 Rajadamri Road, Bangkok, Thailand
Phone: 66 (0) 2 126-8866

The Four Seasons Hotel in Bangkok is one of the best luxury hotels in Bangkok.

The hotel welcomes guests with its brightly-colored high ceilings in the lobby.

The huge outdoor pools help people relax after spending time at the busy Bangkok sights or in business meetings in Bangkok.

The plush decor in the guest rooms of the Four Seasons Bangkok make guests feel comfortable and relaxed, as does the friendly and attentive service.

Standard rooms at the Four Seasons Hotel in Bangkok run from around US$250-400, depending on the season.

The Eugenia Hotel is one of the most unique boutique hotels in Bangkok.

Located in Bangkok’s beautiful Sukhumvit neighborhood, the Eugenia is ideally located in a desirable part of the city.

The Eugenia’s motto, “It’s not a hotel, it’s a home!,” is a fitting description of the comfy Eugenia.

The Eugenia Hotel has only a small number of rooms, each of which is furnished with antique furniture and beautiful white linens.

Downstairs is a small restaurant, a beautiful library, and an outdoor patio with a swimming pool.

Rooms at The Eugenia range from around US$150-220 per night.

You can buy a bit of food from their handlers for 10-20 baht to feed them for a bit.

Unfortunately, many of the elephants in Bangkok suffer from the wear and tear on their feet, which are meant for walking on soft dirt and not city pavement.

Below is a list of Thailand do’s and don’t's to help you navigate the cultural differences between Thailand and the West.

It is easy to have good manners in Thailand with a few simple steps. Try the do’s and don’t's below to ensure success in your trip.

• Avoid conflict. Thais appreciate a soft tone of voice and are very averse to conflict. Find a deferential way out of tense situations.
• Avoid pointing or other confrontational behavior
• Don’t point at anything with your foot
• Treat images of Buddha like you would a respected person
• If you’re sitting not on a chair, sit so your feet are not in front of you
• Do not stare at people.
• When greeted with a wai, the traditional greeting, do not lower your head to acknowledge the wai
• If you pass an older person, dip your head slightly to appear more like their height
• Do not speak ill of the king, discuss politics or mention that the King was born in America
• At 8 AM and 6 PM in public, stand quietly for the national anthem.

Thailand banned smoking publically a few years ago.

Thailand, as of Dec 29, 2006, banned smoking in all public places in the country.

Be warned, if you’re a smoker, you’re going to be confined to treatment like you’ll receive if you try to smoke in New York City!

Thailand is quite the trendsetter for Southeast Asia in the matter of smoking publically, as most countries haven’t done so.

In very few countries in Asia are there such stringent anti-smoking policies as there are in Thailand.

Bangkok is a large, sprawling city of course. It is technically split up into 50 different districts but these are rarely used in practice. The six major ones are noted here. This is helpful in finding hotels and making travel arrangements.

1. Sukhumvit — The long Sukhumvit Rd road, changing name to Ploenchit Rd and Rama I Rd going west, is Bangkok’s modern commercial core, full of glitzy malls and hotels. The Skytrain intersection at Siam Square is the closest thing Bangkok has to a center. This makes a good meeting point as well for travellers. Most of the western-style hotels are around here as is good shopping.

2. Silom — To the south of Sukhumvit, the area around Silom Rd and Sathorn Rd is Thailand’s sober financial center by day, but Bangkok’s primary party district by night when quarters like the infamous Patpong come alive. Watch out for the lady-boys.

3. Rattanakosin — Between the river and Sukhumvit lies the densely packed “Old Bangkok”, home to Bangkok’s best-known wats (temples). Yaowarat (Chinatown) and sights around the Chao Phraya River are also included here. Bangkok’s backpacker mecca Khao San Road and the surrounding district of Banglamphu are located on the northern part of this area.

4. Thonburi — The quieter west bank of the Chao Phraya River, with many small canals and some offbeat attractions. Not much around here unless you have a lot of time to spend wandering.

5. Phahonyothin — The area around Phahonyothin Road and Viphavadi Rangsit Road is best known for the Chatuchak Weekend Market and the old airport. There are some ratty hotels here – best to avoid them!

6. Ratchadaphisek — The district north of Sukhumvit centered around Ratchadaphisek Rd (aka Asoke) and reaching from Phetchaburi Rd to Lat Phrao. This area has really opened up recently as the new metro line follows Ratchadaphisek road.

Source: wikitravel.org – Used under Creative Commons License

What does Bespoke mean on signs in Thailand?

It took me a while to figure this out.

Bespoke means made-to-order or custom rather than off-the-rack.

Bespoke is a common word in British English, but was dropped from the American English vocabulary long ago.

Countries that are non-English speaking generally use the British English vernacular, and so Thailand has adopted the word bespoke as opposed to the American “custom” or “tailor made.”

Bespoke often refers to clothing, and is used for signs for tailors in Bangkok and other cities in Thailand.

You’ll see references to “bespoke suits” or “bespoke tailors” all over Bangkok.

Signs like this one in the photo are common throughout the cities.

