The Five Most Costly Mistakes You Can Make On Your Trip To..

Southern Thailand islands also known as the "Paradise" Islands are
among the most popular tourist destinations in the world. More than
12,000,000 tourists have visited Thailand in 2005, and the majority of
them had left the Bangkok International Airport immediately after
their arrival and headed straight to the Southern Islands. Some of the
visitors were fascinated by the stories of people who were caught in
the charms of the unforgettable ambience of the islands, some of them
were taken by images they saw on the web, while others were convinced
as per the words of their travel agent that the Thai Islands were
indeed the ultimate tourist destination that fits every taste, age,
budget and personality type. This can partly explain the massive flow
of honeymooners, backpackers, families-on-vacation, partygoers, divers
and many others to the Thai Islands every year.

However, the inexperienced Thailand traveler may be unconscious to the
fact that a satisfying vacation is not a surefire thing even in a
place nick named Island Paradise. In order to be successful, enjoyable
and fulfilling, your vacation must be thoroughly planned. Unfamiliar
destinations often hide little unknown secrets, which hold the
enormous potential to make the desired positive change in your
vacation.

This article will discuss the biggest mistakes you can make prior and
during your visit to the Thai Islands. Adhering to or ignoring the
five amendments below can literally make or break your vacation in the
Southern Thailand Islands.

Mistake 1: choosing your vacation island spontaneously. Web pictures
of tropical islands often make them look almost identical. The
inexperienced traveler is likely to assume that no matter where you go
in Southern Thailand Islands - you will bump into the same picturesque
beach with white sands, turquoise water and a single coconut tree.
Falling into the illusion of images while choosing your vacation
island out of pure impulse can be a very disappointing experience in
case the final destination island does not meet your needs, your
personality or expectations at all. To avoid this mistake, define your
preferences before hand, make a dedicated research prior to choosing
your destination by gathering the relevant information using
guidebooks in addition to using the Internet. As you choose the island
that fits your needs, pay close attention to the following points:

1. The level of tourist development. Some travelers like their islands
loaded with tourist facilities (i. e. Phuket, Koh Samui), whereas
others prefer the classic touch "old school" isolated touch (i. e. Koh
Phangan, Khao Lak).

2. Nightlife - Phuket, Koh Samui and at lesser extent Krabi offer a
thriving nightlife, whereas Koh Phi Phi and Koh Tao are quiet and
drowsy.

3. Diving sites - Koh Phi Phi and Koh Tao offer the best diving sites
in Southern Thailand.

4. The prevalent level of accommodation. Phuket and Koh Phi Phi offer
a immense variety of luxury hotels, while Koh Phangan and Koh Tao
offer mostly basic (not necessary low standard) accommodation.

Mistake 2: Assuming that a great vacation can be carried out at a very
low budget. Some travelers tend to wrongly assume, that Thailand being
a country with developing economy will provide everything including a
high standard hospitalization in ridiculously cheap prices. This is
partially right, since the local tourism industry suggests an
inexpensive travel opportunities to backpackers. However, the spoiled
tourist who is used to savor on luxury westernized accommodation will
find out the hard way that in order to meet his or her traveling
expectations the expenses are appropriate to what is offered. To avoid
this mistake and eliminate serious deviations from the planned budget
- make your research to learn about price gaps in Southern Thailand
Islands. For instance, one should know that staying in some islands
(i. e. Koh Phi Phi) is expected to be more expensive, while staying in
other islands (i. e. Koh Phangan, Koh Tao) can be significantly
cheaper. To avoid any disappointments related to over expenses, I
recommend adhering to the following guidelines:

1. Avoid planning a budget on the basis of someone else's estimations,
especially if that person visited the Thai Islands many years ago;
spent the vacation in another island than the one you chose; much
younger than yourself/ or prefers a different life standard.

2. Make an informed decision regarding the desired level of
accommodation. The basic accommodation that includes a clean air-
conditioned room and western style bathroom can be booked on
relatively low, albeit not ridiculous, price. Contrary to that, a
luxury accommodation (that kind of accommodation is quite common in
Phuket and Koh Samui) may be almost as expensive as the hotels in your
neighboring country.

3. Although checking the room rates is possible using the Internet -
the prices of meals should be carefully checked as well. Don't assume
that no matter where you eat - the meal will be cheap. During my first
visit to Thailand, I was very surprised to receive a check of the same
value as in my home country. Now I know, that the Southern Thailand
Islands offer a myriad of western style restaurants with western style
prices. Therefore, before you enter a well-designed restaurant - check
the menu and make clear budget estimation.

Mistake 3: choosing your vacation beach spontaneously. This is similar
to mistake number one - but probably easier to correct, because
checking other beaches on the destination is easier logistically and
cheaper than checking other islands. However, the "wrong" beach choice
can make you feel that you haven't exploited the full potential of
your vacation, or that you have wasted significant part of it. For
instance, during my first visit in Koh Phangan I found out two days
before the end of my vacation, that my "perfect" beach is located on
the other side of the island. The following tips can help you avoid a
similar situation:

1. The most developed and crowdie beaches on most islands are located
in proximity to the airport (in case there is an airport in your
island) or to one of the main seaports.

2. In case you prefer the above type of beaches - be aware of the fact
that some of them, especially in Koh Samui and Phuket, are not family
friendly.

3. The old school quiet and picturesque beaches are always on the
other side of the island. If the "old school" beach is what you are
looking for - don't give up even if the way to Thailand was long and
exhausting, and try to make a small effort to cross the island on your
way to the opposite side; it will be well worth your while.

Mistake 4: insisting on Westernized food. Some of us tend to worry
about experimenting with an unfamiliar food. The Thai tourist industry
is aware of this fact; therefore the supply of Western style
restaurants in Southern Thailand Islands is huge. Having said that,
limiting yourself to these restaurants could be a huge mistake, since
the prices for western cuisine are much higher compared to the ones in
authentic local restaurants; and even worse- you miss out on one of
the most important experiences of the Thai culture - the superior Thai
cuisine, probably one of the best in the world. To avoid this mistake,
don't hesitate entering small restaurants with ridiculously neglected
interior design, plastic maps and un-plastered walls. These
restaurants' owners are probably the worst marketers - but usually are
superior cooks. Your meal in one of these restaurants will often be
unbelievably cheap, tasty and mostly made of fresh sizzling
ingredients. You will fantasize about these meals long after you have
left the island.

Mistake 5: To take your big business suitcase to an island that could
be only accessed by sea. A big suitcase is of course very convenient
[in Europe]: using it, you can pack everything you need; it can be
carried easily thanks to those little wheels; and it makes you look
very representative. However, taking a big suitcase to Koh Phangan or
Koh Tao is not something I would recommend. The platforms in the piers
are extremely narrow and occasionally unstable. So if you're really
lucky - your big suitcase will be safe. If you're a little bit less
lucky - it can fall into the water. If you ran out of luck - you can
fall into the water together with your suitcase. I seriously think a
back bag would be your best bet. Just for the record, the huge
suitcase that was taken by yours truly to her first trip to Koh
Phangan was left somewhere in the jungle to frighten local monkeys.

So, on the next time the idea of heading the Thailand Islands crosses
your mind, as tempting as it may be, try not to succumb to rumors and
fascinating imagery. A thorough research and planning ahead may take
some time and effort on your side, but it will be more than worth your
while.



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