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Vacationing in Thailand

First, flights! There are many flights from Detroit to Bangkok. Some go west (Pacific route) and some go east (Atlantic route). The distance is nearly the same, but the Pacific route is usually shorter in time.

I like the Pacific route with a one-stop flight (there are no non-stop flights from Detroit). You’ll usually change planes in Tokyo (Narita airport) or Seoul (Inchon airport).

Be warned; even the shortest flight will take almost 24 hours total and some can be longer than that depending on layovers. Because of the long travel time you should allow for at least a two week visit. Since noon in Bangkok is midnight in Detroit the jet lag is brutal! You may want to scroll down the Thai Time entry.

But once in Thailand I think the trip is worth it!

On arrival tourists are granted a 30 day visa, so there's no real preparation other than getting your ticket and going! But make sure your passport is at least six months from expiration!

You’ll find Bangkok to be a big, busy, exciting city! Larger than New York City, it has a ton of things to see and do.

But my hometown is Ayutthaya

The train fare from Bangkok's Hua Lampong station to Ayutthaya station is 15 baht (about fifty cents) when I last checked. The trip takes about two hours and the ticket agents all speak enough English to make the purchase easy.

Once at Ayutthaya you'll be surprised at the difference from Bangkok. Much calmer and more relaxed. While taxis are fairly rare in Ayutthaya tuk-tuks abound and are the primary means of travel for tourists. Bicycle and motorbike rentals are available and your hotel can advise you.

Tuk-tuk’s are convienent, but prices are flexible, so before getting on board tell the driver where you're going and ask for a price. Feel free to negotiate (politely please! Nothing ends a discussion with a Thai faster than a show of temper!)

Ayutthaya has many good hotels and a mix of modern shopping malls and traditional street markets. You may want to visit "Farang Street" (Soi. 8 Nareasuan Road). It's a gathering place for foreign tourists from many countries and has several open air cafes. It’s a good place to compare notes and exchange info with other tourists.

There's so much to see in Ayutthaya (and Thailand in general) that I can't list it all. You can see a tiny bit on the Gallery page.

If you go, have fun! I'm sure you will!