You’ll see lots of advice on the Internet about the best tailors and suits in Bangkok.

First, while you’re there, you definitely SHOULD get a suit or shirts made in Bangkok.

Man or woman, you’ll find excellent quality fabrics, fashionable cuts and high quality tailoring in Bangkok.

DON’T get taken by poor quality tailors though.

There are lots of bad tailors that do substandard work that you could get back home for the same price.

From the major sites like FlyerTalk and others, there are a few recommended choices for good quality tailoring in Bangkok.

Enlever ses Vetements Tailor in Bangkok

Enlever ses Vetements is run by a Thai-American named Louis.

He does EXCELLENT quality work and is quite fashionable in his cuts.

While his prices are a bit high ($500 for a high quality suit with a shirt) you’ll find no more stylish tailor in BKK.

Tramps Tailor in Bangkok

Tramps in OP Place behind The Oriental is known for high quality materials.

Crown Tailor in Bangkok

Crown Tailor in Sukhumvit Road Soi 8 is also known for very high quality suits in Bangkok.

Georges Tailor in Bangkok

Georges on Soi 13 off Sukhumit has good feedback for durable shirts.

Some lesser choices:

Mr Bobby Tailor in Bangkok

Mr Bobby at Raja’s is known for just average work. He caters to foreign tourists, but his prices are lower than the higher-quality tailors.

ANY of the tailors the tuk-tuk drivers take you to are probably poor quality.

They give kickbacks to the tuktuk drivers, so naturally the drivers could care less about quality.

Like the old Bangkok Airport, taxis from Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport are the best option for getting from the airport to Bangkok’s city center.

The estimated driving time in a taxi from Don Muang Airport is around 45 minutes to Sukhumvit.

Driving time in a taxi will take longer if it is rush hour, and could be faster late at night if there is no traffic.

If you have flown through Bangkok airport before, prepare to add 25% to previous estimates for both elapsed time and cost.

Without traffic (late at night, early morning) taxis take around 30 minutes to get to and from Sukhumvit or Asoke (the area around Soi 21 or Ratchadapisek) via the Bang Na-Trat Road.

The has been reading around 280 baht, plus 40 for tolls.

For taxis from Don Muang Airport, the travel time in late afternoon (4-ish) to Sukhumvit or Ploenchit hotels (Hyatt, Sheraton, IC) takes anywhere from 45-75 minutes.

The Thailand coup on September 19, 2006 left many people confused about whether it is safe to visit Thailand after the coup.

Since that time, protests in Bangkok have made the city less appealing to visitors as well.

Here is some information about safety while visiting Thailand.

For more recent updates, click here.

1) This coup was bloodless and almost a bureaucratic affair. There was no violence and no civil unrest. Except for the holiday granted the day after the coup, nothing really changed that much.

Protests have become frequent and sometimes violent in recent years, so make sure to take precautions when visiting Bangkok.

2) Flights are unaffected. Flights are all operating on the same schedules.

A new airport opened in Bangkok the week of 28 September 2006. See this link for more info.

3) Things might be even cheaper!

Due to some kneejerk reactions (especially in the Australian press) there have been a lot of holidays in Thailand cancelled, including those to Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai.

As such, things are less expensive for those that do visit Thailand.

Check out the usuals like Kayak, Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz, and others to see whether rates have dropped.

The old Don Muang airport (BKK) was recently retired and there is an entirely new, modern airport that has taken its place.

This took place ahead of schedule and caused some confusion, but things are now operating smoothly.

Here are the things you need to know before taking a flight to Bangkok:

1) The new airport is called Suvarnabhumi. This is pronounced really differently – say “sue-wah-na-poom” to the taxi driver (and leave off the last ‘i’ which is silent).

2) The switchover date was 28 Sept 2006: all flights moved to the new airport no later than 28 Sept 2006. However some international and domestic flights moved ahead of time.

3) After the 28th, NO airlines used the old Don Muang airport. It may turn into a large market.

4) Getting a taxi is a pain! The new airport requires a shuttle to go almost 6 kilometers (4 miles) to the taxi stands. This is a major hassle – you’re better off hanging out in the departures and flagging down a taxi driver who just dropped someone off. This way you avoid the airport fees as well as saving the shuttle time.

5) There were some disruptions on the 28th, but the airport is now operating smoothly.

6) Lounges were initially in disarray, but are now organized. Some Bangkok airport lounges were closed, some were operating under different rules.

Good luck! Enjoy the new Bangkok airport and enjoy visiting Thailand!

Recently supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra have been protesting in Bangkok and other areas of Thailand.

While some of the protests have been peaceful, recent bombings and explosions as well as military attacks on protesters in central Bangkok have killed a number of people and the situation is volatile.

The Silom business district in Bangkok along Thanon Ratchadamnoen Nok is the most severely affected area and it is advisable to avoid going there.

If you plan to visit Thailand, make sure to keep informed about the situation and avoid protest areas if demonstrations take place.

Make sure to check your country’s Thai embassy website for full updates on travel advisory warnings for visiting Thailand before you travel.